Online News Magazine
written by
Robert Niepert
mayorbob@embarqmail.com
This News Magazine, its articles, photos and all the
information contained herein are copyrighted
and may not be reproduced in any form without
written permission of the editor and its authors.
General Information
Dade City Event.........There has been a question about the Dade City event lately. This is the word I have received from the Pioneer Museum. They wrote: "The reenactments are to be held Sunday and Monday at 3pm. Reenactors are welcome to come and set up on Friday Aug. 29th." If you have any questions contact Donna Swat (curator at the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village) at Curator@pioneerfloridamuseum.org
Farbee Foto Correction......The person in the golf cart is misidentified. My mistake. Don Mann sent me the photo but it is Capt. Brown (3rd. Fla. Co. B.) in the photo. Sorry for the mistake.
Upcoming Issues.......There are some great articles headed your way in future issues of the News Magazine. They include: "Jefferson Davis's Funeral Train", "Crimes and Punishments In The Civil War Parts I and II" and a lot more.
Civil War Days.......The Heritage Village event (May 10, 2003) is in need of volunteers to interact with the public on all facets of the period. If you would like to participate, get in touch with Lew Zerfas at go.lew@verizon.net
Local Museum.......If you have some spare time in the off season, check out the Heritage Museum in Brooksville, Florida. It is a 4 story Victorian House with over 10,000 artifacts on display. See their website for directions and more info www.hernandoheritagemuseum.com
Lost Items.........Sandy Ford was staying with the women upstairs at Fort Clinch during the last Confederate Garrison and she misplaced a pair of shoes with $300 worth of orthotics in them. If anyone finds or hears of these missing shoes, please email Carole Hollamby at medsgtcsa@aol.com Sandy needs them (the orthotics, not the shoes!) rather badly, so please email Carole if you find them.
Who is the gentleman at left?
painting by Henry Fichner of Winterhawk Graphics
Winterhk@Bellsouth.net
This month's trivia contest will be a little harder than normal. Can you identify the man (left side) in this water color painting by Henry Fichner? This painting was based on the '92-'94 Olustee reenactment. The first person to identify him will receive a $10.00 gift certificate to the No Name Sutler.
An Editorial
By Warren Feldman M.D.
Medical Director Hardy’s Brigade CSA.
Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome one and all to today’s battle. This great event is being announced by your humble servants, Honest Abe and Jeff Davis. Our sponsors for today’s carnage are The Union Blue and The Confederacy Gray. The visiting team is the Union and they will enter from the north gate. The Confederacy is the home team and will enter from the south.
We have great players and coaches here today. The coach for the Confederacy is Robert “Bobby” Lee. The Union coach is that fighting Illini U.S. “Sam” Grant. Our defensive captains are Pete Longstreet for the Gray and W.T.Sherman for the Blue. The offensive coach for the Gray is Tom “Stonewall” Jackson. His counter part for the Blue is “little” Phil Sheridan. What a line up we have here. Folks this will be one hell of a brawl, a no holds barred game.
The game is about to begin. The two captains are coming to center field for the greenback toss. The Blue starting captain is Major Anderson commanding the Sumter Unit. The Gray starting captain is P G T Beauregard, commanding the Charleston Unit. Here’s the toss. The Gray wins and chooses to start.
The Gray immediately throws a long one and fires at Sumter. The Blue counter with their “on to Richmond” maneuver. Boy do those uniforms look fancy. What’s this? The Gray counters with the old one-two punch and stop them dead at Bull Run. What a game folks what action.
Sounds stupid you say? Not really if you think about it. Our hobby is as demanding of skill and endurance as almost any sport out there. The need for endurance and strength can be very severe in any drill or battle scenario. It takes a lot of energy to drag our cannons, guns, horses and other equipment through several hours of battle set up and action. Our officers need to be as skilled as and NBA coach to make an event look good and be safe. Our soldiers need to be well trained to make a scene work properly. Lastly once we start, we go straight through to the end without any time outs or commercial brakes. This is very demanding of endurance for those on the field.
The difference is that we are a small hobby of amateurs. There is no big money behind us and we do not make big money for our work. We also spend much of our time helping our communities and various organizations raise money and put on community projects. Unlike our overpaid professional athletes, we do it for the fun and civic pride, not money.
Also unlike the professional athletes or the soldiers of old, we are not in as good of shape. The average Civil War soldier was 25 years old, stood 5 feet 8 inches and weighed 145 pounds. Unfortunately many of us are double their age and weight and terribly out of shape.
