AAR Bummers

[tenfed1861]

Re: AAR Bummers

Mr. Craddock,thank you for scaring me with "bacon poisoning".

[BenjaminLDavis]

Re: AAR Bummers

I have held off so my thoughts might sort themselves out ~ here goes:

I will not come down on either the "this all sucked" or the "you must embrace
the suck" side. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, only the
quote was reversed for the men of the 10th Iowa, 3rd Division. Mountaineering
on that river road had to be experienced to be understood here - and without
adequate supplies. But you signed on for a campaigner experience, and I would
concur with those who have been in the real deal and stated it don't get any closer
that this.
The organizers deserve our thanks and consideration, and I mean that last in it's
most comprehensive: while mistakes were made, the community can learn from
them. They were at times overwhelmed. Chris Daley once told me organizing an
event is the worst thing you can ever do, it seems no one is ever happy.
Well, I would like to say that I carted off a whole bunch of period moments from
this one, and thank the organizers one and all for their blood, sweat and tears to
bring this one off.
Huck, Winthorp, Bob, Case - met some new friends who turned out to be true
comrades when the chips were down. The feast on Sat. night I will always
remember. And our contraband's witticisms still have me in stitches, even when
they were at my expense!
There are two mental pictures I take with me from Sunday: Poague supine on a bed
that had been hauled out of a cabin set for the torch (a lady had thanked him for picking
the mattress up off of the ground and returning it to the rope frame, but it was not an
act of Christian charity on Poague's part, he was just ready to be slothful right there
and then!)
I also see a young soldier in a big, plumed lady's hat, running fast as he could, his
eyes wide, being chased with grim vigor and many curses by the owner of said hat!
We all roared with laughter!
I hope to see many of you at LBL in the spring.

[pvtbordonaro]

Re: AAR Bummers

I'm 55 and diabetic. All in all I think I did as well as I could for what we went through.

Ronnie,
I think you deserve a h**l of a lot of credit for signing up for the event in the first place and even more for showing up and doing your utmost to carry through to the end. From reading account after account I know that there were a lot of 20-something year olds back in the day that had to fall out of marches :)
-Joe Bordonaro

[lthull3rdla]

Re: AAR Bummers

Well I appreciate that Joe. Had it not been the support of my pards I might have jumped off into the river LOL

[Mcouioui]

Re: AAR Bummers

Thanks to all who helped to put this event on. Thanks to the guys in the 103rd IL with whom I had the honor to do this event. Thanks to all the other people that I met during the weekend! Once again I had a great time at an authentic event in the States. I am always impressed by the kindness, generosity, and hospitality of Americans.

The following is my trying-to-be period account of Bummers that I wrote for my German Kameraden back in the fatherland. Hope that any German-speakers on here might enjoy it!


