CAMP OF INSTRUCTION 2006
A MAXIMUM EFFORT EVENT
May 5-7, 2006
Fort Ontario, Oswego, New York

OSWEGO, N.Y. – All members and prospective members of the Columbia Rifles are highly encouraged to attend the Camp of Instruction/drill weekend (COI) on May 5-7, 2006. The weekend-long event will be for Columbia Rifles members and invited guests only, including the 122nd New York, Living History Guild, 151st New York, and POC’R Boys Mess from Virginia. The CR’s annual general membership meeting will be held at the COI on Saturday, May 6.

The event will again be held at historic Fort Ontario, in Oswego, New York. Oswego is a city located on the south shore of Lake Ontario, approximately 30 miles northwest of Syracuse. The fort saw fighting in three wars (French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812) and was destroyed three times. For further information on the fort, visit its homepage at http://nysparks.state.ny.us/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/nysparks/historic.cgi?p+6.
There is room for approximately fifty participants to be quartered indoors in heated buildings. Sleeping will be on the bare floor so bring a canvas bed tick or an extra couple of blankets for padding.

Uniform and equipment are at the discretion of members, although uniforms are limited to fatigue blouses, frock coats, and New York jackets. Leggings are prohibited. Bring your musket, leathers, and usual kit for an event. If you have it, bring your commissioned officer kit. All COI participants are to be in uniform throughout the entire event.

The cost of registration for the event includes cooked rations for Saturday and Sunday, by a company mess. Nic Ellis will be running the commissary.
The weekend schedule will include various drill sessions and classroom lectures on 1) “The Evolution of Union Army Infantry Leather Gear During the Civil War” by John Tobey; 2) “An Honest Man of the Green Cloth: Gambling and Saloons of the Nineteenth Century” by Douglas R. Cubbison (Cultural Resources Manager at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York); 3) “How to Plan and Run an Event for Campaigners” by Kevin O’Beirne and Charles Heath (Powerpoint presentation on Saturday evening); and 4) “The Regimental Adjutant’s Department”—including what the adjutant, sergeant major, and clerk do—by Dave Grieves.

Drill sessions will include: 1) Marching speeds and facings (Chris Piering), 2) Manual of arms and fixing/unfixing bayonets (Garr Gast), 3) School of the Company basics (Dave Grieves), 4) Firing including prone and kneeling (Kevin O’Beirne), and 5) Skirmish drill (O’Bee as usual).
For entertainment, the White Star Saloon—which many CRs became acquainted with at 2005’s Elmira Death March event and the 2005 Liberty reenactment—will be onsite and operating.

The registration fee for the COI is $10 per person, and includes firewood, straw (for mattress ticks), cooked rations, water, and sanitary facilities. Each man should bring 50 percussion caps (for skirmish drill) but no other ammo. Send your registration fee of $10 WITH A COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM payable to “The Columbia Rifles, Inc.” to Jeff Lau, 3 Cider Lane, Washington, NJ 07882. Additional proceeds from registration, if any, will be donated to the fort’s preservation fund as a way of saying “thank you” for our use of the fort.

Need a COI registration form? Ask! Contact Kevin O’Beirne.

Getting There/Directions: The fort is nestled in a residential area on Oswego’s East Side, where the broad Oswego River empties into Lake Ontario. Because our members enter Oswego from different directions, it is best to obtain directions from an online map service, such as www.mapquest.com; the fort’s address is One East Fourth Street, Oswego, New York 13126. A map is also available on the fort’s website at http://nysparks.state.ny.us/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/nysparks/historic.cgi?p+6.

“SHENANDOAH 1862”
Cross Keys & Port Republic
June 2-4, 2006
Harrisonburg, Central Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Sponsored by Pridgeon’s Shenandoah Legion, this event—located about 45 minutes south of Cedar Creek—is geared toward preservation fundraising. Organizers are hoping for it to be similar to the McDowell events both in number of participants and authenticity. The overall Federal commander will be Brigadier General Bill Watson of the Potomac Legion’s Company I Mess. Dave Grieves of the CR/122nd New York has volunteered to lead one of the Federal battalions that will portray the Eighth New York Volunteers; contact Dave at dave.grieves@verizon.net, (315) 638-1307.

The event will include both marching (campaigner) contingents and mainstream participants who will be in a fixed camp. Each side will have a brigade structure.

The organizers plan to provide shuttle busses to ferry campaigners/marchers to the sutler area, to transport campaigners/marchers along five miles of the twelve-mile route between the Cross Keys and Port Republic battlefields, and to ferry participants from the mainstream camp to the battles and back again. Civilian reenactors plan to provide refreshment stations along the march for the “campaigner” participants.

From the event organizers: “The starting point for the event will be the Widow Pence Farm, located on the Cross Keys Battlefield, 8 miles East of the City of Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Interstate I-81. The event includes both Cross Keys and Port Republic battlefields, the town of Port Republic, historical properties such as Madison Hall, and numerous roads that both Shields’s and Jackson’s commands marched over.