From a medical point, it would be a good idea to act a little more like athletes. We should try to get into physical shape to improve our safety and fun. Like any athletic team we need to be knowledgeable of our drills. We also need to be aware of the heavy demands on our skills and endurance to perform properly on the field. Finally as in any sport, have fun but keep it period.
Women Reenactors....The following article was published in the Civil War Reenactment News (Vol. 4, No. 1 - 2003) and was written by Bill Russell. It is in part about one of our Hardy's Brigade women. He graciously gave me permission to reprint it here.
And their Modern-Day reenactors
by Bill Russell
I have often wondered what a Union or Confederate soldier might have thought if he knew the "soldier" marching along side him in battle was a female. Well, he would have been astounded to learn that there was an estimated 400 such women, based on recorded accounts who did just that - and likely hundreds more unaccounted for who fought and died alongside their male counterparts.
It's always been an accepted fact that the bloody, costly, American Civil War was a devastating calamity that engulfed so many of America's citizens, both North and South. We have seen pictures of men marching boldly, proudly, and innocently off to war, only to find themselves living in germ-infested camps, engaging in some of the most brutal combat ever fought, and languishing and dying in appalling prison camps on both sides. This was the life of the common Union or Confederate soldier during those four, bitter years.
But in recent years, an interesting phenomenon has come to light - the incidence of women disguising themselves as men and enlisting in the army, and more numerous than previously believed.
Naturally, both armies forbade the enlistment of women, but it has always been generally known that women openly served in the armies of both sides in many different ways. Some of them even marched alongside their men, often going into battle with them to provide medical assistance, carry water and ammunition down the line or messages between troops and their commanders. They maintained camps for their husbands, cooked, washed and mended clothes for them, and in many cases, brought along the children. In addition, some women, like Sally Tompkins, ran a hospital in Richmond for the Confederacy and was rewarded with a salaried rank in the Southern Army. There were also mercenary women, known as "camp followers." who tagged along after the armies for various"other" reasons. But of late, more stories are surfacing concerning women, disguised as men, of bearing arms and charging into battle, living in the same camps, suffering in the same prison camps and dying for their own respective cause, be it North or South without being discovered. Most of them served gallantly and were only revealed as females when they fell ill or were wounded and examined by medical personnel who discovered their "secret." And if they survived their wounds, that generally ended their military service, for they were immediately sent home.
The questions arise then. Why did these women do this? And how did they pull it off?
In terms of passing any kind of examination prior to entry into service is easy to understand. Recruiters of both sides, eager to increase enrollments in their armies, were only concerned if the recruits had all their limbs, including a healthy trigger finger. Any other exam as to their health was perfunctory. Basically, if you could breathe... you were in! Recruiters naturally assumed all were males.
Also, in the early days of the war, a great number of the enlistees were young men, some merely boys still in their teens, generally smooth-faced with high-pitched voices. Thus, women could easily pass as young men. Cutting their hair short; wearing oversized uniforms that disguised their figure (most women wrapped cloths around their chests to conceal their breasts, much like sports bras worn by female athletes today). Some women even learned to chew and spit and generally act like men.
Loreta Valazquez, for example, married to a Confederate officer who refused to let her tag along, assumed a male disguise by wearing a false mustache and goatee. She assumed the name of Harry Buford, developed a masculine gait, learned to smoke cigars and even reportedly recruited her own unit of male soldiers. She wrote about her experiences in her memoirs titled The Women in Battle. (Note: sometimes her first name is spelled with two "t"s and her last name with one "z" but for the sake of consistency, it will be spelled as above.)
Another well-known and documented women-soldier was Canadian-born Sarah Edmonds. She assumed a male disguise before the war and escaped across the border. When the war started, she enlisted in 1861 in the Second Michigan Infantry as "Franklin Thomson." Some claimed she participated in many battles with her unit but deserted in April 1863 because she acquired malaria and feared that hospitalization would reveal her gender. The last fact may be true but according to information obtained from a website, anglefire.com she "did not" fight as stated, but rather served as a male field nurse and spy. She was at the Battle of Antietam in Maryland in 1862, which on September 17 is recorded as the bloodiest day of the Civil War with more than 30,000 casualties. Her story is told in Nurse and Spy in the Union Army 1865, subtitled The Adventures and Experiences of a Woman in Hospitals, Camps, and Battlefields.
