Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

[Bushrod Carter]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

Fellas,
I was assigned to 1st Section, 1st Platoon, Company F (Capt Wilhelm aka Sorchy) Here's my take on the event:

Needs Improvement:

- Too many straps. If I was "king for a day"... Company F had 35 soldiers and Company A (Butler) had 14 from what I could count in the ranks. The two companies should have been consolidated and with that would only need one captain and two lieutenants. I thought it was a little much to have an Adjutant and another Captain providing overwatch on two companies one of which was basically a section.

- Modern talk in the trenches. The Adjutants Star Wars quips were getting just a little annoying on Saturday afternoon.

- Capt Wilhelm (Sorchy) should have been designated as Officer of the Day and been in charge of the picket detail and trench line on Saturday night. He brought the most guys to the show so give him the honor.

And to finish up on a positive note...

- Uniformity. Company F had every soldier in a four button sack with either a forage cap or Army hat on their head. The same could not be said for Company A with their hodge podge of Ohio jackets, frock coats, sacks, forage caps, civilian hats, etc.

- Rations. Thanks to Charles and his fellow bean cookers. The Saturday evening supper brought me back to life and you were "Johnny on the spot" with the cold tea and ice for the wilted boys coming out of the trenches.

- Roll Call. Orderly Sergeant Burke (Joe Liechty) set the bar high with his roll call. He memorized the first person name of each soldier in Company F and called roll without the use of a notebook. Gave you the feeling that he really knew you by this time in the War.

- Tipton's reading of the rather risque story out of Harpers on Friday night.

- Research. Great work by the Mess #1 boys on locating the applicable vignettes to use for discussion. Had a blast doing the battlefield tour after the event with the Ed Bearss CD.

Landrum, thanks for busting your ass on this one! Yeah it was hot and it sucked to be miserable but those are always my favorite events...

For what it's worth...

Mark Susnis

Just another reason why I like Mark Susnis and men like him. No hidden agenda. Just straight forward, honest, and truthful.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

All day long on Saturday, through the rain and the humidity, Heath was out in camp keeping chow going, issuing salt for the boys sweatin' out mass amounts of sodium, and making sure there was something to drink aside from warm canteen water.

Jim,

Actually, your real cooks for the weekend were Ley Watson and Randy Swanson. They made the cookhouse an easy task, and all I really had to do was mumble what went in which mess kettle or serving basin. The beauty of having designated cooks (kinda like the army did back then) for the whole event was not depriving someone of his much anticipated experience when he gets tagged for kitchen duties. We didn't pull any servers from the fellows standing in line, as we didn't really have enough items on the serving line for that to be needed.

Some of the fellows came up to the cookhouse and volunteered to tote a little water. The "spring" was nearby, but the offers were genuine and greatly appreciated. No one asked them to do so, but it became readily apparent this weekend was a group project with folks buying into the experience from foundation to roof. This was just one indicator of participants investing in the event.

Part of the rations were designed to boost the potassium in your system. Peaches are a good source of potassium, and they tend to go over well with the troops whether dried, canned, or fresh. The carb loading from the hospital grade farina and the hardtack gave folks a good start Saturday morning. Most people probably know farina by the trade name "Cream of Wheat," and while I like mine thick like grits, the army receipt generally yields a soupy gruel. The secret ingredient to make it an unappetizing beige color was simply some issue sugar. The Essence of Coffee was surprisingly good, documented for the seige, and that batch Saturday morning was from Pat Landrum's own hands. That particular receipt included the milk, if memory serves me. Essence of Coffee showed up in at least one tidbit of pre-event research. The hardbread was a nod to the end of the hardbread shortage, and the incident when the troops were chanting for their hardtack at General Grant.

The enlisted beans for the Saturday noon meal had a good dose of chopped & sauted onion, unsulfured molasses, coarse salt, cubed & seared bacon, powdered mustard, black pepper, ground red pepper, pepper sauce, vinegar, sugar, tomatoes, and a few dried cayennes. We fed the officers white beans without the majority of the condiments, and Jim Butler was the only one to really notice. I suspect at least a couple of the officers didn't realize there was an officers' mess, such that it was, at the "head shed" concurrent with the enlisted feed. We chose black tea for the drink for that meal, because we don't see a heck of a lot of tea issued in the field.