“At the Widow Pence Farm the scenario will be the ‘Slaughter of the Eighth New York’. This action will depict on the actual ground the movement of the 8th (Stahel’s First Brigade) up a hill where the 21st Georgia (Trimble’s Brigade) was waiting, hidden, and unleashed fire so heavy that over 240 men of the 8th fell within five minutes. The action will conclude with the men of Trimble’s pursing the 8th as occurred in the original fight. At Port Republic the scenario will be ‘Taylor Advances on the Coaling’. This action will take place in the original woods through which Taylor fought and advanced to this critical Federal artillery position that was a key to the battle. (Note: The Coaling itself has many modern intrusions, so will not be used).

Saturday morning will include the Cross Keys battle scenario, after which Federals will be bussed to the march start site. The total march length is seven miles over two days. Sunday morning will include the end of the march and the Port Republic battle scenario. By 11:00 a.m. shuttle busses to return participants to their vehicles will commence running.

Uniform and equipment requirements are:
• Jacket: Fatigue blouse is required. Commissioned officers should wear sack coats and sky blue trousers.
• Caps: Forage cap is required. Forage caps shall be devoid of all hat brass to facilitate multiple unit portrayals during the weekend. No corps badges!
• Shirts: Domet-flannel Federal-issue shirt or civilian shirts are acceptable.
• Canteen: Brown leather strap is required.
• Waistbelt: US brass with leather keeper. Brass keepers are not allowed for CRs.
• Scabbard: Two-rivet pattern is required.
• Shelter: Shelter halves are not allowed because the event scenario pre-dates their issuance.
• Baggage: Blanket roll (horse collar or “hobo roll”) is required, with an army blanket and gum blanket. The Eighth New York did not have knapsacks at the time of the scenario portrayed.
• Long Arms: 1853 Enfield or Springfield rifle musket.
• Miscellaneous: The event portrays “veteran” campaigners during a hard campaign. Uniforms and gear should reflect “campaign” conditions; the Eighth New York’s gear at this time was in poor condition, except for recently issued bootees.
• Ammunition: Bring 60 rounds of packaged ammunition.

Participants are asked to raise preservation donations to help conserve historic properties at the Cross Keys and Port Republic battlefields, because development is threatening the area.

The registration fee is $20 per person (rations will be issued); the registration form is available on the event website: http://www.shenandoah1862.org/. PL website for this event is: http://www.122ndnewyork.com/shen62/shen62.htm. Registration proceeds (if any) will be donated to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation. Overall Federal commander: Bill Watson, wjwatson@ptdprolog.net, home: (570) 424 9284, cell: (570) 420 4354. CR contact for this event: Dave Grieves: dave.grieves@verizon.net, (315) 638-1307.

69th NEW YORK STATE MILITIA
FIRST BULL RUN LIVING HISTORY
June 9-11, 2006
Manassas Battlefield Park, Manassas, Virginia

MANASSAS, Va. – Sponsored by the 69th New York Co. A and the National Park Service, this “full platoon-sized” (fifty-man) living history will portray part of Company A of Colonel Michael Corcoran’s 69th New York State Militia (NYSM) on the First Bull Run battlefield. Participants will bivouac at the Henry House in the center of the First Bull Run battlefield, and among other activities re-trace the steps of the 69th NYSM across the Bull Run ford north of Stone Bridge to the battlefield. This is looking to be a well-organized event on the order of the Columbia Rifles’ 2005 Chatham Manor living history.
The company commander will be the CR’s Ron McGovern; other command positions were not determined at press time.

As with many early-war portrayals, uniform and equipment requirements will be different than those typical of most events:

• Jacket and Trousers: The 69th NYSM had sky blue trousers and a militia frock coat that had red piping and red epaulets. The 69th went into the battle without jackets or coats. Thus, most of the weekend will be in shirts. However, participants are asked to bring to the event (in order of preference): 1) Red-trimmed frock coat, 2) Standard blue-piped Federal issue frock coat, 3) Fatigue blouse. New York State jackets are NOT allowed! Trousers shall be standard Federal issue sky blue kersey.
• Caps: Kepis are preferred, but forage caps and straw hats are also acceptable. Those with forage caps are required to wear a white havelock—documented for many 69th men at Bull Run. The sponsors are offering a “bulk buy” on havelocks for $10 each from C.J. Daley, deliverable upon your arrival at the event. Straw hats are acceptable in limited numbers.
• Shirts: Red shirt for each participant is strongly preferred. A “bulk buy” on red shirts through Corner Clothiers is being offered.
• Canteen: Brown leather strap is required, smoothside only, New York Depot chain preferred.
• Waistbelt: “SNY” brass with leather keeper. “SNY” plate on the cartridge box is also required.
• Scabbard: Two-rivet pattern is required.
• Shelter: Tents are not allowed at this event.
• Baggage: Prohibited on the march, because the 69th NYSM did not have them in this campaign. Knapsacks are allowed in camp. Military blankets only. Oil cloth is preferred over gum blankets, but a gum blanket is acceptable if you do not have an oil cloth.
• Long Arms: M1842 smoothbores are strongly preferred. M1855 or M1861 Springfield rifle-musket is acceptable. 1853 Enfields are prohibited—if you have an Enfield and wish to attend, contact the event sponsors and they can probably fix you up with a loaner weapon. M1839 cartridge box is preferred for smoothbores.
• Miscellaneous: The event portrays “fresh fish” troops on their first, short campaign, at the tail end of their ninety-day enlistment. Uniforms and gear should be in good condition.
• Ammunition: Bring 40 rounds of packaged ammunition per NPS standards (no wadding).

