Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

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Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

The Mudsills at Chicamaugua National Battlefield, 1992) One of many time we did living history there.

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The Mudsills at Chicamaugua National Battlefield, 1976) One of many time we did living history there.

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Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

The Mudsills at Historic Ft Niagria. One of MANY times we did Living History there.



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The "Mudsill Battery" (the Infantryman that also worked Brian's Gun) were John Wedeward, Tom Rock, Alan Rock, Jeff Fontana, Scott Cross, Paul McKee, along with Phil Baird and Kevin Koski (Jim Swaass , Bill Tomatich, Bill Norn were added after we found out we basically could NOT do both (at the same event)


The "Spanish American War" Soldiers being Inspected by General Grant before boarding the "Troop Transport" to The Battle of Belmont. (at East Davenport)




Living History At West Point National Military Acadamy

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Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

The Only known picture of the (Ken) Smith/(Bill) Brewster March. ( Picture was Taken at the end) Done in 1992 South of Atlanta (Basically the route the 21st Wisconsin took on The March To the Sea). Covered over 22 miles. Carried Full Cartridge Boxes and Loaded (Live) Weapons. Weapons NOT capped unless on ALL NIGHT Picket Duty. Not technically a Mudsill Event , but most participants were members of The Mudsills.

. Only food was 3 pieces of hardtack, 1/3 pound of Salt Pork and Green Coffee Beans. Nothing MODERN (except for "water purification tablets from the US Army). A found a Lot of buried yams!!!!!

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

The Only known picture of the (Ken) Smith/(Bill) Brewster March. ( Picture was Taken at the end) Done in 1992 South of Atlanta (Basically the route the 21st Wisconsin took on The March To the Sea). Covered over 22 miles. Carried Full Cartridge Boxes and Loaded (Live) Weapons. Weapons NOT capped unless on ALL NIGHT Picket Duty. Not technically a Mudsill Event , but most participants were members of The Mudsills.

. Only food was 3 pieces of hardtack, 1/3 pound of Salt Pork and Green Coffee Beans. Nothing MODERN (except for "water purification tablets from the US Army). A found a Lot of buried yams!!!!!

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I remember tale's of this event as well. This IS the type of experience we should strive for.

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Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

Once everybody got there in Friday afternoon. We formed "the Company" Captain: Paul McKee, 1st Sgt John Wedeward, 2nd Sgt Scott Cross and 2 Corporals (Bill Brewster & Ken Smith). We took off about 1/2 mile before stopping that 1st night. Next morning was when everything was issued. Salt Pork, Hard Tack and Green Coffee Beans. After breakfast, a FULLY Loaded Ammunition Box was brought out. As Brewster and Smith were unscrewing the top (not fast enough for me) I stepped in and broke the top open with the but of my musket. Then EVERYBODY was issued 4 packs of LIVE Ammunion. (Still have mine) We used my Original Pack to get the label (St Louis Arsenal) correct. Then I gave the order to ...Load. (for real)

Then the real experience (only Brewster and Smith knew what to expect as we went forward).

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Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

When I started in (mainstream) reenacting in the early 80s (At the ripe old age of 12,) the biggest event of the year was each September at the Village of East Davenport (during the war the site on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi had been Camp McClellan.) It was the big finish of each season and I would look forward to it every summer.
The Mudsills used to "troll" the event each year, to the great annoyance to us 'streamers. One year they all showed up as officers- 20-30 lieutenants and captains. Another they all came in (presumably original) Span Am gear! I remember being righteously indignant at the time, but I now realize how awesome it was.

Little did I know that in less than a decade I would be a member of the 'Sills! My personal favorite memory (outside the various events at Athens MO) was actually making Sherman's neckties at an event at Janesville, Wisconsin.

I was only a Mudsill for 5 or 6 years in the early 90s. Obviously, Paul McKee, Scott Cross, and John Wedeward are gonna be the ones with the great Mudsill stories!

