Regimental Dispatch

March 2005

Sic Semper Tyrranus

Commander’s Column

Gents,
     That was an excellent Annual Meeting, and a lovely executive meeting the night before.  I thank you all for your support in asking me to continue as Captain of F Company.  In return I pledge to bring as much hard work,energy, and enthusiasm to our unit as I can possible muster.  Our good friends at the Museum of the Confederacy want you to know that they really appreciate our donation, as well as the interest we have all shown in their fine old institution, especially now that they are in particular need of support.  Please continue to visit whenever you have the chance; it's a great place to research, and a wonderful opportunity to journey back in time.
   So now the season beginith in earnest.  All right, let's roll.  F Company Camp of Instruction is dead ahead.  Please see the schedule below. We will do our best to follow it, but being the flexible group of fellows that we are, we will have no problem in adapting it to the reality on the ground, or to add, delete, or modify any item that we choose.  Now be sure to prepare for cold weather.  Hopefully the sun will shine on a beautiful early Virginia Spring weekend that will be deliciously convenient for our purposes, or we may very likely have to deal with some cold temps and a rogue flurry or two. Remember, this isn't strict living history, so bring lots of cold gear; thermals, extra blankets with your sleeping bags, knitted caps (great for sleeping), good gloves, socks, scarves, and saddle soap your leather brogans before Thursday, they will be much more moisture resistant, and keep you dryer.  Dry feet, one of life's great pleasures, and one of soldiering primary objectives when on campaign. See you Friday evening.  Call me before then if you have any ideas or comments.

Election of Officers

Captain/President- Mr. Ramsey

Member-at-Large- Mr. Harris

Corporals

1^st Platoon- Mr. Stafford

2^nd Platoon- Mr. Gammon D.

Uniform Committee

Chairman- Mr. Ward

Mr. Powell

Recruiters

Chairman- Mr. Turley

Mr. Messerley

1st Lieutenant’s Report

No report available in time for this issue, but I’m sure there’ll be plenty to hear at the Camp of Instruction.

2005 Has Begun

It is now officially on the record books. Our Annual Meeting has adjourned and the season has now begun. We had an excellent turnout of the membership with tons of paperwork, policy additions, and the voting of events, positions, and committees. The Museum of the Confederacy was a very appropriate backdrop on a historic day for F-Company. A lot of time and labors of love went into the future of our beloved company that included: uniforms, vendors, our web site, toll-free access, fundraisers, the elections of officers, member-at-large, recruitment and uniform committees…to name a few of the 3-hour meeting that was held on the lower level meeting room. .

Camp of Instruction

Last call for your opportunity to spend a weekend of training, drilling, live firing, wood burning, and down home fun with your fellow members before the first battle is upon us. Please try to make every effort possible to be there on Friday to have everything ready for Saturday’s activities, which will begin, officially with roll call. Directions are repeated in this newsletter, just in case you lost yours. Remember, this is private property and it is being offered just for our company for the weekend. Our privacy will be respected and our agenda will not be interrupted with any outside interference. Bring staple guns.

Pvt. Harris will be bringing the straw, Cpl. Gammon is furnishing "me" with wood, and Lt. Turley will be bringing the mess gear. I would like everyone who has frying pans to please bring them just in case we need to use them.

This is a training weekend, but sleeping bags will be encouraged for this weekend. For new recruits, bring the period uniforms or accoutrements that you have. Whatever you don’t have, you can either do without or borrow. If any new recruit is not sure of what you do or don’t need, contact your Corporal immediately. He will either direct you or he’ll check with me. It is vital to learn all that you can during this weekend, not to be miserable. So, dress warm, be prepared if it rains, and look forward to a great weekend together.

From the West: Take I-64 East to the Rockville-Manikin exit 173. At the top of the ramp, take a right onto Ashland Road (Country Road 623) and go one-half mile.

Further directions:

Turn onto Rockville Road (Country Road 622) and go about 4 miles to the stop sign at Rockville. Proceed straight ahead onto Walnut Hill Drive and go 7/10^th’s of a mile to where 622 veers to the left. Go straight ahead onto Henley Road (Country Road 734), and go 2/10^th’s of a mile to where the road turns to the right. Veer to the left onto a gravel road and go through the twin metal gates. As you drive down the gravel road, follow the tree line on the left for almost a mile. As the tree-line takes a right angle turn towards the gravel road, our camp will be established inside that wooded area. If you drive into the woods on the gravel road, you’ve gone too far.

