Bedford Light Artillery
June 2006
Officer’s Page
Colonels Concerns:
Lt. Colonel’s Minute:
"See end of newsletter"
Captains Corner:
Greetings,
We have had a busy year so far. We had the School of the Piece at Old Fort Niagara, School of the Cannoneer at Pine City, Bath V. A. Memorial Day Parade, Elmira Ceremony, Kendall Ceremony, Brockport School Living History, and by the time this is read, Union City Living History. I wish to thank Lt. Clifford and Sgt. Sheerer for their dedication, time, and efforts to make these events happen. I thank the cooks, LuAnn and Rosemary, for their efforts and good meals. I also want to thank all those that participated; I hope everyone had great time.
I would like to welcome the following new members to Bedford Light Artillery: Spencer and Laura Conklin, Frank and Marie Burkhardt and Paul Ehrmentraut. Spencer is a Blacksmith by trade and has agreed to be our artificer. Welcome aboard all.
I have the following registered for Gettysburg:
Col. Phill Matteson
Karen Matteson
Lt Col. Craig McCann
Sandi McCann
Captain Michael Karnitz
Sgt. Melayne Karnitz
Lt. Gordon Clifford
Rosemary Clifford
1st Sgt. Roland Meiers
Terry Avery
Sgt. Paul Sheerer
Pvt. Jackie Adams
Pvt. Chelsea Adams
Pvt. Lauren Mitchell
Cpl. Bob Henry
LuAnn Henry
Cpl. Charles Lindberg
Pvt. Tristan Lindberg
Pvt. Brandon Adkins*
Pvt. Daniel Brewer
Pvt. Spencer Conklin*
Pvt. Carol May Heacox
Pvt. Marty Mills
Pvt. Lori Newman
Pvt. Dave Schultz
Pvt. Eric Smith*
Pvt. Eileen Smith*
Pvt. Jamie Smith
Pvt. Marty Sobczak*
*are being registered by phone.
If you are not on the list above you will need to register at the event and pay the walk-on fee. If you have sent me registration money for Gettysburg and are not on the list contact me ASAP so I can check the registration. The Gun owners that have committed to bringing a gun are: Col. Matteson, Sgt. Sheerer, and Pvt. Smith. Lt. Col. McCann will be out of the country and not able to attend. Hoss will sit home.
I have the following registered for 1st Manassas:
Col. Phill Matteson
Karen Matteson
Lt Col. Craig McCann*
Sandi McCann
Captain Michael Karnitz
Lt. Gordon Clifford
Rosemary Clifford
1st Sgt. Roland Meiers
Terry Avery
Sgt. Melayne Karnitz
Sgt. Paul Sheerer*
Pvt. Jackie Adams*
Pvt. Chelsea Adams*
Pvt. Rick Huff
Pvt. Carol May Heacox
*are registered and unfortunately can not now attend, can substitute anyone that wants to go for those unable to attend.
If you are not on the list above and wish to attend you need contact me ASAP, there are NO walk-ons for this event. In other words if you are not registered they will not let you in. If you have sent me registration money for 1st Manassas and are not on the list contact me ASAP so I can check the registration. We have one gun going to this event; Col. Matteson will be bringing Micah. Lt. Col. McCann will still be out of the country and not able to attend.
I have made the corrections to the NCO manual and will be sending them out soon. I want to thank Lt. Clifford for his invaluable help with this. We will be doing roll calls, formations and duties this year. We will be getting back to the military impersonation. Please plan on adhering to the guidelines that we set forth. It won’t be difficult and may be a bit more fun than sitting around in camp twiddling ones thumbs waiting for something to happen. I guess we have to start some-where. That is all I have for now. See you on the field of battle.
Captain Michael J. Karnitz,
Bedford Light Artillery
1st Lt. / Adjutant Announcements
To those who were able to turn up for the live shoot at the School of the Cannoneer, I hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as I did. Although I was employed as "Shot Spotter", I was still able to get a feeling of jubilation on the only 2 times we actually hit the target (!). It was amazing to be able to follow the shot almost from the point of leaving the muzzle to impact at the other end of the range. I suspect that the biggest bugbear in the works was the result of not shooting on a flat field. Neither gunner seemed able to compensate for the fact that we were shooting downhill. I suspect that this was the first time that the command "In Battery!" (the command to return a piece to its position after recoil) has ever been used by members of Bedford Light. To those who were unable to attend, you will never know what you missed.
