tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87298431341544471392024-03-14T10:47:31.785-07:00The Company 'Q' DispatchesThe War Stories, Sketches & Ramblings of an Invalid Yank in Lincoln's ArmyWannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-74789489469616606202020-09-28T09:30:00.000-07:002020-09-28T09:30:12.544-07:00Some Lame News - But A Nice Picture<p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: This journal will be updated a lot less often now, since I am no longer active in the Civil War hobby. Between the global shutdown and all the event cancellations due to Covid-19, my photography business put on hiatus and my own financial struggles, one of my hobbies had to go. I had to make a tough decision to sell off most of my gear and retire from 1860s living history. My rifle is gone, as well as my tent and most of my gear. You will not see many new posts on this site going forward, unless of course I volunteer for a day at Fort Delaware or I go to an event as a spectator. My reasons for leaving the hobby go much deeper than this, mainly I cannot stand the re-emerging racism and modern politics starting to loom over something that used to be fun and educational for the public. I do WWII events almost exclusively now and have a far greater collection of uniforms and stuff, as well as a better family connection to the 1940s.<br /><br />I attended one Civil War event this weekend as a spectator with a camera however, and got some amazing images with a new lens I bought last year. Like this one, which I think is my favorite from the whole day: <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQjDoQ2zUiwSzCIYG-SvlSJ6o1ZcfTxNuGYjx9cxg2EowUTLZZXItxDiaACcvX4pGKGR2U0aThFUFb7B6sKMQ2Un6X2zh6K2L3weZlb4xwgmcyZHqserluhOOW02tiJrl4dC29738Unw/s2048/IMG_2757_1_A.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQjDoQ2zUiwSzCIYG-SvlSJ6o1ZcfTxNuGYjx9cxg2EowUTLZZXItxDiaACcvX4pGKGR2U0aThFUFb7B6sKMQ2Un6X2zh6K2L3weZlb4xwgmcyZHqserluhOOW02tiJrl4dC29738Unw/w603-h402/IMG_2757_1_A.JPG" width="603" /></a><br /><br />I took this picture of a friend at the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation in Ridley Creek State Park, during their annual Civil War skirmish this past weekend. This is what I love about the Plantation, the backdrop is perfect for reenactments. Not a single modern thing in sight. I think this photo in particular has an illustrative quality to it so I wanted to do something special with it.<br /><br />I think this is my favorite photograph I have so far and I've been shooting
photos of reenactments for 7 years. I liked it so much I wanted to turn
it into an engraving for a story in an imaginary issue of Harper's
magazine. So I did some intense Photoshop work and this is the result:<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1908" data-original-width="2048" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZEV6jvhn08rYVKk2EHh6-TIh3C30YlrZGmhCu4gVwflXsu9ssuwQgYvKmhWLf_CUZVFulbnrMijYzhwkeDkznkp_UHV-UB9PbCZJhLvKCtGPUDhs1HlPrKs5YCFj78N46hzfZir7mYw/w648-h604/IMG_2757_1_Engraving.jpg" width="648" /><br /></div><br /><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_5f720a6ee9e2d9e09680848">The
Revolution and the Civil War were still very popular subjects for
stories at a time when everybody read books for entertainment. American
history was fascinating to boys and young men. They liked to read adventure stories about military exploits, discoveries, tales of sailing on the high seas (I've read some Navy stories
but most of them involve pirates). Historical fiction was hugely popular.
Fantasy and science fiction at this time were<span class="text_exposed_show">
still fairly new & unfamiliar genres and they were very exciting, but
history was no less interesting. Generally it seems young people near the turn of the 20th century were
curious about what America was like "in the old days" and they longed for the simpler pre-industrial times.<br /> <br />
Harper's, (of the famous Harper's Weekly newspaper) started making bound
literary collections of poetry, humor and short stories for young
readers in the 1880s called "Harper's Young People." In 1895 the name
was changed to Harper's Round Table. I have a Harper's Roundtable book from 1896, the pages in it are very thin and falling apart but I have read some of it. The illustrations for these stories
were prints made from engravings and were amazingly detailed. For examples, see my 1896 Roundtable posts: <a href="http://companyqdispatches.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-boy-soldier-in-camp-military-summer.html" target="_blank">Civil War Drill Camp for Boys</a>, <a href="http://companyqdispatches.blogspot.com/2012/11/passing-winter.html" target="_blank">Passing The Winter</a>, <a href="http://companyqdispatches.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-song-for-christmas-eve.html" target="_blank">A Song for Christmas Eve,</a> <a href="http://companyqdispatches.blogspot.com/2013/01/thomas-nast-man-who-invented-santa-claus.html" target="_blank">The Man Who Invented Santa Claus</a><br /> <br />This image had to be turned to monochrome and layers of digital filters put on it...I upped the contrast, played with shadows and highlights, overlaid a film grain filter, added a "sketch" filter with high detail and then cropped it to fit on a page with some typesetting, as if it was from a book.<br /> <br />
In this scene, I imagined a Confederate soldier ran away from a battle
or he got lost somewhere in Pennsylvania after Gettysburg. Maybe he's seen
enough of the war and wants to find his way home. Perhaps he's been on
the road for a few days without food, he's tired and he can't go on much
longer. So in this scene he's come across a farm, maybe he hopes he can
forage an ear of corn, some carrots or a few apples without being seen.
He's in enemy territory and he knows he could be shot on sight, unless
he's very lucky and the family are Secessionist sympathizers. What will
happen?<br /><br /><br /></span></div></span></span><span class="fbPhotoTagList" id="fbPhotoSnowliftTagList"><span class="fcg"> </span></span>WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-1501923947324721792020-09-28T04:41:00.005-07:002020-12-05T05:44:09.228-08:00Flashback- 8 Years Ago<p>Boonsboro, Maryland. Sept 16th 2012</p><p>It had rained overnight, the ground was soaking wet. Our wool clothes were wet too, we had no chance to dry them. We got up when it was still dark, stars were overhead. Reveille was at 4:30 in the morning. Without time for anything but a cup of black coffee cooked over the fires, we put on our uniforms and backpacks and picked up our muskets to join formation. A silent inspection and the General on his horse called out "Attention, Division. Forward, March!" Then we started to march down a long dirt road in the moonlight, in a long line of hundreds of men.</p><p> Everyone was quiet, except for shuffling feet and full canteens banging on our tin cups strapped to our haversacks. The march seemed to go on indefinitely, as the sky turned to grey and we could see our surroundings. A thick fog rose up, so we could barely see each other. A lone pickup truck drove on by us down the road, his red tail lights fading into the murky gloom. I only imagined what the driver thought of our line of ghostly soldiers marching to nowhere.</p><p>At long last, we reached the edge of a field of corn and the Division commander called for a halt. We formed ranks and stood there like statues, facing the cornstalks that loomed over us like ranks of silent soldiers. Then day broke...the sun climbed slowly behind the trees, shining golden rays through the thick white mist. As the morning got warmer, steam started to come off our wet jackets, off the hats on our heads, off the backs of the horses.</p><p>We heard a shout from the other side of the field, and a few shots. We were ordered to load and shoulder, then the first rank of men walked slowly into the corn and seemed to vanish into the white. The sounds of a skirmish came floating back at us through the impenetrable fog. We were next. Flanked on both sides by other men with deer tails stuck in their caps, I lowered my borrowed 1842 Springfield and stepped into the field, then the volleys from the other side started and I was instantly thrown back 150 years in time. The Battle of Antietam had just begun. </p><p><br /></p>WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-76140181108738299172019-03-15T20:34:00.000-07:002019-03-17T13:46:01.205-07:00How to Stay in Fighting Form Through the Winter<span style="font-size: x-large;">"The first thing in the morning is drill, then drill, then drill
again. Then drill, drill, a little more drill. Then drill, and lastly
drill. Between drills, we drill, and sometimes stop to eat a little and
have roll-call." ~Oliver Norton, 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry</span><br />
<br />
During the Civil War, infantry tactics of the Napoleonic era dictated that the soldiers spent close to half the day drilling when they were in camp. The officers basically drilled the men until their arms were ready to fall off. And then they stopped briefly to eat or rest a bit, and then started to drill again. The idea was to instill in the men a 'muscle memory' of the required movements, so they could obey orders even when half asleep from exhaustion or in the heat of battle. They wanted it to become a reflex. <br />
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As reenactors who only do this as a weekend hobby for about three or four months out of the year, and only get to do a well-organized Battalion Drill perhaps once or twice a year, of course it is rather easy to fall out of shape. The months spent cooped up indoors without much physical activity can leave us rather, well... soft. <br />
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If you're looking for a way to keep your muscles toned for battle
during the long winter indoors, (and you're like me and don't have gym equipment or can't afford a
gym membership,) here are three exercises that an experienced
reenactor showed me who had been doing Rev War since 1976. It works best with a long musket, like the Springfield or the Enfield, but I've been involved in World War II more and more and I found it works just as well with my M1 Garand. It trains the specific groups of muscles that we use most often when dropping to our knees after running, getting up to run, and of course aiming our rifles.<br />
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I found these exercises to be most effective, try to do them once a day. It only takes a few minutes, and yes, you will have to get out your weapon to do this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcN-KPDwxUueBwEwYKxH2BCZz-5ok0bjovmPJYyt38E7gADf-HwWwCKCO41TRVIbIj-d-I4YZKnaVTpvQETy1uEtepLr-X9OXRW97dgWZgJon_6wNAjPGEKGmW5iCvP6sGJZCg2VbSXbo/s1600/rifle+front+lowered.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1080" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcN-KPDwxUueBwEwYKxH2BCZz-5ok0bjovmPJYyt38E7gADf-HwWwCKCO41TRVIbIj-d-I4YZKnaVTpvQETy1uEtepLr-X9OXRW97dgWZgJon_6wNAjPGEKGmW5iCvP6sGJZCg2VbSXbo/s320/rifle+front+lowered.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMjhwgD6HaazXwoX-9ZQtY7WEgA5k_vPs8gLb8ZEvx6ChBPLVwdHsZg7kX3hbKKmo7d2cAEa82xmohGrBEauSSONoWrUoDOxAZmz53Xbg69qUBC0nbMQ3mhgrmqjeYdTz6oKSTx6cbUw/s1600/rifle+raised+overhead.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1049" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMjhwgD6HaazXwoX-9ZQtY7WEgA5k_vPs8gLb8ZEvx6ChBPLVwdHsZg7kX3hbKKmo7d2cAEa82xmohGrBEauSSONoWrUoDOxAZmz53Xbg69qUBC0nbMQ3mhgrmqjeYdTz6oKSTx6cbUw/s320/rifle+raised+overhead.jpg" width="308" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcN-KPDwxUueBwEwYKxH2BCZz-5ok0bjovmPJYyt38E7gADf-HwWwCKCO41TRVIbIj-d-I4YZKnaVTpvQETy1uEtepLr-X9OXRW97dgWZgJon_6wNAjPGEKGmW5iCvP6sGJZCg2VbSXbo/s1600/rifle+front+lowered.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">1. Hold your rifle or musket by the barrel and the stock horizontally,
and raise it straight above your head (pretend you're one of those guys
fording a river in<span class="text_exposed_show"> 'Nam)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> 2. Raise and lower it slowly like a barbell several times, then hold it up as long as you can until you feel your arms getting shaky. Then rest for a few seconds, and repeat. This works your shoulders and upper arms.</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span><span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjr8lq0i7UAg6hkE249e_lCOgrTX5EW8nFl_N_Li77Keoi8mGcuJvtXgmUiwI_oeNRQWW2Xpq8bSVzvs6JRx5_Y_lmQ3JuRwsNYDjuzCdhX2eKxHFcU_VuJn4gIEZ-_PgwKSJiE3fmsI/s1600/rifler+lowered+behind+head+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EQG4PzpfVz4x9z_4EEm0Txeue0-Xo-6w7B4euZpNDGYMIF7GrWePjlzkwXqceNZOX1NJcDwh-XMyPyqFK0YFKyWZMwXIte6VmzCWj54bm9ElGOQKqC44vftCWTwHo2VmdO_xFZp16ho/s1600/rifler+lowered+behind+head+2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1080" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EQG4PzpfVz4x9z_4EEm0Txeue0-Xo-6w7B4euZpNDGYMIF7GrWePjlzkwXqceNZOX1NJcDwh-XMyPyqFK0YFKyWZMwXIte6VmzCWj54bm9ElGOQKqC44vftCWTwHo2VmdO_xFZp16ho/s320/rifler+lowered+behind+head+2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show"> 3. Bring the rifle down behind your head, so you feel your back stretching out. Dang that feels good. Stand up as tall and straight as you can.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5mdVh6FtidKaIVKSWzJhxCycpQYeFSQ6-DHJfX1hxonx5v1kUHnpMgWb_vi8JP3ClAsas5M6ZwH8A9Gfw_fwPO58hBmL7f2zChU0JLFhWjetuynT_2HB940k2_Qh6CdaEn1dVrR8Ub0/s1600/rifle+stance+at+kneel.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5mdVh6FtidKaIVKSWzJhxCycpQYeFSQ6-DHJfX1hxonx5v1kUHnpMgWb_vi8JP3ClAsas5M6ZwH8A9Gfw_fwPO58hBmL7f2zChU0JLFhWjetuynT_2HB940k2_Qh6CdaEn1dVrR8Ub0/s320/rifle+stance+at+kneel.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
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4. Aim your rifle or musket straight ahead, supporting it with your elbow on your hip, and crouch down on one knee, then come back up. Do this slowly 3 times. Rest for a few seconds. Repeat. This targets the specific parts of your legs used in crouching down and rising up to move. Your knees will hurt for a bit. That's how you know you did it right.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8YmJ1fYKG92yBa02O8kaCeWWnTFKcMs2F1KOrB_tcsmXvo3WkT1WsAjvc1DAXLGYo2Wq8jpn-kgtvlTMC8QXw5A_Zf8X0TGRyCMjm3RAahzfDerGz4HUfLtw_89MPa-H4bpNLVS_3wM/s1600/jethro+tull+stance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="701" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8YmJ1fYKG92yBa02O8kaCeWWnTFKcMs2F1KOrB_tcsmXvo3WkT1WsAjvc1DAXLGYo2Wq8jpn-kgtvlTMC8QXw5A_Zf8X0TGRyCMjm3RAahzfDerGz4HUfLtw_89MPa-H4bpNLVS_3wM/s320/jethro+tull+stance.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
5. Aim your rifle or musket straight ahead while standing, then pick up one foot
and place it against your other knee, like "Jethro Tull playing a
flute" Keep standing on one leg, and try to hold your aim steady for as long
as you can until you start to wobble. This is harder than it sounds, but it works a lot of muscles at once. The longer you can stand to do it, the stronger you will get! <br />
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6. While you got the rifle out, why not go through the Manual of Arms? (if you got the ceiling height for it) I have to go out and practice in the garage, due to some dents in the ceiling from a certain blunt instrument... Here are some videos for musket drill you can follow for an example. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
