American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Watching Gods and Generals today I could only chuckle at the condition of the Army of Northern Virginia in many of the scenes. Old men with white hair and beards who seemed to do a lot of limping filled the ranks. One man actually had a cane as he stood there in uniform in the ranks!

Now I know its just a movie and I know filmmakers are glad to get volunteers to work in these movies to save money... but really?!

The average soldier in Lee's Army was about 19 years old and probably weighed somewhere around 120 pounds. These men were lean, tanned, weather-beaten, dirty, hungry, and stood only about 5'6" on average.

The reenactors all seemed to be well into middle-age, a bit stocky, bespectacled, and as clean and fair skinned as they come.

Thank Goodness Lee's Army in 1862 wasn't composed of such men or I fear the Second Rebellion would have ended in a farce!

The makers of Cold Mountain actually hired a bunch of young Romanians to play the reenactors. Like that idea or not (I'm appalled by it) it seems to work better.

If the Army of Reenactors in the Gods and Generals film fought against the Army of Reenactos from Cold Mountain I would be placing my money on the young Romanians.

Anyone have any thoughts one way or the other? Anyone else tired of seeing reenactors that look like they should be reenacting the 25th Anniversary Reunion at Gettysburg?


Col. Blake L. Strickler
Army of the Mississippi
Chief of Staff
6th Bd/4th Div/IV Corps

Actually, statistics accumulated at the time set the average at around 24 years of age.

I know lots of people who are picky about the onscreen troops, like yourself. As for me, I'm aware that watching any movie is----to a certain extent----an exercise in the suspension of disbelief, and I have no problems with that. To each his own.



Your Obedient Servant,
Lt Gen Dwight McBride
Ist Division/1st Brigade
V Corps/AOP/USA

The sad thing was the movie was so weak after Gettysburg was so good.

The book was much better-worth reading even if by the son.

Col Elkin
Chief Engineer AotT


“I have come to you from the West, where we have always seen the backs of our enemies. . . . Let us study the probable lines of retreat of our opponents, and leave our own to take care of themselves. Let us look before us, and not behindâ€

The sad fact is that reenacting is an expensive, time consuming hobby. I doubt there are too many folks in the 19 to 24 year old age range who can afford the investment in funds and/or time to do it properly.

There is an exception to every rule, but for the most part reenactors know what they are doing, and how to do it correctly. They don't rely on a Hollywood costume designer for their uniforms and equipment. Instead, they have carefully researched each and every item, and then lovingly put their persona together bit by precious bit. Although I can certainly see where you are coming from Blake, I think the reenactors did alright.

MG Jon Hooper
AotM

One of my neighbors is a re-enactor (Revolutionary War- British) and it is very costly. He is now 17 and has been doing this for 3-4 years. He had to be 15 years old to carry and fire a musket. His uniform is accurate for the period and weighs a LOT!

It is a very expensive hobby, but his parents support the hobby and his mother and sister participate in the re-enacting with period costumes.


<b><font color="gold">Ernie Sands, General
4th Brigade, Cavalry Division, XIV Corps,
Army of Cumberland, USA


ACWGC Records Site Administrator
</b></font id="gold">

Its something I would love to get into! But, yes, the cost is very high. It really is a shame that more young history major students and Civil War buffs don't have the opportunity to participate in such things until they are older.

Col. Blake L. Strickler
Army of the Mississippi
Chief of Staff
6th Bd/4th Div/IV Corps

I'd bet on the Romanian's too, since they were virtually all members of the Romanian Army acording to the making of video (if I remember correctly).

Personally I liked God's and Generals just fine.....It was great watching all those Southern victories, and to see Southern men depicted as honorable.....I definatly heard it did not play too well up North.....What a shock.....

BG Hank Smith
Army of Georgia
Smith's Corp Commanding

I have conflicting views on this.

