Feature length documentary that follows die-hard Civil War reenactors across the American North and South over the course of the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War. Through the lens of the Civil War reenacting community, "When to Die" sheds light on the lingering societal and cultural impact the Civil War continues to have in the United States today.
More information about the film:
www.whentodie.com/
Old Glory Productions, LLC
I met Luther personally at Olustee Florida and was proud to represent, an officer, of the USCT. I started re-enacting in 1990 as a young teen and still do this at 46 years old. I have no intention to ever quit this wholesome and meaningful hobby as it is a lifelong passion. It is refreshing to see re-enacting in a positive light.
Hurrah look forward to seeing you at 161st Olustee. Afraid I shan’t make it this year!😊
As a young reenactor who has introduced several other young people to the hobby i have something to say to anyone considering joining. Visit a local reenactment and don't be scared to reach out! Talk to that captain in his camp, ask him questions! This hobby will die without people taking initiative to join, and many companies are very welcoming to new members. And to all current reenactors old and young, love yall!
Yah I would love to get into reenacting but I'm 20 and sadly not very wealth off in turn I've researched gear and it's just expensive which I think is also a turn off for many other young people
We were at reenactment in Gettysburg in1988 for the 125th Anniversary and for the reenactment in 1998 for the 135th Anniversary. We loved it, my mother's family comes from Pennsylvania and New York. Her g-grandfather was a 2nd Lieutenant for the 79th Volunteers of New York. He fought in the Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam and the Siege of Vicksburg. He was discharged on July 16th, 1865
I miss those days. As they touch their colors at the end, they are living a painful moment. They are touching the one thing they have endured for all those years, bled for, many died for. The dignity and honor that these men bring to the moment is worth the effort. Thank you men.
After watching this documentary, and being on the fence about joining the hobby, the showing of the sheer comradery and emotion in this hobby tells me that this truly is the hobby i belong in. The ending, watching the reenactors tear up while surrendering their flag pulled at my heartstrings, even though im a staunch unionist. I think it really portrays the heartbreak that the soldiers of Robert E Lee's army felt that moment 157 years ago.
Those were real tears. The 150th events were very special for me. I started my reenacting journey during the end of the 145th events. I was at the 150th Manassas and made as many events as I could. The 150th Appomattox, we surrendered each day, I think it was a total of 7 or 8 times over 4 days. I cried marching down that road each time. That road carried a heavy weight and bore down on us each time. Not only were the soldiers crying, but the crowd was too. I wish everyone could have seen this. The reenactors, most of us had ancestors that surrendered there. It was real to us.
It's BS, nothing but Neo-Confederate claptrap.
One of the biggest hurdles for young reenactors is buying the kit. Its not cheap to get into it and do it right. It took me until I was in my late 20s before I could afford my first bit of kit. I loved the experience though and did it for about 5 years. I was there for the 140th, and I think the same fears existed within the hobby. There may be a slowdown, but like all historic things, interest gets rekindled and a new generation joins in the remembrance.
As a young’n growing up in the Shenandoah Valley of VA. my late daddy and I were confederate reenactors. We re-enacted in the 33rd VA. infantry which was the regiment in the Stonewall Brigade that my great papaw served in. After my daddy died when I was 15 back in 1997 I stopped reenacting
I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that this is the first time I've viewed this video. I'm a living historian, aka a reenactor, to those not in the hobby, who's worked with Luther's unit in the past. His reenactors are "top drawer", some of the best I've seen. A good deal of that comes from Luther's own zeal and passion for accurate depictions of events, accoutrements, presentation, etc. Looking forward to working with Luther's unit again. Little known fact, his unit also portrays SA War and WWI, and just as accurately. Luther has consulted on, and acted in numerous CW films and contributed a great deal to accurately presenting the Black American contribution to our great country's history. One incredible fact - in excess of 180,000 Black American men volunteered for the Union Army, 20,000 for the Union Navy. That number was over ... yep, over .... 80% of the Black American men eligible for military service during the CW. Think about it. That would be like 8 out of 10 men who live on your block, or in your town, who went to war, voluntarily. Match that! Point of interest, I do impressions from both sides, as a German extraction Sgt. from the 82nd Illinois Infantry, and a Sgt. Major of the 61st Georgia Infantry, and 59th Georgia Infantry (my heritage, my kin). I take pride in both. It's about history, folks. Let's learn something from our collective past, to make for a brighter future. Shoutout to Robert Lee Hodge! Keep on reenactin', brother! You're NEVER too old, if you have it in your blood! Ray Stripling 'Gone For a Soldier ...' sm Productions
I have to say this video was 10 times better than I expected. There is more depth than anticipated. I love photographing battlefields and reenactments. Honestly, I never wanted to be a reenactor before, mostly because of the time commitment, but this video made me almost want to. My wife says no. It had a good balance of the "romanticism" of the period that attracted many of us as little boys and some realism about where we are with Civil War history (well, at least a few years ago). History is often ugly, but it is always interesting and relevant.
