Bummers Staff Official Report

[tenfed1861]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

The question now:How much went to the AHC?

[WestTN_reb]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

The question now:How much went to the AHC?

When they mustered us (the GA Militia and 3rd Div.) out on Sunday, they told us. IIRC, Kiev said we raised close to $10,000 to help preserve the McRae Papers. At least I'm pretty sure that's what I heard.

[Jim of The SRR]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

Thanks again to all the organizers and volunteers for Bummers. This was a daunting task for you all and although things were not perfect, I think you achieved much of what you were striving for and I believe had some great first person experiences and moments. I hope all future c/p/h events will continue to keep the bar high and challenge each of us to do better as Bummers has done! I look forward to the next event Mess #1 or the Armory Guards do with much anticipation.

Thanks,
Jim Butler
SCAR
SRR

[Tom Craig]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

Thanks to you guys for putting on the event, and also for putting together such a detailed and candid event report. Your report really addresses and answers a lot of questions that folks had.

One suggestion that I have for future event hosts that was much talked about among the cavalry was the utility of having mounted people on both sides. In the case of this event it appeared to us in Wheeler's Cavalry that much of the herding of cats, rounding up of stragglers, and general recon and saftey work could have been handled very effectively and efficiently by men on horseback.

In a growing number of events mounted participants are being squeezed out for a variety of reasons. Folks would do well to remember that not only are horses an authentic addition to any event, but that mounted men can go further and faster than people on foot in case of emergency or simple military necessity. I am sure that some will answer that a man on a horse couldn't cover some of the terrain that the Federals did, but I can assure you that we in Wheeler's Cavalry covered over 2/3rds of the site, uphill and down!

Take care,
Tom Craig
1st Maine Cavalry

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

When they mustered us (the GA Militia and 3rd Div.) out on Sunday, they told us. IIRC, Kiev said we raised close to $10,000 to help preserve the McRae Papers. At least I'm pretty sure that's what I heard.

All Net Proceeds from "Bummers" will go toward saving the George W. Wray Jr. Civil War Collection at the Atlanta History Center (AHC). The Wray Collection is considered among the finest and most important private collections of Confederate artifacts in the United States. Beginning in 1948 at the age of fourteen, Mr. Wray assembled this remarkable collection of Confederate enlisted men’s uniforms, previously unknown flags, and many of the few surviving examples of Southern-made firearms, bayonets, and artillery pieces. Along the way, he meticulously researched the original owners and makers of some one thousand individual artifacts. We can help preserve this collection.

http://www.bummers09.com/Preservation.html

[trippcor]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

Good job on the official event report. I think it is a great summary of an event that was extremely large in scope, unique in structure and difficult to execute. To be honest, I think it would make a great primer for an article for others to use as a reference when planning their own events. With the 150th events starting up soon, we can expect (hopefully) larger events both in scope and attendance than past. The lessons learned at Bummers will be key to their success.

[Bill Cross]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

In a growing number of events mounted participants are being squeezed out for a variety of reasons. Folks would do well to remember that not only are horses an authentic addition to any event, but that mounted men can go further and faster than people on foot in case of emergency or simple military necessity.

Tom, I am in agreement with you. Radios are not only "farby," but don't always work or work well-enough.

But when the late Duke Culberson and I were working on the stillborn "Road to Goldsboro," we were shocked to find out:

1.) Most cavalry reenactors have NO LIABILITY INSURANCE (at least not those in the authentic wing of the hobby);
2.) Most hobby insurance policies (like the one the Rowdy Pards had at the time) DO NOT COVER HORSES and in most cases, specifically forbid their being present or the coverage is voided;
3.) It is almost impossible to get an insurance rider for a specific event that covers horses AT ANY PRICE.

At the time, we were prepared to purchase an event rider, but it would have wiped out anything we had hoped to raise for preservation. The event ended up being cancelled because of the ground being flooded, but the mounted insurance issue took up a lot of our time behind the scenes.

[Old Reb]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

I have been a conspiracy theorist long before I posted on the AC concerning the scuttling of Lee's Final Retreat and being beaten my a mod hat that was taken off on me for posting my theory. So, I am prepared for another beating, but here goes. I figure with all the good Georgia fellows working on Bummers that their approach would be "the yanks ain't winning this time!" I base my theory on the fact that the Georgia Militia was well fed, well watered, had a gaggle of women folks around, had a good hill with rifle pits, artillery, and a very active cavalry force that in truth probably could have gobbled up the entire yankee horde if they had been allowed to do so. That the yanks were tossed into the wilderness without a clue to where they were or where they were going and had to eat pine straw and suckle water from damp rocks only adds to my theory that the Georgia fellows "weren't going to let the yankees win this time." I may be wrong and probably am, but I will say it was a fine event and I enjoyed it. Thanks fellows.

[Mike Nickerson]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

Tom, I am in agreement with you. Radios are not only "farby," but don't always work or work well-enough.

But when the late Duke Culberson and I were working on the stillborn "Road to Goldsboro," we were shocked to find out:

1.) Most cavalry reenactors have NO LIABILITY INSURANCE (at least not those in the authentic wing of the hobby);
2.) Most hobby insurance policies (like the one the Rowdy Pards had at the time) DO NOT COVER HORSES and in most cases, specifically forbid their being present or the coverage is voided;
3.) It is almost impossible to get an insurance rider for a specific event that covers horses AT ANY PRICE.

