COMPAGNIE FRANCHE DE FORT TOULOUSE

RECRUIT PACKET
and
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION



16 APRIL 2002

Welcome!

Thank you for your interest, and welcome to the growing hobby of Living History and Reenacting! The Compagnie Franche de Fort Toulouse exists for the sole purpose of attempting to recreate, for the public, the day-to-day living experiences of the French Colonial period in North America circa 1755 -- the start of the French & Indian War. We represent two distinct elements within this era: The French "Troupes de la Marine" with their families; and the allied Alibamon/Creek Indians of the local area. We are a highly motivated and skilled group of reenactors who have dedicated ourselves to the study and interpretation of this era of our nation's past. Fort Toulouse has some of the highest quality reenactors around, and due partly to that we have a reputation as one of the premier Living History sites in the country. We welcome all who would like to join us and are willing to continue to learn.
We understand that it is not easy to become a part of an established organization, especially when the group is specialized and requires so much knowledge and new skills. Please be patient with yourself in the beginning -- you will not learn or acquire everything all at once.
Probably the most important thing you need to do as a potential new member is to have an open mind, be willing to listen to your sponsor and to fellow reenactors, and be willing to set aside any preconceived notions you may have about clothing, accessories, and equipment. We all started somewhere, and most of us have come a long, long way in our research and portrayals. The reenactors we were 10 years ago were vastly different than who we are today. We have all had to put aside treasured (and sometimes expensive) items that we learned were not correct for our time period, location, or persona. The focus at Fort Toulouse is very narrow -- you will be reenacting a particular person, at a particular place, in a particular time. Things that work for buckskinners at a rendezvous will not necessarily work here. We are not elitists; but we do have high expectations. However, we are here to help you every step of the way!

Getting Started:

We suggest that a potential member come and "visit" with us as a tourist first, and get to know us. We will then assign you a sponsor, usually one of the same gender and persona (see below) who lives fairly close to you if possible. Your sponsor will help you with loaner garb and equipment so that you can attend a garrison weekend. If you decide this is something you definitely want to do, your sponsor will help you assemble your own "kit," or clothing, uniform, and equipment, either by sewing or making your own, or buying it. After you have acquired most of your kit and attended at least half of our garrison or special weekends over the course of a six month probationary period (in other words, you won't be accepted if you just show up twice), your membership will be voted upon by the Regular Members.
Your sponsor will make sure you have a copy of the Bylaws and the Unit Guidebook, and the Indian Guidelines, if necessary. Read these, know these, understand them fully.
The book, Fort Toulouse, The French Outpost at the Alabamas on the Coosa by Daniel H. Thomas (available at the fort's Visitor's Center), is required reading for all members.

Choosing a Persona:

You will need to think about what persona you'd like to have. You can change your mind about your persona during the six-month probationary period, and afterwards too, of course, but it's generally easier to decide what type of clothes to make or buy if you already know what you want to portray. If you're not sure yet, your sponsor will help you out, and together you should be able to choose the most appropriate persona for you to portray.
New members do not need to have any particular French or Indian ancestry or affiliation, but you must depict an impression consistent with your age, gender, and appearance during the 1750s at Fort Toulouse. For example, women and children must portray those types of roles, and may not depict soldiers, and anyone wishing to portray an Indian must have at least an Indian appearance, or be willing to modify his or her appearance appropriately (hair style, dye, makeup, etc.). Therefore, if you are a man, you will either be a French Marine, or an Alibamon Indian. Civilian roles for men are few and far between, and must be justified and voted upon by the Group. Women and children can either be French or Indian. Another important thing to remember is that this is not a rendezvous operation, and we are not militia, buckskinners, longhunters, courier-de-bois, or voyageurs. The historical authenticity demanded of our reenactors is very rigorous, in the areas of clothing, weaponry, and conduct.
For couples who want to join, you should know that both of you do not necessarily have to both be French or both be Indian. But do note this -- French Marines frequently married Native women, but French women did NOT marry Native men! So ladies, if your husband chooses to portray a Native, but you have blond curly hair and blue eyes, chances are you'll need to portray a French woman.
For our French recruits, there is a list of people who were at Fort Toulouse in 1755, from which you can choose a person to portray. This is not required, but certainly helps in your Living History experience.

