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**elcid01** · 04-10-2008, 02:05 AM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

this seems interesting.. post more details when avialable.

cheers,

**MustangGray** · 04-10-2008, 08:39 AM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

Chris,

Alright, I'll bite... what dates are you looking at? I was talking with Phil about this and he mentioned some of what was available clothing wise. Do you have a branch designation on the '32 dress coats? Also do you have any indication they had any Halls rifles out there? I don't have anything but civilian flinters and an 1832 Halls rifle.

Shoot me some details offline(or here if you prefer) and I think I can swing this pretty easily. I know several other MAW vets here in Texas that might be interested as well depending on the date and scenario.

And I noticed the Antebellum folder is labeled something different as well?

**Annette Bethke** · 04-10-2008, 10:00 AM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

The Texas Rifles had discussed McKavitt but the park never responded back to us to organize. I think they are talking about doing a Fort Richardson event. And there is a women in Fredericksburg talking about organizing an 1850s event at Fort Martin Scott.

**Lee Ragan** · 04-10-2008, 11:22 AM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

I would also be interested in learning more about this proposed event at Ft. McKavett. I've done circa 1859-1860 for several years and feel that the frontier Texas time-line needs more exposure.
The recent Ft. McKavett event was good and I'm looking forward to the upcoming Ft. Chadboure event too. A great place!
Several years ago, I attended some small 1850's events at Ft. Martin Scott but would like to do more. The problem there is the town of Fredricksburg doesn't like to draw attention to anything except the tourist attractions down town.
Lots of possibilities for some good living history events doing this time frame.

**Annette Bethke** · 04-10-2008, 11:54 AM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

The new contact person at Ft. Martin Scott is really enthusiastic about having an event there, so perhaps this is the best time to hit it. There is a lot of discussion about this on another list. I'll let you know as information is available.

**Charles Heath** · 04-10-2008, 03:51 PM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

Chris,

Come to think of it, one of the most enjoyable events for me in the past few years was in the form of an 1857 camping trip in SE Ohio with Hank and Linda Trent. With the late 1850s, one also gets to enjoy some interesting national level politics of the period variety as the wheels begin to come off some of the compromises and gentlemen's agreements.

Anyone up for a Whig ox roast?

**BrianHicks** · 04-10-2008, 07:34 PM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

This December at Ft. Moultrie in Charleston S.C. there will be an 1858 event (U.S. regulars who garrisoned the Fort, with S.C. Pre-War Militia drilling on Saturday. Next year we'll portray 1859 as we work towards 1860 and the following year.

**FTrooper** · 04-19-2008, 09:01 AM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

Well all,

Sounds like there are a few people intersted! So I will start developing ideas ASAP and in input would be appreciated.

Annette, please fell free to contact me at the site in the future. I am not sure who the TR tialed to or when, but there has been ALOT of changes in the last year (even more in the last three months as we are no longer a part of Texas Parks and Wildlife but Texas Historical Commission) so you may have just been misplaced in the shuffle. I have suggested doing something at Fort Martin Scott several times, and I think I have talked to the lady there and you are right, she is very enthusiastic. Its just that I got THIS job before I could really spoend time helping. Let me know!

Lee, thank you for the kind words and even MORE thanks for your efforts here! Your support is very important and it was a great job all around!

