First Sergeants Report

Battle Shirt update:  The first eight shirts were delivered to the company and have been given out, the remaining nine shirts are being made now.  They were a great hit at McDowell.  Do not worry they will be done by First Manassas.

Explore Park:  I am currently promoting the annual Explore Park event on Oct. 13 and 14.  Now that you have a battle shirt, excuses about not having a proper uniform will not work.  This is a great living history event and a good fund raising event!  Located in the beautiful mountains of Roanoke.  Let me know if you are interested. Currently we have four members signed up for this event and I need more!!!  Call me if you want to go or have any questions about the event.

Money owed:  The following owe the company for Fort Pochantas, Eddy, Pierce and Franklin.

Cedar Creek and Fort Branch:  I will be mailing out registration for these events by the first of August.  The following have signed up:

Cedar Creek: Capt. Jones, Lt. Turley, Cpl. Perry, Lawrence, C. Perry, Pierce, Ramsey, Stafford, Pearson, Franklin, Voshell, Norman, Courson, Gregory.

Fort Branch: Capt. Jones, Lt. Turley, Cpl. Perry, Lawrence, C. Perry, Pierce, Ramsey, Pearson, Alexander, Vice, Courson, Gregory, Hicks, and Ward.

If you did not sign up and want to go let your corporal know, and if your plans have changed and you cannot go let your Corporal know.

Recruiting:  For those of you who took flyers and posters at the annual meeting, I have not received any calls about recruiting.  So go to your closet and dig out those flyers and posters and get them out where the public can see them.  If you need more contact Cpl. Pearson.

New Event:  Due to the loss of South Mountain, an alternate living history event has been proposed by Capt. Jones.  Annual Civil War Days at Chesapeake Central Library will be held Sept. 8&9, 2001.  The following members that signed up for South Mountain will automatically be signed up for this event, Capt. Jones, Lt. Turley, Norman, Hicks, Franklin, Stafford, Cpl. Perry, Pierce, C. Perry, Sineath, Price, Firth, Gregory, Vice, Wood, Pearson, Ramsey, Ward, Courson.  Let me know of you want to attend immediately.  Details will come as soon as I have them.  I need to register for this event by July 15, 2001, so let me know!

Gettysburg:  The July 6, 7, 8, Gettysburg event is upon us and here is the info you will need.  The event is in the same place as last year at the Yingling Farm.  Directions will be at the end of this column.  There is a complementary dinner served on Saturday night to all registered reenactors.  The following have been preregistered:  Lt. Turley, First Sgt. Wilson, 2^nd Sgt. Firth,  Cpls. Perry, Pearson, and Norman, and Privates Courson, Franklin, Gregory, Lawrence, Pierce, Price, Ramsey, Sineath, Voshell, Ward, and Wood.

Event schedule: 

Friday July 6^th
1:00 p.m.  Skirmish-Herrs Ridge:  The officers nor myself will be there at that time but if you want to participate find a company to jump in with. 

Saturday July 7^th
8:00 a.m. F Co. breakfast:  Bring your money(small bills).
11:00 a.m.  Battle of Little Round Top
4:30 p.m.    Battle of Spangler’s Spring
6:00 p.m.    Complementary Dinner

Sunday July 8^th
8:00  a.m.  F Co. breakfast:  Bring your money.
11:30 a.m.  Calvary Battle
2:00   p.m.  Picketts Charge

Please note to bring small bills for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. 

Directions:  US Route 15 to Steinwehr Ave., go 200 yards make left of to Bull Frog Road.  Continue on Bull Frog Rd. to Pumping Station, make right to Reenactment site.

Manassas Update  from JD Adjutant Mr. Mink

 On Saturday, June 2, Mr. Hendricks attended the Manassas site walk through conducted by the event organizers. Myself and Mr. Anders were also present. We also met Mr. Jessee, the division commander, who is from Florida.Initially, the organizers covered the general layout and how they planned.  The arrival and departure of participants. The site is directly off US 15, just north of Leesburg, VA. There is presently only one road in and out, although there was some mention of possibly  getting a second exit. After registering, we would drive a perimeter road to the camping area, unload and then park our cars.

