September was a great "get back together" month for F Company. After a somewhat protracted and unexpectedly long break, F Company had two events during the month. The first was the fort workday on Saturday, September 12^th. We had an excellent turn out of ten members and we got a lot accomplished. It was good to see everyone there and I want to thank everyone who helped. Members present included Jonathan Alexander, Jack Alexander, Travis Clements, David Gammon, Ryan Hughes, Nate Pate, Mike Vice, Bill Ward and our newest recruit, Daniel Thrift.

The Second Event for the month was the Living History program at Fort Harrison. This was our second time there. Rain threatened all day Saturday but we were able to get all activities done before any precipitation fell. Many thanks to Ed Sanders of the NPS for letting David and myself sleep inside the cabin Saturday night. It was our shelter from the storm as we did get heavy rain that night. Sunday turned out to be a gorgeous day. Our numbers were somewhat diminished so we augmented our presentation with a little firing competition between Corporal Hughes and Private Clements. They were both competing against time, trying to load their muskets three times in one minute, and against each other. I won’t divulge who won. You needed to be there. Anyway, the program was very enjoyable. There was some down time which I really needed. It is good to put the uniform on and just hang out. The visitation was improved over the previous year. Those that attended included Jonathan and Jack Alexander, Travis Clements, David Gammon, Ryan Hughes and our new member, Daniel Thrift. Thanks for your support guys!

I would like to welcome our newest member to the unit. That would be Daniel Thrift. Daniel hails from Warsaw, Virginia and calls himself a commercial waterman. He found out about our unit through our website. He is well on his way to acquiring his gear and even learning the drill. He is planning to come to Cedar Creek which is our next event. Please help me welcome Daniel to the unit.

Please notice in this newsletter an updated schedule of F Company Events. While this may look like a lot, many of the events are just one day events that will require only a few hours of your time. There are only two reenactments remaining in the schedule and the Walkerton/Locust Grove is close enough to Richmond that depending upon the weather and what the unit wants to do, we may opt to go home for the night and return for Sunday’s battle as we did last year.

The Fort Harvie workday is on Saturday, November 14^th. If you help out with the Civil War Show at RIR it will probably be for a few hours either Saturday or Sunday, November 21^st or 22^nd. The Mechanicsville Christmas Parade will only be for a few hours that Sunday afternoon, December 6^th and the Christmas Program at the MOC is only from 12 noon to 5 pm Sunday, December 13^th. This is an open house at the MOC meaning that there is no charge to view the museum or tour the White House. Feel Free to invite family and friends.

Probably the most meaningful event of the rest of the schedule is the tombstone dedication for original F Company member, Tucker Randolph. This has been a long time coming. We will be doing this with the 15^th Virginia Infantry as one of there own is also buried in Shockhoe Cemetery. Please set aside some time for this ceremony. I don’t like to have to choose between events, but if it comes down to that and choosing between Walkerton and this ceremony, I would choose the tombstone dedication. I think that it is that important. Bill Ward has a related article about Private Randolph and the particulars of the event. Please support this with your presence.

Yes, we do have several things coming up so please plan accordingly. Next up is Cedar Creek, See you there!

Respectfully submitted,

Captain Turley

Gentlemen,

I am pleased to announce that as of Fort Harrison, we have a new recruit. His name is Daniel Thrift and he is a waterman / firefighter from the Warsaw area. He participated with the unit on Saturday at Fort Harrison and joined the same day. Welcome aboard, Daniel!!!

We have Cedar Creek coming up on October 17th and 18th. Please bring enough rounds for two battles. You will be responsible for your own meals for the weekend, but a little bird told us there may be a Saturday night mission to Dan's Steak House on the mountain. I have the following people signed up: (Turley, Stafford, Gammon D., Firth, Hughes, Clements, Kisner, Lawrence, Thrift, Ward, Wilson). Please arrive by 8:00 A.M. You will need to register at the location given in the directions and parking will be behind the visitor's center across from the event. When you enter the event site, walk past Sutler Row and keep walking to the back of the site, down the hill to the creek. We usually camp down by the creek. Please make every effort to attend if you signed up. This is a large 145th anniversary event and it sure would be nice to have everyone there so we won't get split up. I look forward to seeing everyone there; it should be a great event.

I also need to know ASAP if anyone else is interested in Walkerton on Oct. 31st and Nov. 1st. If you have already responded, then thank you. If not, please do as soon as possible. Walkerton is a fun event and it's laid back. I need to get registration in soon if we're going.

Respectfully,

1^st Sgt. Gammon

9:30 am Victorian Ladies Aside Field Demonstration

10:00 am Belle Grove Plantation opens – Military & Civilian Living Historians

10:00 am Battalion Drills - (Camps)

10:15 am *** Civil War Nurses from the Union & Confederacy – Linda Estupinan-Snook

11:00 am CS & US Cavalry Demonstration/

11:15 am *** Boys of Hope – Adams’ Battery G, 6th Rhode Island Artillery – Robert Grandchamp

12:00 pm CS Artillery Demonstration

1:00 pm CS Signal Corp Demonstration

1:15 pm Spectators must leave camps & return to spectator viewing area

1:30 pm *** Loyal Hearts – Histories of American Civil War Canines – Mike Zucchero

2:00 pm Formation

4:00 pm Belle Grove Plantation closes to public

4:30 pm *** 46th Pennsylvania Band Concert (Activities Tent)

4:30 pm CS Pass & Review (after battle)

5:30 pm Battlefield closes to public

9:30 am Gates open to Public

10:00 am Church Services - Catholic Service in Event Tent/Period Mass at U.S. HQ

Non-denominational in Camps

10:00 am Belle Grove Plantation opens – Military & Civilian Living Historians

11:00 am US Artillery Demonstration

11:15 am *** Loyal Hearts – Histories of American Civil War Canines – Mike Zucchero

12:00 pm Victorian Ladies Aside – Field Demonstration

12:15 pm *** The Legacy of Sheridan’s Ride – Jonathan Noyales

12:45 pm Formation

1:00 pm Belle Grove Plantation – Memorial Wreath Laying Ceremony

1:00 pm Spectators must leave camps & return to spectator viewing area

1:30 pm Battle of Cedar Creek – Federal Counter-attack

3:00 pm Pass & Review – US

4:00 pm Belle Grove Plantation closes to public

5:00 pm Battlefield Closes to public

Yellow signs will be posted near cross roads

From the beach area take Interstate 64 west to Route 33 turn right,  go 7.7 miles turn left onto Route 30,  go 18.3 miles turn right onto Route 629, go 4 miles turn right onto dirt road. Sign says Locust Grove 1665.

From the South take Interstate 95 North to Interstate 64 East to Route 360 East, go approx. 21 miles, turn right onto Route 30 (Central Garage) go 6.5 miles, turn left onto Route 629, go 4 miles turn right onto dirt road.

From the North take Interstate 95 South to the Kings Dominion exit, Route 30 going east towards Kings Dominion stay on Route 30 for approx. 27 miles, turn left onto Route 629, go 4 miles turn right onto dirt road.

From the West take Interstate 64 East to  Interstate 295  to  Pole Green exit follow to Route 360  East (turn left), go approx. 15 miles, turn right onto Route 30, go 6.5 miles, turn left onto Route 629, go 4 miles turn right onto dirt road.