Westville AAR

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Re: Westville AAR

I think the best moment of the weekend was Friday evening with Hunter Poythress, Pete B, Chris Henderson, and a few others in the tavern around the table just having a great fir-per moment talking about politics, the war, and religion. No script, just good living historians making it happen.

Herb,

My thanks to you, Hunter, Chris, Hank and the whole crowd for letting a novice participate, experience and learn a great deal about really doing First Person. The discussion on Friday evening was my highlight of the event also, that was followed by a period correct hangover the next morning thanks to the Yarborough Hammer...

[C.R. Henderson]

Re: Westville AAR

Pete and my co-conspiritors of the Friday night tavern, none of you will know what it's like to get sick out of the second story of the boot shop after 9 beers and a couple of shots...I do and it was one of the highs (or lows) of the event. I had such a great time getting to work in a fully stocked, totally functional woodshop. I was like a kid in a candy shop all weekend! It was such a shot in the arm to stay in fir per (almost) all weekend ("Fir Per off!" ~Herb Coates:wink_smil). Thanks to Sandy, Doc, Gary, and Dylan for playing along with my morbid fantasy, too. I've always wanted to build a coffin in the period way with period tools and this past weekend, we did- and we did it in the right time frame, too. Who knows, when I get back to taking orders I might add those to my repitoire.

Thanks to Jim, Vickie and the crew. Vickie, you've got more hugs coming, don't you worry.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Westville AAR

Pictures of Westville:

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Westville AAR

More Pictures from Westville:

[Greg Barnett]

Re: Westville AAR

These are all folks I meet for the first time, this weekend. I met them in first person and even had a word or two out of first person.

Tim Arnold * Stagecoach Traveller / Recruit - Hardin Arnold
Mark Barber * Teamster / Recruit - B.L. Blouse
Gary Bergstrom * Woodworker / Recruit - James Roberts

Peter Berezek * Banker / Recuit - James Canaday
Truly a business man during the day and a tavern dweller a night.

Billy Birney * Laborer / Recruit - Greer Ball
Paul Boulden * Fishmonger / Recruit - Albert Strong
Al Bouler * School Master / Recruit - Henry Sherman
Joe Blunt * Clothier / Recruit - John Singer II
Jim Bruce * Physician / Recuit - J.L. Porter
Ann Burgamy * Laundry services - Elizabeth Kolb
Jim Butler * Post Master / Recruiting Officer - James L. Logan
Phil Campbell * Apprentice / Recruit - Benji Stoker

Greg Deese * Court Clerk / Recruit - E.J. Kukery
Tavern dwellers aren't so bad. Just join in!!

Kevin Edmiston * Farmer / Recruit - William Harper
I remembered your name, Georgia boy.
Sam Franklin * Blacksmith / Recruit - Wiley Pope

Marvin Greer * House slave - Nathan
Great to met you. Hope you enjoy the pipe.

Todd Harrington * Ambrotypist / Recruit - John Garland
Dylan Henry * Student-Tavern Worker - George Yarborough
Ed Henry * Tavern Worker / Recruit - John Yarborough

Bevin Macrae * Domestic - Maggie Hogan
I never understood a word you were saying immediately. I actually had to think about each sentence.

Linda Nyland * Visiting relative / Docent - Lucy Walker
Are you still following me?

Rachel Ochs * Laundry Services - Mary Kolb
I truly enjoyed our conversation on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Best of luck to your future.

Skip Owens * Returning Veteran - 1st Lt. William Richardson
You are a fine young man>

Burt Page * Tax Collector / Recruit - Thomas Crocker
Christopher Rideout * Teamster / Recruit - Wilham Johnson
Vickie Rumble * Herbalist/Spicer - Sophia Ball
Benjamin Salada * Apprentice to gunsmith / Recruit - Byrd Welch
Andy Shogren * Tavernkeeper / Recruit - Thomas Yarborough
Kirby Shogren * Student/Shoe Shiner - Jerome Bergstrom

David Stieghan * Gunsmith / Recruit - James Cooper
I am building my own militia flintlock. Thanks for the knowledge

Preston Todd * Stagecoach Traveller /Recruit - J.R. Todd
I know you are up to no good.

Hank Trent * Gardener - McDonald House - William Lewis

Matthew Young * Lawyer / Recruit - Carl Evans
Heck of a drinking song reportois!!

Geo McKidd Deputy Sheriff

AKA

[Resaca]

Re: Westville AAR

Had a GREAT ! time. I can't wait for Westville II. Thanks to Jim and Vickie for all their hard work putting this together. I met alot of nice folks and had alot of fun.
( I should have gone to the tavern more often!)

