Perryville 2016 is in the books

[Silas]

I had fun. How 'bout you?

Daisies!

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

The run away in 2 battles was fun... but exhausting. My feet are still barking in pain. I need to take more Advil. ;)

Awesome event and well worth the trip. :)

[Arch Campbell]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

Outstanding event, had a great time. For any of you in the Murray's Brigade effort who weren't aware, both the 123rd Ill/105th OH and 42nd Ind scenarios were carried out on the actual spots that the real events happened. For that, and the carefully created sense of chaos and disorganization, both our leadership and the event's- from Chad Green on down- deserve a lot of credit.

Having run up and down all those d*mned hills next to you Johnny, I fully agree- there just aren't enough pain relievers in the world today.

Now I'm off to pursue my new twin passions of botany and ornithology.

[Pennvolunteer]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

Well it was a great group to be associated with and I know we had an awesome company, and Bn. Our leadership was great and Friday's camp was awesome. I wish we had been able to maintain that location in many respects. The quality of the men was unbelievable; of the 35 men we had Sat morning less than half were regulars for the 24th MO. Mark Vlahos gave "on the right, by files in to line" with no rehearsal and they did it. I was astounded. These events are what I love about the hobby. Now, I will say I'm sick of hills and walking! Got up in a hotel room in Memphis this morning and needed more Motrin than was available! Loved the sutler'a pickled eggs too.

[Michael Comer]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

For you boys complaining about having to run up those hills to get away from the Rebs, well we were running up them too to make you run away. I can certainly appreciate the aches and pains you are going through.

The WIG battalion was a great group. And the boys I had in Co. B were most excellent.

[bailey1769]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

This was my first event and looking forward to more in the future. Brought a friend along and we're hooked. Happy to be learning and absorbing in preparation to someday participate.

[mike44thva]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

Remember gentlemen, they are but foothills in Kentucky!

I thought my legs hurt going back to camp on Sunday until I stopped for gas and coffee on the way home. Then each time my eyes needed more coffee it was alittle worse walking into the service station. Today they are alittle better.

Had a great time, the Daisies were a heap of icing on the cake!

[buckandball]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

Definitely good for the soul to see old friends and make some new ones!

Now to figure out what to try and make next year!

[Phil McBride]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

Being a Reb in the Red River Battalion, which along side the WIG fellas, portrayed the 9th TN and 13th LA, I'll ditto all the comments about sore feet and the hills. Nothing flat in Kentucky that I ever saw, and Perryville is one spread-out site. On Sunday we marched up a macadam road to the location where the 13th LA started their assault. We had a bird's eye view of the battlefield in front of us, but needed binoculars. We forded Doctor's Creek and went up slope to hit the flank of the Yanks. It got a bit crazy then, as happens.

On Saturday as we began our attack up the other hill, through the cornfield, a deer flushed out right in front of us. A pretty good indication that the peaceful looking corn rows held a few surprises.

I may be wrong, but my take on the rank and file Reb infantrymen impressions I saw all weekend, is that Perryville reflected an upswing in general appearance. Anybody out there agree or disagree?

[jakebook]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

I had a wonderful time at Perryville and a great time hanging out with the boys of Company E, 123rd Illinois.

Probably one of my favorite elements of the event was having our own sutler. Really added to the immersion experience and I felt the excitement that our 19th century counterparts must have felt at the prospect of having some food and goods other than what the army issued you.

Thanks to everyone that made it all possible.

Until next time....BIG PIG, LITTLE PIG!

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[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

