Historic reenactments tend to be geared to portraying a particular battle or event from the past. Portraying camp life has grown over the years to try and give an all round display of military life in the 18th and 19th century. During this time period each regiment was allowed a number of “soldiers wives” per company. These women and children where known as camp followers or as it was known back in the day, “Following the Drum.” These women, sewed, cleaned, and cared for sick and wounded, very rarely cooked unless hired to do so. Childern would be put to work making cartridges because their fingers where small and they could do fine work. Both where under military discipline and drew rations from the regiment for themselves and their children. If their husbands died they had 48 hours to find another husband or they’d be struck from the regimental list and sent from the camp or barracks. In the case where a regiment was returned home after have been over seas for a number of years. Partings could be hard, as wives picked up from foreign postings could and were left behind to fend for themselves.