About that time, we noticed folks having the usual pre-heat casualty symptoms, so Ley took the chase vehicle into town for some ice. The reason we could have ice in the first place goes back to the salt pork problems, and the substitution of corned beef and ham (modern variety), which allowed us the luxury of two big coolers for ice storage. I can't remember the last time I had a cooler in the cookhouse, but I'm damn glad we had them this time around. Between the ice water, a weak version of iced tea, and Sorchy's portable lemonade mix, we found something most of the boys would drink, and drink plenty of it, at that. If anyone has a problem with issuing the ice at this event, feel free to pin that tail on this donkey.

Along with the liquids, we took the controversial step of issuing salt to individuals. While licking a little salt is a period practice, we moderns discounted the value of salt packets in first aid kits, salt tablets by the water cooler, and other moderate sodium intakes for about 20 years until a few electrolyte deficiency disorders, primarily with long distance runners, caused brain damage and deaths. For those who want to argue that point, please read Claude Sinclair's articles concerning salt and the demanding sport of ultrarunning. Thank you, Claude.

Another bit of conventional wisdom that was tossed out was the "no caffiene in hot weather" rule. While eliminating a diuretic is a good idea, the thunderclap of a headache that trundles along with coffee withdrawal is just plain ugly. While the hot coffee Saturday morning was full strength, the various tea concoctions were pretty much watered down. Just staving off that headache tends to be a good risk vs return in the world of "coffee hounds." The boys enjoying the straight chicory on the other side of the field may know precisely what I mean, if their heads were about to explode Saturday afternoon. It's an ugly feeling.

The cabbage soup tends to be a big hit whether on Morris Island, along the shores of the Mississippi, Tennessee, Red, Rapidan, Des Moines, Bullpasture, Potomac, Harpeth, or Rappahannock Rivers. It's proof root crops can be loaded up with salt, and men will actually eat vegetables. Like the beans, it simply takes a little time to fix, and one of the joys of not being on active campaign is being able to serve something other than hardtack, coffee, and bacon.

Sunday morning was leftover beans, since we had enough left over to feed the folks who remained on site. With the addition of the remaining molasses, some sugar, and a couple of chopped onions, the beans saved a little money on the farina. For the officers, they had a hasty version of tomato pudding using crumbled hardtack instead of bread, in addition to the beans.

A great deal of credit goes to the individual participants who recognized their own heat casualty symptoms in time to take themselves out of the game, thus preventing the need for sundry EMS vehicles plodding through the interpretive area. In most cases, they were able to sit in the shade along the woodline, rehydrate, snooze a little, nibble a little bit, and get back into the swing of things. I would be remiss not to mention the Crabb's sutlery, where the boys were able to get all manner of fine munchies to enjoy between meals, as even as meals, during the event. That was a big plus, too.

Off to take yet another cool and refreshing shower. For some reason I don't think it was Dale that I've been smelling the past few days. :)

[boreguard]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

Charlie my one dissappointment was not catching up with you, I thought about it a hour or so after I left the park and was P.O.'d !

Hope to catch up with you soon.
BTW that is Dale you smell, but quite possibly my festering redbug bites and ticks sores which have now gone into second gear !

See ya
Dennis Neal

[coastaltrash]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

"- Too many straps. If I was "king for a day"... Company F had 35 soldiers and Company A (Butler) had 14 from what I could count in the ranks. The two companies should have been consolidated and with that would only need one captain and two lieutenants. I thought it was a little much to have an Adjutant and another Captain providing overwatch on two companies one of which was basically a section."

Mark,
According to the early rolls (registration lists I had) both companies should have stepped off with equal numbers, reenactor math is a bitch. With the fatigue details that were planned, and the trench needing to be manned, it was entirely required to have two companies. The set up was needed and the men were registered, and I had no intention to take anything away from anyone after everything started.

