Picketts Mill Rail Drive

[john duffer]

The MOOCOWS LBL event raised $705 for the drive but we'd like to do an even $1,000. From now until the end of April we'll match contributions. For $2.50 you can buy a rail, $5 buys two, etc. You can mail me a check and I'll make a PayPal payment or pay direct and let me know amount. This offer ends Friday night at midnight. A preservation effort where you can actually see a physical result from your contribution.

the top rail only
John Duffer

[dusty27]

Re: Picketts Mill Rail Drive

John,

Please provide an address for folks to send you checks.....

[john duffer]

Re: Picketts Mill Rail Drive

Checks can be mailed to:

John Duffer
111 Acklen Park Drive
E-204
Nashville, Tennessee 37203


If you let me know it's coming I'll go ahead and make the payment. Individual names will be furnished and added to the donor list.

[BGYANK]

Re: Picketts Mill Rail Drive

Hello Mr. Duffer,


Count me in for another $20.00 I'll mail the check in the morning.

Ernie W Steff
MOOCOWS

Checks can be mailed to:

John Duffer
111 Acklen Park Drive
E-204
Nashville, Tennessee 37203


If you let me know it's coming I'll go ahead and make the payment. Individual names will be furnished and added to the donor list.

[john duffer]

Re: Picketts Mill Rail Drive

That's the style Lo ! That's the style !

Mr. Brad Argue has also stepped up and the MOOCOWS now owe Mr. Corbin $60 bringing our total to $785 thus far.

[dusty27]

Re: Picketts Mill Rail Drive

John,

Sent you a check to buy 20 rails.

Good luck.

Dusty

[john duffer]

Re: Picketts Mill Rail Drive

Absolutely outstanding Mr. Chapman.

LBL Event $705
Ernie Steff $20 + $20 match
Brad Argue $ 20 + $20 match
Dusty Chapman $50 + $50 match (sorry John, I misunderstood "For $2.50 you can buy a rail, $5 buys two, etc")
Doug Cooper $35 + $35 match
MOOCOWS $100

MOOCOWS Rail Drive Drive total is at $1,055. We're still open.

[DougCooper]

Re: Picketts Mill Rail Drive

John - just paypaled another $35 to Tripp to round it out to $1000 - thanks again for your leadership!

[Chicory]

Re: Picketts Mill Rail Drive

Mr. Duffer, when will your cut off time be for takeing donations on friday?

James Aulds

[john duffer]

Re: Picketts Mill Rail Drive

James, we'll continue till Mr. Cleaveland, et al stop taking donations.

[john duffer]

Re: Picketts Mill Rail Drive

"A Routine Patrol" Event $705
Brad Argue $ 20 + $20 match
Dusty Chapman $50 + $50 match
Doug Cooper $35 + $35 match
Pat Craddock $10 + $10 match
Ernie Steff $20 + $20 match
MOOCOWS $100
WIG $30 + $30 match

MOOCOWS Rail Drive Drive total is at $1,135. We're still open.

[john duffer]

"We will put in Hazen and see what success he has"

Per young Johnny Cleaveland, Monday the 3rd is the drop dead for contributions. The MOOCOWS will continue to match donations till the cut off. We've raised 227 rails, surely we can get to 250. Even 235 would build 4 chains of fence (264').

Excerpts from A HISTORY OF THE 6TH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEER INFANTRY U.S., THE BOYS WHO FEARED NO NOISE :

The creek's "bank was a steep bluff, except where the ravine emptied into it," recalled Capt. Charles C. Briant of the 6th Indiana, and "along the bank of this was a rail fence the length of the field." On the north "end of the field was rebel works, hastily built of the rails of the same fence that enclosed the field."

The 23rd Kentucky and 6th Indiana continued up the hill towards the Rebels, who were firing rapidly while lying behind fence rails and small piles of rocks. "Many brave comrades fell before reaching the second fence. What a shower of bullets met us ! We fought each other through the fence," exclaimed Sergeant Brandley of the 23rd. He added: "One Confederate Colonel was pulled over the rails and made to surrender. He started for the rear … but the colonel was killed by his own men's bullets before he took many steps." The soldiers of the 6th Indiana also fought fiercely at the fence, and for a short time it looked like Hazen's left might be able to turn Cleburne's right flank. The fence at the southern end of the cornfield was forty to fifty yards beyond Cleburne's line, so with sufficient troops the Confederates could be taken from the rear.

Baucum's regiment soon slammed into the Hoosiers and Kentuckians along and near the fence, just as Kelly's troopers were about to be overrun. Sergeant Brandley of the 23rd recalled: "We finally crowded our enemy behind the bars; none showing their heads any longer, we made up a squad and charged the bars. I saw enough there to make my blood run cold; plenty of dead men, with a very lively line behind them. We hastily fired into them and hastily retreated; not before they shot the most of our squad."

Lowrey's brigade, moving at the double quick, took out some of Hazen's men who had moved beyond the fence at the south end of the field and then swung around against Hazen's left.

Hazen's retreating troops reformed when they reached the fence at the north end of the field. Then, in Hazen's words, "the enemy came in fine style, coming up from the ravine beyond; but after one volley from our men along the fence they were out of sight to a man, in twenty seconds."

And finally, a photo caption:

Present day picture taken from the north end of the former cornfield. Hazen's men rallied behind a fence that stood at its edge and repulsed pursuing Confederates on the evening of May 27, 1864.

Think this fence isn't important to this battlefield ? Buy just the top rail.