The whole site is only 1.6 miles from end to end and we are in the end near the parking area. I would estimate we are a half mile from the sutlers and food concession area and just a little more than that to the  parking area. The battle area is also close, so there will be no long marches.

  There is no, and I say this again, no shade in the camping area. Col.Cummings is reinforcing what was agreed at the February meeting that units should bring A-frame tents and tent flies. You will have to make your own shade and Virginia in August can be a killer. He is also directing that each company designate one A frame as a logistic tent for water and ice. Plan now on bringing containers for water and ice. It may not be authentic, but neither is an ambulance with flashing lights in the camp area picking up heat exhaustion cases. Water is planned (trailers, not water lines) for the camp area. However, we do not know how many or how far away.

  When Mr. Hendricks walked the designated campaign camping area it was obvious that we could not use it. The ground cover was calf high poison ivy. It was the most healthy and extensive crop of the stuff I have ever seen. The organizers have stated that they intend to spray the poison ivy and hopefully this will take care of the major part. However,  we have adjusted our location to a less infested area. The camp will be laid out formally with company streets with the commanders located according to the manual. Companies can "campaign" without tents, but this must be in their respective company street.

  The organizers and Gen. Clark's Chief of Staff, Mr. Tolar, went to great lengths stressing safety. With the recent 2d shooting incident, everyone is very concerned. They stressed not letting walk ons fall in with you. If you, or someone in your unit, do not personally know and can vouch for an individual, do not accept them.

 All weapons, to include pistols,and event medallions (passes) will be checked just before each battle. This will include firing each weapon and checking cartridges. Weapons will be checked against a set of points to be sent out which include common sense items such as, cones clean and properly seated, half cock functional, bore clean and barrel bands tight, bayonet lug on the rifle or the bayonet is left in camp and the same holds true if there is no bayonet tip on the scabbard.

  Right now there are 4,000 reenactors registered, but they gave no guess as to how many they expect. However, they said there seems to be a higher percentage of civilian reenactors over previous events.

  The site will be open the  Wednesday before the event, but no times have been established yet as to when cars have to be out of camp and when they will be allowed back in on Sunday.

   As a reminder, units need to learn the bugle calls (tapes have been provided) and to procure the white arm bands. Additionally, the Stonewall Brigade is reminded that they are responsible for coordinating the medical and ordnance scenarios.

 Mr. Mink

 Please note: F Company will provide two tent flies for shade and one A-Frame for storage.  This storage will be for coolers of ice (provided by members) and the company water jugs (provided by the company).  If you have a large cooler and would like to provide it as an ice receptacle, please bring it with ice in it.  The more we have the less chance of getting caught by the heat.  This is also a good time to bring up Mr. Gregory's article on Avoiding Heat Injuries.

Avoiding Heat Injuries
by Pvt. Gregory

Summer is approaching on great big cat’s feet. We will be attending some events that require being out in the heat. This means an increased possibility of heat injuries/heat stroke. Avoiding heat stroke/heat injury is not difficult, but requires absolute and rigid adherence to certain rules or dos & don'ts. The latest medical research into heat injuries says follow these simple rules.

1. BE IN SHAPE! Reenacting involves running around, carrying loads etc. If you are a out of shape or have medical problems, limit your activity to what you know you can do - if this means being a camp guard half of the weekend so be it.

2. ACCLIMATIZE: If you are going to be out a lot in the heat reenacting, try and spend plenty of time at home in the heat...go for walks in the heat of the day etc. - start slowly to help build resistance. If going to a much hotter area, try to get there a few days early and get used to it BEFORE you run around in heavy marching order.


3. HYDRATE: WATER! WATER! WATER! Water is the best fluid to have. Sports drinks like Gatoradeä contain carbohydrates that act as osmotic diuretics, and unless you are running a marathon or haven't eaten for 2-3 days you don't need the calories. Likewise the electrolytes are not needed, especially with the salty diet we eat while reenacting. Caffeine drinks, like coffee and tea are diuretics; but, the ratio of fluid in to fluid out is so small that it is not a major difference, but still the more of them you drink, the more water you should drink to make up the difference. Alcohol is also a diuretic, and it interferes with thermo-regulation, be moderate and don't drink & exercise in the heat. The absolute worst stuff is soda. A soda contains tons of caffeine and sugar, which is a double diuretic whammy. When you go to the skinners row and drink a couple of sodas and you think you are "hydrated", you are wrong and you just made things worse.

