The Rebel

Once I turned 16, I was able to join a Confederate reenacting unit as a rifleman. I was extremely excited to be in the same unit as my uncle. I had originally wanted to be a confederate reenactor, but since I couldn’t legally use a gun, there was no place for me in the unit. My confederate unit is a dismounted cavalry unit. This means that we do not need to buy horses or take care of them. In the Civil War, cavalry soldiers would be in squads of five people. When put into battle, one man would hold all of the horses in the rear while the others went into battle. We portray the men put into battle. It is a lot of fun because we get to go ahead of the lines as scouts and we have much more freedom than infantry reenactors. We also get better camping spots with the regular cavalry where it is shaded to keep the horses cool. I enjoy being a confederate because the uniform isn’t very strict. I don’t have to wear a heavy wool coat when it gets too warm, and I can basically wear whatever hat I like. As a dismounted cavalry reenactor, I have the ability to be more hands-on with the spectators, and usually they are completely willing to learn.