"After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

[One_Helluva_Mess]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

Tom,As you no doubt realize from attending and reading about many events over the years, one of the constant features is keeping a few cards face down on the table, so participants have some aspects of the event that have not been telegraphed beforehand. This isn't new material...

Well, to me it is kinda new material. I'm just now coming out of the murky fog of the mainstream and don't have enough quality events under my belt yet to know what's what, so a couple of assinine farb burial details have left me ol' fingers a tad burnt.

[ley74]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

Trust in the Force, Luke.

[nrandolph]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

I TOTALLY agree with Ley! If you were at Payne's Farm or heard about it you should know that these folks have set the bar very high. I trust that they will, once again, come up with a great event. I really don't want to know anything except the bare bone basics. Come to the event itself and enjoy the surprises and moments as they come! It sure beats getting a schedule of events handed to you at registration!

Neil Randolph
1st WV

[One_Helluva_Mess]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

Come to the event itself and enjoy the surprises and moments as they come! It sure beats getting a schedule of events handed to you at registration!

Oh, yes.... I have been converted! :shades_sm

[BillO'Dea]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

"That said, I will at least say this: we don't plan to bury any reenactors alive. At least not against their will. "

Kevin,
I'm willing to bring two, perhaps three period shovels, I imagine for show only purposes as I doubt digging into National park ground would be allowed.
Bill O'Dea
Salt Boiler mess

A very long time ago we buried Chris Piering Jr. alive, well briefly.
And it was silly, but fun.

[Charles Heath]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

Sticky,

Bring your shovels.

Now, for the really important stuff, you should be prepared to wet a line at 2nd Kernstown in July.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

Bill,

This event is not on NPS ground. As Charles said, please bring your shovels, as long as you're willing to have them used.

:)

[Becky Morgan]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

A very long time ago we buried Chris Piering Jr. alive, well briefly.
And it was silly, but fun.

Dear sir, the phrasing of that sentence leads me to inquire: was Mr. Piering buried briefly, or alive briefly after the burial?

On a more serious note: a photographer might find such an event to be an interesting, if unsettling, subject. I hope someone will be recording events for posterity.

--Becky Morgan

[BillO'Dea]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

Sticky,

Bring your shovels.

Now, for the really important stuff, you should be prepared to wet a line at 2nd Kernstown in July.

"Oil-can" :) ,, I've always been willing to have the shovels used. It's why i bought them. And i'd bring the bamboo poles to any other event where they'd be useful. You bring the bait this time.
Bill
Salt Boilers mess
Syracuse NY

[Charles Heath]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

This quote from Thomas B. Marbaker's History of the Eleventh New Jersey Volunteers may help set the mood:

"On the morning of the 14th the regiment was ordered to cross the river and take position in the second line of battle, but it was soon ordered to the front line to relieve the Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania; two companies, D and I, Captains Luther Martin and John T. Hill commanding, being detailed to relieve the pickets of the Twenty-sixth Pennsyvlania. A the marched out to take position, the enemy poured upon them a galling picket-fire. Though it was their first experience, their "baptism of fire," they did not falter, but as coolly as as steadily as veterans marched to their position, and even drove the enemy's pickets a short distance. A brisk picket-fire was kept up by the opposing lines.

Early in the morning the enemy had attempted to place as battery in front of their main line, so as to command the position of our brigade, but a company of riflemen from the Second New Hampshire, who had taken an advance position, made it so warm for them that they quickly sought shelter. About noon as suspension of hostilities was agreed upon, that the wounded and dead of both sides might be collected.

Then occurred one of the strange sights of the war -- one that took from the battle-field a little of its horror, and seemed to turn for a while the crimson robe of carnage to the white hue of peace. From the picket-lines on either side he men advanced and held friendly converse, seemingly forgetful of the fact that but a few minutes before they has been endeavorign to take each other's lives and in a few minutes more they would again be intent upon the same purpose. Papers and other articles that could be spared were exchanged for Southern tobacco -- an article that was always in demand. In two or three instances friends on ante-war days met and discussed the situation. But soon the true was ended and the work of death began.

Near our skirmish line was the ruins of a house that had been destroyed by fire. The chimney remained nearly intact. One of our men, thinking it a favorable position, climbed to the second story, and safety hidden in the remains of a capacious fire-place, picked off the enemy at leisure.

Companies D and I were relieved by other companies of the regiment in the evening, but their numbers had been lessened -- Christopher Graham, of Company I, and Warren Green, of Company D had been killed; John Williamson, of Company D, mortally wounded. He died on the 15th. The wounded were Peter Burk, George Davis, Edward B. Nelson, and George Barnett, of Company D.

After the shades of night had hidden us from the watchful eyes of the enemy we took the bodies of our fallen comrades, and, wrapping their blankets around them, laid them to rest in soldiers' hastily-made graves. A few remarks, a brief prayer, and the ceremony was ended; but the solemnity of the occasion will never be forgotten, for, though disease had made vacancies in our ranks, and we had followed a number of our comrades to the grave, these were the first to die in actual conflict, and despite any assumed carelessness, the question would arise, "Who next?"

But little fighting occurred on December 15th, and about ten o'clock P.M. the regiment received orders to quietly recross the river, Burnside having determined to withdraw his army."

The recent CWPT mailing has a heck of a fine map of this area, too.

[bAcK88]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

I thought maybe this excerpt of John Haley might also be of interest.

December 14th,

It being Sunday, we made no demonstrations, and the enemy, also of a devotional turn, made no disturbance until afternoon. As we are suspicious that they might attempt to get a hold on our flank, it was deemed necessary to throw back our left so that our flank rests on the Rappahannock. After this a flag of truce was sent to protect our men who went out to bury the dead and bring in the wounded. The Rebels thronged the works opposite and gave us an idea of the number of our opponents. Most of them are clad in blue, so it is a plain case that our dead have been contributing largely to the Rebel wardrobe. The truce was limited by the Rebels to two hours, consequently we didn’t even get all the wounded, and the defunct ones were left unburied.

Officers, Union and Rebel, found time to meet on the picket line and wet their whistles, then separated. As our stretcher-bearers were bringing in a wounded man, a Reb picket discharged his piece and one of our men was minus a toe. Perhaps this was accidental, but we chose to regard it as an exhibition of treachery. After the truce ended, the pickets resumed firing incessantly till darkness put an end to it.

Haley, John W, The Rebel Yell & the Yankee Hurrah: The Civil War Journal of a Maine Volunteer, ed. Ruth L. Silliker (Camden, ME: Down East Books, 1985), 60-61.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

Great stuff, Bill. Thanks for posting it.

Haley's 17th Maine was in the Third Corps, like the Yanks we'll be portraying at "ATB: Fred2007", so the account is actually germane to the event. I'd have to look up some troop movement maps to see where the 17th Maine was in relation so the event site on December 14. That said, the truce is described accurately per the accounts from the Federal regiment we will be portraying at the event.

Haley's memoir is not only easy to read, but entertaining as heck (he's highly sarcastic) and very descriptive. Really one of the better enlisted man's memoirs of the war.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

We're busily working on the website for this event, and apologize for the delaly in getting it completed. Current plans are for it to be up and running, with registration open, about June 1.

[dusty27]

"After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007" Website up!

http://www.stonewallbrigade.com/afterthebattle07.htm

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: "After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2007": Oct 26-28, 2007

What Dusty's trying so eloquently to say is that the event website with participant standards is now up, and registration is open.

Hopefully we can get a full event folder here on the AC Forum now. :)