LionHeart Filmworks just made some new Casey's drill videos this year.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KvFMzZ-mczE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KvFMzZ-mczE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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Or, follow Casey's Manual "By the Book" with this one:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eY5ecFNIoaA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eY5ecFNIoaA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<br />WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-1950754125932283902019-02-18T14:21:00.000-08:002019-03-05T19:06:35.620-08:00A soldier's face revealed after 155 yearsIn the small cemetery of Emmanuel Church in historic New Castle, Delaware, there are very old burials and headstones dating as far back as the 1680s. One slightly more recent grave caught my attention for the amount of writing inscribed on it. This is the gravestone of Captain John Evans, a soldier in the 2nd Delaware Volunteers during the Civil War. It says where and when he was KIA, and unlike most soldier burials, it lists all the battles he fought in. <br />
His headstone is below. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha83-TNnJf9X9bAfXxnj_hdA8Phso9EcjR_9cta6ZFLytO9EGnKvLx0SaZ_dSUCwMO2QgmJUjVVpUYXjxkT3XRYxwHrnhXntKIXhjModeNOXHqU0RTXVd26FNffJR8RTEFUO_520dZOdk/s1600/Gravestone+-+Capt+John+Evans+2nd+DE+KIA+grave+New+Castle+Emmanuel+Church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha83-TNnJf9X9bAfXxnj_hdA8Phso9EcjR_9cta6ZFLytO9EGnKvLx0SaZ_dSUCwMO2QgmJUjVVpUYXjxkT3XRYxwHrnhXntKIXhjModeNOXHqU0RTXVd26FNffJR8RTEFUO_520dZOdk/s400/Gravestone+-+Capt+John+Evans+2nd+DE+KIA+grave+New+Castle+Emmanuel+Church.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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It reads:<br />
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<i>SACRED</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>To the memory of</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>my beloved husband</i></div>
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<i>CAPT. JOHN EVANS</i></div>
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<i>Of 2nd Regt. Del. Vols.<br /><br />After having distinguished himself</i></div>
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<i>at the Battles of Gains Mills,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Savage Station, Peach Orchard,<br />White Oak, Malvern Hill,<br />Antietam,<br />Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville,<br />Gettysburg, Auburn Hill, <br />Bristoe Station, Mine Run and Wilderness,<br />He fell in the pride of early Manhood<br />May 19th, 1864.<br />In the 27th year of his age<br />At the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Va.<br />He was a true and faithful follower<br />of Christ from early youth.<br />He rests in peace.</i></div>
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With the appalling death toll of Civil War battles and the short life expectancy of officers, I think it's amazing he survived 13 major battles, including the deadliest days in American history. What an incredibly brave soldier he must have been. <br />
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Now, thanks to a visit with the Delaware History Museum's research library this past Saturday, and with their permission to share for my readers, I have a copy of this man's photograph.<br />
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So here he is...this is Captain John Evans himself in 1861.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4e1QiDYRdxQvLCk7Y6sp4fl5e_LasllreZ_KceTxHHAwWP1M_Xa-I9aiePlmkl8qud6Qx9uq-D3rkOH5cvT-D18CTOlPICs7EUQFdFYg6Hw_GK65c13NdyboiJwypFQsiTPZ1BUtIOQw/s1600/Capt+John+Evans+-+2nd+DE+Vol+Inf+1861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1441" data-original-width="992" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4e1QiDYRdxQvLCk7Y6sp4fl5e_LasllreZ_KceTxHHAwWP1M_Xa-I9aiePlmkl8qud6Qx9uq-D3rkOH5cvT-D18CTOlPICs7EUQFdFYg6Hw_GK65c13NdyboiJwypFQsiTPZ1BUtIOQw/s640/Capt+John+Evans+-+2nd+DE+Vol+Inf+1861.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>
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No more a faceless name carved in weathered stone... now this long-dead soldier can get the admiration he deserves. The things he must have seen and survived. We can only imagine.<br />
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This young individual, at age 27, led
an entire company of 100 men in battle. A hundred scared boys with
muskets, some of whom were mere teenagers, others may have been older
than he was. He led them through 14 battles, no less.<br />
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I don't know how he was killed, but I think his career speaks for itself. With thirteen engagements under his belt, he must have been no coward.<br />
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So let his name and face be known, after all these years!<br />
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...I myself am related to a Union soldier who was killed in 1864, at the battle of Reams Station. And he was about the same age. His tale was somewhat less noble... but his is a story for another time.</div>
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WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-37177951732226302962019-02-10T22:28:00.003-08:002020-03-11T04:07:04.183-07:00Advice for Soldiers at Public Events<span style="font-size: large;">-Don't be the guys who ignore the public's questions.<br /> -Don't be the guys who give sarcastic answers to the questions.<br /> -Don't be the guys who sit around and drink beer and smoke cigarettes.<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> -Don't be the guys who turn their backs on the National anthem.<br /> -Don't be the guys who ignore the command staff when they pass by. SALUTE!<br />-Don't call an officer by his first name. "Captain _____ Sir" only!<br />-Don't walk right into the Colonel's tent. Get your Captain to escort you and ask permission. <br /> -Don't sit around mocking the spectators.<br /> -Don't sit around mocking the 'farbs'.<br /> -Don't sit around and talk trash about other reenactors.<br /> -Don't sit around and talk trash about that guy's girlfriend/wife.<br /> -Don't sit around and talk about modern politics in an 1860's camp.<br /> -Don't sit around, period!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><b>Get up and walk around! </b></span><b> </b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />-Go pose for pictures with young visitors; it will make their day.<br /> -Go find a veteran and talk to them, invite them into your camp.<br /> -Go visit other units, try talking to them. Make new friends.<br /> -Go find the answer to a question you don't know.<br /> -Go party with the other side on Saturday night, see what they think of your event.<br /> -Go to the dance, even if you don't dance you can still watch.<br /> -Go act out a scenario with friends to entertain the public.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Go find where all the laughter and music is coming from, that's where the fun is.<br /><b><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Remember the public, we are here for them. </span></b><br /><br /> -Without them we have no local interest.<br /> -Without the local interest, we have no funding.<br /> -Without the funding, we have no events.<br /> -Without the events, we have no excuse to wear our fancy blue suit in public.<br /><br />"I thank de lawd everyday for Mista Lincoln who gave me these beautiful clothes!" - Glory</span></div>
WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-68471791766809351662017-08-19T05:31:00.001-07:002017-08-19T05:31:19.933-07:00Living Historian's Creed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHnmQPO64CazCgOtViojI5fQsfVXRr5GJPf24s0FclvdAIlJIpKUwHLNJx0dwdgYAHjNJT2GGP5T8ioPp7U1x6cCWhxrUVFBs-6Yyp_kKE1q-2lN8OWqT3v2lO9XbqTLsntuD-KHEhOs/s1600/livinghistoriancreed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="644" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHnmQPO64CazCgOtViojI5fQsfVXRr5GJPf24s0FclvdAIlJIpKUwHLNJx0dwdgYAHjNJT2GGP5T8ioPp7U1x6cCWhxrUVFBs-6Yyp_kKE1q-2lN8OWqT3v2lO9XbqTLsntuD-KHEhOs/s1600/livinghistoriancreed.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-1194973904250464892017-08-15T21:39:00.001-07:002017-08-16T21:53:24.340-07:00Defacing ANY war memorial is a crime.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This cast bronze, concrete-embedded sign is at the base of the Virginia
monument, which overlooks the field of Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg.
It was placed at the monument's dedication in 1917. <br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPjGjARyN7E0tMVBP19LVexDuNzIzL0F_UGEBfUDQQs22r4eyKmZQ781nHx-HsKTkio7FoVFc9ytNh4_Dr4yfB6R0O61bC1Y1z90vW04P-k5XhcE49q79gyO0MtMmD3H4g-FJZUVhkso/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-08-16+at+12.23.39+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="728" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPjGjARyN7E0tMVBP19LVexDuNzIzL0F_UGEBfUDQQs22r4eyKmZQ781nHx-HsKTkio7FoVFc9ytNh4_Dr4yfB6R0O61bC1Y1z90vW04P-k5XhcE49q79gyO0MtMmD3H4g-FJZUVhkso/s640/Screen+Shot+2017-08-16+at+12.23.39+AM.png" width="640"></a><br><br><br>$500 + 100 years of
inflation= $9,551.72 in 2017.<br><br> I do not support the Confederate cause, or
believe in what it stood for, but you cannot change history. What's
happened has happened! If you deface a war memorial, you should both pay the fine AND go to jail. WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-31603023911176498962017-03-09T19:24:00.000-08:002017-08-19T05:32:16.802-07:00On This Day in 1862: Battle of Hampton Roads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>155 years ago today </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>The Monitor and the Virginia (Merrimack)</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Battle of Hampton Roads, James River Harbor, Virginia </b></i></span></div>
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On March 9, 1862--155 years ago today-- was a face-off between two very strange boats that forever changed war at sea...the clash of the ironclad vessels <i>USS Monitor</i> and the <i>CSS Virginia. </i>As these two unconventional ships approached each other in the harbor of the James River, it must have been a strange sight to the Union and Confederate supporters watching from the shore. For no one had ever seen such vessels afloat.<br />
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The <i>Virginia </i>was actually a salvaged Union frigate called the <i>Merrimack </i>that had been sunk and later raised by Confederates. Her hull was cut away and covered with angled sheets of metal, called "a floating barn roof" by observers. The plating protected everything except her smokestack, with shuttered gun ports hiding six Dahlgren smoothbore guns, two 6-inch Brooke rifles and two more 6.4-inch Brooke rifles. She had spent the previous day decimating the Union Navy's fleet of wooden ships, totally destroying a 50-gun frigate and a sloop, and running another frigate aground. Shots simply bounced off her sloping armored sides. <br />
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Her adversary the <i>Monitor</i> was not a ship, so much as it was a barge, running so low in the water that waves broke across her flat deck. Not an elegant vessel, it was jokingly called a "Yankee cheese box on a raft." Its only feature was a revolving turret with two large guns that could only be fired once every seven or eight minutes. The iron plating on the hull was covered in rounded rivets like the bumpy skin of a toad. <br />
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Though very different in appearance, the ships could not have been more evenly matched. The two bizarre ships circled round and round, <i>Monitor</i>'s revolving turret rotating to keep its two guns sighted as <i>Virginia </i>tried to position herself to broadside <i>Monitor </i>with her fixed guns.<i> </i>They fired volley after volley at almost point-blank range, but neither boat was able to cause crippling damage and there was no clear victor. But ship to ship combat would never be the same. <br />
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The age of the wooden warship was over in a day. This was, for all intents and purposes, the start of a new age in sea battles.<br />
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It is hard to imagine the sweltering heat the gun crews
had to tolerate in their wool uniforms, the deafening noise of black
powder cannons inside the metal ships, and the shock of those solid iron
cannonballs bouncing off the outer hull. These sailors were very
rugged individuals, to sail on an ironclad ship required a will of iron.<br />
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A recreation of this battle only appears in one movie that I know of, a film from 1991 called IRONCLADS. I like to watch dramatizations of historical events, so here's the edited scenes of the battle for your entertainment. <br />
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WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-3728794468879022822017-03-09T17:57:00.000-08:002017-03-09T17:57:02.037-08:00On This Day 3 Years AgoThis post came up in my Facebook timeline from today in 2014 and I thought I'd share it...<br />
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The "drill till you drop" weekend at Fort Mifflin with Company C of the 28th PA Infantry was significantly better than last year, albeit much more wet and muddy. I think we drilled about as much as any soldier would on a typical day in camp; pretty much continuously with less than an hour to rest in between each. It's open to any unit in the Mifflin Guard, but only the 28th PA routinely does it. I was the only Bucktail.</div>
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Saturday night while the 28th was having their planning meeting and huddled around inside the bunker for some tight gossip, I decided to go take a walk. I was wandering about the fort like a sentry and saw a large group of Cub Scouts and parents come in to spend the night in the barracks around sunset. A bit later I was cleaning my rifle on the front porch, and the kids started to congregate around me, inspecting my uniform and equipment. So I located the janitor of the Fort and asked if he could unlock the closet where they keep the wooden muskets. Without further ado, I found a wooden crate to stand on and informed the crowd "By the orders of President Abraham Lincoln, on this day March 8, 1864 you are all hereby conscripted into the Federal Army!" Then I put all my gear and wool coat on several of the kids, photos were taken and I gave my musket to each kid in line, to let him hold it briefly and see how heavy it was.</div>
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About an hour later I seem to have gotten a field promotion to First Sergeant, as I was instructing 2 5-man "rifle squads" in Casey's manual! Yelling out the right orders was not easy, but the parents told me I did an impressive job. First time ever trying to act as an NCO. We even did an imaginary bayonet charge toward the wall at the end. By midnight, I found myself sharing grilled hot dogs and snacks around an enormous bonfire and talking to the den leaders. Everytime one of the kids walked by they said "by the way...you're awesome." </div>
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Everyone stayed up super late past their bedtime but I think a good time was had by all. </div>
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A weekend well spent. </div>
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WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-38113259499729466702017-03-04T19:13:00.001-08:002017-03-04T20:22:17.132-08:00The Sounds of War: What It Was Like to be Shelled By ArtilleryWe've all seen the cannons blank firing at reenactments. You cover your ears, you feel the shock wave of the explosion that punches you in the chest, you see a puff of smoke, maybe a smoke ring and that's it. Well, keep in mind that these 1-pound powder loads are only half of what was considered full military power. So the noise we hear is only half as loud. We also don't hear the shells whistling downrange and the jarring impacts when they hit, a frightening experience that traumatized countless Civil War soldiers. While it is difficult to imagine getting shelled by over a hundred cannon at once during the battle of Gettysburg, some highly trained reenactors get to reproduce it on a small scale by live firing artillery pieces.<br />