I have over two dozen ancestors that fought for the south, from Colonels to Privates, and Iam proud of every single one of them…
the end almost made me cry....im now heading the 160th pea ridge event as a union soldier...wish me luck
Good luck! :)
I'm really enjoying watching this ... getting me pumped up for the 160th events. *LIKED* the production pards.
My Great Great Grandfather fought at Gettysburg (among other battles). My brother is a re-enactor and historian who's lectured and written books on the Civil War. However, he never actually served in the military. I was a Navy Corpsman in Vietnam with the 3rd Marines. My brother and I have never agreed on re-enacting. My point of view is that combat is so horrific and terrible that it makes no sense to want to relive such a thing. I have to work at forgetting that trauma every day. I can't imagine what value there could be had re-enacting that. To this day I can't bring myself to visit the Vietnam Wall because I don't want to reopen those wounds. I still see the faces of those Marines that I couldn't save - some that died in my arms.
Always wanted to do reenacting. I'm in the Antietam/ Gettysburg region. He'll Jackson burnt a railroad bridge a mile from my house. Very schooled on civil war history. Maybe when family life winds down. Great video guy.
Excellent work all round. Greetings from the UK.
One of the absolutely most beautiful documentaries I’ve ever seen
I know Luther Johnson personal, he part of the Illinois 1st Battalion, I haven't seen him in years. I left the hobby for a while, due personal issues and internal unit issues. 4:46 is Wanconda, Illinois Civil War event, this event was cancelled due to political turmoil over the Confederate flag and etc. I know Steve Fratt also, he was one of my officers in the battalion.the Rebs reenactor got so emotional, they were crying. Confederate reenactors ancestors probably was there for the surrender of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. 29:46 October 13th 2013 that was a great event at Minooka. Nights were cold but it was a hell of a experience.
They were. Those tears were real. They were mine.
@@JustDucky2020 Our American 🇺🇸 Civil War was the most tragic thing too ever happened too this nation 🇺🇸. 720,000 dead, I was emotional when I was at Perryville. I ever doubt it wasn't real!!
I need to do this.... I had family on both sides during the civil war.
Wow, great video! I was 14 in the fall of 1994 when I participated in my first event at Port Hudson, LA. I did more than just the CW. Name a time period in history and I probable reenacted it too. Reenacting was my life as a kid. It was all I thought about and I counted down the days to my next event. From my experience CW reenacters are mostly working class guys who love history. A ruff and tumble lot. Who you would want to have at your back in a fight but not always the best role models for a 14 year old boy. There is some hazing in the hobby and when your the only kid you get it from everyone. I still treasure my memories of the years I had in the hobby. But I'm older and fat now and I don't want to hold the younger guys back. My heart isn't in it anymore. I have made peace with my war and I no longer feel the need to fight anymore and I feel strange being a spectator. We get a little wool and black powder in our blood and it burns us inside and out. "For every southern boy fourteen years old, not once but whenever he wants it, there is the instant when it's still not yet two o'clock on that July afternoon in 1863............"
