" One Man’s Hobby "
					( C ) 2005
				By Jason Z. Dehart
	After more than 10 years "recreating" Civil War battles for history tourists, I’ve heard all of the odd questions, and can’t help but chuckle every time. How do you know when you’re hit? How do you know you’ve hit somebody? Are those guns real? Do you use bullets? Is that fire real? Is your beard real? Did you sleep out here last night? Do you really eat that? Is that wool hot? Answers to the first two are subjective. The other questions can be answered yes, no, yes, yes, yes, yes and not really. If I had a nickel for every time some curious soul with big disco-era glasses and a Hawaiian shirt asked me even one of those questions I’d be able to buy that snazzy Pedersoli flintlock musket I’ve always wanted (believe me, those suckers are expensive). Another common question is who pays me to do this. The answer is nobody. It’s my hobby. All the clothes and props I use are privately purchased by me, and for your average infantry impression you can easily sink a grand into weapons and equipment -- just for starters. Where do we get all our stuff? There is an industry of manufacturers and mail-order retailers out there. Also, a cadre of sutlers and vendors set up shop at each event for all our needs. The only question I don’t hear on a regular basis is why I do what I do. Ironically, it’s a question I often ask myself. I could be at home in my nice cozy bed snuggled up to my nice cozy wife. Instead, I’m standing around shivering in some cold Florida piney woods in the middle of January, hoping I don’t get trampled by an exuberant cavalryman or accidentally trepanned by a real bayonet (not that that ever happens). It’s all a part of paying respect, albeit in some small way, to not only my ancestors but the millions of other men and women whose sacrifices and suffering none of us can really imagine. That’s why I and countless others find ourselves far from home on fall weekends--to remind the public of what it took for us all to be here today. It wasn’t a spur of the moment decision to engage in this history hobby. When I was little, I absorbed everything and anything related to early American history. At home I would sneak off with the Sears catalog and gaze lustfully ... at the muzzleloaders replicas in the sports department. Of particular interest were the Kentucky-style long rifles the company offered. They looked very similar to the toy Paris rifle I played with. I spent hours studying, and I think I knew how to load a muzzleloading rifle long before I actually owned one. As time passed my historical horizons broadened to cover people, places and events. Of course, living in a less politically-correct time, I played "war" a lot growing up. In 1975, on the Stone Mountain train, I "shot" a would-be train bandit with my trusty plastic cap rifle. The "bandit" was cool enough to play along with me, and so I saved the passengers from forking over their pearls and pocket watches. Little did I know that you could play war as an adult, too. After college I finally bit the bullet, made the investment and joined a Civil War artillery/infantry organization in Ocala. During my association with that unit, I participated in events in Florida and Georgia, from static living history/public outreach outing to dynamic battles of all shapes and sizes. And no, I’ve never been to the Gettysburg event, because yes, that wool does indeed get hot. Especially in July. When I moved to Tallahassee I joined the Leon Rifles (Co. D, 2nd Florida Infantry). They are regular participants in the Battle of Olustee in Lake City, the Brooksville Raid and host the Battle of Natural Bridge event every March just outside Tallahassee. I look forward to a long association with this group, because the learning never ends, and there are so many aspects to explore in the War Between the States history. One thing I’ve learned is that our ancestors believed in a bright and shining future for themselves, and by learning about their past efforts we can understand what it takes to build one for ourselves.
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Jason