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I have collected some videos here with examples of live firing explosive shells from Civil War cannons, using full military powder loads, and with cameras placed near the impact site. Also included is an attempt to simulate digitally what being shelled by 150 cannons on July 3, 1863 may have sounded like.</div>
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This is a more visceral experience than you will never get at a reenactment.</div>
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Live firing full military powder loads from parrot guns at the annual Historic Artillery Match, Camp Grayling Michigan National Guard Base:<br />
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Downrange shell bursts by 5th Massachusetts Battery at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin in 1990:<br />
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Special live fire target shooting against 55 gallon drums at Antietam battlefield:<br />
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A computer simulation of what Pickett's Charge artillery may have sounded like (best heard on a home theater system):<br /></div>
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WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-48550663857720052812017-02-13T19:30:00.000-08:002019-03-05T19:34:49.384-08:00Reenactor Dictionary<div dir="ltr">
"Farby Darby": (noun) A garishly over dressed male Civil War reenactor, frequently shows up to events uninvited, appears to have no unit affiliation. Known for his gentlemanly manners, pleasant disposition and outrageously Southern accent. May have an abnormally large feather plume on his slouch hat, black knee-high jackboots or other items inappropriate for his military branch. Also known to wear an excessive amount of brass insignia and/or medals on his coat, of unknown origin. Frequently mistaken for an officer in a camp setting, whose only real job appears to be directing spectators to the restroom facilities.</div>
WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-64340738669768235242016-08-27T16:32:00.001-07:002017-01-26T21:14:39.243-08:00Open Project: Decoding Civil War TelegramsWant to be a history detective? A collection of over 15,900 telegrams and codebook pages containing messages to President Lincoln, known as the Thomas T. Eckert Papers, have been digitized by <a href="http://www.huntington.org/" target="_blank">Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens</a> in one of the most massive and ambitious archival projects for the Civil War. You can participate in this effort by helping to decipher them on this <a href="https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/zooniverse/decoding-the-civil-war/" target="_blank">Zooniverse project website</a>. It walks you through the entire process and the interactive interface is easy to use.<br>
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Cursive handwriting is not being taught to kids in schools anymore, so future generations may be unable to read anything before the age of printers! That's a scary thought. (My own handwriting in grade school was heinously bad, so in a way I can understand their decision). It's important that we start rewriting historical documents now or history could be lost forever.<br>
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Here's an example below that I just transcribed. No one has read this
message in 153 years. If you are good at reading calligraphy and would
like to help with this open crowd-sourced project, you can either create a free account and discuss in the forum, or you can work anonymously. Your efforts will help historians and researchers better understand how battles unfolded by providing access to an untapped resource for field intelligence!<br>
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New York City July 13, 1863<br>
For Col Jas B Fry Prov.Marshal<br>
"A mob estimated at from ten to thirty thousand men has assailed &
destroyed the office of the Provost Marshal for the ninth district. The
guard was completely r<span class="text_exposed_show">outed & many
injured. Gen'l (Abbott?) has ordered into the city all available forces
but they will not exceed five hundred men of all kinds not more than two
hundred regulars. The mob threaten destruction of all Gov't offices. I
have sent all the enrollment papers to Governors Island. The
demonstration is extremely dangerous. I respectfully suggest that a
force sufficient to quell the mob be immediately sent to me as nearly
all the effective militia Reg'ts are absent & those remaining here cannot be relied upon. Col. Nugent is now at the scene of the
disturbance. Signed Samuel B Glassey, Deputy</span><br>
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WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-60628186008851018932016-08-12T18:02:00.002-07:002020-03-27T15:55:45.901-07:00Our National Anthem's Tune Started as a British Drinking SongHow many modern Americans know the original song the "Star-Spangled Banner" was based on? Francis Scott Key wrote his moving poem after watching the siege of Fort McHenry in 1814, at his joy of seeing the flag still flying over the fort. The tune he stole for it, though, had origins less noble than you might imagine. <br />
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It was originally called "To Anachreon in Heaven," dedicated to an ancient Greek erotic poet who was particularly fond of feasts dedicated to Bacchus and their accompanying "wine & wenches", and was a popular British drinking song the colonists brought to America. <br />
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Hum along to the tune of this song and you will find it mighty familiar.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Words: Ralph Tomlinson <br />
Tune: John Stafford Smith, 1771 (?)</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The song was written for
the Anacreontic Society, probably around 1771. The tune was was once thought
to have been written by Dr Thomas Arnold, but is now thought to have been
written "collectively" by members of the society, led by John
Stafford Smith (who now usually gets the credit). The society met every
two weeks to get drunk, sing songs and to indulge in some debauchery.
Anacreon himself was a Greek poet from about 570 BC who was noted for his
erotic poetry (in the Anacreontic style that he established) and his drinking
songs. </span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>source: http://www.miketodd.net/encyc/anacreontext.htm</i>The words changed slightly over the years but this is the <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">well<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> researched, cross-refere<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nced version from the Wiki article:</span></span></span></span><i><br /></i></span><br />
<dl><dd>To <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Anacreon</span> in Heav'n, where he sat in full Glee,</dd><dd>A few Sons of Harmony sent a Petition,</dd><dd>That he their Inspirer and Patron would be;</dd><dd>When this answer arriv'd from the <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Jolly Old Grecian</span></dd><dd>"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,</dd><dd>"no longer be mute,</dd><dd>"I'll lend you my Name and inspire you to boot,</dd><dd>"And, besides I'll instruct you, like me, to intwine</dd><dd>"The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtus" title="Myrtus">Myrtle</a> of <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_%28mythology%29" title="Venus (mythology)">Venus</a></span> with <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus" title="Dionysus">Bacchus</a></span>'s Vine."</dd>
<dt>2</dt>
<dd>The news through <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Olympus" title="Mount Olympus">Olympus</a></span> immediately flew;</dd><dd>When <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_%28mythology%29" title="Jupiter (mythology)">Old Thunder</a></span> pretended to give himself Airs.</dd><dd>"If these Mortals are suffer'd their Scheme to pursue,</dd><dd>"The Devil a Goddess will stay above Stairs.</dd><dd>"Hark! already they cry,</dd><dd>"In transports of Joy,</dd><dd>"Away to the Sons of <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Anacreon</span> we'll fly,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Anacreon_in_Heaven#cite_note-31">[31]</a></sup></dd><dd>"And there, with good Fellows, we'll learn to intwine</dd><dd>"The Myrtle of <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Venus</span> with <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Bacchus</span>'s Vine.</dd>
<dt>3</dt>
<dd>"The <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo" title="Apollo">Yellow-Hair'd God</a></span> and his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muse" title="Muse">nine fusty Maids</a>,</dd><dd>"From <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Helicon" title="Mount Helicon">Helicon</a></span>'s banks will incontinent flee,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Anacreon_in_Heaven#cite_note-32">[32]</a></sup></dd><dd>"<span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idalium" title="Idalium">Idalia</a></span> will boast but of tenantless Shades,</dd><dd>"And the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Parnassus" title="Mount Parnassus">bi-forked Hill</a> a mere Desart will be</dd><dd>"My Thunder no fear on't,</dd><dd>"Shall soon do it's Errand,</dd><dd>"And dam'me! I'll swinge the Ringleaders, I warrant.</dd><dd>"I'll trim the young Dogs, for thus daring to twine</dd><dd>"The Myrtle of <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Venus</span> with <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Bacchus</span>'s Vine."</dd>
<dt>4</dt>
<dd><span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo" title="Apollo">Apollo</a></span> rose up, and said, "Pry'thee ne'er quarrel,</dd><dd>"Good King of the Gods, with my Vot'ries below:</dd><dd>"Your Thunder is useless"—then shewing his Laurel,</dd><dd>Cry'd "<i>Sic evitabile fulmen</i>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Anacreon_in_Heaven#cite_note-33">[33]</a></sup> you know!</dd><dd>"Then over each head</dd><dd>"My Laurels I'll spread;</dd><dd>"So my Sons from your Crackers no Mischief shall dread,</dd><dd>"Whilst snug in their Club-Room, they jovially twine</dd><dd>"The Myrtle of <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Venus</span> with <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Bacchus</span>'s Vine."</dd>
<dt>5</dt>
<dd>Next <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momus" title="Momus">Momus</a></span> got up with his risible Phiz,</dd><dd>And swore with <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apollo</span> he'd chearfully join—</dd><dd>"The full Tide of Harmony still shall be his,</dd><dd>"But the Song, and the Catch, and the Laugh shall be mine.</dd><dd>"Then, <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_%28mythology%29" title="Jupiter (mythology)">Jove</a></span>, be not jealous</dd><dd>"Of these honest fellows."</dd><dd>Cry'd <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Jove</span>, "We relent, since the Truth you now tell us;</dd><dd>"And swear by <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styx" title="Styx">Old Styx</a></span>, that they long shall intwine</dd><dd>"The Myrtle of <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Venus</span> with <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Bacchus</span>'s Vine."</dd>
<dt>6</dt>
<dd>Ye Sons of <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Anacreon</span>, then join Hand in Hand;</dd><dd>Preserve Unanimity, Friendship, and Love!</dd><dd>'Tis your's to support what's so happily plann'd;</dd><dd>You've the sanction of Gods, and the <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Fiat</span> of <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Jove</span>.</dd><dd>While thus we agree,</dd><dd>Our Toast let it be.</dd><dd>May our Club flourish happy, united, and free!</dd><dd>And long may the Sons of <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Anacreon</span> intwine</dd><dd>The Myrtle of <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Venus</span> with <span class="smallcaps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Bacchus</span>'s Vine.<br />
<br /></dd></dl>
</blockquote>
In an early scene of <i>Turn: Washington's Spies</i> you can see a bunch of British officers merrymaking and singing this song. I thought it was interesting to hear our nation's most recognizable tune sung by men of a foreign army with words unfamiliar to Americans.<br />
<br />
The practice of stealing the melody from a popular song to write new lyrics was very common in the 18th and 19th centuries. Of the hundreds of marching songs written during the Civil War, a large chunk of them were set to the same tune that everybody knew. ("The Ants Go Marching" is a more recent version of the one that seemed to be most frequently used) <br />
<br />
This has continued today, if you consider the entire foundation of Weird Al Yankovic's music career. And, as juvenile an example as this is...the Barney the Dinosaur theme song is based off "Yankee Doodle," a tune which is now almost 250 years old.<br />
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Art imitates art. Always.WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-78058365224879212722016-08-08T19:01:00.001-07:002016-08-08T19:01:22.008-07:00I am still alive...I must apologize how this page has been so dead for months. I have actually not gone to a single battle since April; my civil war adventures have been put on hiatus while I focus on doing World War II reenactments. (I bought a rifle this year and finally started to participate instead of watching from the sidelines). In July I started volunteer work & interpretation at Fort Delaware, and I've been doing that about 3 to 4 days a week. <div><br></div><div> Fort Delaware is on Pea Patch Island, in the middle of the river between Delaware and New Jersey. It was built as a river defense fort, but never used as such and instead served as a prison from <a dir="ltr" href="tel:161-1864" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0">1861-1864</a> for Confederate soldiers. Many rebels captured during the battle of Gettysburg were incarcerated here, including General Pettigrew, after his defeat at Pickett's Charge. All told about 20,000 people stayed on the island, and over 2,000 of the prisoners died, mostly of disease rather than failed escapes. (These were light compared to the death toll at Andersonville). </div><div><br></div><div>Most of what I do at the fort is give equipment and weapons talks in the ordnance supply room when I'm not acting as a prison guard.</div><div><br></div><div>Sorry, but no pictures. All the interpreters do first-person impressions of 1864 and we have to stay in character, so only the public has the photo opportunity. This weekend will be a POW event at the fort, with more reenactors in attendance to act as prisoners. The event has been well advertized so hopefully it will draw some crowds. </div><div><br></div><div>I don't know when the next battle reenactment I can attend will be. Maybe not until next season. </div>WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-87920275370502193872016-07-03T19:36:00.001-07:002016-07-03T19:36:43.469-07:00Art Imitates Life, Life Imitates Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQFW9hy9___OkzUzvO431BzUXLuuygonkEmb1hyFV52qqxdVwjrMP7GjzIMnlitPrTgaYp-nMvXNi2NG-faRrANKtIi9OnjKra2IL_DhOV9zlfrUdnUSiAZPOOI_BSKRhTNFbq4yOo18/s1600/winslowhomersceneingettysburg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQFW9hy9___OkzUzvO431BzUXLuuygonkEmb1hyFV52qqxdVwjrMP7GjzIMnlitPrTgaYp-nMvXNi2NG-faRrANKtIi9OnjKra2IL_DhOV9zlfrUdnUSiAZPOOI_BSKRhTNFbq4yOo18/s1600/winslowhomersceneingettysburg.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-91710643168258300452016-05-01T14:42:00.000-07:002019-03-02T16:49:24.888-08:00The Gloomy Gus soldier<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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"<i>...There were a few men in every organization who engaged in no pastimes and joined in no social intercourse. These men were irreproachable as soldiers, it may have been, doing without grumbling everything that was expected of them in the line of military or fatigue duty, but they seemed shut up within an impenetrable shell, and would lie on their blankets silent while all others joined in the social round; or, perhaps, would get up and go out of the tent as if its lively social atmosphere was uncongenial, and walk up and down the parade or company street alone. Should you address them, they would answer pleasantly, but in mono-syllables; and if the conversation was continued, it must be done in the same way. They could not be drawn out. They would cook by themselves, eat by themselves, camp by themselves on the march, --in fact, keep by themselves at all times as much as possible. Guard duty was the one occupation which seemed most suited to their natures, for it provided them with the exclusiveness and comparative solitude that their peculiar mental condition craved</i>."</blockquote>
