People need to also realize that reenactments are actually not that far off from the real deal as far as atmosphere goes. Unless you're a 100% purebred Scandinavian with raw-ass viking blood, you're not going to go bloodshot eyes mode, especially with a bayonet. On the flip side, you aren't going to turn into the stereotypical French-fencer and delicately dance your dagger into the fronts of your foes. As goes with any war, you need to remember that the soldiers were pretty, well, human. They get up to the frontlines of a battle, know that within the next couple of minutes they may be killing men or coming close, or they may be killed or come close, and would react appropriately.
And especially in the exaggeration of the ACW example, there's going to be a LOT of variation in how fighting ends up happening. Perhaps this is not the best example, but imagine the opening scene from Lincoln, where the Colored Infantry groups are fighting the Confederates mid-storm, and how random the action was.
For that reason, the randomness, it would be most appropriate if the animations represented that. Clearly there can only be one up attack, one down attack, and so forth, but in those single animations it should be shown something pretty... neutral. That's why I loved the NW animations (though the up attack was a bit ridiculous, especially after the melee nerf years ago when the game became terrible), because they were just "yeah, I guess that's how I'd stab with a bayonet."
I mean, it's a bit exaggerated, but that's good. Remember that this is a video game, and public appeal still matters.
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