Another famous soldier-woman of Civil War fame was a nineteen-year old Irish immigrant who went by the name of Albert D.J. Cashier and who served with an Illinois unit until her regiment was mustered out of Federal service. It is reported that she (as Cashier) participated in approximately 40 battles and skirmishes during those four years. And in my own great-grandfather's unit, the 26th North Carolina Infantry, records show that a woman dressed as a man volunteered for service and served for two weeks before she was discovered a female.
So why weren't more women discovered? One might question the issue of female privacy. Wouldn't that be a dead giveaway? Not necessarily. One female soldier is quoted as saying, "The only thing I couldn't do was stand up and pee!" For the most part this didn't present any problem; she just wandered off into the woods to answer the call to nature and take care of other personal matters. One has to keep in mind that even males were somewhat modest in this Victorian age.
You might also ask why would a woman do this, and the reasons are just as interesting and fascinating. Some did it simply to be with their husbands; others did it for the pure excitement of it, while others felt a patriotic urge to serve their cause. Whatever the reason, they were there, and the mystery of it is that generally they got away with the disguise.
While military service by women certainly did not affect the outcome of battles or the war, and compared to the number of men in uniform, their contribution was insignificant. But...the significance is that they served at all and amazingly, for the most part, went undetected.
They learned to be soldiers just like their male counterparts, and died just like they did. Some days following the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, a Union burial detail found the remains of a woman in the uniform of a Confederate private. Based on the location of the body, it was determined that she had been killed while participating in Pickett's famous but disastrous charge.
So it was that some women defied the usual image of a woman of the 1860's. True, it was a small percentage of the overall female population of the time, but the war, which touched many women and in various ways, urged some to pick up arms and serve their country and cause in a most direct way.
Most were not recognized or rewarded for their service, but in one case, the Medal of Honor was awarded to one woman - a surgeon, Dr. Mary Walker, who received the nation's highest honor from President Andrew Johnson. It was rescinded, but later restored by President Jimmy Carter.
There have been several books published on the subject, most recently one by Louisiana State University Press, They Fought Like Demons; Women Soldiers in the American Civil War, by De Anne Blanton, a National Archives archivist, and Lauren M. Cook, of Fayetteville (N.C.) State University. Ms. Cook is also the author of a 1994 book, An Uncommon Soldier; The Civil War Letters of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, Alias Private Lyons Wakeman, 153rd Regiment, New York State Volunteers, published in 1994 by Minerva Center, Pasadena, Md., under the name of Lauren Burgess.
by Sgt. Tim Hollamby
Hardy's Brigade Medical Section
Hardys Brigade Medical Section members joined the 37th Alabama infantry on April 11-13 at Fort Clinch in Fernandina Beach for the semi-annual confederate garrison. The weekend was blessed with superb weather and about 50 reenactors enjoyed great food, fellowship and first person impressions. Visitors to the fort were treated to battalion drill and bayonet exercises and the medical section presented several effective and fun scenarios. A chillingly realistic death of a soldier on Saturday was done complete with a grief stricken mother whose anguish was so realistic as to make even veteran reenactors uneasy. A mock burial of the young soldier followed a solemn procession out of the infirmary where he "died", On Saturday candlelight tours of the fort showed the garrison at night. The medical scenario for the evening simulated an accident in which a bastion collapsed while being repaired. The "collapse" injured several soldiers. As the medical team brought in the "victims" of the accident, the visitors looked on. The scenario was extremely effective as two surgeons did surgery as best they could with inadequate anesthetic and flickering light from a few oil lamps. The hands on history as the visitors watched sometimes grisly emergency mock surgery was overwhelming. It was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had in reenacting. Special thanks to Dr. Warren Feldman, Lt Col David Riker and Miss Katie Kingham for her realistic moulage wounds. I would also like to thank the ladies who helped out with the "injured" in the infirmary, although I was not able to get their names, they turned in an outstanding job. For those of you who have never done a garrison, we highly recommend the Fort Clinch event, the "time warp" aspect of reenacting is never more evident than living the experience at the fort, Until next time, Take Care and Be Safe.