Miss Rosemary and I decided that we would "day trip" the event to avoid kennel costs for boarding the dog, a mistake we will not make again. We racked up more in fuel bills than we saved in kennel fees, so that was a retrospective no-brainer. And Sammy does not like loud noises. Some gun dog he is!?
My only comment for the future of this event would be: don’t hook it onto the Memorial Day weekend. It is too much to cope with. After the holiday, I went back to my normal job for a rest!
I am posting the Orders of the Day for Gettysburg and 1st Manassas. Please take note of the timetable. Time is very tight at both events, so any slippage will make us late. For Capt. Karnitz and myself, we do not plan to return to camp during the day until completion of the battles. I suggest that everyone else do the same. This means taking sufficient food and drink to last from breakfast until dinner. Space will be arranged for this purpose, either in the limbers or some other authentic looking box.
Orders For The Day - Gettysburg
Saturday July 1
AM 6:30 Reveille
7:00 Roll Call
7:30 Breakfast
10:00 Formation
PM 12:30 Lunch
1:00 Formation
2:00 Live Mortar Fire, followed by 143rd Independence Day Artillery Commemoration
4:00 Formation
7:00 Dinner
8:00 Dance (Tent #1)
Sunday July 2
AM 7:00 Reveille
7:30 Roll Call
8:00 Breakfast
10:00 Formation
PM 12:30 Lunch
1:00 Formation
1:30 Live Mortar Fire, followed by 143rd Independence Day Artillery Commemoration
3:00 Formation
4:00 Battle:
"Cemetery Ridge"
6:00 Dinner
Monday July 3
AM 6:30 Reveille
7:00 Roll Call
7:30 Breakfast
10:00 Formation
10:30 143rd Independence Day Artillery Commemoration
PM 12:00 Lunch
12:30 Formation
1:00 Battle:
"Pickett’s Charge"
Orders For The Day - Manassas
Saturday July 21
AM 6:30 Reveille
7:00 Roll Call
7:30 Breakfast
9:00 Battalion Drills
PM 12:00 Lunch
3:00 Formation
4:00 Battle:
6:00 Dinner
9:00 Ball
12:00 All quiet in camp.
Sunday July 22
AM 7:00 Reveille
7:30 Roll Call
8:00 Breakfast
10:00 Battalion Drills
PM 12:00 Lunch
1:00 Formation
1:30 Battle:
"1st Manassas"
I remain, as ever, very sincerely, your obedient servant,
Gordon Clifford
1st Lieutenant (Adjutant)
1st Sergeant’s Desk:
Quartermaster’s News
Cook’s Column
Miss Rosemary is in charge of the cooking for Union City and Manassas.
Union City’s Saturday dinner will be a joint meal with Cushings/Taylors Battery. They will provide a Chicken Dumpling Dinner and our folks are supplying the toss salad and bread. It sounds like it will be a great time to break bread with a wonderful group of friends.
Union City menu
Sat Breakfast:
Western Omelet
Lunch: sandwich meat, rolls, fruit -- your own choices
Sat evening Dinner:
Chicken and dumplings, bread and tossed salad with dressings
Sun. Breakfast:
Bacon, sausage,
scrambled eggs,
toasted English muffins.
Lunch: sandwich meat, rolls, fruit -- your own choices
Shopping list has been distributed.
1st Manassas menu
Sat. Breakfast:
Bacon, sausage, eggs, toasted English muffins
Lunch: sandwich meat, rolls, fruit -- your own choices
Sat. Dinner:
Hearty Chicken Casserole
Sun. Breakfast:
Western Omelet
Sun. Lunch:
sandwich meat, rolls, fruit -- your own choices
Shopping List per couple:
2 cubed boneless skinless
chicken breasts
2 large potatoes
12 eggs
2 packs bacon
2 boxes precooked sausages
fruit
English Muffins
Fixin’s for two lunches
Snacks and drinks
I will be at Gettysburg…. here’s the food information --
For those coming in on Friday night, you are on your own for dinner.
Saturday breakfast:
Sausage, gravy & biscuits
Fruit – oranges & bananas
Sat. Lunch:
Sandwiches, chips, fruit that will be packed for the "limber box" (We will have assorted sandwiches made up and ready to go for everyone.)
