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Zygoat wrote : Scenario busting is a fact of life.  What I would suggest is that when something goes wrong, there should be fast and decisivee remedy on the field.

Rob,

I agree totally. I just haven't figured out what that fast and decisive remedy might be. Robert mentioned a case where a mounted officer rode out and marched a unit away. That might be fast and decisive, but what does it look like to the spectators? I try to keep in mind that spectators may not know the history, but they do recognize silly. That's one of the reasons I hate the usual hand to hand combat situation. They almost always look bad. A couple of years ago the scenario called for hand to hand fighting and a flag capture. We had every member of the two units involved attend the walk through and let them talk and plan their own mini-scenarios, with no laughter or smiles for the spectators to see. It went pretty well.  

I like your idea of just running away when things are going wrong. It's historically accurate and it's easier to fix something away from the front lines. There have been a couple of times when I dearly wished that both sides would just run off the field and go make coffee!    

As attractive as the 51/51 impression was for the Rohrbach's bridge scenario the following year, just one time it would be fun to enjoy the hot coffee and ham sandwich aspect of the 23rd OVI.

Perfesser Tobey's amusement with the scads of fence rails suddenly at his disposal to recreate all manner of Gould's shebang arrangements was also an enjoyable moment. As sorry as A140 was as an event, we sure squeezed some blood from that turnip, not the least of which was the use of the cornfield, which just about took an act of God to make happen.

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Charles Heath wrote : In keeping with the original post: http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/history/vignettes/duty3.html If you look closely, you can see the little mules on this monument: http://www.sandusky-county-scrapbook.net/HughesGranite/McKinley.htm

Charles

Thanks for those links.  When I first read the AAR I guess it just struck me as odd that with all the goings on they would stop and do something like boil coffee.  

Not as contrary to conventional wisdom as receiving mail just prior to going across Rohrbach's bridge. That was another one of those moments we don't capture every day.

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Bill wrote : Guys, Funny, this thread seems to be turning into a discussion of scenario busting.

I figure there are others out there who do other eras or reenacting.  Are these issues also present in Rev War and WWII events?  

I haven't really heard much about scenarios being busted for those.  What are they doing differently?  Is it an event size factor or just mindset of the person doing it?  You don't hear about the Hessians waiting for Washington in Trenton and winning the day.. or the Allied forces losing the battle of D-day reenactments.  Is it because the people who do those realize that they are supposed to lose and they do and do it well?

You know it's funny.  I was at the 140th Antietam (It was my first "BIG" event).  I am not sure at which part of the cornfield that this happened, but Feds were there.  I know, I was one of 'em.  Slept there off and on during picket duty, and then was cheerfully awoken by the early morning Cannonade.  (What a great and glorious sound is that of artillery coming from behind, and exploding on your front).  Dear heaven I hope that my recollective faculties haven't failed me.

Joseph "Diggah" Eversole
28th MVI Company K

Joseph,

You wouldn't have been in Capt. Bryda's company encamped on the far west end of the lovely path through the woods by any chance?