As a young person I was turned off from reenacting by two things: I saw multiple times these old, obese reenactors who were so out of shape they couldn't even quick-step a few paces without losing their breath, but they had plenty of breath in them to loudly critique how ahistorical some other reenactor's buttons were. The second experience was a lot of reenactors during the politicized climate of the last decade gleefully talking about a some nebulous new upcoming second civil war. I found it incredibly disheartening and warped that people who are supposed to be our experts on the most horrific period of American history were upbeat about a repeat of it. I know this doesn't represent the whole of reenactors, but the fact that community didn't have higher expectations of the behavior of its members pushed me to look for another hobby that wouldn't make my blood boil.
Yeah, i was a rental reenactor (a person who borrows gear from a regiment) to reenact, and my first night as a reenactor a person said that i was indanger and the police were called (alcohol was totally not involved) luckily i came back for a full battle in kit i bought (including rifle). Reenacting is fun, but a few people can ruin it. WW2 is a great bridge to attempt reenacting at first, then going back in history is one way to learn about history.
You gotta go to authentic events. There are requirements and guidelines. Hit me up. Let me know if you want my email. And check out the Liberty Rifles 1st Minnesota event
Preach on , Brother Monington !!
@@YourNeighborhoodJackass1917 Or , instead of reading , and research , which should be diligently pursued , having relatives who were actually in those war years is first hand accounts , hesitantly told . My pops pop was in the USAs 508 PIR 82nd A/B Div. as a medic with Capt.s rank . He , due to his bloody experiences , and PSTD issues , hesitantly told me nasty tales of the fighting in the ETO ; from jumping onDDAY 6/6/44 , and the subsequent bloody letting in.Frances " Bocage " , or hedgerow fighting . Grandpa said the Nazi- troops were formidably positioned , and tenaciously fighting for every foot of open , and viciously , grimly contested open field between hedgerows . Allied fighter beers were radioed in to drop 1000 lb . , and napalm to dislodge the Germans out of their well fortified positions . Grandpa said it was a painstakingly process ,van American / Allies, an Nazi troops suffered high casualties . Grand pa ook part in an over ambitious plan by Field Marshall General Bernard Montgomery to curtail WW2 in Europe via Holland in "Operation Market Garden "! The British Paratroopers , @ Arnhem , Holland nearly cease to be an effective combat unit . They ere shot to pieces by 2 , unaccounted for Waffen SS Panzer Grenadier Div.s 9th +10 th just waiting with 88s , MG 42s , mortars , Mauser bolt action rifles ( ? by this stage I'm WW 2 the Nazis should 've had semi automatics ) . The American A/b 102st + 82nf faired barely any better than the Brits @ Einhoven + Nimwjegan , here they too rsn into formidable regular Nazi- Army troops . The meager gains later need to be defended costing Evan more casualties on both sides .. Later granp was wounded during the "Battle of The Bulge " , when the jeep he was riding in hit a landmine killing driver , soldier behind driver driver , and wounding grandpa , and soldier behind grandpa . It was a harrowing experience being that Colonel Joachim Pieper of the "Liebstandarte " 1stWaffen SS Div was lurking about after murdering about 150 unarmed American soldiers @ Malmady , Belgium . Grandpa , after getting his leg fixed somewhat , with other American Medics , was ordered to assist concentration camp victims around mid-3/45 . Poignant smells of urine , feces , and decomposing bodies caused him , and other seasoned medics to vomit incessantly , almost .
What I said was just the tip of the iceberg of how both sides of my family experienced war . Lost my uncle in SouthVietnams TET offensive mid March , 1968 , in those Highlands just b+4 m 11th bday nearly 12 days later . SAD ! Saw his name on the Vietnam War Memorial Wall 2iice . Sen neighbors sons , fiends brothers sent to SouthVietnam from 1965 to 1969 , all had PSTD , and Agent Orange issues .
what a nice super Re-enacting Doku Movie. Gredings from Germany..😊😊😊
We had a southern member of the Civil War when he was a boy.. When he returned home they tell me... he smelled so bad they burned his uniform what a family treasure that would have been. You see he was a POW AS A BOY..
Fantastic presentation! Deo Vindice!
I really enjoyed watching this....Thank you.
I was at 150th Sayler's Creek ... (Where my unit historically surrendered) 19th VA ... It reminds one of the best reenactments I ever attended.
