Notice Company Commanders.......The yearly company commanders meeting will be held on August 9th at 11am.  I know that this is the same time as the postponed Gettysburg event but we had the meeting date set up before the water problems at Gettysburg and it seems that most of the Hardy Brigade officers will still be able to attend the meeting.     Cookies, sandwiches, cold drinks and snacks will be provided.  We will eat lunch and the meeting will follow.  Please bring a chair and something to write on.  Some of the items to be discussed are, but not limited to, which events will be Brigade sanctioned, the new Event Roster, a possible new event, insurance, incorporation of the Brigade and much more.  If you have something that needs to be addressed, now is the time to talk about it. 
   In order to make the drive time as short as possible for everyone, we started looking for a place in the center of the state.  My house is just about there.  This location will cut drive times for almost everyone.  It isn't perfect for all but it is a lot better than driving all the way to Brooksville or Crystal River as we have in the past.
Driving directions...
   To get here from the Fla. turnpike, go towards Orlando.  Get off at exit 272 the Clermont exit.  At the end of the exit ramp go East on Hwy 50 towards Winter Garden (Orlando) aprox 3 miles to Hwy 545.  Turn right (South) on Hwy 545 (Avalon Road by the Circle K store).  Take 545 aprox. 5 miles to Phil C. Peters Road.  Turn right onto Phil C. Peters Road (can only turn one way which is right) and go 2.2 miles to the end of the paved part of the road. Follow the dirt driveway 1/4 mile around the lake.  We are the second house on the right.
   To get here from I-4, go to Hwy 27 exit and go north on Hwy 27 towards Clermont.  Get off at the Hwy 192 exit (Disney exit) and go West for ONE mile and turn right north on Hwy 545.  Hwy 545 is hard to see but is exactly one mile from hwy 27 it is past the 7-11 store and just past the Camping Connection store.  Go north on Hwy 545 for about 11 miles and look for Phil C. Peters Road.  Turn left onto Phil C. Peters Road (can only turn one way which is right) and go 2.2 miles to the end of the paved part of the road.  Follow the dirt driveway 1/4 mile around the lake.  We are the second house on the right.
   I have most of the Hardy's Brigade commanders email addresses but not all.  Pass the word about this meeting to your company officers.  If the officers of your company are unable to attend, send a NCO to represent your unit.  All those who will attend, please email me, mayorbob@embarqmail.com  for location and other information.

Looking To Share A Ride To 140th......Need a ride leaving from the Atlanta Metro Area.  Will share expenses or car pool up to the 140th Gettysburg event in August.  Am in Douglasville (westside, just west beyond Six Flags) and could either use a couple (2-3) riders and use my trailer for gear or even accept a ride myself and a share of the costs.  Contact Scott Good 10th Tenn. Co. A. (678) 715-0056

New Season 2003-2004 Event Roster.......Don't forget to send me the information about your event.  I am trying to get the new roster completed and posted.  If you don't send me the information I can't post your event.

In Place Of Gettysburg?.......Maj. Keith Kohl wrote.....This past Wednesday, June 11, I received a phone call from the organizer of the July 4th celebration at Fairhaven Farm, south of Brooksville and northeast of New Port Richey.  Some of the re-enactors may remember this event from a few years ago.  The celebration is attended by several thousand spectators. At the organizer's request, there was a re-enactment held as part of the event's festivities for a couple of years. 
   The event organizer has heard about the unfortunate postponing of Gettysburg and would like to have a re-enactment again this year.  At his request, I have agreed to once again organize the re-enactment.  The event will be on Friday July 4, 2003, at Fairhaven Farm on Highway 52, four miles west of the intersection of Highway 41 and Highway 52, on the south side of Highway 52.  There will be two battle re-enactments on a lightly wooded battlefield, one at 12:30 PM and one at 2:30 PM.  As they have in the past, the organizers are pulling out all the stops.  One meal will be provided on Friday to all re-enactors, soldier and civilian.  There will also be fireworks that night, swimming in the onsite lake, etc.  All branches of service are welcome to participate; there is plenty of room.  While the event will be on Friday only, re-enactors are welcome to arrive on Thursday and camp throughout the weekend if they wish. 
   If possible (but by no means required), re-enactors are asked to contact Maj. Kohl so they can have an idea of how many may attend.  Contact: Major Keith Kohl Email COG4FLAINF@aol.com

Local Reenactor Passes On........Col. William E. Kaiser "Bill".  Has passed away.  Most local reenactors knew Bill or at least have seen him.  Bill was in his 80's, and was an active reenactor and participated in many events with his wife, Lois.  He wore his Union Uniform proudly as he carried his trademark cigar at all times.  He was a good man and liked by everyone.  Definitely a sad passing.  Bill will be missed.  Members of the SUVCW are asked to wear a black velcro strip on all badges of the order.

