Matt Woodburn Stories

[Eric Tipton]

Over the last three days, since hearing about Matt's passing, many memories of him have flooded my mind. The "Pie Speech" at Donelson in 2006. The "Lost Watch" at Athens in 2005. Licorice for the hike up Lookout Mountain in 2003.

Matt was many things. He was creative and a friend to all; an organizer, a vendor, am optimist and a leader. He was also one of the most genuinely funny people I have met. I'd be very interested to hear some Matt stories to add to this remembrance.

The photo above is from Perryville in 2014. From Mich Trent: "GHTI Reunion at Perryville 2014. The Infamous Corset in the Knapsack during Inspection. It was Matt Woodburn (front right in pic) and Steve Ewing's idea. Matt fought so hard not to bust out laughing. Afterwards he came up to me grinning ear to ear and said, "Micah, that was classic. I was biting my lip trying not to laugh. Well played." That was my last event with him. The AC community lost a great guy yesterday. Matt will be missed, but our memories with him will last forever."

What is your favorite Matt story?

[Eric Tipton]

My favorite will always be the “Missing Pie Speech” at Donelson in 2006. Matt, standing in front of us, as snow flurries fell, in a Buffalo coat with what looked like a derby hat. He gave the speech with such earnest seriousness that when he got to the punch line “Did you take the pie because you were hungry, or did you take it because you just like pie?”, we were all trying very hard not to laugh. As a follow-up, had the opportunity to imitate Matt doing the pie speech to Matt at “Defending the Heartland” this year. He got a kick out of it. There was nothing like Matt getting ornery at an event... and that was often.

[Eric Tipton]

From Adam Clark on Facebook: “I had gone to Immortal 600 in Savannah Georgia. I forget the exact year, but it was probably 2006 or so. It was one of my first “hardcore” events and I was stoked. As I was walking across the parking lot at the site, I dropped my brand new black clay pipe which broke where the stem meets the bowl. I was heartbroken and sadly gathered the two pieces and put them with my baggage. I had known of Matt Woodburn, and I had been at events with him, but at this event I would really get to know him (I slept in the same bunk with him. We got VERY familiar with each other.) Sometime on Friday evening, Matt asked me if I still had the pipe. I handed it over to him and watched as he darkened a piece of matchstick over a candle, used it to fit the two pieces of pipe together and then commence to trade it off to a Yankee guard for some food items. We almost died as the Yank tried in vain to get the pipe lit. It was that moment that I learned that to be around Matt Woodburn was to be right in the middle of fun times.”

[Ken Cornett]

Athens 2005. When the ladies stole his clothes after everyone went swimming in their drawers in the river. He put on an awesome "theatrical" whining that they had lost his heirloom watch from his father. It was realistic, it was funny, and it was amazing. It was Matt.

[Eric Tipton]

From Ken Cornett on Facebook: "Mess No.1 had the pleasure of escorting Matt and the rebs to the "real" restroom at 600 because it was getting raunchy in the cells. I did a complete contraband search on Matt before letting him in the restroom. I couldn't find anything. When he came out he walked right up to me and handed me a sharpened piece of wood and said "I got you". He had it hidden in his sleeve at the cuff. Yep, he got me."

[Eric Tipton]

From Jim Butler on Facebook: "The Westville trilogy of events was unique in that they were full immersion in a working town with set roles. This was where Matt flourished! Too much to write, built highlights":

"Westville 1861: Matt comes up with an elaborate counterfeiting scheme. Ultimately he gets caught, arrested and tried in court."

"Westville 1863: Matt is running for Mayor and fully embraces the historical practice of “penning” (rounding up men, pay for their drinks and then have them vote for your ticket). Of course, Matt won they election."

[Eric Tipton]

Here was Matt at “Defending the Heartland” going into painstaking detail about the off color label on the bottle he brought to the event. I believe it started something like this, “Ya see, this here is a very special label. If you look closely...”

[john duffer]

I can think of dozens but will limit it to two - one good - one bad :) He seemed justifiably proud of building ovens and baking bread for the garrison at Fort Granger doing it as accurately as it's likely been done since 1864, on the other hand, during a monsoon at Stones River he convinced 6 or 7 of us to pitch in our shelter halves and let him build a group shebang. Showing true engineering aptitude, once the water built up a gallon or two it would force it's way through the seam between shelter halves and drench some lucky guy. The splash moved around at random so there were no dry spots. I heard subdued muttering about Mr. Woodburn's skill-set from more than one .

[Eric Tipton]

From Steven Eli Geery on Facebook - "Outpost 99, I had the sweetest picket post location in that it was located where it had concealment from our officers. Matt was the Ordinance Officer(maybe?) that event and trading/fraternizing with the enemy was prohibited by the Command. As an enlistedman I was stuck at my post, but Matt had freedom of movement. We worked out a partnership where he would "inspect the line" and gather up trade items every couple hours and I would broker the transactions with the Confederates. We built a small raft out of a crater box and some logs, and tied a line to it so I didnt have to get my feet wet during exchanges...Within an hour or so I had all but forgotten about the enemy, abandoned all responsibility at my post and probably floated 300lbs worth of trade items across that creek over the next 24 hours, with Matt feeding me the goods the whole time. The one item that we really "taxed" for our services was a honey comb. He and I immediately sat down on the bank, broke it in two an devoured it..."