Tony Patton
(Thomas Barr-Printer)

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Re: Westville AAR

Peter Berezek * Banker / Recuit - James Canaday
Truly a business man during the day and a tavern dweller a night.

Greg,

I have to ask... when I gave you a hard time about the fine for being out after Curfew on Saturday morning and demanded a written citation, did you just give in or couldn't you find someone willing to write out a citation?

[Greg Barnett]

Re: Westville AAR

Greg,

I have to ask... when I gave you a hard time about the fine for being out after Curfew on Saturday morning and demanded a written citation, did you just give in or couldn't you find someone willing to write out a citation?

Peter,
I honestly had the hand written citation in hand. The sheriff and I carried hand written citations for a few offenses. They are: Spitting, Cursing, Curfew, and a General citation that covered other items of interest. I was unable to collect on any citations and did not force the issue since we had other crimes to get to trial. I figure we were even anyway. You kindness and friendship was worth more than 30 cents to me.

I would be happy to send the citation to you, if you like.
Until the next time,

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Re: Westville AAR

Peter,
I honestly had the hand written citation in hand. The sheriff and I carried hand written citations for a few offenses. They are: Spitting, Cursing, Curfew, and a General citation that covered other items of interest. I was unable to collect on any citations and did not force the issue since we had other crimes to get to trial. I figure we were even anyway. You kindness and friendship was worth more than 30 cents to me.

I would be happy to send the citation to you, if you like.
Until the next time,

It would have been priceless if you'ld asked to use my pen and ink to fill it out in the store. I would have paid it then and accosted you that night to buy my drink. In return, I'll buy the first round when the next chance offers itself.

[minieball]

Re: Westville AAR

Even more wet-plate images from Westville

Westville Masonic web.jpg

Westville Militia 2 web.jpg

[prestontoprail]

Re: Westville AAR

Well what an incredible time that was! Even four days after the event I can't help but sit back and think of all the bizarre, exciting and hilarious times that we all had. My compliments to all who were involved in making this actually happen and to allow so many of us to be there to represent a "full" town atmosphere.

What is amusing to me now is the difference of perspective everyone had on each others character as the weekend progressed. Tim and I were portraying travelers from Tennessee through the weekend. Our role was that we were working in South Georgia with distant relatives trying to work and save money to send home before our enlistment (in a TN unit). Therefore we had to assume that we would need to move our families out of Shelbyville, TN (a predominantly unionist town) and head to west TN. However as the weekend went along we were actually looked at as the shady Unionists troublemakers from out of town, hardly anyone would trust us. Therefore we took on this role pretty well by Saturday afternoon and assumed the position of a couple of Sh**kickers at the tavern.

My time at Westville was very rich, considering that I was a key witness in the "big" court case for the weekend, AND I had made bitter enemies with the persona of Hank Trent once I pointed out his "cousin" in court, AND I ended up being accused by members of the town and court of being the actual culprit of the mugging! So I had a lot to play off of and I hope everyone knew that I was only being in character by seeming agitated and fed up with accusations.

I'd like to thank Matthew Young and Brian Hicks for their wonderful, outlandish attorney impressions, I had to fight not to laugh during Young's questioning of me on the witness stand referring to my "Tennessee Super Vision" I surely possessed to see the accused in the night. Watching the jury falling asleep or throwing up outside the window added a great deal of character and detail to the court case (which I constantly referred to as a Circus). Being called to the witness stand in court was one of the creepiest feelings I had at the event, considering I have never been in such a position before. Wonderful seeing the whole court house alive with clerks and deputy's running one way or another accomplishing tasks or issuing paperwork to the citizens of the town.

After words Tim and I assumed our role in the town and became local tavern denizens, after all we were waiting for our stage coach out of town that wouldn't arrive until Sunday afternoon. Many a good time was had in the cavern on Saturday night. Drinking, singing, pipe tobacco galore, buying more drinks and knife fights. Yes, Hank Trent came into the bar and started antagonizing me for being a liar in court. After some heated words we took it out side for a quick knife fight settlement. After I gave him a good slash to the forearm (a cheap shot by the way), he was hauled off to the doctor for the knight and I had a celebration glass of peach rum (thank you Yarboroughs!).

I also need to mention that at any moment during this event you could look out of the corner of your eye and see some sort of period activity happening, it was almost too much to take in. On Sunday morning we went to visit Chris Henderson at the wood working shop and as we entered he was finalizing the details on the coffin for the 8 year old who had died of disease earlier. As I looked out the back door of the shop I saw a platoon of militia marching by and drilling, one with a pike even! When I looked at the front glass window I saw a hurdle of women, children and men coming from church service in their best duds. When I looked to the left I saw the court house with Skip Owens manning the recruiting table and Sheriff Herb Coats running out the door flying off on some errand. There was truly an immense amount of detail to behold and I could never account it all in this post.

