Florida Reenactors Online News Magazine

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General Information

New Living History Event.......November 12, 13, 2010. History Time Line. Brooksville, FL. The Hernando Preservation Society will present "Where History Lives" in downtown Brooksville. The event will honor our veterans of all wars starting from the Seminole war through present day. There will be a parade, living history demonstrations, fashion shows, a ladies tea, museum tours, bus tours of Brooksville's historic homes, reenactments and art gallery openings with war memorabilia from all eras. Friday will be their education day for students. Throughout the year, they are planning to provide a forum for those interested in the history of the present Hernando County and "Old Hernando County" which consisted of Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. They will also promote educating the public through meetings, educational seminars, lectures, media presentations and tours. Information contact: Jan Knowles at janknowles@earthlink.net or check the museum's web page at www.hernandohistoricalmuseumassoc.com

Suwannee Work Day.....(From Gen. Hardy via Bob Gomillion).....Several Guys and gals gathered in Sprit of Suwannee to cut low limbs from the trees on the battlefield. Some of Milton Light Artillery showed up, thank goodness. I might add that one of the Staff Officers said "You can count on the Artillery when you need them." Everyone did a good job. General Hardy wanted me to pass on his thanks for all their work and for driving over three hours one way to get there. THANK YOU, GREAT JOB. A lot of planning and work is going into this event and it will be one of the Premier events in the state of Florida.

Bob Gomillion

New Reenactor........Lt. Col. Keith Kohl and Amanda Kohl have had a baby boy. His name is Jonathon Samuel Kohl and was born at 9:20 AM on Wednesday, September 23, 2010.

26th Annual Ocklawaha River Raid Update

All are invited to attend the 26th Annual Ocklawaha River Raid Civil War Re-enactment and Living History Weekend, hosted by the 4th Florida Infantry Co. G. and the 2nd Battalion, Hardy's Brigade on the weekend of November 5 - 7, 2010. This event commemorates the March 1865 Union army raid on Marion County and the resulting battle near the Ocklawaha River. The re-enactment will be held at the Florida Carriage Museum and Resort near Weirsdale, Florida. The site includes hundreds of acres of rolling fields dotted with large trees with plenty of room for everyone.

All branches of service - infantry, artillery, cavalry - are welcome to participate. Families are welcomed and encouraged; this is a family-oriented event with activities planned for re-enactors of all ages. Pre-registration is requested, especially for sutlers, artillery batteries, and cavalry units. Powder rations will be provided to the first eight cannons registered by October 25th; any guns registered beyond the first eight will be placed on an alternate list to receive powder in the event of registered units not being able to attend. Hay rations will be provided for all horses pre-registered by October 25th. Re-enactors bringing horses to the site must provide a photocopy of their current negative Coggins papers at on site registration to be permitted onto the site. To meet the event expenses, there will be an on-site registration fee of $1.00 per re-enactor or $5.00 for families of five or more.

The weekend festivities will include two battle re-enactments with replica civilian homestead on the battlefield, a Ladies' Tea, children's activities, ongoing Living History events, church service, and Saturday evening ball. This year's re-enactment will be the opening event for a week of events commemorating Veteran's Day, beginning with the American Revolution through the Civil War, each day focusing on different conflicts that Americans have been engaged in. Numerous displays including military equipment, vehicles, etc. will be located near the museum itself at the opposite side of the property from the re-enactment grounds. With the expanded events for both the re-enactment and the Veterans' Day events, we are expecting a larger attendance of the public this year.

The site is located at 3000 Marion County Road, just off Highway 25. Please note: re-enactors will have an entrance separate from the main public entrance. The re-enactor entrance for registration will again be on the back part of the property off Griffin Avenue but using a different gate than last year to improve traffic flow. See map and driving directions below; to avoid the spectator fee, please do not use the public entrance. The re-enactor entrance will be marked with signs from the Highway 25 and Griffin Avenue intersection to the registration gate. The site will open for general re-enactor arrival and set up at noon on Thursday, November 4.

