LOL, we explain to the public that we are musicians portraying musician-soldiers during the later part of the Civil War.  

"During that time period, many musicians would lay down their instruments and pick up the rifle in order to fill in the ever shrinking ranks.  Many times, musicians would fall in battle, leaving behind their instrument.  Out of camaraderie and respect, their fellow soldiers would either send their instruments back home to their family or attempt to learn that instrument in the memory of those who fell.  Nearing the end of the war, citizen-musicians (women & children) would join in with the ever-shrinking ranks of the musician-soldiers and play in camp or in town as the army passed through to help raise moral.  (explains why we have a mix of soldiers & citizens, both men & women)

In order to achieve a closer level of authenticity and experience, we, being trained musicians, volunteered to lay down our primary instruments and pick up a new one in which we've never attempted.  What the public hear's is a group of people honoring the fallen in the same manner they did during the later part of the Civil War despite picking up a new instrument for the first time."

.........and after we finish playing, we sneak into our haversacks for a little bit of "liquid relaxation!"  LOL