What to Expect as a French Marine (Men):

French Marines attempt to demonstrate the correct behavior and bearing of Marines, noncommissioned officers, and officers of the 18th century. As a Marine, you will be expected to drill at various times during the day on garrison weekends, help fire the cannon, stand guard during special events, and participate in mock battles. You are responsible for knowing what times the drills and cannon firings are, and for being on time, not asleep or out shopping. You will carry wood and water, clean pots, sweat, get dirty, and then be expected to clean your uniform and equipment in order to get dirty again. We are not "real life" soldiers in someone's army, but representatives of a French regular Marine unit, and you will be expected to demonstrate a certain degree of self-discipline befitting a soldier subject to the King's regulations at this time. People who do not work well in a structured environment will not fit in.
There is a saying that the only difference between a man and a boy is the price of his toys, and this is especially true in this hobby. It could cost you up to $1,000 to assemble all your uniform and equipment items -- relying completely on purchase -- but many items can be hand- made by members, significantly reducing costs. The majority of this cost is toward the purchase of a musket ($600 or more), so if you already own a musket of an acceptable type, then your overall cost will be much less. You also have two years in which to purchase a musket; in the meantime, we have loaner guns. You will be expected to assemble your uniform and equipment within one year, master the drill, crisply perform marching evolutions, and handle your arms in a safe fashion. When considering purchases, your first priorities for acquisition of equipment should be: authorized period eyewear (if applicable), prescribed period shoes, and a correct musket.

What to Expect as a French Civilian (Women, Children):

Most women at Fort Toulouse were either young, unmarried daughters, or married to Marines. We have women in the Group who reenact without a husband, but usually they "invent" a husband as part of their persona. On garrison weekends, the women typically talk to the public about Fort Toulouse, this history of the area, and the life of the habitants, especially while the men are busy drilling, and demonstrate cooking, cleaning, and period crafts.

What to Expect as an Indian (Men, Women, Children):

There is a notion that it is "easier" to be an Indian than it is to be French. This is not true! Portraying an Indian, especially for a man, requires a LOT of research, effort, and expense. Men are expected to have a haircut (and color) appropriate for Alibamon/Creek Indians, which can often conflict with your boss's expectations of you at work! Southeastern Indians frequently plucked or shaved most of their body hair, also. Woman have it a bit easier, but still need to have longish, dark-colored hair, or be willing to dye their hair. Most Indian men carry muskets, although this is not required; a correct musket can cost between $500-$1000.

What to Expect in General:

We expect that you will not only learn a few new things, but do some teaching as well, and have a lot of fun in the process. However, we must point out that there is a lot of work, effort, and expense involved in living history.
We depict the activities of a military colony which, at any time, could have been confronted with a major enemy raid or expedition; plus our Indian allies. Our vehicle for this portrayal is the Living History technique. Living History is not primitive camping and it is not scripted acting. A Living History player is expected to know enough about his/her historical "character" and situation to be able to engage the public and field questions with credibility. We will guide you through the knowledge and process to be able to do this.
There are certain expenses involved, especially at the beginning, although they do not need to be major. You are expected to provide your own clothing or uniform and equipment, or "kit." Your sponsor will help you in either choosing patterns and fabric, or in finding things to buy ready-made. You are expected to provide and cook your own food during garrison weekends. You will also need to arrange for personal recruit instruction from your sponsor. Your sponsor will assist you in all areas, but he or she will not do it all for you, or chase you down to teach you. A list of required items and sources will be provided to you in the form of the Unit Guidebook.
We will expect you to attend scheduled events, drills and meetings, as these are all important parts of our activity. Your input is also important, and we expect that you will help us find new ways to improve our impressions and organization.
There is a moderate amount of physical exertion required, often in hot weather. You are cautioned that if you suffer from any sort of chronic health problem, you should carefully consider the effects of heat and humidity, occasional running, long walks, wearing woolen clothing, carrying equipment, sleeping in rustic conditions, smoke inhalation, etc. A minor health problem will most likely not affect your membership, but we will need to know what problems you may have, and what actions to take in an emergency.
For our part, we will assist you in putting together what will probably be the most unique outfit in your wardrobe, and will present you with the opportunity for a different kind of learning experience. We will offer you an unusual camaraderie, more than a few laughs, an opportunity to show off (if you are inclined), and a way to add some zest to your otherwise humdrum weekends.
Last, but by no means least, there is a chance that your spouse, mate, best friend, or whomever, is not going to like all this very much, and will leave no doubts about it. This hobby is time consuming and can be expensive. On the other hand, your spouse, mate, etc., might want to join up too -- in which case, bring them along. This is a family oriented hobby, and participation by the whole family is a very important part of the historical story of Fort Toulouse. We welcome any of your interested family members. All adults, men and women, must apply for membership; in the case of children, know that you will be responsible for their appearance and conduct, and they must meet the same guidelines as the rest of us as far as clothing.

