Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

[IowaYank]

Hey Guys, I just wanted to see what kind of interest there would be out there for doing a Federal Wilders Brigade impression at Chickamauga? I see that Lee White has posted that there is strong interest from the parks for living histories at the battlefields. This would be a Federal mounted infantry impression with Spencer RIFLES....not carbines. To do this right, everyone would have to have the rifle version. Are there enough people out there in our authentic mounted community who have Spencer rifles, or could beg, barrow, or steal (ok,,,,maybe not steal) to do a mobile living history??

Just seeing what kind of interest there is out there!!!
Dan

[Jerry Ross]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

I don't have the rifle is the problem

[woolhat1864]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

Ready, willing and able!!

Pete brought this up a while back and I mentioned it once or twice but got no intrest, so I didn't persue the cause. I figured it would look kinda of silly with a one man brigade, but then again I guess I've seen worse. So, yes, I am interested .

Tommy Jackson

[Mark Choate]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

Hi Dan,

Lee had sent me some communication a while back on doing something at Chickamauga, but nothing specifically on Wilders.

The lack of the Spencer rifle is a large obstacle. Or maybe I should say the lack of the $1300 to buy the Spencer is the obstacle.

Mark

[1sgtscot]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

I don't have the rifle, but I could do it with a carbine. I know you said no carbines in the original post, but it's all I got. Any idea of date?

[brown]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

There were also men in the brigade that still had Enfields as of Chickamauga. While the majority had Spencers and that's one of the major things that set them apart, would portraying a specific company with Enfields and one or two Spencers for showing the public be meaningful? A true mounted infantry impression would be pretty darn valuable.

[Huck]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

Well if I can get a mount (I have the tack) and the rifle I used at Bummers I am all in.

[IowaYank]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

I have nothing even remotely close to being set in stone for this,,,,,I was just throwing the idea out there to see what kind of interest there was. I'll get in contact with Lee and the park and see if their interested. This would be 2011 for sure,,,,,I already have one event I am hosting for 2010 and for now that pretty well fills my plate! :-)

Dan

[Mike Ventura]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

Dan--

I'd do it! But, as stated above, a Spencer RIFLE is gonna be a problem for most of us.

I wish now that I had not sold my original Spencer when I "quit the hobby" two times ago! :cry_smile

[IowaYank]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

Here is a thought I had to try to solve this Spencer rifle issue. I know there are a decent number of infantry boys that have Spencer Rifles. I am wondering if I put a call out to those that do and asked if they would be willing to rent the rifle out to us mounted boys for the event. I am envisioning a rental fee that would go to the owner, and the user would sign something that says if they break or damage the rifle they will pay for repairs or replacement.

Maybe a way to solve the problem???
Dan

[Tom Craig]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

Dan,

It would be really cool if you could make it work! I'm not sure the rental scheme would work, chiefly because you're talking firearms here and I think most guys would be very reluctant to loan out their relatively rare and expensive rifle to a bunch of guys who they've never met. If you can make it work, I'm all in!

Take care,
Tom Craig

[CJSchumacher]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

Just thought I'd put this photo up, since you're talking about Spencer rifles and the Lightening Brigade. One of them:

[thad gallagher]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

Reinholz told me about this oppurtunity at Bummers and I have been giddy about it since. Sounds like a great oppurtunity for an impression that is a bit different. I do have the rifle, but am lacking the mount. Hope to hear more and join in!

[thad gallagher]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

Question on the image. Is that a sword beltstrp he is wearing? Looks a bit narrow for a cratridge box strap and there doesn't appear to be anything hanging below his elbow, any thoughts? Being mounted infantry, how much cav equipment, besides tack would they have had?

[IowaYank]

Re: Wilders Impression at Chickamauga??

Thad, yeah I saw the saber belt as well. Very interesting. I need to do some more research on them to be able to tell the amount of of traditional cav equipment they had.

Dan