I enjoyed the event just as I enjoyed the September Storm event and Summer of 62 events.  A big THANKS to Chris Anders and all those on his staff and who helped to pull this off.  


For me the highlights were:
1) Taking my nephew to his first event where he was able to see the elephant.
2) Advancing on saturday morning and pushing through the "marsh" to meet the Federals on the hill and then to be overrun.  We were the color company that had its colors taken.
3) To go back out after that and the color bearer was a descendant of the color bearer of the unit we were representing in the action.
4) Seeing the camps after the storm rolled through and the campfires popping up and soldiers huddled under a little canvas or their gum blankets trying to dry out.
5) MacBeth in the Confederate camp.  Even though I was trying to get some sleep, the play sounded pretty cool and well done.  And the music that played that night too was quite good to listen too.
6) Federals who took hits and plenty of them.

The wood, water and facilities were plentiful and also out of sight from camp for the weekend so that didn't take away from my experience.  We were also far enough away from sutler row, that we didn't have those distractions, but close enough to go get what we needed.  Even had a chance to wave to Major Poppy as we marched out to the staging area for Sunday's battle.

I was a little disappointed we didn't get to do the dusk battle.  We had got my nephew ready for it and had been talking about past ones and then the storm came in.  

I was a little disappointed with the Wheatfield scenario on sunday, I thought it would be much hotter in terms of the fight.  But when we advanced over the hill and towards the 1st MN and fired a volley into them and a bunch went down.  That made up for it.

The guys marching in on friday looked good.  We passed them at the intersection of Millerstown Road and Confederate Ave.  We passed them as we headed back into town to get a couple of needed items.

I didn't have too many low points from the weekend.  I knew what to expect from it and enjoyed myself accordingly.  Also I was able to get an image made by R Szabo.  It was taken to commermorate my nephew's (center) first event.

All the AARs I have read on various forums appear to have the same enjoyable theme with very little negative items. Sounds like all had a great time and the event was what most expected it to be.

To elaborate on the event pros and cons:

Pros:
- The land attained was great. Very close to Gettysburg and still had few modern intrusions.
- Camps and impressions were not perfect but more than met my expectations based on what was promised.
- I was pleasantly surprised by quality of camps and uniforms (not perfect, but the best I have seen at a mainstream event).
- An opportunity to drill with a larger battalion.
- Buglers, musicians, stretcher bearers, surgeons, etc.
- Our battalion had period correct rations issued to us.
- Battle scenarios improved (not perfect, but not a silly powderburner). Some attention was paid to regimental specific battle scenarios.
- Quality sutlers!

Cons:
- One part of Fed camp had to access water via a ladder.
- Too many visible modern items in the sutler area. Bright modern lighting used in the evening.
- Limited public present and their limited visibility.  What would be great is if there was an event where spectators could walk along a permiter line as the battle moves.

In spite of that, I give the event a 9 out of 10 for fulfilling its promised goals and quality.

My friends (new and old) and I had a grand time at the event.  In my humble opinion, this type of "compromise event" is an important part of our future as reenactors.  If mainstreamers refuse to progress and improve and hardcores refuse to compromise on puritan standards then we have no future. I wish others would see this and attend these events and have a great time. You can still attend farbfests and immersive/campaigner events throughout the year. But, it seems critical that we try to come together if both sides are willing to compromise for the common good of supporting a larger scale effort.  My hopes in a good future for reenacting was renewed with this event.  Hopefully, I won't have to travel across the country to attend my next one, but would gladly do it again.  Thanks to Chris Anders and the organizers for their efforts.

Just my 2 cents.

Regards,
Jim Butler
SRR www.geocities.com/saltriverrifles
SCAR  www.geocities.com/scar_civilwar

On the whole, it appears that of those making comment, most are quite satisfied with the result of the event.  As always, there were boogers in the broth, but they seemed to be minimal, or at least of an acceptable level.

The chief complaint I've heard has been disappointment at missing out on the Saturday night engagement, but with general understanding that there was no real choice in the matter, and amazement that two forces that large could clear the field in such short order with a reasonable degree of cohesion and military order.

