Although I have not been to any major re enactments as Deborah described, I am familiar with how the hawkers and vendors work. I collect medieval weaponry. I routinely go to the medieval fairs in Sterling Forest ,New York and Woodstock, Connecticut. I picked up a replica of a twelfth century broad sword a few years ago. It set me back $400, but the steel of the blade was well cast and the hilt had a very unusual design. I am sure I was ripped off, but I did not really mind.

If you recall to battle of Petersburg in the beginning of the film, you will remember how the Union army tunneled under the Confederate lines, filled the tunnel with black powder and set it off. This is a true story. The soldiers that dug the tunnel were from Schuylkyll Haven, Pennsylvania. My son went to school at Penn State as did I, and for the first two years was at the Schuylkill Haven campus. He was very impressed when he found out about it. Skuylkill Haven is an old Pennsylvania mining town. When the coal mines petered out they went to work in the steel mills (Bethlehem Steel, Etc). They had a strong work ethic. They worked there asses off all day, then drank and partied hard all night. ..not a bad way to live.