After almost twenty seven hours of round trip driving I have another Perryville in the history books. This particular Perryville was extra special for me for a couple of reasons. One of which was that it was the first event my wife and I brought our daughter too. Although she will likely never remember her experience, it is something mom and dad always will.
Second, this was my first time running a battalion. What better place and impression for a green horn to try his hand and being in charge.
Rob Murray, I have you to thank for having the confidence, and providing me with this opportunity!
Without the recruiting assistance of Messer’s, Nathan Hellwig, Lemuel Ellington, Ivan Ingraham, Johnny Lloyd, Walter Cook, John Wicket, Rick Swafford, Patrick Ferringer and Brian Hicks this battalion wouldn’t have happened. So I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you, to you and everyone in your companies for trusting, and believing in me.
Brian Hicks and Jim Butler, you two gentlemen were always there to provide me with the guidance and reassurance when I needed it. Thank you both!
Johnny Lloyd, you sir deserve an award for pulling double duty as Adjutant and Sgt. Maj. Both. You did everything I asked of you prior to the event and during. You were always ahead of the game in assuring that orders were carried out and the men were taken care of. Thank you sir!
Joe Beedle and Nathan Willar, it was a real pleasure meeting and working with the both of you. The both of you are quite possible some of the nicest gentlemen I have ever met. You both did an amazing job on staff and certainly made my life much easier with your timeliness and dedication to your jobs. Thank you.
Pete and Kimberlee Berezuk, great job with the commissary! The food that the two of you prepared hit the spot when we really needed it. Those sweet potato biscuits were slap yo momma good!
Andy Roscoe and Will Eichler, thank you both for allowing me to command the left wing of the 42nd Indiana on Sunday. It was AWESOME!
I would also like to sincerely thank each and every one of you who registered with the 123rd. Although we didn’t have the largest battalion, we made up for it with our esprit de corps! I also want to add that our little band of Egyptians raised $338 that went directly to the Perryville Battlefield. You should all be very proud of that and give yourselves a pat on the back. No matter what anyone says, the hobby is for us; and your generosity in donating time and money is for preserving the memory of those who have gone before us. We can now all see how what a little from everyone can do for the big picture.
In a few days after I catch up on work and sleep, I will share my AAR, but I first wanted to make sure I thanked everyone and I apologize if I forgot to give you a shout out.

[Strawfoot]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

After attending the highly successful 140th Perryville back in 2002, where the AOP had a 400 man demi-brigade of all stars in the hobby, I went into last weekend with a hopeful yet cautious expectations. I was very concerned with how attrition would affect Murray's brigade, especially in light of the fact our registration numbers were not coming close to what the brigade had at Gettysburg. In fact, acting as SGT MAJ for Will Eichler, I began to establish company streets in our Friday night camp with the expectation of having numbers for only three companies. Boy was I wrong, as I pleasantly discovered later that night. Probably one of the most satisfying feelings I'd ever had in the hobby was seeing our battalion form up four full companies Saturday morning, with our smallest probably numbering 27 rifles and our largest the 24th Missouri's 38 rifles. All in all my report on number to the battalion commander stood at 8 officers and approximately 140 enlisted, including an OUTSTANDING musicians corps.

I could sit here and recount in detail our weekend, but it went much as any campaigner event all in this hobby have attended. We fought two battles on the actual ground as the units portrayed, the 105th Ohio in the cornfield and the 42nd Indiana at Doctor's Creek. We partook in some valuable battalion drill on Saturday. We attended a memorial at the Soldier's Battlefield Monument in the company of a wheelchair bound WWII veteran, whereas SGT MAJ I was selected to lay a wreath at the base of the monument. Thanks for that AJ Racine. We filled canteens at the Bottom House. We held a knockdown, drag out shin dig Saturday night, and I'll leave it at that. We passed the hat and raised over $700 from the brigade for preservation. And we did all of it on the actual ground that those brave soldiers died on 154 years ago. Perryville is a BEAUTIFUL battlefield, Chad Greene, Joni House, and all the rest have done a magnificent job there.

This was the most rigorous non-march event I've ever seen. I'm in pretty good shape, yet felt like I'd been tied to a whipping post Monday. Looking through the ranks after Sunday's battle, especially into faces of gents older than myself, I saw a determined resolve. I know those men have got to be feeling beat, but also proud they finished. It takes fortitude for a battalion to march off a field post event on Sunday, and dismiss as a functioning unit, rather than melt off into individual groups of rabble. Thank you all for that.

I'd like to recognize the first sergeants in this battalion, Frank Siltman, Jon Peterson, Scott Czajkowski, Tom Gingras, and Chad Johnson when Ski was forced out of action. They were always one step ahead of the action, anticipating events, and always had their companies ready for anything. Company reports were accurate and given up without grief. Rations were issued on the fly Friday night, in most cases with men yet to arrive, and not one man went without food. Including the musicians. Camps were policed, fires were extinguished without having to remind, and those four companies had their shite together. Thanks dudes.

