AAR Bummers

[TeamsterPhil]

Re: AAR Bummers

In a long standing tradition of AARs posted by someone who will be posting no more AARs on the A-C, here is mine:

The Good

• Being called Joe Smotherman TWICE in the parking lot.
• Almost 48 hours of a TOP TIER progressive event. This was one of the better events with more than 100 participants I have attended in the pat several years.
• Getting to portray the crusty, old, cynical Jedediah Brand again.
• Having the pleasure to interact with BOTH contingents of the Lost Battalion. The Billy Goats on Saturday night and Sunday at first light was a wonderful moment. Knowing what they had gone through made it VERY difficult to look at them as Damned Yankees. They were also very considerate in leaving most of the pillaging and destroying for their tardy comrades to complete later in the morning.
• The rest of the Lost Battalion were the most realistic foragers I have ever had the pleasure to witness. The first person was immaculate with one exception I shall elaborate on as a postscript to this AAR.

The Bad

• A hand cart that ended the event by its running gear being condemned as irreparably damaged. But, it made it the bare minimum distance we required it to travel.
• Being held outside the Georgia Militia lines for over 2 hours with NO explanations, logic or recourse by a private who was the most insane idiot I have ever seen at an event. And that is saying a LOT since I also portray Benji Compson (those at Westville and many of the WIGs and Critters know Benji). More on him later.
• Having to struggle through a half hour of personal angst and helping one of my family group through the same angst a bit later that same evening. We knew it was going to happen, but it still doesn't make it easier.

The Ugly

• The aforementioned GA Militia private that was rudest SOB I have ever met. He would not even tell an old man his name, gave NO reason for holding us as de facto prisoners, refused to call his superior, and above all -- pointed a double barrel shotgun with both hammers fully cocked, finger on the triggers directly at the center of my chest at a range of less than 3 feet and making it very clear that he wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. He had made it perfectly clear that he was willing and able to shoot women and children, since he had done it "in China".
• The dilemma of the Lost Battalion. When Lt Hicks finally came down to the end of the road we were trapped on, he related the story of the lost men and told us that was the reason we were being held up. Their situation was a travesty in my mind. When we explained to Lt Hicks our situation and the distance we were having to travel with a hand cart and five women in a limited timeframe, he allowed us to pass. If the arrogant lunatic in the GA Militia had contacted someone in his chain of command and we had known of the reason for the delay, much deserved anger would have been averted and turned into living history.

Postscript:
When Col Sorchy's men entered our vicinity, their attached newspaperman handed me a plug of tobacco - I don't chew so it was fairly useless to me. I am glad, though, that I didn't throw it down. As the men were rifling my belongings I noticed one of them remove a tin of canned lobster from my carpetbag. Fortunately, the private guarding me and another male civilian wasn't paying close attention. I made my way to my belongings and offered the plug of tobacco to the private that had "liberated" my tin of lobster. He told me I was in luck, he was the only man in the Btn that chewed plug and considered that trade to be "heaven sent". I then "broke the rules" and told him that the tin he had stolen had been given to me by the Rat Bastard Chawls Heef at Ft Sumter and related how I had happened to get the chew. We both agreed that in spite of it all, Charles was indeed at the event and still shuffling supplies around.

[ktulu983]

Re: AAR Bummers

let me ad that the flood was a bit of a fluke. what are the odds of a hurricane flooding georgia in the middle of november?? I do second that if someone busted a leg on the billy goat trail that would have been an issue. I thought that march was damn cool though.

I believe most of those bummed by bummers were expecting something less intense. this event kicked our butts, is that not what we seek in this side of the hobby?

my personally highlight was right before finding the lonestar hotel homestead my corporal, Joshua Mason, came up to me on the march with a single leaf of cabbage and a tablespoon full breadcrumbs. I have never tasted food so good.

I also ran out of water and my pards shared. water was an issue and I will not defend that.