Carole and Sgt Tim Hollamby Hardys Brigade Medical Section.
by David Mullins
I recently had the privilege of participating in the honor guard for the crew of the CSS Hunley. I don’t believe I have ever met a nicer group of people than the Friends of the Hunley volunteers, nor have I met a finer man than corporal of the guard, Steve Burt. Steve has been doing this for three years and it is evident why he was selected – in my time of participating in the hobby, I have never seen a sharper execution of Hardee’s manual of arms. Watching Steve is akin to observing the guards at Arlington with their ‘snap to’ precision.
There was a unit from Georgia acting as honor guard for this particular weekend, but I was able to fall in with them on Sunday without a hitch and participate in the guard detail five times that day. The guard detail consists of a squad of four - an officer, two guards and a one-man bell detail. They form up at the entryway to the exhibition area and then step off in a manner quite different from that to which most of us are accustomed. On the first step, you bring your left knee up so that your left thigh is almost parallel to the floor, then you come down hard with your heel plate – it looks very British. As you approach the guard station, you halt to fix bayonets and the ‘bell detail’ posts at the small ship’s bell attached to the bulkhead. The guard station has a black curtain marking the area where the remains of the crew are stored in the compartment behind the bulkhead. In front of this curtain are posted the three national flags of the Confederacy. About ten feet in front of this display is a catafalque draped in black and flanked on either side by two coffins, draped with navy jacks (rectangular battle flags). This entire area is roped off with black chains. The guards post and come to present arms while the bell detail pulls the lanyard eight times saluting each of the Hunley crew members. Then the guard comes to order arms and stands a 15-minute shift, after which the whole process is repeated. Officers need not lament. I observed a couple of shifts where the guards were officers standing at ‘rest on sabers’.
I was somewhat surprised at the attire worn for this solemn duty. Thinking this to be a formal affair, I only wore my best uniform, leathers and a canteen. What I saw were backpacks, bedrolls, haversacks, and tin cups dangling therefrom. Even Steve, the corporal of the guard, looked as though he had just come from the trenches defending Charleston. So, based on this observation, I’d say that it’s completely up to you how you want to appear – polish and spiff or campaign grunge will work equally well. Civilian impressions are also welcome. My wife and daughter dressed out in their hoops and dresses and mingled with the spectators.
Each participant is, of course, given a free tour of the facility and the opportunity to view the Hunley itself. This lasts about twenty minutes while a guide gives details of the recovery effort and what they’ve discovered to date. The vessel is in remarkably good condition, resting in a 50,000-gallon tank (approximately) of fresh water for the purpose of ‘leaching’ the salt from the iron. You can actually see inside the sub, where they have removed an iron plate, and observe the almost pristine hand-crank mechanism and the incredibly cramped conditions. The inside of the boat was only 48-inches from deck to overhead, and only about 38-inches from side to side. The average height of the crew was 5’8", and they’ve determined that a couple of them were six-footers. Considering that the Hunley had gone down twice before with a loss of 13 lives, it seems unimaginable that these men did what they did voluntarily.
That about wraps it up except for some minor points to mention. Lunch is provided, as well as a non-public area for storing your gear when you’re not on guard duty. In addition, each individual is provided the opportunity to purchase a maximum of two medals for the price of $40.50 each. Each medal is numbered in sequence and is accompanied by a parchment like certificate complete with your name, regiment and dates of service. An honor guard car decal is also included.
It was indeed an honor and a privilege to serve in the honor guard. Steve informed me, to my surprise, that I had the distinction of being the first and only participant from the state of Florida thus far. I would hope that, before this is over, we might make a better showing on behalf of our state. Hey – it’s a weekend and one night’s stay in a motel. A small price to pay for being part of this unique experience. Time’s a-wastin’! Individuals and units are welcome to participate. If interested, go to www.hunley.org and contact them about reserving a slot.
Regards,
David Mullins
Jacksonville, FL
Today,
April 26, 2003, many living historians and reenactors across the state,
along with members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and United
Daughters
of the Confederacy came together to honor those who served the cause of
the Confederacy.
In Bartow, President Judi Moots, and Mrs. Sheila Tindle, Annie H. Darracott#791, graciously hosted the ceremony at Oak Hill Cemetery. Present for the ceremony was Bartow's mayor Patt Huff, who thanked the Daughters for their work on this historic cemetery. Richard Helm's program on "Southrons" reminded us of our heritage reaching back to the Scotch-Irish. Through the efforts of General E. M. Law Camp #1323, a roll call of the veterans resting beside us reminded us how hallowed this ground is.
