What is a “Living History” and how is that different from a re-enactment?
A living history is simply a demonstration or encampment that is done entirely for educating the public. These do not include a battle reenactment. The living histories usually involve company-level drilling and firing demonstrations, but may also include camp life, such as cooking over the fire or the making of candles. Living histories are usually attended by only one side at a time – either Federal or Confederate – and portray the life of a common soldier. Reenactments, on the other hand, may involve thousands of both Federal and Confederate troops consisting of infantry, artillery and cavalry, and recreate actual battle scenarios, whether it is tightly scripted battle re-enactments or tacticals where the outcome is not decided beforehand.