I will state again I had great fun! I climbed a cliff face by hand and scaled a hill on my hands and knees. I went hungry for almost a day (just one mind you). I went thirsty for hours and I executed a soldiers right to grumble. mostly about the lack of initiative of officers and of the attitudes of those around me. I heard many wishing to give up and quit and washed some do just that. I am proud the contigent of co a of the cvg stayed with dignity.

contigencies plans by both organizers and field officers should have been better too.

and besides after that last night of ITPW this was a walk in the park!

see ya next year!

[BGYANK]

Re: AAR Bummers

Mrs Lawson,

I had fun and on top of that I met several great guys. I'm proud to say I was a member of the 10th Iowa for the weekend.

Ernie W Steff

[Huck]

Re: AAR Bummers

Knowing what they had gone through made it VERY difficult to look at them as Damned Yankees. They were also very considerate in leaving most of the pillaging and destroying for their tardy comrades to complete later in the morning.

Hey Phil:

After we hit that first Cabin, I think we became those Damn Yankees again. Remember a Billy goat can do some damage.

I will say this, I am waiting to see the reports from the ladies at those two cabins.

[rdykes]

Re: AAR Bummers

I was with the 4th Iowa (Independent Rifles) and like all events this one had things that went wrong that we had to adapt to, but I had a good time. I think I remember someone posting before the event to "embrace the suck" Well we did and I come out of this event with a better understanding of what foraging parties could have possibly gone through such as being lost, no water, no food, not trusting the locals, and worrying about CS Cav and local militia troops. I maybe fired 4 rounds out of my musket all weekend which is a first because I can get trigger happy at times and enjoyed it. The most fun of this event was being with my pards and enduring the tasks thrown at us together as a team. I would also like to thank the event organizers because I know how hard it is to run an event and to put so much hard work into it so that all of the rest of us can have fun and enjoy their labors.

[jake.koch]

Re: AAR Bummers

I want to clear something up here. I fully expected to push the limits at this event and in that it succeeded. I expected to have some really cool interaction with some civilians. Those expectations were far exceeded by some of the best first person I have ever experienced. I have to agree that this event is the closest I have ever felt to being an actual soldier during the war. All those moments I thoroughly enjoyed. I expected to march, I've worked out extra with this event in mind for quite awhile. I have not been this sore since high school football. I enjoyed that as well. I did not expect to burn powder, nor do I care that we did not, I think I fired seven shots all weekend. The issue that we had was the seeming lack of a backup plan for certain portions of the march. There is definitely a point where authenticity can be taken to far, and that is when people's safety is in danger. I seriously doubt that the planners intentionally did that, however being on the receiving end, we were I think understandably upset. The point of AARs is to find what was good and what was bad about events. I doubt any two foraging parties experienced exactly the same thing. I don't think we deserve to be delegated to the mainstream world because we had one bad experience in an otherwise good event. Would I attend another event put on by these organizers? Absolutely Yes. Do some things need to be improved? Certainly. Other then that I thought the event was absolutely superb.

[Milliron]

Re: AAR Bummers

I attended this event as a member of the 1st MO Engineers. While challenging at times, I neither thought this event was the most difficult I had ever attended nor did I feel I was in any danger. The distances simply were not that great.

Our party became lost on Saturday as well, went without water most of the day, and I came up the hill at approximately 3:00 with half a canteen of water. I didn't drink any creek water, myself. Water was in short supply, to be sure. We conserved our water and made do. We eventually came up the hill and received water.

This event was not perfect. However those folks who believed their safety was in jeopardy need to question their preparedness and expectations in attending such an event. This event was not easy, and if you expected it to be so then you clearly were in the wrong place.

[ley74]

Re: AAR Bummers

Short and sweet.

We (Pete McCarthy, Joe Caridi and I) portrayed three members of the 53rd Ohio, 2nd Division, XV Corps. Our assignment was to move unarmed from one civilian station in Terry's sector to the federal camp for Saturday as escaped prisoners.

We moved, according to our map, approximately three miles in eight hours, over rough terrain. For over two of these hours we laid low as the Crtitters darn near had us twice.