My greatest "disappointment", if one can call it that, is that I was so frikkin' busy being a sojer that I couldn't take time to observe the action around me.  On both days, we were being shoved back or getting shot up.  Sunday, in particular, we started on the southern end of the field and got literally run to the other end of the field.  The last thing I remember (as flag bearer for the AotO battalion) is being told to set up a rally point below the rise at the north end, then sprinting the last quarter mile (or so it seemed to me!) with the d@mn Rebs on our heels just yards away.  Fat, old men can kick in the afterburners when they have to, or so I'm told by those got left behind.

Guess I'll get to see the 1st MN in action on the Wide Awake film, along with everything else.  I heard it was quite impressive, and that for the entire weekend, the troops moved in fairly accurate ways.

 

Because I haven't studied the original battle enough to figure out what regiment was moving where to represent who, can somebody answer a question that's been bugging me?

On Sunday, we were reenacting the peach orchard and the wheatfield, right? Okay, the Confederates started from stacked arms in a mown field, marched through a little orchard-like area (mostly hawthorns) and then through an uncut hayfield (tall fescue, I think) that sorta really did resemble ripe wheat on a low budget, where the Yankees first started shooting at us, and then into another larger mown area past the artillery and beside the crowd.

I don't think the orchard-like area was supposed to resemble the peach orchard, because no fighting took place there, but was that hayfield supposed to be a wheatfield? 'Cause it really wasn't too bad, if you looked out across it rather than down, considering the cost of actually planting heirloom wheat.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

I enjoyed myself.. even with the lovely rain storm on Saturday night. And spiders and ticks!

It was great meeting with Bill... though I find it very funny that he hadnt a clue who I was until Saturday when I put my period clothing on, then he knew me right away lol. Bill was awesome and very accomadating.. even before he knew it was me.   We were stuck out in camp of inconvience... but I rather enjoyed it out there, even though my feet hurt by the end of the weekend.

As a spectator... we didnt see a lot on Sunday, I didnt watch on Saturday as my children didnt want to go, which was fine. We stayed in the shade and enjoyed a quiet day of rest and relaxation (do you really believe me?).

Dulcie,

You and Kevin made the right decision to leave on Sunday afternoon. As you know, I was planning to stay on site until Wednesday, when the GAC camps opened. After the camp cleared out on Sunday, I had the most wonderful bath with a bucket of soapy water and about ten buckets of rinse water. I'm afraid this was a pleasure you would not have been able/willing to indulge in!

On Monday morning I drove into Gettysburg for breakfast at the Lincoln Diner. I bumped into Ken at the diner. Don't feel bad, I didn't recognize him in modern clothing either!  

When I got back to camp, I found my wonderful truck with unlimited water was gone; but I did have a five gallon "Jerry Can" hidden in the tent, so I figured I'd be alright until Wednesday.

About 2:00 PM a truck showed up and took away the Porta-Potties and I knew it was time to get out of Dodge. It's one thing to deal with five gallons of water. It's another to dig "cat holes" in the woods. I lucked out and got a room at the Host Motor Lodge, in downtown Gettysburg, for only $60 dollars a night; where I stayed both Monday and Tuesday nights.

Kevin is a great guy and I really enjoyed our conversations. BTW, thanks again for the fried potatos. They were outstanding.      

Wow Bill... glad we left. We actually ended up making our way to Lancaster and stayed a night there, then stayed 2 nights in York. We had fun playing tourist, swimming and taking hot showers.

Glad you liked the potatoes... anytime

Shoot Bill, how could you miss me.  I was the most handsome one in the Stinkin' Lincoln.  

Quote :

Ken Cornett wrote : Shoot Bill, how could you miss me.  I was the most handsome one in the Stinkin' Lincoln.

Ken,

I guess I was just dazzled by your brilliance!  

Bill, It was an honor to meet you. had i caught you early enough on sat you would have had lasagna.  The event for me was great in just getting "down time"  I had fun.  

Sunday I mustered with the outcasts in the COC.  Wheatfield battle was great except that everybody was tripping on the same rock.

Linda, it was a pleasure meeting you.  I know Dulc has much respect for you.  

Quote :

Linda, it was a pleasure meeting you.  I know Dulc has much respect for you.

Hi Kevin and Dulcie, I was glad to make your acquaintance as well.  I was hoping to meet more of the people on the forum, but well... by the time the battle ended and I saw how strung out the camps were, I didn't get much further than the authentic civilian camp and the sutlers. Go figure.

I was glad to see those I did at the event anyway.  

Linda Trent