Recognition also needs to be given to our musicians, who I praised and thanked a multitude of times throughout the weekend. They kept with the battalion the entire time, on long hikes up and down hills, through confusing battles, never missing stride, never falling out. They kept the men to the step on the march, and greatly improved morale with the tunes. A solid musicians corps has an invaluable function to a fighting battalion, and this was the best I've ever see in in over twenty years, all hyperbole aside.

The staff of the 105th/42nd Indiana also ranks up there with the best I've ever served. Of course Will Eichler, who we've worked with before, and the indomitable Dom Dal Bello, but Andy Roscoe, Brian Jankowski, Stephen Pavey, and Marty Rubin as well. A few of us on staff, and the orderlies as well, are real world military and that served to help us form on the fly and gel as a functioning unit. This was Brian Jankowski's first sortie as adjutant, and he seized the moment.

It is always a pleasure to see my good friend Joe Smotherman, having served in line companies he's raised over the years. His sutler impression is well thought out, and executed smartly, and I sincerely hope he continues in that role. Special thanks to Pete and Kimberlee Berezuk, for their graciousness in feeding the men of the line companies as our rations ran low on Sunday afternoon. Pete is an absolute bad-ass, whose company at Bentonville threw back the clowns who broke our lines in hand-to-hand fisticuffs. Another real world military guy who sincerely cares for the grunts. Rob Murray, who took a nasty spill from his horse on Sunday and tried to walk it off before they finally carted him off in an ambulance. Joe Beedle, needless to recount all he did for this effort. I know I'm missing some guys, I'm horrible at names as the 105th orderlies can attest. Tyler, Johnny, ET, Ken, Holler, Arch, Lem, Wick, Brian Hicks thanks for your mentoring, and all the 123rd guys, great to be a part of it with you.

It was all well played, the type of weekend which fuels the fire which burns inside all of us.

[CaptBen]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

Being a Reb in the Red River Battalion, which along side the WIG fellas, portrayed the 9th TN and 13th LA, I'll ditto all the comments about sore feet and the hills. Nothing flat in Kentucky that I ever saw, and Perryville is one spread-out site. On Sunday we marched up a macadam road to the location where the 13th LA started their assault. We had a bird's eye view of the battlefield in front of us, but needed binoculars. We forded Doctor's Creek and went up slope to hit the flank of the Yanks. It got a bit crazy then, as happens.

On Saturday as we began our attack up the other hill, through the cornfield, a deer flushed out right in front of us. A pretty good indication that the peaceful looking corn rows held a few surprises.

I may be wrong, but my take on the rank and file Reb infantrymen impressions I saw all weekend, is that Perryville reflected an upswing in general appearance. Anybody out there agree or disagree?

I would totally agree with the statement that there was a general upswing in impressions; at least in the military camps. It was very nice to see and hopefully a harbinger of things to come.

Ben Cwayna

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

I am getting very tired of seeing sunglasses or modern glasses on participants. Perryville seemed to have TONS of them and they stuck-out like a sore thumb. This is easily fixable, but people are too lazy, generally. If it can't be fixed for some reason, don't participate.

Awful Complainer rant over...

... But the cheese sticks were great, I hear. ;)

[RW0369]

Re: Perryville 2016 is in the books

This was certainly one to remember, Lem and Holler did a great job of keeping us engaged to the point that I forgot to weasel my way into being a rear rank one, in addition to looking out for the men without sounding like den mothers. The Brigade and Battalion staff kept us busy but not to the point where anything became tedious, in addition to managing the controlled chaos and seamlessly adapting to the uncontrolled chaos during the scenarios. The quartermaster provided ample and quality rations, which enabled us to experiment with some cooking methods but not at the risk of having no alternative for food. Joe Smoetherman's sutler tent is always a welcome sight at events and really adds to the event as a whole.
Many thanks to the men who put the 123rd IL and the brigade as a whole together for a well run and fun event.

The hills and running weren't bad and my feet didn't hurt.