[Jim of The SRR]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

"- Too many straps. If I was "king for a day"... Company F had 35 soldiers and Company A (Butler) had 14 from what I could count in the ranks. The two companies should have been consolidated and with that would only need one captain and two lieutenants. I thought it was a little much to have an Adjutant and another Captain providing overwatch on two companies one of which was basically a section."

Mark,
According to the early rolls (registration lists I had) both companies should have stepped off with equal numbers, reenactor math is a bitch. With the fatigue details that were planned, and the trench needing to be manned, it was entirely required to have two companies. The set up was needed and the men were registered, and I had no intention to take anything away from anyone after everything started.

To support Pat's point, if we want to shoot straight here, unreliable reenactors are too blame, not just the officers. At every event there are many folks who do not even have the courtesy to say they are not attending. There are even people who submit paid registration when I know it will be highly unlikely they will attend. They just like having their name on that list during all the pre-event hype. We could solve this by charging a big deposit that you get back when you arrive, but I doubt this would go over to well. We could also publish the names of the inconsiderate people who did not have the courtesy to let someone know ahead of time that would not be attending. However, I doubt this would go over to well. And even most of the people who do inform us that they can not attend tell us within days of the event. It seems that many people ALWAYS have excuses at the last minute. I believe in reality that it is based more upon what the Weather Channle forecasts prior to the event. I am sure this will piss some folsk off, but you are talking about honesty here and here is a dose of it. It is so convenient and easy to point fingers at the officers, but I can tell you that each officer there did a GREAT deal of work ahead of time to organize the men, discuss scenarios, harass folks to register, etc, etc. If any of these men did not pull their weight, I would be the first to admit it. Additionally, average company size during this campaign was 28-45 (just look at the roles in the Illinois monument). Many had about 35 men, 5 sergents, and as few as 2 corporals. I was asked to serve as an officer by Pat. We had 28 set for our company prior to the event. We had 19 show up. I offered to serve as a private prior to the event due to these numbers (28 at that time) and was told that we wanted to stick to the scenario and asked to stay in my role. As Pat points out, I challenge anyone to explain the mathematics of reenactor numbers! We want to point blame for this problem, we can ALL start at our mirror. It is time to find some solution for the consistent no-shows at events!

Jim Butler

[Jim of The SRR]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

- Uniformity. Company F had every soldier in a four button sack with either a forage cap or Army hat on their head. The same could not be said for Company A with their hodge podge of Ohio jackets, frock coats, sacks, forage caps, civilian hats, etc.

-Mark Susnis[/QUOTE]


These were hardened Western, federal troops. Is there ANY documentation to support that they all looked the same. Too much cookie cutter soldiering may be good for a Shiloh, but NOT appropriate for other campaigns.

Our company was an ad-hoc company. SCAR did NOT vote for this to be a max. effort event. Thus, we were made up of men from the Salt River Rifles, Hard Case Boys, Columbia Rifles, Rowdy Pards, Pug Uglies, Jacks N tens, etc.

All the men MET the guidelines for the event. I saw NO requirements for uniformity bewteen individuals. We were all to have been inspected upon check-in. Thus, if there was a problem, there were several occassions there were opportunitie sto address any issues or problems. None were brought to my attention, by Mr. Connely or Mr. Landrum (which he was really busy in any case).

Based upon the lower numbers, heat, bugs etc, I think we should just thank all the men who actually showed up, rather than bitch and micromanage about it. We all could have just decided to NOT show up and NOT support the event as well. I certainly could have stayed home in AC and not been bitten up with bugs (maybe that will be my option next time and I may recommend that too others). I didn't realize this was some sort of competition between companies? I thought we were all there for a common purpose.

Company A can be proud of themselves as we only lost two men during the event. Your impressions and dwemeanor were excellent. THANKS for supporting the event and the park! Thanks for taking on the challenges of heat, bugs, etc. Many times is it is more about the bearing and attitude of the soldier and less about the uniformity of men.

Regards,
Jim Butler

[theknapsack]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

Thank you Jim.