The maps worked fine. Having a Marine, Eagle Scout and an old guy raised in the Virginia woods allowed us to cross streams, climb hills and hide well, until we wanted to be found.

Hats off to Herb, Herb's lovely bride, the boys of Mess 1 and any other damn fool willing to take this kind of event from the drawing board to reality. We had an absolute blast.

[6thLouisiana]

Re: AAR Bummers

Where's the water????

Where's the food????

Where's the Militia????

Where's the Civilians????

Lost somewere in Georgia!!!

sent from my Blackberry from the Skunk-ape's cave.

[David Wellerding]

Re: AAR Bummers

Wow! I'm stuck in an RV heading back to Indiana with the rest of my pards who attened this event as the 1st MO engineers. I'm sorry but I needed to post something before this shit gets out of hand! First of all, please no more posts from those who didn't attend this event saying things like "thank God you made it out alive".

I believe that truely 75 percent of us so called hardcores belong in mainstream events, sleeping in a A-frame, with a sleeping bag, 2 bales of straw, and a water hose within 50 yards. Maybe you think you're hardcore because your coat was purchased from so and so, or you recently had you musket defarbed. Regardless, all I ask those that post their AAR's damning the event staff who are in many's opinion some of the best our hobby has to offer. Is to take a look in the mirror and ask youself, if you even belonged at an event like this! Most of what Mr Roscoe described happened to our party and we loved it. Did we get lost, yes! Did we need to boil water at one point, yes! I mean my god there was a stream at the base of every hill.
All this happened and we loved it!
I saw way too many federals that shouldn't have attended this event based on the shape they appeared to be in. Or worse the mindset that they were in while participating.
I will post a full AAR tomorrow....
Andrew Martin 1st MO Engineers

Mr. Martin couldn't say it better myself. I was in the 76th Ohio 1st Divison It was a very hard weekend; but SO FUN! It's pretty accurate when you really don't know where your next meal will come from or running low on water and sharing with your pards until you get to the next water source. Marching hard; more like climbing up cliffs at one point and sending out skirmishers to push back milita... it was just a really unique experience I won't forget it! Needless to say I slept really good saturday night! It was also fun breaking out the henry and taking a couple pops at the see-sesh! It was first rate!

[Shotgun Messiah]

Re: AAR Bummers

U forgot one where's the Yankees.....

[North_State_Rambler]

Re: AAR Bummers

I like how none of you yankees that were at the twin cabins on Saturday evening mentioned the two militia deserters who came in, having surrendered to a picket of the 116th Illinois after finding all the water sources north of the meadow guarded by strong Federal parties, and a reinforced militia line to the south.


More details to follow, but my comrade Daniel Gray and I had a most excellent and realistic time. I think we saw pretty much everything there was to see and did everything there was to do at the event, save for meeting the Skunk Ape. As Daniel observed, a certain militia officer could pass as the Skunk Ape, so maybe we could check that off, too. Our list of completed objectives included:


1. Successfully deserting from the militia column on Friday night

2. Making our back and forth across the site (and off it as well) throughout Saturday without being captured.

3. Bluffing one militia picket attached to the mountain gun early in the day, as I re-filled our canteens, and bluffing elements of Wheeler's Cavalry TWICE. Nobody suspected we were deserters until we revealed the truth ourselves.

4. Making contact with friendly civilians at the twin cabins, whose portrayals were beyond first class!

5. Surrendering to a Federal picket and being brought into their lines, thereby acquiring the prisoner experience.

6. Watching the Federals loot and burn the twin cabins

7. Getting brutally attacked by Hank Trent and robbed by Marvin

8. Taking an ersatz Oath of Allegiance administered by Doc B

9. Escaping from the Yankees on their march back to the wagon park, with all of our gear, weapons and accoutrements.

So we escaped both militia and Federal forces, had a comfortable cold camp on Friday night, an uncomfortable but well-fed and safe camp with the Federals Saturday night, interacted with all the varieties of folks there (though sadly missed getting to the Southern part of the site), and experienced a period perspective that we've never had the opportunity to try before now.