On one hand, I congratulate what the reenactors do to honor the indescribable bravery, sacrifice and patriotism that the soldiers of our nation have shown in the past. Reenacting is very expensive and time consuming, I did it for a short time in the mid 80's.

On the other, I'm a stickler for detail (unfortunately it can be extreme). I enjoy reading and being able to use my imagination to visualize the events, but I also enjoy seeing movies and the opportunity they give me to not have to use my imagination, but to actually see a portrayal of the events, albeit recreated. I know that much expense and attention to detail was taken to make the movie, EXCEPT, and to me it is a big EXCEPT, the physical appearance of the reenactors. They typically are the extreme opposite of what you would have seen in reality. It seems to me that if the makers of the movie or documentary are going to so much expense to make it realistic, that they would be as accurate as possible, when possible. I thought that was interesting about the Romanians. A sad statement on the physical shape of a typical American male! Now is not the time for me to go look in the mirror.

I realize the difficulty of the issue, without the reenactors there is no movie. And I also realize it's only an issue for me because of my (too?)strict attention to historic detail. Some things I just have to make myself get over when watching movies.

Just wanted to throw this out there!

Fld. Lt. Mark Davis
Adjutant, CSA Western Theater
4th Bde, 1st Div, III Corps
Army of Alabama, CSA

Unfortunately, Civil War in general just like CW games don't have that many followers so no movie is going to have the kind of budget necessary for using anyone but reenactors. Although I think a really good director could easily handle the problem by using actors for close ups and the reenactors for background filler. Maybe with the 150 year anniversary coming up someone will do something. But don't expect authenticity, just look at the new Robin Hood.[:D]

General Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
2/3/IV AoM (CSA)

Awww Kenon,

I heard the New Robin Hood movie was actually historical fact with zero embellishment.....As a matter of fact Russell Crow is in fact the actual Robin Hood reincarnated.....I heard (made up) the story that they actually hypnotized him and regressed him back through all his past life's (including the 3 where he was a gay male of the evening) in order to write the script from his actual memory!!!!

BG Hank Smith
Army of Georgia
Smith's Corp Commanding

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by KWhitehead</i>
<br />Unfortunately, Civil War in general just like CW games don't have that many followers so no movie is going to have the kind of budget necessary for using anyone but reenactors. Although I think a really good director could easily handle the problem by using actors for close ups and the reenactors for background filler. Maybe with the 150 year anniversary coming up someone will do something. But don't expect authenticity, just look at the new Robin Hood.[:D
I thought the costumes and sets looked authentic but the boats landing on the beach looked suspiciously like Higgins boats! The story was an original take on the legend although it began somewhat like "Robin and Marion" with the death of King Richard.

General Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
2/3/IV AoM (CSA)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Maj.Gen. Drex Ringbloom,
AotS Chief-of -Staff,
2nd Division Cmdr, "Corcoran's Legion", VIII Corps
Army of the Shenandoah

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Drex</i>
<br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by KWhitehead</i>
<br />Unfortunately, Civil War in general just like CW games don't have that many followers so no movie is going to have the kind of budget necessary for using anyone but reenactors. Although I think a really good director could easily handle the problem by using actors for close ups and the reenactors for background filler. Maybe with the 150 year anniversary coming up someone will do something. But don't expect authenticity, just look at the new Robin Hood.[:D
General Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
2/3/IV AoM (CSA)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I thought the costumes and sets looked authentic but the boats landing on the beach looked suspiciously like Higgins boats! The story was an original take on the legend although it began somewhat like "Robin and Marion" with the death of King Richard.


Maj.Gen. Drex Ringbloom,
AotS Chief-of -Staff,
2nd Division Cmdr, "Corcoran's Legion", VIII Corps
Army of the Shenandoah




<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Maj.Gen. Drex Ringbloom,
AotS Chief-of -Staff,
2nd Division Cmdr, "Corcoran's Legion", VIII Corps
Army of the Shenandoah