Here is what the Camp Chase Gazette, a leading publicationin the field of re-enacting, had to say about the Third New Jersey after speaking to some of our members in a camp at North Anna, Virginia in June of 1994.
"Your correspondents spent an evening with some of the men with the Third New Jersey. We had noticed their camp was one of the more authentic and wanted to know more about the unit.We found them to be an organized, more dedicated and disciplined group with a written unit philosophy which each member must adopt upon joining. New members must be interviewed before they are accepted. They are on probation for six months and must meet certain requirements during that time. If any private seeks promoting, he must first have been a member for two years, he must attend NCO school, and must pass a test for Corporal. This test includes Third New Jersey trivia, general Civil War trivia, drill, and battlefield maneuvers. After one year, Corporals can test for the rank of Sergeant. Your correspondents believe that the adoption of this or a similar program by other units would significantly increase their appearance, professionalism, pride, and enjoyment."
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The Third New Jersey is made up of over eighty members dedicated to the common goal of preserving the history of the Civil War era. This is done through educating the public about this most critical period in the development of our nation through accurate and realistic portrayals of soldiers and civilians of that time period.
The organization itself is made up of an executive board of elected officials who oversee the basic workings of the group and the run the monthly meetings. Other members serve on committees such as Recuitment, Historical, Authenticity, and Civilian affairs. In the field, officers and NCO's are promoted through a structured system involving testing and accumulation of points for events attended. This is done to ensure that those in charge during battles and living histories are experienced and competent enough to lead troops in both a safe and authentic manner.
About the Hobby of Reenacting
Although the hobby of reenacting has been around for a number of years, recent developments in research have made it possible for those interested in making history "come alive" to portray the lives of our forefathers with unprecedented realism and accuracy. The first Civil War reenactors used hunting rifles, and wore blue jeans and cowboy hats; today, men and women can become outfitted with fully authentic equipment- from uniforms and weaponry, to sewing kits and kitchen supplies. These fortunate developments have made the hobby even more exciting and enjoyable for those interested in autheticity and historical accuracy.
The hobby of reenacting has taken us not only back in time, but to places we couldn't even imagine in our wildest dreams. Members of the Third have participated, for example, in the filming of such major motion pictures as Glory and Gettysburg; others have performed reenactments at none other than Giants Stadium; many members participate in events such as the annual St. Patricks Day Parade down 5th Avenue in New York City. Some large scale events take us places as far away as Betonville, North Carolina and are attended by thousands of participators and spectators. The Third New Jersey is the host unit of the annual Civil War weekend at the Monmouth Battlefield State Park in Freehold, New Jersey. Whatever the case may be, the Third New Jersey has something for everyone in this hobby, and the events we attend are as interesting and diverse as our members.
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