Thanks!

[Jim of The SRR]

THANKS to the men who formed the 24th Illinois battalion. Your drill, impressions, and attitude was top shelf. You all earned the respect of the people around you and earned the Most Authentic Battalion Award at the event. The $1000 prize money and an additional $260 we raised was donated on our behalf to the Friends of Perryville Battlefield. Many thanks to Sean Cooper and Jordan Ricketts for their help in organizing this effort. Many thanks to the staff and officers who made my job easier and handled their duties like pros. The Commissary was awesome! Thanks to Joe Smotherman and his Regimental Sutlery. Thanks to Brian Hicks and Justin Runyon for bringing our colors and heading up our Color Guard. I hope you all had a fine time and it was my honor and pleasure to serve as your battalion commander.

Jim Butler
(aka Cpt Mauf...Big Mauf)

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Thanks!

Jim and all:

I had a blast serving as your Sgt. Major- many thanks to the NCO chain-of-command and Messrs. Matt Young, John Petersen, and Ken Giddens for their leadership amongst their men as well. Couldn't have done it without you!!!

Special mention of thanks to Marty Rubin. By gosh... I'd have you as the bugler ANY day of the week. You know your stuff and deserved EVERY bit of the award General Chad Green gave you!

Jordan Ricketts and the commissary wagon were out-of-sight is accuracy and operations. I like THAT restaurant. :)

Special thanks to Joni House and Chad Green for such a well-organized and well-provided for event! So worth the trip!

- Johnny

aka Oberstabsfedlwebel William Vocke
24th IL Vol Inf. (recreated)

[coastaltrash]

Re: Thanks!

Great time, well organized. Hats off to Butler & Co.

[Chad Greene]

Re: Thanks!

All,
I want to thank you for a wonderful experience at Perryville. The park staff (one in particular who I know put in nearly 60 hours overtime in the last two weeks,) the Friends of Perryville and the military and civilian leadership of this event worked like dogs for a year and a half to pull it off.
Mr. Watters - Thank You Sir! Confederate forces were supreme!
Beverly Simpson - I have never seen a person work so hard in all of my life. She carted people in for nearly 2 strait days to make sure they didn't tear up the park. God bless you dear!
I wanted to thank Joel Foust for his first command and what a fine job. Mr. Butler - your men are first rate and I will happily work with you anytime. Bully for you for your generous donation as it will be put to great use.
Enlisted men! I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful experience you have afforded me! I am forever grateful and humbled by that experience.
Considerable funds were raised for the preservation and interpretation at the park. Thank you so much for your time and money.

I've watched all the back and forth over some forums the last two days and am even more appreciative of the men in the ranks and those of my staff who worked like fiends all weekend. To you all I want to say thank you.

I've heard Perryville called a "national event" several times and I wanted to say that this was not a national event, it was never advertised that way and that was not our intention at all. We wanted about 2,500 reenactors and we ended up with a little over 2000 registered. The park's budget is greatly reduced as well as their staff and had it been any larger it would not have been as managable. Gladly we hit our mark.

The battles were excellent experiences save one or two ridiculous incidents, but those are expected and I am sure occured in 1862 as well. We worked very hard to honor the men who fought on that ground and I believe we did pretty well.

Thank you again!
Chad Greene