Written by Honeyhush
It’s been a while since I’ve contributed to this site. I apologize for that. Summer time is busy! I hope y’all enjoyed a pleasant Summer with the kiddos home from school. I was always glad to have them home and relieved to see them go back to school. I told y’all last time that after talking about all that work, I would tell you about some of the fun stuff.
One of the things I look forward to when going to a Civil War event is the Ladies Tea. I get to take off that camp dress and put on a pretty frock and a hoop and socialize w/ ladies from other groups and from my group that I don’t see often. All teas are different. Some have famous guest speakers. Some as famous as Presidents Lincoln and Davis! Some teas have little craft projects or party favors. There are sometimes wonderful games and door prizes. At all times during these events we are exercising 19th century manners. One lady at each table is chosen as the hostess of that table. This is an honor. The other ladies pass their tea cups to her and she pours the tea and passes it back to them. Sometimes we get to keep our teacups and saucer. I love it when this happens!
There is always the best food- in abundance at every tea I have attended. At one tea, in Cumberland Gap, TN a Union sympathizer and his troops intruded and tried to steal our silver tea service, our food, and even a kiss from a Red Hat Lady attending the Tea. I had to get my pistol out and chase him right out of that gathering!
In the evening there is usually a ball. If you have ever wanted to feel like a princess, this is your chance! Some women search for years to find the perfect ball gown. I’ve been blessed to find two that I love. We get all dressed up in these beautiful ball gowns and one of the best parts is that in the 19th century married women wore tiaras!!! Oh Yes! I wear a tiara! In fact, I own two! Come on ladies, where else besides on stage in a beauty pageant can you get by wearing a big hoop skirt and a tiara? And you know you want to! Gracefully waltzing on my husband’s arm is heavenly, well until one of us steps on the other’s toes. We do the Virginia Reel, the Patty Cake Polka and the Broom Dance among others. My sweet escort brings me punch to quench my thirst.
During the day, the men have drilled and fought a hard battle. The women have shopped, had tea and watched the battle. At night, we come together for dinner and the dance. Then we all gather together by the fire. Musical instruments come out and we play and sing together until one by one or two by two, people wander off to their tents. The next morning we will get up early to cook breakfast before we all gather together for our church service.
The picture is of my friends in their personas of General and Mrs. John Hunt Morgan. Next time I will tell y’all about choosing a persona.
Tags: Civil War, Civil War Reenactment, Ladies Tea, Patty Cake Polka, Virginia Reel, Waltzing
Honeyhush, I know I am not the only reader who has been waiting for another installment of your series. You didn’t disappoint.
This is completely fascinating to me. I have to say I was pretty ignorant about his part of civil war reenactments. I love the idea of you having guest speakers from the history books.
I guess what I am most interested in is the conversations you have. I assume you stay in character? It seems you will be addressing this topic next? I’ll hold my questions!
By the way, I love the photograph. What an attractive couple and the dress is really beautiful.
Honeyhush – I enjoy your stories, too. They do this type of thing at our Jefferson Barracks National Memorial Cemetery here in St. Louis. I’ve never attended, but now you’ve got me wanting to go! Thank you. You are a beautiful belle!
Thanks for this installment. I always enjoy these posts. I wore a tiara once, back in high school when I was on Prom Court. LOL. I have never waltzed in my life but have always wanted to.
This sounds like so much fun but it also sounds like quite a bit of work for the women folk. I was wondering where you hold the balls? That doesn’t sound right does it?
But you know what I mean. What are the different musical instruments that are played?
I am a fan of a movie that is now over 30 years old called The Long Riders. Ry Cooder’s score to this movie captured the spirit of the Civil War Era music and I always remember it when I read your posts about reenactment.
Okay I have to have one of those dresses. Speaking of that where in the world do you find them?
Thank you Ladies! The beautiful Belle in the photo is my best friend Missy. The Beau @ her side is her husband Terry.
) Sometimes they are in banquet halls. I have never been fortunate enough to attend a ball in the ballroom of a historical mansion but this does occur and I hope to one day. I did recently attend a reception in a 19th century home. I felt transplanted in time, wearing my red satin and velvet ball gown, sitting in a drawing room as a gentleman sang songs fron that era. Sometimes we have our balls under a grand tent lit w/ lanterns. Every now and then we have a good old fashioned barn dance!
Where do we hold the balls?( I’m ignoring you Pam
The instruments are what you would expect. What else? Moonshine jugs and wash boards of course! LOL! Nah! We have fiddles, banjos, guitars, mandolins and psaltrys. A psaltry is a biblical instrument that is a small boxed stringed instrument that can be played w/ 1 or 2 bows and is played seated.
Where do we find the gowns? Where else? E-bay! And I’m not joking about that! LOL! My olive ball gown came from e-bay. My red gown was purchased from a good friend who wore it once @ her local event. We do a lot buying and trading amongst ourselves. I’m very blessed to have a good friend who is a seamstress and also gets tired of her dresses quickly. There are also sutlers who come to our events as well as seamstresses that we can purchase clothes from.
It really is so much fun! I leave tomorrow for an event that my Company is hosting. I’ll be camping from Wednesday until Monday. I’m trying to figure out a way to break away to come home for Grey’s Anatomy. It may be a few days before I can get back in here but I love answering your questions and I have tons of re-enacting topics I plan on sharing w/ you all in the coming months.