4. WATER BELONGS IN YOU, NOT YOUR CANTEEN: There are a fair number of recorded instances of men dying with water in their canteens they were "saving". It used to be a hallmark of the military to spend all day with only one canteen. All they were doing is setting them up for the big sleep. Drink up early and often, if you get empty and no water is in sight take a hit and quit. Hypothermic brain damage is far worse than cardiac arrest. Empty your canteens into yourself COMPLETELY before battle, at the last water point and fill up AGAIN.

5. IF YOU ARE THIRSTY YOU ARE ALREADY AT LEAST 15% DEHYDRATED: This is a true fact, so drink before you are thirsty and if you are 'thirsty' then drink to "overdo".

6. IF YOU ARE NOT URINATING ONCE EVERY 2 HRS OR SO, YOU ARE DEHYDRATED: Check out the color of your urine flow. If it is dark yellow/orange it is highly concentrated and you're in trouble. Urine in this situation should be clear or slightly yellow.

7. IF YOU DON'T FEEL WELL, YOU'RE SICK: Remember healthy hardened 20 year old soldiers DIED from heat illness/dehydration during the CW. Read about the march in the oppressive heat from VA to PA by the Army of the Potomac before Gettysburg. Men were dropping dead in their tracks during the march. The minute you start to feel sick STOP!!! Sit down and find water to re-hydrate.

Civil War Days at Chesapeake Central Library

 Gentlemen, as the 1^st Sgt. stated, this is a replacement for the South Mountain event that, as a Company, we decided not to attend.  This event should be a good replacement, even though it is not a battle.  Chesapeake and the Tidewater area, in general, is an untapped market for us and this event will lend itself to getting some new members into the group.  Some of our best members are from this area, Mr. Firth and Mr. Gregory.  I have added the schedule and there seems to be a lot of activities going on and we will not be taxed to harshly.  They will feed us the whole weekend, what a deal.  I would hope to see all those that had previously signed up for South Mountain and any others that have some free time.  Please attend and we will have our usual great time.  More information to follow.  See you all there. 

 Capt. Jones

 Saturday, September 8
0800      Re-enactor's Breakfast
0900      Officer's Call
1030-1700              Blacksmith
              Candlemaking Demo
              Displays/Sutlers/Vendors
              General Store
              Laundry Demonstration
              Living History Demo
              Period Games
Post Office w/special cancellation stamp
Soapmaking Demonstrations
1030 - 1700 
Opening Ceremony - Review of troops by Mayor "Southern Horizon" performing  National Anthem
1100      Artillery Demonstration
1130      Lincoln Talks to  Children
1200      School of the Sailor
              Southern Horizon
              Meet the Davis'
1230      Tony Stein
              Children's Crafts
1300      Sounds of Joy
              Journaling
              School of the Soldier
1330      Press Conference Lincoln & Davis                                   
              Children's Crafts
1400      97th Regimental String Band
Vanessa Weiler - Life on the Home Front
1500      Wedding (Southern Horizon)
1600      Artillery Demo
              Journaling
              Afternoon Tea
1630      Officer's Call
1700      Library Closes
              Skirmish
1800      Gettysburg Address
97th Regimental String Band/Dance
              Dinner for Re-enactors
                                                                                                           

Sunday, September 9
0800      Re-enactor's Breakfast
0900      Officer's Call
1200 - 1700
              Blacksmith
              Candlemaking Demo
              Displays/Sutlers/Vendors
              General Store
              Laundry Demonstration
              Living History Demo
              Period Games
Post Office w/special cancellation stamp
              Soapmaking Demonstrations
1100      Church Service/ 97th Regimental String Band
1200      Artillery Demo
              School of the Sailor
              Children's Crafts
              Meet the Davis'
1300      School of the Soldier
              Tom Sledge
              97th Regimental String Band
1330      Lincoln Talks to Children
1345      Ice Cream Social
1400      U. S. Continental Army Band
              Journaling
1500      Officer's Call
Vanessa Weiler - Life on the Homefront
1530      97th Regimental String Band
1600      Skirmish
1700      Library Closes