   The Battle of Resaca on May 17&18 was a good event for the most part.  The main drawback was the weather which
was wet and hot. 
   There were probably 400 to 500 reenactors present on Saturday and perhaps 2/3 of that on Sunday due to the weather. The South won on Saturday while the North took it on Sunday. There was a good amount of spectators present on
both days and all seemed to have a good time.
   On Saturday, they held a memorial service at the Confederate cemetery nearby. It was attended by units from both
North and South as well as by local dignitaries.
   The battlefield itself was located on the northeast corner of the actual battlefield of 1864. It was in a cleared valley
surrounded by low wooded hills. It afforded plenty of room for all the units to maneuver around. The roughest part was
marching up and down those wooded hills to get into position to start the battle. Once it commenced, everyone had a good time. 
   Overall it was a good experience and worth going to. The event staff could have used a little more briefing on what
was supposed to happen but they still did a fairly good job. 

Gary Miller
10th Tenn. Co. A.

   The Montverde Flag Day memorial service isn't big but neither is the town.  You might even go so far as to say that this is about the biggest event in town other than the Christmas festivities.  I think the service attracts so many reenactors because they can show respect for fallen Civil War soldiers and it is held in the middle of the "off season".  Reenactors are looking for something to do and like to meet with their friends.  I have always liked this little memorial service; it has a lot going for it.  Not only can you take time out to honor the six fallen Confederate and one Union soldier buried here, you can also talk to the direct descendents of those soldiers.  They live right there in town and attend every year.
   The memorial service almost got rained out on Friday the 13th of June.  As we drove over, the rain fell and the thunder boomed.  It didn't look too promising and we tried to be optimistic but we all thought that this event would not take place as planned.  We arrived at 5:30pm in a light rain but the sky was looking better so we got into our uniforms.  The rain stopped a couple of minutes later and the men of Rice Battery (10th tenn.) unloaded, set up their two mountain howitzers and went through their safety drill, I unloaded my horse, tacked him up and the infantrymen from several companies got out their rifles.  Women in their mourning dresses and others in period correct dresses made their last minute adjustments and walked over to mingle with a group of spectators who were starting to trickle in.  The sun came out; all was well and we were ready to start.
   Everyone had a part in making this memorial service another memorable occasion.  The service opened with the event host, Lance Belcher, saying a few words to the crowd, then the local Boy Scouts trooped the colors.  Bob Lovell told everyone about the bugle calls and what they meant as he played them on his bugle.  The Senator, John Simmons and his wife,Kathy  talked about life in the 1860's and Don Mann gave a short talk about the cannons.  Between the speakers, the musical entertainment was supplied by a very talented family of reenactors.  Regrettably, I didn't get their names.  Gen. Hardy's staff was well represented by me (Maj. Niepert), Lt. Col. Riker, Lt. Lovell and Maj. McGowan.
   The command was given and around 6:30pm the men of the 37th Ala. Co. H, 10th Tenn. Co. A. and 10th Tenn. Co. D. were assembled.  We marched out into the graveyard in a column of twos.  As the men representing the fallen soldiers passed the row where that soldier is buried, the reenactor would leave the ranks and stand by that soldier's headstone.  When the soldier's name was read, the reenactor would answer "present in spirit, sir" and blow out his candle.  When the last name on the list was read, the infantry fired three salute rounds, the artillery fired their salute and the service was finished.

You would have to be living in a glass bubble not to have heard about the Gettysburg problems.  I received a lot of email and hours worth of phone calls about the postponement of the 140th event.  I myself am very disappointed that this unfortunate circumstance has occurred.  Some of the emails I have gotten read like this....

"I think they killed this event and blundered big time.  The only Gettysburg reenactments worth going to (and I've been to lots) are the five year anniversary ones.  I went to the 136th and it was SO bad I left on Saturday.  This year many people won't go in August".
Editors note: This is the general opinion from just about everyone.  Read on for more.

"If this is the only course of action, and it can not be helped, then that is that.  However, this WILL destroy the 140th because there is no way many people can reschedule vacation.  It hurts me to think I have to wait until the 145th to participate.  This goes for everyone in my unit...." The writer goes on to say...  "Our hobby is in a decline & this certainly will not help it at all.  Good luck with the event, and I seriously and humbly hope that it can be pulled off with a great turnout regardless of what this lowly private thinks.

