The summer season is quickly coming to a close which means cooler temperatures and back to school. I can already tell that the days are getting shorter. I hope everyone has had a chance to take some time off and go on a vacation with family and/or friends.

F Company has been on a bit of a break itself. We haven’t been to a reenactment since Gettysburg in early July. For the month of August we did have a company muster. That consisted of a tour of the Wilderness battlefield given by our own Mike Vice. I want to thank Mike for taking the time to do so. The tour was professionally done. Mike’s National Park Service experience really came through coupled with his F company humor make for an educational but at the same time entertaining tour. Besides Mike and myself, those in attendance included Jack Alexander, Bob Baird, Wes Catlett, Travis Clements, David Gammon, Ryan Hughes, Bill Ward, Scott Wilson, and former F’er Glenn Courson.

The Executive Committee has voted to withdraw from the Fighting First Regiment effective immediately. We want to thank the FFR for allowing us to fall in with them for the time that we did but it was felt that both of out interests would be better served if we went our separate ways.

Coming up next for us is the September Storm/ Antietam Reenactment. Directions were in the last newsletter and are repeated farther down in this one. If you are registered, please make every effort to be there.

Also coming up is Goochland’s Field Day of the Past. This is a recruiting event for us. Please help out if you can. We hope to have enough people there to do some drill and firing demos for the public.

Be sure to keep our troops in your prayers. In case you hadn’t heard by now, both Jonathan Alexander and Kim Stafford are back in the States. We are very thankful for their safe return.

Hope to see everyone soon. Take care!

Respectfully Submitted,

Captain Turley

No report at this time

Gentlemen,

Before we get under way, I want to re-announce in case anybody didn't get the e-mail, that Lt. Stafford's daughter is home from Iraq. We thank GOD that she is home safely and we thank her for her service.

  We have September Storm (Antietam) coming up on Sept. 8th and 9th. Please be there by 8:30 A.M. on Saturday morning. Directions will follow in the newsletter. Please bring at least 80 rounds as we have two battles.

We also have "Field Days of the Past" on Sept. 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. I have the following folks for this one, Turley, Stafford, Gammon D., Hughes, Alexander, Catlett, Mitchell, Parzych, and Pate. This is a great recruiting event. Please come out and support the unit. Please keep in touch with your Corporals or myself with your intentions.

We had a great muster on the 18th of August at Spotsylvania and the Wilderness conducted by our very own Mike Vice. Thank you so much Mike for the informative tour. We ended the day with a late lunch/early dinner at "Smokey Bones" BBQ in Fredericksburg. The weather was better than if we had ordered it from a catalog.

I look forward to seeing you all at the next few events.

Respectfully,

1st Sgt. Gammon

            Many of us have wondered where the battle of the Wilderness was and what the Overland Campaign of 1864 was.  For those of us who attended Saturday’s muster we found out and the involvement of F Company and the 21^st at the same time.  We began our tour, lead by the able Mike Vice, at the Saunders Field Park Shelter just off the Orange Pike road, as it was then known.  But before we begin there, we need to set the background as Mr. Vice said.  The end of 1863 saw several opportunities for the South fritter away.  Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia, 60,000 men (10,000 less than at Gettysburg July, 1863) are winter camped at Locust Grove, south of the Rapidan in a position to counter any Federal move up the Valley or directly south toward Richmond.  But there have been some changes on the Federal side as well, U.S. Grant is now commander of all Union forces and he brings with him a more determined attitude.  Grant understands he has more and his plan is to grind down the ANV.  Grant has discontinued prisoner exchange in effort to cut off a source of replacements for the South and attached himself to the Army of the Potomac and its 120,000 men commanded by George Meade.  Grant has tried to communicate to his commanders that his plan is to fight, fight and fight, not the usual fight and retreat that the Army of Potomac has come to know.  The first few days will see a change in attitude on both sides as the Union realizes this is a different commander and the Southerner’s realize they are in a death struggle like none before. 

            11 of us met at the Saunders Field Shelter as Mr. Vice began our tour by explaining that this open field was not typical of the area, in fact that Saunders Field was the largest open area in the battle.  Much of the area timber had been cut years before for fuel for the local furnace and gold mines and the new growth trees allowed for a very dense under growth that was very difficult to pass through, so much so that this impenetrable growth would play a major role in the upcoming fighting.  We located the position of the 21^st as it was deployed on left of the Confederate line as the II Corp under Ewell was on the move under orders not to bring on a major action as Ewell marched toward Fredericksburg in response to word that Grant was on the move. 

