First Georgia Regulars Roster
Current Members
Brad Bonner Valley, AL
Jim Boone Kingsland, GA
Alex Carter Matthews, NC
Hamp Chauncey Dahlonega, GA
Robert Corey Hinesville, GA
George Eason Baxley, GA
Rod Glock Warner Robins, GA
Jerry Gouge Hilton Head, SC
Chuck Haskell Waverly Hall, GA
Dutch Henderson Milledgeville, GA
Andrew Jerram Dahlonega, GA
Richard Kelly Waverly Hall, GA
Jamie King Orlando, FL
LeBron Matthews Columbus, GA
Phil Maxfield Leesburg, GA
Trace Scalf Valley, AL
Brad Scott Ft. Benning, GA
Mark Taylor Smiths, GA
Outstanding Invitations
Harvey Eason
Paul Jerram
Andy Lang
Robbie Mitchell
Mark Pollard
Clint Powell
(Please if you know it get Mark Pollard's address to Jerry Gouge.)
EVENT SCHEDULE
June 23-25 Ft. Jackson, GA Living History
July 21-23 or August 11-13 Wheeler County, GA Drill/Fishing Encampment
September 8-10 Munfordville, KY Battle for the Bridge
October 27-29 Loudoun County, Virginia Preservation March
November 10-12 Lafayette, GA Mahon's Outpost
Members need to contact Jerry Gouge regarding their desire to participate in the above listed events. We need to begin registering now. The September, October and November events require a registration fee. Let's register as a group for each of these events rather than have individuals sending in their monies. We will be meeting with Craig Hadley regarding the November Outpost event Sunday morning at Resaca. We need to decide which date is best for July or August. Contact Jerry Gouge at 800-824-8083 days, 843-757-3689 evenings or at [email protected]. Information regarding the other events will be published in the next newsletter.
FROM THE RANKS Gentlemen the response to-date to our proposition has been extremely positive. We have definitely struck a cord and I see increasing numbers flocking to our colors. Although I am a proponent of campaign style reenacting and traveling light, I am a realist in this regard and believe that reenactors should participate in the fashion which makes them happy. I do not believe that what is right for us is right for all and know that there are some reenactors that will never want to camp campaign style. I do not think we should belittle others for their not adhering to our self imposed standards. I think it is more important for a fellow to be there in the manner to which he is accustomed rather than not be there because he does not want to go campaign style. I feel that in authentic camp we should never see modern equipment, food items, drinks, etc. If you are going to use any of this stuff please keep it hidden from observation at all times not just during public touring times. If you wish to display modern stuff or eat beanie weenies out of a Van Kamps can then camp in the modern camp. There is no room for unauthentic gear on the field, period. CS belt buckles, and gaiters were rare and over the longer term should be avoided by a reenactor. However, these items are trivial compared to wrist watches, modern work boots, sun glasses, cameras, Bic lighters, cigarettes, etc. Highlands hats, though I have seen them or caps like them in camp photos from the Civil War, I feel should not be seen on the battlefield. I would classify their use along the lines of gaiters rather than wrist watches. I think that we need to put our personal wishes aside and attempt to stick with the middle of road in terms of what we wear. I doubt that there were many Confederate Highlands hats worn on the battle field. Honoring your ancestors is all well and good and is to be admired, however we are out there to portray Civil War soldiers not to make a statement regarding our Celtic roots. I think we need to foster an environment conducive to learning. We need to constantly work on improving our impressions. We need to hand stitch our buttonholes while we are watching TV at night. We need to research our uniforms, accouterments and gear so that we are constantly upgrading our level of authenticity. We need to invest in an Army of Tennessee impression and Western Federal impression, not just a Army of Northern Virginia impression. Finally, I think that we need to be tolerant of others and lead by example rather than rag on others or belittle them. Also, I think that we need to nip bad habits in the bud by indoctrinating new recruits early on so that they avoid going down the wrong path. I feel that until a man's kit is complete the first time that he should not be allowed to shop without a "salt" being present to consult with him. That way CS belt buckles, CSA button, gaiters, red bandanas, John Wayne hats, etc will be avoided and money will not be wasted.