And again they wrote....
"I cannot believe this and it makes me ill.  I had registered but there is no way I can make it in August when school is back in session.  There will be a ton of people ticked off and unable to make it and I am very glad that I am not the one answering the phones in Gettysburg!!" 

And more.....
"Your Florida folks are not the only ones doing some grumbling... the South Carolina contingent that planned to attend is absolutely LIVID about the change of dates.  Few of the Butler Guard/Hamptons Legion group were going, but one of the young men in the Hampton's artillery group is from London but now lives in SC.  He has four friends from London who are flying over for event.  Tickets purchased long ago, no way for refunds, etc.  For those young men, this is a hugely expensive postponement.  There is a huge group of reenactors from Palmetto Battalion who were coming and they are all up in arms.  Once again, few of them can make the change at this late date".

And more........
"UNBELIEVABLE!!!  I'm so pissed, my knee jerk reaction is a boycott.  Thanks for the info.  This really screws up prior planning for EVERYBODY.  What the hell are those guys thinking????!!!!   People come from all 50 states for this, plane reservations, hotel reservations!!!!   Vacation put in for a year in advance".

Now lets hear from people who have been to and live in Gettysburg....
"I was in Gettysburg on vacation when the decision was made to postpone the event. The locals are very upset, the event is a big tourist event and money for the local economy. The Park service shut down the horse trail and just about put the local Horse Camp out of business. Now let me explain why with a personal little story. My wife and I and one of my sons went over to the Virginia memorial and walked out to the field where Picket's charge started. My son stepped off the paved path in the field and his shoe was sucked off his foot by the mud. If you were to camp on it or ride horses on it, it would soon be a quagmire. I believe they made the right decision to postpone. I did not see the reenactment field but I understand that the local farmer who owns it can't harvest his hay and a reenactment would be dirty and nasty and would probably scar his fields. Charles Liebherr Fl 2nd Cavalry".

The field is underwater....
As of right now the "Battle Field" is under 4-6" of standing water. We could float the port-a-sans and do a naval battle with US/CS Marines in the rigging.  I took a drive by back around Feb and looked at the site.  It is/was a mistake to put it where they did for this year anyway.  The rain just proved me and a few others right, bad location, any rain and the camps would be floating down the side of the hills.

And the last one.....
"I called up to the campground to cancel my reservations and they said that although they too are disappointed and stand to lose a fortune in lost revenue, they agree with the event host's postponement.  The area is very wet and the mud is deep.  If the event were to take place as scheduled, it would have been a disaster.  The rain is still falling almost daily and the ground shows no signs of drying out yet.  A friend of ours who lives about 50 miles away from the event site said that the water is standing everywhere and the fire dept. is going around pumping out peoples basements.  The postponement is for the best as it would be impossible to get medical assistance out on the field if needed and the law enforcement people are tied up with all kinds of rain related problems.  It sounds like to me if the event had taken place, it would have been a mess and more people would have been upset about the conditions than the postponement."

SUV & SCV......I got this in the email........ 

To our brethren in the SCV:

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War are dedicated to the preservation of Civil War history. In order to assure that the stories of the greatest trial the American people have ever had to deal with does not fade into the pages of the textbooks, both "sides" must work together with the same energy that our ancestors spent defending their ideals. With this thought in mind, the SUVCW in general, and the Farragut Camp No.6 in particular is resolved to assist, wherever  possible, the SCV and the UDC in their struggle to maintain their identity, their honor and their COLORS.
 