Around
us stood forty Confederate iron crosses to remind us of those who had
fought
for the cause. Especially notable were the stones of Nathan Snow
Blount, original commander of Company E. of the 7th Florida Infantry
Regiment,
who will later become Major Blount, commanding the Floridians in
Chattanooga
to Atlanta Campaign. Blount was a member of the family who moved
to this area from South Carolina and for whom the fort of Seminole War
fame would be named. Fort Blount would be the original name for
Bartow,
as it was named for the first Confederate general killed in the war.
Here
also lies Jacob Summerlin, the founder of Summerlin Institute, and one
of the largest cattle producers who owned land all across the
state.
Also resting here is General E. M. Law, also from South Carolina.
A rifle detail from the Department of the Gulf and Hardy's Brigade fired a volley in salute following the reading of the roll and placing of wreaths.
To all who treat this hollowed grounds, take a minute to ponder the lives of these men, women and children had lived and thank them for what they have added to our lives.
David Riker
Lieutenant Colonel / Brigade Surgeon
Senior Medical Officer
Hardy's Brigade
Army of Tennessee
Confederate States of America
“CONFEDERATE ROSE BALL” HELD APRIL 5, 2003 IN DAVIE, FL
by Kathy Heitman Photos by Kathy “The Picture Lady”
The parchment-like invitation read: “The Major General James Patton Anderson, Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp #1599 Along with The Delity Powell Kelley, Order of Confederate Rose, Fla. Society Chapter #3 REQUESTS YOUR PRESENCE AT The First Annual S.C.V. Fla Div. 14th Brigade “Confederate Rose Ball”.
What an evening it turned out to be…
Men
handsomely
decked out in their finest Confederate uniforms, Scottish kilts
carrying
bagpipes or wearing 1860’s period civilian clothing, some by
themselves,
others with stylish ladies in colorful ball gowns made their way to the
entrance of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church meeting hall on S.W. 39th
St.
in Davie, FL. At the outside entrance to the hall, an arch laced
with white netting and mini lights beckoned, “Welcome!” The
inside
of the hall was something to see. Magnificent floral centerpieces
adorned each of the round tables cloaked with beautiful tablecloths
with
satin designs. At each place setting lay a small white photo
album
with hand-painted roses on the front, personally initialed by the
artist,
Becki Powell, President of the Delity Powell Kelley Chapter #3 of the
O.C.R
Fla. Society. Next to each album there was a pencil carefully
wrapped
in florist tape topped with a scented white rose and leaves to
compliment
the album. Scallops of white netting intertwined with mini lights
graced the walls where they met the ceiling. Just inside the
hall’s
entrance, Kathy Clark, Chapter #3 O.C.R. Fla. Society’s
Vice-President,
set a nicely clothed table with flowers, and flyers about the O.C.R.
and
U.D.C., along with a woven basket of small cockades for everyone to
pick
up and pin on as they entered. Confederate flags stood sentry
just
inside the entrance, hung on the walls, and graced either side of
the buffet, dessert and raffle tables. Betty Tzoumas, Chapter
#3’s
O.C.R. Fla. Society’s Sec’y./Treas. arrived early in the day to help
Becki
and Kathy set up. Becki Powell spent months compiling and making
the decorations and finery.
At 7 p.m. everyone took his or her respective places at their tables. Rev. Peter Colon led the group in solemn prayer, after which everyone was anxious to partake in the fine buffet laid out by Don Peterman, his wife Bernie and their friend/assistant, the one and only Sam Deal. Fare consisted of a nicely tossed salad with a choice of dressings and bbq’d pork loin. Lightly whipped mashed potatoes were next in line, followed by generously mixed vegetables, soft rolls, butter and beverages of coffee, tea, fruit punch and water. It was an alcohol free evening. People patted their middles and said, “Oh, I’m stuffed”, then headed back to the buffet for seconds, sometimes thirds. Typical for a Peterman/Deal buffet. Just when everyone thought they absolutely could not eat another bite, an announcement was made that a chocolate sheet cake frosted in the design of a Confederate Flag was being cut and distributed. It didn’t last long. Neither did the various cookies and sweets. Diets said good-bye, calories were packed on, and people were having fun. Tables were then cleaned and pushed aside to
make
room for the dancing. Dance Master, Rev. Peter Colon called
for
“The Grand March”. Larry Powell, his wife Becki, Betty Tzoumas
and
Jimmy Shirley led the procession. The next dance was an all-time
favorite, the Virginia Reel. Rev. Colon, accompanied by taped
instrumentals,
regaled everyone with his singing voice and banjo
playing.
