Authenticity
The Lost City
In a perfect world, all of our equipment and clothing would be made using the same materials and processes of the time period we portray. We could easily spend all of our available time trying to achieve 100% authenticity and never get there and, thereby, never actually educate anyone. On the other extreme, if our authenticity is severely lacking, it will diminish our credibility to the point that we won’t be educating anyone.
Compromises are a necessary evil, however, so we strive to minimize them when at all possible. By planning authentic meals, for example, we minimize the urge to take a full camp kitchen including bake kettles.
Similarly, we realize that we don’t march everyday and, therefore, our feet are not in the same condition of those we portray. We are not literally fighting for our lives so risking fingers, toes, ears, etc. to frostbite is not acceptable, while it was way too common in reality in the French and Indian War.
The bottom line for authenticity within the 60th Royal Americans is that compromises are accepted but only after careful consideration based on safety, cost, and time. We have learned that finding ways to do things right is actually more fun and more interesting than compromising.