Civil War Re-enactors Make Past Come Alive in Darien

For more than a decade, one of Bob Kuzma’s hobbies has had him donning uncomfortable clothes and sleeping on bedrolls on the ground.

But the Joliet resident doesn’t mind. As a Civil War re-enactor, he likes sharing with others an important chapter of U.S. history.

“The part I enjoy most is interacting with the public,” said Kuzma, who was one of several to take part in a re-enactment event at the Sunday afternoon, in conjunction with the society’s open house. “I enjoy keeping people aware of that period of our history and showing them what the common soldier endured.”

By now Kuzma is used to the questions he gets from people about his hobby, including whether his blue and gray wool uniform is hot, the kinds of guns he carries and the typical meal a Civil War soldier ate while on the battlefield.

Kuzma said the soldiers’ food consisted of salt pork or beef, hard bread and coffee. Soldiers would also forage nearby farm lands for whatever crops they could find.

“Food was pretty sparse,” Kuzma said.

Civil War soldiers often slept on the ground, something DJ Skrabutenas of Lockport has become used to while participating in living history events.

He began re-enacting in 2006 at age 12. His father has been re-enacting for more than 30 years.

“I like talking to the public during events like this and showing them the everyday life of a Civil War soldier,” Skrabutenas said.

Don Dibbern, director of the Darien Historical Society, said 630,000 soldiers died during the Civil War.

“It was one of the bloodiest [wars],” he said. “Most of the deaths were from disease or infection caused by wounds.”

In two of Darien’s cemeteries there are a total of 16 Civil War veterans buried, Dibbern said.

During the re-enactment Sunday, members of the Darien VFW Post 2838 presented colors to the veterans.

VFW member Angelo Rubino also enjoys educating the community about the battles in U.S. history, adding, “People should know all about the Civil War.”