It's not easy these days. We don't hear the sound of tent stakes being pounded into the earth. We don't smell the campfires. We don't hear the thrilling sound of artillery fire or the music of a regimental band. No bugles pierce the air. No laughter with friends. No passing a cup when the spectators head home. We're all missing our hobby, and we're all missing the friends who make the hobby so enjoyable.

But there are still ways that we can use these strange days to further our hobby. Some of us may be involved in sewing a new dress, or mending a long-used one. Maybe you're working on new underpinnings, or decorating a bonnet.

I'm doing some reading! There's no end of books about the Civil War, and new ones are rolling off the presses.

On November 16th, history buffs were given another Civil War movie to critique. Starring Daniel Day Lewis and directed by Steven Spielberg, Lincoln pulls back the curtain on the last months of the president’s life.

Centered around the battle to get the 13th Amendment passed, the movie moves between intense debate in the House of Representatives, and behind-the-scenes efforts of Lincoln and his cabinet to secure the vote. Along the way we are given glimpses into the private lives of the Lincoln family, leaving the viewer with a multi-faceted portrait of Lincoln late in the war.

The sets and costumes are highly detailed and were clearly created with an eye firmly on accuracy. Daniel Day Lewis loses himself in his role, allowing viewers to believe he truly is Lincoln. Sally Field beautifully portrays the troubled Mary Lincoln, and David Strathairn gives a brilliant turn as an intense Seward. Tommy Lee Jones is featured as the no-holds-barred Representative Thaddeus Stevens. The movie offers many surprisingly funny and tender moments, and little to irritate a serious historian and re- enactor.

In the end, Lincoln is an intriguing, wonderfully filmed movie that is well worth the price of admission.

By Debbie L. Jones