The element of suck, which we, too, experienced, through lack of water and provisions along with the topography, made this event just as much as the first person interaction. My hat is off to Herb and the rest of the crew who threw the dice and, in Daniel's and my experience, brought off one of the most fun and educational events we've experienced. More folks ought to consider the deserter life on future occasions-- it ain't too bad!

More detailed accounts of The Deserters' Tale shall follow.

[Iron Dyed]

Re: AAR Bummers

I want to start by saying thank you to the event staff, The Armory Guards, Mess 1 and all who had a hand in this event. I have been in the Hobby for nearly twenty years and this was one of, if not the most realistic events I have ever attended.
I know that you can't please everyone all the time but at least take the time to think on the hardships you had to face and realize that they will never come close to the real thing. I also know that I had one hell of time. Hats Off to all my pards in Company A in the 11th Georgia Militia. We had the good fortune to serve under Captain Hunter Poythress. Hunter, thanks so much and I look forward to working with you at future events.

Sweet taters and ham-Great!

Bum Rushing the Federals on Sunday to free of a Company of our boys-Awesome!

Seeing Skunk Ape trying to lick his butt to get rid of the Federal Taste-Priceless!

Greg Richardson
Bitter Brothers Mess
A.K.A. J.R.- 11th Georgia Militia-Company A- The Dirty Baker's Dozen

[PetePaolillo]

Re: AAR Bummers

To all of the event staff. Thanks for the Hard Work in putting this together. I had a great time....Proud member of the
48th Indiana, One of the foraging parties in the 3rd Division that completed the mission and did not quit!

[CSchneider]

Re: AAR Bummers

we in the second div did get 'lost' for a bit it seemed, we marched over the same ground a couple times . . . once we made it to a homestead around 3pm or so all was well. I personally found a huge satchell of grub and distibuted it amongst my pards an all who were hungry.

I'm very pleased to hear the fellows in the 2nd Division eventually found some food and water. I wish I had been there to enjoy it with you (you know, being the Capt. in command of the division and all...). After more or less scaling a rock face over a flooded river, we then crawled up some terrain that made Rich Mountain and both BGR and IPW look tame (by the way, I was extremely impressed by all the 2nd Division fellows, and I do believe it was all of them, who made it up there), we found enough water to half fill the canteens of only half the Division, and then found no water at a supposed watering point further down the trail (and some empty baskets to rub a little salt in the wound too). At that point, we decided that our guide, Marvin, would lead the Division back uphill to another trail and toward where several huts and presumably water would be. As the Division marched back the way it had come, I found numerous men had stayed behind, troubled by foot problems and other injuries, dehydration, etc., and another foraging party just returning from an unsuccessful search for water. Knowing Marvin would be able to take the Division where it needed to go, I felt it best to stay behind with those who could not make it back up the hill/had no idea where to go/were on the verge of needing medical attention. We took a route that, to the best of my knowledge, would lead us to the general area where our Division was headed. Finding no flowing water and only some stagnant muck in the bottom of the numerous swales, we continued onward for a few miles picking up several men from both the 2nd, and somehow, the other divisions as well along the way. Eventually, as it was getting near dark, we emerged from the woods and into somebody's backyard. One fellow knocked on the door and found nobody home. While we felt bad about it (sortof), their hose was quickly turned on and our hodgepodge party finally filled its canteens. Eventually, after starting out on the nearby paved road, we were aided by some passing motorists who gave us directions back to the Flint River Area.

The event was definitely quite different from what I expected. I saw no Militia, no civilians, ate one ear of raw corn, and managed to rob a house in Georgia that was not built by the event organizers. :) I had little idea about where I was or where I was supposed to go and permanently became separated from all but 30 men of my Division. Certainly, in a way, those are all period experiences. All in all, I took one hell of a hike with some good buddies, and I can't complain about that.

-Craig Schneider