You asked what kind of material I'm trying to collect. Here is a link to
a site from two friends of the civil war chatroom I regularly
participate in: I want to put up stories on Dutchmen in the civil war in
a same way as they do on Scotsmen. I hope you know now a little bit more
on the type of info I'm looking for. Respectfully, Patrick Starmans,
pattie@cuci.nl
Scots in the civil
war .(Allan Mitchell (Bootneck))
Finding things over here is like finding
gold. I was researching old newspapers in the Library today just found
an interesting bit about 79th at 1st Manasas and the librarian asked
me to let someone else use the microfische machine. Still I'll get
back to it later
Regards again, Allan
October 22, 1999
For the Camp Fire.
I talking to Mike about the article, I am convinced that he did not
in
any way mean to detract from the 2nd Wisconsin or any other unit that
was involved in the homecoming. Mike does hold all the Brigade in
high
regard and would never intentionally mil-align any of it's regiments.
Tim Fairchild
October 21, 1999
I think these quotes state well the feelings that many of us have
at the end of the reenacting season....
"Strangely enough the word [of our discharge] had already passed
around,
but even stranger there was little cheering, little celebration.
We had
expected to be transported with JOY. Perhaps soldiering in a
splendid
regiment is not so bad. Where would we find civilian friends to
compare
with our soldier comrades?"
Or what about this quote from Henry Prince of the 127th New York?
Could this be 1865 he writes of, or 1999?
"I think I will never be ashamed of coarse clothes and plain food.
We
as a nation have been living too fast. Too much pride and care too
much
for dress. Methinks I have learned a lesson since I became a
soldier."
from "The Civil War Infantryman" by Gregory A. Coco.
Your obedient servant,
Jeff Beiriger
AKA Corporal Rufus W. Clark
Company A, Second Wisconsin
Closing out 1999
We have the Gibson Ranch Event moved to the old Mather A.F.B. in
Sacramento. It will be held in the Rotary Park on post.
The next event will be a parade in Petaluma on the 11th of November.
Meet
at Walnut Park at Noon. Then the Ball is going to be at the Opera
House in
Sonora on the 13th of November. After that put a fork in
it...we're done!
Steve Bechtold
Co. H
October 10, 1999
click for larger photo
As promised folks. The brave soldier that marched twice as far as
all of
us at South Mountain seeing he has 4 legs. Who led us in charges,
slept
where we slept, ate goober peas but didn't use the porta pots! The only
soldier that didn't complain! :-)
Folks I give you: Montana the War Dog!
Thanks to Owner Rich Sokolowski for the photos.
Tim Fairchild
October 10, 1999
Folks,
This is just in the thought stage right now but it sounds real
interesting. Might be a good way to start funding that monument at
Turners Gap with pledges as we did at South Mountain this year. 61 guys
raised over $10,000 dollars! It would be a noble undertaking indeed!
Any thoughts?
Tim Fairchild
Tim,
Can you give me a run down on what will be happening 2001/2002? I want
to
make a presentation to the Association at it's annual meeting to get
them itching
for it.
Well, it's not like we've got concrete plans. It's more a question
of "What
would YOU like to MAKE happen in 2001 and 2002?" :)
The basic idea I've floated before the Fire on the Mountain committee,
and
gotten positive feedback on, is that in 2001 we make the event a
campaign
event, we perhaps use the Boonsboro property as a rally point/ staging
area,
but that we make it a marching event ala Red River 2. Horse drawn
supply
wagons, etc. If we can find property that is halfway between there
and
wherever we end up and stage a battle/skirmish of some sort there, well,
so
much the better, but the focus would be more on having a mobile, not a
static event, and working the bugs out of that process in preparation
for
the next year, 2002.
In 2002 I've proposed that we have another static event in Boonsboro, or
perhaps in Burkittsville, for South Mountain 140. Then a week of
campaigning, perhaps a walk down to Harper's Ferry for a day of living
history down there (can you see 1,000 guys encamped there for a day or
two?)
to portray the siege. Then a march, or some other means, to move
the boys
up to the Artz farm near Hagerstown, for Antietam 140. (I've
looked at the
idea of moving them part of the way by train. Might work.)
There we'd
march onto the field of battle and roll right into line, like we did a
few
weeks ago. Or something like that.
This is all a HIGHLY fluid situation, so don't take ANY of this as set
in
concrete. But that's what a few of us are talking about and if the
Wisconsin boys wanted to come back and be a part of all that, I'd sure
be
thrilled to see them out there snaking their way up that hillside to
Turner's Gap, let me tell ya!