At the time, we were prepared to purchase an event rider, but it would have wiped out anything we had hoped to raise for preservation. The event ended up being cancelled because of the ground being flooded, but the mounted insurance issue took up a lot of our time behind the scenes.

Bill it's odd all the maga-farb events have horse friendly insurance and both of the farb Cav units here in FL offer a $1,000,000 liability policy for about $20 per trooper. It sounds like it's time to do some insurance shopping.

Mike Nickerson

[Bill]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

I figure with all the good Georgia fellows working on Bummers that their approach would be "the yanks ain't winning this time!"

Tom,

I can't speak for anybody except the 48th. Illinois, but our Commander, Lt. Bill Cross beat us up, almost from day one, that we were not to get into a fight with the Cornfeds. As Foragers, we were to retreat if attacked. I gather, from reading the AAR's, that other Federal units had different ideas. As a result, many of them spent the weekend as captives.

In regard to the event. The Reb militia were in static positions. Pretty easy to keep them fed and watered.

[Bummers Staff]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

I figure with all the good Georgia fellows working on Bummers that their approach would be "the yanks ain't winning this time!" I base my theory on the fact that the Georgia Militia was well fed, well watered, had a gaggle of women folks around, had a good hill with rifle pits, artillery, and a very active cavalry force that in truth probably could have gobbled up the entire yankee horde if they had been allowed to do so. That the yanks were tossed into the wilderness without a clue to where they were or where they were going and had to eat pine straw and suckle water from damp rocks only adds to my theory that the Georgia fellows "weren't going to let the yankees win this time." I may be wrong and probably am, but I will say it was a fine event and I enjoyed it. Thanks fellows.

Tom:

One thing to remember was that the Yankees outnumbered Militia, Cavalry and Civilians roughly 3-2. At the real deal, the Militia were operating in their home base and knew the area well. Same thing with the Citizens. Cavalry were a little bit of a wild card since they weren't all from the area. Someone from Wheeler's Cav can clarify.

The real Federals didn't know the area and were cut off from their supplies, so we figured the imbalance in food and knowledge of the area were realistic, although not to the extent that it became as we detail in the report.

As a Staff, there were two strong themes. First, there would be no "winner" or "loser" because of the nature of the scenario. Second, this event was going to be tougher than the Federals seemed to think prior to the event.

We do know that the Cavalry was ready to gobble up all of the Federals. That was the fun part, since no one knew how many horseman were there. Credit for that goes to the Critters for keeping this under wraps leading up to the event.

And remember... we had an equal number of Yankees on the Event Staff as well. :D

[MD_Independent]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

Monrieur Yearby. I was a federal forager and I could have whipped any number of your pasty faced militia and half baked cavalry. So goes your theory. Herb, Eric, Ken, Kiev, thanks for your efforts. Had all kinds of fun, and will do it again at a moments notice.

[Old Reb]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

Mad Billy,
Of course you could have if you had not been stumbling lost, crying for water and wanting to know where the funnel cake vendor was located.

[Mike Ventura]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

Regarding the cav--

Although most of you refer to us as "Wheeler's Cavalry," we were actually portraying "Shannon's Scouts" - an elite unit of 30 or so troopers mostly from the 8th Texas Cavalry.

On Saturday morning. my group, under Capt. Musgrove and Lt. Choate, rode some terrain that is the toughest I've ever taken my horse over, sheer rock and more than a 45 degree angle up. I did not see any terrain that a moderately skilled horseman couldn't handle and I second Tom Craig's suggestion.

Regarding insurance - as a member of the Georgia Horse Council ($25 / year) I am covered with $1,000,000 in liability insurance. As Mike Nickerson stated, liability insurance for horse events is readily available at very reasonable rates. As the former Chief of Staff of the First Confederate Division, all of the NSA events had liability insurance for equine.

Most event managers think of "cav" or horses/mules after the fact. Including an experienced cavalry reenactor in the planning process allows for more realistic portrayal of mounted forces and allows for good logistic planning for animals.

Although we had 37 registered, we had 30 in the saddle on Saturday and about 25 on Sunday. We had 5 horses suffer some form of injury that precluded their participation on Sunday.

There are NEVER enough volunteers at events - ever!

[Chip]

Re: Bummers Staff Official Report

Tom,

I can't speak for anybody except the 48th. Illinois, but our Commander, Lt. Bill Cross beat us up, almost from day one, that we were not to get into a fight with the Cornfeds. As Foragers, we were to retreat if attacked. I gather, from reading the AAR's, that other Federal units had different ideas. As a result, many of them spent the weekend as captives.

Then Lt. Bill Cross should be commended for his historical accuracy!

The Federal ammunition supply line was gone once they marched away from the railroad supply line. No Federal officer worth his salt would have been needlessly expending valuable ammunition when replenishing it would have been extremely difficult.

It wasn't like they could go foraging for several thousands of rounds of ammunition with even a remote expectation of finding any.
(Even the Federals in formation at Griswoldsville held their ground and only engaged when they were compelled to.)

And this is not to mention that the sound of an ongoing skirmish could have attracted a significant number of mounted enemy reinforcements.