SIEGE OF CHATTANOOGA Outpost Event November 10-12, 2000 SCENARIO The time is November 10-12, 1863 along Lookout Creek just beyond the Basin of Lookout Mountain. The siege of Chattanooga has lasted almost two months since the Confederate victory at Chickamauga. Rifle pits, outposts, sentinels, trench works and other works and obstacles have been built surrounding Chattanooga. Along Lookout Creek, the distance between outposts and pickets is sometimes as small a distance as 30 yards. Men from both sides weary of war and seeing the futility of killing during this lull in the fighting form an unofficial truce amongst soldiers. Frowned upon by the field grade officers, it never-the-less exists and there are numerous instances of soldiers meeting at the creek or even wading to a "middle-ground" and there they exchange pleasantries, stories and even various goods from tobacco, coffee, hardtack and even dime novels. However, this truce only exists in the daylight hours, at night there is uneasiness to the outposts. General Sherman and Hooker have already broken through the siege lines with fresh troops and there has already been an unsuccessful Confederate night assault on portions of the newly arrived XII Corps from the eastern theater. These new arrivals were quite conspicuous with their neat uniforms and many of them wearing their distinctive white star corps badges. Many of the battle-weary westerners often wondered aloud "where did all the brigadier generals come from?" Since the night assault, there remained a tension that passed each night that such an assault could happen again from either side. Both sides also knew that a major battle was brewing in the near future now that Hooker's men had arrived. But the daytime truce continued to exist, despite the growing apprehension. This event will attempt to recreate a few days in the days before the assault on Lookout Mountain when men detached from Hooker's XII Corps were now manning the outposts and picket lines along Lookout Creek while facing hardened veterans of Walthall's Mississippi Brigade in the opposing rifle pits, most only yards apart from each other. FIRST PERSON CAMPAIGNING This will be a first person campaigner event with a strong emphasis on the first person. First person will be a requirement of the event and we will be sending all registrants helpful information on how to build a good quality first person character as well as the necessary information for the type of soldier they will be portraying. This will also be a campaigner event as well. No tentage beyond shelter halves will be allowed. We will also be strict on basic uniform requirements as well. These will be included on the web site as well as with the information we mail back to registrants. This will be a 24 hour-day event in which you will either be on duty in a rifle pit, embrasure, picket post or outpost so first person must be maintained throughout. Do not expect any all-out battles or major skirmishes at this event either. The attempt here is to re-create as much as possible the atmosphere amongst the men on both sides of what being on outpost duty at this time during the war was like. We will encourage trading between lines during the day, but there will also be patrols and an uneasy tension at night as well. All interaction between the lines will be spontaneous and not planned; it will be up to each of you to decide what to do and how to handle a given situation with your "alter-ego" across the creek. There will also be the opportunity to help improve or build new works or rifle-pits along your line as well. THE SITE The site is 400 beautiful acres located about 45 minutes south of Chattanooga in North Georgia southeast of Lafayette, Georgia. It is situated along a fresh-spring creek with open forested areas as well as some large open fields behind the tree lines along the creek. There is a large mountain in the background that will replicate Lookout Mountain as well. It is very secluded with no modern amenities or intrusions. AMENITIES There will be no port-a-lets at this event; both sides will dig sinks. Firewood must be chopped and collected as well. There will be no straw or hay either. We will be issuing water purification tablets so folks can use the creek for drinking purposes. This water has been tested once and will be tested again prior to the event. We want to make this as realistic as possible, but safety precautions will be taken. We may have one modern water source available out of site and far away where you may be able to send one water person on a detail if necessary. COMMAND STRUCTURE The overall Confederate commander will be Pat Craddock and the overall Federal Commander is Craig Hadley. Each of these commanders will be appointing 3 to 4 company commanders' well-before the event. These company commanders will then have the freedom