ISO Kevin Oyarzo

[GBaylor]

Does anyone have contact information for Kevin Oyarzo of Hardaways Battery?

John Sweeney

[CJDaley]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

Does anyone have contact information for Kevin Oyarzo of Hardaways Battery?

John Sweeney

Don't know how to get a hold of Kevin. I'd say Ross, Charlie or Al Preston would be a good start.

Good luck finding him John.

Hope to see you soon pard!

[Kanawha Riflemen]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

John,

Kevin and his gun were just at Gettysburg with us this past weekend when we did the BLA Event with Ross and them. On a side note, Al Preston has moved on from South Mountain to Herrington Manor in Oakland. If you send me a PM later this week, I might be able to have a number for Kevin or someone who has it as I am not sure where it is at here. I am working tomorrow but will not be close to a computer, but Thursday I will be in the office here at the battlefield. Meantime i will send an email to Al and see if he has it.

_____________
John A. Miller
Monterey Pass Battlefield Assoc.
South Mountain State Battlefield

[GBaylor]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

Thanks Chris and John,

We're having a small event here in Loudoun County next month and I need a gun to portray Pelham's Battery. You remember Chris, where we were at Preservation 2000 when you commanded the gun.

Any help in getting a hold of Kevin or an authentic gun and crew is greatly appreciated.

John Sweeney

P.S. Good to hear from you too Chris. I hope all is well with you and the family.

[CJDaley]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

I need a gun to portray Pelham's Battery. You remember Chris, where we were at Preservation 2000 when you commanded the gun.

I sure do John. That was one of the happiest weekends I've spent in this hobby. You, me, John Stillwagon, Charlie Childs, Evan Jones and Brian Merrick were on that gun detachment. Kevin and his boys were the drivers for horse drawn gun.

I remember jogging along side that piece for 8+ miles on Saturday, then pulling up to Welbourne Manner and the civilians handing each of us a crystal goblet of ice cold water.

Then, with my knapsack for a pillow, I slipped under the gun for the best afternoon nap I've ever had in my life.

Thanks for bringing that memory up John. Good times indeed.:wink_smil

P.S. Good to hear from you too Chris. I hope all is well with you and the family.

We're well. School started today and we're digging the last days of summer down here in Tidewater, VA. I miss you John, hope to see you in the field someday soon.

[ktfrench]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

John,

I just sent Kevin an e-mail to see if it's OK... I'll send you a PM once I hear from him with his contact information.

Kevin French
Hardaway's Battery

[GBaylor]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

That was one of the best times in the hobby. Great weather, good event, good friends. I still remember Johnny mounted on that horse looked just like Pelham. Remember, Evan had a tough time keeping up.

We're doing the same event, but there's more Cavalry this time. The NPS surveyed the battle a few years ago and published a magazine about it. Turns out the Battle of Unison was a 3 day affair.

I don't do many of the big events anymore. Mostly LH and picket post type stuff.

John Sweeney

[GBaylor]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

Kevin,
Thanks a bunch. We'd really like to have Hardaways at this event. Its the weekend after the NSSA shoots. If y'all could make it for just Saturday that would be great too.

John Sweeney

[CJSchumacher]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

Sweeney,

Huck was trying to get a hold of you. Contact him if you get a chance.

Chris

[CJDaley]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

Remember, Evan had a tough time keeping up.

Yeah, 100 yards into our march Evan said "can I put my pack on the limber chest and can we slow it down"

You said "Son, those horses got enough work to do without carrying your shit", Charlie Childs chimed in "I'm twice your age young man".

Like two hours later he passed us in the back of a car and waved on his way to the public demo.

A few years later bragged that joined some unit because they all looked like 'marathon runners'...well looking like you can run a marathon and being able to pull it off are two different things...so much for being young and skinny...I'll take our middle aged fat asses anyday.

[GBaylor]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

I remember that foggy morning, the trees were in peak color. We placed the gun in that Quaker cemetary right where Pelham did. Then seeing the Yankee column marching out of Unison with the stone walls on both sides of the road, and we opened up on them.