Also, besides bending the rails at that event, we ALSO had a 2 hour drill on Sunday morning using ONLY Bugle Commands!

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That's great, Brian- love seeing that pic! Id post a picture of myself at that event, but it would undoubtedly flagrantly violate several authenticity codes of this website :)

I dont think I was aware of the existence of the Mudsill Battery at that time, so I guess I never knew there were (GASP) Mudsills all around me!

I definitely should have included you on my list of 'sills that were still around- my apologies for the oversight.

Here is an Early Picture of Brian's Gun (at the "Lincoln Log" Fort at Naperville, Illinois. His gun crew includes "Mudsill Infantrymen Jeff Fontana, Scott Campbell, John Wedeward along with his dad Phil and Kevin Koski. (1979)

[Arch Campbell]

Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

Yeah I remember thaf drill, Weed. But I was referring to GOOD memories :)

I also recall that one guy burned the crap out of his upper arm making those Neckties.

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Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

Yeah I remember thaf drill, Weed. But I was referring to GOOD memories :)

I also recall that one guy burned the crap out of his upper arm making those Neckties.

That was Dale Knapton of the 33rd Wisconsin. Fortunately for Dale, he was a welder by trade and said he was used to it. Cannot wait for Lookout Mnt and "Athens". Got a GREAT Supprise Package from home for Hollar. (for mail call)

[BarryDusel]

Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

I started in the endeavour @ 1972. After a brief sidetrack in1974 to AWI I found my way home in 1977. At that time I bought my 1st "kit" from C&D Jarnagin. Around 1978 I met Mark Upton and he introduced me to the 'Sills. I attended my 1st 'Sills event ,the immersion March near Gettysburg about that time, that sold me and from that day until Reagans 2nd inaugural (when the NR was raised) I was exclusively with the Sills. The Sills were what gave me hope and inspiration. Durenberger,Craft,Upton,the Rocks, etc,they were the ones who led the way for me.

[Cal Kinzer]

Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

Just a slight correction, I was never an officer in the Mudsills. I was only a member for about 4-5 years, and never held any rank other than private. We were all very young then, and being a private in such a fine organization was a lot of fun. Our attitude was "Let George do it!" and he did that very well!
Cal Kinzer

Given our recent discussions, I think it is a good time to look back at the roots of authenticity in reenacting. This was posted on Dave Thomas' Facebook feed. It is an excellent introduction to the beginnings of the authentic movement for the newer members of our community. Click Here to Visit the Thread on CivilWarTalk.



Thomas' Mudsills - Posted on CivilWarTalk By James N.

Back around the time of the Bicentennial of the American Revolution in the mid-to-late 1970's Civil War reenacting as we have come to know it was still in its infancy. In states that could boast no Revolutionary War connections the Civil War was universally embraced as the period of choice by the majority of reenactors. Lacking no national organization to compare with the Brigade of the American Revolution, few Civil War reenactors aspired to anything like authenticity and seemed to be satisfied by becoming and remaining what was derisively being termed "farbs" by the few that hoped to improve; at least that was true here in Texas where I began my reenacting career in 1976.

Things began to change for the unit I belonged to as we began to travel farther afield in our reenacting and became exposed to more progressive ideas and ideals. At that time the unit that we were most impressed with and ultimately influenced by was the group of authentic Federal reenactors known as Thomas' Mudsills commanded by Captain George Derenberger, a pioneer in authentic reenacting. He is pictured above left conducting an open knapsack inspection at Billie Creek Village, Indiana, and below at Jefferson Barracks outside St. Louis, Missouri; his Lieutenant John Zaharias who was probably better-known as a sutler is sampling the contents of some recruit's knapsack, to the amusement of the captain and the other soldiers. This level of authenticity and activity was at the time a novelty, captured here by our unit photographer, Carol Marrs. A third officer was later added to the Mudsills in the person of Kal Kinzer.

