Co.B 9th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
Portraying Eastern & Western Troops of both sides of the War Between the States 1861 - 65
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Recruitment
advert for the two largest US Civil War Reenactment organisations
in the UK
(Click on pic to enlarge)
By John Rayner, Editor, Bugle Call, SOSKAN Newsletter.
Re-enacting is a wonderful hobby and a marvellous way to escape the realities of our modern world. Whether you leave a house full of screaming children, or the frantic pace of the city, or a place of work, no one can deny that part of the reason we engage in this hobby is to leave the hustle and bustle of the 21st Century behind.
It is also good to see old friends again. The sense of camaraderie amongst Civil War re-enactors is a strong one, and when one has been involved in the hobby for a number of years your circle of friends grows even larger, all bound together in one common interest.
Scalawags
entertaining some SOSKAN pards at Chelmsford Spectacular Farbfest
Aug 1998
(Pic by Roy Daines)
There are few things more satisfying than sitting around a campfire at night boiling a cup of coffee swapping tales, talking or even singing a song or two. We are not here to glorify war ; but to represent and honour the gallant men and women who distinguished themselves in all the theatres of the American Civil War.
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By John Rayner, Editor, Bugle Call, SOSKAN Newsletter.
Click on pic for Bugle Call Cover
Commonly referred to as SOSKAN, the Association is a registered Charity at law. It is supported by membership subscriptions, private donations, advertising revenue and public project fees.
The Association is international in membership, with members in France, Norway, Africa and the USA as well as in the British Isles. The membership is drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds with varying areas of interest in the American Civil War, e.g. wargamers, social and military historians. Men, women and children are welcomed into the Association and fulfil various Living History roles. Many of our members enjoy postal membership of the Association. The membership fee paid to SOSKAN is the only official one recognised by the Association.
Membership entitles you to take part in re-enactments, living history displays, and camps etc., as described in the Rules and Regulations. You will also receive yearly 6 copies of the Associations newsletter, Bugle Call, to which you are encouraged to make contributions in line with its Editorial Policy.
Each SOSKAN Regiment has a distinct identity based upon a Civil War Regiment. The Regiments and Armies are organised in authentic structures for the time. Some Regiments have unofficial mutual aid funds for newsletters and equipment pools. Civilians portray their counterparts according to the Social Rules, Dress and Etiquette of the period.
The Confederate Infantry take their instructions from Hardee's Infantry and Rifle Tactics, the Union Infantry from Casey's Infantry Tactics, Artillery from French, Barry and Hunt's Artillerist's Manual and Cavalry from Cooke's Cavalry Tactics.
These range from battles, exhibitions, living history camps and displays to TV appearances and lectures, and sometimes all the above at one event ! Quite often we display at Country Houses and Parks, for example, the American Museum at Bath, Fort Brockhurst in Hampshire and Holdenby House in Northamptonshire; we also display at fetes and fairs (e.g. Hayes Carnival in Middlesex) and many more. Dates and details of each event are published in Bugle Call or circulated individually by post as necessary. Other organisations are invited to take part and we are invited to take part in other organisations events. Training events also take place and are normally arranged by the Regiments with permission from the Executive Committee. All rules and regulations apply to those events as well.
Action
at The American Museum , Bath, September 1998
(Photo by Roy Daines)
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The American Civil War Society
Their brilliant web
page speaks for itself. ACWS 
Click on pic for ACWS Newsletter cover
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We feel that Living History in particular and the hobby in general can only benefit by the willingness of re-enactors to accurately portray soldiers and civilians in any of the theatres of war, and not be hamstrung by any particular bias toward either side.
Therefore, you may find us re-enacting as true-blue Federal soldiers of the Army of the Potomac one week and 'homeless' Orphan Brigade members of the Army of Tennessee the next. Confused ? Don't worry, we give you PLENTY of notice !
Euromilitaire
97 (Click on the thumbs for
full pix)
Each to his own of course, but we believe that a better understanding of the Civil War can only come from an accurate representation of the realities of life for the 19th Century soldier of both sides by wearing what he wore, eating what he ate, sleeping how he slept and drilling like he did. Of course we only do this over 30-odd days a year, but, with the realities of everyday 20th Century life just a short stroll away, the authentic surroundings soon transport you back to the 1860's !
Scalawag
Camp at Kirby Hall Aug 97
(Pic by Roy Daines)
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