LIVING HISTORY TIPS 

Hide all Farby stuff (non period items). Nothing ruins a period living history like a Farb drinking a Coke in camp.

Set up an appropriate camp. Have some dog tents and she-bangs set up as well as some A-frames. Lay out a campaign bed roll.

Allow visitors to crawl under a dog tent or into an a-frame. It will make the event more real to them to see it from our point of view.

Don't stack arms. It's difficult to talk about your musket when you can't get at it.

Keep a spare coat on hand for visitors to try on. Wearing a confederate shell jacket in hot weather is different than just looking at it. Plus it will answer the same ole question that we always get "aren't you hot in that wool coat. The answer is "YES!!"

Keep your military bearing in camp. Keep coats on and covers on your head. Address officers and NCO's by their title. This will make the visitors experience all the more real.

Drink beverages out of period TIN cups. Leave plastic bottles and the like in your tent for after the moon people leave!

Shut off cell phones or place them on silent. If you have to use them, step away from camp and handle your business.

Please: DO NOT WEAR A WRIST WATCH! Nuff said.

Man your displays and don't leave them for more than a few minutes. If visitors approach please greet them and be cordial. Work with a partner to relieve you. Also, you don't want your stuff to up and walk away.

Watch your weapons and treat them as if they were loaded. Do not let visitors handle your musket with out you being there. There is to much civil liability involved in this case.

Make sure all muskets are clear before you bring them back into camp from a firing demo.

The biggest thing is to know your facts. If you are going to talk about uniforms and equipment then you better know what you are talking about. Know the types of articles and when they would have been made and how they were made. If talking about muskets and weapons then know everything there is to know about them. The public looks upon us as "experts". Therefore we need to be experts as much as we can. KNOW YOUR STUFF!!! If you are asked a question and don't know the answer then ask someone else. Do not let a visitor leave camp with an unanswered question.

Finally, just have fun! You can have a ball without being in a battle. Take the opportunity to educate the public and you may learn something about yourself in the process!

1st Sgt. Matt Paris, 49th NCT