Many recognize that “the hobby” is changing, trending more and more towards a higher standard of authenticity. Better access to new research and more accurate reproductions is driving much of this, but equally important is the heightened focus the public has on the American Civil War. This has led historic sites across the country to re-think their approach to reenactors and living historians, the events we put on, and what we bring to their sites and visitors. Any organization worth its salt has to recognize its environment and adapt.
Last summer, CWHI moved to pursue that goal of better authenticity and, in doing so, saw the addition of Franklin Van Valkenburg to its Board with a focus on authenticity and infantry interpretation. He comes to the table as no stranger to our hobby and brings with him experience in organizing authentic units and events.
His progression as a leader in the hobby began as the Staff Advisor to the Cadet Civil War Round Table at Virginia Military Institute. In this capacity, he assisted cadets in organizing living histories and participating in the battle reenactment at New Market. Since 2017, Franklin has been a part of leading companies and battalions at events ranging from McDowell, Cedar Mountain, and Sharpsburg, to Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and Cedar Creek.
Franklin is also a founding member of Homespun Historical Ventures, an organization by reenactors for reenactors to assist in event planning and hosting. HHV also puts on banner events, inaugurating its mission with “A Perfect Homespun Waterloo” and “Receding Tide” coming in July, 2023.
The addition of Franklin to the CWHI leadership team isn’t the only development to occur over the last few months. With Franklin also comes the addition of the Allegheny Volunteer Guard to CWHI’s offering of historical interpretation groups. Through living histories and reenactments, it is the mission of the AVG to field a company-sized unit of infantrymen in honor of the common soldier. His life in camp, on campaign, or in combat – these are the experiences of the common soldier the AVG strives to interpret to the highest quality and with reverence.
It is the goal of the AVG to foster a contemporary interest in the War Between the States and facilitate opportunities to study, interpret, and interact with that interest through period methods: material culture and food, individual roles and responsibilities, unit functions and capabilities, military operations and experiences, and personal mentalities and motivations.
The AVG’s messes span from the southern reaches of the Shenandoah Valley through the Mid-Atlantic to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Whether you hail from beyond these reaches or between them, the AVG has a host of messes to potentially call home. If you and a group of friends are interested in joining the AVG together as a new mess, reach out to us!