Bentonville Directions

Well, the every 5-year North Carolina event is quickly approaching and all members who expressed interest have been registered and I await our first official battle encampment. Due to the Middle East demands on our military, there will be some changes from the last event. Unlike 2000, there will not be any modern day military officers present to judge or referee this event. For those who were there in 2000, it was a quite unique procedure where we were not the decision makers of who made it through the day. Those judges actually handed us sheets of paper that decided whether or not we were killed or wounded during the course of the battle based on our positions and commands. Those wounded had to sit out for a half hour while the battle raged on. It is with great respect that we will miss all those who are serving our military and share with all of them our prayers of their safe return home to their loved ones. As those in our past, we salute you. You are one of the true heroes that we honor.

The directions to Bentonville:

From I-95 (get onto I-295-SOUTH)

Take the I-295 SOUTH towards EMPORIA(I-95 SOUTH)/ ROCKY MOUNT NC - go 139.0 mi

Take exit #90 towards BENTONVILLE BATTLEGROUND/NEWTON GROVE - go 0.2 mi

Continue on a local road - go 0.1 mi

Turn on US-701 - go 10.2 mi

Turn on NC-1188 - go 0.4 mi

NC-1188 becomes MILL CREEK CHURCH RD - go 2.2 mi

Turn on NC-1008 - go 0.1 mi

Arrive at 5466 HARPER HOUSE RD, FOUR OAKS, on the

There should be plenty of signs directing you exactly to the event site.

Another alternative, that I find useful, would be to type in the address below:

Four Oaks, NC 27524

and go to your favorite search engine on the computer and find out which directions may be more driver friendly from your particular location.

5pm- Camps close to the public

Sunday, March 20

1:30-2:30- Battle

The supplied schedule does not include any interpretive programs, lectures, or unit activities, nor, of course, breakfasts, dinners, musket cleaning, or times allowing all units to fall in for each battle or possible sentry duty.

Confederate Heritage Parade In Richmond

Richmond, VA

I have already sent in a head count to notify the Parade coordinators for our participation. Those that expressed interest in attending, that I know for sure, are: Ramsey, Turley, Firth, Gammon D., Perry, Pate, Gammon M., Catlett, Alexander, Ward, Price, Harris, Powell, Schirmer, and Courson. Mr. Talbert and Pearson are also a possible for this. If you wish to come to this, this is not a registered-style event. Please feel free to just show up, if I’ve missed your name. More is always better than less. The Parade starts at 2:00 p.m. sharp, so plan on being there approximately 2 hours early to park, to gear up, and to locate the rest of F-Company in attendance. Please refer to the February Newsletter for all other details. If you lost your copy, check our web site.

Wooden Canteens

As we discussed at the Annual Meeting, our tin drum canteens are 1/3 the cost of a wooden canteen. It’s always better to buy from our inventory. I am, however, in the process of working out some costs for bulk order for wooden canteens. Should any member wish to own a wooden canteen, let your editor know, and we’ll see what kind of savings and availability we can manage.

Making Hardtack

Excerpt from the Meeting hand-outs:

2 cups Flour
1/2 tablespoons Salt (see below)
1/2 tablespoons Sugar (optional, but not recommended)
1/2 cup Water

*****************

Punch holes fairly evenly across the flat surface of each 3 inch piece using a nail, screw, or any pointed object.

Bake on cookie sheet in 350-degree oven for approximately 30 minutes. Do not over bake. They’ll be hard enough without burning them, too.

**********

Authors note: There’s no doubting of none to little flavor in these little morsels from hell’s kitchen, but I have found that altering your recipe can give some flavoring to get you through the chewing process. I have altered my recipe by using salt, garlic salt, onion salt, and finally a touch of crushed dried red pepper. It’s not authentic, but it does give it something to taste. It’s your option should you try to make your own.