Endlich geht es los! Nachdem wir Wochen in den Gräben vor Atlanta verbracht und schließlich die Stadt eingenommen hatten, folgten Tage des Nichtstuns. Doch dann schicke Uncle Billy uns finalement nach Osten, um den verdammten Verrätern das Leben schwer und die Vorratslager leichter zu machen. Während manche Regimenter Gruppen zum Fouragieren in Kompaniestärke schickten, glaubte der Kommandeur unserer 103rd Illinois, dass Sergeant Brumagin und drei Privates reichen würden, um genug Rationen für den Rest des Regiments heranzuschaffen. Wir schlossen uns denn dem Kommando von Lt. Craddock, 97th Indiana, an, um im Falle eines Kampfes besser darzustehen, gleichzeitig aber für unser eigenes Regiment fouragieren zu können.
Die Forage Parties der 1st, 2nd und 3rd Division wurden am Abend unter Fackelschein aus dem Lager der Hauptarmee und somit von der Main Column herausmarschiert. Im Fackelschein dräute uns ein Beispiel dessen, was folgen sollte: Ein toter Unionssoldat, dem die Rebellen ein Schild "Death to all Bummers" umgehängt hatten. Mit einem flauen Gefühl im Magen ging es weiter, bis plötzlich Schüsse knallten! Vom Rücken eines Berges nahmen sie uns unter Beschuss, doch in der Dunkelheit war nicht viel zu treffen. Die 97th und wir wurden den Berg ein Stück hinaufgeschickt und hielten dann die rechte Flanke. Schließlich schickte man die 1st MO nach oben, die dann auch eine Linie von unten nach oben bildeten. Wir selbst konnten uns zur Ruhe legen.
Der neue Tag begann mit der Wache von 4 bis 6 Uhr. Ich wurde dazu eingeteilt, mit Nic von der 103rd und einem Kameraden der 97th die Straße zu bewachen. Mehr und mehr graute der Morgen und die Sicht wurde klarer. Schließlich war klar, dass von der Straße kein Angriff drohen würde, denn sie war überflutet und glich einem Seitenarm des Flusses, der tosend 50m rechts von uns sich seinen Weg bahnte. Ein Offizier brachte uns etwas Kaffee zum Aufwärmen, und bald waren auch die weiter hinten an der Straße lagernden Truppen einem Bienenstock gleich emsig unterwegs. Man entschied, dass die 1st MO der 97th und 103rd parallel den Bergkamm besteigen sollte. Also stiegen wir über Stock und Stein den Berg hinauf. Doch bald hatten wir die Missourians aus den Augen verloren. Der kräftezehrende Aufstieg jedoch ging weiter. Glücklicherweise fanden wir ein Wasserfass - während die Nacht kalt gewesen war, stiegen die Temperaturen am Vormittag auf sommerliche Verhältnisse und der Wasserstand in unseren Feldflaschen nahm dementsprechend ab. Kurz darauf fanden wir ein verlassenes Lagerfeuer - womöglich hatte Georgia-Milizionäre dort die Nacht verbracht. Da wir am Abend vorher nur ein Stück Speck als Ration erhalten hatten, machten Kamerad Nic und ich uns über einen halbgaren, noch in den Kohlen des Feuers liegenden Maiskolben her. Lt. Craddock sandte uns daraufhin aus, den nächsten Bergrücken nach möglichen Wegen zu untersuchen. Wir fanden ein paar leere Körbe und sahen, am Fuße des Berges, Rebellen. Wir entschieden uns, diese zu umgehen. Gemeinsam stießen 103rd und 97th über den Kamm vor. Plötzlich die gefürchtete Kavallerie! Doch die Berittenen hatten mehr Angst vor uns als wir vor ihnen und zog sich zurück. Im nächsten Moment stieß die 12th IN zu uns, die den ganzen Morgen einen Weg nebst der überfluteten Straße gesucht hatte, nun aber selber die Berge erklomm. Zusammen marschierten wir den Bergrücken hinunter. Immer wieder war die Rebellenkavallerie in Sicht-, aber außer Reichweite.
Um die Mittagszeit rasteten wir und kochten aus der bisher spärlichen Ausbeute des Tages Mais mit Speck und kochten ein paar Süßkartoffeln. Das erste und einzige Pfeifchen des Tages machte in der 103rd seine Runde. Währenddessen kam eine junge Dame zu uns. Einige Männer der 97th scharwenzelten sogleich um sie herum - was Männer tun, wenn sie wochenlang keine Frau mehr gesehen haben! Aber das Weibsbild war ein typisches aus dem Süden, ein tabakrauchender Simpel. Wir Männer der 103rd trauten ihr allerdings nicht, also ging ich zu ihr und sagte, "Wenn du uns in eine Falle lockst, werden wir dir die Kehle durchschneiden!" und begab mich dann zurück zum Kochen, als wäre nichts gewesen. Sie verstand natürlich meine germanische Zunge nicht, aber der Schreck und die Verwunderung werden ihr übriges getan haben. Die Mittagsruhe wurde durch erneutes Auftreten der Kavallerie gestört, die wir mit wütenden Schüssen vertrieben. Es wurde entschieden, dass das Mädchen uns zu den von ihr genannten Hütten führen sollte, die angeblich reich bestückt mit Lebensmitteln sein sollten und nur von anderen Weibsbildern bewohnt. Unguten Gefühles, aber immer noch hungrig machten wir uns auf den Weg, wieder einen Berg hinunter und einen anderen nach oben. Dort befanden sich denn auch wahrlich Behausungen - und Rebellen, die wir sogleich vertrieben. Die Frauen drängten sich ängstlich in eine Hütte, während wir uns gierig über das Essen