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ACWS - About Re-enactment
ACWS Battle Re-enactment
Members represent individual units from the two sides. If wearing grey or brown the
unit will be Confederate (Southern Rebels), while the dark
blue uniforms represent the Federal or Union (Northern
Yankees). As a general rule, red rank badges and piping on a uniform denote artillery,
yellow is for cavalry, and pale blue is for the infantry, on both sides. Some units,
however, had their own, different way of doing things, too!
Members equip themselves with blank-firing black powder muskets and other authentic
firearms and uniforms and equipment of the period. There are plenty of suppliers of
authentic reproduction items at very reasonable prices. We also have batteries of real
cannon on each side, each cannon emits a deafening roar and clouds of smoke when fired,
whilst the opposing infantry and cavalry also blaze away at each other using the tactics
and drills of the period.
Although our re-enactments involve real weapons (firing only blank ammunition) it must
be stressed that at all rehearsals and public displays, the most stringent safety rules
and codes of conduct are observed at all times. We rigidly follow the Codes of Conduct and
requirements of the Police and the Health and Safety Executive. All weapons are 'proofed'
by the government test houses. We take no chances with our own members or with our
audiences.
Yet there is always a small risk in handling weapons and explosives and doing any
physical activity. Safety training for what we do is emphasised. We also have our own
highly trained and dedicated Medical Service.
At our events, the re-enactment arena is roped off and members of the public are warned
to keep out of the arena and to keep children and pets under control and behind the ropes
or barriers. Our battles are noisy and we use explosive ground charges to simulate
artillery fire. It is unsafe for a member of the public to enter our battlefield arena
until after we have cleared the field at the end of an event.
The public is very welcome to come and talk to any members and to walk around the
authentic tented camps both before and after our battle. |
