Napoleonic War veterans and re-enactors

Just something I've recently been involved with ...

A couple of months ago, a local (professional) photographer got in touch and told me that - in between his day-to-day documentary and journalistic photography work - he'd been working on a 'personal project' for some three years: documenting the daily life of 'ordinary soldiers' (foot sloggers') during the period of the Napoleonic Wars. I immediately recognized his name from his photos in the local newspaper, which I've always found to be a cut above the rest. For a while I used to watch out for his name and learn from his photos.

He explained that he'd been interested in this period of history from a young age and some authentic photos of war veterans, taken around 1858, had rekindled his interest. He started to visit and photograph various 're-enactments' by dedicated enthusiasts and also the re-enactors themselves.

This year, he launched a (successful) 'crowdfunding' project in an attempt to get enough money ($1100) together to publish a book with his photos. He asked me whether I'd be prepared to translate the Dutch texts (Intro, bio, quotes, captions) from Dutch into English on a voluntary basis. Someone else was (voluntarily) doing a French translation. He apologized that the crowdfunding budget only covered the bare essential costs of layout and printing and (unfortunately) not paid translation. Both photography and history interest me, it wasn't too much work, so I agreed.

I'm glad I did! It's been fascinating to do my own research to make sure that my English translations of regiment/company names, ranks, weapons, ammunition, etc. were correct. I also have a draft copy of the book (PDF) with all his photos. As the Foreword (by a historian) says, what make his photos special is that he clearly has genuine respect for the 're-enactors' who so accurately and vividly bring this period history to life for the public. At the same time, he deliberately (and playfully) includes some incongruous (modern-day) details in many of his photos. So his photos show 'the past and present' at the same time. I've no idea when the different language versions are due to be published. But you can find a very small sample on his website. It's in Dutch but the forward/back arrows work the same as in English ;).

No, it's not 'art' but it's been fun (and very rewarding) working with him on documenting his historical interests. The term 'passion' is often overused but in this case it probably applies. Three years work + crowdfunding to publish are good enough criteria in my book.

Mike

Although there are American Civil War re-enactors here in the central Mississippi Valley, the major local re-enactments relate to the

colonial side of the Seven Years' War, known as the French and Indian War (1754-1763)

Compagnies Franches de la Marine, ca. 1757

There was relatively little activity in the center of the continent with the War of 1812.

As you say, it's all good fun, and the losses of personnel are small.