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John D. Billings, <i>Hardtack & Coffee: The Unwritten Story of Army Life, 188</i><i>7</i></div>
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I think the entire first year of reenacting I hardly spoke to anybody. And I loved the overnight sentry duty. Most nights in camp I could be found sitting alone at 4:00 in the morning in front of a blazing fire, leaning against my rifle with the glow from orange embers reflected in my eyes, doing what war veterans call the "ten thousand yard stare"...brooding, silent and mysterious. </div>
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WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-44149159075387670342016-04-22T13:51:00.002-07:002016-04-22T13:51:30.360-07:00NESHAMINY 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewm-qO-FqQ9WM5yhrUxfzB1CbTZg6QrluDRCUqXfjptniX59BIMnt8jbuD_NM5s06CTU8jodRua7tbVfNsVl353KiwcBnmKlGKG7ihURyWyY17dcOoe3PZfxLzRJHAjqjvlpzbgRgzJ0/s1600/NeshaminyFlyer2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewm-qO-FqQ9WM5yhrUxfzB1CbTZg6QrluDRCUqXfjptniX59BIMnt8jbuD_NM5s06CTU8jodRua7tbVfNsVl353KiwcBnmKlGKG7ihURyWyY17dcOoe3PZfxLzRJHAjqjvlpzbgRgzJ0/s640/NeshaminyFlyer2016.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>
<br />WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-28106176145994677472016-04-17T18:25:00.000-07:002016-04-26T11:28:34.641-07:00The Battle of NeshaminyThe Battle of Neshaminy was fought over the course of three brutally cold spring days in April 1994. What began as a small
skirmish over a parking violation erupted into a full scale
engagement between three 10-man Brigades of New Jersey Confederates and
an entire Federal division of 50 angry Northeast Philadelphians.<br />
<br />
Some of the fiercest fighting occurred in the vicinity of the mulched
area where the swing sets now stand by the picnic pavilion. The
mu<span class="text_exposed_show">ch sought-after strategic rally point known as the "Port-of-Pottay"
changed hands over thirty times during the course of the two and a half day
battle. There was a lull in the fighting in the afternoon on the First Day, when the 2:00
battle was called off on account of some light drizzle. The men dug
entrenchments and huddled together under rubber blankets for protection
from the prolonged bombardment which lasted until nightfall.</span><br />
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A solitary drinking fountain on a concrete pedestal marks the exact spot where a Union Lieutenant Colonel named Bob twisted his ankle while picking up a dropped ice cream cone. His
wound was treated by a veterinarian named Barbara, who had an Ace
bandage and some Neosporin in her fanny pack, which saved the man's leg
from being amputated. He was rushed to a nearby doctor's office and
nursed back to health. It was the most severe casualty of the
fighting on the Second Day, for which he later received the
Congressional Red Badge of Courage.<br />
<br />
It ended with a formal surrender and mutual cease-fire on Sunday evening, as both sides remembered they had to go to work on Monday. It was decided that in future reenactments of this historic battle, the Federal encampment would be located as far away from the Port of Pottay as possible, while the Confederate encampment would be directly next to it, as postwar reparations for the humiliating Confederate defeat suffered just two weeks earlier at the Battle of the Kentucky Fried Chicken parking lot.<br />
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Please give us one weekend of your time each year, and join us on this preserved and protected historic battlefield, to pay respects to these brave men in blue and gray who shed their sweat and selflessly laid their admission tickets on the registration picnic table of freedom.</div>
WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-58636473821396140172016-03-25T21:10:00.000-07:002016-03-25T21:25:17.509-07:00Don't study it, live it!<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_3f">
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<span data-offset-key="911n8-0-0"><span data-text="true">"I learned far more about the Civil War in just four short years of reenacting than I did in sixteen years of reading about it in school textbooks. History books can't tell us what a wool uniform feels like in July, what rough leather shoes feel like after a long march in the mud, the weight of a rifle in your hands, to sit on a horse and feel the raw muscle power between your legs...how heavy a knapsack is, what gunpowder smells like; the beating of drums in your chest, or what a cannon firing a one-pound powder charge actually sounds (and feels) like. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="9hj9m-0-0"><span data-text="true">Reading about abstract numbers of casualties and dates, or 'General Lee's division did this while General Meade's division did that and lost xx,xxx men with x,xxx wounded' is so far removed from reality that the average person will never understand it. You want to know what it was like? Go out and live it for a few days.</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="augll-0-0"><span data-text="true">Those dry, snobby academics who say living historians are idiots, that history should be buried in the ground and forgotten, or entombed in the rotting pages of old memoirs on dusty bookshelves, are the reason why the people of today are so disconnected from their past. When was the last time you saw a kid reading a paper book instead of staring into a screen? They have really short attention spans. They want something to interact with, something to engage the senses. 150 years ago or a 1500 years ago, to them it doesn't matter without an experience. They'll never understand or respect what their ancestors struggled through without a chance to taste, hear, touch, smell, see - and experience- some of it for themselves."</span></span></div>
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WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-49049369145327194172016-03-16T08:44:00.002-07:002016-03-16T20:56:47.898-07:00Beer & Pretzels in the 1860's: An Authentic American TreatAnybody who drinks beer likes it with pretzels, right? Beer and pretzels are just made for each other. Well I have good news for you Civil War pards out there: There are two authentic brands of beer and pretzels that were around in the 1860's still being sold today.<br>
<br>
Yuengling is America's oldest traditional brewing company. It was founded in 1829. I have heard stories that Yuengling Traditional Lager was the beer of choice among Union soldiers. (See, it even has an eagle on the label and everything!) It was particularly enjoyed by the Germans and Irishmen of the Delaware Infantry regiments, and no doubt by many other groups of fighting men.<br>
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I mean, just look at the label for Yuengling. It screams "Union Forever" doesn't it? You don't get any more Yankee than a beer with a big eagle on every bottle. It was brewed right here in Pennsylvania, too. It doesn't get any more authentic than this.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukO0IfLLxaaklw6LAhEt_H51RQ97y4RKTRoXTmDctk0m7igArn-NXxhxP7AK8A84kZHsJHQ1LH2UzaGJegdyfJ3_WBerKt5m5THjm2fLOqgcfT-6OWz5G3BkUsasfTiO2LV0MrQdTgw0/s1600/Yuengling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukO0IfLLxaaklw6LAhEt_H51RQ97y4RKTRoXTmDctk0m7igArn-NXxhxP7AK8A84kZHsJHQ1LH2UzaGJegdyfJ3_WBerKt5m5THjm2fLOqgcfT-6OWz5G3BkUsasfTiO2LV0MrQdTgw0/s640/Yuengling.jpg" width="507"></a></div>
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Here is an interesting article about a Yuengling brewery from the period. (Source: <a href="http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrB8pAzd.lWwXAALh6QnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBxNG1oMmE2BHNlYwNmcC1hdHRyaWIEc2xrA3J1cmwEaXQD/RV=2/RE=1458169779/RO=11/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.henricohistoricalsociety.org%2fnews2014.secondquarter.html/RK=0/RS=H2EhIKiry6qeTFintGyCQNIQCQQ-" target="_blank">henricohistoricalsociety.org</a>)<br>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h4>
<span style="color: #783f04;">In the 1860s, James River Brewery Could Roll Out the Barrels of Brews Down by the River</span></h4>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><img align="left" alt="Brewery Tunnel." class="imgleft" src="http://www.henricohistoricalsociety.org/news2014/brewtunner.jpg" title="Brewery Tunnel.">
<img align="left" alt="Beer ad." class="imgleft" src="http://www.henricohistoricalsociety.org/news2014/beerad.jpg" title="Beer ad."></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;">Nineteenth Century cooler: The image on the left is one of the
James River Steam Brewery tunnels opening onto the James River stands
idle and is filled with water that has seeped in. The image on the
right is an ad for David Yuengling's beer.</span><br>
<span style="color: #783f04;">Rocketts Landing on the James River right at the Richmond/Henrico
line has undergone a number of transitions. The area's development began
with a ferry service operated by Robert Rocketts in 1730, for
transporting goods. Through the nineteenth century it housed a number of
industrial enterprises like the Richmond Cedar Works, whose building
still stands with its identifying sign repainted on the building after
its conversion to condominiums. Besides upscale condominiums, the
20-block mixed use Village at Rocketts Landing has become the site of
swimming facilities, walking trails, restaurants and boat docks. But
there is also a crumbling remnant of its industrial past waiting to be
brought back–the site, or at least what is left of the site, of the
James River Steam Brewery.</span><br>
<span style="color: #783f04;">In 1866, David Yuengling, Jr., son of the founder of "America's
Oldest Brewery," established the brewery at 912 East Main Street near
what was then Wharf Street. Its location seemed well suited for the
enterprise because river boats could tie up at the brewery's dock and
trains could stop along the railroad to load the beer from the vaulted
tunnels that served to keep the brew cool in the days before
refrigeration. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="color: #783f04;">The operation seemed to be rather successful, and in 1867, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Richmond Whig</span>
indicated that it produced 400 barrels (12,400 gallons) per day. And
many enjoyed their share of the 400 barrels, as Alexandria's <span style="font-style: italic;">Daily State Journal</span>
of September 15, 1873, reported: "Alois Rick, the well known pavier,
has returned from the Vienna exposition and resumed operations in the
line of his profession. He says the Vienna beer is not as good as
Yuengling's Richmond article." However, Yuengling found the endeavor
disappointing and sold the operation to the Richmond Cedar Works in
1878.</span><br>
<span style="color: #783f04;">According to the April 3, 1883, <span style="font-style: italic;">Staunton Spectator</span>,
Yuengling complained, "We make the best beer in the world in the United
States. . . After the war I went to Richmond, Va., and put $500,000 in a
brewery, and came back without a dollar, and by hard labor have made
another in New York - the farmers of Virginia forced their taxes upon
the manufacturer, making me pay eighty-five cents a barrel on my beer
and admitting distant bring beer from New York and Baltimore at less
than they would carry it twenty miles out of Richmond for me. The
brewery is there yet, idle, and no brewer has been successful in the
south. They won't drink beer."</span><br>
<br>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><img align="left" alt="Brewery ruins." class="imgleft" src="http://www.henricohistoricalsociety.org/news2014/breweryruins1.jpg" title="Brewery ruines.">
<img align="left" alt="Beer ruins." class="imgleft" src="http://www.henricohistoricalsociety.org/news2014/breweryruins2.jpg" title="Beer ruins."></span>
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<span style="color: #783f04;">A fire destroyed the building in 1891, and the
cellars have stood vacant since then. There are four vaulted tunnels -
the largest of which is ten to seventeen feet wide and 146 feet long -
and water seeps into them flooding the floor. The state's Department of
Historic Resources board voted to add the remnants of the brewery to the
Virginia Landmarks Register and nominate it to the federal list to
protect historic and archaeological resources. Possible plans for the
cellars involve the developer's hope to convert them to a restaurant - a
use that almost brings the tunnels' lives full circle.</span></div>
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<br></div>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><img align="left" alt="Brewery location." class="imgleft" src="http://www.henricohistoricalsociety.org/news2014/brewerylocation.jpg" title="Brewery location."></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;">The ad shows the layout and location of David Yuengling, Jr's James River Steam Brewery.</span><br>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><br></span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><br><br><br><br></span></blockquote>
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On to pretzels. I was walking by a catered luncheon at work today and someone offered me a small snack bag of Tom Sturgis Artisan pretzels. I had never had this particular brand of pretzels before. The info on the package jumped out at me:<br>
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Apparently, Sturgis made the first family-owned pretzel factory in America. In 1861, no less. Seeing the "150th Anniversary" logo in the corner, I decided to hop online and do some research. Check out this blurb from the <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.tomsturgispretzels.com/pretzel_history.asp" target="_blank">Sturgis company website</a>:</span><br>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #274e13;">The tasty baked snack food that we know as the pretzel had its origin in
southern Europe about 610 AD. The first pretzels were soft pretzels.