DIRECTIONS TO THE SITE:

From I-75 northbound: Take exit# 329 (the Leesburg/Wildwood exit) onto Highway 44. Take Highway 44 east to Highway 27 in Leesburg. Take Highway 27 north to the traffic light intersection of Highway 27 and Highway 25 in Lady Lake. Turn left onto Highway 25 and go to the traffic light intersection of Highway 25 and Griffin Avenue. Turn right onto Griffin Avenue; go about one mile and around the left curve in the road; the re-enactor entrance is a short distance on the left.

From I-75 southbound; Take Exit #341 (the Belleview/Dunnellon exit) onto Highway 484. Take Highway 484 east to Belleview and go across Highway 27/301/441 (note: once across 27/301/441, Highway 484 becomes Highway 25). Continue on Highway 25 through Weirsdale to the traffic light intersection of Highway 25 and Griffin Avenue. Turn left onto Griffin Avenue; go about one mile and around the left curve in the road; the re-enacotr entrance is a short distance on the left.

For more information and registration contact: Lt. Colonel Keith Kohl, 2nd Battalion, Hardy's Brigade at (352) 687-8737 or by email at ltcol2ndbattalion@gmail.com For sutler information contact Sutler Coordinator Fred Sotomayer of Sutler Such by email at sutlersuch@yahoo.com

A New Look

First Sgt. John Russell who commands the 3rd U.S. Colored Cavalry has researched and decided to change his unit's hats. They will now use the Hardee hat. The new style is based on a drawing from a Harper's magazine dated 1864.

The Hardee hat, also known as the Model 1858 (aka the "Jeff Davis" hat) was named after William J. Hardee, a career officer in the U.S. Army (he served from 1856 to 1861). Not only was he the Lt. Colonel commanding the 1st U.S. Cavalry until just before the Civil War, he also published Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics for the Exercise and Manoeuvres of Troops When Acting as Light Infantry or Riflemen, popularly known as Hardee's Tactics.

This hat was the regulation dress hat for enlisted men in the Federal army.

Hardee joined the Confederate States Army in March 1861 and eventually became a Lieutenant General and Corps Commander.

U.S. Army regulations specified that the hat should be adorned with a brass hat device and a wool hat cord denoting the branch of service of the wearer: sky blue for infantry, scarlet for artillery, and yellow for cavalry. The brim was to be pinned up on the right side for cavalrymen and artillerymen and on the left for infantry soldiers. The photo at left shows an original Civil War Hardee infantryman's hat with brass infantry bugle and faded blue hat cord.

Recent Events

3rd Battalion Hardy's Brigade Pre-season Meeting

By Lt. Col. Niepert

Each year our 3rd Battalion has a "pre-season" meeting and drill weekend. Ok, to be honest with you it is a two day eating contest and BS session with a couple of meetings thrown in if we have the time. About 40 members showed up with most camping for the weekend.

We met at the Turkey Lake Campground in Orlando. Most members were on site by noon Friday. The camp is rather nice and has a lot going for it. The camping rates are very reasonable.

Our Killcrease Artillery Co. K. kicked off the weekend with their meeting Saturday morning. They talked about their "cannon work day" a few weeks ago. In preparation for the new re-enacting season, they took the cannon apart, cleaned, painted and got it ready to go. The job lasted from early morning to late afternoon but all the work was completed. Thanks to all who helped with this long hard job. They also discussed everything from their unit history to plans for the future but mostly focused on next season's events, crew procedures, safety, cannon transportation, the recent artillery school and artillery related topics. After the meeting the artillery crew relaxed and talked with other members.

The 5th FL. Co. I. infantry meeting was well attended. Everyone had a chance to express their opinion and many topics were discussed. Battlefield tactics, command structure, drills, new ideas and many other topics flowed one after another into the meeting. We talked a little about improving our Federal and Confederate impressions and how each operated on different sides of the battlefield. Our infantry's loaner equipment was verbally inventoried to make sure we have enough stuff to lend to any prospective members. The infantry meeting lasted about one and a half hours.