At that time I was running half marathons, but have put a few pounds since. That's why I "Jined the Cavalry".

John Sweeney

[Huck]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

Yeah I was able to make contact with John, thanks Chris.


I remember a few events crewing Oyarzo's 3in Ord Rifle. Bentonville N.C, One of Hodge Prez marches in the mid to late 90's etc.......... If someone was to fly me out to NVA again, I would be glad to crew that gun again. I miss those days.

[CJDaley]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

I remember a few events crewing Oyarzo's 3in Ord Rifle. Bentonville N.C,

That was in 1995. That was a crazy time too.

We (the Southern Guard and Kevin's guys) brought a company of 70+ Federals and Kevin's mounted gun. The event organizers let us work like a mini-legion the whole weekend. We moved so fast that could basically plug in any holes anywhere during the battles. Fred Rickard and I were the officers for that company. It was great doing platoon drill with a 35 man platoon. (BTW we put that 70 man platoon together without the help of e-mail or the internet...just word of mouth)

On the Sunday battle Kevin fired right into the charging Confederate Cavalry....they pealed off very fast so when the smoke cleared it really looked like they had been 'turned into a pink spray'....then the cav charged the gun and the infantry formed square to protect the gun and the horses....the cav guys were knocking chunks out of the musket stocks with real heavy swings of sabres....we thought they were pissed about the cannon firing too close.....turns out, they were just really excited and very happy to see us form square....

That was probably the most scared I ever was at an event. No one had real bullets, it wasn't a real war, no one was going to die but those cav guys looked like they were ready to kill and as an officer without a musket....all I could do was yell "Joel watch out"...."Krusty watch out"....."Troy watch out"....no one got hurt of course.

"Taps" was done playing for about 20 minutes and those cav guys were still attacking us.




Funny aside: A good pard of mine who'll remain nameless had the runs that weekend. He had eaten something on the way down and had to make a bee line for the sinks every 1/2 hour or so. During this battle he had another 'call' so he dropped trow right in the middle of the square....he was wearing a brand new hand-sewn linen pleated shirt....as he did his work...the shirt got heavier and heavier....while he pulled his pants down...he failed to pull his shirt up....he drove home without a shirt needless to say.



Thanks for reminding about that Huck. Wish you could come out to VA more often....we should really think about a Southern Guard reunion for one of the 150th events.

[GBaylor]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

Thanks for everyone's help, Kevin and I are now in communication with one another.

Chris, your story about Bentonville reminds me about one at Cedar Creek(I think the year we marched in from Hupp's Hill). Saturday night Peggy Oyarzo cooked up some chicken stew and being starved Johnnys we bolted it down. I remember little Kevin said it smelled like "poo" (out of the mouth of babes). That night, Tim Allen, my buddy South, Joel Bohy, and me did relays to the sinks. Next morning we found out that everyone except Charlie Childs and Jim Loba had the runs (they having drunk tequeila the night before). I remember the SG marching into battle and Joel and I sprinting to a huge Sycamore tree. I made it, Joel didn't. I've always said,"you ain't hardcore until you've had the runs at an event.

John Sweeney

[CJDaley]

Re: ISO Kevin Oyarzo

That was a rocking event too. That was 1994 and we did that March in just a few hours...when we came into the event with full packs everyone went nuts. We marched past the Federal camp and everyone's jaw dropped. These days everyone is doing marches in full packs. Back then it as a novelty. We also just camped in the woods instead of in company streets....also a novelty back then...

That was a good company. I remember I introduced Chris Schrieber to a VERY young Lukas Berg. It was great to see two generations of leather workers conversing like peers even though there was probably 30 years age difference in them.

Thankfully I missed the meal in Oyarzo's camp that night. I ended up eating differenter 'poo' out of my haversack, but never got sick.

"you ain't hardcore until you've had the runs at an event."....well, I'm proud to say I'm not hardcore....but Joel is!