Participants are asked to raise preservation donations to help conserve the battle flags of the 69 th New York State Volunteer regiment of the Irish Brigade.

Registration is open and is limited to 100 men. Event information, including standards, regulations, and registration form, is posted online at http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11272. Contacts are 69th NY members Ed Averill, garryowen69@comcast.net, (717) 729-0604, and Rob Carter, justrob@comcast.net, (973) 951-2265. CR contact for this event: Ron McGovern, vmi82@comcast.net, (908) 389-0580.

RICH MOUNTAIN
July 14-16, 2006
Near Beverly, West Virginia

BEVERLY, W.Va. – This is looking to be one of “the” campaigner events of 2006. Registration for the Columbia Rifles/Potomac Legion company is FULL! However, because the sponsors have made no provisions for contingency registrations, it is possible that slots will open up with the inevitable, pre-event drop-outs.

The event will be held on the Rich Mountain battlefield to commemorate the 1861 battle, and is sponsored by the 6th Ohio Mess #1. The Federal battalion will portray the Tenth Indiana and will be commanded by John Duffer of the MOOCOWS and WIG. Our friends of the Stonewall Brigade will be commanding the Confederate forces. The CR company commander will be Dave Grieves (CR/122nd NY), dave.grieves@verizon.net, (315) 638-1307.

Federal participants will make a six-mile march to the battlefield site on Saturday over some fairly rough terrain. A late-afternoon battle will cap off the march, with the event ending on Sunday morning.

Charles Heath walked the site last year and offered, “The land itself is pretty damned incredible if you like the outdoors: wildlife, waterfalls, isolated rocks four times the size of a house, assorted other geology, ponds, and places where you can look for 10 to 12 miles into the distance. I don’t use the term ‘spectacular’ very often, but the scenery at Rich Mountain is just that. The area is crossed with haul roads and skid roads for the loggers. The Federals will have a hell of a nice march route.” This event seems to have a lot going for it, and is a rare 1861 portrayal. Make no bones about it, this event will be physically arduous on some steep grades in July heat. Be prepared!

While the event is billed as “semi-immersive”, be prepared for extended first-person but do not be surprised if not much of it happens—experience has demonstrated that there is usually less first-person at physically strenuous events.

Federal uniform and equipment standards are:

• Jacket: Short-waisted “state” jackets are preferred (NO New York jackets!), and fatigue blouses are also acceptable. NO frock coats.
• Trousers: Dark blue trousers are preferred. Sky-blue kersey trousers are also acceptable.
• Hats: Dress (“Hardee”) hats (unadorned) are preferred. Forage caps are acceptable. Civilian hats are not allowed.
• Shirts: Domet-flannel Federal-issue shirt or civilian shirts are acceptable.
• Canteen: Brown leather strap is required. Smoothside only. No chains!
• Waistbelt: US brass with leather keeper. Brass keepers are not allowed.
• Scabbard: Two-rivet pattern is required.
• Shelter: Shelter halves are not allowed because the event scenario pre-dates their issuance.
• Baggage: Double-bag knapsack or blanket roll (horse collar or “hobo roll”) is required, with army blanket and oil cloth (preferred) or gum blanket (also acceptable).
• Long Arms: M1842 smoothbore, 1853 Enfield, or M1861 Springfield rifle musket.
• Miscellaneous: The event portrays “fresh fish” troops during an early-war campaign. Uniforms and gear should be in good condition, but perhaps somewhat dirty.
• Ammunition: Bring 60 rounds of packaged ammunition.

Rations will NOT be issued to participants. Bring your own for this one.

Registration for the CR/PL company is closed, but space in other Federal companies may still be available, and space in the CR company could open up prior to the event. Complete information is presented on the event website: http://www.richmountain.org/2006event/. CR contact for this event: Dave Grieves, dave.grieves@verizon.net, (315) 638-1307

SECOND BULL RUN LIVING HISTORY
A MAXIMUM EFFORT EVENT
Sponsored by the Columbia Rifles!
August 11-13, 2006
Manassas Battlefield Park, Manassas, Virginia

MANASSAS, Va. – The Columbia Rifles and National Park Service (NPS) are hosting a “two large-companies” Federal living history with about three or four miles of marching on the Second Bull Run battlefield. The event will be similar in concept to the CR’s Chancellorsville-Wilderness 2004 living history—several units will be portrayed during the weekend on different areas of the battlefield. The goal of this event is public interpretation and remembrance.