At this time most units were recruited locally and known for a famous regiment or local hero. The Mudsills were instead made up of (mostly) Midwestern authentics from various states - the forerunner of National organizations - and added the derisive Confederate term for Northerners to that of probably the most significant Union leader in the region, Maj. Gen. George Henry Thomas. (Other similar Confederate organizations around the same time were called Cleburne's Command and Breckenridge's Brigade which were largely from Tennessee and Kentucky respectively.) The first time I saw them as a new recruit to reenacting at Corinth, Mississippi in May 1976 there were only a few present but they were the only ones to have anything like an authentic camp, as seen below. One important fact to remember is that back as far as this there were few sutlers and anything like authentic uniforms and equipment was very hard to find and in many cases actually had to be hand-made. (Zaharias manufactured a number of the items he sold; I still have my first tarred haversack I bought from him back then.) Nothing was being imported from overseas, especially China, and C & D Jarnagin was probably the only source for correct commercially-made uniforms.

Thomas' Mudsills were remarkable at the time for the authentic camps they erected as well as the drill they routinely performed. Above is their camp at Billie Creek, unlike anything seen in Trans-Mississippi reenacting; below at right they are drilling in front of our gun line and reproduction mountain howitzer. At left below is a companion photo to one at top showing them performing the maneuver forming square to repel cavalry.

One indicator of the degree of acceptance the Mudsills acquired was that they were among the first - possibly the first! - to receive invitations from the National Park Service to conduct Living History demonstrations on battlefields like Chickamauga where they erected a Memorial Day weekend camp at the Snodgrass House. I attended this event as a member of The Confederate Guard which was vouched for by Derenberger to the NPS as an authentic Confederate unit; we camped at the Brotherton House, site of the Confederate breakthrough. From there we marched to meet them for a joint Memorial Day commemoration.

It was largely on the battlefield where the Mudsills made their greatest impression on us, however. Here above and below in the battle at Jeff Barracks their regimental formation advances against our admittedly farby battery of scaled-down reproduction artillery, again captured by Carol Marrs on film.

It is my belief that members of the original Mudsills went on to organize what became by the time of the 125th anniversary events in the 1980's the Western Battalion of Federal authentics. Anyone having additional reminiscences of George Derenburger or Thomas' Mudsills is encouraged to share them here with us and possibly correct any misrepresentations I may have inadvertently made now forty years after the events described!

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ORIGINAL DISCUSSION AT CIVILWARTALK

[ScottCross]

Re: Getting Back to Our Roots - Thomas' Mudsills

I was there for the "General Ward and his Staff" event at East Davenport and the "Spanish American War event. Two of the best Mudsill Atrocities we ever committed!

When I started in (mainstream) reenacting in the early 80s (At the ripe old age of 12,) the biggest event of the year was each September at the Village of East Davenport (during the war the site on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi had been Camp McClellan.) It was the big finish of each season and I would look forward to it every summer.
The Mudsills used to "troll" the event each year, to the great annoyance to us 'streamers. One year they all showed up as officers- 20-30 lieutenants and captains. Another they all came in (presumably original) Span Am gear! I remember being righteously indignant at the time, but I now realize how awesome it was.

Little did I know that in less than a decade I would be a member of the 'Sills! My personal favorite memory (outside the various events at Athens MO) was actually making Sherman's neckties at an event at Janesville, Wisconsin.

I was only a Mudsill for 5 or 6 years in the early 90s. Obviously, Paul McKee, Scott Cross, and John Wedeward are gonna be the ones with the great Mudsill stories!

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Gatlin, Ogre, and George Derenburger. That's an imge!

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Here are two "classic" photos of Mudsils and Cleburnes in the early days. The B&W is confederate prisoners at Ft Donelson circa 74 ish. the newspaper clipping is the dedication of the Bushrod Johnson monument at Chickamauga. Circa 1977.

Ike Gatlin