Weekend Warrior: Over Fifty Years Re-living American History. By Lawrence J. Bopp, illustrated, appendices, subject index. Privately published 2020, Lawrence J. Bopp, paperback, 315 pages. $40
The hobby of U.S. Civil War reenacting has been around long enough now to have created a history of its own. Civil War reenactments began springing up around the time of the U.S. Civil War Centennial and have continued ever since. Weekend Warrior is the title of the memoirs of longtime reenactor Lawrence J. Bopp. He sets out here to prove the old saw that “we are all the heroes of our own story.” Mr. Bopp first began participating in American Civil War events during 1967 as a recruit in George Gorman’s 2nd NC Infantry, arguably the sine qua non of authentic Civil War units during that time. By all accounts George Gorman was an interesting character with a well-earned reputation for wild behavior. As often happens with reenactment groups, things ran their course and the 2nd NC soon folded, but Mr. Bopp had found something there that he really enjoyed and pursuing historical military reenacting would come to dominate his weekends for the next half century.
Mr. Bopp formed his own unit in 1968 in Baltimore, Md., that he called the 4th NC Infantry and maintained some of the same characteristics found in Gorman’s 2nd NC Infantry, most particularly the attention paid to their equipment and handmade woolen uniforms. His quixotic search for the right fabrics and patterns dominated his earliest recollections. Let me hasten to add, this was taking place during the time before anything in the way of quality reproduction gear was available; options were limited to what you could make yourself.
More often, what prospective reenactors would do was cobble together an outfit from their own closets which consisted of work or casual clothes, a reshaped western cowboy hat and work boots. Reenactors often showed up looking more like Texaco service station attendants than any sort of Union or Confederate Civil War soldier. A common insult at that time was to inquire, “what gas station are you fighting for?” The derogatory term, “farb,” is widely used by Bopp throughout the book to describe such participants.
Mr. Bopp also recalls the other alternative for more authentic Union and Confederate reenactors who routinely used surviving historical artifacts as part of their kit. Original jackets, trowsers (trousers), hats, and cartridge boxes were pressed back into service at Civil War reenactments. The muskets were cobbled together from disassociated parts or else an original still in serviceable order was used. Naturally, this was an unwise practice that is now frowned upon. Today there at least some quality reproductions available which was not the case fifty years ago. It is now more widely recognized that when a historical artifact is lost or damaged in a reenactment or living history, so is a piece of history. The loss of these valuable artifacts is acknowledged by Mr. Bopp and he expresses his regrets about the matter.
There is something of a sliding scale in how Mr. Bopp considers matters of authenticity as it relates to the hobby of Civil War reenacting. He pays considerable attention to the hat and uniform part of his kit, which he terms his “costume.” The preferred term in the authentic living history community for the clothing worn is “period attire.” This may seem trivial but it is strongly inferred in this book that modern sewing machines were used to construct his Confederate “costumes.” However, sewing machines were not in wide use to construct Confederate uniforms domestically during the Civil War. Hence, most reenactors who participate in the history heavy side of the hobby hand sew their clothing as this was the method of construction during the 1860s. Further, the use of vegetable dyed cotton thread is used, and so on. There is more to authenticity than just getting the correct wool.
In addition, Bopp recalls that his first major purchase was a reproduction of the two-band 1862/3 Remington contract rifle that reenactors of the time incorrectly called the “Zouave.” These were never issued to Civil Warera Zouave units or for that matter anybody else. While they were among the first reproductions available, what is also true is that they are completely anachronistic to any authentic portrayal of a Confederate Civil War soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia. In fact, the reproduction “Zouave” rifle became so closely associated with those who Bopp derisively terms “farbs” that most mainstream Civil War reenactments eventually banned their use. He also sometimes calls The Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia the “Confederate Battle Flag” and in at least one instance, “the Stars and Bars.” This is regrettable since the original 4th NC Infantry served with distinction in the Army of Northern Virginia. You are certainly to be excused if you don’t find such matters to be of any concern to the overall narrative. The broader point here is that in Weekend Warrior a “farb” is always pointed out where some other guy lacks knowledge or cuts corners.
These minor criticisms aside, there is much worthwhile information here and for the intended audience of American history buffs and reenactors the book can be recommended. For example, it is annotated in the Chicago style where a superscript number is placed in the text that corresponds to a footnote at the bottom of the page. The footnotes often contain important information that put things in better context and should always be read. Mr. Bopp makes this part easy on the reader. Another much appreciated feature was the subject matter index at the back of the book to assist in quickly finding people you might know as well as other points of interest. The book is arranged in chronological order and chapters correspond to different time periods in his long reenacting career which over time increased to include all periods of American history from Revolutionary War to World War II. Mr. Bopp also participated in a number of television programs and National Park Service Visitor Center films, an activity for which he devotes a separate chapter in the book. His recollections mirror my own observations about some of those same experiences.
The best parts in Weekend Warrior are the author’s vivid
LIVING HISTORY! James Country
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recollection of hundreds of campfire stories involving his interactions with colorful characters over the years, many of whom have since passed away. The part of the living history hobby that many participants enjoy most begins after the battles or demonstrations are finished; the sun goes down and the serious drinking starts. Mr. Bopp mentions that he was known by the nickname “Uncle Filth.” It is apparently well deserved. If you enjoy pranks, salty language, misadventures, and scatological humor you are in for a treat. If not, consider yourself warned.
Watchdog Civil War Quarterly as
Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy (2006, 2011), The Unfinished Fight: Essays on Confederate Material Culture Vol. I and II (2012, 2013). He