43rd Virginia Cavalry

[GBaylor]

Re: 43rd Virginia Cavalry

John,

No I haven't seen it. I would love too though. Mosby's men held a hunt during the war right outside of Upperville in 1864. They were attacked by Yankee cavalry though. Spoil Sports!

John Sweeney

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: 43rd Virginia Cavalry

John,

Tying in the Mosby and foxhunting themes of this thread, did you ever see the hunting horn id'd to one of Mosby's men that is in the collection of the hunt museum at Morven Park?

There is very little descriptive text other than the provenance but it doesn't take a great stretch of the imagination to picture Mosby's Rangers sounding hunt calls while pursuing a retreating or broken enemy.

Pretty neat.

I used to have a copy of a diary from a member or the California Battalion (Co. M 2nd Mass. Cav.) that made mention to Mosby's men with a foxhunting horn. I need to see if I can get that diary back!

[T.Kern]

Re: 43rd Virginia Cavalry

A point of clarification -- Andrew is 12 years old and a great and enthusiastic kid who wants to develop a Mosby's Ranger's impression. I've been advising him to (1) start taking riding lessons now, so that when he's old enough to take the field, he'll be a skilled horseman and (2) join an authentic civilian unit and develop his general reenacting skills that way. At the better events, there's some unexplored scope for mounted civilians and that way he'd get into the authenticity mindset early on. (3) Then, if he can find a mounted cavalry unit in his area where he can be a groom, learn horse care, learn about period tack, etc etc that would be a grand idea. ...



Jeff Smith, for example, doesn't do regular reenactments as Mosby but as a generic guy -- Pvt Smith, Lt. Smith, whatever those in the command choose to make of him (he got to be QM at G'burg, which was pretty cool). The exception is pre-1863 events where Mosby historically was present in his pre-Partisan Ranger days. Jeff did Antietam 140th as Lt. Mosby, a courier and scout for JEB Stuart and 140th First Manassas as Pvt. Mosby of Co D, 1st Virginia Cavalry. Jeff himself has come a long way on the authenticity curve and still has a long way to go (and doesn't come close to meeting Todd's standards) but feels it's important as someone who does a "special impression" to break out of the farb cliche of insisting on portraying Lee/ Lincoln/ some other famous guy at reenactments of battles where that person was NOT THERE.

- Kathryn Coombs
President, JS Mosby Living History Assn (Not a reenacting unit per se!)
www.MosbysRangers.com

Good luck Andrew and Daniel, riding lessons, ,of various types, and lots of time in the saddle is best for you! And Kathryn, thanks for the mention but I must disagree, it's not Todd's standards, it's either authentic or not.
Your humble servant,
I am , sincerely,
Todd Kern

[KLCoombs]

Re: 43rd Virginia Cavalry

Good luck Andrew and Daniel, riding lessons, ,of various types, and lots of time in the saddle is best for you! And Kathryn, thanks for the mention but I must disagree, it's not Todd's standards, it's either authentic or not.
Your humble servant,
I am , sincerely,
Todd Kern

Absolute authenticity in all respects is PRECISELY what I mean by "Todd's standards", comrade and I said said this out of respect as I consider you a paradigm, scholar and authority on the subject.

But I have to disagree if you're suggesting that there's no gradations between perfect and utter farb. Especially when there are so many parameters to be considered in the mounted hobby. Tack / equipments and whether you rig them correctly, drill and weaponry skills, the weapons themselves, horsemanship, type of horse, uniforms, etc all come into play.

A guy who has got it right except for (for example) a so-so hat, a correctly shaped but machine stitched saddle and weak drill skills is head and shoulders above the guy in the '04 mac, hillbilly hat with coonbones and half a dead ostrich on his head, excruciatingly bad jacket with too much yaller trim, astride the paint horse, yes?

And even he's arguably a step above his similarly dressed compadre who is gallumphing around doing "dismounted cavalry" (e.g doing infantry charges in boots with nine pistols strapped on him like the Frito Bandito).

A progressive approach means continually trying to improve. You've helped too many people yourself with mentoring not to appreciate this although I know it can be frustrating. "You can lead a horseman to water, but...."

[T.Kern]

Re: 43rd Virginia Cavalry

Absolute authenticity in all respects is PRECISELY what I mean by "Todd's standards", comrade and I said said this out of respect as I consider you a paradigm, scholar and authority on the subject.

But I have to disagree if you're suggesting that there's no gradations between perfect and utter farb. Especially when there are so many parameters to be considered in the mounted hobby. Tack / equipments and whether you rig them correctly, drill and weaponry skills, the weapons themselves, horsemanship, type of horse, uniforms, etc all come into play.

A guy who has got it right except for (for example) a so-so hat, a correctly shaped but machine stitched saddle and weak drill skills is head and shoulders above the guy in the '04 mac, hillbilly hat with coonbones and half a dead ostrich on his head, excruciatingly bad jacket with too much yaller trim, astride the paint horse, yes?

And even he's arguably a step above his similarly dressed compadre who is gallumphing around doing "dismounted cavalry" (e.g doing infantry charges in boots with nine pistols strapped on him like the Frito Bandito).

A progressive approach means continually trying to improve. You've helped too many people yourself with mentoring not to appreciate this although I know it can be frustrating. "You can lead a horseman to water, but...."

Yes Kathryn your right, I stand corrected. Thank you for your compliment, you have always been a well informed and researched historian. A person may have to resort to the use of, for example, machine sewn tack while aquiring a period sewn item. Without close examination, that item may pass the 5 foot rule except for the large gaudy white stitches that out line the item, I guess these could be somewhat hidden with stain as well, but unfortunately, it is still not authentic. An apple is not an orange no matter how many say it is. But Yes, sometimes one has to make due in an effert to bring recruits on until they can acquire authentic items. Though, this can not become an excuse for someone who has been shown better and still doesn't make the effort to improve his appearance even in little things that don't require a new purchase item. For example, a properly folded saddle blanket or rolled sleeping blanket, not wearing indian wars gauntlets, wearing the canteen and not hooking it to the saddle, not using a stampede string on their hat, wearing the sabre belt at the true waist rather than like an old west gunfighter, more importantly a properly seated bit and saddle... well, you know the list goes on, but you get my point. So your right, sometimes a blind eye must prevail but too often that just becomes a crutch, because in reality it's their attitude that prevents them from trying, for they have an excuse for everthing. Attitude and effort go a long way.

Respectfully, Your Obedient servant,
Todd Kern

[Gunrunner]

Re: 43rd Virginia Cavalry

Dear Mr. Stebbins,

I am curious about your organization. How many are in your regiment? How many of your members have horses? How many men in a company?

I have been asked to provide cavalry to accompany Jeff Smith (Mosby) at functions such as The Herndon Station Raid. I have never met anyone, besides Jeff, on a horse from the '43rd Virginia'.

Just Curious,
Jim Rowe

I'm not interested in reenactments but would love to ride wide others who share an interest in Mosby and the 43rd battalion. Is this what Jeff does?

Larry Purtell