Membership Restrictions:

As a group which is a volunteer auxiliary of the Historical Commission of the State of Alabama, we help interpret history at Fort Toulouse/Jackson Park and thus are subject to the rules and guidance of the Alabama Historical Commission and the Park Manager. The success of the program depends on the cooperation and support of all of us. We do not support or encourage political activity or personal agendas of any sort -- ancient or modern -- and such activities have no place in our organization.
Further, there are three areas which may prevent your membership, and you will be asked to make a definite statement about these when you apply. First, if you have ever been convicted of a felony, you are barred from participating in any activity involving firearms at every place we appear. Second, if you use any "mind-altering substances" other than alcohol, we will probably not accept you for membership. The regulations of the agencies that support our activities and various law enforcement agencies that we deal with, all take a dim view of the use of these substances, and our continued existence as a group depends on the good will of these organizations -- and strict adherence to their rules. Lastly, a great deal of our activity centers around simulation of "military" activity -- up to and including mock battles. Due to the unpredictability of post-traumatic stress conditions, we cannot assume the responsibility for monitoring a member's condition, or assume the liability for the safety of our visitors, if any of our activity should "trigger" an unfortunate response. Anyone who has such a condition (from previous military service or any other circumstance), or who feels uncomfortable around gun and cannon fire, cannot be permitted to participate in the majority of what we do. Our position on these issues is quite firm, and we will not waste our time debating the morality of value judgments in this regard.

Now, if you are still interested, please fill out the attached Membership Application, and return it to one of our members during a garrison weekend. You can also give it to Ned Jenkins at the park on any weekday; call him for more info at (334) 567-3002. If you have any questions, or there is still some more information you would like to know before filling out the application, don't hesitate to write or call and ask.

Again, thank you very much for your interest, and welcome aboard!

COMPAGNIE FRANCHE DE FORT TOULOUSE

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

(please fill out one application per person)

Prior to the consideration of your membership, you will be asked to attend one of the organization's meetings or events, so that you can be introduced to the men and women of the group. You will also be asked to attend a garrison weekend with us as a participant. This is to allow you first hand experience of what we do and how we operate. A sponsor will be assigned to you from the membership, and he or she will see that you are properly outfitted for an event. You will also receive a Unit Guidebook and the Charter and Bylaws.

Once you have acquired some gear, and attended a number of events over a six month probationary period, the membership will vote on your application. (Admission requires a "yes" vote by at least three quarters of the regular membership.) Acceptance into the group automatically grants you full voting privileges.

Please fill out one application per person; if your spouse is considering joining but isn't sure yet, or will only participate once or twice a year, he/she may be listed below. If the time comes when they decide to participate full-time, then they will need to apply for regular membership. Children who participate may apply to become regular members upon turning 18. In both cases, the probationary period can usually be waived in lieu of past participation, providing all other requirements are met.

Name

Name of spouse

Names and ages of participating children

Address

Phone

Email (s)

Sponsor

Have you ever been convicted of a felony?

Do you use any "mind-altering substances" other than alcohol?

Do you suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder?

Do you have any medical problems we should know about?

I have answered the above honestly and to the best of my ability. I have read and understand the Recruit Packet, the Unit Guidebook, and the Bylaws of the Compagnie Franche de Fort Toulouse and agree to abide by the rules and regulations contained therein. I have been provided with a copy of said documents.

Signature

Today's Date

Date of First Garrison Weekend:

Dated Voted into Group:

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