These dough treats were given to the children as rewards for learning
their prayers. The familiar shape of a twisted pretzel represents arms
crossed over the chest in prayer. Pretiola (as they were called back
then) means "little rewards" in Latin.<br><br>
Eventually soft pretzels came to America via Germany, Austria and
Switzerland. The first American commercial pretzel bakery was founded by
Julius Sturgis in Lititz, PA in 1861. At that time, the crispy (hard)
pretzel was developed by Julius. <br><br>
Julius Sturgis died in 1897, but his descendants continued the pretzel
baking tradition. In 1946 Marriott D. "Tom" Sturgis, grandson of Julius,
founded the Tom Sturgis Pretzel Company after spending years learning
pretzel baking from family members. In time Marriott’s son, Tom joined
the company and now Tom’s son, Bruce has taken a place at Tom Sturgis
Pretzels. Five generations of pretzel baking has made the Sturgis family
the "First Family of Pretzels." <br><br>
Pretzels were originally made by hand from start to finish. As
technology progressed, parts of the procedure were mechanized. Through
all these changes (from hand twisting at a top speed of 40 pretzels per
minute to extrusion of thousands of pretzels per minute) pretzels remain
a favorite, healthy snack food for young and old. <br><br>
Although pretzel machinery has changed a great deal over the years, Tom
Sturgis Pretzels still bakes some of our pretzels on a soapstone hearth
surface which produces the highest quality pretzels available.</span></blockquote>
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And to think I was being "farby" by sneaking pretzels out of my haversack at Civil War events! Pretzels were a well known food in the 1860's, and it's not hard to imagine some ladies baking some homemade ones to send to the starving troops. They do make a great snack. No refrigeration needed, They are a nice dry food to mix with peanuts (keep a little dessicant bag in there and they stay dry too), they are salty to help replenish what you lose in sweat, something to munch on while on the march, and they go great with your authentic Yuengling Civil War beer. Tell your friends!<br>
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Also, a great non-perishable snack idea at Civil War reenactments is a sack of peanuts (don't remove the shells) "Goober peas" as they were called were a staple in just about any Confederate soldier's haversack, and they would take them wherever they could get them. They were so famous, in fact, that the men even wrote a marching song about them.<br>
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<dl><dd><i>Sitting by the roadside on a summer's day</i></dd><dd><i>Chatting with my <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mess" title="Mess">mess</a>-mates, passing time away</i></dd><dd><i>Lying in the shadows underneath the trees</i></dd><dd><i>Goodness, how delicious, eating goober peas.</i></dd></dl>
<dl><dd><i>Chorus</i>
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<dl><dd><i>Peas, peas, peas, peas</i></dd><dd><i>Eating goober peas</i></dd><dd><i>Goodness, how delicious,</i></dd><dd><i>Eating goober peas.</i></dd></dl>
</dd></dl>
<i>Verse 2</i><br>
<dl><dd><i>When a horse-man passes, the soldiers have a rule</i></dd><dd><i>To cry out their loudest, "<a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister,_here%27s_your_mule" title="Mister, here's your mule">Mister, here's your mule</a>!"</i></dd><dd><i>But another custom, enchanting-er than these</i></dd><dd><i>Is wearing out your grinders, eating goober peas.</i></dd><dd><i>Chorus</i></dd></dl>
<i>Verse 3</i><br>
<dl><dd><i>Just before the battle, the General hears a row</i></dd><dd><i>He says "The Yanks are coming, I hear their rifles now."</i></dd><dd><i>He turns around in wonder, and what d'ya think he sees?</i></dd><dd><i>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Militia" title="Georgia Militia">Georgia Militia</a>, eating goober peas.</i></dd><dd><i>Chorus </i></dd><dd><br></dd></dl>
<i>Verse 4</i><br>
<dl><dd><i>I think my song has lasted almost long enough.</i></dd><dd><i>The subject's interesting, but the rhymes are mighty tough.</i></dd><dd><i>I wish the war was over, so free from rags and fleas</i></dd><dd><i>We'd kiss our wives and sweethearts, and gobble goober peas.</i></dd><dd><i>Chorus</i></dd></dl>
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(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goober_Peas">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goober_Peas</a>)<br>
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**Note: <i><b>There sat</b> the Georgia Militia,</i> is reported in contemporary accounts as underlying the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Griswoldville" title="Battle of Griswoldville">battle of Griswoldville</a> where they fought fiercely. <br>
"<a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Tennessee_Civil_War_Confederate_units#Militia" title="List of Tennessee Civil War Confederate units">The Tennessee Militia</a>" is sung instead in some versions.)<br>
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Beer, goober peas and pretzels....the stuff of life. You can't go wrong!<br>
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Fun Fact: The color guard of our battalion has a Yuengling flag which they like to display in front of their tent in camp, but only on Saturday nights when the Colonel isn't around. WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-74467100354429795832016-03-01T18:28:00.000-08:002019-02-18T14:28:13.767-08:00Tips for New Civil War Reenactors (Soldiers Only)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n response to some postings on civilian reenactor blogs about things people would like to tell new recruits, I decided to make one for people who are taking up this grand old hobby for the first time and wish to do a military impression.<br />
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(**Author's note: I am really inclined to think "hobby" is a rather belittling term and sort of an understatement, given what we do is more like an alternative lifestyle that, for some, borders on a mildly disturbing obsession)<br />
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Just like starting your first day at a new job, many rookie reenactors going out for the first time will feel overwhelmed, and in some cases intimidated, by the flood of new information to take in and things to learn, as well as the 'peer pressure' to look, dress and act like everyone else.<br />
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I know when I started in 2011, I was very nervous and awkward at my first few events. My borrowed uniform and clothes felt scratchy and seemed made to fit a gorilla, I couldn't stop sweating from overexertion. I was anxious about looking sharp, and trying not to mess up during a drill or be seen doing something out of character in view of the public. I was very self conscious about all my movements, whether my suspenders were on backwards and if my hat was on straight, if my shoes were tied, trying to stay hydrated without having to go to the privy too much and have to strip off all my gear, and so on and so on...<br />
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There was also the fear of being labeled a "farb" as my impression was incomplete or not expensive enough. And as if all that wasn't overwhelming, on top of all that I was worried about if I brought enough food to last the weekend, was my gunpowder dry, whether I would be able to sleep or not, being too cold or too hot, what if I get hurt or injured in an accident... what if I had not planned for some contingency... And then I was afraid of looking 'weak' in front of the older hardened veterans, many of them ex-military, because I was obviously not in shape and might have trouble keeping up with those gritty Vietnam jungle commandos. I remember most of my first year as being very awkward and unsure of myself.<br />
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But as time went on, and I went to more events and started to make some friends, I felt more comfortable. I was less self-conscious, my uniform somehow started to fit better and the wool didn't bother me as much, and my 'pards' helped me out with a lot of advice gained from years of experience.<br />
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Since I became a reenactor, I think I have matured beyond my years and become a different person. Not only wiser, but tougher, stronger and more resourceful in rough situations.<br />
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So for the benefit of people who are relatively new to this adventure of being a living historian, I plan to make this post into a compiled list of 'tips' or 'tricks' for the greenhorns among us. Some of these things I learned myself the hard way, others were taught to me by seasoned veterans with 20-30 years of experience. Anyone who reads this journal may feel free to add some of their own advice by leaving comments as well. This is by no means an exhaustive list either, it will be a perpetual work in progress. And they are numbered for the purposes of looking like an official list, but are actually in no particular order. Obvious stuff first. So here goes!<br />
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ADVICE ABOUT FIRST JOINING 'THE ARMY'<br />
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1. <b>Don't be shy. </b>The best way to join a reenacting group is...walk up and talk to someone at an event! Most reenactors like to talk to the public. Express your interest in joining, and ask to speak to their commanding officer (the guy who barks orders and dresses differently). Ask for a business card or a website link where you can sign up, find out where most of the group is from, and when their next event is. Fill out an online registration form to get your name on the mailing list, and pay your dues on time by check. (Checks leave paper trails and help them keep track of who pays their dues on time) <br />
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Then go to their first annual
company meeting (usually in mid-February) and learn about the scheduled
events for the year. This is also a good time to introduce yourself to the group and meet the people you will be 'serving' with. Don't feel afraid to speak up and ask questions, which in fact leads to my first important point:<br />
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2. <b>THE ONLY DUMB QUESTIONS ARE THE ONES YOU DON'T ASK!</b><br />
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3. <b>TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.</b> Borrow gear first! Don't buy anything until you go out a few times and see if you like what we do. It's not for everybody. And putting together an impression will drain your bank account way faster than you realize, because in the words of Robbins Diamonds, your equipment can cost "As little as $400 or as high as the stars" There is virtually no limit to how much some people are willing to spend for this hobby. Be reasonable and buy only essential gear first. Ask around for sutlers that have the best bang for your buck. And sign up to an online forum like <a href="http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/index.php" target="_blank">www.cwreenactors.com</a>, you will see lots of used gear going up for sale by people who are getting rid of extra gear or leaving the hobby. Get a second opinion from an experienced person before you buy an expensive item, to avoid the sting of buyer's remorse.<br />
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3. <b>The first things you should look into getting (but also among the most expensive) are a pair of shoes and a rifle.</b> These are the hardest things to borrow. Good shoes can cost up to $200 for custom sizes, and the price of rifles has skyrocketed in the last 15-20 years. A 3-band Enfield used to be 300-400 and now they are up to 650-800 dollars. <b> Hard learned advice: Get a good job before you try to be a reenactor.</b> This is volunteering that costs you money. Not all groups have trailers full of loaner gear to be lent out. In the case of my new group, I had to borrow an old rifle from the Captain of the group who hardly ever used it. After the first year, you should really have as much of your kit together as possible.<br />
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<b>4. There is a proper time and place for jokes and sarcasm, and that is around the campfire.</b> Don't do it through email or online forums. Reenactors use these things as communication tools for delivering important information and RSVP'ing for events. Nine times out of ten somebody will misunderstand your humor and take offense to it. Remember the same thing read in writing, and said out loud in the right context, can mean two entirely different things. Take my word for it and just <i><b>don't do it </b></i>unless you've been with the group for a long time and everyone knows you very well. Rub the wrong person the wrong way enough times and you could get thrown out of the group.<br />
<b><br />5. Rule for new recruits: </b> <b>"Mouth Shut, Ears Open"</b> If you are very new to all this and don't know much about the time period you portray, you are better off listening than speaking. Listen to the older guys, and you will learn lots. Pay attention to the way they address the spectators. Pay attention to orders given you by officers and learn them well, because someday you may be promoted in rank or become an officer, and be expected to give those same orders. A US Navy training manual from 1940 said it best. "Know your job. Know the job ahead of yours." Also remember the things you say and do while in uniform reflects not only on you, but on the men above and below you, your company, your battalion, your regiment, your division and the entire US Army! <br />
<b><br />6. Do your homework.</b> Read <i>Hardtack & Coffee</i> if you are on the Union side, and read a book like <i>Co. Aytch</i> if you are on the Confederate side. These books were written and published in the 19th century by veterans who lived through the actual war. Who better to learn from than those who know it best, the ones who were there! If you have a question about the particulars of camp or army life in the 1860's, these books are your Holy Bible and have most, if not all, the answers you need. But in general, most reenactors read lots of books. If you do want to bring a book to read in camp, make sure it is one that dates from the period. But don't take out your family's priceless heirloom Bible or an antique book. The first time it gets left in the rain or you spill coffee on it, you have ruined a museum piece. There are reproductions of contemporary literature that you can buy.<br />
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ADVICE FOR A SHARP IMPRESSION.<br />
<b><br />7. Double tie your shoelaces. </b>The leather laces on our shoes come loose and untied very easily, and you will look down 5 minutes after you tied them and say "Darn, I swore I just tied those." It also looks mighty bad if soldiers are standing at attention and suddenly one drops to his knees to tie up a bootlace. Just double or even triple tie them. Trust me.<br />
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<b>8. The canteen goes on last. </b>When putting on your leathers and accouterments, the cartridge box sling should go underneath the waist belt, to prevent it getting away from you on the run. And you will quickly realize why the canteen goes on last, over everything else. Shorten the belts and slings so that they are just long enough to fit under the waist belt. The haversack is best carried not on the hip, but almost at the side under the arm. This will prevent it banging against your leg when you march. You may want to shorten the canteen strap by putting a knot in it as well. You really don't want this stuff swinging around.<br />
<b><br />9. Keep the shirt and coat collar flat and the top buttoned up. </b>Reenactors will tell you that nobody in the Civil War ever walked around with their coats unbuttoned, but we know from photograph evidence that this isn't true. If it was hot sitting around in camp, men weren't too dumb to unbutton their heavy wool overcoats. Just be sure to button up for drill time, parades and anything involving spectators. <br />
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<b>10. DON'T LOCK YOUR KNEES. </b>When you stand at attention, your knees should be slightly bent. Keeping your knees straight and locked actually induces a little-known condition in which the circulation to your lower legs and feet gets cut off after a few minutes, resulting in your collapse. Anyone in the military can tell you this.<br />
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<b>11. Salute with palm of the hand open. </b>The flat-handed karate chop salute is a 20th century anachronism. The open palm of your right hand should face the officer and the tip of your fingers should point to your eyebrow. This is how it was done from about the time of the American Revolution to the Span-Am War. It was meant to show your hand was empty and you had no weapon in your right hand, therefore it was a gesture of peace.<br />
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<b>12. Keep the cap/hat/kepi/Hardee hat on when in the ranks. </b>It looks more "military." (Tip: carefully pulling out the stitching on the leather strap across the brim allows you to use it as a chinstrap. This was originally called a "Stampede strap" and it was intended for just such a purpose, to prevent the hat from blowing off while running. There is evidence to show that soldiers did this.) Tipping your hat was not the proper way to address a lady. Removing your hat and showing it to her was far more gentlemanly. Ladies will applaud you for doing it because most reenactors don't. It shows good manners. All women during the 19th century were to be treated like a princess. Do not remove your hat while in the ranks unless you are listening to Taps or the National Anthem.<br />