This event will be entirely on ground different than June’s 69th NYSM/First Bull Run Living History, and will have completely different portrayals representing actions in a separate battle.

This event was voted one of the Potomac Legion battalion’s maximum effort events for 2006. Registration is open, and the event website is http://www.columbiarifles.org/2br2006/2br2006.html.

The commanding officer will be Kevin O’Beirne, kobeirne@adelphia.net, (716) 648-6628. Plans are for one company to be built around the Columbia Rifles (Garr Gast, commanding, ggast01@verizon.net), with the second company built around the 5th New Hampshire of the Potomac Legion. Each company will have at least forty men in the field.

On Friday night the bivouac site will be in the southern part of the field. On Saturday, a morning interpretive program will be done at Brawner’s Farm (portraying the 2nd Wisconsin/Iron Brigade, with a commemoration of the 76th New York), followed by marching along the Unfinished Railroad Cut to a mid-afternoon scenario portraying the 48th Pennsylvania, with the Saturday evening bivouac on Chinn Ridge, and Sunday programs on Chinn Ridge commemorating the 13th Massachusetts. During Saturday participants will perform an hour-long “preservation project” to repair a deteriorated fence on the battlefield.

Uniform and equipment requirements are:

• Jacket: Fatigue blouse or frock coat is required. If you have a New York State jacket, consider bringing it to help portray the 76th New York on Saturday morning.
• Hats: Forage cap is required. No corps badges! Dress hats (“Hardee hats”) are required for those portraying the 2nd Wisconsin on Saturday morning. (If you do not have a dress hat or a New York State jacket, you will still be able to participate.)
• Shirts: Domet-flannel Federal-issue shirt or civilian shirts are acceptable.
• Canteen: Brown leather strap is required.
• Waistbelt: US brass with leather keeper. Brass keepers are strongly discouraged.
• Scabbard: Two-rivet pattern is required.
• Shelter: Shelter halves are required.
• Baggage: Double-bag knapsack or blanket roll (horse collar or “hobo roll”), with army blanket and gum blanket.
• Long Arms: 1853 Enfield or Springfield rifle musket.
• Miscellaneous: This event portrays “veteran” troops during a hard campaign. Uniforms and gear should reflect “campaign” conditions.
• Ammunition: Bring 60 rounds of packaged ammunition per NPS standards (NO wadding). Ammunition will be collected for re-issue prior to firing demonstrations, so make sure your ammo is packed in a sack with your name on it to guarantee getting your own rounds back.

The event registration fee is $12 and includes issuance of “campaign” rations for each participant. The registration form is available on the event website: http://www.columbiarifles.org/2br2006/2br2006.html. Event Coordinator and CR contact for this event is Nic Ellis, nhe101@psu.edu, (717) 451-3244.

ELMIRA “DEATH MARCH” VIII
“Retreat from Fisher’s Hill”
South of Elmira, New York
September 22-24, 2006

WELLBSBURG, N.Y. – Sponsored by the Potomac Legion’s Living History Guild, including the CR’s own Doug Oakes, this year’s “Death March” will portray portions of the Confederate retreat from the battle of Fisher’s Hill (September 23, 1864) in the Shenandoah Valley. Specifically, the actions of the Rebel rear guard near Hawkinsville, Mount Jackson, and New Market on September 24, 1864 are the settings for this event. The 2005 “Death March” was a small but very enjoyable, extremely well-organized event.

This is the Columbia Rifles’ 2006 outing as Confederates; the Rebel portrayal will be one of General Wharton’s regiments: 45th Va., 50th Va., 51st Va., 30th Va. Battalion (sharpshooters), 22nd Va. (Regiment), 23rd Va., 26th Va., 36th Va., or 60th Va. CRs can also attend as Federals, who will portray the 114th New York of the Nineteenth Corps. The Rebel contingent will be commanded by the CR’s own Dave Berndt, something2say@prodigy.net, while the Yanks will be commanded by Doug Oakes, oldsoldier51@yahoo.com.

This year’s march route is six miles long and traverses some moderately hilly terrain in the vicinity of Comfort Hill, south of Elmira, N.Y., mostly through woods and fields; most of the march route is free of anachronisms. Skirmishing between the Union and Confederate contingents will highlight the march. The PL’s 1st Maine Cavalry will have about six mounted Yank cavalrymen in attendance, which will make the Confederates’ march lively. The march will end on Saturday afternoon, and activities are planned for the first half of Sunday morning; the event will end late on Sunday morning.

