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| The 53rd P.V.I. attends several battle reenactments and living history events throughout the year. Some of the reenactments we've attended include Sailor's Creek, Gettysburg, Burkittsville, Bentonville, Spotsylvania Court House, "Gates of Washington" (Monocacy), Cedar Creek, Antietam and other reenactments of battles. Our unit is a member of the National Regiment, a
regimental-sized formation that embraces more than twenty Union infantry
groups. At the larger events, the National Regiment acts as a single unit,
giving its members a special thrill as we recreate a Civil War regiment,
complete with a band and mounted officers.
We pride ourselves on the "living history" aspect of the hobby. Civil War soldiers did not fight all the time. More often than not, they spent lots of time in camp drilling, cleaning their equipment, cooking, and then drilling again. In this capacity, we seek to educate the public how the Civil War soldier lived on a daily basis. We regularly have living history encampments at Gettysburg National Military Park as well as Berks Heritage Center near Reading, Pa., Landis Valley State Historic Site near Lancaster, Pa., Eckley Miners' Village near Hazleton, Pa., Fort McHenry at Baltimore and many other state and national historic sites. We also participate in many other interesting and unusual events: • Background Artists (extras) - Occasionally, members are used in movies and documentaries, including the movies Glory, Gettysburg, Gods & Generals, and numerous television documentary programs. • Marches - Whether it is a march from South Mountain to Antietam or a march into Gettysburg, we get the feel of what a "hike" was like for these men. • Tacticals - We engage in a simulated wargame where the officers must use their skill and knowledge of tactics to maneuver the men. Whether making an assault on a fort or protecting your flank against the enemy, anything can occur at a tactical. • Programs - Some of our members also enjoy speaking about the life of the soldier for schools, youth groups and other organizations. We always wrap up the year with a festive holiday Christmas dinner. Members dine at a different establishment every year, always choosing a place that recreates the ambiance for a mid-nineteenth century feast. In essence, the 53rd usually attends at least one event every month of the year. We meet over the winter to roll cartridges, drill, and integrate new members. The $30 per year dues are used to offset the cost of our monthly newsletter as well as buy company equipment such as powder and percussion caps. |
2008 Event Schedule |
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January 5-6, 2008: Winter Hut Work Weekend January 19, 2008: Annual Holiday Dinner February 2-3, 2008: Winter Hut Encampment February 16-17, 2008: Winter Hut Encampment March 1-2: National Regiment Officer's and NCO school in Gettysburg. March 8: Cartridge Rolling Party and meeting at Kleinfeltersville March 21-22: Winter Hut Encampment April 5: Spring "Adopt a Position" Day at Gettysburg National Military Park. April 19-20: Fort McHenry Living History May 3-4: Spring Drill and (tentative) Live Shoot May 26: Memorial Day Parade, Hummelstown, PA May 31-June 1: Living History at Gettysburg National Military Park June 7-8: Spring Drill and Live Shoot July 4-6: Battle of Gettysburg Reenactment at Gettysburg, PA July 26-27: Living History at Landis Valley Museum and Historic Village near Lancaster, PA August 23-24: Living History Encampment at Gettysburg National Military Park September 13-14: Battle of South Mountain near Burkittsville, Maryland. October 4-5: Fall Drill and Work Weekend at the WInter Huts October 18-19: Cedar Creek, VA. November 1: Fall "Adopt a Position" Day at Gettysburg National Military Park. November 22: Remembrance Day Parade & Ceremony, Gettysburg December 6: Regimental Meeting January 2009: Annual Holiday Dinner |