I think its safe by now, to assume you have a strong interest in the Civil War. Making the decision to become a reenactor requires a personal and a financial commitment. It’s not for everyone, but everyone that tries is usually hooked.

The first step is to decide what side of the Mason-Dixon you would like to stand on. Some units do both and some only do one or the other. Again, it’s your choice. We portray both Northern and Southern troops. Sometimes the sides are so lop-sided it’s nice to have the option to help out the “underdog”. The next step is to select a branch of military or group to join. Infantry, artillery, cavalry or a civilian impression are possible choices. The 41^st /28^th welcomes all infantry, civilians and children. We are a family oriented group.

Do some research on the web, it’s a great way to find units in your area that fit your needs. Contact recruitment officers or the email contact listed and ask questions. There are a lot of units out there, some better than others. Go to a local reenactment and talk to a few reenactors. Get their opinion. The best advice to heed is; don’t buy anything until you pick a unit, as different units have different uniform/accoutrement requirements.

After the initial purchase of the gear you need for sure, you’ll spend between $850-1200.00! Then the rest is pretty much downright cheap. Registration costs are $3-5.00. Except for the mega nation event, which costs $10-25.00. Food for the weekend is around $10-15.00. Free battlefield access, if applicable, normally applies. Touring a battlefield in uniform is hard to beat! Some units, like the 41^st /28^th , offer extra equipment to use as needed until they can be individually purchased. This helps ease the initial financial shock and doesn’t force you to commit entirely before you’ve given the whole “hobby” a good try-out.