150th Gettysburg Anniversary "Oakes " Battlefield March

[GrumpyDave]

Re: 150th Gettysburg Anniversary "Oakes " Battlefield March

Register early and often!

[GrumpyDave]

Re: 150th Gettysburg Anniversary "Oakes " Battlefield March

Last Call

Date: November 16, 2013
Place: Gettysburg, NMP
Time: 9am until 3 to 4pm, possibly earlier.
Registration Fee: none, nothing. Zero.
How do I register? The answer is all the way at the bottom!
Event Hosts: Doug Oakes and Terri Olszowy, (Living History Guild, Columbia Rifles), Pete Berezuk, (Washington Guard, 69th New York, Columbia Rifles), Kimberlee Bruce, (69th New York and Winston Free State), “Grumpy” Dave Towsen, (Washington Guard, Columbia Rifles), and others.
For the 7th time on this hallowed ground will be held a “March” over the Gettysburg Battlefield, to honor those who fought, lived or fell here.
Federal Infantry or Civilians (Dress standards for military to follow, civilian information, keep scrolling down.)
The March Route:
The plan is to meet at Barlow’s Knoll at 9am sharp on Saturday November 16, 2013. Participants should carpool as much as possible and park at the grocery store about ¼ miles up the road, just outside of town. Covering nearly the entire field, the march route will generally follow the “auto tour” as set by the Park Service. The general areas to be covered are as follows: Right flank of 11th Corps. Follow the 11th Corps line up to where it joins 1st Corps line near Oak hill. Follow 1st Corps line to McPherson farm then down to Seminary ridge. Follow Seminary Ridge up to pumping station Rd and then march to Peach Orchard. Follow 3rd Corps line up to Wheatfield. If time allows then to Devils Den. If time is short and folks are hurting we will continue on Wheatfield Road up to Cemetery Ridge near Little Round Top. From there we will march along the ridge to and thru the 2nd Corp positions. We can then cut through the Cemetery to Cemetery Hill and over to Culp’s Hill. Rides should be waiting at Spangler’s Spring or “at the area by the school” to take us back to our cars. There will be rest stops, water stops and a stop for a hot meal. Participants are encouraged to eat breakfast before they arrive and carry a light (period correct) snack in your haversack. We’ll be covering about 6+ miles. It will enhance you experience if you can make the entire march.

Uniform Standards:
Note: The goal of this event is to honor the folks who lived and fought in and around Gettysburg in 1863. So, you don’t have the most authentic military kit and you’d really like to come? So, come. It’s more important you wear what you have correctly, and act like you know what you’re doing. The rest will be just fine. No one will pee on your buttons or count your stitches. Promise.
Note: We will follow this one historical line; the only Confederates in and Around Gettysburg in November 1863 were: deserters, prisoners or wounded and in Camp Letterman. Absolutely no specialty, or Confederate impressions! Save both your time and mine, don’t ask. Event organizers will choose the Officers and NCO’s for this event. If you show up in a specialty impression (foreign observer, Lincoln, sharpshooter), as an officer or NCO, (without being specifically directed to do so), expect to be asked to leave. Also, the only Confederates in Gettysburg in November of 1863 were being held as prisoners, awaiting shipment to the nearest prison. No Confederate impressions.
Note: If you plan of arranging overnight accommodations for before or after this event. Begin your search about 20 minutes (15 miles) outside Gettysburg proper. You’ll save $, count on it.

