Rest in Peace Bill King

[Tom Craig]

To All,

It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Bill King, of the 1st Maine Cavalry. He was my best friend, and one hell of a guy.

On this side of the hobby, Bill rode with the 1st Maine. Back in his old streamer days he had been with the 1st Mass. Cavalry, and the 3rd Maine Infantry.

Many folks knew Bill, even if they didn't know him by name because he was the type of guy who stood out in a crowd. He was plagued by all manner of health concerns, but he was the first in the saddle, and always the most eager to ride the extra mile.

Bill passed away this past weekend at Rob Hodge's Preservation March. The unit had bedded down after a great day of riding and reenacting, and Bill was cracking jokes and making us smile the way he always did. He went to sleep that night by the fire, and some time in the night suffered the heart attack that took his life. Fittingly, the farm where he died is named Fiddler's Green.

Bill, who lived for the past several years in Gettysburg is survived by his lovely wife Patty. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her in this dark time.

Arrangements for a memorial service are being worked on, and will be announced as soon as they are finalized. We are also setting up a fund to help Patty in her hour of need, and as soon as that is established we will post where donations can be sent.

Sincerely,
Tom Craig
1st Maine Cavalry

[yeoman]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

Sir, I did not know your friend but if I may, in our prayers this evening will be our prayer for strength, understanding and heart felt peace for his family and friends.

[Mcouioui]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

It is always hard to lose a friend, I show solidarity with you in front of this loss, which we are many always too much to know regrettably in time which passes...
All my friendship...

[Mcguire]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

I am sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. It is hard to lose the people you care about. Take solace in knowing that he left this world doing something that he loved surrounded by those that cared about him. We can only hope for the same type of departure.
You will always have that friendship in your heart and whenever you take the field you will remember him and he will be with you.

[Ken]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

Tom,

That is very sad news and I offer my prayers and condolences. I can't help thinking however that when my time comes, I would like to pass over the way Bill did, doing what he loved right up to the end. God's speed.

[1st Maine Trooper]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

I am proud to say that Bill was my friend as well. He was quick with a verbal jab and fast to poke fun, but never harbored any malice. Everyone was fair game when it came to his humor. There is no doubt he will be missed, from the cries of "Duck Bill" to his quips and barbs while on the march, he will forever be with us in our hearts.

Dave Myrick

[CJDaley]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

My sympathies to Bill's family and all his cavalry pards. Bill was a regular in Gettysburg and stopped into our store frequently. I never saw the guy in bad mood and he was always the first to stick out his hand in friendship.

The hobby needs more guys like Bill.

[Collodian Artist Wife]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

To all in the 1st Maine Cavalry and Mr. King's wife and family;

You have our deepest sympathy and prayers. My husband and I were participating in the Preservation March as civilians. It was with shock and sadness we felt at hearing the news yesterday morning.

Vivian Harrington

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

With prayers for you all, my sympathy. May you find comfort that he had a peaceful end after a good day.

[DaveyBoy]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

While marching to Unison Saturday we passed by farms and homes with name signs on the road. We came across the Fiddler's Green sign and I pointed it out to my file mate. My son is in a Cav unit and I know the name. I'm not sure all of the legs know. Maybe you could share the poem.

Sorry for you loss, Dave

[MissMaggie]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

"Fiddlers' Green"
Halfway down the trail to Hell,
In a shady meadow green,
Are the Souls of all dead troopers camped
Near a good old-time canteen,
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddlers' Green.

Marching past, straight through to Hell,
The Infantry are seen,
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marine,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen,
Dismount at Fiddlers' Green.

Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene,
No trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he's emptied his canteen,
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers' Green.

And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen.
Or in a roaring charge of fierce mêlée
You stop a bullet clean,
And the hostiles come to get your scalp,
Just empty your canteen,
And go to Fiddlers' Green.

[lesterschumacher]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

Where our comrade in arms , Dear Brother Bill, rested at Fiddler's Green, a simple monument of flat fence wood now marks his place. Carved with a knife and rubbed in charcoal it reads BILL KING 1st MAINE CAV.

Placed by his brothers Stevens Dana Bunker and Lester Schumacher. It will always stand in the camp where Bill and his comrades slept at Fiddler's Green. We propose a permanent marker at the spot.

My comrades and I will miss Bill.

Lester (The Elder)

Lester Schumacher

[johnnyreb43nc]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

My condolonces go out to Bill,s family and pards.
I met him at the Hodge March at the weekend but unfortunately didn,t get to know him very much.

I was with the 7th Indiana Infantry and we found out the terrible news just before we crossed the river.
Just as we approached the water his Cavalry pards came through from the other bank and as one our unit all removed our caps and bowed our heads.

There was a lot of disbelief and some damp eyes.

Rest in peace brother.

Jason Tailford

Temperance Mess.

Edinburgh
Scotland.

[Andrew German]

Re: Rest in Peace Bill King

Greetings:

We all took great pleasure in having Bill among us in the ranks and at the fireside, and we miss him greatly. Know that we did our best to be his faithful comrades in good times and in his hour of need.

Lester and Steve: what a great way to commemorate Bill in the spirit of Civil War soldiers. Fortunately, few of us experience death in the field the way those we emulate did, but if we do lose a friend it actually brings us closer to the experience and deepens our appreciation of the essence of those we portray, and you memorialized him as they would have.

Steve also rigged Bill's horse, with empty boots in reversed stirrups and other details, to honor the fallen trooper when we rode back on Sunday morning. We appreciated the solemn acknowledgment of our infantry brethren at the ford.

If it had to happen, it happened in the best way possible, and Bill's memory will live on as he would have wished.

Andrew German

[Tom Craig]

Memorial Fund

To All,

Thank you for your kind words and sympathy. Only time can heal the loss, but it is a comfort to hear the support from the community.

Jerry Todd has established a brief memorial page for Bill which can be found at: http://www.mainecav.org/bill.html

Those wishing to make donations to the memorial fund for Bill, which will be used to help cover the funeral expenses, and to help his wife Patty, may do so either by Paypal through Jerry Todd's account at sgttodd@mainecav.org, or via check or money order to me at:
Tom Craig
95 Holley Place
Torrington, CT, 06790

Memorial service details are still being finalized, and will be posted when all is arranged. I am in the process of producing a memory book for Patty, so for anyone who knew Bill and has a story that they would like to share, please forward it to me at: tom.craig@ymail.com

Take care,
Tom Craig
1st Maine Cavalry