The 145th anniversery of Gettysburg numbers are in. Combat troops 13,900 est, with 4,000 others this is the families, kids ect.. The weather was differant light showers off and on and high humidity. Political in fighting between high commanders caused some units to not even be engaged at all. The Saturday battle went from a 1 hour afair to a 3 hour soldiers battle (AGAIN political in fighting and NO comunication) and the crowd got to see the FOG of War as the weather kept the smoke close to the ground and the photos of which I'll post later shows the smoke cloud. Lack of comunication on both sides put a real rinkle in Picketts charge with Armasted and his men hitting our area and not the angle which was 40 yards to our right as they were sapose to. Our unit refused the line in 63 and we did the same this time. Now Gen'l Armasted is a prisoner as are 60 of his men. The Army of the Potomic just dont know how to take us westerners. We arnt parade soldiers, our muskets and accutramonts are in good repair. We have no use for polishing brass and having pressed and brushed uniforms. They had a real case of the frights when they saw several company streets of shabangs set up in the 1st Division under Gen'l Fox we're there to fight.
I know how that is guy. Ten years ago we Westerners came to Gettysburg dirty. It had been a wet spring and summer. We showed up mud and sweat stained and abit ragged. I got told by some fresh New Yorker, 18, that I was out of uniform and should clean up before leaving camp. He could show me what it was to be a "real" soldier. I reached into my period wallet and brought out my Retired Military ID card, my VFW membership card and Disabled American Veterans card. I said, "Really, you can show me how to be a real soldier?" He made a hasty departure with our laughter still ringing in his ears. Its a shame that the politics got involved. I just never could understand why grown men not even born yet could act that way about events long past! Its a shame that has driven MANY good people out of the hobby.
yeah I had a run in with a snotnosed, wet eared shavetail Mass, Lt who was making coments about our unit and he came up to me with some of his officer friends and stated " Hey Pops how long have you been in the army" so I thought for a few minutes as I was cooking for the men " Well me boyo I been in this here army aboot the time yer father quite ****in in diapers. As I inlisted inta the army back in 18 and 34 aboot 4 months afor the Alamo fell and I was a fitin red injins on the Kansas/Nebraska frontier and down in the Indian Territory. " That boys jaw hit the dirt and I jest imbelished it more. As part of a company sent to help Sam Huston down Tejas way decided to stay in. Went on the long walk with Gen'l Scott down in old Mexico and our company officer was Lt James Longstreet. I dona think he'll be right again. (devilish chuckle) The political air was so thick it would take 200 men with good axes to cut through it.
Love it bro! Love it! Dang good one! Got a new pair of brown jean cloth trousers in today and have a new Enfield three bander in transit via UPS. Itchin' for it to get here! Take care and see ya at the top!
A new 3 band Enfield ? Which model ? i'm in process of completely rebuilding a 54. smoothbore flintlock musket. Breech end of barrel was showing signs of cracks so I cut it down to good steel and made a good breech plug out of a hardened core bolt. The lock was a 2 piece rear main spring abomination that worked when it wanted is replaced with a good Syler lock that touchs off everytime. A guy has some 90% inleted stocks and has a stock like the 1842 Mississippi musket. Wife called my new brogans are in to replace the well,well, well worn Jarnigan brogans I bought back in 87 for $60.00 that have been resoled 5 times but cant be any more.
Its the Euroarms 1853 Model, three bander. I've had really good luck over the years with them. When I did Kentucky Cavalry I carried a Euro 1861 Enfield Musketoon. Fine shootin' piece. I live fired it and real well at 100 yard targets. Nice groups. The wife was a corporal in our unit and carried a Euro Cook and Brothers carbine (Musketoon). Which she still has. I sold my 61 Enfield, traded up for a 59 sharps carbine. Talk about prices....I paid 45 dollars for my first 1851 Colt and 175 dollars for my first musket, A Zouave. Of course that was 1976! Speaking of shoes, my boots have been resoled and reheeled three times. The uppers are butter soft now. I bought them about 1994 from the US Cavalry Store. A pair of Russian Air Force officer boots that are a copy of the 1850 English style high Wellingtons. Nice and comfortable. For brogans, I wear a pair of my old Navy boondockers. A Jefferson shoe is a Jefferson shoe. When I did General JEB I wore the thigh high boots. Still have them in the closet. NOW I know why they had orderlies. What a pain!
The Enfield came in at about 1620 this afternnon. Wow! What nice piece. Including the stock. Get some solvent and brushes, start cleaning her out tomorrow. I'm used to shorter barreled weapons. This 39 inch barrel is going to take some getting used to.
Now the trick is when you on the line and firing in the prone its and not to take a powder shower. I know about them prices, my 1863 type 1 springfield with all the leathers and cooking implament/candle holder (bayonet) was a $300.00 investment in 87. Now cant touch on for under $500 unless its a close out sale or someone is getting out of the hobby.
Years ago I used to wear a broad brimmed black hat. At one skirmish I was at I started smelling something burning. I looked up and the front portion of the brim of my hat was on fire. The caps from my Zouave had set my hat on fire! It didn't help matters that everytime I would get greasy hands or fingers I'd wipe them on my hat brim to help make it water proof, an old Indian trick. The sparks from the cap set it on fire! I wore the hat, but it looked like someone had taken a big bite out of the front part of the brim! Boy, did I get razzed about that!
HAHAHAHA it must have been a sight to see you in the line firing and yer slouch hat was a smoldering. Were yea trying the Black beard aprouch to scaring off the enemy? What type of caps were you using ?
Good lord that's been quite awhile ago. I really can't remember. We used to get most of our shooting supplies from a guy named Frank Fry in Yuma in the mid and late 70s.
He used to sell the Navy Arms caps and they came in pretty light blue plastic containers. Both the pistol and musket caps. I've fired the RWS ones also. So it could have been. Remington brought out some new pistol caps in 96 or 97 and boy! Were they loud! A bit more exspensive but they went off every time. I have never seen any musket caps done by then. Maybe they've done some for the hunting rifles. When I really want to look ragged I have an old black hat, but the brim, in the front, is curled up and away!
Boy this whole thread has been dead for awhile. guess everybody's been busy? I've been trying to catch up stuff around the house. Painted the entranceway last week, and painted the garden shed. This weekend I clipped the hedges and trimmed the trees. Also this morning I put fresh coat of varnish on the stair bannister and posts in the front foyer. Guess I'll water and fertilizer the flower gardens this evening. CIAO! Everybody!
I hope to be getting the 2 DVD set from the 145th soon. 1st is on the battle itself and the troop movements of this years event. the 2nd is 5 hours of misc, stuff ie registration, camp set up, moving the tyrant's shabang while he's asleep just before a light shower(hehehehehe ]and other things.
We just had some re-einforcements to the troop. Our oldest daughter delivered a 7lb, 13 oz baby boy last night. Michael Abram Lefik was born at 4:55PM. He's our third grandson and their third boy. He was 20 inches long.
and other things.
