<![CDATA[Company D Chronicles]]> http://geocities.com/co_d_2nd_va/blog.html?cq=1 en-us Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:03:42 GMT <![CDATA[Old Bedford Village - April 2008]]> http://geocities.com/co_d_2nd_va/blog.html?cq=1&p=4 I just wanted to give a little recap of the events at Old Bedford Village.



In attendance were

Chris and Vickie Wright

Clint and Billie Jo Wright and Brandon

Wally Rohrbacher

Mike Poling

Daniel Robinson



Wally was the first to arrive at the event and found where we would be staying (in the white school house on edge of town). Chris, Vickie, Mike and Daniel next arrived and began to rearrange the building to accommodate everyone. We all got set up and began a fire. It was already in the evening hours and was soon to get dark. Clint, Billie Jo, and Brandon finally arrived and we got them all set up in the the school house. We all sat around the fire just chatting and catching up. Mark Essig made a visit to our camp and ensured that we were comfortable and had everything we needed.



Saturday - Reveile at 6am. We all got up and prepared and ate breakfast. Lined up at 7:15am and formed the Battalion. We had members from the 55th Va Infantry fall in with our group (5 members). Very nice people and enjoyed their company. They fit in well with our group. Very funny and serious when we needed to be. At 7:30am marched down near the river and formed battle line waiting for the Yanks to finish up breakfast. At 8am, the yanks general said that they needed to conduct a dress parade and attend to other matters. So, we broke ranks and headed back to camp to enjoy a longer breakfast period and down time. We were to report back at 10am. At 10am, we formed the battalion again and marched to the other end of town to find the yanks still not yet ready for the days battle. They were just marching off to their starting positions. So, again, we had to wait on them to get ready. Finally, by about 10:30am the battle started (Fredericksburg). We held positions at the rail fence, but they brought up 2 cannons at opened up a hellacious fire. We fell back to the first buildings on edge of town to fend off a flank attack by a couple of companies of yanks. They kept pushing and continued with bringing forward their artillery. They kept pushing us through town until we ended the first battle at the edge of town. (this is where we would start the 2nd battle of the day (Marye's Heights) out on the Corn field. The battle lasted about an hour. We went back to camp where we gathered something to eat and resupply ourselves for the next battle.



We lined up at 1pm (Battalion) and marched off to the open field. We started off with our backs to the woods that faces the road (Rt. 220/I-99). Here the yanks began pushing us back into the woods across the mushing ground and up to fortified positions at top of the heights. (Marye's Heights). The ground did resemble the original ground. The yanks came, wave after wave up at our fortified positions and time after time, we beat them back with a sustained fire. That is where the battle ended. It lasted also about an hour.



The battles were not over though. We were told we would be marching out again around 6pm. In the meantime, we all went back again to resupply ourselves and grab something to eat and rest. We played the game cornhole for awhile. At 6pm, Clint, Mike and Daniel, and I all went to meet up with remnants of other companies. The Yanks went out to the cornfield. We broke off into 3 separate companies. The first would push through the cornfield straight at them, our company would hit them from the woods on their left, and the other company would hit them from the woods on the right. Well, the company on their right ran into their sharpshooters. there main body (in the cornfield) turned slightly to help fight our troops on there right. Well we opened fired from there left shooting many in there backs. Well, when some of them turned to fight us, the other rebel company opened fired from the cornfield in there center. It could not have been any better. We pushed the yanks from where we were. They were able to make it to the woods on there right and got around the rebels that were in there center. We basically turned there army completely around (did a 180). Clint and I broke off and ran down a path in the woods along the river. there we caught up with a couple others that were fight the yank sharpshooters. We went under the covered bridge and found cover in some high brush and a fence line. We had them completely surprised and were now on there left flank. We rose up and opened up a devastating fire on them. They were demoralized and had to fall back as the other rebels regrouped and pushed hard in there center. We had one that battle hands down.



After the battle we all went back to our camps where we just rested and played more games (cornhole) and chatted. Clint, Billie Jo, and Brandon left around 9pm. We all went to bed to only awake with the downpouring of rain. Mark Essig came by a little later and just told us to pack up that there was heavier ran on its way. So, we all packed up, went to Denny's to eat breakfast and then all went home.



I would say that it was a very nice weekend, with plenty of action other than we constantly had to wait on the yanks to get ready. We all missed those who could not make the event and hope to see everyone out at the next event(s).
]]> Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:03:42 GMT <![CDATA[Jack-o-mellon entry for October 9, 2007]]> http://geocities.com/co_d_2nd_va/blog.html?cq=1&p=2   On a side note, a new tradition has been started, it actually was started at the 145th Antietam event.  It is where will Jack-o-mellon be next.  You have to come back often to see where it will be and will have to view the pictures to see what he has been in to.  See, Tony started with carving a watermellon (yes, a watermellon and not a pumpkin) at the 145th Antietam event.  But it didn't really click until the Perryopolis event where we decided to turn this into a little fun.  We hope everyone will like it.  It will be fun taking pictures and writing where he has been.]]> Tue, 09 Oct 2007 23:32:59 GMT <![CDATA[Entry for October 9, 2007]]> http://geocities.com/co_d_2nd_va/blog.html?cq=1&p=1
    Camps were set. Saturday morning came with beautiful HOT weather. Now the site itself is a work in progress. Period barracks and bathrooms have been built. Gun emplacement, entrenchments with head logs, and they are not finished yet. They will clear more land for next year, but the site is beautiful and reenactor friendly.  Both sides of the field now have pyrotechnic devices, which is new. The battle raged on Saturday with the Federal Troops assaulting us. Naturally they lost. A dinner was served Saturday night by the Sons of Italy, manicotti, salad, Italian bread.

    Saturday evening came, the camp was alive with good friends visiting each other and enjoying each other's company. Now folks, I thought I'd seen everything since I've been reenacting (9 years).  But this is one for the books. A tiki torch was placed by the porta potties and lit so people knew, in the dark, where the porta potties were.  Somehow or another, later in the evening, it must have fallen over, onto a porta pottie. Which is plastic and naturally, the porta potties burnt to the ground.  During this confusion, Col. Essig managed to give the command in camp for the first time of his life, "bucket brigade." And, hopefully, the last time.  All of this while he was managing to put on his trousers, stumbling drunk.  A site to see. 

    Sunday morning arrived, elements of the army marched to the site.  Taps were blown for our lost comrades in blue. (porta johns)  Speeches were given. We knew them well. They were new to the hobby, and we would miss their service, at least on Sunday.  Even a tombstone was created for our fallen comrades.  All kidding aside, no one was hurt, the fire was put out in short order.

    Sunday's battle, we assaulted the heights with the artillery pounding their position. We attacked but our advance was futile. Both days the battles were hot, lots of powder was burnt, and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves.  Thanks to the town of Perryopolis for all they've done, Birney's division, well done, gentlemen.  To the units from 3rd Regiment who made the event, 15th Al, 42nd Miss, 5th VA, 2nd VA,  and all the other folks who attended the event.
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