 | It's April! That means the new reenacting season is upon us! Time to brush the dust off the wool and break out all the new stuff we made over the winter. The 18th Indiana just kicked off this season with the Beech Grove Civil War Show last weekend. We saw many old friends and made several new ones, which we hope to see a few of mixed in |
with our ranks! Civil War reenacting is a very exciting hobby! (Not that I'm biased or anything...) If you have even the least inclination to get into reenacting, I reccomend starting in the artillery first. You don't have the extra expense of having to purchse a musket, and they are getting increasingly more expensive every day! Grab a uniform and find a good artillery crew (Like maybe the 18th Indiana!) to see what happens during a battle. Get a feel for what the camping, drill, food, and commraderie is like before you decide to jump completely in. Artillery tends to be a little more family friendly than the other branches are. We are not constantly drilling like the infantry, but we drill enough to be the sharpest battery on the field. The younger generation and us old-timers alike can find something to do both on and off the filed, and the ladies of the battery keep camp-life lively. Most of the events we do also include a Friday or Saturday evening ball, which can be enjoyed by everyone! Not that I like to brag about the 18th Indiana Light Artillery, but our battery does many special events for the community such as firing the starting shots for the Indianapolis Tour de Cure, salutes at the Crown Hill Cemetery Memorial Day services (including a 21 gun salute with the Indiana National Guard), and marching in the Carmelfest 4th of July parade. So check us out, give us a try and see for yourself if this is the hobby for you. I guarantee you will not be dissapointed!