Confederate uniform and kit requirements for CRs are:

• Jacket: Jeancloth Richmond Depot Type 2 (RD2) shell jacket, Tait jacket, North Carolina jacket, Confederate frock coat, or civilian sack coat.
• Trousers: Richmond Depot jeancloth or civilian is preferred; Federal kersey trousers are acceptable if it is all you have.
• Shirts: Civilian shirt or CS issue is strongly encouraged. NO Federal-issue domet flannel shirts.
• Hats & Caps: Either a quality civilian hat or Confederate forage cap.
• Canteen: Confederate tin drum canteen is preferred. Wood drum canteens and Federal canteens are acceptable. .
• Waistbelt: CS belt preferred (roller buckle belts preferred; Georgia frame, English imports, and fork-tongue are also good). US belt is acceptable if it’s all you have. No “CS” plates (these were rare in the ANV and were more common in the Army of Tennessee).
• Bayonet Scabbard: Sewn or two-rivet CS pattern is preferred.
• Haversack: White canvas haversack or U.S. tarred black.
• Shelter: Consider avoiding shelter altogether. If foul weather is forecast then bring a shelter half (even though shelter halves were not a CS-issue item). Some tent flys may be provided for the CS contingent if the weather will be poor.
• Baggage: Blanket rolls are preferred. CS knapsacks and English knapsacks are acceptable. Federal knapsacks are discouraged but can be used if you insist.
• Blankets: Civilian blankets, carpets, and CS issue blankets are preferred. US blankets are acceptable.
• Long Arms: Richmond, M1861, M1863, or M1864 Springfield, or 1853 Enfield rifle-musket is preferred

Federal uniform and kit requirements for CRs are:

• Jacket: Fatigue blouse is required.
• Shirts: Domet-flannel Federal-issue shirt is strongly encouraged. Civilian shirts and waistcoats are also acceptable.
• Caps: Forage cap is required.
• Canteen: Smoothside or bullseye body is acceptable; with a cotton strap.
• Waistbelt: US brass with brass keeper. Leather keepers are discouraged.
• Scabbard: Seven-rivet pattern is required.
• Shelter: Bring a shelter half. The camps will represent a late-war campaign bivouacs and will have minimal canvas.
• Baggage: Double-bag knapsacks are preferred; blanket rolls are also acceptable.
• Overcoats: Greatcoats are allowed but will add extra weight to your pack, although men of the Army of the Shenandoah did have overcoats by mid-September 1864.
• Long Arms: M1861, M1863, or M1864 Springfield rifle musket is preferred; 1853 Enfield is acceptable. No smoothbores.

Applicable to everyone regardless of Loyalty Affiliation:

• Miscellaneous: The event portrays veterans during a very rough, long campaign. Clothing should be dirty and worn. Bring all other appropriate items: gum blanket, haversack, mess furniture, &c.
• Ammunition: Bring 60 rounds of ammunition.
• Rations: The event hosts are issuing period-correct uncooked rations at this event—opportunities for cooking bacon in the dark exist. If you bring any rations at all—and it is preferred that you do not—make it just a couple of crackers or corn bread and coffee.

Registration closes when the spaces are full. Contact Doug Oakes for a registration form (available by e-mail) and other info. Registration includes issuance of uncooked rations. CR contact for this event is Doug Oakes at oldsoldier51@yahoo.com, (607) 734-0458

PICKET POST vs. MOSBY’S RANGERS
Wellbourne Plantation, Middleburg, Virginia
November 10-12, 2006

MIDDLEBURG, Va. – This two-day picket/outpost event on the Wellbourne Plantation—site of the Saturday bivouac during the 2000 Hodge March just east of the Blue Ridge in northern Virginia—will feature about seventy Federal infantry and ten Federal cavalry and twenty or so Confederate cavalry portraying elements of Mosby’s Rangers. The Federal battalion commander will either be John Duffer or Pat Craddock of the Western Independent Grays (WIG); the event coordinators are Coley Adair and Pat Craddock. With the Critter Company portraying Mosby’s Rangers, this could be a very lively event. Details and registration information will be provided as it becomes available. A CR contact for this event is yet to be named. At press time, the possibility existed that the sponsors may move this event to autumn 2007.

2006 EVENTS FOR CRs IN AND NEAR NEW ENGLAND

Tom Craig forwarded the following info on 2006 New England events of interest to CRs in the Northeast. For further info contact Tom at (860) 489-6302, Tom-Craig@sbcglobal.net.

• June 16-18, 2006, “Jackson’s Valley Campaign”, Goshen, CT: This is a mainstream event where a campaigner contingent have an “adjunct” to the main event. Campaigners will camp near, but not in, the mainstream camp on Friday event, and there will be a ration issue on Friday evening. During the day on Saturday and Sunday campaigners will participate in all scheduled event activities. Saturday evening campaigners will conduct a “patrol” into the property that will involve a march of about one mile. Saturday evening will include an overnight outpost and patrols. There are additional details in the works that will remain under wraps until the event. For fellows in the New England vicinity, this is a good opportunity to get together with some like-minded folks close to home.
• August 18-20, 2006, Tactical, Marlboro, VT: This is an invitation-only (second year) tactical hosted by Rob Tarbox and the 6th New Hampshire. This event features unscripted maneuvers through “wild and wooly” terrain, with issued rations and no fixed camps. This is expected to be a physical event with a good deal of “action”.
• September 15-17, 2006, “Oak Grove Farm”, Millis, MA: This is another mainstream event and campaigner efforts will be similar to June’s event at Goshen, CT. The scenario will be varied to include some “good period moments” and will NOT be a direct repeat of the campaigner aspects of the Goshen event. Details are still being worked out. This event requires mid-war Western Federal portrayals.

