2013 Chickamauga

[woolhat1864]

I was reading on another forum about some fellas putting a Wilder's Brigade impression together for the 2013 Chickamauga event, which sounds like a plan to me, until he mentioned that they were going to be dimounted for the event. I know Dan tried to get something going with this a year or two ago and haven't heard too much about it since, but is there any interest in getting a group of mounted fellas together and doing it right?


Tommy Jackson

[Mark Choate]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

Tommy,
Great to see you out and about again. You have been quiet for a while and your posts are always informative.

Let me say this about Chickamauga in 2013. Saturday night, at the WIG meeting it was decided that they will probably being going to Chickamauga as their "mega-event" of the year. As such there will be a mounted contingent in support and we have pledged to help them. That having been said, I am way out in front of this one as we still haven't gotten into the 1862 events yet, ha and the adjunct suggestion for even Shiloh (which I think is gonna be unbelievable) was met with some skepticism (but heck, isn't everything :wink_smil).

With all of that being said, I think that the Wilder suggestion would be a wonderful idea and it would stand in sharp contrast to the other group that is doing it without horses. (Duh!!)

Let's keep it on the burner and see how things shape up and where/what our options are. In our small community of mounted soldiers, we really need to not fragment at these large events, but rather bring our numbers together to really make an authentic statement. Much like the WIG and their compatriots did at the "Manassas Melt-down" with their portrayal of the Mississipians. Really made a statement and that is what we need to do.

Great post, Tommy and keep it up!

Mark

[ajroscoe]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

It is worth pointing out anyways regarding Wilder's brigade that they were not mounted from the evening of the 18th, when they had been supporting Col. Minty's cavalry brigade at the Alexander Bridge and fell back to the Vinnard Farm and the late morning of the 20th, as they were being shifted in the minutes before the breakthrough in the center. They still did not fight mounted at all during the day, and fought as conventional infantry for the entire battle (the number 4s being absent with the remaining mounts - and the haversacks) until after their stand where the tower is today. Col. Wilder did contemplate a mounted charge on the afternoon of the 20th into the rear of Longstreet's Wing, but was ordered to fall back and cover the retreat of the trains by Assistant Secretary of War Dana instead, something Wilder regretted, as he was convinced he could have turned the battle. Either way, it is more appropriate to show his brigade dismounted and fighting as infantry for the battle.

[Mark Choate]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

Yes, Andrew and good add. I think that is what Tommy had in mind (me too) that the fighting would be correctly done dismounted and yes for an extended period of time. And the 4's would be back with the horses which would be correct.

We are referring to the absence of mounts in totality.

regards,
Mark

[Forrestcavalryman]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

Wait,wait wait. I know that the "streamers" enjoy dismounted cavalry and use the excuse of the dead horse...ect. But just how in the world did they come up with dismounted mounted infantry (there's a double negative in there somewhere).

[ButtermilkRanger]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

One of my fondest memories in the hobby was the merging of the 7th TN, the Critter Co. and the Buttermilk Rangers for the megafarbfest Chickadusty back about '98 or '99. Despite the somewhat circus atmosphere of the event, it was a great weekend and we had quite a few of those seeing-the-elephant moments. There's nothing quite like being in a set of fours at the front of a formation and looking back and seeing a solid line of cavalry as far as the eye can see. I might actually start looking forward to doing another event like that one.

[Mike Ventura]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

Chickadusty was '99.

[Mark Choate]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

Larry,

You are correct with that one being quite a memory. Everything from "rockets red glare" in the pre-dawn hours, to fires in the woods, to wading creeks, to dust, dust, dust..........I am still coughing up dust from that one, ha.

I remember that Capt Fullwood had 132 mounted men under his command that day. It was a "streamer" event but pretty cool, even still.

Thanks for recalling the memory.

Mark

[forrestcav]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

I truly enjoyed Chickadusty. That every morning rocket barage was great, other than getting to the other side of the field and looking back to see a rocket skipping through where we just left. Wasn't that the inglourious creek crossing Mark?
I think my yankee sack coat still has dust in it. Was Wilders men not equiped with spencers?

[Silas]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

Yup, Spencers. Wilder's brigade pretty much torched its way through the brigades of Bates and Bushrod Johnson at Hoover's Gap. To get an idea about how much fire power is possessed by the user of a Spencer, just look at the great video at Chickamauga NPS between Chris Daley in gray with his musket verses John Stillwagon in blue with his Spencer. Not a fair fight.

[forrestcav]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

thats what I thought, kinda hard to justify the price of one though.
No it's not a fair fight in any sense of the word.

[IowaYank]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

Who wants a fair fight???!?! Not me!!! :wink_smil

[forrestcav]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

no like the sayiung goes: Always cheat Always Win. The only unfair fight is the one you loose.

[GMM64]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

Gotta say , Verdon hit the nail on the head. I say if you want to do Wilder's get or RENT a horse!!! So you can have the FULL EXPERIENCE. I mean thats what everyone keeps on hollerin for .........ain't it???

Guy, please include your signature in your posts. In your forum settings, you can set up an auto signature for your posts. - Silas Tackitt, one of them moderators.

[The Egyptian Homeguard]

Re: 2013 Chickamauga

Silas... didn't a couple of Wilder's Companies have Enfields too??? Seems like I remember reading that in Blue Lightening...

I was still doing infantry and was in the skirmishers you cavalry guys lit up in the sunken road... I told that dad-blasted Lt. I heard horses... but nooooo, he wouldn't listen.... ;)