The 5th's Co. G. cavalry meeting was last. The main topic was our horses followed by tack and horse trailers. Safety, weapons and the new season came next. It was getting close to lunch time by now so we cut it a little short. All the necessary things were covered although quickly.

The 3rd Battalion sat down to a huge pot luck dinner (as normal). I can't tell you about all the great food - there was too much to list here. One thing about this group ... If you walk away from a meal hungry, it is your own fault.

Directly following lunch we held our Battalion meeting where all the main topics of each meeting were touched on and we went over the 2010/11 event schedule. Some ideas were kicked around and we reminded ourselves about safety both on and off the field. Our standing in Hardy's Brigade and other Brigade topics took up some time.

It was good to see everyone again and all are looking forward to the soon-to-begin battles of a new season.

Civil War History

On the Road to History

By Ralph Epifanio

This past summer this Confederate made deep incursions into New England, during which I visited a number of historical sites. I felt that several of them would be of interest to those who have a passion for Civil War (as it was known this far north) history, and so have written the following accounts.

The American Precision Museum

Located in the (circa) 1840 Robins and Lawrence Armory, the American Precision Museum provides one with a revelation of American ingenuity and machine-tooled reliability. In this mid-19th century water-powered mill is housed some of the finest examples of pre-to-Civil War American arms, and the machinery that was used to manufacture them.

At the core of the R&L technology is the idea of interchangeable gun parts. According to the museum staff's research, Slime on North (of Middletown, Connecticut) used this concept in the production of government pistols, having first tooled lathes and milling machines for this purpose. By the 1820s, "His techniques were being used in the federal armories in Springfield, Massachusetts and at Harper's Ferry."*

In the four years between 1846 and 1850, the factory - then known as Robbins, Kendall and Lawrence - produced 25,000 Harper's Ferry rifles. In 1851 the company drew the attention of the British, having displayed their rifle at the

Crystal Palace Exhibition (London) and winning a prize. Subsequently, the British government sent "an official committee to the United States to study 'the American System' of making guns with interchangeable parts."*

Located on the museum's main floor, and connected to the huge, water-powered leather belts that once ran them, are a gunstock lathe, barrel bore, rifling machine, and many examples of each machine's precision tooling.

The rifling machine, which I saw in operation, was designed for Robbins & Lawrence by Frederick W. Howe. (Later he also designed one for Brown & Sharpe.) Accompanied by the steady hum of this well-oiled machine, its bore cut the parallel spiral grooves that turn a musket into a much more effective rifle-musket.

Also on display is a D.H. Hilliard hand-operated machine. Hand-tooled rifling was "first invented in the 15th

century (and) ... for 300 years ... was done laboriously by hand, while the depth of the grooves judged by eye."* Hilliard lived and worked in Cornish, New Hampshire, which is directly across the Connecticut River from Windsor.

A turret lathe, such as the one on display made by Lamson and Goodnow of Windsor, is capable of performing several types of cuts without having to change tools. Theirs was built in (circa) 1861.

The gun stock lathe, which was invented by Thomas Blanchard at the U.S. armory in Springfield, Massachusetts, can create the complex shape of a gunstock. It does so by following an irregular three-dimensional iron pattern, a sort of template. The APM has, on working display, one made by the Ames Manufacturing Company in 1857. Ames, it should be noted, produced many of the swords used during the era.

After the stock is shaped (photo above left), an inletting machine cuts a recessed bed - in which to place the gun lock - in approximately 45 seconds. (lockplate assembly photo below)

On display near machines that might have produced them, are examples of that era's best-known rifles, such as the 1841 Pepperbox Pistol (an early revolver), 1849 Jennings Single Shot Rifle (which later evolved into the Henry), 1856 "Windsor Enfield," and 1863 Springfield. The latter, manufactured by Lamson, Goodnow and Yale after they took over the building, "was the last muzzle-loading rifle ordered by the U.S. government."* The English Enfield, "the first rifles with interchangeable parts ever used by the British army,"* incidentally, was made with tools manufactured by Robbins & Lawrence.

