These questions are a compilation of those we hear most often from visitors to our living history demonstrations and to our camps. Feel free to contact us if you have a question that isn't answered here. 

Where is your unit located?

We don’t maintain a physical location; our members come together for events and for our yearly corporate meeting. Our members are from several states, mostly Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. Some, particularly active duty military, are in even farther-flung locations, including the western U.S. and sometimes overseas.

Are you always Federal?

No, we also portray the 9th Virginia Cavalry Co. D, and in 2003, the unit voted to expand our impression to a Revolutionary War cavalry troop. However, during Civil War events opportunities to portray Confederate Cavalry are limited, mainly because Confederate portrayals are very popular in the reenacting community while Federal Cavalry impressions are less common. We can “galvanize” (put on gray coats at an event if more Confederate riders are needed), but this is rarely needed.

Are you all military veterans or somehow connected with the U.S. military?

Many of our members are active duty military, former military, reserve, or retired; most Services are represented. However, our unit also includes people from all walks of life. Our ranks have included builders, lawyers, doctors, dentists, veterinarians, civil servants, educators, and college professors.

Must I own my own horse?

In most cases, you must own a horse to portray a mounted trooper since the unit does not actively maintain extra horses. On a case-by-case basis and depending on availability, you might be able to rent or borrow a horse from one of our members who owns an extra mount trained for reenacting. This is done in a private agreement between the horse owner and the person wishing to ride the horse.

What kind of horse does the unit require?

The Federal Cavalry bought horses of “hardy colors, between 15 and 17 hands high". For purposes of uniformity and concealment, hardy colors were considered solid-colored and the occasional gray. Our unit doesn't have height or breed requirements. We require solid colors for our Federal Cavalry impressions, which are the majority of our events. We do not accept paints, piebalds, appaloosas, etc. The hobby does not allow stallions in the ranks.

Do you teach members how to ride?

We have members who might agree to give riding lessons individually, but the unit itself does not teach basic riding skills. However, we conduct both formal and informal mounted drill and tactics. We don’t expect anyone to be an expert horseman, though participation in this hobby and learning these drills requires members to have a reasonable knowledge of riding and horsemanship. 

Are women allowed to participate as troopers?

Yes, some of our better riders are women portraying male troopers. We ask that women try to conceal their gender if participating as combatants. Regulations at the time forbade females from serving in the military; however, several hundred were identified and documented through various sources as having served in combat in male disguise, with a presumably unknown additional number of women who were never discovered.

Are there family activities?

We are a family-friendly outfit and encourage family participation. Numerous troopers have brought their families to events, complete with kids of all ages. Families support our impression of Civil War camp life, and the kids usually have a great time during a non-electronic-device-centric outdoor weekend. 

Are you paid to do this?

This is an all-volunteer hobby. The most compensation we receive is hay and water for our horses and an occasional diner in the field provided by the event organizers or the National Park Service. We occasionally receive a small "bounty" from public event organizers to encourage participation, which we most often donate to the unit fund.

How often do you take part in reenactments?

As a unit, we generally vote to support about half a dozen events each year, mostly battle reenactments and living histories. However, numerous events are held throughout the U.S., many in historic locations. Our members may attend any they please, as often as they desire, in company with other units or independently.

How do I join your unit?

See Join the Cavalry! for more information on how to join our unit.

Can I join as an officer or a non-commissioned officer? 

New members join as troopers. See Join the Cavalry! for more information on how we select our leadership. 

Will you come to my school or event to do a cavalry presentation?

Many of us enjoy doing presentations outside our formal event schedule. Our challenge is finding time, especially if the event is held during the work week, and the distances we often must travel. Some schools that our members work with offer a small bounty to help offset the cost of fuel or that’s donated to the unit fund. Contact us if you’re interested in having a Civil War Cavalry presentation at your location, and we’ll see if we can support it.  

I belong to a different Civil War Cavalry reenacting unit, but my unit isn’t participating in an event where you’ll be. Can I ride with your unit? 