to appoint two sergeants and two corporals within their command. So if you plan on registering for this event, you must plan on coming as a private. Even large groups who wish to come cannot keep their own command structure, and they must obtain an invitation. We will be inviting individuals and groups to attend, as this is an invitation event only. If you wish to obtain an invitation you must email one of the two commanders for an invitation. Everyone who has not been appointed as an NCO or Officer by the overall command structure must attend as a private. The company commander's list will be posted on the Cracker Company web site as soon as they are finalized. This is located at www.crackercompany.org REGISTRATION There will be a $5.00 registration fee for this event to help cover expenses with some heavy equipment work that needs to be done with various earthworks and rifle pits. On-site registration of approved groups and individuals will be $10. The registration fee can be mailed to: Outpost Event C/O The Cracker Company P.O. Box 2231 Collegedale, Tennessee 37315 Please make the checks payable to "The Cracker Company". We would greatly appreciate if you would register for this event as soon as possible as we will be limiting the number of troops attending to approximately 100 per side. Please send your name, age, unit affiliation (if applicable), mailing address, email address, phone number and your impression (CS or US) with the check. REFUGEE IMPRESSIONS WANTED We are also wanting good quality refugee impression's for this event, men, women and children. They must conform to strict authenticity standards and portray Southern refugee's fleeing Chattanooga. They must be completely campaign and carry everything on their back, or suitable authentic carts, wheelbarrows or wagons. All enquiries for this impression please contact Craig Hadley directly at [email protected] HOSTS Your hosts for this event will be the Federal campaigning college group "The Cracker Company" based at Southern Adventist University. The core of this group is made up entirely of college students who are learning living history and the Civil War by living it as part of their course work. You can learn more about the Cracker Company by visiting their web site at www.crackercompany.org If you have any other general questions about this event, please email Craig Hadley directly at [email protected] or you may phone him at (423) 954-2631. OFFICIAL WEB SITE The official web site for the event is located in the Cracker Company web site at www.crackercompany.org and is listed as the "Outpost Event". Visit it regularly for updates and new information. This is a unique and very different sort of event than most folks are used to and yet we feel it will be a growing experience for all who attend and participate. We look forward to seeing you there in November.
INVITATION RESPONSES "I would like to thank you for the recent invitation to join the 1st Georgia Regulars! It is an honor to be invited to such a prestigious organization. I accept your invitation without hesitation. I have been looking for such an organization for several years now. I have found what I was looking for in the 1st Georgia State Line and now again the 1st Georgia Regulars. I am very pleased that the hard work and dedication of creating something more than the common mainstream reenactor has caught the attention of people like yourselves and others. I knew there had to be more to reenacting than acres of blue tarp and enough creature comforts to choke a horse. With the Georgia Regulars and the State line, I look forward to increased refinement of my impression and to associate with reenactors who think and believe like I do. Again, thank you!"
PROPOSED CANDIDATES The membership process is as follows: a current member proposes a candidate; the candidate's name is then published in the next newsletter; the then current members have the option of saying either yea or nay; in the event two members feel that the prospect should not receive an invitation to join we will not send him an invitation. The following men have been proposed as potential new members.
Peter Bonner
Ron Green
Hunter Poythress
If you feel that one of these men should not receive an invitation, get in touch with Jerry Gouge at either 800- 824-8083, 843-757-3689 or [email protected]. Any man not receiving two nays by May 15th will be sent an invitation shortly thereafter. If anyone has a man they feel would fit into what we are trying to accomplish, feel free to mention his name to Jerry Gouge who will publish his candidacy in the next newsletter.
FOOTPRINTS Jerry Gouge has multiple copies of Footprints of a Regiment by William Andrews, 1st Sgt. Co. M, this is the history of the 1st Georgia Regulars, if you have not read it and would like to borrow a copy get in touch with him.
