April 30, 2001

Gary-

Thanks for the information.  Greg Edington has most of my Lorenz gun kit
complete.  He's planning on shipping what he has to me shortly, and will
send the remaining parts when they're completed.  A friend of mine who
worked as a gunsmith will be assembling it for me.

Hopefully, one day, I'll be on the target range and do some shooting.  Greg
is going to send me a .54 caliber bullet mold along with the rifle kit, so
I'll have a chance to make some of my own minie balls and give them a
try--perhaps in the near future (fingers crossed).

Rich

April 30, 2001

I was at a North-South Skirmish Association competition this weekend near
Streator, Illinois.  Jim Lieneke, an excellent marksman from Springfield,
Illinois, competed with the original Lorenz he bought last year.

For his first target of the day, he scored a 49-1X out of a possible 50 at
50 yards.  He then went onto the 100 yard competition and scored a 48 out of
a possible 50 there.  The vast majority of skirmishers will never turn in a
target as good as either one of the two Jim shot back-to-back.

Jim is an outstanding shot, but he couldn't do what he did without an
accurate gun.  Jim's Lorenz is all original.  The next time you hear that
old saw about Lorenz's not being accurate, you can dispel that rumor.

Garyvank@aol.com

Gentlemen,

I believe that one of the most important things that a leader can do is
to keep his people informed.  In that spirit I write this letter.  For
those of you who do not yet know, Commander Eric Peterson has decided to
take a job in Atlanta, GA.  He started work on Monday.  On behalf of the
members of Camp #4, I would like to wish him all the best.  We will
greatly miss him.

Now, that Eric has gone, we will need to make some changes.  Part of my
job as SVC was to take over the Commander's position in instances such
as this.  I have done so.  We will need to make some additional changes
in the senior leadership to fill in my vacancy.

Camp #4's next regularly scheduled meeting is on May 11th.  I know that
I will not be able to make this event and believe that a majority of the
membership will likewise be indisposed.  Because of this fact, I have
decided to move the meeting date up one week.  The new meeting date will
be on Friday, May 4 (just over a week away) at MacAllister Hall at 7
pm.  All other meeting will continue to be held at the scheduled time.
This is just a one time change.

In addition to moving this meeting, I am hoping that either PDC Steve
Michaels or Dept. Commander Fred Murphy will be able to attend to answer
any questions that I cannot.

I look forward to leading Camp #4 during this time of transition and I
firmly believe that the caliber of our membership will make this
transition a smooth one.  I am really looking forward to the Dept.
Encampment in two months and believe that it will be a great experience
for us all.  I plan to carry out Eric's plans for the future, including
participation in the Waukesha Memorial Day Parade, gravestone
restoration at the Honey Creek Cemetery and fund raising opportunities
so we can purchase a Camp flag.

If anyone has any questions or concerns, please e-mail me and I will do
my best to answer them.  See you on the 4th!

Yours in F, C, and L,

Acting Commander Scott Gutzke
Camp #4, SUVCWApril 12, 2001

I would like to add as Junior Commander of Camp #4 that we wish Eric 
and family God Speed and that they will be greatly missed.  
And we hope to see him again on the field of history.

"There are but a few of them, but they cannot be whipped; you can "bet" on that.
I know not how you look at it at home, but I assure you that it is "glory" 
enough for any one man in these parts to have the honor of 
belonging to the old "Iron Brigade."
7th Wis, July 1863
 
James Johnson Family

Regarding the Dixie Gunworks Lorenz, I found out that  this is not an
infantry rifle, it's either a carbine or musketoon.  Sorry guys for the
false alarm!  I guess we'll have to keep lobbying the gunmakers to get a
repro made.  Dixie Gunworks' e-mail is info@dixiegunworks.com in case
anyone wants to pursue it with them. -Steve Wyrick, 2WVI Co. "H"

April 11, 2001

Comrades, it was just brought to my attention that Dixie Gunworks is now
offering a repro 1854 Lorenz 54 caliber rifle.  There is a picture and
description at their site at
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/pages/products/PR0911/index.html?L+dgw+fgxw8505+987011796.
This is the first non-kit repro I've seen of this rifle.  It's pricey at
$795 but I'd be interested in getting opinions on how accurate this
rifle is for our impression. -Steve Wyrick, 2nd Wisc. Co. "H"
sjwyrick@earthlink.net

April 5, 2001

Comments and Casting Update

Gods and Generals is the prequel to The Killer Angels, the novel upon which the film Gettysburg was based. Written by Jeff Shaara (son of Michael Shaara, author of The Killer Angels), Gods and Generals will soon be a major motion picture written and directed by Ron Maxwell. The movie will be filmed in and around Sharpsburg, Maryland, the site of the Antietam Battlefield, and on actual historic locations in Virginia and West Virginia. 

Filming is scheduled for Summer-Fall 2001.