Some were mesmerized watching Rev. Colon as they never figured he was
the
toe tapping, hand clapping, singing, swinging and swaying sort.
The
man is just good. Breathless and thirsty, revelers rested for a
moment,
refreshing themselves with beverages. Taking the dance
floor
once again, beautiful ladies with gentlemen leading them, made the
rounds
on the floor to the strains of a lyrical waltz.
During
an
early break, Pipers Chris Kehm and Patrick Borden, with Patrick’s
father,
Cliff Borden on the drum, entertained. Tunes ranged from Amazing
Grace and Dixie to the Marine Corps Hymn. Their time in the
spotlight
ended, there were more dances to dance, more friends to visit.
Raffles were held for Mort Küntzler calendars, decorative picture frames, and so many other wonderful items. Tickets were sold for a 50/50 Raffle. Last but not least, a hobbyhorse sized crafted version of General Robert E. Lee’s horse, Traveler, courtesy of Becki Powell, was up for grabs to the person who could guess the exact number of black wool crocheted balls or come the closest without going over that comprised Traveler’s nose. Betty Tzoumas was lucky enough to take him home with the closest guess.
I was honored to be asked, as Photos by Kathy “The Picture Lady”, to do the evening’s portraits. I set up a backdrop, antique rocker and Confederate flag to compliment the effect in the hall and in the Church vestibule later on. I was kept hopping the entire evening I must give credit to my husband, 2nd Sgt. Jack Heitman, 7th FL Co. B, who provided the hardware for the backdrop. He was kind enough to set everything up, take it down…set it up again…depending on where I was off to at a given moment. He only complained once, bless his heart. I love you, Sarge, thanks!
The
dancing
continued until 11:00 P.M. Decorations were taken down,
food
safely stored, the magical ambience of an era gone, lovingly packed
away
for another time. Everyone was happy to have seen old
acquaintances,
make new friends and carry heartfelt memories home.
For a first-time event it was a rousing success. People from Miami to Melbourne were there. Organizations ranging from O.C.R., S.C.V., M.O.S.&B., U.D.C., 7th FL Co. B and 10th TN Dismounted Cavalry Co. A, the Scottish American Society, Dade Co., FL, friends and family were represented. Kudos to Jolene B. Wiltsie for procuring the Church hall and its facilities. Next year the Ball will be hosted by the O.C.R./FL Society Phoebe Yates Pember Chapter #1, Broward Co., FL. With the crowd they had this year, they will need a bigger hall in 2004!
The list of people to thank for making this event happen is too long to list here, so I’ll leave it at THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! Until next time, everyone, be good, take care, and stay safe.
For Sale....Gun Socks.......These socks were made by reenactors for reenactors. They are made of duck canvas, padded and are water resistant with a fleece lining with rawhide ties. They will fit any rifle. A portion of the proceeds will go to advancing Living History Scouting. $25 each. Contact Ed Smith (79th N.Y. Co. B.) at edscout@aol.com
Free........Ross Coker recently retired form reenacting. He sold all of his things except some clothing and a lot of patterns. He would like to donate them to anyone that would care to take them. You can email Ross at bonniec@desoto.net for more information.
Retirement Sale........Bob Webb is retiring from reenacting. He would like to sell all of his equipment from kepi to brogans, tent, musket and all.
- 34 X 32 wool light blue pants with suspenders
- shirt (large)
- butternut shell jacket (Sgt. stripes)
- light blue kepi (early Fla. c1862)
- black leather belt with CS buckle
- cap box
- shoulder cartridge box with shoulder strap
- bayonet with scabbard
- 58cal Enfield rifle musket
- Confederate 44cal. revolver and holster
- brogans
- haversack
- tent with poles (some stakes missing)
May 3, 4, 2003. Fort Clinch Federal (Union Army) Garrison and Living History. Fernandina Beach, FL. 9 am - 5 pm daily. Living historians free. Admission to Park: $3.25 per car. Admission to Fort: $2. Living historians free. Also, a candlelight tour for spectators on Saturday night - 8 pm to 10 pm. Candlelight tour admission is $3. Note: This is the large annual Union garrison that is held on the same weekend as the Fernandina Beach Shrimp Festival. Soldier activities to include guard mountings, color formations to raise and lower the 35-star United States flag each day, company and battalion drills, sick calls, pay call, mail call, beach patrols, musket and cannon firing demonstrations, surgical demonstrations, etc. The Ladies also have a number of events planned and hopefully we will once again experience the Baked Goods auction. Well over 100 soldiers expected. No cavalry due to space limitations. Artillery by prior approval only. Reenactor pre-registration $5, or $7 for walk-ins. No modern camping. Troops live in the fort with authentic camping outside the walls for families. Fort Clinch State Park Contact the park at (904) 277-7274.
