Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

[Steven Dacus]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

So, the question for all of you is how committed to authenticity are you?

Outside of the mounted adjunct, the main event at Fort Caspar will be a garrison style event with the opportunity for us to sleep in the fort buildings that have not been opened up for an event like this in decades! Just like the original guys, the buildings could only hold about half of those stationed there, and their beds/bunks were built a bit different. For a variety of reasons, soldiers slept two men to a bed, 4 to a bunk bed! We already have a few registered that are willing to go "all the way" for authenticity and sleep two reenactors per bed. Are you?

Not to worry, it is not required to sleep two per bed, but the barracks will be given to those who register first. The rest will form their camps just behind the fort buildings.


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[Tom Craig]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

Having talked to Steve last night about the details behind this event it is hard for me to describe how excited I am about this event. For us east coast (or east of the mighty Mississippi) folks this is an extremely rare opportunity. It is also the best chance to live like a trooper for a week that we are likely ever to get. Without exaggeration I think that this event will make Piney Woods look like a Girl Scout picnic.

Plans are in place for a very authentic and VERY rigorous event. If you do cavalry, you really really won't want to miss this event.

Take care,
Tom Craig
1st Maine Cavalry

[KevinBarnes]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

Too bad I never learned to ride. This sounds like an awesome experience

[Elliott'sSprout]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

Really wish I could make it considering I had an ancestor that was a member of the 11th Kansas Cavalry and was at Platte Bridge Station. Unfortunately it is just too far of a drive for me.

[Steven Dacus]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

I would like to thank everyone for the large support for this event and we would like to attract as many of this crowd to this event. We have had many people wish to come but stated that hauling a horse that far would be difficult. I would like to pass on that we have a large supply of cav trained horses available for rent the whole week of the ride and the main event. I am still working on prices for the 7 or so days we need them but it should be reasonable/comparable to when we rent horses to come east. Hopefully this should attract more of you guys!

We also scouted another section of the trail today! If you want open spaces and true campaign distances...this is it.

[Steven Dacus]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

This event is turning out to be quite the event. I have been getting repeated questions/PM's and thought I would try to answer them here for everyone since many others probably have the same question.

Due to the nature and location of this literal cross-country ride, cell phone reception is unreliable and a definite 0% at many locations along the route. Although a few of us are licensed EMT's, no formal modern medical aid will be available during the ride. Water will be in short supply for both mounts and soldiers. We will do what we can to plan the route along the most likely water sources, but those are not reliable. There will be NO toilet facilities. Also, get to know your fellow soldiers as there is nowhere to hide while you do your business (see attached picture for scale). Unless you want to ride a mile or so away from the group (which the commanding officer may not allow due to possible hostiles in the area), you will have to walk off a hundred yards or so and do you business there. We promise we won't look as I don't want to watch you as much as you don't want to be watched! (toilets seem to have been the most popular question).
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Additionally, plan on packing 4-5 days rations on your person for the trip. Although we will have a civilian/contract pack string with some cookware and additional food, please plan on being self sufficient. Proper rations of Hardtack, coffee, and sugar will be given out the evening before the trip. There is a possibility of coming across some wild game during the ride that hopefully will supplement our meals.

Lastly, as we come into town and ultimately arrive at the Fort on Friday July 24th, we will stop briefly to host a shooting competition per the marksmanship regulations. In order to reward those who go the extra mile for authenticity, only those with Smith or Sharps will be allowed to shoot in the cavalry competition. As per the regulation's suggestions, an authentic Stadia will be given as a reward to be worn "on the right or left breast, according to the arm used".

Those should answer all the questions to date. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!

[Steven Dacus]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

I also forgot to mention that if you plan on bringing your own horse, please be sure that he/she can picket or hobble. If you choose to hobble, please bring correct hobbles (Don't even think about your nylon cotton "poofy" lined modern ones). It looks like we will not have an opportunity for a high line most nights.

Also, some of you have been asking if we are skirmishing with natives along the route. I have to answer this question in a "cop out" manner.....we may or we may not have interaction with hostiles along the route. Although there are two battles planned during the main event, nothing is guaranteed, planned, or coordinated in this manner for this adjunct ride. In order to provide realism and authentic travels through hostile country during the "Bloody Summer on the Plains", we have given the native reenactors (who will have an encampment somewhere along the route) full flexibility on whether they want to avoid us or engage us, or steal our horses at night. In years past with the same group, we have been unmolested the whole way, and at other times have fought every mile through. I wanted to keep the need for flankers, guards, pickets, etc while also not "scheduling" anything. So...there's your answer. Don't count on it, but plan on it.

If anyone else has any questions please feel free to post or PM me. Thanks!

[T.Kern]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

A few of the Valley light horse plan on attending!

[Steven Dacus]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

Did another recon of a 20 mile section of the ride today! You can see the original Oregon Trail in a few of the pictures! Who's excited for a 150 mile ride over original ground that hasn't changed much in 150 years? This is definately a campaign event! Please keep in mind that there are very few watering holes and we are currently looking at getting our drinking water out of the few streams we cross and treating the water to become drinkable.