hermachten. Aus großen Gläsern faustdicke Essiggurken, erntefrische Äpfel und in einer Hütte ein irdenes Gefäß mit Honig, den wir tranken wie Wasser. Doch mit Speck fängt man Mäuse und mit Honig Yankees - vor Hunger blind waren wir in eine Falle gelaufen, denn plötzlich tauchten ein Dutzend Reiter auf, die uns mit ihren Revolvern und Schrotflinten beschossen. Nicht einmal die Henry-Gewehre der 97th konnten sie aufhalten! Sobald hatten sie uns eingeschlossen. Ich selbst konnte mich retten. Am Rande der Lichtung sammelten sich die Entflohenen und zogen sich zurück in den Wald. Aber wir konnten doch unsere Kameraden nicht im Stich lassen! Ein erster Versuch wurde zurückgeschlagen, und die weniger mutigen liefen davon. Fünf von uns warteten und versuchten es dann noch einmal. Doch unsere Kameraden waren längst abgeführt worden (inklusive aller Offiziere und Unteroffiziere) und wir liefen geradewegs erneut in die Hände der Guerillas. Wir mussten unsere Waffen strecken. Sogleich dachte ich über Flucht nach, doch noch war nicht die Gelegenheit. Die Rebellen führten uns recht unsanft und über uns lustig machend zu einer Anhöhe, die mich aufgrund ihrer Kargheit und des dräuenden Leides an Golgotha erinnerte. Dort trafen wir unsere bereits früher gefangenen Kameraden. Die Stimmung war gedrückt. Wir hatten unsere Waffen zurücklassen müssen, und die Bushwhacker entschieden sich, dass wir unter Bewachung sie selbst holen sollten. Zwei Kavalleristen und zwei Milizionäre bewachten uns. Kurz vor den Hütten dann Gestalten im Wald - eine blaue Plänklerlinie! Hoffnung keimte auf. Schüsse knallten und unsere Bewacher wurden unsicher - und unaufmerksam. Drei Kameraden und ich nutzten die Gunst der Stunde und flüchteten! Wie oft bin ich an diesem Tage Berge auf und abgerannt, aber wie froh war ich nach diesem Hindernislauf, als wir die Freiheit versprechenden blauen Uniformen der zweiten Division mit unseren eigenen Händen fühlen durften! Wir Flüchtlinge fielen uns überglücklich in die Arme. An die 100 Bluebellies waren nun an den Hütten angekommen, doch trotz unseres Bitten und Flehens, die immer noch gefangenen Kameraden zu befreien, machte sich die zweite Division über die Vorräte her, denn sie hatten den ganzen Tag noch nichts gegessen. Man bereitete das Nachtlager vor. Unsere Kameraden in der Gewalt der Verräter mussten wohl warten. Doch wenigstens sollten die Hütten brennen für den Verrat der Hure, die immer noch, als könnte sie kein Wässerchen trüben, mit den anderen Frauen palaverte! Also zündeten wir unter dem Gezeter der Frauen eine Hütte an. Wie weinte doch die Verräterin über diese Tat, aber sie und ihre Rebellenfreundinnen verdienten dieses Schicksal, denn wenn unsere Kameraden in Gefangenschaft darben mussten, so sollten die Rebellenhuren auch leiden. Kamerad Nic und ich durchsuchten die Umgebung und fanden im Boden vergraben ein Bündel mit Käse, der uns den Hunger erst einmal vertrieb. Wie Landstreicher, ohne Befehlshaber und ohne Befehle, streiften wir durch das Unionslager. Für die Nacht legten wir ein paar Holzplanken auf den Boden, damit die Kälte von unten nicht so leicht an unsere Nieren kam, und legten unsere Decken darüber. Ein paar Kameraden einer Einheit aus Iowa hatten Mitleid mit uns und teilten einen vorzüglichen Bohneneintopf mit uns zweien. Dann legten wir uns zur Nachtruhe nieder, unsere groundcloths über den Planken, darüber eine Decke, auf der wir lagen, und eine weitere Decke, die wir über uns legten.
Am nächsten Tag, nach etwas Kaffee, den wir von der 1st MO bekamen, sowie ein paar Süßkartoffeln, die wir mit erbeutetem Pfirscihketchup aßen, vollendeten wir das Werk des Vorabendes, da die Hütte nicht ganz abgebrannt war. Wie groß war doch die Zufriedenheit über diese Egalisierung, diese Rache für unsere gefangenen Freunde! Der ranghöchste Offizier entschied daraufhin, dass wir uns zur Hauptstreitmacht zurückziehen sollten. Nic und ich, die wahren Bummers, die wir nun waren, alleine und ohne Kommado, durchsuchten weiterhin die Umgebung und streiften zwischen den verschiedenen Einheiten umher, die sich wie ein Heerwurm das Gebirge nach unten schlängelten. Die zur Deckung zurückgebliebenen Einheiten wiesen die Rebellenkavallerie ab, und weit im Hintergrund hörte man Musketenfeuer - hoffentlich wurden unsere gefangenen Kameraden befreit! Unsere Gebte wurden denn auch erhöht, denn bei der Hauptstreitmacht angekommen, trafen wir auf Sergeant Brumagin und Kamerad Dave, die wahrhaftig von anderen Nordstaatensoldaten aus ihrer Gefangenschaft befreit worden waren und somit ihr Martyrium auch hinter sich hatten. Die Ausbeute dieses ersten Fouragierausfluges war für die 103rd sehr dürftig - nur ein paar Süßkartoffeln und der Rest des Käses. Aber sicherlich wird das nächste Mal mehr zurückgebracht werden, denn dies ist erst der Anfang unseres großen Marsches, um diese verdammten Krieg endlich zu beeenden.