To wrap it up, Tim and I had the most unique time of our living history careers and I now have an absolute obsession with the civilian aspect of the hobby, I'm completely sold. There are alot of good ideas floating around for the next time we do this and all I can call for is a LONGER EVENT! This event has more potential than any to benefit from a longer stay. I absolutely didn't want to leave on Sunday and Craddock had mentioned that we could use the extra time to restore the town in period manner.....what a fantastic plan!

I will post more later, considering I'd like to mention the specific moments and impressions I got from all the historians I interacted with. There are so many to thank, more to come.

Your local Westville tavern denizens......

[PogueMahone]

Re: Westville AAR

In the future, all mail will be picked up at the store and not delivered. My dogs are killing me.

When I got there Friday, there was already about 150 pieces of mail to be delivered. Saturday morning, after I had already made some deliveries, I got another 25 pieces or so. Mr. Haus was adding to my misery by placing his 3rd class junk mail in the slots while I was out. Thankfully, 3rd class mail is delivered on Mondays only!!

I had a great time! Even though I am incredibly bad at remembering names under normal circumstances, I can now tell you who each resident is and where they live.

We need street addresses.

Thanks, everyone!

[SCTiger]

Wartime Westville

There are alot of good ideas floating around for the next time we do this and all I can call for is a LONGER EVENT!

We should do a post-Gettysburg/Vicksburg, 1863 era 4 day "home front" event complete with:

The town folks (especially the ladies aid society) completely engaged in the military industry, making cartridges, comforters and uniforms, gathering rations etc. Sending boxes to the front.:D

Confederate government bureaucrats, agents and politicians. Selling bonds, buying or confiscating goods, enforcing new Confederate war laws.

A Wayside hotel or hospital for recovering Soldiers.

A steady supply of war news, casualty lists, and letters from the front.

Black market operations, to get around Confederate taxes and levies. Hoarding of food & goods etc. More tax collectors. You would work harder to find the things you need and pay a higher bill. Bribery and corruption are of course abound. Shortages are common.

Home Guard patrol and Provost Marshall, looking for shirkers, draft dodgers and deserters. Conscript officers serve in addition to recruiters.

More Women wearing mourning dress.

It would be a more subdued and desperate time versus the heady days of 1861.

Of course we wouldn't have too many Unionists lounging around in 1863!

[bevinmacrae]

Re: Westville AAR

Like Preston, I'm still digesting everything that happened. It's so very interesting how everyone had different experiences and I only heard through town rumors some of the things that happened. While yet others knew nothing of some of the main incidences I got to experience.

I, too, enjoyed that everywhere you looked was something period. No coolers or modern wear to distract anyone from the time. It only occurred to me when I got home that, for once in my reenacting life, I did not have to concentrate to ignore modern items I might encounter, they simply weren't there. I totally forgot about those things, too! Even the very small cameras that a few had I didn't even notice. There was too much good stuff going on!

Another thought that occurred to me is that, unlike so many events that one gets to attend, this event was all about civilians. So often it is the military reenactors that get to experience really cool events: great marches, campaigning life, play-by-play battle scenarios. But there's never very much for the civilians to do. At High Tide this year, many great civilian reenactors were attracted to it, but when they arrived, they found nothing to do at all, and almost nothing to work with to create scenarios out of boredom, whereas the military had a full weekend of great moments, including a period production of McBeth. Had I not been with the military at that particular event, I would have been stuck! So it's very comforting to know that there is an event out there that not only accommodates civilians, but relies on them. After all, most men were civilians before they joined and I think this event really brought that home to us. So I'm very glad that many of you who usually do military got to experience some civilian stuff and even liked it! Hey you get to wear really cool duds and not have to obey orders or get up at the crack of dawn: what's not to love!?

Being that we created a town, it also gives one pause to think about what we are doing at those big mainstream events that we sometimes find ourselves at. The experiences at Westville, our own little "Brigadoon", are a treasured memory we can carry with us to other events to flesh out our experiences there. How often have we stood on the field and thought of petty things like who "took a hit" or of the long drive home after the weekend was over, without a thought to comparing the violence of the battlefield to the security and comforts of home and family? Now we can think of the times back in town and wish we were home again. No longer can I think of myself as someone who plays "dress up" for the weekend and travels long distances to run around with a rifle. I will remember Westville, an experiment in archeology, and try to experience a little of what a small-town person from GA might have when he sees the horrors of battle for the first time, the immensity of the field, the boom of the cannons, and the missing of comrades. I challenge all of us, Union, Confederate, man or woman, to carry this precious experience with us to lesser events. It can do nothing but enrich our understanding of what our forebears had to face, and after all, isn't that what we've been trying to get to?