Let me know your thoughts,
Doug
Black Hat Brothers:
Cpl. Bill Locey, Co. B, 6th Wisconsin here.
At our last event in FRESNO, we had 48 Black Hats from all five
regiments, a West Coast record. For the first time, we did Scott's,
pissing off the hardcore officer jerks to no end. We need a copy of
Baxter's, something preferably with pictures. We know shoulder arms,
right shoulder shift and we stack arms according to Militia Scott's but
we need a definitive answer. Why learn anything twice when we can learn
it right the first time. We need to know stack arms, where the file
closers belong and all the usual BS. As if the Hat itself wasn't enough,
the drill monsters
from Planet Hardcore thought we were screwing with them whedn they saw
us all come to the shoulder. Any help would be appreciated - we don't
want to be the ugly stepchildren at Antietam 140. My mailing address is
POB 64, Ventura Ca 93002 or you can call me at 805-653-5524 and you know
how to do this. I met you at Gettysburg. It must be the hat - I'm out -
the Iron Brigade of the West Coast thanks you...
(We'll be sending a CD with Scott's, Jim Johnson)
Cpl. Bill Locey,
"Great
time in Fresno"
Posted by dmmascit on Oct-05-99 at 08:54 PM (EST)First off I would
agree that the last battle on Sunday did end in a bust. The information
given to us was a half dozen spectators sneeked onto the battle field
behind the Confederate line to the White Gazabo type building and were
setting off fireworks from that position. ##### shame too, we had
crossed the bridge and pushed into the Confederate lines and getting
ready to take a massive slaughter. It would have looked great, a massive
pile of dead and wounded Black Hats!
The greatest
part of the weekend for us was getting members of each of the Iron
Bridage on the field. We had members of the 7th Wisconsin from
Washington, the 19th Indiana out of Oregon, the 6th Wisconsin from
Southern California, the 2d Wisconsin and 24th Michigan from the San
Francisco Bay Area and San Joaquin Valley all together to form for the
first time a fully represented Iron Bridage on the West Coast. For those
on the Union side we were known as Company #6.
As I said we
had a grand time in Fresno and appreciate evrything the event
coordenators did to put on this event.
Dave Mascitelli
1st Sgt. 24th Michigan Volunteer Infantry
forwarded
by R J Samp
October 7, 1999
Folks,
I am in the final process of negotiating the March route for our
Remembrance day Monument Ceremony on Sat Nov. 20.
I spoke with the
NPS today and It looks as if we will be granted the permit to march up Mc'Pherson's Ridge! Just a few logistical items to work out
such as
parking. I may ask that we have people designated to car pool to
the
Staging area on Reynolds Ave. This will most likely be about 200-300
yards on Reynolds Ave. off of RT. 116 or the Hagerstown/Fairfield Road.
Parking is being set up but it is imperative that we adhere to the
parking spaces provided and STAY OFF THE GRASS ! I will be sending a map
to Jim Johnson which will show where we will start to place on the
Association web Site. When I receive the final Permits I will forward
the time schedules to you and the Web Site so keep checking the
Johnson's web site for updates.
We have 39 People shown coming for the Association Companies dinner at
Buckleys Irish Pub. I will be sending in the final menu in 1 Week.
I would like to hear from our Wisconsin Pards if any small state flags
were obtained for the Cemetery ceremony scheduled for Friday Afternoon
the 19th.
Look for a write up in the Civil War News in November for the 2nd
Wisconsin's participation in the South Mountain Preservation March and
the re-enactment. Should have some photo's as well. I'll put them on My
site as soon as I can get back to a scanner.
Will be talking to Gary Klas in the near future about doing a
preservation march for The 2nd Wisconsin at Turners Gap. in a year or
two so start gearing up.
Best wishes to all
Tim Fairchild
Association Staff
from Doug Dobbs, Oct. 13, 1999
Thought you boys should see what we accomplished.
The figures below only reflect what we'd collected from the
marchers, and only those amounts in hand by the day of the march.
There's a bit more money that's come in since then and our total for the
effort has climbed over $12,000 at last reckoning. That means your
efforts purchased one and a half display cases, all by yourselves. I've
also seen a draft of the article coming out in the next CW News and it's
going to be great.
Well done, my friends, well done.
Doug
South Mountain March donations by unit
(for those with 3 or more attending)
Unit name
# of registrants
Total given by 9/10/99
2nd Wisconsin 10
$1,132.00
3rd NJ
26
$2,500.00
14th NJ
8
$800.00
15th NJ
12
$3,342.00
This is exciting stuff!
Congratulations Tim on doing such a great job!
RJ Samp
Bugler 2nd WVI, Co. K
