Years ago a friend who portrays a civilian man of the mid 19th century encountered a fellow male civilian re-enactor. As such situations do, they got to talking about The Hobby and previous experiences. The new friend asked my friend if he'd ever had military re-enactors make snide comments about portraying a civilian, imply that he was less of a man because he didn't portray military, or question his sexual orientation because he took time to dress as a fashionable civilian man. My friend replied that he had his own experiences and they went on to compare the nature of those uncomfortable incidences.
That conversation sticks with me as I interact with both military and civilian re-enactors.
A casual survey of fellow re-enactors on how they would respond to a military re-enactor questioning civilian men about military service brought on a flurry of "I portray a civilian," "He needs to read up on real history," and "Ignore his idiocy."
What I take away from those responses is that we have become accustomed to bullying to the extent we let it pass without comment.
Here's a few facts for the fire.
There were approximately 11 million males over the age of 16 at the time of the Civil War.
Two-Thirds of those were civilians.
The government at the local, regional, state, and federal levels were predominately civilian men.
Such as John Cook, mayor, and City Councilmen Lewis Wilhide, George H. L. Chrissinger, Charles H. Henson, Richard Sheckels, Ephriam W. Funk of Hagerstown Maryland.
Such as John Cook, mayor, and City Councilmen Lewis Wilhide, George H. L. Chrissinger, Charles H. Henson, Richard Sheckels, Ephriam W. Funk of Hagerstown Maryland.
The leaders in business, industry, and community services were predominately civilian men.
Such as Superintendent John A. Kennedy and Commissioners Thomas Coxon Acton and John G. Bergan of New York City Police Department
Civilian men provided oversight and management of the majority of businesses.
Civilian men advised women on the maintenance of farms, law, and business dealings.
Such as Harvey Bear and William Heyser
Civilian men enabled women to conduct their business; co-signing credit, loans, contracts, and banking.
Civilian men did many jobs that were still thought appropriate for only men, despite the women flooding the workforce.
Such as Gunpowder manufacture which we learn from "Employments of Women" by Virginia Penny, 1863 reported no female workers.
Civilian men founded the commissions that ensured sanitation, supply, and assistance.
Such as Dr. Samuel Howe, Rev. Dr. Bellows, and Frederick Law Olmstead
Such as Dr. Samuel Howe, Rev. Dr. Bellows, and Frederick Law Olmstead
Civilian men contracted many of the support services for the military; everything from hospital nurses and teamsters to produce merchants and grave diggers.
Such as Walt Whitman and "Uncle" Jim Parks
Many civilian men were veterans of previous military engagements.
Such as John Lawrence Burns of Gettysburg
Men of color could not enlist until 1862, previously serving in civilian support positions.
Such as William Wood and James M. Peters
There were laws, edicts, and decrees in place to ensure the civilian men needed to maintain the communities, states, and country could get exemptions from service.
So, with 2/3 of the men not in military service during the Civil War, a large portion of re-enactors should be choosing to portray civilian men. Instead, the few who do are met with bullying behavior worthy of a school playground.
Why shouldn't we ignore the idiot?
Because the face of Civil War era re-enacting is changing. We are engaging potential members all the time. The War affected the whole population, so we have room for everyone. In each encounter we have the chance to share history as it was and without civilian men, the history is incomplete.
One can't have a Civil War program without a Civil War soldier, but without civilian men the story is only a third told.