COMPANY STRUCTURE Our eventual goal will be to have a membership sufficiently large so that we can field a decent sized company at all events. The company would be composed of two platoons with 1 sergeant for each platoon (1 sergeant, 2 corporals and 14 privates). Each platoon would be composed of two sections with each section having 1 corporal and 7 privates. Ultimately there would be (when on the field) 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 3 sergeants, 6 corporals and 42 privates (54 people). In order to accomplish this goal, we would have to have a membership in excess of 54 as some members would want to fall in with their local units at some events. If our numbers were fewer than three sections, we would be commanded by the senior sergeant and if fewer than one platoon by the senior corporal. Thus, all members will be required to have the capability to portray both their higher rank and a private's impression. In the event that we brigade with elements of other units, depending upon the arrangement we work out with the leadership of the other unit, some of our senior leaders may be able to carry their higher rank despite our having fewer men present. Based upon the above outlined structure and to facilitate a fair amount of growth over the coming months, it seems reasonable for us to carry the following rank structure: one 1st lieutenant, two sergeants and three corporals. Right now that means we would have one lieutenant, one sergeant and one corporal too many. However, based upon the enthusiasm which we are seeing relative to our proposition, I see us at two platoon strength by the end of the summer. Additionally, we need to be prepared for some of our members falling in with their home units at some events and necessarily have to have some back up. I do not see the officer playing that role on the field for a while unless we brigade with another unit. Since we will all come to an event with our private's gear, we really will not appear top heavy. I think we want to keep politics out of our group as much as possible. However, we need to elect some leaders to help facilitate some semblance of structure. To that end, the following members have been nominated for leadership roles (in alphabetic order):
1st Lieutenant: Jerry Gouge, Dutch Henderson
Sergeants and Corporals: Alex Carter, Hamp Chauncey, George Eason, Dutch Henderson, Andrew Jerram, Richard Kelly, Trace Scalf
Vote for one person for officer. For the NCOs rank them top to bottom. The two getting the highest score will be first and second sergeant, the next three will be corporals. Send your votes to Jerry Gouge ASAP and no later than May 21.
Jerry Gouge
2 Crabtree Lane
Bluffton, SC 29910
or see above for phone or email address. I know this is a pain but it is something that needs to be done. We can discuss length of tenure and any other "rules" at the first event which we attend en masse. But I hope we will not overburden ourselves with rules and regulations.
AUTHENTIC BLANKETS, etc. Well you will recall in the last newsletter I discussed the process of dying an old navy blanket to a color like Tuscaloosa gray and mentioning that it looked pretty good. Well I was called to task on this by Alex Carter while at the West Point living history. I must say that he is correct. We really should not be proponents of cutting corners when there are really good authentic reproductions available. As a result I have ordered an Abraham Thomas blanket from Quartermaster Woolens in Minnesota. I have also ordered new Federal equipment from Historic Clothiers, new fatigue blouse, trousers, shirt, wallet, 2 shelter halves, cartridge box and sling. I will not settle for wearing my old 1993 Fall Creek stuff or using my Confederate cartridge box when wearing the blue. And I am not going to use the shelter halves (more like tent flies) which I made back in 1993. I will however share one of my shelter halves with at pard and plan to make them myself for other members of the group and sell them at a much reduced price (damn things were $140 each).
