Company E
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Introduction to the 41st
Virginia, Company E |
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| What is it? The 41st Virginia, Company E, is an authentic campaign style Civil War reenacting unit based in Wisconsin and Illinois. We strive to educate the public and ourselves about life during the War Between the States through an accurate portrayal of soldiers and civilians. Our unit consists of separate military and civilian camps. Our military members live the life of a Confederate soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia: camping, drilling, doing guard mount, and fighting throughout the course of reenactment weekends. Our civilian members portray refugees or civilians supporting themselves by following the army, selling goods and services. The general atmosphere of the company is that of a large family; we develop very close friendships and thrive on camaraderie. |
History of the 41st Follow Link to History Page
| Who are we? The members of the 41st come from diverse backgrounds and professions. We have farmers, college students, businessmen, teachers, and mechanics, just to name a few occupations. Pretty much any relatively healthy, active person with a love for history and a desire to experience a bit of what life was like during the Civil War is welcome. We choose First Person characters from the actual history of the 41st and strive to stay within these identities when interacting with the public (this is called "living history") and sometimes even when they're not around, "becoming" a part of the history we are enacting. You'd be surprised how amazing this "time warping" can be! Reenacting is a hobby that allows you to truly escape the stress of real life several weekends a year. It is very therapeutic and a lot of fun, as well as an outlet that allows you to experience things you never knew you were capable of. If you've ever wanted to step into the shoes of a Civil War soldier, join our ranks--our veteran members will help you with research so that you can truly experience some magic moments as you bring your historical knowledge to life. |
| How does it work? We select between eight and ten official company events to attend each year, most of which include battles, and we often gather unofficially to take part in things like parades or other reenacting events not voted onto the official event list. Members are encouraged to attend as many of the official events as possible. To be a full voting member, a minimum of 25% of the official events must be attended each year. |
| Where are these events?
The majority of the events are in Central and Southern Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, and Northern Indiana. We also attend at least one large national event at or near an actual battle site each year. In 2002, we attended the 140th anniversary battle of Sharpsburg in Maryland. We help each other out quite a bit getting to and from events, often carpooling. If a member wants to attend an event but has a transportation problem, we usually can find a ride, and many members are willing to drive quite a bit out of the way to help a pard get to an event. |
 Sharpsburg Photo By Richard T. Meagher |
| How do you start? So what does it take to join? First off, contact one of the officers or NCOs listed on the Officers Page so you can ask any questions you might have. We set each prospective recruit up with a mentor in the unit to help them out when they first start out. Your mentor will help you to learn the ropes, get loaner equipment, find rides to events, and more. You will find that your mentor will not be the only one helping you out, however; in general, we are a very helpful group of people. We encourage anyone who might be interested in joining to try it out before buying anything. We have enough loaner equipment to completely outfit a person for a weekend. This way you can decide if reenacting is for you without much cash outlay. If you give it a shot and do not like it, there will be no hard feelings--this hobby is simply not for everyone. If, however, after a few events you decide that this is something you really enjoy, the veteran members will help you to start buying your own gear. |
How much does it cost?
 Completely equipping an infantry soldier can be expensive. But Don’t panic! You have two years to complete your kit. During those two years, you can continue to borrow what you do not have. Most new members end up with their kits almost complete by the end of their first year. You may also be able to buy used equipment from the veteran members. |
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So why not give it a shot? You have nothing to lose, and possibly a whole new world of enjoyment, recreation, and friendships to gain. |