Reenactment of Battle of Corinth,
Corinth, MS
October 1-2, 2005
photos by Christina Miller
The following photos are some from the National Reenactment at Corinth, Mississippi. We had a lot of fun, but it was HOT. Thanks to Diana and Tina for letting me share their shade. Dylan and I borrowed Tim’s pup tent but do not yet have a fly. The guys were camped quite a distance from the civilian camp, so Dylan and I amused ourselves during the day. (That is why I don't have any men's camp photos up here. Tim took some with his disposable camera [ssshhhhh] so they will follow when we get them developed.)
I do not get to go to very many of these; usually I just go to one a year. I usually do not attend the civilian activities. However, this time we went to a presentation on ladies in the Civil War on Saturday morning. Tim went with us and it was very interesting. In the afternoon we went to a Tea. That was great fun:) There was a presentation on dishes and then one on what ladies wore. AND! The food was free and it was good.
Since I don’t do this very often, I try to make a good period impression. I do not yet have a fancy day dress, I just have two work dresses (and three aprons so the combinations of outfits is limitless :) I just try to make sure that everything a spectator sees is as accurate as I can make it. For example:
You will not see a plastic anything in my camp. No soda bottle, water bottle, etc. You also won‘t see soda cans. I probably would forget and leave it out so I fill my tin cup in the tent if possible.
I WILL use mason jars as Mr. John L. Mason of New York received a patent on his jars in 1858.
I won’t be wearing makeup. Although I realize women have had makeup “since Cleopatra” I do not see evidence of noticeable makeup use in any Civil War era photos of ladies I have seen so I won’t be made-up either.
I won’t have canned goods that have 2005 labels on them. (I tear the labels off)
I don’t have any cooking equipment yet, so when we need to eat lunch we usually go up to the vendors and don’t eat modern-packaged foods in camp. However, Tim tells me they had wax paper back then so sometimes we will wrap our homemade sandwiches in wax paper and then eat them in camp.
I don’t smoke anyway, but I know there is a big controversy about this one. From what I understand, ladies didn't smoke...in public. Tim said that he believes Mexican women smoked, and some women smoked pipes (in private) but that they didn't smoke the modern-day cigarettes. He said the guys wouldn't have had the same kind of cigarettes, either...I think they have to tear their filters off to be "period".
I won’t use my cell phone so anyone sees it. If I have to use it I try to go off somewhere away from the spectators.
I made myself a table and used the grinder to grind my round nails into square nails.
I don‘t walk around with my camera in hand or around my neck. I keep it in my basket until I need it then quickly take the shot and it goes back in the basket. I noticed several spectators taking photos of me and Dylan this past weekend and that was kind of neat. At first, I would see them aiming their camera and then try to step out of the way before I realized they wanted a picture of us. Pretty cool. (Notice in the photo below of the ladies waving to the cavalry? One of them is taking a photo. I tried to wait for the photo until her camera was "hidden". I prefer to think she is looking for her man with old-timey binoculars :)
I don’t have to worry about many items because I just don’t have that much stuff yet. I recently bought a couple of plain, white plates. If anyone knows if those aren’t accurate, please let me know. I do basket weaving and try to make sure that I don’t use any tools that wouldn’t have been available back then (like my spring clothespins...I miss them). I usually drink out of tin cups, which makes stuff taste yucky. Can I use plain, regular 2005 drinking glasses? What about plain white mugs?
I needed something for the floor of the tent so I used a nice, floral pattern throw rug. Am not sure if it’s accurate. Any thoughts?
Dylan does not yet have “period” eyeglasses, but we’re getting him contacts in the spring so shouldn’t be an issue except maybe for one more reenactment. However, they are small and have wire rims.
Basically, I put myself in the spectators shoes. They are walking through the camps trying to get an idea of what it would have been like. I am a photographer, too, and I have tried to get really neat photos before but then didn’t take the shot because there was a modern-day something-or-other in the photo and then it just wouldn’t be the same. So, those are my thoughts. I don’t like it when people start giving me a laundry list of things I am doing wrong so I don’t do that to other people either. If, however, you have done any research on anything and want to pass along your findings to me, that would be fine...just don’t yell at me :)
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