These are the Confederate scenarios for the upcoming Neshaminy Event:

NESHAMINY, “The Spring of ‘62”

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Thank you for participating as Confederate soldiers and civilians at this year’s Neshaminy Reenactment.  This year we will be doing two scrïpted scenarios.

This weekend, we will be doing a portion of the Battle of Cross Keys. We will portray the 13th. Virginia, 25th. Virginia, 15th. Alabama, and the 21st. Georgia. During the Saturday scenario, we will be attacked by the Federals from the woods to the left of the spectator viewing area. We will be pushed back to roughly the area of the old breastworks, where we will hold and finally counterattack. This attack will be repulsed and we will be forced to fall back, ending the scenario. On Sunday, we take roughly the same positions we held on Saturday, at the end of the scenario. The scenario will start with heavy skirmish fighting. Various units will be rotated into the skirmish line during this period. At the conclusion of the scenario we will push the Federals back to their Saturday start point. No Confederate soldier will advance closer than 30 yards from the Federals. There will be no hand to hand combat during these scenarios.

Please note, these movements are not designed to exactly match the action during the actual battle of Cross Keys, but are designed to better use the spectator viewing area and allow better use of all branches of the Army.

Please note, there will be non-scrïpted tacticals prior to the scrïpted scenarios on both Saturday and Sunday.  These tacticals have nothing to do with the scrïpted scenarios. They are for our enjoyment, and the success or failure of the tactical is based on our efforts. Saturday’s tactical is just prior to the scrïpted scenario. Following the tactical, we will regroup and reorganize in the big field out of sight of the Spectators. We will utilize the “River Path” to get in position for the scrïpted scenario. Please consider the field in front of the Spectator Line as the stage where we are putting on a show. Please avoid any Farby behavior when you are on stage in front of the Spectators. The tactical on Sunday takes place at 10:00 AM and ends at 11:15 AM. We will move directly from our camps for Sunday’s scrïpted afternoon scenario.  

Please check with your Officers or NCO’s if you have any questions about the scenarios, or most important, your role in these scenarios. The success of a scrïpted scenario depends on every participant knowing exactly what is expected from both his unit, and himself.  We owe nothing less then our best efforts to those soldiers, both Blue and Gray, who fought and died in these actions 145 years ago.

Bill

I was thinking about bringing my son up to watch that event.. and now I know how it will end.. well that just ruined that trip.

Edit: I may bring him anyways.. since he doesn't know how it will end.  

--Last edited by lhsnj on 2007-04-13 11:23:27 --

lol... i just wont tell mine whats going to happen ill be bringing all 4 of mine with me.

Greg,

All kidding aside. I am a firm believer that every participant in a scrïpted spectator event should know exactly what his role in the scenario is. The last paragraph sums up my attitude pretty well, I think.

Although I have never attended this event and yes, Bill invites me every year, Neshaminy has a very good reputation for being a well run event with well scrïpted fights. There's not very many events that can say that. Ant to boot, the event contributes monies to preservation every year. If you read the event reports from years past, you'll see folks complain about the weather however, you will, and I have never seen folks complain about the battles or wanting for anything (wood, parking, a place to poo) at this event.

Grumpy Dave,

Thanks for the kind words. We do our best, but sometimes things still get messed up. Last year's Balls Bluff scenario being a good example. Everything went according to plan until the final, when the Federals were pushed over the bluff. When it was time for the big push, I didn't have anybody left for pushing. Most everybody was dead on the field. We were fighting at historically correct ranges, with historically incorrect rifle-muskets. Way too many guys had taken hits. I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off, raising people from the dead to charge the Federals. I had told the officers to limit hits, but it seems the word didn't get down to the men in the ranks. Another lesson learned.

As an historical aside, in the actual battle of Balls Bluff, the fighting went on for an entire day, and almost nobody got hit. Most of the Confederate regiments only had a very few men killed. It seems green soldiers shooting smooth bore muskets don't hit much. Most of the Federals got killed after they stopped shooting back at the Rebs and were trying to retreat back across the Potomac River.    

I just calls em' like I sees em'.

How do ya think I got my nickname?

Well we usually do get quite damp and the rain a few years ago had even the horses complaining. Grumpy, I was certain you were there somewhere. We always have a good time at this event. With lots of room for mounted drill as well as miles of trails to ride, it makes a good place and event to break in new troopers and knock the rust off from winter. This year we'll have a bugler with us for the first time. I know we are all looking forward to the event.
Dave