This was a fantastic documentary, although I'm from across the pond- with no blood ties to these historical moments in bloodshed. If you're looking for something to listen to and be immersed in, give it a shot.
what an excellent documentary. (from the UK)
thank you this is awesome, and a needy thing for history.
I spent 20 years in the hobby before giving it up to raise my family. Ibloved evety moment of it. Great memories.
Excellent documentary
Great production. Very good job telling the story within the story.
freakin' fabulous !
33:00 I was there on the field at the 135th Gettysburg, picket’s charge
same here what a spectacle what an event
I was a spectator and it was awesome
Brilliant
Pretty sure the opening scene is filmed at Bentonville, NC reenactment
It was, the 150th Anniversary. I was there.
My 3rd great grandfather served there with the 3rd WI infantry Company G. He fell extremely ill after this battle and spent 11 days without medical attention according to a letter from a man from Company D of the same regiment.
No one shooting at you ....but watch out the bears brother .😅😅😅
I wannna be part of a civil war reenactment I volunteer sir 🫡 54th Massachusetts second battalion
a very nice presentation. I am a historian myself and it is very difficult to get students engaged, our culture sadly prioritizes education that rewards only job training at the expense of understanding our past. Reenactors are sometimes adversarial to academic historians, some of which is justified, but I would like to think that we are all able to work together in our respective roles. Reenacting when done right can express history to us in ways that prose cannot.
There should be a documentary about authentic events. I’ve seen the “hardcorps civil war” documentary but that’s the only one that is about campaigners. I would like to see a documentary about a full campaigner immersion event.
Kudos to you sir… blacks have just as much proud history with colored ancestors who served in the civil war for both sides
The Surrender at Appomattox Court House reminds me of the words of Brigadier Gen, JL Chamberlain of the AOTP V Corps, There was not a jeer or cheer but a silence as if it were the passing of the dead- Passing of Armies: JL Chamberlain, Brig Gen, US Army
I want to become a reenactor and represent my state in the 54th Massachusetts.
there is only one race anyway.. that is human.. there many different colors of people but that is only the different colors of one race.. the colors are not races.... being human is.. because we all come from adam and even then eventually from noah and his family
opps, should have waited two minutes before I posted the previous comment
What’s the music theme they’re using? I really like it.
this is a good documetury. I understand those are fading from the the civil war. But at least to this day campfire games software developers created war of rights. its cheaper but virtual, we do have to deal with racial slurs in events, we want to keep it sportsmanlike. To this day I am born and raise indiana but I am hoosier viking highlander volunteer of 8th Connecticut Regiment
I prefer Battlecry of Freedom. Commander battles are where it's at
32:06 what’s the name and purpose of that call
15:32 Thats Polk's battle flag, not AOT
I wanna do this
God Bless the Confederacy!
37:00 The numbers speak for themselves, it's sad, it's a shame that politics has changed so much, for the worse
It’s like a religion
I wanna join but I live in Canada 😭
im sure there are some war of 1812, american revolution, and perhaps some american civil war units. maybe the american civil war units might be fewer and spread around, but im sure there are some
@@i.libertine6928 little to non Canadians aren’t proud of there history lmao our prime minister sucks everything here that’s Canadian is owned by someone from a different country
Several members in my battalion are from Canada. They fly down and take part in the events here in the states.
I have friends from Canada that do French and Indian War. Hope to see you out there!
The civil war hobby and the Son's of Union Veterans needs more representation of African America's.
There were no fat old guys though.
Buy kit, and get recruiting.
you guys need people between 18 and 30
As a 40 year old Rev War reenactor, l understand, but it us truly easier said than done.
Hopefully in a field with no cow 💩
Quite ridiculous!😂😂😂
but then religion is the one cause of slavery , wasnt the believe that ham laugh at his father noah for been drunk and then god curse ham descendant , canan , to be in servitude
@25:00~Aren't you glad that Lori Lightfoot ain't the Mayor of Chicago anymore?
I do not think that her replacement is any improvement. In fact he might be worse...something i did not think was possible.
Yeah Brandon Johnson is another failure @@carlmcdaniels1675
Amazing clips !!! #1 spot to increase your channel's engagement P r o m o S M!!!