     Eli Johnson just finished his morning supply report. It had to be done in triplicate. As the senior noncommissioned officer on the ward, he had to account for all supplies, medications, and food. The books had to balance and all expenses accounted for. This was a tedious task that bored him no end. If the books were not correct to the penny, then all hell was raised when inspections were held. Sergeant Johnson was always irritated by the entire book keeping. Washington seemed more interested in paper than the welfare of their soldiers. "Oh well, so much for the army" he thought.
     "Eli!" Someone was hollering at him. "Jesus this is a hospital ward. Quiet please." Eli yelled back as he turned about to see Dr. Chisom.
      "That's all right. You were totally correct. Everyone should keep a proper decorum in the ward. These boys have enough misery without us carrying on. I am going to make rounds.  Would you please accompany me." He may have been in the army, but Eli's dreams were still to be a doctor. Making rounds was a way he could advance his education. Dr. Chisom enjoyed being able to work with his old apprentice. It gave him a chance to forget the blood and suffering and pretend he was still back teaching school in Boston. He was as lonely for home as his charges. Homesickness and melancholia were some of the worst problems that the patients and the staff faced. It killed many a poor soldier.
      "Sergeant." Dr. Chisom was always military and proper in the presence of others. "I see your ward is largely Reb prisoners from the action on the Peninsula." The doctors as a whole didn't care Yank or Reb, a patient was a patient. The surgeons were adamant that all were treated to the best that could be done for them. The Rebels responded to the kindness with respect and friendliness. The staff felt that kindness would help inspire their wayward souls to come back to the Union.
     "Morn Doc." He was a Major from Virginia, shot in the right calf. The bullet went through the muscle but luckily hit no bone. The bullets, as Dr. Chisom knew were a one inch long by half inch thick chunk of lead. The back end was hollow and expanded as it left the barrel. They traveled at 850 feet per second and devastated whatever it hit. The major's leg was torn up badly and the wound was beginning to fester. The smell was putrid and draining green pus. Sergeant Johnson had to swallow hard to keep from vomiting. He could never totally get used to the sights.
     "Good morning Major Powel. I am concerned that we may have to amputate. There is laudable pus and that is good but I feel gangrene may be setting in. I know you do not want me to but, if gangrene sets in we will have no choice." "Bullitt went in here and came out there." Thought Dr. Chisom. He had seen this too often and was afraid he would lose another one. The good Doctor had seen the piles of arms and legs after the battles. The screams of the wounded were burned forever in his ears and that smell, that horrible smell could never be forgotten. Doors and tables were used as operating tables, sopped down with water. "Next" he would yell. Some poor soul would be laid on the table. There were the screamers and criers but most were stoic. Chloroform; and blissful sleep set in. Then the tourniquet was applied and the cutting started. Two cuts, one up and one under the limb. This made two flaps of skin and muscle. The bone saw was used to cut at the point of the V and then the flaps were stitched together. If the amputation was far from the center of the body and inflammation didn't set in, maybe the soldier would survive.
    "Doctor! Doctor Chisom come here please." Sergeant Johnson's voice awoke him from his dreams. Eli sounded scared. As Dr. Chisom came over he saw what Johnson was concerned about. The wound was crawling with maggots. Those foul creatures' turned his stomach. Eli wanted to wash them out when Dr. Chisom stopped him short.
     "Eli, I know you find maggots loathsome, but we have found that when the boys get them in the wounds they eat the gangrene and the men live. When we clean them out, the boys die. Leave the Major's leg alone. Its worth the try and maybe the Good Lord will save him yet." Fresh bandages clean bedding, and clean clothing was ordered but the maggots were left in the wound. Ipecac and opium, Dover's powder, was ordered to help sweat out the poisons.
     "Doctor Chisom?" inquired Eli. "Would blood letting help relieve the poisons?"
      "No Sergeant. That treatment has been abandoned, thank God, by most honest physicians. The bullets in this conflict do enough of that for us. Besides it is more dangerous than it is worth. George Washington may have died from it." Doctor Chisom had been taught that blood letting caused a weak thready pulse. The patient would become pale and quiet. After about the loss of 15 ounces of blood, the patient would relax. Instead of being helpful, most doctors had come to realize that instead of releasing poisons, the patient was actually comatose from blood loss. "The inflammation must be relieved but blood letting is not the way."
    "Eli! Do you still want to be a doctor after witnessing all this disease and destruction?" queried Dr. Chisom. It was a rhetorical question. He knew that his Steward would not give up. He had known Eli's family for years and had backed him for admission to Harvard Medical School. Eli had finished most of his lectures and was actually started a proctorship with the good doctor when the war broke out. They both went off to war together and through his political connections with the Governor of Massachusetts, he got his young apprentice assigned to him. Students normally paid over $100 for the right to do an apprenticeship. Now, with the compliments of the Government, Eli did not have to pay, he was getting paid. The normal routine for a medical education was to pay to go to some lectures and then become an apprentice to a practicing physician. There were no national standards for a medical degree. Very few schools, like Harvard had  any kind of standardized curriculum. There were herbalists, naturopaths, and practioners of the "water cures". In many states, you did not need a license to be a doctor. There were so many misfits being brought in as doctors that the Surgeon General wanted to set up examination boards to weed out the incompetents. Dr Chisom had already received an agreement from Dr Holms at Harvard, that if Eli wanted to sit for the exams and passed, the school would issue him his degree.
    Dr. Chisom knew that the quality of medical care varied around the nation. The further one got from the major cities the more crude the care got. Scientific principles for study were relatively new. They were first used on a formal basis by Charles Darwin. Much scientific thinking was still overshadowed by Church Doctrine. Many in medicine in 1860 had a hard time giving up the time honored but never proven teachings of Hypocrites.  Many treatments were based on individual observations without any study to see if it really worked. Breaking old ways was hard. It also threatened the livelihood of the less educated.  Schools were becoming more formal in their programs. Grose anatomy with its dissections was starting to be used. Unfortunately, there was no supply of donated bodies in 1860. Like many other teachers of the medical arts, Dr Chisom had been involved in grave robbing so that the students could be exposed to the real world. This practice had its risks as it was illegal in most areas. Slowly though, it was being accepted and many municipalities would allow the schools to dissect the bodies of criminals and paupers. The other side of these dissections was that without being able to preserve the bodies, dissections had to be fast. Putrification would rapidly set in and the smells would make work most unpleasant.
     "Sergeant" Major Powel was calling him. Eli turned and saluted. He always addressed officers as "Sir" and saluted, even if they were Rebs. "Sergeant could you please help me and some of the other boys write letters to our folks back in Richmond." It made Eli feel good to help. He knew many of these boys would never get home. He felt very sorry for these boys, Rebs though they may be. He had seen too much death and disease. There were so many unknown questions about medicine and life. So many things that they didn't know.
  When dismissed from his duties, Eli was back in the ward. Helping these poor sick unfortunates made him feel good.  He wanted to become a good doctor so duty meant more then prescribing treatments. His day didn't end when he got off watch. Maybe he would have some time to write home later that night. He also had to clean and polish his uniform as he had to stand for inspection in the morning.

