Our organization's focus is on experiencing and depicting the military history of the Far West during the Civil War era. We place a great deal of emphasis on the use of authentic gear at immersive type events and are what might be defined as a "hard core" reenacting unit. While we put an emphasis on properly made uniforms and equipment, we believe it is only a vehicle to what is really important; the experience of the soldier or civilian between 1861 and 1866. By living history in an authentic immersive manner we find it easier to understand the experiences of those we depict, which in turn allows us to perform historical interpretations with more knowledge and depth.
We are not interested in sniping members from other reenacting organizations but welcome those who may be seeking an alternative reenacting experience or wish to supplement their current reenacting activities. Since most of our activities fall outside of mainstream Civil War reenacting circles we recognize that it is possible to maintain dual membership in both our unit and another unit, and encourage those who wish to do so. Members and recruits are required to obtain the proper equipment for their impression and are expected to participate in a minimum number of unit events during the year. Interested parties, potential recruits, and even guest participants are encouraged to contact us to find out how they might get involved in helping bring the history of the California Volunteers to life.