OTHER 2006 EVENTS

The following 2006 events, presented in chronological order, could also be attended by some Columbia Rifles members, but are not on the official CR calendar.

• March 31-April 2, 2006, “Road to Goldsboro” Tactical-type Event (Carolinas Campaign) Event, east of Fayetteville, North Carolina – CANCELED This tactical-type event was to be held on the Ben Tart farm (starting point of the Bentonville 2000 Preservation March) by the Rowdy Pards. This recent addition to the string of canceled campaigner events from 2003 to the present was either the victim of flooding of the site’s sandy soils by below-average rainfall, low numbers of registrants, and/or lack of insurance.
• July 21-23, 2006: First Bull Run Reenactment, Middletown, Virginia – A mainstream “mega-event” commemorating the First Battle of Bull Run will be held on the Cedar Creek battlefield.
• October 6-8, 2006, Perryville, Kentucky – The North-South Alliance’s planned 2006 max effort returns to the Perryville battlefield. If it’s anything like the wonderful 2002 Perryville event, this may be one to consider in the ranks of Army of the Pacific. However, the N-SA’s last two events (Franklin/Nashville 2004, and Corinth 2005) reportedly left something to be desired.
• October 20-22, 2006, Cedar Creek Reenactment, Strasburg, Virginia – The annual mainstream mega-event at the Cedar Creek battlefield.

PREVIEW OF 2007 AND BEYOND

The following events are on the Columbia Rifles’ 2007+ radar screen, meaning that we’re watching them; obviously, the CR will not be attending all of them.

Grading System: As the Army of the Potomac’s Second Corps used to say, “Clubs are Trumps”, and the number of clubs—*—next to each event is an indication of its worth for consideration for the CR’s future schedule, based on the best information currently available.

* or less = Don’t bother
** = Perhaps not bad but maybe not great, or possibly distance is a very real factor, or for some other reason this one just doesn’t have broad appeal.
*** = Worth darned serious consideration. Not worth four clubs either due to distance, size, or some other factor, but still a very worthwhile event.
**** = We’re probably nuts if we don’t vote for this one.

Events on the CR’s radar screen for 2007 and beyond are:

• **** Sometime in 2007, Wool Hat Boys-sponsored Event in Georgia: John Cleaveland and the Wool Hat Boys (members of the WIG) plan to get back into the event sponsoring business in Georgia in 2007. They will be running EITHER the Immortal 600 2007 at historic Fort Pulaski near Savannah (probably in February, if it happens), or, in John Cleaveland’s words in October 2005, “A fighting event at what is one of the most amazing, pristine, and complete plantations I’ve ever seen, complete with all of its dependencies. It’s 2,200 acres in size, privately owned, has lots of dirt roads, and it owner is willing to work with us.”

More details on either of these events will be provided when they materialize. These are a long distance from most CR members, but Cleaveland and the Wool Hat Boys are among the very, very best event sponsors in the campaigner end of Civil War reenacting. Their 2000 and 2002 Immortal 600 events, the 2001 and 2004 Pickett’s Mill events, Port Hudson 2003, and others are benchmarks against which other good events are measured. Payne’s Farm 2005 was directly inspired by Cleaveland’s work on events like Pickett’s Mill. Yes, Georgia is a long way to travel, but with Cleaveland, Adair, Joslyn, & Co. running the event, it’s well worth the trip.

• ** March 17, 2007, New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, New York, NY – The largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the country falls on a Saturday only once every six years or so and, when it does, upward of 600 Civil War reenactors march in it as a single regiment, organized by our friends of the 69th New York Co. A. The probable battalion staging area is the actual 69th New York Armory, which includes several Civil War relics. The probable battalion commander is the Columbia Rifles’ own Ron McGovern, vmi82@comcast.net, (908) 389-0580. Parade dress is typically sack coats in light marching order with shined brass and white gloves. If you’ve never marched in this one, 2007 may be the year to go.

