2nd US Cavalry Co. A / 9th Virginia Cavalry Co. D

Cavalry Reenacting

A web page of the 2nd US Cavalry, Co. A/9th VA Cavalry Co. D Reenactors.

(Last update 3/23/07)

Cavalry Reenacting - What is it?

(Illustration taken from Capt W. Glazier's Three Years in the Federal Cavalry)

Our own unit represents both a company of U.S. Regular Army Cavalry and a company of Confederate Virginian Cavalry troopers during the American Civil War.  As such, we take care to LOOK right by wearing well made reproductions of the original uniform items, leather gear and weapons.  We use reproductions of the original saddles, blankets, canteens, haversacks, cups, and a host of other items.  Additionally we ACT right by learning and using the original drill and tactics, military courtesies, songs of the period, and other behaviors, attitudes, and thought.  We devour essays, letters, diaries, commentaries, pictures, reports, maps, memoirs, documentaries, biographies, muster rolls, regimental returns, and anything else that educates us about our subject.  OK, so what do we DO with all this?

Our activities pull all this preparation together outdoors in camp, campaign, and mock battle events by ourselves and with other Reenactors as follows:

• Battle reenactments in front of the public.  The most well known activity, this is fun and puts all that drill to the test.  The scenarios are scripted and the outcome well defined, but the activity itself can be a real blast.  We take part in events with from 100 to 20,000 participants all over the mid-Atlantic area from Pennsylvania to North Carolina.
• Living History presentations for the public.  We are blessed by a good relationship with the National Park Service at Gettysburg, Manassas, and Yorktown.  We've done presentations for state parks, bed & breakfasts, and the United States Military Academy.  Here's where we polish up our public relations skills and give a 24 hour presentation of campaign life, drill & tactics, civil war cavalry history, and all that equipment we have on hand.
• Drill and tactical battle competitions.  Larger events often include drill competitions.  Units are judged on drill and tactics maneuvers.  Cavalry units also run a mounted / dismounted target course called "running at the heads" using sabre, pistol, and carbine as individuals and teams.  Tactical battle events pit opposing forces (blue and gray of course) against each other where their skill at tactics determines who wins the day.  We regularly surprise the enemy with our quick movement and fast hitting firepower.
• Campaign march / encampments.  These events push us to really "live it like they did".  We march out across country and live on what we carry in the saddle. Marches of 2 or 3 days get us in tune with the historic reality of cavalry life.
• Parades and ceremonies.  Occasionally, we may participate in a Memorial Day parade or other historic ceremony and bring the cavalry to Main Street America.