Honeyhush, I was so excited to see another article from you. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here.
What fun. I had no idea that the re-enactments also included this type of thing. I thought it was all camping. I love costumes and dressing up like that. Looking for the dresses and accessories is something I would also enjoy. It sounds like an interesting and entertaining way to enjoy each others company. I think a waltzing husband is a rare find.
btw, I wear a tiara every New Year’s Eve. They go with everything, from an evening gown to Betty Boop pajama pants.
Can’t wait to read more.
OK, this sounds like so much more fun than the camping part. I would love to drink tea from a teacup filled and passed by a hostess (and I would forgo the honor of hostessing!)
Aren’t those hoop skirts itchy and uncomfortable?
Oh y’all it is so much fun! It’s dress up, tea parties, and princess ball for grown ups!
The hoops are not itchy @ all. Mine are made of cotton. I also have crinoline hoops but the crinolines are over cotton and I’m wearing pantaloons so the fabric of the hoop doesn’t touch my skin anyway. Most women wear a 4 bone hoop w/ their day dresses and either a 5 or 6 bone w/ their ball gowns. I almost always wear a 5 bone hoop w/ a 5 bone crinoline hoop over that to get an extra full look. Not always, but quite often. I have several dresses w/ enough fabric to allow this and I just love the full look!
Re-enacting men are oh so very polite. Not only do they watze but they also never sit while a lady is standing. They open all doors, help you to your feet, bring you a cool drink, etc. They exercise all the manners of the 19th century. All the niceties that went away w/ women’s liberation. Our men know that we expect those niceties , as well as our rights.
The amount of fun you have, really depends a lot on the group you are w/ and I am w/ the greatest group of friends I could ask for.
Do you ever hold these reenactments in cold states in the winter time? I guess that really would be reality.
Hi HoneyBush, I too am a historical re-enactor, but I make all my own costumes. I do other eras besides Civil War. Before I moved there were any number of events I went to. There is a group called the Social Daunce (This is the correct spelling) Irregulars that puts on a Victorian Grand Ball 3 times a year. It’s usually held in the Pasadena CA Masonic Temple, which is a late 1800’s building with a true grand ballroom. What delicious fun. I also do renaissance faires and Jane Austen evenings. In CA they have two Dickens festivals one in Southern CA in Riverside and one in San Francisco. I’ve been to the Riverside one 3 times, and dressed in a different time period each time. First was 1890, with big hair and a big hat, second was 1860’s with hoops and the third was the bustle period.
I recently moved to Kansas City MO, and haven’t had the chance to find evets yet. It’s so sad, I can’t wait to get back into a hoop skirt and corset. Where do yu live? I’d love to meet a fellow reenactor to talk to about costumes and such thing.
Caren, these events sound like great fun. There is a certain ambiance when attending an event held in a historical place that can’t be captured in a modern setting. I’m in KY which is just a hop, skip and a swim across the river from MO LOL! I would love to be able to make my own clothes. What savings that would be! LOL! My husband would love for me to make my own clothes also. I haven’t met any re-enactors who call their clothes costumes. We all refer to them as “period dress”. I have never done renaissance, perhaps those folks call their outfits costumes? In any event, you are blessed to have that talent. I have asked for a sewing machine for my birthday. Maybe you can give me some pointers. I can sew a little by hand and make doll clothes and cross stitch, but I don’t know about tackling a full period piece to actually wear. I have always envied seamstresses.
I would love to attend a Jane Austen evening.
Honeybush, if you do start sewing your own clothing I will be glad to give you all the pointers I can. I’m actually a pretty good seamstress and designer. For civil war the patterns made by Truly Victorian can’t be beat. But be warned, they take a lot of fabric. Hoop skirts are actually quite easy to make, the can be done with only a couple of seams. I actually make my skits with one seam, because I’m quite short (5′ 1 1/2″) so the width of the fabric is usually too long. I wear a six hoop ruffled hoop skirt. I want to make a proper caage crinoline one of these days. but of course would have a petticoat both under and over it. Heaven forfend that I get the dread hoop line. If you want to contact me my direct email is cseaman952@gmail.com. Just email me and I’ll be happy to talk to you.
I guess I refer to my garments as costumes because I belong to the Costumers Guild West an organization made up of both amateur (like me) and professionsl costumers. I do make garments and I’m scrupulous about historical accuracy. It makes it a pretty expensive hobby, silk and cotton velvet and such don’t come cheap.
As a matter of fact, I woke up this morning to find a sewing machine and some other craft items such as a new glue gun (YAH!) awaiting me. My husband had been a busy shopper while I was sleeping. It’s the Singer Simple model that I’ve been wanting. A nice, simple machine to get me started. So, I might just be taking you up on that offer of advice. Thank you!
The 5th Kentucky Belles of Company E do our best to be as historically accurate as possible, in our dress and yes, this can be expensive. Sometimes though, we find some terrific bargains. One of my dearest friends made a skirt for me last Christmas out of drapes. It is one of the prettiest pieces in my wardrobe. I wear it w/ a leather vest I found @ a thrift store and a Good Will blouse that all it needed to be period correct was to have the buttons replaced. It is highly doubtful that I will ever have the skills to make the types of dresses I normally wear, but a simple drawstring skirt should be w/in my capabilities.
I am rather proud of something I accomplished this morning. I completed my first totally hand made 19th century Attitude Hat and it turned out quite well, even if I do say so myself LOL!