- Dutchie

I understood nothing Bene … :D
But I am sure that you had a so good and great event as the one that I had to IPW and BGR.:wink_smil
It is great that the Europeans cross the pond to participate in quality events in the USA, we have all things to shared.
I would like come more often because this brotherhood of spirit counts for my heart a lot and more :cry_smile:wink_smil

[MD_Independent]

Re: AAR Bummers

My AAR is over on Facebook. Look for William Birney. Personally, I'm not big into 'compromise' events. This past weekend, I saw a LOT of great kits, a LOT of people embracing the suck, and the numbers that can appear at a quality event when we all stick together. With a baby on the way, due date conflicts with LBL, I will have cut back on what events I can do. Bummer's gave me an excellent 'ending to the hobby' if it came to that. And that's about all I can add to this discussion. And Miconnet, send me your new address. Need to mail that book to you. My delivery system broke down on me Sunday morning.

[Mcouioui]

Re: AAR Bummers

No problem Bill...

[Jim of The SRR]

Re: AAR Bummers

But it does strike me as ironic that the same event can have complaints about roads being flooded and lack of water. What was preventing officers from rerouting the men to the creeks? Lack of maps? Lack of flexibility in their assigned routes or objectives? Occupation by the enemy?

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

Hank,

The officers were not given any maps. We were not given any objectives. At one point most of the foraging parties of 3rd Div did strike out on their own. The problem was we were out of water and had no clue what direction to go. Additionally, when we did strike off on our own, we ended up being faced with crossing multiple hills and rough terrain with no water and even then it would have been a guess. We sent out scouting patrols only to have them come back with nothing found. We were way out of the game, lost and only got out because Jordan showed up and led us out. Next time, all officers need to be given a map (from the start).

Jim Butler

[Michael Comer]

Re: AAR Bummers

Well we've heard a lot of detailed reports from Federals but most militia have been pretty quiet. I'd like to hear more from that side. Guess I can put one together myself so I won't be hypocritical.

[fahnenschmied]

Re: AAR Bummers

[QUOTE=Benedict;163383]Thanks to all who helped to put this event on. Thanks to the guys in the 103rd IL with whom I had the honor to do this event. Thanks to all the other people that I met during the weekend! Once again I had a great time at an authentic event in the States. I am always impressed by the kindness, generosity, and hospitality of Americans.