Sat. Dinner:
Spanish Rice
Ass’t fruit pies
Sun. Breakfast:
Western Scrambled Eggs
Ass’t muffins
Sun.. Lunch:
Sandwiches, chips, fruit - apples, oranges, etc. that will be packed for the "limber box" (Again, we will have assorted sandwiches made up and ready to go for everyone.)
Sun. Dinner:
Pot Roast with potatoes, carrots, onions, celery
Bedford Beans,
Watermelon
Mon. Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs,
Bacon, sausage,
Toast
Mon. Lunch:
Sandwiches, chips, fruit that will be packed for the "limber box"
Mon. Dinner:
On your own…some of us will go into town for dinner.
Gettysburg Shopping list:
~PER PERSON~
˝ dozen eggs (suggest you crack the eggs & put them in a jar with a lid)
˝ lb. bacon
˝ lb precooked sausage
links
˝ lb diced ham
˝ lb. pork breakfast
sausage
lunch meat for sand-
wiches for 3 days
sandwich rolls/hoagies
for 3 lunches
4 muffins, any flavor
fresh fruit – apples,
bananas, oranges for
breakfast and lunches
Chips
1 lb. hamburg – frozen
Greetings members of the Bedford Light Artillery:
I've been running at full speed from one side of the planet to the other but that doesn't mean I've given up on the Battery or the re-enactment hobby. Indeed, I've kept as active as time would permit and had the pleasure of attending several events and one major engagement with the Yankees. I managed to board a high speed hot air balloon which took me to Richmond where the Gaines Mills and Malverne Hill engagements were reenacted. Upon landing, I was received by Maj. Landin and escorted to the encampment of Striblings Battery where I was welcomed with warm and gracious hospitality. The site was at Dory Park where Corps meetings have been held in the past. The acreage is staggering compared to what I was previously aware of during the Corps meetings. Although disappointingly attended, the event was well worth the effort to attend. The event is expected to be repeated in future years and I strongly recommend attendance. Further details will be provided when we are all together again.
Miss Sandi and I were able to steal away a Saturday in order to join Sgt. Sheerer and many battery members in the vicinity of Elmira, NY to witness the live firing of his Parrott gun "Smoke Wagon". Being left nearly wordless in remembering that exciting afternoon I can only describe it as "Awesome!!!"... "Wow!!!"... "Unbelievable!!!". It is one thing to read of the damage caused by an artillery piece of the period, but the demonstration truly illustrated and underscored the true capabilities of what we attempt to represent as re-enactors. From now on, as I read descriptions in history books of infantry facing artillery or the artillery duels that took place, I will hold an entirely new respect for those brave soldiers and cannoneers. Great job, Paul!
The memorial held in Kendall, NY was a short, solemn, but pleasant event to attend. Thanks to Cpl. Henry for setting up the arrangements for Bedford Light to be present. I would also like to offer special thanks for Eric and Eileen for volunteering to haul their gun such a distance to make the event a final success.
We are the rave of Brockport Middle School again after spending the day, Friday 6/9, demonstrating the loading and firing of period light artillery. It was a pleasure to have the Parrott gun with us this year and special thanks to Paul and Jackie for getting up long before the rest of us to bring "Smoke Wagon" in from the Corning area. I was finally able to field "Hoss" at this event to make this a two-gun demonstration. Mr. Dumas has also offered the invitation for our attendance next year.Perhaps the best part of attending the above events was being able to see nearly all of you at one event or another (including a guest appearance by Robie at the Kendall event) and the conversations we were able to have with each other.
Now I understand the battery will be moving with the Army of Northern Virginia into northern territory in its endeavor to soon bring this conflict to a satisfactory conclusion. I notice your path may take you near the Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg and, since I have visited Gettysburg, I assure you it is a small but pleasant town surrounded with farms with good water and forage. I trust, while in the area, the Battery will be able to obtain some rest during the march and before Alexander's Battalion is called into the service of Gen. Longstreet's Corps.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to join the Battalion. I have been called to special duty by Richmond and will accompany Capt. Raphael Semmes aboard the CS Alabama to observe and skirt the strengthening Federal blockade. I expect to return mid August and will rejoin the Battalion at that time.
Your Obedient Servant,
Lt. Col. Craig F. McCann
Alexander's Battalion,
Longstreet's Corps, ANV
