Neshaminy After Action Report

After Action Report: Neshaminy

I’m back from the Neshaminy reenactment.  It was an odd event to say the least but I had a good time.  I’m going to use the reenactment for two things, first as an after action report and second to describe exactly what a reenactment involves for those of you who haven’t been before. 

As for reenactments Neshaminy was fairly typical, if on the small and also inaccurate side (but this is representative of the hobby as a whole).  I arrived Friday night and went immediately to registration where I checked in.  Kevin (who I rode down with from the city) and I then found our camp.  My unit the 69^th New York (the reenacting group I belong to) had set up in the woods beyond the civilian camps.  Most reenactors will set up a company street, this is a row of tents belonging to a single unit.  A good sized reenactment will create a “sea of canvas.”  Yet most Civil War soldiers, unless they were going to be camped in an area for an extended period of time, would simply throw down their blankets around a camp fire after a long day of marching.  You’d very rarely see an army camp composed of thousands of well ordered tents.  So this is the way we camp.  We quickly gathered firewood and made a fire, and each of us staked out a spot around the fire.  Afterwards several of us went into town for a last 21^st Century meal.

Our Camp Site, My blanket is in the middle left

We awoke early the next morning and cleared any last 21^st Century items out of the camp.  Most reenactments will have revelry in the morning, this one did not and so the camps slowly came alive. 

 Around 10 we formed up with the rest of the union forces, about 400 or 500 men, for dress parade and drill, which meant mostly that we had to stand around in the sun looking pretty.  After the dress parade several of us went to the sutlers to do a little shopping.  Sutlers during the war were merchants who followed the armies selling soldiers extra things they needed; shirts, socks, canned food, paper products, anything that the soldiers wanted but didn’t get issued by the army.  Today sutlers are merchants who sell reenactors our uniforms, gear and anything else we need.  When we returned to our camp (I bought a few items I needed for my 1861 impression for the upcoming 150^th Anniversary reenactment of Bull Run) we found that a park ranger had been by and had ordered us to find a new camp site as camping in the woods posed a fire danger.  As we now only had about twenty minutes before we’d need to form up for battle we decided to wait until afterwards. 

Sutler Row



We formed up with the rest of the Union forces and marched out into the woods.  We could hear gun fire up ahead but could see nothing.  We were then marched quickly through the woods and out into a large open field of high grass and weeds (with several large hidden holes).  Ahead of us was a line of union soldiers and beyond I could make out the rebel lines.  We were put into reserve, standing behind the main union forces who were engaging the rebs for several minutes before we finally charged into the woods driving them back.  We unfortunately were ordered to advance way too close to the rebels and found ourselves dangerously close to each other’s rifles.  While we were only shooting blanks the weapons we use are exact reproductions of Civil War muskets (some of us were even using original Civil War muskets) and the “blanks” are simply black powder (the same type and amount used during the war) simply without the bullets.  They are extremely dangerous as they can fire out any foreign material that falls into the barrel and shoot out a long flame when fired.  I know of several people who have permanently scarred by “blanks” and in some cases people have died.  Most of the Civil War muskets were effective up to 400 yards, and so that’s the distance that soldiers preferred to fight, not the fifty feet we were from the rebels.  While we were engaged the officer of the unit next to us ran out in front of his lines to and then gave the order to fire, while he was directly in front of them.  Even if it wasn’t live fire that man still deserves a Darwin award. 

Waiting...waiting...waiting

We were then ordered to fall back and the battle seemed to end.  We were all very perplexed by this.  At this point, much to our dismay, a pickup truck arrived dragging behind it a cannon in site of the spectators (of which I was told there were 18,000).  We continued to wait as they apparently reset for the “public” event.  Finally we heard the battle begin far out in front of us.  Once again we waited in the woods, listening to the battle.  Finally we were sent in.  We were still in the rear but now at least we were only five feet behind the union troops who were fighting the rebs.  At least the troops in front of us fell back and we were sent forward.  We fired a few volleys at the rebels before charging and driving them towards the river.  I saw a few rebels to my left surrender to our now overwhelming troops and at that moment we stopped, fell back a little ways and heard taps being played over the bugle signaling the end of the battle. 

Some of the Rebels at the end of the battle



When we returned to camp we found that the park ranger had returned and threatened us with a $300 fine each.  While he was gone (with the promise of returning) we quickly gathered everything we had and moved to a new location on the other end of the Union camp.  After the rather disappointing battle and the rude ranger many of our members decided to leave early.  Kevin and I decided to leave the next morning.

Cooking the Stew

That night, after Kevin had made an excellent Turkey stew, the few of us who had decided to stay sat around the fire. We were approached by a member of the unit camped next to us with an offer to join them for some drinks which we gladly accepted.  About half an hour later one of our members, Dave a retired New York City firefighter, returned to our camp to discover that while we had left only one camp fire there were now three.  My shelter half (canvas tent), and Kevin’s coat, haversack (a canvas bag for rations) and belt were on fire.  Dave quickly put out the fires.

Kevin's Burnt Sack Coat

In the morning we surveyed the damage and decided to stay around until the sutlers opened so we could replace some of the damaged items.  I cut up the tent to save the undamaged portions and salvaged the buttons in order to make small canvas bags for food and personal items.   At sutler row I was able to purchase a new shelter half from a reputable dealer as well as a new straw hat for the upcoming Bull Run reenactment.  Perhaps most importantly though I had the opportunity to get a tin type, an 1860’s period photograph, taken.  I had to stand perfectly still for about ten or fifteen seconds while the camera captured my image.  The developing of the picture would not be complete until after we were leaving so the photographer is sending the photograph to me in the mail.  As soon as it arrives I’ll share it. 

My Burnt Shelt Half

If we had stayed we would have done a second dress parade followed by a second battle and then pack up around 5pm to head home.  The reenactment also provided a number of other events which we didn’t partake including period churches services, a dance, and artillery demonstrations among other things. 

Crushing Hardtack...so that it's edible