Rambling on again,
Bevin MacRae

[Traveler]

Re: Westville AAR

This, I will never forget. I wish there was a way to write to each one of you, and thank you personally for your efforts, time, talents, love and appreciation for (and of) this Fine Art of bringing History to Life.... or should I say, Life to History!

My "normal job", is to teach. My students enjoy History, because I try to bring things to life for them, with stories, photos, and info on events like such, that they are able to visit. They are so excitable when I come back with things for them to see, and to try. (The Westville Newspaper to read, Handwriting Practice sheets, Cedar shavings to create with, ink and "pen" to write with, sewing to practice...yes, even the boys liked it!!!!) I don't know about you, but I hated History in school, until there was that one teacher, who made it REAL! (Did you have one of those?) I want to do that for my "kids". I teach elementary now, but I have taught College Speech & Broadcasting. I miss that, so "Fir Per" Living History/Reenactments are what I truly enjoy!!!

It was amazing, to be wrapped up in such a tremendous act of Daily Happenings. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this memorable occasion. When I attend an "Event", I am greatly bored with sitting on my tail, doing nothing but watching. (Mind you, I enjoy watching, but I'd rather be running about, or involved with something!!!) This was an excellent opportunity to do so, from the witnessing of the scuffle Friday evening, to almost missing the 1st session of court Saturday, being questioned, and badgered on the stand that afternoon, to other little bits here and there all throughout the weekend. (Thankfully, not much laundry was done, and "Mother" did it all, since I was gallavating anyhow!)

For those of you who spent time speaking with me, of which I am truly honored. Thank you, for your friendship, and the wealth of information, the kindness and time you shared.

Mr. Logan: Many thanks, for all you have done, and continue to do!!!
Mr. B. L. Blouse: I appreciate your gentlemanly nature, and hope there men like you will continue to survive the centuries.
Deputy Sheriff Geo. McKidd: Your kindness and conversation was the highlight of my stay in Westville! Thank you for many things; from matches, to marital advise, and more.
Mr. James Roberts: A pleasure to meet you, sir! And thank you for not burning the wood shavings!
Greer Ball: I wish you the best in where ever you may be hiding...
Mrs. Corby: I do desire that we may become better acquainted, and perchance share some needlework lessons presently!
Mr. Sherman: My sisters were not in attendance for your lessons, and are sorry indeed...
Mr. E. J. Kukery: I greatly enjoyed my history lesson at lunch! Looking forward to learning more.
Mr. & Mrs. Byran: May the Lord look down upon thee and smile! Bless you both. Your friendship and love gladdens my heart.
The Pope Boys: A lively bunch indeed. Thank you!
Mrs. MacDonald: Your hospitality was so very kind, and the special cookies a treat! May I also say, your husband has fine manners, and is greatly appreciated indeed!!! Thank you sire, for escorting me to find a friend.
Mr. Eldridge Hardy: I am happy to have met you this weekend! Thank you for the wood shavings, and the lovely talk Saturday evening. I much enjoyed your humor, and my letter!!!
Mr. Worrell & Mr. Evans: May you continue your quest for knowledge, clear answers, and even tempered witnesses that cannot be badgered.
Mr. Todd: An honor Sir, to meet "another devil" such as yourself.
2nd Lt. W. Warren: It is always a pleasure to meet one of "Mother's" friends. I did so enjoy your conversation, as well as the refreshment. To Maggie: Saturday night was quite an experience! I am glad you were there as well! It was lovely to meet you, and you've inspired me to get moving on more sewing!!!
Mrs. Ball: Although I was not able to converse with you much, it was good to see you, and thank you for allowing me to be a part of this weekend.
Mrs. Cherry: I enjoyed meeting you! I shall have to look for a wind-up locket watch now....
Mr. E.J. Davis: I am sorry to have contributed to your tired, sore feet, Sir. But I am glad of your kindness! You are appreciated!!!

Now, for the "fir per off" - Whoever found my cell phone in the mud, God bless you!!! Thank you for getting it to Jim, then Bob. It does work, partially... Second.... As I am a teacher, and had to drive after classes 2.5 hours, I came in totally late. I am SO SORRY for ruining everyone's period moment by driving through town to unload. Please, I beg you forgive me. (And if you didn't know it was I who did that, forget you just read that....)

I sincerely hope to be allowed to "play" with you all again in 2010. This was a very special time for me.