May

I'm aware of everyone's busy schedules and priorities, yet I wish to make a plea to any of our regiment "within shouting distance of Pardeeville" of the importance of this upcoming Memorial Day, Monday, May 28th at 2:00 p.m. I checked with Company K's schedule that day and Craig Mickelson said they have the morning event at Forest Lawn in Madison but in the afternoon he's expecting a total of 8 that will appear in uniform at the Veteran's Memorial Dedication in Pardeeville Wisconsin. Major Wallick will be managing the troops but with only 8, that isn't enough to really make him raise his voice. This is where I am throwing in my two cents (actually more then that).

Ninty out of the 437 who served from the Pardeeville area were casualties
Of that, nine were from the 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and all 9
from Company G known as the "Portage Light Guard" in the early days of
the war. These include:
    Van R. Bentley            Dekorra
    Charles Blackman        Dekorra
    Charles P. Bloom         Wyocena
    John Chapman            Wyocena
    Judah T. Loomer        Dekorra
   George W. Mack        Wyocena
    Randall C. McDonald   Lowville
    Aadron F. Pardee        Pardeeville
    Alonzo P. Tiffiny        Fort Winnebago

Company G of the 2nd just happens to be your Chaplain's "neck of the woods" and he holds special favor to them. This is why I will be conducting a RAFFLE at $1.00 a ticket for anyone who participates under Major Wallick's command at the Pardeeville dedication at 2:00 p.m. that afternoon. 120 packaged cartridges (12 boxes of 10 each) plus one tin (250) caps is the one and only prize. Participants may purchase one or as many tickets their little ole hearts desire. The more the merrier I say. This would be ideal for anyone planning on FIRST BULL RUN or a nice reserve for upcoming reenactments elsewhere. The raffle (again) is open to ANYONE showing up and partaking in the ceremonies at the Pardeeville Veteran's Memorial Dedcation. One winner takes all!

This raffle is being sponsored by the Regimental Chaplaincy and U.S. Sanitation Commission (in the same light as any typical Catholic sponsored Bingo game). Prizes and operating expenses have been donated by F. Cook - Chaplain 2nd Wisconsin Infantry. All money collected will be turned over to those in charge of the upcoming FIRST BULL RUN EXPEDITION to help offset travel expenses.

God bless those who come (as well as those that don't).

Any help you can give in getting this info out to the numerous companies of our
Association will be greatly appreciated.

Your obedient Servant,

F. Cook

Regimental Chaplain

Mark Elrod wrote: Thanks to all who help me determine if it is wartime or not! As a way of saying thanks, included is an unpublished (until this summer) shot of the band of the 12th Wis. Thought you all would enjoy seeing it!
From what I can see, there is too much tubing for the instrument to be an Eb soprano. It does appear that it is a side action rotary valve affair of some kind, possibly a large bore Bb cornet and maybe even a bell front Eb alto.
It is definitely not a Stratton instrument. There is also a possibility that the image is just post wartime-say 1866-67. this would certainly be the case if the instrument were a bell front Eb alto. Is there a back mark on the CDV?
RJ Samp wrote:
Unfortunately the arm covers up much of the instrument......
To me this looks like an Eb Cornet, soloist style (bell front). Probably Top Action (fingers on top), string rotary valves.
The lead pipe is very simple/clean, with no tuning slide/setscrew visible around the mouthpiece. It seems to be adjustable however, with possibly a setscrew nearer the valves.
There is a garland, or second reinforcing bell on the instrument. And the light color of the instrument suggests silver or possibly German Silver(nickel) plating.
Graves??? Stratton? Draper?
RJ Samp
> > Sr. Consultant
> > Cowley and Associates
> >
> > 100 W Roosevelt Rd Bldg A2, Ste 201
> > Wheaton, IL 60187

-----Original Message-----
From: James Pierotti [mailto:jimpierotti@bentscookiefactory.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 12, 2001 2:54 PM
To: gvankauw@dor.state.wi.us
Subject: Hardtack Crate Now Available.

Hello,
Greetings from the maker of Bent Co Hardtack, original suppliers to the
Union Army during the War between the States.
I just wanted to send a quick note to inform you that our Hardtack crate is
now available for sale. You can order it online at
http://www.hardtackcracker.com <http://www.hardtackcracker.com> . Or you
may call us at 617-698-5945. The price is $85.00 plus shipping costs. We
will email or call you with the exact total amount upon receipt of your
order. To preview what this replica crate looks like just go to our website
and click on the hardtack crate button or go to the order form and click the
description there. We worked very hard in creating a piece of history that
is much sought after. We hope you'll agree the wait and effort was worth it.
Thanks for your patience and support.
James Pierotti
G.H. Bent Co.
National Register of Historic Places

May 14, 2001
A guy who never got active with Co. K got out of reenacting so I bought his musket.
I am willing to sell it, the particulars are below:

* 1861 Springfield Musket EOA
* Includes a sling
* Includes a canvas gunsack
* It is in excellent shape, about 4 years old.
* I've got it oiled up nicely,
* Asking $360 cash.

If you know of anyone who may be interested pass this along, thanks. My home phone is: (608) 274-7109 that is in Madison, work phone and email address below.

Thanks!