THE LOWLY BLANKET ROLL by Michael Murley EDITOR'S NOTE: The following article was pulled from the web site of the Rowdy Pards. While the myth of veteran soldiers throwing their knapsacks away "en masse" after the first battles of 1861-1862 is, in fact, a myth, it is also true that large numbers of soldiers did indeed use blanket rolls. Sometimes, blanket rolls were temporary expedients to replace lost knapsacks (veterans soon learned to ignore the command "Ground knapsacks"; even if they won the battle, they still might never see their gear again). Sometimes, blanket rolls were simply an individual preference over the knapsack. In at least one case, abandonment of knapsacks was deliberate--the 9th NYSV ("Hawkins's Zouaves") was ordered to leave their knapsacks in Washington when they marched to Antietam in 1862. For the campaigning reenactor, the blanket roll is an alternative to the knapsack. Also, as it was then, it can be used as an occasional addition to the knapsack. First, you need a good, wool blanket. While your blanket roll might contain any or all of: your wool blanket, gum blanket or poncho, or shelter half, the most important part is the wool blanket. There are few really good reproduction blankets available. The reproduction Weissert blanket, sold by the Wisconsin Veterans' Museum, is an exact replica of an almost unused 1864 U.S. Army issue blanket. It is the best blanket on the reenacting market today but, at $125 apiece, they are pricey and there are less than 40 left. The repro U.S. 1861/1862 "emergency" blanket sold by Fall Creek Suttlery is not too bad, although its ends need to be unhemmed. County Cloth also has a good, but expensive, blanket. However, both the U.S. and C.S. armies also used a lot of nondescript blankets. You can get by with buying a good, 100% wool, five-pound blanket-- you will want one that is at least 64"x 72". Avoid any non-wool content, as you can see polyester at 20 yards. Avoid the awful, modern, U.S. government disaster blankets. Avoid modern U.S. Army issue blankets (polyester!). And avoid other U.S. Army issue blankets--even the World War II-era "mustard" types. Try to avoid any blankets with modern markings on them, such as the East German Army blankets that are marked, "NVA". Good colors for 100% wool blankets for Civil War reenacting are gray, blue, white, and tan. To make your blanket roll, lay the blanket out and fold it once on the long axis. Lay out your other essentials that do not go in the haversack (that's for your rations), such as: drawers, extra socks, extra shirt, toothbrush, &c. on the blanket. Now, let's finish it up. How did the Boys of 1861-1865 do it? In his fantastic memoir, The Story of the Common Soldier, Leander Stillwell says, "So we would fold in our blanket an extra shirt, along with a few other light articles. Roll the blanket tight, double it over, and tie the ends together, and then throw the blanket over one shoulder, with the ends tied under the opposite arm." John Worsham, in his Confederate memoir, One of Jackson's Foot Cavalry, gave another view: "I had a very good oilcloth haversack to carry my rations in, a tin cup, a splendid rubber cloth, and blanket, a pair of jeans drawers [!], and a pair of woolen socks; ...The socks and the drawers were placed on the blanket, the blanket was rolled up with the rubber cloth on the outside, the ends drawn together and fastened with a short strap. To carry this, we put it over our head and let it hang from the shoulder." However, as a reenactor, remember: if you keep your poncho rolled up as part of your blanket roll, it will keep your blanket dry, but it is unavailable when it rains. Like the wool blanket, the inclusion of the shelter half in the blanket roll requires that you have a good reproduction shelter half made of lightweight drill, rather than a heavy canvas shelter tent (like the ones sold by Panther) which does not roll decently. The blanket roll needs to be slightly loose, rather than rolled tightly. After rolling it up, you should twist the blanket roll like a piece of taffy. This will make the roll more comfortable to carry and ensure that it does not fall open or come apart on the march. Also, twisting it requires that you tie it only at one end, rather than at the ends and intermediate points as done by most reenactors. Another option to the "mule collar" described above is to make a hobo-roll and tie it off with a U-shaped piece of hemp, sisal, or cotton rope on both ends. Use the rope to sling the "U" over your back and off one shoulder. Some "skinners" [sutlers] sell blanket roll strap-sets for this, although the writer wonders where Billy Yank or Johnny Reb would have gotten these, as he never saw anything like a reenactors' "skinner row" in his years in the army. They do appear, however, in an early-war image of a private in the 2nd Rhode Island Detached Militia-- then-Colonel Ambrose Burnside's regiment--which impressed Washington D.C. with their "business-like" air and appearance prior to First Bull Run, when they marched through town in their overshirts, jeans trousers, and blanket rolls. Finally, this writer recommends that you study some photographs of soldiers of the period--particularly soldiers of your own regiment (if you can find such photos)--and most especially those of men in the field. Whether you opt for a knapsack or blanket roll, pattern your living history appearance after these individuals.