• *** March 28-April 1, 2007, Red River III: Banks’s Grand Retreat, western Louisiana – Sponsored by the Texas Ground Hornets mess, this third edition of the Red River campaign reenactment is the ultimate campaigner experience. Earlier Red River events were held in 1994 and 1999. Red River III will be a five-day (Wednesday to Sunday) event tracing forty miles of the march of Nathaniel Banks’s Army of the Gulf in the spring 1864 Red River campaign. Union and Confederate contingents will be limited. Federals will portray the 81st Illinois and John Duffer is the Federal commander. Our own Dave Grieves will be commanding a company at this event, so one of the few Federal contingents will be CR-led. From the sponsors, this event will portray “General Banks’s withdrawal following the Battle of Pleasant Hill and his pursuit by the forces of General Richard Taylor. This will be an immersive campaign event with marching, skirmishes, building of fortifications, picket duty, period rations, and strict military deportment and decorum. The event will be held in the piney woods of northwest Louisiana on and near the route of Banks’s 1864 withdrawal. As an added feature, there will be a sizeable civilian contingent.” Event website: http://www.texasgroundhornets.org/BanksRetreat/Indextest.htm. CR contact: Dave Greives, dave.grieves@verizon.net, (315) 638-1307.

• **** April 13-15, 2007, Columbia Rifles Camp of Instruction – Final location TBA, but probably at Fort Ontario.

• * April 2007, Tactical, Near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – Chris Anders plans to run a tactical for 1,000 participants, marketed largely toward mainstream reenactors, on a piece of land near Gettysburg.

• ** May 4-6 (?) 2007, McDowell 1862 Reenactment, McDowell, Virginia – The biannual edition of McDowell will probably be held in early May 2007. Sponsored by Pridgeon’s Shenandoah Legion, http://www.battleofmcdowell.org.

• **** May 18-20, 2007 (CONFIRMED!), NPS Spotsylvania Living History, Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania National Military Park, Virginia (COLUMBIA-RIFLES SPONSORED) – This will be a “large company-sized” or “small battalion” living history event similar to A2003 and Chancellorsville-Wilderness 2004 with the NPS, on the Spotsylvania battlefield. Scenarios/depictions may include activities at Laurel Hill/Spindle’s Field, Upton’s Trail and the attack upon Doles’s Salient, and the Second Corps’s May 12, 1864 attack at the Mule Shoe, and the 49th New York (Sixth Corps—CR member Andrew Doddington had ancestors in this regiment) and 124th New York (Second Corps) at the Bloody Angle. No one in blue wool has been at Spotsylvania since 1864. Event Coordinator/CR Contact: Jeff Johannes, (540) 752-0691, jjspanzer@hotmail.com.

• **** July 20-22, 2007, Second Kernstown 1864 Battle Commemoration & Preservation Event, Winchester, Virginia – A preservation fundraising event to help the Kernstown Battlefield Association. The event, sponsored by the Stonewall Brigade, will feature one Confederate and one Federal infantry battalion, and will be structured similar to the 2005 Payne’s Farm event. The event will depict the actions of two regiments during the July 25, 1864 battle of Second Kernstown, between Jube Early’s Army of the Valley and George Crook’s Federal Army of West Virginia. The battle ended in a stunning Union defeat and, coupled with the burning of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania just five days later, resulted in the formation of the Federal Army of the Shenandoah with Phil Sheridan at its head in early August 1864, with the resulting 1864 Valley Campaign. Possible Federal portrayal is the 23rd Ohio (the regiment of future U.S. Presidents Rutherford Hayes and William McKinley). The event contact is Mike “Dusty” Chapman of the Stonewall Brigade at mj-chapman@nga.gov or dustyswb@comcast.net.

• Mid-September 2007, “Fire on the Mountain” Reenactment (South Mountain), Middletown, Maryland – One of Chris Anders’s new-breed “better mainstream” events, similar to “Summer of ‘62” 2005 and held on the same site. Reportedly the battles at South Mountain’s Fox’s Gap and Turner’s Gap will be portrayed; the event site is several miles from the real battlefields.

• 0* Mid-September 2007, 145th Anniversary Antietam Reenactment, near Hagerstown, Maryland – The inevitable mainstream mega-event, this time reportedly being run by George Lomas of Regimental Quartermaster sutler. Bound to be a farb train wreck having very little to do with history.

• *** Autumn 2007, Picket Post vs. Mosby’s Rangers, Wellbourne Plantation, Middleburg, Virginia – The proposed 2006 event may be moved to autumn 2007. See event info above.

• ** October 5-7, 2007, Mill Springs 1862, Mill Springs Battlefield, near Somerset, Kentucky – This will be a North-South Alliance max effort event, and will very likely be supported by the Army of the Pacific. Details will be provided as they become available.

• **** February 2008, Winter 1864 2008, Newfane, Niagara County, New York – This fantastic semi-immersion winter quarters weekend is a wonderful event, and great for knocking off some mid-winter rust for a truly unique living history experience. Sponsored by the 151st New York of the Potomac Legion. Contact Scott Schotz of the 151st at hurrah_without_the_h @yahoo.com, (716) 795-9577, or Dennis Schank (151st New York) at (716) 778-8963. Event website/Yahoo Club: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/w64/.