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<b>13. When wearing the knapsack and blanket roll as a kit, put the shoulder straps through the blanket roll straps</b>. It will keep the knapsack higher up on your back, and the weight of the blanket won't pull the backpack away from you. I've seen reenactors use bits of rope, shoelace or even 1x2 blocks of wood to help support the pack, but this technique works better than all those other methods. It also reduces strain on the strap anchors where they meet in the middle, because it diverts the load bearing to either side. Wearing the knapsack became much more comfortable after an old veteran showed me this. I will include a sketch to demonstrate what it should look like.<br />
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<b><br /><br />14. Civil War soldiers carried their muskets with muzzle up </b><b>when loaded. </b>This 21st century way of carrying your gun with muzzle angled down at the ground is not only farby, it's dumb. The powder would run out of the barrel on to the ground. This should be a no-brainer but I've seen people do it. <br />
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ADVICE FOR GOING TO YOUR FIRST FEW EVENTS.<br />
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<b>15. Everybody helps everybody set up and take down their tents.</b> This is a common courtesy. Reenactors help each other. If someone has a lot of gear to unload from a truck, go over and help them out. Don't just sit by the fire and watch other people work. Everyone will thank you for this. The rule in my first group used to be nobody drives away until the camp is completely broken down and everything is loaded into vehicles. Leaving an event early, especially without telling anyone, is generally frowned upon. Because that is implying you don't want to help anyone but yourself.<br />
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<b>16. Get in the habit of saluting an officer whenever you see one and calling him "sir". </b>This is really only for the public's benefit, obviously you don't need to salute every officer all the time when no public is around. But it's a military thing to do and shows the proper respect for your superiors. Officers with shoulder straps get saluted only, not non-commissioned officers such as sergeants. I have been admonished at WWII reenactments for saluting noncoms. Generally, we salute officers on our side and not on the other side. Confederates aren't even required to remove their hats or salute when the Federal flag passes in a parade.<br />
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<b>17. BRING LOTS OF WATER. Always bring more water than you think you'll need. </b>Most big reenactments have water tanks or trucks where you can fill up your canteen, but these will be empty by Sunday's battle, almost guaranteed. Reenactors have said that they will sweat off a pound or two during the summer; this is not an exaggeration.<br />
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<b>18. Ask before you sit. </b>Generally, it is common courtesy to ask if a seat belongs to somebody before you sit down in it. If you don't bring your own furniture to an event, sit on the ground unless you ask first.<br />
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<b>19. Stay out of other people's tents. </b>A tent is a person's home for the weekend. They keep things hidden in their tent they do not want the public to see. If an officer asks you to bring him something from his tent, do as ordered. But otherwise keep to your own tent.<br />
<b><br />20. If</b> <b>camping near cavalry or artillery, don't feed, pet or bother the horses. And for the love of all that's holy, stay away from the cannons. </b>Cavalry and Artillery reenactors spend about 10 times what you do on their equipment, and hauling it to and from events. Be respectful of them and don't touch their stuff. Also horses that are tied up to ropes are tied up for a reason, especially if a battle is going on. They might be newly purchased or young horses that spook at sounds of battle. Don't make any sudden movements to spook them and don't frighten them. And cannons are just downright dangerous.<br />
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<b>21. Straw is what you sleep on. Hay is food for horses. Learn the difference. </b>Taking hay away from horses to use for bedding is frowned upon. Straw always looks dead and feels dry, hay might be greenish in color. <br />
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<b>22. Put together a repair kit. </b>Civil War reenacting gear is made of leather, and leather is prone to break sometimes. I recommend putting together a basic repair kit that you keep in the same place as your rifle cleaning kit. <br />
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My repair kit is a simple cloth bag with lots of things in it to tie stuff together. Bits of string, a small coil of rope, twine and an extra pair of leather shoelaces. A bit of shoelace can secure a brass plate from falling off, tie together two broken pieces of leather, repair a musket sling or secure just about anything. I also recommend taking an awl with you to punch a hole in the leather so you can thread the bit of shoelace (an awl is a screwdriver handle with a pointy spike instead of a screwdriver tip) I also have a tool meant for sewing leather with a very thick needle to stab through it. <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sewing_awl.jpg" target="_blank">This is the tool</a> It's also handy as an awl. Also take some kind of superglue to repair shoes. If your shoes are cheap, your sole could split apart when dirt gets worked in between the layers. Mine did.<br />
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<b>23. Cut up old cotton male undershirts to use for gun cleaning patches.</b> Cut squares about 2 inches x 2 inches and no bigger. Cleaning patches aren't expensive, but it's another thing you don't have to buy. Same for rounds. Rolling and filling your own cartridges is labor intensive but cheaper.<br />
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If you want a container to keep your bottle of oil, repair kit, tools, gunpowder and musket cleaning kit in, refer to <a href="http://companyqdispatches.blogspot.com/2012/05/diy-ammunition-packing-box-lots-of.html" target="_blank">The DIY Ammo Box Post</a>. This is a neat, sturdy box that you can leave out in the open near your tent and you don't have to hide. You can also buy these from some woodworkers near Gettysburg, but they vary in quality.<br />
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<b>24. It makes sense to have two rubber blankets. </b>If you have a dog tent, the extra rubber blanket is invaluable. You normally sleep on your rubber blanket, but when it rains and your tent leaks, what do you do? Throw it over the tent. And then you have no ground cover. The extra rubber blanket can keep you more dry, and it can also seal one end of your dog tent. Tie the grommets of one side together with your extra shoelaces. During windy rainstormy weather, the following setup with two rubber blankets seems to work the best for keeping you dry:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwetrdsjCSVsw1cDg3irQGQApiukdpN1_OW8OmQ7YcfWXrWRk0FgSpL4fN16Zs53ID3rge4M1UH7ZVe2JWmJebuoPH_h_M20XLOik5bxpmX5OetNYSGEmVCIw8Lqvuk7Fl7dke8Wqi9I/s1600/dog+tent+weatherproof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwetrdsjCSVsw1cDg3irQGQApiukdpN1_OW8OmQ7YcfWXrWRk0FgSpL4fN16Zs53ID3rge4M1UH7ZVe2JWmJebuoPH_h_M20XLOik5bxpmX5OetNYSGEmVCIw8Lqvuk7Fl7dke8Wqi9I/s1600/dog+tent+weatherproof.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">I first saw Sergeant John Martin of the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves set up his tent this way. But I'm pretty sure he wasn't the first ever to do it.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>25. Another use for shoelaces: Keeping your dog tent from blowing over. </b>What inevitably happens to dog tents is if they aren't pitched solidly, they fall down. This happens when the uprights and the crosspiece aren't secure. Tie the shoelaces around the crosspiece where it rests in the crook of the uprights, and thread it through the buttonhole. Tie them tightly, and your tent will stay up.<br />
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--"A good canteen tip to add...soak the outside of the canteen when you
fill it, it helps keep the water cool, and adding a leather canteen
strap is a cheap addition and sharpens the impression." -from Rob Riley, reenactor since 1988. Leather canteen straps last longer, don't get dirty as easily, and can take much more punishment than the cheap cotton ones that come with the canteen.<br />
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"You may want to wear earplugs during the battle. Of course, earplugs were not around during that time but, as I understand, hearing loss is irreparable. Earplugs are a great idea, especially if the guy next to you fires a double load of powder. Look in your local drugstore for the clear putty-like earplugs or the spiral ones that go inside the ear canal, these will be the least noticeable." --Reenactor Bryan Cheeseboro. Please, stay away from the cheap hot pink or neon orange foam ones. They will just fall out of your ears anyway.<br />
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"I have not done it yet but I say if it's a very hot event, take off the jacket and fight in your shirtsleeves. I was in a debate on Facebook about whether or not soldiers fought without their coats in very hot weather. I don't know for certain but thanks to modern heating and cooling, we are not under the same conditions people were in 150 years ago. To go from wearing t-shirts, shorts and sandals one day and then a wool uniform the next is a big change for the body." --Reenactor Bryan Cheeseboro<br />
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ADVICE FOR STAYING COOL AT VERY HOT EVENTS.<br />
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<b>26. Pour water down the front of your shirt. </b>I found this cools me down faster than anything else.<br />
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<b>27. Don't be a hero. </b>At events such as the 150th First Manassas where temps soared to 110 degrees, people were dropping out of the ranks right and left. <b>DO NOT just decide to "tough it out" if you think you can't go into battle. You will get hurt.</b> If you are tired and your mouth feels dry, your skin turns red, or you feel dizzy or faint, tell somebody and get out of the sun. If you were sweating a lot and suddenly stop sweating, you are about to experience heatstroke and could be severely dehydrated. <br />
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<b>28. Much as heat escapes through the top of your head, coolness enters through it. </b>Putting a tin cup of cold water to your forehead or putting a chunk of ice in your hat will cool you very rapidly, as blood in your brain gets pumped down through your body.<br />
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ADVICE FOR STAYING WARM AT VERY COLD EVENTS.<br />
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<b>29. Sleep near the fire and sleep with your clothes on. </b>You may think it's warmer inside your tent, but canvas tents actually trap moisture as condensation from your breath and make you freeze. The best way to keep toasty is use the "Reenactor Taco" Put your coat and your great coat on, cover your head with a wool knit cap and put on gloves, then get into your blanket. Fold the blanket lengthwise in half, then fold yourself in the blanket like a taco, so all the layers are keeping you warm. Face the fire with the open side of the taco. For Fredericksburg and the really cold events, you may want to look into getting a subzero sleeping bag. US Army surplus ones from the Vietnam era are relatively cheap. They have a quick release zipper so you can get out of them easily. Don't freeze because "It's what the soldiers did" You could be dead the next morning. It's happened to people before. <br />
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<b>30. Keep the fire burning all night and don't let it go out.</b> Find a volunteer to sleep near and tend to the fire. If nobody volunteers, then every time you get up to leave your tent during the night to go use the privy, throw a log onto the fire. Have everyone do this and it will blaze all night. Few things are more miserable than trying to light with numb fingers on cold, damp wood before you are able to cook your breakfast.<br />
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CONCERNING MUSKETS</div>
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Reenacting is a dangerous hobby in that we fire loose powder charges out of muzzle-loading muskets, and if you follow these important safety rules everything should be fine. But never forget, the firearms we use are weapons of war, were built and designed to shoot and kill people. Safety cannot be emphasized enough. </div>
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1. Guns are tools for destroying living things. Nothing more, nothing less. They don't kill people by themselves, but in unsafe hands they are deadly. Treat them with respect and with utmost caution.</div>
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2. Always elevate at 45 degrees when within 50 yards of the "enemy". There is no reason to aim directly at anybody. If cartridges are loaded improperly or foreign objects are in the barrel they will become deadly projectiles.</div>
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3. NEVER EVER EVER EVER draw your ramrod on the field. A ramrod left in a barrel and fired out of a gun will kill someone. At 900 feet per second with 60 grains of powder charge behind it, a three foot long piece of steel at close range will go right through just about anything, be it trees, houses or people. At some events they will even make us remove our ramrod and leave it in camp.</div>
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If you are seen drawing a ramrod in battle you can be forcibly removed from an event.</div>
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4. WHEN IN DOUBT, POUR IT OUT.</div>
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Double loading was a common mistake of inexperienced soldiers in the real Civil War. There were jammed muskets found on battlefields with up to eight cartridges stuffed in the barrel. If you pour more than the regulatory 60 grains of powder and shoot it, at the very least you'll damage your hearing, and at worst your gun could explode, burning or disfiguring you and anyone else around you. Don't do it, it's not funny. Sometimes people want to load 80 grains for a bigger bang in parades, but it really isn't worth the risk of injury.</div>
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It's easy in the chaos of a firefight to forget if you're loaded. If you're afraid of loading more than once, Just remember this simple rule: when in doubt, pour it out. Point your gun at the ground and let the powder spill out on the grass. Grind it in with your shoe if you're worried about fire hazard, and the moisture in the dirt will render it useless.</div>
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5. Don't ram paper in battle. It can start fires because burning bits of ash will shoot out and drift to the ground.</div>
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6. If you see smoke coming out of the hole in your percussion cone, there could be a small fire inside the barrel. Keep the muzzle of the gun pointed skyward and just wait for the smoke to stop. Don't reload if you see smoke, pouring more powder down a barrel with burning embers in it is a 'sure fire' way to lose a hand. don't recap until all the smoke is gone.</div>
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7. If you are ordered to "ground arms", lay your rifle gently on the ground with lock plate and hammer facing UP. this will keep ground moisture out of the lock assembly.</div>
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<b>...and above all, remember we are here to recreate the life of a soldier, not the death of one.</b><br />
Realism only goes so far. If everybody was 100% authentic, we'd all be dead by Sunday. <br />
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When I think of more, I'll write more. I welcome comments!<br />
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WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-11233717991952716132016-02-28T15:38:00.001-08:002016-02-28T15:38:20.153-08:00Reenacting Ribbons Made into MedalsAll of the important 150th Anniversary Civil War reenactments gave out a ribbon with a medallion to every soldier, by popular request of the participants as a souvenir. Most of these were meant to be worn around the neck. Since I personally don't think I'll ever want to wear them in that fashion, I got the idea of cutting off the ribbons to make military-style medals to pin on my uniform... So I can impress the ladies at the ball. If you like this idea, pass it along!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJQdKHuiYr6r4kxi9hUPfO8FnH609rPeVHCpUX4M5H_x6HOP8irG0598CyJu1YDPwJVQDIeHlvTvIRRefpMvgETATTMxNv5Rgmcc0lWCAuSMuzf08YcbJm1TRNEPgeydgImZ0wXM4f0o/s640/blogger-image-1376178400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJQdKHuiYr6r4kxi9hUPfO8FnH609rPeVHCpUX4M5H_x6HOP8irG0598CyJu1YDPwJVQDIeHlvTvIRRefpMvgETATTMxNv5Rgmcc0lWCAuSMuzf08YcbJm1TRNEPgeydgImZ0wXM4f0o/s640/blogger-image-1376178400.jpg"></a></div>WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-42368446849021392832016-02-09T10:50:00.001-08:002019-03-05T19:46:44.033-08:00Please be considerate of the public...