Event Tallies for 2005

Contact your corporal if any errors in listings

Camp of Instruction- March 11^th-13^th

Ramsey, Turley, Pearson, Firth, Stafford, Gammon D., Pate, Gammon M., Baird, Alexander, Talbert, Harris, Powell, Norman, Lawrence, Schirmer, Parks, Catlett, Parzych, Messerley, Ward, and Courson

140^th Bentonville- March 18^th-20^th

Ramsey, Turley, Pearson, Gammon, D, Perry Sr., Ward, Baird, Norman, Lawrence, Powell, Talbert, Harris, Catlett, Gammon, M, and Messerley.

Sailor’s Creek- April 8^th-10^th

Turley, Pearson, Firth, Stafford, Gammon D., Price, Ward, Norman, Perry Sr., Perry, Jr., Baird, Lawrence, Talbert, Powell, Harris, Pate, and Parzych.

Lee’s Final Retreat- April 15^th-17^th

Sailor’s Creek L. H.- April 15^th-17^th

**********************************************

Fort Pocahontas- May 20^th-22^nd

Ramsey, Turley, Pearson, Firth, Stafford, Gammon D, Perry, Powell, Courson, Catlett, Harris, Gammon M, Pate, and Parzych.

Gettysburg- July 1^st-3^rd

Ramsey, Turley, Pearson, Firth, Stafford, Gammon D., Perry, Perry, Pate, Gammon M., Catlett, Alexander, Ward, Talbert, Harris, Powell, Schirmer, Courson, Sanders, Parzych

Remembrance Parade- November 19^th

Turley, Pearson, Firth, Stafford, Gammon D., Perry, Gammon M., Alexander, Price, Talbert, Harris

Camp Of Instruction Agenda

Friday
1400 - Members arrive, Set up Camp
1700 - Inventory Sale
1800 - Supper in Camp - Each man prepares his own
2000 - Campfire

Break into Platoons
          1st Platoon - 1st Sgt. Pearson & Cpl. Stafford
            2nd Platoon - 2nd Sgt. Firth & Cpl. Gammon

School of the Soldier
8:30 - 9:30 Drill
9:30 - 1000 Drill with Officers/

15 min. then switch
1000 - Break
1030 - Form Company

School of the Company
1030 - 1200 Drill
1200 - Break for Lunch - Haversacks
1330 - Company Formation /

Strike target frames
1730 - Company Hot Supper –

2nd Platoon cooks/clean muskets
            Kitchen Police - 1st Platoon
1900 - Company Bonfire –

Announcement of Target Scores
2200 - Tattoo / Lights Out

Sunday
0500 - Reveille
0515 - Form Platoons:
1st Platoon           

-1^st Platoon cooks/ 2^nd Platoon KP

1000 - Field Crafts
1100 - Form Company /

Company Meeting
1400 - Strike the Camp
1500 - Final Formation
1515 - Final Departure

Everyone, please make sure that you have all of your gear and equipment before leaving the site. If anyone sees any items lying around, notify the 1^st Sergeant or pick it up and we can find its rightful owner. And please remember to leave this property in the same condition that we found it.

Jackson & Editor’s Note

I was not only honored with the nomination to the position of 1^st Sergeant, but also overwhelmed with the unanimous vote. Also, having Stonewall Jackson, himself, show up to congratulate me was, well, over the top. I have my work cutout for me, but not a moment will go by without the gratitude for the support that the membership has shown to me. And, because of that, I am truly humbled. Of my many duties, the important factors to me are safety and your welfare, and then your training. For the COI, make sure you review your checklist and gone over prior to departing your home for the weekend. Make 100% sure that those muskets, which have been sitting for way too long, are clean. I do not wish to have any safety issues with your firearms. Besides our live firing on Saturday, make sure to bring an ample supply of blank cartridges (40-50) and percussion caps. This is what we’ve been waiting all winter for, now; let’s get to it and someone point me in the direction of the woodpile, and all I expect is for every man to pull his own weight, be alert/safe, and pay attention.

One Year Ago

Camp of Instruction 2004

Although it has been one year since we last joined around the campfire at our Camp of Instruction, the memories still linger. The saying of farewells, the readings of a letter from home, the touching church service, the firing competition, the drill, the hot muskets, sharing meals together, and the friendships around the campfire. That’s just some of things I remember from the 2004 Camp of Instruction. It’s a new season, and we have the opportunity to make more memories. I look forward to your fellowship and all that comes with it. Let’s have a safe and instructive camp. What we gain from this time, we’ll carry through with us for the entire season & throughout our lives.

Mr. Powell will be tying the knot