• ** April 11-13, 2008, White House of the Confederacy Living History, Richmond, Virginia – A Federal living history at the Confederate White House in Richmond, portraying the April 1865 occupation of Richmond. Sponsored by the POC’R Boys Mess, with the support of the Museum of the Confederacy and the USCT Living History Association. On Friday evening participants will be quartered in Sibley tents and hospital tents at Camp Lee. On Saturday participants will be shuttled to Rockett's Landing to march to the Museum of the Confederacy (MoC) in time for opening. At the MoC, the USCTs will be posted to guard the MoC. A provost will issue tour groups with passes to enter the White House. A General Godfrey Weitzel look-a-like will be in the White House to talk about the occupation. After the groups exit the White House, the guard will be changed in the group's presence. The white companies will drill and interact with the public, also discussing the occupation, i.e., putting out the fires, dealing with miscreants and roustabouts, establishing order, protecting women and children. There will be civilians taking the oath and Confederate parolees receiving rations and touring the White House with the groups (plants in each group for color). At the end of the day, the men will march up Leigh Street to Camp Lee for supper, rest, and camp guard duty. Sunday will include worship services and activities similar to Saturday. Contact: Dave Eggleston, dave.eggleston@comcast.net, (804) 641-2497.

• ** June 2008, Thornton River March, Culpeper, Virginia – This event is a twenty-mile march over two days with a Gettysburg campaign Army of Northern Virginia portrayal. Contact: Joe Bordonaro, beatlefans@earthlink.net, (609) 561-3868.

• **** Mid-September 2008(?), Opequon Creek (Third Winchester) Battle Commemoration and March, Winchester, Virginia – This event, envisioned to be similar in nature to the Payne’s Farm 2005 event, will be held on the Third Winchester battlefield at the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley. Preserved portions of the battlefield were increased by 400 acres in 2005. The event will be hosted by the Stonewall Brigade in cooperation with the Civil War Preservation Trust—the same great folks who sponsored Payne’s Farm.

• **** Mid-September 2009(?), Fisher’s Hill Battle Commemoration and March, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia – This event, envisioned to be similar in nature to the Payne’s Farm 2005 event, will be held on the Fisher’s Hill battlefield about 20 miles south of Winchester and may include a re-creation of the Federal Eighth Corps’s flank march to Fisher’s Hill on September 23, 1864. The event will be hosted by the Stonewall Brigade in cooperation with the Civil War Preservation Trust—the same great folks who sponsored Payne’s Farm

CRRC 2nd EDITION

The 2nd Edition of The Columbia Rifles Research Compendium is in the final stages of formatting by the publisher, and is expected to be available for sale in mid-2006. For complete information, including the table of contents, see the updated CRRC webpage at http://www.columbiarifles.org/crhandbook.htm.

The CRRC’s 2nd Edition is being published and distributed by The Watchdog, and proceeds from the book will be donated to a Civil War preservation cause of the CR’s choice. The new book will be a 8.5-inch by 11-inch softcover “perfect bound” volume (not a three-ring binder).

CR members for the 2006 season will be able to purchase the new book at a significant discount—probably about $20 per copy (the retail price for everyone else is expected to be about $40 per copy). The cost of the book and ordering details are not yet final.

MEMBER NEWS

Got news on some aspect of your life you want to share with the rest of the CR? Shoot us a note at kobeirne@adelphia.net! News need not be “momentous”, but we sure like to hear about stuff like weddings, engagements, graduations, new children, active military service, an article you have published somewhere, and other items from your “real life”. Don’t be shy—send it in!

• BOOK PUBLISHED! Rob Grandchamp has written a book titled, “With Their Usual Ardor”: Scituate, Rhode Island and the American Revolution, and is being published by Heritage Books. In the volume, Rob has chronicled the exploits of his grandfather’s battalion of Rhode Island militia using his papers passed down through generations. Rob notes, “These militiamen were not your typical farmers with pitchforks. On three separate occasions they faced British Regulars and beat them.” This looks like a darned good good read, and from a CR who’s barely twenty years old. Congratulations, and well done!

• PUBLISHED: Kevin O’Beirne’s article “Leadership in Reenacting Part 3: Off the Field” will be published in the May/June issue of Civil War Historian magazine. This article was published in The Columbia Examiner’s April 2005 edition.

BOARD CONTACT INFO

The Columbia Rifles’ Board of Directors to serve until the May 6, 2006 annual meeting are.

• President: Kevin O’Beirne, 3523 Heatherwood Drive, Hamburg NY 14075, (716) 648-6628, kobeirne@adelphia.net.
• Vice President: Tom Craig, 95 Holley Place, Torrington, CT 06790, (860) 489-6302, Tom-Craig@sbcglobal.net.
• Secretary/Treasurer: Jeff Lau, 3 Cider Lane, Washington, NJ 07882, (908) 689-7040, flag8tr@yahoo.com.
• Board Member: Steve Tyler, 185 Kaymar Drive, Rochester, NY 14616, (585) 865-0094, styler@frontiernet.net.
• Board Member: Mike Jolin, 28 Bayley Street, #403, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, (401) 787-1076, yankri@yahoo.com.