Disclaimer: if this article offends you, please move on.
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One of my pet peeves at reenactments is when those of us in camp tend to huddle in tight groups around a fire, rudely ignoring others and talking about things that have nothing to do with our reason for being there. Especially when the public is around. If there are spectators milling around in the camp and peeking inside our tents, we <u>should</u> be talking to them and answering questions, because that is supposed to be our job. Without the public interest in what we do, the parks and historic sites won't have the funds to keep hosting events. We cannot lose sight of the fact that we are there for them.
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I was at a living history-battle back in September last year (at an undisclosed historic site) and was particularly annoyed, because the reenactors who were there seemed to be ignoring everyone who tried to approach them. These soldiers (who will remain nameless) were in a circle, drinking Bud Light from aluminum cans, smoking modern cigarettes, and seemed to be enjoying themselves. But their conversation topics were completely irrelevant and out of place for the 1860's. Topics ranged from gun control, racist remarks, homophobia and the war in Syria...to disparaging remarks about a heavy-set woman who had made an unfortunate wardrobe choice that day, and was walking around in shorts and a tank top that exposed a little too much skin (I should also mention it was very hot out that day) trying to keep up with her two very young kids who were getting into everything.
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Not only did this irritate and annoy me, I found it disgusting. Not the woman, the reenactors. I wanted to go around the circle and smack the lot of them in the face, one by one.
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First off, don't ignore the people who want to learn from us. Second, get those modern things out of sight when the public's around. Third, don't mock people behind their backs. It's low. And finally, I really wish we could keep modern politics & current events out of reenacting. I don't drive 150 miles to listen to you guys argue like teenagers about the same junk I see in my Facebook news feed.
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If you want something to bicker about over the campfire, make it about the Republican debates for Lincoln vs. Hamlin or Lincoln vs Douglas. Express your concern that the whole entire Union army is doomed because McClellan's such a turd and General Burnside doesn't look any better. Reminisce about life back home, make up some funny stories.
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If you want to discuss economics, then it better be 1860s agrarian economics or I don't want to hear it.
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Instead of going on and on about war in the Middle East, maybe we should discuss Western expansion, and how the fight against the Indians is going.
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If you want to talk celebrities, discuss John Wilkes Booth's stage career and what a great \ terrible actor you think he is.
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We shouldn't hear ANY mention of texting, Facebook, Twitter, E-mail et cetera.
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Instead, think about how homesick the soldiers were. Talk about how Annie back at the tobacco farm hasn't answered any of your letters since the old horse died, Jimmy has tuberculosis and you're afraid he won't survive the winter since the doctor skipped town and ran away with the shoemaker's wife.
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This isn't hard to do...just read some books, do some research and be creative people!
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And PLEASE, pay attention to the public and show them the same respect you want them to show you.
WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-54812726930940702232015-09-12T13:11:00.002-07:002015-09-12T15:01:22.211-07:00July 25, 26 - The PA Bucktails Reunion 2015<br />
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Apologies to my readers for not writing this journal two months ago. The weekend of July 25, I drove myself out north of Harrisburg to meet Dave, a friend of mine who has been in my Bucktail regiment for over twenty years. He had invited me to the annual reunion for reenactors of the 42nd, 149th and 150th Pennsylvania Bucktail infantry. It was held in Philipsburg this year, which is about 4 and a half hours from where I live. He was awesome enough to let me spend the night at his place, after driving three hours on a Friday night after work, into an area of central PA in which I had never traveled.<br />
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The trip to the small town where Dave lives was in the mountains, and I passed Fort Indiantown Gap and crossed the Appalachian trail on the way out there. Driving down a steep incline after dark, in a lightless rural area with lots of deer was a bit scary. Not something I normally do. (Route 81 North was also under construction and only had one lane open with walls on either side, trucks used this road and there was no way to pass; and no shoulder except for a pull off every one or two miles) I'm glad I made it without incident.<br />
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Dave is a fireman, and his house had a nice collection of vintage fire gear and helmets. His wife also collects antique railroad lanterns. His friendly dog and two kids were happy to see me. I slept on his couch and we packed the car and left for Philipsburg early Saturday morning.<br />
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These reunions are held in a different town each year, usually places
of historical significance to these three regiments. Philipsburg and
the nearby town of Duncannon are two places which held recruiting
offices where the Bucktails were mustered in. We stopped on the way out
there to see the tavern used as the 42nd PA's recruiting post, and
America's oldest sled factory in Duncannon. They offered tours but the place was closed. I took a picture of each, but
these are buried in my phone somewhere and I will post these later.<br />
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The
site chosen for this year's reunion was at the Wagon Wheel Ampitheater,
where country music festivals are often held. There was some picnic
pavilions and an outdoor stage where we got to enjoy some live music
Saturday night.<br />
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I know I write a lot, so without further ado, here are the highlights of the weekend in pictures and some brief captions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA52H8dIqKN8grRhXDTupmNrUI_w-1zoqTsY5l5IlweK0QhuO7PgHqwOQWOm4ZPeeIehTzTaqIOzPGc7qe51GPatqaSIg6xCROsweBq21VlD7PmwOzyWkaqXX-D6TlG-kcMTNZ5BVE1Y/s1600/Reunion+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA52H8dIqKN8grRhXDTupmNrUI_w-1zoqTsY5l5IlweK0QhuO7PgHqwOQWOm4ZPeeIehTzTaqIOzPGc7qe51GPatqaSIg6xCROsweBq21VlD7PmwOzyWkaqXX-D6TlG-kcMTNZ5BVE1Y/s640/Reunion+2.jpg" width="352" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">There was a guy there who carves wooden figurines by hand. We could watch him work all day if we wanted to. He worked with only a tiny hammer and chisel, a file and a pocketknife. The figures are about six inches tall and are mostly Civil War soldiers, but he's done some 18th Century as well.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PWYRFrIVcAhXgJ2WxAPzg2fOJJfx_pPoGudMmfqFVqGextRTVQSsYxKa9koadzJSwkcq2akGsE29vB8oMA7jjAP-y_IY91p6N66MK7OmNe83JQA8ipDnEaDEOlQ1SRRc_YKLV7j7Bac/s1600/Reunion+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PWYRFrIVcAhXgJ2WxAPzg2fOJJfx_pPoGudMmfqFVqGextRTVQSsYxKa9koadzJSwkcq2akGsE29vB8oMA7jjAP-y_IY91p6N66MK7OmNe83JQA8ipDnEaDEOlQ1SRRc_YKLV7j7Bac/s640/Reunion+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The flags are just painted on duct tape.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IdaXyiqvRFwXEf2pirD7pHX6HLiAIpMmiPJntaIreSiCBcWUSU9FKlBOMmy33arIUQCbI4sCCnxUEpqAjTy22SXcJMQvXzHbsnU7skuovAfMB66v8LZHWf4I7pMZupXt_IbgCYhsxvw/s1600/Reunion+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IdaXyiqvRFwXEf2pirD7pHX6HLiAIpMmiPJntaIreSiCBcWUSU9FKlBOMmy33arIUQCbI4sCCnxUEpqAjTy22SXcJMQvXzHbsnU7skuovAfMB66v8LZHWf4I7pMZupXt_IbgCYhsxvw/s640/Reunion+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><b><span style="font-size: small;">As a souvenir of the event, we each got a silk ribbon like the ones the actual veterans had from their reunions, and a copy of the original recruiting poster.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2owOrEGHau4SWBucyzXX4-ILw58_xnpd4Gu_QP7XpOc2R4hY3u12275DkHdL3FioFdYtSJCZt48ao6-x2LbRxIQ3N4PTBufmHQeWh8n-PBlSIvip4CtS_hzHThO-Q-P4KDapfZ1q8fmE/s1600/Reunion+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2owOrEGHau4SWBucyzXX4-ILw58_xnpd4Gu_QP7XpOc2R4hY3u12275DkHdL3FioFdYtSJCZt48ao6-x2LbRxIQ3N4PTBufmHQeWh8n-PBlSIvip4CtS_hzHThO-Q-P4KDapfZ1q8fmE/s640/Reunion+4.jpg" width="352" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><b><span style="font-size: small;">One of the reenactors surprised Dave's son with a very special gift: An old snare drum that his own son had used as a drummer boy 20 years ago. Another one of the 'oldtimers' was giving him some lessons. The instrument is in beautiful condition and the head is made of real calfskin. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeAVGL5ahzInRywl3gJlCp1ItNNS4BL2hijN56UuDaImQMpqqxSqZSCRNbiW02BFDbtIAPhRUTVsLzseC7jgNLNBaEZxmxfYnkCxK9DWes6gduEirKj6kJfq6YlST5l8GcTG0UzYewOU/s1600/Reunion+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeAVGL5ahzInRywl3gJlCp1ItNNS4BL2hijN56UuDaImQMpqqxSqZSCRNbiW02BFDbtIAPhRUTVsLzseC7jgNLNBaEZxmxfYnkCxK9DWes6gduEirKj6kJfq6YlST5l8GcTG0UzYewOU/s640/Reunion+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Dave's son and I had the only two shebangs at the event. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEgFyje43LloiBkQrPlrNM2z3XhpcJBSay7S4sUIa76k-HQe_lZnlqCKmmAMZTYXt2MndIhCPt2yt7nFmp9zcvEXYHxJozjLMfOwXmWCh0r5BdBcaZqt-c5mgEZ5bO9Q5Nw9ViS0QjJc/s1600/Reunion+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEgFyje43LloiBkQrPlrNM2z3XhpcJBSay7S4sUIa76k-HQe_lZnlqCKmmAMZTYXt2MndIhCPt2yt7nFmp9zcvEXYHxJozjLMfOwXmWCh0r5BdBcaZqt-c5mgEZ5bO9Q5Nw9ViS0QjJc/s640/Reunion+6.jpg" width="352" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><b><span style="font-size: small;">We were joined by "The original Bucktail," a guy who was at the Centennial reenactments in 1961-65 with the North-South Skirmish Association. He had all these really neat patches from each battle. Why didn't they do this at the 150th ones? I know embroidery is expensive and thousands of patches for every participant would be cost prohibitive, but sutlers could sell them... </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FxIk4kECW5cx_XZ2D1fs5RYBCog8Rrtzt-LOQDhK6wieNNiZDEmWRd6-xl3bzIq_NpicSq2xEJ4ZlL8MSwlrCU7Jye4ZFKZ0JhWsK0NcG5PdG4KvV4_2FmBW9MGJUTAwcUeyfTsRXA0/s1600/Reunion+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FxIk4kECW5cx_XZ2D1fs5RYBCog8Rrtzt-LOQDhK6wieNNiZDEmWRd6-xl3bzIq_NpicSq2xEJ4ZlL8MSwlrCU7Jye4ZFKZ0JhWsK0NcG5PdG4KvV4_2FmBW9MGJUTAwcUeyfTsRXA0/s640/Reunion+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Saturday evening we enjoyed some good old fashioned camp songs with the 6th New Hampshire Volunteers' "Contra-Band." I liked the washbasin and the guy with the washboard and spoons. Some beers were rationed out and the boys sang along till the sun went down and the cows came home.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUYOCnAvi0PIlkyi1CHyuwWuPfFtpIGY-6KkurBvT-T2542ChWn5buYdSe1O8WJQrvMus2gNJoRCvZP2BR2LTMVhVe3cUhARuKcoczTKzptfWFYAR2xOc-yP_fcfXygXHcPYP5Ub339k/s1600/Reunion+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUYOCnAvi0PIlkyi1CHyuwWuPfFtpIGY-6KkurBvT-T2542ChWn5buYdSe1O8WJQrvMus2gNJoRCvZP2BR2LTMVhVe3cUhARuKcoczTKzptfWFYAR2xOc-yP_fcfXygXHcPYP5Ub339k/s640/Reunion+8.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><b><span style="font-size: small;">This banner has been around since the first reenactors' reunion for our regiment. The guys brought out all the old ribbons and pinned them on. It was cool to see how unique each one was.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsK3ghyphenhyphen53zqGMJ9WfjbAnJe7MzmbTZa1tHmCWPHiWsldRGFkbsuYvmLU9ymGipW3LwNXHK44MQE7SlYvxYlxfFEW4rDI8Lu5uU4yLsFJYosXIuBCA03Blh29AuG8T9y8UbCMmhNdMcW5s/s1600/Reunion+9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsK3ghyphenhyphen53zqGMJ9WfjbAnJe7MzmbTZa1tHmCWPHiWsldRGFkbsuYvmLU9ymGipW3LwNXHK44MQE7SlYvxYlxfFEW4rDI8Lu5uU4yLsFJYosXIuBCA03Blh29AuG8T9y8UbCMmhNdMcW5s/s640/Reunion+9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Saturday night we had a big bonfire. The normal camp rules were somewhat relaxed, as evident by the plastic chair. The site owner gave us a truck wheel rim to use for a fire pit and it looks like we were burning scrap lumber. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KZp5stnq7-niV6yOz70cjyAkIh_5YqU31aAYI6s9x3xNi1fSqTWe0Y3EgLGjJ1sI5aR8Gw8teMqMmYkJQrX0ZAqZX9htNadSHi6GXKfx_RTMF9x_dYS0s8bg9eBjLiFhSWEds-tMNv8/s1600/Reunion+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KZp5stnq7-niV6yOz70cjyAkIh_5YqU31aAYI6s9x3xNi1fSqTWe0Y3EgLGjJ1sI5aR8Gw8teMqMmYkJQrX0ZAqZX9htNadSHi6GXKfx_RTMF9x_dYS0s8bg9eBjLiFhSWEds-tMNv8/s640/Reunion+10.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sunday morning we went to the cemetery and gave our respects to the men of the real Bucktails. We found the graves of each soldier of the 42nd, 149th or 150th PA buried there and read each soldier's story, laid a wreath and did a 21 gun salute. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcP7s7oCITvfgMEUcSOiqsKVS3MbMj7OLbJQQHFnWZ3WYBPV6fu5jtgMZ2LvcxAXMqsLq9UxEOaxJEhUzjDmVE85J3LNRCisG8PNMeft3tm9EQmTlFk8wXIv0FmUiVvT4wHXgPDLu8VLM/s1600/Reunion+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcP7s7oCITvfgMEUcSOiqsKVS3MbMj7OLbJQQHFnWZ3WYBPV6fu5jtgMZ2LvcxAXMqsLq9UxEOaxJEhUzjDmVE85J3LNRCisG8PNMeft3tm9EQmTlFk8wXIv0FmUiVvT4wHXgPDLu8VLM/s640/Reunion+11.jpg" width="352" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">This one was of a man the guy in this picture had spent 15 years searching for. He was not a soldier, but a freed slave and wagon driver of the Bucktails who went by the name of Elijah Onley.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVs0AK8hh1JZXRlQDgYG8ptJvpcvQf7tvieQxj4wDtPlTgbMonldtm3-Ay6dlJI9i8A1UK2PLo6khYoQscc21Es3xGlZCBy9y4PTWifFMaqkJg1JsWEMS980-z2Nm_nci4OrXx4u9M-c/s1600/Reunion+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVs0AK8hh1JZXRlQDgYG8ptJvpcvQf7tvieQxj4wDtPlTgbMonldtm3-Ay6dlJI9i8A1UK2PLo6khYoQscc21Es3xGlZCBy9y4PTWifFMaqkJg1JsWEMS980-z2Nm_nci4OrXx4u9M-c/s640/Reunion+12.jpg" width="352" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>One of the interesting things about this man's story was his name. Elijah had grown up a slave and slaves weren't allowed to have family names. When he volunteered to serve the Bucktails, the man gave his name as Elijah. The officer asked him, "So you are known as Elijah, only?" He said yes, and they wrote his name in the book as Elijah Onley. That was the name he kept throughout his life. He survived the war, having a dozen children and living to the age of 98. He did not die in Philipsburg, but he asked that his remains be interred alongside the brave men of the regiment he proudly served. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoPjCmD5tDlRkkbVfEjlqzxhhRrOdJ6laWdd5bRstF1SzxUiXRxYJ4lBmHQ-QH-DB-isyscM-lqp4MaHtzVq3_OzfKfxzM47533i6WzbmLzHgdoOq18RJfOKNAAje5ajXT0gRPA7xkfk/s1600/Bucktail+reunion+photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoPjCmD5tDlRkkbVfEjlqzxhhRrOdJ6laWdd5bRstF1SzxUiXRxYJ4lBmHQ-QH-DB-isyscM-lqp4MaHtzVq3_OzfKfxzM47533i6WzbmLzHgdoOq18RJfOKNAAje5ajXT0gRPA7xkfk/s640/Bucktail+reunion+photo.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b>After the moving cemetery memorial service, we went back into town for a group photo at a whimsical historic mansion called the Whispering Sisters Bed & Breakfast. We were all lined up on the front porch with a taxidermied deer on display, just like the real war veterans. I heard this deer's name is Bucky and he's almost 100 years old. He might appear in some of the real photographs, we're not sure. It was entertaining to see people unloading this mummified deer on an old mattress from the bed of a pickup truck. Cars were stopping to look at it.<br /></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUMbrlHyij4-VPXbZOyUVBAPfM77rQaH_PG8cu-69bcZGgYFVRyT7b685r-8ooq1Keopmey-58GAj4mxVX3SMQznMTadtS_T70CLVvp7ZVf1gdr6q-aE1lCzAnw0mnCrivBNPoA1ReRk/s1600/Reunion+16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOtODm0VGAVWb4Dd2sn-69FQ3jhxcgRKPTL0qUewMalvcPDTb52acC-lJZEneHF6Bf9JWmepx72qjaug8H-rXHR9Tlzk5X23Szz2KZteMYQ952ClD4-vCMPA0pQyEw464Z2WKjesShj8/s1600/Reunion+15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOtODm0VGAVWb4Dd2sn-69FQ3jhxcgRKPTL0qUewMalvcPDTb52acC-lJZEneHF6Bf9JWmepx72qjaug8H-rXHR9Tlzk5X23Szz2KZteMYQ952ClD4-vCMPA0pQyEw464Z2WKjesShj8/s640/Reunion+15.jpg" width="352" /></a><br /><b>The last picture I took is how fully packed the van was. This is what a traveling reenactor family looks like. </b></span></td></tr>
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WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729843134154447139.post-11884425750220713302015-08-11T20:31:00.003-07:002015-08-11T21:14:09.410-07:00The 'Time Nexus' of Anniversary Reenactment Cycles is Almost Over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three Northern civil war reenactors watch the cavalry engagement of Buford's Last Stand<br />
from a hilltop over a mile away at the BGA 150th Gettysburg in 2013.</td></tr>
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This decade so far has seen an explosion in the popularity of reenacting famous historical events and battles, both in the U.S. and in Europe, because the anniversary dates of these history-changing conflicts have all overlapped in a way that most of us will not witness again in our lifetimes.<br />
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It really began in April 2011 with the start of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. This time period in reenacting had reached a peak as a hobby in the late 1980's-early 1990's, when two hugely popular movies about the Civil War (<i>Glory</i> in 1989 and <i>Gettysburg</i> in 1993) called for a cast of thousands of real reenactors to be used as extras during the production of these motion pictures. This was one of the best ideas any movie director ever had for a few very important reasons:<br />
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1. Reenactors already have their own uniforms, equipment and weapons. This fact alone saved the film crews millions in production costs, and made it possible to have enormous numbers of extras on screen to recreate battles in a way that would otherwise be financially unfeasible. The level of authenticity in these movies also was much enhanced, since the majority of reenactors spend a great deal of money and time on researching their 'impressions' to look as accurate as possible.<br />
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2. They are already well-trained in firearm safety and tactics. Responsible reenactors always put safety first, and they already are familiar with the 'choreography' of how these famous battles unfolded. The director can (for the most part) let the reenactors do what they do best and assure that it will look accurate on screen as a backdrop for the main actors. Plus, it lets them have fun with a chance for ordinary people to appear on the big screen--however briefly-- in a feature film. <br />
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As the 1990's made their way into the New Millennium, the hobby started to decline. Many older reenactors retired and left, and units and spectator crowds dwindled in size as public interest faded. Then at the start of a new decade, the 150th cycle of the Civil War exploded on to the scene. Television documentaries, movies and books catapulted this turbulent time in America's past back into popular culture, bringing history to life in color...and in high definition, no less.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJdx-uGF-6CUl3xci4r3nCx-qUrcd0AZq7BV8yp84xpl1QRV3yRqjVWCGFYeqLOtY9l0UHK9RosZrBgTL-XchHWNxn0PQyFyH8FWQB-oo_J7s7Z7j_M_HtoWLIcclHG1Cg86UD8LOijg/s1600/20141018_073618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJdx-uGF-6CUl3xci4r3nCx-qUrcd0AZq7BV8yp84xpl1QRV3yRqjVWCGFYeqLOtY9l0UHK9RosZrBgTL-XchHWNxn0PQyFyH8FWQB-oo_J7s7Z7j_M_HtoWLIcclHG1Cg86UD8LOijg/s320/20141018_073618.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You don't get views like this in history textbooks.</td></tr>
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New Millennium advances in technology like digital video, the GoPro and camera phones, YouTube and social media have enabled something else never captured before: the first-person view of a battle reenactment, brought directly into millions of people's homes. The Gettysburg Anniversary Commission's 150th anniversary in 2013 was the first reenactment ever to be broadcasted <i><b>live</b></i>, via streaming video on the internet, for paying subscribers. Even if you weren't there, you can still feel like you were. (The <a href="https://instance.clickstreamtv.net/cst/31880695" target="_blank">entire 3 hour webcast</a> has been archived for those who missed it) There were even 35 retired reenactors attending who were at the Centennial and were presented with a special commemorative medallion.<br />
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The epic 150th Anniversary of the Civil War ended in April 2015 with the surrender at Appomattox, bringing this new peak of reenacting to a close. Going forward, we can only expect attendance at future events to decline. For example, the GAC 150th Gettysburg in 2013 drew an estimated record-shattering 300,000 spectators and over 10,000 registered participants, with some coming from as far away as England. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQTN79u6D3BazdPC_Y0_mKCrHKoXgoCGkKFVSeE_UFHt2tl4rPaZkjiJX_DoMPV5-q3EDCiYVj7s4xNRUQ9EAgILqAwsAZm4WmFemUwAwCJDj0NLXJjsofHAoHPzVx854a9VuuD6Ed92Y/s1600/IMG_1385.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQTN79u6D3BazdPC_Y0_mKCrHKoXgoCGkKFVSeE_UFHt2tl4rPaZkjiJX_DoMPV5-q3EDCiYVj7s4xNRUQ9EAgILqAwsAZm4WmFemUwAwCJDj0NLXJjsofHAoHPzVx854a9VuuD6Ed92Y/s320/IMG_1385.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mifflin Guard at Gettysburg 2013</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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By contrast, the 2014 GAC Gettysburg reenactment participants only numbered in the hundreds. Seasoned veterans who have been in the hobby for 20-30 years have been saying that this anniversary cycle was the 'last hurrah' and it was time to finally get that rifle mounted over the fireplace.<br />
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This is why we younger reenactors must stay together and keep this spectacle alive, because once all the elders leave there will be a shortage of officers and experience. They have 'passed the torch' to us. It is up to the next generation to continue America's oldest pastime and preserve this legacy of educating the public through living history. <br /><br />For some of us we may feel like the epic adventure of the past four years is over, now that the Big 150th is itself, history. But next year the 155th cycle begins, and the whole thing starts over again.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">150th Battle of Cedar Creek, October 2014. Will we ever see this many Union at another event?</td></tr>
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The sesquicentennial of the Civil War and the media explosion that followed it has also brought attention to reenacting other less popular eras, like the First World War and Viet Nam, and now as a result what could be called a 'Time Nexus' has formed out of overlapping anniversaries. Reenacting is now more popular than it has ever been.<br />
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By some cosmic alignment of the planets, The 150th anniversary of the Civil War has also coincided with: the 70th Anniversary cycle of World War II in the USA (2011-2015), the Centennial of World War I (2014-2018), The Bicentennial of the War of 1812 (2012), The Bicentennial of the Battle of Waterloo (2015) and the 250th anniversary of the French & Indian war (2008-2013).<br />
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Needless to say, most of us will not be around the next time something like this happens again. (The author of this article will be 79 years old when the Civil war bicentennial occurs, and if he attends World War II Weekend for the centennial he will be 57)<br />
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Do you think you will be around for Gettysburg 200 in 2063? If so, I hope to see you there...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am the guy with the red scarf, the sixth one from the left at this photo taken at the 150th Cedar Creek in October 2014. </td></tr>
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<br />WannabeSoldierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.com2