The following is my trying-to-be period account of Bummers that I wrote for my German Kameraden back in the fatherland. Hope that any German-speakers on here might enjoy it!


"erbeutetem Pfirscihketchup aßen" -

Ah, so thats how you you spell it - my comrade Chris and I were clumsily practicing our German round the fire Saturday night, and we got to the topics of things we wanted to have to eat. When "peaches" came up, this word comes out sounding exactly like "40". I had said something like "Pfirsich, Pflaumen" - and I thought, hell, I COULD eat 40 plums. Neither of us could figure out the right way to spell it and make it sound different from the way we pronounced "40".
Good write up, now I just have to let my brain cool off and look up a handfull of new words. Hate I missed meeting you, but if you had been with us, you would not only have not seen peach catsup, but also not mushroom, walnut, or tomato catsup either.

Dave

[Hank Trent]

Re: AAR Bummers

The officers were not given any maps.

Ah, so the excitement was real when I showed the officers my hand-drawn map Saturday afternoon. I wasn't sure if it was just first person.

Next time, all officers need to be given a map (from the start).

I think that would be a good idea. It certainly helped our detached party make the most of the small time and space (relatively speaking) that was 1864, while still not giving anything away, since we never knew when the enemy or hostile locals would be around the next bend, or how to actually get food.

While one could eventually always go downhill to find water, not every downhill had water, so it could take a while on foot (another big advantage of being cavalry), and while one could also figure that roads and rivers would eventually lead to a house to forage from, it could also take a while and the house or road might not be an 1864 one when you got there.

There's an illusion that these kind of things are just like real life, but in actuality, thirty-six hours and three or four square miles is really tiny compared to real life, though it was large for a reenactment.

And there's a certain suspension of disbelief in aiming for the poorest, most broken countryside with hungry thirsty men who need food and water now, when flat roads and plantation homes are visible in the distance from the hilltops. As 21st century people, we know why logically: the best routes and homesites then are still the best ones now, so they've become the highways and modern dwellings, while the junk land remains for us to turn back into 186x. It's just inevitable--no way around it really. But I think it does mean that there's also inevitably a certain staged quality to events no matter how large the land or how long the time, which requires a certain bit of extra help to keep everybody "hitting their marks" instead of making true real-life totally open-ended decisions.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Hank Trent]

Re: AAR Bummers

Oh, and to give some tiny justification of escaped Andersonville prisoners having a map, from R.K. Sneden's Andersonville diary in July:

From a recaptured prisoner I obtained part of a map of [the] state of Georgia showing from here to Atlanta, copies of which I am making in india ink to sell to those who are digging tunnels to escape. I have to keep very secret about it and draw a blanket across the entrance to prevent observers. Wilson, the recaptured prisoner, cut a piece out of a map hanging in a Rebel house, where his captors took him to get something to eat while bringing him back here.

I carried in my wallet a map showing the roads, rivers and railroads from Andersonville to Atlanta that we might have used to get us from Andersonville to where we needed to be, and also--illogical but practical--a similar map of the event site itself to use in a similar way, to get us from the southern edge of the event to where we needed to be in the northern edge.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Malingerer]

Re: AAR Bummers

I was with Company C of the Georgia Militia and I thought it was a fantastic event and I would have regretted it for a very long time if I had missed it. From my perspective, this was the Woodstock of authentic reenacting. As a private, the scope of my experience was limited to that of what was going on primarily with my company and sometimes with my battalion. Occasionally we would hear some of the officers of the cavalry discussing events outside our view and we would naturally try to jigsaw that together with our own observations to create some reasonable speculation about what the Yankees were doing - pretty much like actual soldiers likely did during the war.

The Good:
*The friday night march through the darkness to points unknown. Uphill.
*Picket duty till 1:30a.m. and jumping at every noise I heard in the blackness.
*Challanging a Confederate cavalry patrol in the darkness and being trteated with utter contempt.
*Having time to boil up coffee and make breakfast in the early morning light before moving out.
Marching several miles in the morning to a beautiful forested ridge - it would have been great ground to defend if the Yankees would have just attacked.
*Driving the Federals back through the woods - felt like we were going to drive them back to Chattanooga 'till they rallied.
* Fleeing like frightened sheep through the ranks of Wheeler's cavalry while they mercilessly taunted us.
*Meeting up with a civilian woman carrying a baby who solicited us for pistol caps - tough lady.

