It’s hard to watch these Confederate Civil War re-enactors going through their drills and not wonder about the psychological make-up of each one. What drives them? How did this become their passion? Do they long for the South to “rise again?” How many harbor deep resentments over what many call not the Civil War, but the War of Northern Aggression? How many are out there just to have a good time, explore a little history  and camp out with their buddies? Is it all just harmless play-acting?

Having a brief conversation with a few of them revealed very little in this regard. To a person they were open, friendly, happy to chat and more than willing to be photographed. Their feelings toward the South, the North, Lincoln, slavery, and the war itself (even what to call it!) I suspect are as numerous as the men on the field of play/battle. Sweeping generalizations won’t do any good. Still, for me, it is hard to shake that they are willingly representing the former Confederacy and all the history that that entails. But I guess that’s all about my psychological make-up, isn’t it?