Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

[Jeremy Bevard]

Re: Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

Rod and Sean summed it all up well. Learning more about the 2nd Wisconsin and the Iron Brigade from Lance and Tom while on the original ground was a major highlight. Seeing comrades from events past was also nice. Enjoying some coffee with Jeff and Eric Saturday morning was a moral boost!

My stuff is still drying out from Sundays march. I am glad a decent group of us stuck it out and did the march back to camp. It was a great experience but to see the battlefield from that perspective was an honor. It was also interesting how our company was only about a one man difference from the original 2nd WI Co A marching to the ridge. Then we were only one man different again from the orignal boys after their stand on the march back. Another way to gain some great perspective.

I will be cursing the rain later on when I am scapping the rust off of my rifle but it was all worth it.

[ajroscoe]

Re: Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

Since someone asked about pictures, I am trying to get all the pictures taken by the Chaplain and several others complied onto one disk. I'll send a copy out to Tom Klas and all the other company commanders so they can distribute it out to their companies. Thanks again everyone who came, the 24th was glad to have you all there with us. All of us in the unit were impressed by the way that all the various units there of many levels of reenacting worked together well, and how the camp truly looked like a regiment on the march's camp.

[lambrew]

Re: Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

I almost forgot, I would also like to thank Mr. Phillips for the running narrative on what the 26th North Carolina went through in Pickett's charge on our march back to camp on Sunday. An interesting perspective while walking the same ground. Thank you Sir.

[Prodical Reb]

Re: Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

Something or somethings were found in camp on the 2nd Wisconsin company street after everybody had left 'cept Weed and myself. If you discover you have an article or articles missing contact John Wedeward as he has it/them.

Your welcome on the NC narrative. I didn't go there for that but seein' how the two go hand in hand on the first day's fight (24th Michigan VI vs. 26 NC Regt) people were asking and I belong to the 26th NC regt.; it was a natural fit! hope it didn't ruin a moment!

I had a great time too! I learned some new ways to drill (Chandlers) Made some new friends! The historical tour was great! Anytime one can honor direct relatives and brave honorable men and have a good time and learn more in the process is GREAT!

The rain didn't even put a damper on it for me personally. The gum blanket kept me from getting thoruoghly soaked! I was just as wet is if it had been a nice day. It just added to the respect I have for the original men of '61-65! They had to deal with it, so should we! I was told later that it rained about 2 inches in less than a hour while we were enroute to Herbst's woods/ McPhereson's ridge.

I added another battlefield that I spent the night on!

Looking fwd to seing some pics too!

Just found this link to some video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vr0s56Kha0

[Dignann]

Re: Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

Here are a couple photos I took on the foggy Saturday morning tour with Lance:

1. Our company with Lance along South Reynolds Avenue (Herbst Woods).

2. Our company with Lance at the Railroad Cut.

Eric

[TKlas]

Re: Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

Hi gents,

Thank you all for your thoughts on the carpe eventum. I know a lot of you are asking for pictures and Gretchen Farwell will be sending me her pictures next week or so from the event.

I was complimented by Lance Herdegen on the quality of the men at the event in our company and your interest in an accurate portrayal. Not everything was perfect (we had a few gents not quite make the uniform standards and one we had to find a different company outright) but for the most part we accomplished what we strived to do and attempted to honor the men from the Citizens Guard at Gettysburg. Our descendants from Company A Second Wisconsin - Dan & Gretchen Farwell and Kate & Dennis Denny were thrilled and honored to be part of our weekend. You gentlemen made the Citizens Guard come alive for them and they wanted me to tell you how appreciated they are of your attention to detail. They noticed and were proud to be with us to share in the story of both Jasper Daniels and Robert Welch of the Citizens Guard!

Many thanks to everyone for coming out and with a good attitude toward our limitations with the NMP and carpe eventum in general. Steve Acker on rations (although he could not attend Steve was with us in pork shanks!), Dave Gerow and Brad Argue for their officer skills during the weekend, our NCO's (Frank, Weed, Mink, O'Dea, Krogh, Propp, Ackeret) whom worked hard and tried to help teach Chandler's tactics to the best of their ability. Also thank you to Andy Roscoe and the 24th Michigan for allowing us to come out with them. The 24th were fine hosts and made our Cordi Farm March happen with the NPS which was a memory I will not forget.

I want to especially thank Lance Herdegen for coming out and being with us on Saturday morning. It was a treat I think many of us thought was worth coming to the event in the first place - a great experience.

We hoped you enjoyed the battlefield tour with Lance, the Cordi Farm march, the docent readings on Culps Hills, the honor ceremony with the descendants laying wreaths on the graves of the Citizens Guard members, and overall a chance to accurately portray a company of the Second Wisconsin Vols at Gettysburg which to my knowledge has not happened for quite some time at the park.

Well done to all of you and I look forward to seeing many of you at Lost Tribes and Bummers if work allows. Please register for both if you can - two fine events in the works.

Thanks gents,

Tom

[TKlas]

Re: Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

Hi gents,

I just wanted to pass along a word from Lance regarding the weekend that I think our company would enjoy.

Please extend my best regards to all the participants. In my mind and heart they are truly "those damned black hats."

Lance J. Herdegen

It was a pleasure serving with all of you and I really enjoyed all the original Lorenz's in the ranks with quality kits and attitudes. All the work on the event was well worth it and I am glad to have met many new faces and some old ones from past NPS LH we have held.

Thanks gents,

Tom

[weed]

Re: Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

As mentioned by Michael Phillips, I ended up with a few left over items from our company street. Specifically a haversack with tin cup. Anybody that left theirs can reach me at jwedeward@charter.net.

Michiael, it was a pleasure getting to know you. The talk you did about the 26th North Carolina vs the 24th Michigan was great! It added a lot to the event in terms of what happended. Had a good time talking to you as we were the last guys there. (My wife picked me up 2 hours after you left, so I got to do some good living history with the public one one one. And thanks for the use of your cell phone or I may still be there) The march back was hard, but well worth it. Been thru it and probably will again. I want to say "THANK YOU" to all the guys in camp that gave us the ovation upon our return. It really helped.

And THANK YOU to EVERYBODY that made this a great and memorable event.

Weed

[weed]

Re: Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

Got everything dry, but my musket is a "bucket of rust" with I will fix this afternoon!!

2 inches of rain in an hour? And we went thru another down pour on the way back.

[weed]

Re: Iron Brigade Gettyburg NPS LH Carpe Eventum

Jeff Hayes took these pictures of my on the march back. By then (after the 2 inches of rain and rain on the march back) the uniform was 25 lbs heavier and the knapsack (blanket) probably gained 15 mor lbs. Tired, and wet, but GREAT!!!!!:)

Weed