To ride with us, contact us before the event so we can coordinate your participation. You'll be required to ride in the uniform and equipment of a 2nd U.S. Cavalry trooper or the impression specific to the event. We expect you to register yourself (and family members if you’re bringing them) for the event, pay any fees required by the event organizers, and sign our unit's release of liability. If you picket your horse on our line, you must remain in camp overnight to help with picket duty. We also ask that you adhere to our schedule, allow our leadership to inspect your weapons before you take them to the field, and ride in a safe, competent, and professional manner that’s in keeping with our impression. Our field leadership reserves the right, at any time, to disallow participation or remove any individual who doesn’t adhere to these requests.

I already belong to a mounted reenacting unit that portrays a different period. Can I join your unit and still ride with my current company?

Indeed, you may belong to as many reenacting organizations as you like in any era you are interested in. If you join our unit and participate in an event we attend, we ask that you ride with us.

Are your weapons real? 

Yes, our weapons are real and entirely functional. Unlike the troopers we portray, we don’t sharpen our saber blades, and we only fire blank charges from our pistols and carbines. Nonetheless, our weapons can cause serious injury if improperly handled, so we devote much effort to ensure we gain and maintain the ability to use them safely. 

Are your weapons Civil War originals? 

The unit discourages the use of original weapons because a 160-year-old weapon could fail; this risks injury to members and others in the vicinity. Also, original weapons are irreplaceable artifacts that increase in scarcity and historical significance with each passing year. We do, however, require that our members carry reproductions of the weapons that were used by the cavalry of the era. Some manufacturers produce copies that are so well-made and accurate that their parts are interchangeable with the originals. 

Is that saddle comfortable?

In keeping with U.S. Army tradition, the 1859 McClellan was not explicitly designed for human comfort. However, again in keeping with U.S. Army tradition, it’s well designed for the required task. The saddle is durable and lightweight, fits most horses well, and can accommodate the attachment of various equipment and essentials needed by a cavalry trooper in battle and on campaign. Once you get used to it, the McClellan can be quite comfortable and very practical; many of us have adopted it as our regular riding gear.

A number of your troopers appear to be older folks. Was this also true in the 1860s?

Statistics for federal troops, the only reasonably reliable source, indicate that the average soldier's age was just under 26. This reflects that similar to the modern U.S. Army, most troops were short-term volunteers who tended to be younger. Much of the leadership, and certainly the small core of Regular troops, included significant numbers of experienced, mature men. Anecdotal evidence indicates that senior enlisted members 40 and 50 years of age, and even more so for Regular officers, were common. Some of these members learned their profession in Mexico, served throughout the Civil War, and then fought in the Plains Indian Wars, a period exceeding 30 years. The grizzled veteran, a savvy old Senior Private or NCO, was a staple among barracks lore of the time. This said the ranks of pre-modern cavalry formations would have been primarily of younger troopers. In contrast, our formations are comprised of persons interested in Civil War history who have the time, the means, and the horse to portray it.

Is that wool uniform hot? Did the soldiers of the time suffer from the heat? 

Yes, it's hot. It was for them, too, but in the 1860s, they had no expectation of cooling off in air conditioning. Nor do we, since we live in a tent throughout the event and experience weather conditions as they are without modern climate control. The best they (and we) could achieve was shade and a breeze. Nonetheless, heat injuries and exhaustion factored into the outcome of numerous battles, particularly Gettysburg. Our unit takes precautions for the heat, ensuring troopers and horses are well hydrated and have continual access to water.

Why did they wear wool when cotton was available?     

Wool was the traditional military uniform of the period mainly because of its extreme durability, unlike cotton, which wore out very quickly. Wool also doesn’t ignite as easily as cotton – important when working with black powder weapons. Furthermore, armies of the time were far less concerned about enduring summer heat than surviving winter's cold. As a hollow fiber, wool is an excellent insulator, even when wet. 

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