Upcoming Events

Billie Creek Village - Rockville, Indiana

June 11-13, 2004

Western Brigade Event

Mark Pettry, Tom Melton, Eric Essex, Alan Rainey, Jim Bourland and Norris Darral.

Brass Band Festival - Danville, Kentucky

June 12-13, 2004

Mill Springs Artillery Weekend

June 26-27, 2004

Chuck Warnick, Fritz Jacobs and Bill Krebs.

From our Pard, Bill Neikirk:  Boys here is the time to come have some fun with the Big Guns.  Millsprings will provide all the food.  George will be cooking his special Ribeye steak dinner on Saturday night.  This is a laid back affair, so bring your tents.  The program will start at 9:00 on Saturday morning with cannon firing every hour until 4:00.  We will stop for the public at this time and set up for the live firing competition.  The competition was won last year by gunner, Gerald Childers.  He will bring the trophy back for this years event, but vowed to win it back.  Sunday's program will start at 10:00 and end at 3:00.
 

We really need your support for this one, fellows.

Stones River NPS Artillery Weekend

July 17-18, 2004

Franklin, Tennessee

October 1-3, 2004

North/South Alliance Event

We will be portraying Stone's Kentucky Battery at this event.

From the Quartermaster

We have several sets of the knife/fork/spoon combination mess-sets available for purchase, at unit price $10.00 (retail/sutler price $28.00). These are well-made copies of those issued to Ky. units1862-65. Have 3 sets of the Steve Osman tin plate/cup ware left($22.00/set), but, would like to reserve those ("first dibs") for new members not yet having mess-gear, unless I don't hear anything from them by the publishing of the next newsletter.  Thanks -  EW

Into the Wilderness

An After Action Report by Cpl. Greg Dodge

Now that I have had a few a few days to recover and get back to my 21st life I feel that I can now write a AAR of The Into The Wilderness event.

After an 8.5 hour drive from Louisville, KY, my friend Charlie Lemons and I arrived at the site early Thursday evening. I must add here that the drive through Virginia was beautiful, and the directions that were given made finding the event site easy. When we got to the site, no one was there so we decided to go get something to eat and headed for town. We ended up at Ruby Tuesday and were delighted to find that some of the event staff were there eating as well. After talking with some of them and finishing our dinner we headed off to the Sleepy Hollow Inn for a nights rest.

Arriving at registration at 0900, we were the first ones to show up. Mr. Watson was still setting up. After signing all the appropriate forms and passing the Authenticity inspection, with corrections needed, we headed off to visit Chris Daley. I want to say here that I really liked the inspection and think that this should be done in exactly the manor at more events. Finding Chris still unpacking and setting up I waited for him to get some of his stuff out before I asked him to locate my Sgt. Stripes. I had ordered them on his website the weekend before, but after a phone call to him we both decided that it would be to risky to try mailing them and agreed that the best thing to do would be to pick them up at the event. This is my second set of Daley stripes and for my vote they are the best available. Thanks Chris!

While Charlie went to park the car I sat under a shade tree and watched as men continued to roll in and register and sewed on my stripes. When Charlie came back we walked over to registration and found our 1st Sgt. We were formed up and marched to another spot. Having been offered a shuttle ride to where we were going we asked how far it was. 2.5 miles, well after marching 12 last year at Port Gibson Charlie and I decided that 2.5 miles was nothing. We walked. Having been previously assigned as 2nd Sgt. I was given the further duty of Commissary Sgt. I went to the designated spot and waited to get our company's rations. As we were the Color company we were next to last to receive ours. The quartermaster had run short of potato, turnips and onions. I tried a little bartering and managed to get extra sugar coffee and pork belly.

Prior to getting rations we had gathered firewood and made ready to cook the rations when they arrived. Everyone seemed pleased that we had gotten extra stuff until they had to cut it up and cook it. Then Sgt. Dodge wasn't so popular anymore...oh well ... you can't please everyone! We then marched off into the Wilderness and our bivouac for the night. Everyone settled in and tried to rest up for the next days activities.