The Bad:
* Reenactor math - our battalion mustered slighly more than half of those registered.
* My own lack of physical conditioning - the folks we were portraying may not have been hardened vets but were likely far more fit than I.
*Steep rocky slopes vs. leather soled shoes.

The Ugly:
* Folks (including me) breaking first person by midday Saturday.
* Did I mention my lack of physical preparation?

All in all a fantastic event and my thanks to the event organizers making it possible.

[Bill]

Re: AAR Bummers

Ah, so the excitement was real when I showed the officers my hand-drawn map Saturday afternoon. I wasn't sure if it was just first person.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

Hank,

Trust me, when I took you and your map over to Lt. Cross, he was thrilled. It was the very first time we had a clue of where we were. By that time, Lt. Cross had been ordered to take over the 2nd. Division, so the information was very helpful.

There's been a lot of talk about all the natural water that was on the site. That may be true, but we never saw any of it. All morning and early afternoon, on Saturday, the 48th. Illinois was marching, as an unit, in line with other 2nd. Division foraging parties. IMHO, in a real war, in a real army, just wandering off because you're thirsty, is not usually a viable option. Senior officers tend to take a very dim view of it. Not to mention, it's a pretty good way to get killed or captured. At some point, we were expecting to be ordered off to forage on our own; but, to the best of my knowledge, we never got that order. The majority of the 2nd. Division was still marching as a unit when we reached the two cabins, where we spent Saturday night.

There was plenty of food to be found in the area. The 48th. was able to issue every man an ear of corn, a sweet potato, about a pound of excellent ham, and as much coffee as the men wanted. There was also plenty of water in the area. Life was good Saturday evening!

According to my notes, the 2nd. Division consisted of the following units on Saturday night and Sunday: the 99th. Indiana 23 effectives, 4th. Iowa 10 effectives, 1st. Missouri 18 effectives, the 116th. Illinois 10 effectives, 30th. Ohio 15 effectives, and the 48th. Illinois 21 effectives. A total of 97 officers and men.

I think my best moment all weekend was when it was announced that a truce had been negotiated with the Confederates for Saturday night. The 48th. had the 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM slot for guard duty. I was expecting to get only about four hours sleep Saturday evening. Instead, I had a cup of coffee and crashed about 9:30 PM and slept until 5:30 AM.

[Hank Trent]

Re: AAR Bummers

There's been a lot of talk about all the natural water that was on the site. That may be true, but we never saw any of it. All morning and early afternoon, on Saturday, the 48th. Illinois was marching, as an unit, in line with other 2nd. Division foraging parties. IMHO, in a real war, in a real army, just wandering off because you're thirsty, is not usually a viable option.

Yep, the two creeks were flowing beautifully, but there were only two of them, and the rest of the hollows were dry. We actually slept in a stream bed one night--not even muddy. The closest hollow to where you and we camped Saturday (which we'd watched the rebels from all afternoon) had only a damp muddy trickle, so the water buffalo was the only way to camp up there that I know of, unless there was a spring we weren't aware of. Even from a practical standpoint, wandering off wouldn't do it unless you really knew where you were going, or you'd be gone a while.

I was thinking more along the lines of using a map to aim the whole column (or whatever military subset was functioning independently at the moment) toward the closest natural water, if canteens were low and jugs/buffalos weren't appearing when needed.

I think my best moment all weekend was when it was announced that a truce had been negotiated with the Confederates for Saturday night. The 48th. had the 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM slot for guard duty. I was expecting to get only about four hours sleep Saturday evening. Instead, I had a cup of coffee and crashed about 9:30 PM and slept until 5:30 AM.

That was one of the only very mild disapointments for me. I was going to volunteer to stand guard if I could borrow someone's rifle, then remembered I had little night vision thanks to my Andersonville vitamin deficiency, but was looking forward to contributing something useful by keeping the fire going for the pickets.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com