24th Michigan Represented At Remembrance Day
By Julio C. Zangroniz December '01 issue
GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Each November, every reenacting
unit that participates in the Remembrance Day Parade attempts
to bolster the spirit of remembrance of someone from the Civil
War era.
Probably none has done a better job meeting that objective than
the men who portrayed Co. B of the 24th Michigan. The group
of about 32 infantrymen and officers proudly wore the black
Hardee hat, the emblem of the much-admired Iron Brigade, with
the red felt circle that was the badge of the First Division
of the First Corps.
Most of the reenactors carried full packs, including blanket
rolls, as they marched in precise unison from sidewalk to sidewalk
under unusually balmy skies and mild temperatures.
"What we do every year is pick a specific unit to portray.
We sought to represent an average company of the 24th Michigan
in the Iron Brigade, to portray them as correctly as possible,
so the public at large that knows the battle can see what the
Iron Brigade looked like," explained John Pagano. He is
president of The Hardtack Society and member of the Liberty
Rifles and one of the chief organizers of the effort.
Spectators saw a distinct difference. "Some people picked
us out and yelled 'Look! There goes the Iron Brigade!'"
he said.
After the parade, Pagano declared he was "extremely pleased"
with public reaction to the impression: "A man told us,
'You guys were definitely the best thing that came along.' One
female spectator said, 'You were the best thing I saw all day,'
and I'm not sure what she meant by that, but it felt good."
James Getty (who, as usual, was the "official" Abraham
Lincoln at the reviewing stand closest to the Gettysburg National
Military Park entrance), "gave us a wink and a nod and
a smile … because he knew who we were." The 24th served
in the honor guard after Lincoln was assassinated.
Pagano said that the group's goals included "the portrayal
of a company marching in review." That's why they had full
knapsacks with blankets on top and clean uniforms "buttoned
up as per the regulations."
The veteran reenactor, who lives in Richmond, Va., said the
tradition of representing units began four or five years ago.
"Over the past couple of years, we've seen it grow to two
companies, three companies," he said. "It's a great
trend towards giving the public, the audience that watches the
parade, a chance to see what the Civil War soldiers really looked
like, from top to bottom. Those guys did a lot of parades during
the Civil War and every regiment wanted to be the best among
all other units."
On the first day at Gettysburg the Iron Brigade suffered over
80 percent losses, with about 399 killed and wounded out of
496 men in only 30 minutes of fighting. "They proved themselves
as perhaps the best disciplined regiment in the Union army -
they fought against the 26th North Carolina, which itself lost
some 580 men," said Pagano.
In his opinion, too many reenactor units treat Remembrance Day
as a "common parade - too proper, too synthetic, too fancy
for the grit and grime of the average Civil War soldier."
His group works on their impression "Our military bearing
is right on... muskets in the right position, chin in the right
position, etc. Too much of the marching of other units looks
kinds of slack: not in step, muskets in 50 different positions,
officers slouching or wobbling down the street, instead of being
ramrod straight." He added that it's getting better every
year.
The 24th Michigan was one of the few units to drill in the assembly
area before the parade began. The special Iron Brigade impression
came at a significant cost since most of the men had to purchase
a Hardee hat. "It was their badge of honor, because even
the Confederates knew who they were. 'There go those Black Hat
fellows again!' some would yell," recalled Pagano, who
earlier in the year posted authenticity requirements on a special
website for the Remem-brance Day parade.
And what's the plan for continuing this tradition? "Probably
the 149th New York, which fought at Culp's Hill," he said.
Anyone interested in more information about next year's parade
on Nov. 16 should contact Pagano via e-mail at: hardtack1863@hotmail.com