Craig S. Mickelson
cmickelson@commerce.state.wi.us
(608) 264-7821
FAX 2(608) 266-0182

PNJW COLLECTIONS AND THE AURORA CLOTHING STORE PRESENT:

A CIVIL WAR ERA CIVILIAN EXHIBIT AT
FORT DONELSON NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD
JULY 20-22, 2001

This exhibit contains over one hundred items of Civil War era civilian
clothing (men's, women's, and children's), shoes, bonnets, parasols, mourning
jewelry, political "tickets", publications, Northern and Southern currency,
photographs, and more. Included in the display are original newspaper articles
concerning Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. The private collections will be on
display at the Fort Donelson Visitor Center that is located only one and
one-half hours northwest of Nashville. The National Battlefield, National
Cemetery and "Surrender House" are located on the Cumberland River in the scenic
village of Dover, Tennessee.

For any additional information about Fort Donelson, its summer schedule and
activities, or about the exhibit, please call 931-232-5706.

Tempo
When `Dixie' came north Civil War buffs are singing a happy tune
MICHAEL KILIAN

05/10/2001
Chicago Tribune
(Copyright 2001 by the Chicago Tribune)

This sleepy old Potomac River town two miles south of the Antietam
Battlefield always puts me in mind of the Civil War and such illustrious
names as Robert E. Lee, Fighting Joe Hooker and A.P. Hill.

And Mary Tyler Moore.

I'll explain in a bit. First, wonderful news!

Millions of us Civil War addicts have watched the movies "Gettysburg" and
"Glory" over and over again so many times that we can repeat Robert E. Lee's
lines --"General, is Mississippi ready today?" -- in our sleep (and,
according to my wife, sometimes do).

We've had to, because there's been nothing else on the screen since.

But lo! Next year, at long last, we'll have a brand-new Civil War epic
coming to screens everywhere. Ron Maxwell, the writer-director of
"Gettysburg," is at work on another monumental Civil War movie.

Made in 1993, "Gettysburg" was based on Michael Shaara's great historical
novel "The Killer Angels." Maxwell's latest is based on an even better book
by Shaara's son Jeff, "Gods and Generals," and is all about the horrific
Battle of Fredericksburg that preceded the Pennsylvania fight by seven
months.

"Everyone who was in `Gettysburg' will be in `Gods and Generals,'" said
Maxwell. That includes Jeff Daniels as Joshua Chamberlain and Cooper
Huckabee as the rebel actor/spy Harrison.

The central character this time will be Stonewall Jackson (a dreadful
fellow, in my book) and there will be at least two major female characters.
And it won't pull punches.

"There is no way to do it without revealing the federal bombardment and
pillage of Fredericksburg," said Maxwell, himself a Civil War scholar.
"There was an orgy of despoliation and violence. After Fredericksburg, it
was total war."

But back to Mary Tyler Moore and her contribution to Civil War lore.

The actress is descended in part from a family of German settlers named
Schindler who, from 1815, owned one of the most substantial houses on German
Street, Shepherdstown's main drag.

The Schindlers sold the house to a church in 1867, just after the war. In
1995, the house came up for sale again, and Moore bought it for $200,000.
She gave the house to nearby Shepherd College for the establishment of the
George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War; the center is
named for her father, a man with a passionate interest in history.

Its mission is scholarship and archival research. The center also holds
Civil War conferences, and I've just attended one devoted to "The Music of
the Civil War Era."

This featured concert pianist Helen Beedle of Spoleto Festival fame, a
gifted lady who often performs in period costume and whose repertoire runs
to such pop tunes of the 1860s as "The Wheatland Polka," "The Dying Poet,"
"The Ericsson Schottisch," "Lorena" and (as it was originally titled)
"Dixie's Land." Her specialty is the "Galop," an 1860s dance in 2/4 time.

Also on hand was the Wildcat Regimental Band, a Pennsylvania Union Army
re-enactment ensemble adept at such tunes as "Captain Shepherd's Quick Step"
and the "Astor House Polka."

As we cannot possibly imagine in this modern era of myriad forms of
electronic entertainment, music played a tremendously important role in
American life -- and just as vital a one in the war that almost tore the
country apart.

Maxwell, who served as keynote speaker at the conference, in part researches
his movie scripts by listening to the music of the time. In the North, that
was patriotic music on the order of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

The South, which was no country, tried to become one through music.

"To southern songwriters, the South's geographical bedrock was climate,"
said Maxwell. "Whenever the South was mentioned in song, it was invariably
compared as sunny . . . in contrast with frigid northern snows, which in
turn explain frigid northern hearts."

Other southern songs likened Confederate soldiers to knights and cavaliers,
equated secession with the American Revolution and made fun of slaves who
wanted to be free.

But the one that took the most hold, of course, was Miss Beedle's "Dixie."

Maxwell recalled how, in 1864, the 1st New York cavalry came through these
parts burning the homes of Confederate sympathizers. The family of one
Shepherdstown house had removed their piano and other furniture to the yard
in the belief it would be spared, but the Yankees ordered it all put back in
the house and then set fire to it.

"They were dumbstruck by the sound of `Dixie' coming out of the house,"
Maxwell said. "One of the daughters had slipped back into the home and was
showing her defiance. They went inside, found the girl and dragged her from
the flaming piano and house."

Sitting on Mary Tyler Moore's porch here on a soft spring evening, you can
almost hear her still.