ARE YOU TOO CLEAN? By Mike Murley One area that progressive reenactors (and even some 'hard cores') have a very hard time with is the "on the march" impression. Compared to the "Boys of '61-'65," most of us are unnaturally clean, even after the two days of an event. First, we keep our uniforms and ourselves too clean. Soldiers did not have dry cleaners to take their 'suits' to every time they got a smudge on them. Soap was issued, but the ration was so small (2 ounces per man per three days when available in the Federal army, and far more infrequently in the Confederate) as to be almost insignificant for laundry use. In 1864, Sergeant Rice C. Bull, 123rd NYVI wrote: "One of the hardest conditions we had to face in the service, when in the field, was the lack of an opportunity to keep clean. When near a small stream we could not bathe or wash in it as the troops along its banks were using the water for drinking and cooking. To wash our face and hands a comrade poured it for us from a canteen. When we could get it we carried a piece of soap but none was issued to us when in active field service. Usually in the field there was little chance to wash or clean our clothes. ."(1) A Confederate contemporary agreed that it was impossible to keep clean on campaign: "To do full duty in the ranks, especially in the infantry, it was simply impossible for us to be altogether free from dirt and vermin, with the best pains we could take. To be sure there were some soldiers who were not as careful of cleanliness, in person and clothing, as they might have been; and yet, when we consider that there were thousands...who were without a change of garments, and remember that we constantly marched through dust and mud, or were transported in dirty cars, and slept almost constantly on the ground, the utter futility of their undertaking to be free from dirt and vermin, in any effectual sense, is but too obvious. With all the washing that could be done (and we were frequently where we could scarcely get a sufficient supply of drinking water) and all the care that could otherwise be taken of garments and persons, there was the barest possibility oftentimes of an approach to cleanliness"(2) While it would be natural to wash your drawers, socks and shirt after an event, don't wash or clean your uniform. Those mud and grass stains, black marks from powder and your cooking gear, &c need to be there, After all, even if you do 12 events a year, that's what - 24 or 36 days worth of wear your outer clothing gets? That's about a month's worth of campaigning in a year - so if you clean your uniform after every event, you'll never get the right 'look'. The other alternative is to try to get really dirty fast at an event. Unfortunately, rolling in the dirt just makes you look like you rolled in the dirt. There is a natural, modern tendency to be repelled by this. It must be overcome if you want to have a realistic impression (instead of looking like an extra from 'North and South'). You can air your uniform out outside for a day or two when you come back from an event if you are concerned with the wood smoke smell. And then there are parades! There is also a modern tendency to get 'gussied up' for parades and memorial services. This puts every effort to look like the 'Boys' way back. If you can't resist, you'll always look 'wrong.' One answer is, of course, to get a 'fancy' uniform for those modern functions. First, never use modern polishes (Brasso, Never-Dull, &c) on your brass. These polishes were just unavailable. Wood ash and water was the method used by period soldiers and it produces a softer, more golden polished appearance than harsh modern polishes. Secondly, brush your uniform and hang it outside rather than dry clean it. While dry cleaning was invented in France prior to the Civil War, it was not something soldier on either side had access to. Never press creases into your period trousers - that is a much later 'affectation' and is never seen in period images. A good rain storm will also get a lot of the salts and dirt out of the cloth (as will a gentle hand washing). Blacken your leather with a good paste shoe polish. Use it sparingly and avoid a high gloss shine. Pure neatsfoot oil is good for leather - but avoid anything with petroleum additives. Saddle soap is a good cleaner for leather. Then we have our shiny clean faces and hands. The veterans had lived rough, with little or no chance to bathe, for months - perhaps years. Black powder and smoke from fires Dirt and grime was worked deep into their skin. How to deal with this? 'Stage Dirt' (available form costume and theatrical supply houses) is one option. Real dirt and ash is another. Black from the bottom of your fry pan / dipper / canteen half is good too. Whatever you use - pile it on (in a realistic fashion)! We need to look like we have actually been living hard and fighting - instead of like we just stepped out of the shower and pulled on our immaculately clean uniform. The main point is that we are trying to look like real Confederate or Federal soldiers, rather than actors. These men lived rough, with only the comforts that they carried on their back, for weeks, months, even years at a time. If you wear your period clothing and accouterments like they are your normal clothes, rather than a 'costume' - then you'll 'feel' right. To do this takes a serious effort to that is begins with dropping the 20th century (almost 21st !) mind-set of how clothing is supposed to look -- of what is 'fashionable' -- of where the 'waist' is -- &c. If you wear 19th century clothing in a 20th century manner. . . you will never feel or look 'right'. 1. K. Jack Bauer, ed. Soldiering: The Civil War Diary of Rice C. Bull, 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry, p. 108 2. Albert T. Goodloe, Confederate Echoes, pp. 161-2.
HUMOR FROM THE WAR A Connecticut soldier writes home that the commissary at Annapolis has given the boys so much mule meat that the ears of the whole regiment have grown 3 « inches since their arrival. A countryman was in the town of Lumpkin, Georgia last week, and someone asked him how he liked the war news. He replied, "Very Well." "Are you to go?" he was asked. "Yes," he replied. "Are you not afraid?" "No. If I should see a Yankee with his gun levelled at me, I would draw out my pocketbook and ask him what he would take for his gun, and right there the fight would end."
RESACA Let's camp together in the Confederate works Saturday night._