Civil War reenactors approach their hobby with the zeal of a prophet and the curiosity of an academic. On the battlefield they live to "see the elephant," a nineteenth-century phrase describing the rush that only certain daring pursuits — exploration, hunting or war — can provide. Those moments, however, are becoming fewer and far between. The old guys are getting out of the game and, although it's a young man's hobby, the kids aren't necessarily rushing to take their place. What was considered hardcore only a couple decades ago is now looked down upon. Meanwhile, the Great Recession has taken its toll on what was already an expensive endeavor. Time, in this case, may not be on their side. Their numbers have dropped significantly in the last 15 years and may never return.

They see themselves not as the gun nuts and losers that popular culture would have you believe, but as teachers, the self-anointed and self-effacing stewards of our nation's past. And to save that past — or rather, future — the 14th Brooklyn and their allies are leading the charge to do two seemingly irreconcilable things: make the hobby more appealing and yet more absolute.

And yet there may be a silver lining in the hobby's decline. Those members of a group or a movement who stick through it in good times and in bad are often the most devout.

Read the full story at Narrativley

There is a new PBS documentary coming out this February that focuses on the Western Theater. It was made by Great Divide Pictures and was formed from the new interpretive videos at Shiloh, Chickamauga, and Kennesaw Mountain Battlefields. There are some big names who provide insight, great animated maps, and realistic battle footage.

Chris Wheeler, the director of the documentary states that many nationwide public broadcasting stations have picked up the film but it will be up to the stations when it will be aired so they may air it at separate times.

From Civil War Talk

Great Divide Face Book Page

McLEMORE'S COVE, Ga. — Choking clouds of dust swallowed up Civil War soldiers 150 years ago at the Battle of Chickamauga.

That wasn't a problem at Saturday's battle reenactment at Mountain Cove Farms, where it rained from the middle of the night until about 2 p.m.

Still, many of the 5,000 reenactors and 6,500 spectators seemed to have a good time, despite torrential rain that made a muddy mess of things.

"I've been to worse. I've been to much worse," said Scott Bloodworth, a Confederate infantryman reenactor from Jackson, Tenn.

Read more at the Times Free Press

During the Civil War, soldiers fought with their courage and character. But courage and character only got them so far. In the field, they relied heavily on their equipment.

The Civil War was known as the first "modern" war because of the guns and other weapons brought to the battlefield for the first time. Take a look at what Union troops carried with them to their victory at Gettysburg.

From Digital First Video

Living History day at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville Monday, April 30, 2012. Union forces from the 3rd Illinois Cavalry along with members of the Lt. George E. Dixon Camp #1962, Sons of Confederate Veterans gave students a unique opportunity to learn about our heritage.

Garry Ladd talks about being the Regimental Surgeon for the 3rd Illinois Volunteer Cavalry Regiment during a Living History day at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville Monday. Ladd spoke about the medicine and surgical training a Civil War doctor had during that time period. Ladd made the point that most of the training was done on the job and that the transfer of disease and infection was not a concern or known about during that time period.(caption by Derik Holtmann/BND)

Union forces from the 3rd Illinois Cavalry along with members of the Lt. George E. Dixon Camp #1962, Sons of Confederate Veterans gave students a unique opportunity to learn about our heritage. 

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In this photo taken April 15, 2012, Chuck Caldwell, of Moline, Ill., speaks during a presentation on the Civil War at the Rock Island County Historical Society in Moline. At right is fellow Civil War re-enactor Darwin Gillespie of Port Byron, Ill. (AP Photo/The Dispatch, Jonathan Turner) QUAD CITY TIMES 

Moline, Ill. — Despite being the deadliest war in U.S. history, the Civil War was, at times, actually civil.

Soldiers on each side respected and helped each other, said a presenter Sunday at the Rock Island County Historical Society. Darwin Gillespie, of Port Byron, recently visited Fredericksburg, Va., and learned Confederate soldiers went out on the battlefield after fighting was over and supplied water to Union soldiers.

"There was that kind of respect. That's just the way things were back then," said Mr. Gillespie, who's been doing Civil War re-enactments for 24 years. "It was a totally different time period. That's one of the reasons I re-enact — I love the beliefs back then, what we stood for, the hardships we went through to make this country what we have."

"I say, we're wimps compared to what they did," he said of 21st-century life. "The way they lived, endured during that time period, really we're totally wimpy. That's what I totally admire about the time — the dedication each man had toward what they believed in. It wasn't over land. Nowadays, we fight over oil, we fight over land. They fought for what they believed in. It wasn't over possessions."

Union Pacific, Shiloh troop train makes a Run by in Chester, Illinois on the way to the 150 anniversary of the battle of Shiloh, Tn. Video by Steve Wheat from the Sons of Union Veterans, Hecker Camp.