            Our day was beautiful and the opportunity to visit the earthworks, battle lines and understand the importance of Lee’s strategy and the determined attitude of Grant.  We got to follow the men of the 21^st as Gordon pleaded with Ewell to exploit an opportunity to cut the Germanna Ford road but was denied permission and an opportunity was lost.  We continued to follow the footsteps of the 21^st and the II Corps as it was ordered to move behind the main lines and start in the direction of Spotsylvania Courthouse as Lee guessed where Grant was headed.  We raced along the path that lead us to the Orange Plank Road where Hill and the III Corps had been pounded and was saved by the timely arrival of Longstreet and I Corps but not before Lee exposes himself to enemy fire in an attempt to rally the troops and the famous, "Lee to the rear" cry. We stopped at the spot where Longstreet was wounded and followed Brock Road past Todd’s Tavern and later visited the Mule Shoe and Bloody Lane.

            Finally, we retired to the Smokey Bones where good food and good times were had by all.  To those of you who missed the outing you missed a good one.  There was talk that our next muster will be held in early December when we follow up last year’s Petersburg tour as we follow the last days at Petersburg and the retreat and surrender of the ANV.  There was talk of renting a bus for that outing; anyone interested please let your corporal know.  If you have an idea for a Muster or would like to lead one, please let your corporal know.  Till next time!

Jack Alexander

Take I-70 West to Exit 35, turn left onto Maryland Rt. 66 (south)

Proceed approximately 3 miles and turn right onto Millpoint Road

You are now entering the "Boonsboro Beltway." If it looks like the long way around…it is. But it avoids the congestion of the large craft fair in town and will get you to the site quicker. Enjoy the view of the mountains on your left. Your efforts (as well as many others) have saved from development a substantial portion or what you see.

Cross Rt. 68 and Manor Church Road, then bear left onto Wheeler Road and end up on Rt. 34. (Do NOT enter Monroe Road from this direction; it will be One Way for the weekend, going against you.)

Turn Left on Rt. 34 towards Boonsboro.

Proceed about 1 mile and turn left on Monroe Road. The reenactment site will be half a mile ahead on your right.  

Head south on I-81 until you turn east on I-70.

Take exit 35 and turn right onto Rt. 66 (south).

Follow directions above.  

Head north on I-81, cross the Potomac and take Exit 1.

Turn right at the stop sign and proceed straight ahead on Rt. 68/Lappans Road.

Go straight across the Downsville Pike and the Sharpsburg Pike (Rt. 65) pass Devil's Backbone State Park.

About two miles past the park, make a right turn onto Millpoint Road. Then bear left onto Wheeler Road and end up on Rt. 34. (Do NOT enter Monroe Road from this direction; it will be one way for the weekend, going against you.)

Turn left on Rt. 34, toward Boonsboro.

8am Registration Opens

7pm Overall Command and Staff Meeting – Division/Brigade Commanders from both sides

11pm Registration Closes. Cars Banned from Camp until Sunday 10:30am

6am Registration Opens

7am Horse Drawn Wagons will commence ferrying late arrivals to camp

9am Event open to the public

9am "The Common Soldier of 1862" – Activities Tent

11am Registration Closes for the Weekend

12pm Horse drawn wagons cease service to camp

12:30pm Battle Scenario Walkthrough – All Battalion & Brigade Officers of both sides

1pm Ambulance Demonstration – Battlefield

2pm Fox’s Gap – Public Battle

5pm Event Closed to the public

5:30pm Commanders walkthrough for Frost Town Road – for those units involved

6pm Commanders walkthrough for Crampton’s Gap – for those units involved

7:30pm Dusk battles for South Mountain – Participants only

9:30pm NOWT Presents "Stage Struck Yankee" at the activities tent

6:30am Commanders Walkthrough for Assault of the Iron Brigade

7:30am Church Service on the Battlefield

8:30am Assault of the Iron Brigade

10:30am Event Ends – Cars allowed in Camp

Directions for I-95 South (coming from Fredericksburg heading south):

From Fredericksburg take exit 84B onto I-295 (Charlottesville)

From I-295 take exit 53A onto I-64 West (Charlottesville)

From I-64 take exit 173.

Make a left at the stoplight at the top of the ramp onto Ashland Road.

The event parking should be on your left.