May 2, 3, 4, 2003. Spring Garden Plantation Raid at Camp Winona. (DeLeon Springs). No reenactor fees. School day is Friday. Battle on Saturday at 2pm. Ball on Sat. night. Battle on Sunday at 2pm. Cavalry call ahead for reservations. Battlefield is located in a moderately wooded area. Inside bathrooms and showers available. Cabins available (barrack style) From Hwy. 17 turn East on Lake Winona Rd at the Camp Winona sign. Then go aprox. 3 miles. When the road turns to dirt go about a mile on the dirt road then turn right on Camp Winona Road to the site. From Hwy. 40 turn South on Lk. Winona Rd. then left on Camp Winona Rd. Contact Craig Wallace at csw61674@netzero.net or Keith Kohl at cog4flainf@aol.com (352) 687-8737 The events web site is at www.springgardenplantationraid.com
May 2, 3, 4, 2003. Mobile Bay. The Tricentennial Committee of Mobile will hold two large battles featuring sailing ships and a fort. Sat. Fort Morgan will fire on Union ships and a land battle at the fort will begin. Then on Sun. the fleet lays siege to Fort Gaines with a Federal landing and battle for the fort. Lots of pyrotechnics. There will be encampments at both forts with meals and dances at both sites. More details to follow.
May 10, 2003. (Saturday only event) CIVIL WAR DAYS featuring the 20th Annual Heritage Village Skirmish. (This is the new date slot for the event that has been held in July.) Sponsored by Pinellas County's Heritage Village and the Pinellas County Historical Society, this event allows the spectator to see various aspects of the Civil War era. Spectators will be encouraged to participate in various "hands on" activities focused on both military and civilian life. Sutlers, food, and beverage vendors will be on site. There will be lectures about the war, music and songs, War letters, sewing, blacksmithing, children's games, and much more. The event hosts ask that the reenactors be very pro-active with the spectators in describing their uniforms and gear, their units, feelings about the war, etc. Please feel free to roam the area and attend various stations. "Style and Profile" is encouraged. Keep in mind that as insurance rates soar, take caution with your firearms during the day. All weapon firing is to be coordinated through the event organizers. Lets put safety first and make this an enjoyable event for the spectators and reenactors alike. The park opens 9 A.M., activities begin 10 A.M., and skirmish is at 2 P.M. Sutlers and vendors are to contact Heritage Village in advance (727-582-2123) Reenactor information: Lew Zerfas (email: go.lew@verizon.net). All to register upon arrival. Information/location for Heritage Village; http://www.county.pinellas.org/heritage
May 22, 2003. Greater Orlando Civil War Round Table meeting. This month's meeting will be hosted by Ruth Ann Wood. She will present a program called "War is No Place For Children". The meeting starts at 7:30pm and will be held at the Marks Street Senior Center at 99 E. Marks Street in downtown Orlando between Orange and Magnolia.
May 24, 25, 2003. Andersonville battle in Andersonville, Georgia. There will be two battles and lots of sutlers with many antique and craft shopping opportunities at the businesses along main street. The Andersonville Civil War Museum and the POW Museum are also very close. Andersonville is 9 miles North of Americus, GA. The site is in Andersonville itself; not at the park. To get there, take I-75 North. Exit at Americus. Turn West towards Columbus and travel approximately 5 miles and turn right at Andersonville Historical Monument. Turn right and travel 12 miles to the battle. This is a nice little battle for spectators and reenactors alike.
Your Obedient Servant,
Major Robert A. Niepert
Hardy's Brigade Cavalry Commander
10th Tennessee Cavalry Company D
Editor/Publisher
mayorbob@embarqmail.com
(407) 448-4871
This News Magazine, its articles, photos and all the
information contained herein are copyrighted
and may not be reproduced in any form without
written permission of the editor and its authors.
Home / Back Issue Contents / Contact the Editor
Designed by Dixie Myst Designs copyright ©2003