My biggest issue with the event (is minor) was the lack of hydration. Lots of guys drank a lot, but they drank too much, too late. I know we weren't expecting long marches and steep hill climbs, but that is no reason not to drink a LOT of water before the event. I drank about 100+ oz. of water a day the two weeks preceding the event and I didn't have too many problems with the heat outside of getting a little sun burnt.

Next time you go to an event, DRINK WATER.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

Three things:

1. Jim, Good idea about the deposit, then it could be given back in say a "pay call".

2. Charles, it is Dennis who stinks not me...Ross, Caleb and I all agreed on that.

3. Mark, our Confederate Officers due to the heat, were smart enough to have us take our jackets off.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

I'll post an AAR of sorts on Thursday. About the comment regarding "too much rank", perhaps the lieutenant in each company of the 56th Ohio could have been eliminated...perhaps. The two company structure was required for the type of event and activities planned, and to give the event some semblance of battalion structure. A large company is nice, but is somewhat limited in functionality when there's no one from above to demand morning reports, and other battalion level activities.

The adjutant was necessary for a few reasons: first, the original plan by the organizers was a battalion commander, adjutant, and engineer officer. We consolidated the engineer officer with the "Senior Captain" and Adjutant roles. Some original plans also included a dress parade and guard mounting ceremony, both of which require an adjutant. What the average private did not see at this event was the paperwork dong by the orderly sergeants, company commanders, and adjutant, to provide a semblance of a period battalion. Further, while someone could say that perhaps the battalion level positions (jsut two of them) were unnecessary, it sure seemed that Lt. Luscombe and I were faily busy during the weekend. :)

Finally, at the late Saturday afternoon Federal officer call, almost everyone was played out due to the heat and humidity. I asked for a volunteer to lead the Saturday evening detail in the trench, and no one spoke up. Finally, I volunteered Lt. Connelly/Canoli, who accepted and did a good job leading the Yanks in the Saturday evening demonstration and post-demo picket duty. If we didn't have "those extra officers", we'd probably have either had a wiped-out "half-there" officer in command, or a sergeant leading the detail.

Sometimes an event sponsor envisions the jobs that need doing and select the rank to do the jobs, instead of merely designating rank for rank's sake. I think the former is more of what happened for the US side at Vicksburg 2007.

[Federal Bummer]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

Well when you don't check the board for several days after the event there is very little to add. Thanks to everyone involved with this event in any way, shape or form.

While we don't really ever experience what they went through to the max, I believe we got a nice taste this week and after such a taste I was ready and surrendered a quad (after capturing the advanced trenches and half the federal battery:D) to the federals on sunday. When asked by the officer in charge what we wanted the response by all was food, coffee, and SHADE. We got said items which I would like to personnally thank Charles and Crabby for.

Pat, GREAT event.

Looking forward to seeing all you wags a Chickamauga

I promise GA in Sept is not as hot as MS in June. Hopefully

[Michael Comer]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

Uniformity. Company F had every soldier in a four button sack with either a forage cap or Army hat on their head. The same could not be said for Company A with their hodge podge of Ohio jackets, frock coats, sacks, forage caps, civilian hats, etc.

You all looked pretty much the same from our side of the field - bunch of fellas in dark blue coats shooting at us from a trench.

[Coatsy]

Antsburg!

I'll have to echo what Mr. Comer said. There were a few "the Yanks look like black ants" comments made on our side.

The Federals, from my vantage point across the ravine, looked fine to me. My actual worries were what you saw in our works. The visitors were overlooking everything from atop the Square Fort (Ft. Garrot) while we were hunkered down in the trenches and along the fort's parapet. I wondered if you were thinking "Why are all the Johnnies strolling along the top of the fort?"

The best part about having some time to think about the event is now I have my vaunted air conditioning back and I can actually think coherently and form complex sentences again!!