OK...the "future". Basically as Lee says, where have two GREAT 1850's sites (and 1/2, the problem with martin Scott is that it was one of those forts that was only open actively for a few years and is limited to bascially Mexican War era uniforms and equipments, we are hoping to show more of the M1851 and m1854/55 uniforms and gear). Most of Fort McKavett was rebuilt and expanded in the 1870's, but the basic layout is the same (just most of the Officers' Quarters and the HQ are a little larger ) but the barracks is almot just like it was when it was built in 1853 (the emphasis for this event). Fort Chadbourne, two hours away, is privately owned and the owner is a great guy who loves to show off his fort. He has already rebuilt one barracks, a small OQ and is in the process of rebuilding a larger officer's quarters and maybe the Butterfield Sateg Coach Station, he has also added some discreet bathrooms and showers! Best of all its private property and thing like live-faire might occur with his consent. McKavett and Chadbourne are sister Forts. Half of the 8th Infantry was at one while the other half was at the other from 1852-1854, the same with the 2d Dragoons 1853-1855, and 1st Infantry 1855-1859 (men from Fort Chadbourne came to help build to roofs of Fort McKavett and a few years ago as payback, our site maanager and volunteers went to Chadbourne to retunr the favor, 150 years later). OK, way wordy to get to the point. We are looking at a "campaigner" or General Miles Marching and Chowder Socierty type of organization to evolve from this. With maybe a three year cycle (unless we plan to do more events) with Chadbourne one year, McKavett the next, and then some other 1850's site the thrid year and start the cycle again with a differetn site every third year.

So far that is our hopes and dreams.

Chris Fischer
Fort McKavett State Historic Site
&
F-Troop

**Annette Bethke** · 04-20-2008, 05:33 PM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

Chris,
I work for the THC in Austin, so welcome to the agency. As for Fort Martin Scott, don't know what's up there. A woman in Fredericksburg has been talking about doing an event depicting the closing of the fort.

Would your event include in some way civilians at all?

**russhill2002** · 04-21-2008, 12:24 PM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

Hello,
I am the woman that Annette was refering to about organizing an event at Fort Martin Scott. I have talked to the Pioneer Museum folks who are now overseeing the fort about having such an event and they are open to it. Right now the only period correct event is the 19c Ladies Conference that I organize every spring.
When the Fredericksburg Federation had some controll of the Fort my husband and I organized events there but it was not easy to get folks to come out. It possibly was the past organizer who did not do a good job that caused reenactors to not want to return. I do not know. The last event we held before the city took over the Fort was well recieved and we had lots of visitors and reenactors.
The draw to the Fort is seeing lots of activity on the grounds. Touist don't read the paper to see what is going on. The visitors will come if they see something there. What surprises me is that some folks will stop by, even if the fort is closed, to walk around and do a self tour.
I am not sure how big an event you are hoping for. My idea was to do a first person event for the Civilian group we have here in TX. We have been doing events at Henkle Sq in Round Top. We were thinking it would be fun to do the same thing in different areas of TX and even do a different time period other then the CW era. Although this is a civilian group we do have members who are also intested in military actvities but are not always looking to burn powder.
The talk was to possibly do the closing event of the fort in 1852. I have some history on the fort as well as the town itself. There was a lot of interaction between the fort and the town folk. If it had not been for the opening of the fort Fredericksburg would have struggled for a lot longer then it did financially.
Before I go forth and organize all this it would be helpful for me to have some idea of events going on for 2009 in TX. I do not want to compete with some well attended event. That just doesn't work. We have some builds that can be used but most will need to camp. We have a large field to the side of the buildings that could be set up for military camping.
Feel free to reply and tell me your thoughts on the matter as well.
Debbie Russell
russhill@windstream.net

**Annette Bethke** · 04-21-2008, 02:55 PM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

If this is to be centered around a Texas fort I would be willing to host information about the event on my website when/if it comes to that point. I also have a Texas centered list where we can take the discussion if more convenient.

**Cfarrell** · 04-23-2008, 10:08 AM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

Chris,

I would support and attend an event out younder-way!

Regards,

**Annette Bethke** · 05-02-2008, 08:42 AM

Re: Anyone want to do 1850's?

So...has anything happened with this idea? Is Ft. McKavett stil on the table?

**FTrooper** · 05-12-2008, 04:30 PM

I need dates!

OK folks,

I have looked at some scheduels and am looking at last weekend in Sept. First two weekends in Oct. or first weekend in Nov.

There are too many conflicts with the third and forth weekends in Oct. I think there MAY be a conflict with Nov AND that is the first weekend of hunting season and I know that knocks a few fold out. are any of those dates above better than others? Let me know!

Chris Fischer
Fort McKavett

FortMcKavettDragoon@yahoo.com

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