We were woken at 0500 by the boot and quickly ate a breakfast of rations and coffee. Forming up again at about 0700 we were marched about 300 yards and entered the Woods. It was about an additional 200 yards when we heard the sound of gunfire and were engaged by the rebs. They pressed us hard and we fell back. Pressing them harder we were able to hold our position for a brief time then forced once again to retreat. After reforming our lines we marched off to resting place and refilled our canteens and got a few moments to catch our breath.

The second scenario of the day was very much like the first except that the woods were much denser and the rebs pressed us even harder. Trying to maintain order in all this was very difficult. I found it hard to keep my men in their places and can understand how frustrating it must have been for the soldiers of the 1860s to maintain control under these kinds of conditions. The noise was almost deafening and with the smoke from black powder, the crack of muskets and the noise of the men themselves. I did not hear the retreat blown. And there I was surrounded on all sides by Johnny's. As I tried to reload my rifle, a voice said I wouldn't do that Yank. I was a prisoner!

My captors marched me off to a site where they were resting. After they rifled through my haversack and threw some good heated taunts at me I sat back and had a nice first person conversation with a nice Sgt., from GA. He asked me if I had any coffee and I said sure but you can't just have it. What have you got to trade? He had cigars and I wanted one of those. We traded and each was happy with what he got. After about 45 minutes I was paroled and allowed to return to my unit. When I arrived they were glad to see me not knowing what had happened to me. We then reformed and marched off to nice cedar grove where we settled in for the night.

The 1sgt myself and the 4th Sgt. decided to pool our resources and built a shebang. Using my shelter half and the 1sgt. we buttoned them together, laid out a gum blanket on top of that, put two more on the ground and covered those with cedar boughs. By this time Mother nature had decided that we had not had enough water during the day and the heavens opened up and deluged us with rain. Managing to cook a boiler full of potato, onion and turnip, with the salt pork and a dash of sugar I ate my dinner and turned in. I lit a candle and read the letter (a period letter) that my wife had packed in my haversack. Spooning with my 2 friends we all slept relatively well considering the weather.

Sunday dawned cloudy. Everything and everyone was wet. I had no idea that wool pants could hold that much water! Our Col.had a plan that would use the color company as bait and lure the rebs into a trap (evil grin goes here). We formed up left the colors in the rear and marched off to the lower field where we positioned ourselves on the only road between the fields and in front on the creek. After some taunting and hollering we engaged the rebs again, They pressed us very hard but we held our ground. Having formed a skirmish line, we did alright. From the woods to our left came a second wave of rebs. we continued to poor on a steady fire and lured them further into the trap that had been set. when they reached a certain point our federal Cavalry swept down on them. I looked around and saw that the OC's were tapping on shoulders and pulling men out the line of battle. This seemed to work better then the casualty card number system as you can't always hear your number being called. The cards I think would work well for the hospital.

After the engagement ended, I asked one of the officers If I might speak to the Col. I wanted to ask his permission to address the whole company. He said that would be fine. Forming everyone up I told them how proud I was of the effort that they had each made to honor the men of the 7th Maine. Having been born and raised in China Maine, where many of the original men had been recruited, and being the GG grandson of James Parnell Jones a Lt. Col. in the original 7th. This was a once in a lifetime experience for me. And I was grateful for the maximum effort that many went to right down to the Maine accent. That's not an easy thing to do aughhhh, . 3 hurrahs for the 7th Maine!

Personally for me this was one of the best events I have ever attended and I can find very little that was not done well. I would have liked to see less modern vehicles but I do understand the need for them. Maybe next time they can hide them a little more. I have come away with a great experience, new friends and A new appreciation of what conditions must have been like in 1864. Great Job to all who planned this!


Respectfully,

2nd Sgt. Gregory J Dodge
CO. C 7th Maine

and in my other life:

1st Corporal Alexander H. Thompson
CO. A 7th KY Us Vol. inf.

and in my real life:

Sgt. Gregory J Dodge
207th Maint. CO KYARNG
Ft. Knox KY

That is all the news fit to print. Be sure to pre-register by the event deadlines to ensure inclusion on the roster.

If you have photos or articles you wish to submit, please send them to:

Chuck Warnick, Editor