Commander’s Column

 

By the time you get this, it will be time for McDowell. We will be there having a great time, Militia uniforms, new battleshirts, and all. You all need to arrive on Friday no matter what time. Saturday morning will start very early and we will need our full complement there to make sure we have our own company. See you there on Friday. Here is the schedule as they have posted on the web.

 

McDowell Schedule of Events

Friday May 4

1100-1400 - Living History Presentations at the Highland County School. (Monterey, VA)

1100-? - Arrival & check-in at McDowell Presbyterian Church.
1930 - Civilian Participants' Meeting at McDowell Presbyterian Church.
2130 - US and CS Field Officers meeting with event staff

Saturday May 5

0630 - Reveille, Roll Call
0700 - Morning Dress Parade; Confederates take breakfast at Volunteer fire dept (fee).
0800 - Confederates march out and begin deploying on east side of Bullpasture River
0800 - Civilian Participants' Meeting at Presbyterian Church
0815 - Federal soldiers take breakfast at Fire Dept (fee).
0845 - Federal troops begin deploying throughout town.
0900 - Event opens to spectators.
1000 - Dress Parade of Federal Troops and Drill, at the Bullpasture River Field.
1100 - Lecture "The Battle of McDowell" by Richard Armstrong (Presbyterian Church).
1130 - Lecture "The Role of the horse in the Civil War" by Jim Flanagan (Presbyterian Church).
1230 - Lecture "John Singleton Moseby", by Jim Flanagan (Presbyterian Church)
1300 - Trial of the Williamsville Prisoners (McDowell Presbyterian Church)
1430 - Battle Reenactment, the 3rd WV (US) vs. the 31st VA and 25th VA regiments.
1530 - Federals fall back to east side of town, wounded of both sides cared for at the Church.
1600 - General Jackson (George Moor) presents "The Road to McDowell" first person presentation (Presbyterian Church).
1700 - Event closes to general public.
1700 - Brunswick stew supper for participants begins.
1830 - Federals begin to depart for Possum Hollow.
1800 to 2100 - Old-fashioned Hoedown at the McDowell Fire Department
2330 - Lights out, all quiet in town.

Sunday May 6

Dawn - Begin deploying for morning skirmish. Confederates to ascend Hull's Hill, Federals begin to prepare their dispositions.
0900 - Event opens to public.
1100 - Confederate Troops pursue Federal column into and through McDowell.
1200 - Caring for the wounded and parole of Federal prisoners at Presbyterian Church.
1300 - General Jackson reviews the Confederate force followed by "Stonewall Jackson's report" (mansion/provost office).
1300 - Lecture "VMI Cadets at the Battle of McDowell" by Keith Gibson.
1400 - Lecture "The Impact of the Civil War on the Civilians of the Shenandoah

 

 

Valley" by John Heatwole, author of "The Burning" (Presbyterian Church).
1430 - Lecture "Saving our Civil War

Battlefields-Why?" by Robert Lee Hodge.
1515 - Raffle of authentic enlisted man's sword (cavalry) (Presbyterian Church).
1530 - BBQ Chicken Banquet and awards ceremony at McDowell Volunteer Fire Dept.
1600 - Scheduled activities end, event closes.

(Note- there will be continuous scenarios, skits and first-person presentations throughout town and the area on both Saturday and Sunday. All times of scheduled activities are subject to change.)

Directions to McDowell:

From the North- Take Interstate 81 south to exit 225 (Woodrow Wilson Blvd.). Follow signs to "Monterey" until the intersection with VA Route 250. Turn right onto 250 West. Follow Route 250 (west) approximately 31 miles to the Village of McDowell.

From the Richmond, Roanoke, or points south and west- Take I-81 north to Exit 225, and follow the above directions.

 

Impression Improvement

The Uniform Committee Chairman and I were talking at the COI and he was telling me that we needs to start using hemp rope and twine instead of the modern rope and twine we have today. Well, guess what, I have found a source for just such an item. We have 10 mm rope for .50 a foot and $5.00 for a ball of twine. I should have it all at the Richmond Civil War Days event for you to purchase. So please start replacing your shebang ropes and twine with the hemp items the company has purchased. All the company tent ropes will be replaced ASAP.

 

First Sergeant’s Report

I would like to thank the membership who attended the Camp of Instruction for a fine weekend. The highlight of the weekend for me was the bayonet drill on the dummies, and it seemed that most of you also had a great time. I would also like to thank Mr. Courson and Mr. Pearson for the delicious meals that were delivered on time!

This year I have asked the corporals of each platoon to play a more active role in keeping in touch with their platoon members. This means that they will be contacting you more often on certain events whether or not you are signed up. Even though they will be either calling you or e-mailing you more often, you can do your part and call them first. Remember that they have ten or so calls to make, you only have one. Do your part! If you are signed up for an event and cannot go please call your corporal immediately, if someone else wants to go, they can go in your place.

The event sign up sheets are past due and the following people have not sent in a sheet: Falconer, Lindblade, Woody, Eastman, Baird, Owen, and Parks. Your corporal should be contacting you delinquents to get the info, or you could send it in!

For those of you who have bought a new battle shirt, I would like to tell you that the shirt is dry clean only! Due to the loose weave of the jean cloth material, washing with detergent in a washer will probably ruin your shirt. By the time this newsletter is printed I will be getting the first eight battle shirts back from my mother-in-law. Don’t get excited, anyone who is signed up for the McDowell event will get priority, be patient, you will get yours before the First Manassas event.

I would like to welcome two new members to F Co., Mr. Powell and Mr. Gammon, both from the Richmond area. I had the pleasure to meet both of these men at the COI. I would also like to thank Mr. Stafford for his efforts in bringing in two new members.

 

For anyone interested, Mr. Courson has a Militia Uniform for sale. You will have to get the details from him.

Directions to Fort Pocahontas

Fort Pocahontas is located 16 miles west of Williamsburg and 37 miles east of Richmond on Virginia Route 5. The fort is 5 miles east of the Charles City County Courthouse and 2 miles east of Sherwood Forest Plantation.

From downtown Richmond, follow Main Street East (Rt. 5 East). Proceed approx. 32 miles (approx. 47 minutes). Fort Pocahontas is on the right.

From I-95 South from Washington, follow the signs to I-295 South and take Exit No. 22A (Route 5, Charles City). Follow the signs to Sherwood Forest along Route 5. It is 2 miles east of Sherwood Forest Plantation on the right.

From I-64 East from Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads, exit 242A (Jamestown/ Rt. 199) to Route 5. Turn left onto Rt. 5 West (John Tyler Hwy) for 16 miles (approx. 30 minutes).