by Warren Feldman MD

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 (727) 526-2851 email at edscout@aol.com 

For Sale......Period correct dresses.  Several day outfits, several camp outfits, one ball gown and two hoops.  About a size 5.  Most of the skirts could be let out.  Contact Jackie Rushton at  jrushton@coneagle.com

June 27, 28, 29, 2003.  The St. Andrews Bay Reenactors Association, The Gulf State Guards, and The St. Andrews Waterfront Project, will sponsor a full skirmish both Saturday and Sunday.  A period ship from Mississippi will enter the Bay, a bark from the Confederate Naval Museum in Columbus, GA, will off load Federals onto the shore and the reenactment of the actual St. Andrews Bay Skirmish will begin. The historical monument regarding this event is on Beach Drive just about 1 mile from where we will Skirmish.  All branches of reenactors are invited to camp and drill and shoot and have a great weekend.  Let me hear from you.  The registration and main encampment will be in the churchyard at St. Andrew Historic Church, at the intersection of 11th Street and Chestnut Avenue. Vendors and Sutlers will be in the closed off Street of Chestnut Avenue.  Directions:  Take Interstate 10 to Highway 231 and drive South on Highway 231 to Panama City, FL. to the Old Community of St. Andrew, located on the Bay.  From the West: Cross the Hathaway Bridge,  Take Highway 98 to BECK Avenue, go south on BECK Avenue to either 11th Street or Chestnut Avenue and look for the flags. From the North: Take Highway 231 South to 15th Street ( also known as Highway 98), drive west on 15th Street approximately 2 miles to BECK Avenue, go south on BECK Avenue to either 11th Street or Chestnut Avenue and look for the flags.  CAVALRY, SUTLERS, & VENDORS : Contact Woody Bollinger email: aladivchaplain@hotmail.com ARTILLERY & INFANTRY: Contact: Stan Peacock email:      PreserveHeritage@aol.com

August 30, 31, September 1, 2003.  Battle of Dade City.  (near Tampa)  This is a Labor Day weekend battle.  Please do not arrive before 4pm on Friday.  There is no battle on Saturday.  You may relax and prepare on Saturday for the battles on Sun. and Mon. afternoon.  There will be no ball.  There will be a battle at 1pm on Sunday and a battle at 1pm on Monday.  There is limited authentic and modern camping.  To get to the event:  North of Dade City take I-75 South to exit 61 go East on US-98 to 301. Go South on US-301 for 6 miles and the park will be on the left side.  St. Petersburg area take I-275 and connect with I-75 to exit 59 go East on SR-52 for 8 miles to US-301 North go through town and the park is on the right.  From Daytona Beach take SR-40 West to I-75 South.  Orlando go SR-50 West to US-301 South the park will be on the left.