E.G. Lamson and Company, which followed in the footsteps of Robbins and Lawrence, went on to manufacture the Palmer Carbine (1865), the "first bolt action rifle adopted by the U.S. government (it fires a .50 calibre rimfire cartridge, called the 56/50 Spencer)"*, and the Ball Carbine (1865;used by cavalry immediately following the Civil War), both produced too late for use in the Civil War.

Although not related to our hobby, I and my sons found the most impressive part of the museum to be their display of 43 detailed, working miniatures. Hand-made of hand-tooled metal over a period of (approximately) 40,000 hours (the equivalent of 20 years of labor) by John Aschauer (1856 - 1978), each looks and operates exactly like their life-sized counterparts, and can be started by the touch of a button. Words, however, hardly do justice to the care and exacting detail that were applied to this priceless collection.

Today, the much-reduced Robbins and Lawrence Armory factory remains as an 1840s waterwheel pit and millwork that was so typical of mid-19th century New England. Not only was it the backbone of American industry, it might very well be argued that it was one of the most significant factors in the outcome of the war between North and South.

*Quoted from descriptive placards located in the museum

Augustus St. Gaudens

Directly across the Connecticut River from Windsor, in Cornish, New Hampshire, is the former home - and National Landmark - of artist Augustus St. Gaudens. A small section of the gardens reflecting pool is pictured at the right.

St. Gaudens was born to a French father and his Irish mother in Dublin, Ireland on March 1, 1848. He celebrated his first birthday in New York City, his home for the next 18 years. His schooling complete by age 13, he was apprenticed to a cameo cutter, while also attending art classes at New York's Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design. When done with his apprenticeship at 19, he traveled to Paris, and studied at the Ecole des Beux-Arts. From there, in 1870, he traveled to Rome, where he studied classical art and architecture. (Later in his career he was an avid supporter of its American Academy.) As a result of his exposure to classical sculpture in Rome, and a number of post-Civil War commissions, he was thrust into the spotlight as the "Sculptor of the American Renaissance," otherwise known as the "Gilded Age."

Some of his most famous creations include Civil War Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, Standing Lincoln (which reminds one of Michelangelo's David), the Shaw Memorial (photo at left is a bas-relief described as a "symphony in bronze"), Diana, General William Tecumseh Sherman, the $20 Gold Coin of 1907 (perhaps the most beautiful coin ever created), the $10 Gold Coin of 1909, the Adams Memorial (orThe Peace of God ), stone cameo of Mars, Hiawatha, and many other notable tributes to the American Experience.

The most productive period of his life was spent in Cornish, New Hampshire, on an estate called the "Blow-Me-Down Farm" or the "Cornish Colony." Due to the foresight of his wife, Augusta Homer St. Gaudens, his estate survived long after his death in 1907, and is now a National Park. Attached are photos exemplifying the rare genius of this "Renaissance Artist," born 500 years after his compatriots. The works that are depicted are reproductions.

Where Have All the Soldiers Gone?

On Father's Day, while contemplating the bronze statue located in front of the Lebanon, New Hampshire G.A.R. building, my son Chris and I made a puzzling observation. Our eyes drifting down to the base of this newly refurbished monument, we noticed that there was wood and brass peeking out from the butt of the soldier's rifle. Upon closer and sustained, inspection, we discovered that it was, in fact, the genuine thing. Apparently, in constructing the rifle for this

monument, they used the real thing. We hoped, however, that its owner was not.