Military (Federal-light marching order.):
Cap: Federal Forage, Federal Dress (Hardee-dressed, not dressed, partially dressed), civilian slouch.
Coat: Federal Sack, Federal Frock
Trousers: Federal Sky Blue
Shirt: Federal Issue, Federal Contract, Civilian
Belt or suspenders: you pick, unless you take your coat off, nobody’s going to see them.
Socks: wool, properly constructed for the time period. If all you have is rag wool socks, well that’s all you have.
Shoes/boots: Federal issue Jefferson Davis Bootees. Boots, well if you think you can march all day in boots, have at it.
Haversack: Federal issue
Canteen: smooth-side or bulls-eye, let’s try for a nice jean wool cover but if all you have is dark blue or sky blue, so be it. Leather or cloth strap, your choice.
Waist belt –leather keeper, brass keeper, no keeper
Musket: 1861 Springfield, Enfield, 1842 Springfield (rifled or not)
Bayonet: one that fits your musket. Original, Indian, Pakistani are there any other choices?
Cartridge box – Federal, appropriate for the caliber of your musket your musket. Please, it should have a box plate. No rounds. NONE! Not permitted by the NMPS.
Cap Box: Federal issue. No Caps. NONE! Not permitted by the NMPS.
Bayonet scabbard: Two rivets, 7 rivets, pick one.
Great Coats – Federal Infantry - Sky Blue. Let’s be realistic. This is South Central Pennsylvania in November. It might be prudent to be prepared to carry a greatcoat in a Federal double bag knapsack or in a hobo or blanket roll. There won’t be any way to get it after we start. Plan ahead.
Gum Blanket or Poncho: Properly constructed for the time period. I have this rain thing….

Civilians:
All Civilian Participants will be by invitation only. Contact Kimberlee Bruce at: kimberlee.d.bruce@gmail.com for information.
Civilians will be directed to Kimberlee Bruce, through the registration process. Civilian participation makes every event better! Think about it. There were more civilians in both the North and South then there were soldiers.





Registration for Military will open July 15, 2013 by official registration form only. Registration forms should be returned by the instructions on the form itself.
Requests for Registration forms and Questions should be directed to: Grumpydave58@comcast.net don’t post questions on any Internet board, you won’t get an answer or any kind of a response; promise.
And in all fairness, you should know. I won’t chase anyone. I have an extremely low tolerance for stupidity, I will not herd cats. I have a full time plus job where I work in 5 states. I’ll answer you; it just might take a day or two. Expect official event communication to start in September, possibly earlier, to those registered.


Or, you could go to the Remberance Day circus.

[GrumpyDave]

Re: 150th Gettysburg Anniversary "Oakes " Battlefield March

participants should be receiving some e-mail communications off and on now. Speakers for most all of the stops are set. Remember, you need to be on Barlow's Knoll at 9am sharp!

[GrumpyDave]

Re: 150th Gettysburg Anniversary "Oakes " Battlefield March



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I'll allow the participants to describe how the event went.

[Pvt.Bowz]

Re: 150th Gettysburg Anniversary "Oakes " Battlefield March

Great plan, great execution, great participants....enough said.

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Re: 150th Gettysburg Anniversary "Oakes " Battlefield March

I wish to thank the participants in the November 16, 2013 Preservation March at Gettysburg for their donations. We raised $207 from the 22 Participants and donated it to the Civil War Trust preservation effort for the East Cemetary Hill Property. Those funds will be matched 3-1 for a total of $828 donated to preservation of this property.

http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg/gettysburg-east-cemetery-hill-2013/

Here is the on hand roster from last weekend...

Military
Towsen
Berezuk
Oakes
Camper
Korber
Bowser
Hamby
Kibler
Wright
Parvis
Jones
Berndt
Arnold
Scanlon
MacIntyre
Bordonaro
Schaefner
Krahling
Stowe

Civilians
Olszowy
Bruce

I am personally grateful that these 22 individuals put aside their time and brought their best effort to Remember the sacrifice made by the soldiers and civilians who experienced the battle by making a small attempt to relive the life of our predecessors. Without your effort, an experience of this type and the money donated to preservation would not be possible. Thank You.

In 2014, myself and a few other individuals are planning to have another Preservation March reviewing the actions of the Pennsylvania Reserves at the Gettysburg NMP tentative scheduled for November 16, 2014 and pending permit approval.