[AndrewMartin]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

Well now that I have had a few days to gather my thoughts and think coherently again. Along with finally getting bored watching the red spots all over me go from maybe being mosquito bites...to chigger bites, to just flat out poison ivy I'm ready to add my thoughts to the V'burg AAR. First the Thank you, Pat I echo everyone else's thoughts so far. There are many, many other things that I would rather be doing then be the event coordinator. The B.S., long hours, last minute changes that unfortunately hinder most reenactment coordinators would be to much for me to handle. I'm glad guys like you step up to the plate to allow guys like me to have a hell of a time playing! Thanks as well to my company commander Tripp and the rest of company B. You made my first venture as a Confederate reenactor a blast. Although I'm still not sure about the way you boys in gray eat?

Pickett duty Saturday night was interesting especially when the guard before you (cough) "ADAM CLARK" gives you the wrong countersign...and then you have the likes of Kiev, Runyon, Bugs, and Woodburn trying to make their way back through the lines. Let's just say it makes for a interesting, and fun exchange. Don't worry Adam, I'm pretty sure it was the rooster who told you the countersign was "bock-a-bock Nashville". Thank you to Charles Heath and Crabby, for your kindness to us weary and starved souls, it hasn't been forgotten. But Charles with that large amount of essence of coffee that you gave me after what I had been consuming made me went to flap my arms and fly back to our lines.

Kevin O'Beirne, I'd like to believe that there was nothing mendacious about your statement "this piece of paper doesn't mean anything, just sign it and you can have all the food and coffee you want" after I told you I couldn't read or write! But with the evidence looking back now,it's pretty hard to refute otherwise.


Toughest part of the entire event for me was trying to turn my born and bred Hoosier speak into that rich southern drawl ya'll have in gray. Looking forward to the next event!

and Justin......I would like rat a little more, if next time you don't mind handing me the little guys leg to take a bite from, and the buggers little paw with hair still isn't attached!

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

Considering this event was in Mississippi, it's surprising how many participants were Northerners--on both sides. The vast majority of the re-created 56th Ohio were from the North (mostly the Midwest), and it sounds like a good part of the 20th Alabama was as well.

When I got home to western New York State, the air temperature was about 75 to 80 degrees and it almost felt cold. :)

Event sponsors can make few guarantees regarding weather and environmental conditions at the event, but this I can and will GUARANTEE: "Winter 1864" 2008 will not be as warm as it was at Vicksburg 2007. :D

[boreguard]

Re: Vicksburg (Pukesburg): A Ranger's AAR

It's easy to think that those who'd prepared to act as an officer should've modified their impression to act as a private, it's another to actually do that, especially at an event of this sort.

The event notice goes out.
Men are chosen/requested/or elected to fill a position of leadership.
Guys register.
Privates and officers prepare their impression over the next several months.
Registeration fills up.
Date comes, people leave from all parts of the country and arrive at different times of day and night.
A private arrives and know's that all his hard work and time spent on any preperation will not be in jeaopardy because Mr. Officer decided not to make it for whatever good reason.

HOWEVER Mr. officer whose added to his collection (kit) that uniform, sword, and other sundry expensive items to properly portray the respective rank he's been asked to do gets to the site early makes the transition to the impression and steps off to camp. He's there ready to do business... then because Timmy had to cut grass, Billy forgot to tell his wife about the event, George forgot all about it, and Sam's just not sure he's going to be able to get away because his wife's fourth cousin called and they may stop by sometime in the next 365 days, and the rest of the bulk of guys fail to show up with no reason at all and not so much as even a phone call, NOW...Mr. Officer whose spent time studying, preparing, sewing, spending money, and etc. has to find a ride back to the wagon lot at midnight change uniform impressions and then remembers he lent some gear to one of the few privates that did show up because he forgot something is in a pickle.

A pickle you ASK? Yes too many straps, too many damnable officers, these glory grabbing turds, who just want to stand around and do nothing, they should be flogged.

All kidding aside, I know things come up and from my own experience it's safe to plan on "casualties" before an event even starts, but what's an officer to do sometime? Maybe wait until mid day on saturday before he deciedes which uniform to put on ?

IMO Too many straps at this event wasn't a problem, this is one of the few sites and engagements that this can be justified....
All those officers men were digging tunnels and couldn't be seen :)