This discovery weighed on my mind for the rest of the summer. As I traveled through New England, I began to seek out similar monuments. Those I found fell into two categories: monuments of granite, and those of cast metal. Of the latter, all of their weapons were universally accurate in detail, right down to the shoulder strap. This is especially true of the one in Freeport, Maine.

My best explanation is as follows: At the time of their commission - immediately following the war - there were probably hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of these musket-rifles in personal collections across the country. They were probably "a dime a dozen". In constructing the statues, what would make more sense, attempting to produce the exacting detail of the firearm by casting it, or simply by covering a real one with metal? Apparently the latter.

I have attached a few representative photos. I solicit responses to the explanation offered, and any personal research on the subject. You can contact me through this website.

Alpha and Omega

Here's a trivia question for those who pride themselves on the minutest of detail: What town can be credited with having been (figuratively speaking) "the start and finish of the Civil War?" Think about that for a moment.

When introduced to Lincoln, the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe was greeted by "the ancient one" with the comment (sic), "So this is the little lady who started this great war." Stowe, daughter of pastor Lyman Beecher (of "Beecher's Bibles" fame) and wife of Calvin Stowe, spent part of her early married life in Brunswick, Maine, where her husband worked for Bowdoin College. It is said that she contrived her first chapter of Uncle Tom's Cabin While sitting in a pew of the church just outside the gates of Bowdoin, at the point where the town's green comes to an end.

Also a member of that church, and a teacher of rhetoric at Bowdin, was none other that Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. As a fellow of Calvin Stowe, he socialized with the couple, often present for Stowe's readings from her book.

It was Chamberlain who made the famous bayonet charge at Gettysburg that prevented the 15th Alabama from flanking the Union's extreme left on Little Round Top, perhaps the turning point of that great battle. Fast forward to April 12, 1865, and now a brevetted (by Lincoln himself) Major General, he presided over Confederate General Gordon's final retreat - after Lee's surrender - with the dignity that earned his being called "one of the knightliest soldiers of the Federal army" by Gordon.

The answer, then is that Brunswick, Maine may thus be called the town where the Civil War "started and ended."

Items For Sale

And Wanted

Wanted. Federal blue saddleblanket with orange stripe. Used but still in reasonable shape. Needed for display of saddle in home. Will pay $35 plus postage. Contact Larry at bbhomeplace@intrstar.net

Wanted. Used pair of cavalry knee high boots. Size 11 - 12. Must be able to be worn. Contact Victor at floridarebel1862@yahoo.com

Blanket Sale. There will be a big "blanket sale" over at the 3rd Battalion's cavalry camp at the Suwannee event. Friday, Saturday and Sunday mid-morning only. Many things from weapons, knives, eating and cooking items, uniforms, small camp items, cavalry tack and dresses. Everything needed for reenacting. Too many items to list here. Come over and check it out. Contact mayorbob@embarqmail.com for information.

For Sale. 2010 - 2011 97th PVI Re-enactors' Calendar. The 97th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Co. A. is proud to offer the Re-enactors' Calendar for the 2010 - 2011 re-enacting season. Pictured are historical etchings from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, depicting actual events that occurred during the Civil War, along with recent photographs of Union and Confederate re-enactors. This Calendar starts with September 2010, and ends with December 2011. It lists many of the upcoming re-enactments from Florida to Pennsylvania, an essential tool for planning your re-enacting season. Price is $8.00 each, plus shipping. Order your copy online using PayPal or a major credit card http://www.97thpvicoa.us/index.php/sellcalendar Contact Susan Stroud at reenactorscalendar@verizon.net

For Sale. Field desk, uniforms, cooking items, trunk, drum (in need of repair), musket, other accessories. See photos below. For more information and prices contact vielka.tejada@hotmail.com

Upcoming Events

For a complete listing of all Civil War reenactments, living history events, and monthly meetings in Florida, please see the 2010 - 2011 Event Schedule at http://www.floridareenactorsonline.com/EventRoster.htm or go to this magazine's home page and click on the Event Schedule button.