The 2009 Reenactment Season has officially come to a close. It was concluded with the Mechanicsville Christmas Parade on Sunday December 6^th and the Christmas Open House at the Museum of the Confederacy on Sunday December 13^th. I would like to thank everyone who helped with these events. Those at the parade included Tom Stafford, David Gammon, Jack Alexander, Jonathan Alexander, Mike Vice, Wes Catlett, and Matthew Guillen. Matt is a potential recruit we were able to outfit for the parade. He served as our flag bearer. A special "thank you" goes out to the Alexanders and Mike Vice for making the drive to Richmond, and a special "double thank you" goes to Muriel Alexander for passing out the F company fliers with the candy canes attached.

Those at the MOC Christmas included David Gammon, Ryan Hughes, Matt Gammon, Bob Baird, and Wes Catlett. Although the turnout was not as much as expected due to the heavy, and steady rain, the period music and refreshments of hot apple cider was enjoyed by all. F Company even had it’s picture taken with Santa. Thanks again for everyone’s support.

Going back to November for a moment, F Company participated in the Civil War Show at Richmond International Raceway the weekend of November 21 and 22. F Company members there included Jack Alexander, David Gammon, Bob Baird, Bill Ward, Tom Stafford, and Eldridge Firth. We got some good prospects and hopefully will get some new recruits out of them. Thanks to those who helped with the show.

Speaking of new recruits, I would like to introduce F Company to our latest recruit and newest member, Brett Weidman. Brett is from Newmanstown, Pennsylvania. He is a construction worker and college student who eventually wants to be a history teacher. He is already looking forward to the annual meeting and Camp of Instruction. Please help me welcome him to the unit and make him feel at home.

With this being the end of the ’09 reenacting season I do want to express my appreciation for all the help and support from all F Company members. This is not a one man show. No one person can run a company and organization of this caliber by himself. It takes everyone working together. Some may contribute more than others but most do what they can. I have found that people make time to do what they really want to do and that the more you put into something the more you get out of it. So a big thanks to each and every member of F Company for what you do to make F Company the best reenactment unit in the hobby today.

Now along those same lines and something to think about and keep in mind, we are on the verge of the 150^th anniversary of the war. I got into reenacting just in time to make it to the 125^th anniversary of Sayler’s Creek and Appomattox. Appomattox especially is one of the highlights of my reenacting career. I will never forget F Company in formation with the other Confederated forces on the side of a hill. A musician played a very slow and moving version of "Dixie" on his squeeze box. It was awesome and I still get chill bumps just thinking about it. Then we marched into the village of Appomattox and stacked arms, draped our accouterments on the stacks, and furled the colors. It was a very somber and serious occasion treated with the highest degree of respect and decorum that it so richly deserved. There are other events that stand out the 135^th of Antietam, being in the sunken road and the 135^th of Gettysburg. These events were simply awesome if because of nothing else but the sheer number of participants. We are on the verge of doing this again, this time even bigger and better. So get ready F Company, because it’s coming and we will be there!

In the more immediate future please take note of the following. This is a combination newsletter for the months of December and January. The next newsletter will be February 2010. Also please keep the following dates in mind. The Annual business meeting will probably be Saturday February 20^th. The location is yet to be determined. The Camp of Instruction will be the weekend of March 20^th and 21^st with a rain date of March 27^th and 28^th. The site will be Fort Harvie / Camp Pate.

Last but not least I do want to wish everyone a blessed holiday season. I know that for a lot of us, this has been a very challenging year. Many of us are experiencing financial difficulties during these troubling economic times. Many off us have experienced sickness or ailments and physical afflictions. Some have even had relationship problems of the highest degree at home. In spite of all of this, I hope you will take this time to reflect and evaluate. Things may not be as we would wish and we may not have everything we want but even so I still think we have a lot to be thankful for. It is said that difficult and trying times help to build character and I do think that good things come out of adversity even though we may not understand or see that for some time later. During this Christmas time, I hope you will remember the true reason for the season whether you consider yourself a religious person or not and that is to celebrate the birth of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. I hope you know him!

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

Respectfully Submitted,

Captain Tony Turley

I would like to thank everyone who was able to attend the Mechanicsville Parade. They were Jack Alexander, Jonathan Alexander, Muriel Alexander, Mike Vice, David Gammon, Wes Catlett, Tony Turley, and possible future F Company member Matthew Guillen. We were blessed with decent weather and an excellent crowd. A special thanks to Mrs.Alexander for handing out Company flyers and candy canes.

The year is coming to an end and it has been an interesting one to say the least. Our Nations economy has been rough for everyone and it has been tough for Members to make it to events. I would like to thank everyone in F Company for hanging in there and trying to participate this year.

   I would like to wish everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR. May GOD watch over you and your families. Say a prayer for our Troops and their families around the World, because of their sacrifices we are able to live in this Great Country of Ours. Take care Y'ALL and I look forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting in February.

Your Humble Servant

1st Lt J. Thomas Stafford

Gentlemen,

                    The season has wound to a close and now we wait out winter. This snow is for the birds. I want to welcome our newest member to the unit. Brett Weidman has joined our numbers from Pennsylvania. Brett, we hope you will have an enjoyable and lengthy stay with F Co. We have another young man interested in the unit, who marched with us in the parade in Mechanicsville. His name is Matthew Guillen and he lives here in the Richmond area. The following Sunday we attended the open house at the Museum of the Confederacy. It was a nasty, rainy day but we had a nice, dry spot in the museum. Thanks to all who attended these last events of the season.

I would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!!! Please make use of the time off between now and the start of next season to check your gear and make necessary repairs and/or replacements. If you are a new member, this gives you about three months head start to begin collecting your gear. If you have any questions about the process please feel free to contact me or any member of the uniform committee. I wouldn't want you to spend money on something that wouldn't pass inspection.

     I look forward to seeing everyone at the annual meeting and camp of instruction.

Respectfully,

1st Sgt. Gammon