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Feel free to reply on this thread or PM me if you guys have any other questions.

[Steven Dacus]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

More Information!

A look back to previous adjunct rides, reminds me to let everyone know that we will be breaking up the long ride each day with sections where we walk. So please be sure to wear shoes/boots that properly fit and are broke in. If walking a few miles in your footwear is on the "high" end for you, please be sure to get in shape before the event. Don't be that guy who walks two miles the first day and is down for the count and has to miss the rest of the trip. Train both your horse and your feet. Get some saddle time and some track time.

Enjoy!

[Steven Dacus]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

Here are some more updates on the ride:
• For those renting horses and flying in, you can fly directly into Casper, Wy, which is where everything will be based out of. However, for a cheaper flight, Denver is the closest “Hub” airport.
• The rental horses will be $400 for the entire week’s ride.
• We will leave early Monday morning July 20th which means that all riders will need to arrive, register, and get set in on Sunday the 19th of July.
• The expected items to carry for each trooper are simple but also not specific….Simply bring with you what you can and/or are willing to bring. It gets cold at night and very hot during the day. We are riding through the high plains desert. This is a true long distance campaign event. As far as tack, you will need your picket rope/pin in addition to your other standard equipment.
• You will be responsible for your lunch each day of the ride. But all breakfast and dinner will be provided. But please keep in mind the rations will be standard rations so don't expect canned peach cobbler. It looks like we will be living off hardtack rice and some desiccated items. There is a chance of some fresh meat from a freshly killed antelope and possibly some other treated meat. There is no registration fee.
• If you choose to do the live fire competition on Friday afternoon, the ammunition will also be provided to you as long as you are shooting an accepted/approved weapon (Smith, Sharps). This sub event is geared for the Reenactors and the main event is geared for public ed. No participant will pay any registration fee nor will the public pay any gate entrance fee. The $60k cost of the event is raised from grants and personal donations......So, the goal is to make it as cost effective as possible.
• There is no plan for a chase vehicle. Although a vehicle would physically be able to do so (if a wagon can do it, a truck definitely can), the extreme number of variables and “what-if’s” makes it infeasible. There are plans for emergencies in place that account for most realistic scenarios.

Again, if you want the most realistic experience of what the standard cavalry trooper went through riding 20-40 miles a day for an extended time, this is it. This is not going to be an easy ride….which will make it memorable.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reply to this thread!

[Tom Craig]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

Thanks for the update Steve! This is really going to be an amazing event! If you do cavalry, you ought to be there for this!

Take care,
Tom Craig
1st Maine Cavalry

[wavey1us]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

Steve,
Having completed a 52 mile ride for an event, have a question with regards to the rental horses. Understand the requirement to "leg up" our horses for the event; however, if folks are using rental horses, will the rental horses be prepped for the 100 miles? On the 52 mile ride, we had rental horses that were in various shapes/conditions when they were brought to the event and both the horse and riders had some issues with completing the event. We are looking at 4 days to complete the trek from Ft Laramie to Caspar.

[Tom Craig]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

Bill,

I'll leave the exact details about the rental horse condition/quality to Steve. I will say that the march is actually five days, Monday through Friday, and is a little bit shy of 150 miles. It will be a major effort and not for all, but it will be doable.

I know precisely what you mean about horses and men being in condition for this. It is imperative that men take the utmost care of their horses during this ride, and if they have doubts about their horses' fitness or their own that they ought to play it safe. There isn't much room to bail out on this ride once we're in the field. The riding that we will be doing is pretty straightforward, meaning that we'll be going from point A to point B without a lot of dashing here or there. We're also planning to conduct this march as they would have done, which includes spending time every hour on foot leading the horses to give us and them a break.

It's awesome to have folks asking questions and bringing up concerns so that we can get those straightened away long before the event is here.

Take care,
Tom Craig
1st Maine Cavalry

[Steven Dacus]

Re: Fort Caspar (Platte Bridge Station) Campaign Sub-Event in July 2015!

Bill & Tom,

The company that we will be renting the horses from knows of the conditioning requirements and assure me that the horses will be ready. To one extent, I just have to trust the horse trainer that he will have them ready. But being the statistical/analytical guy that I am, I took the oldest and least used horse from our herd and did a test run last two weekends ago on the capabilities of an "out of shape" mount. The results convinced me that even if the rental horses aren't 100% ready, we should be ok. Employing the walk, trot, walk, trot, rest method, my hag of an old mount did a good full day ride with plenty of energy left. As long as we average 4 miles/hr (which should be pretty easy) we will be done by 2:30pm each day which should leave enough time to rest the horses, feed & water them. I know we consistently do 20 miles in the mountains (hard terrain) with unconditioned horses and we are doing 30 on much easier terrain. Not to under-stress the importance of conditioning, but I think we should be good with the rental horses.