Brigade Structure:

Army of N. Virginia

Longstreets Corp.

Alexander’s Battallion

Lt. Colonel Phill Matteson

Major Craig McCann

Captain Ron Lutz

1^st Lt. Mike Karnitz

NCOs:

1 First Sergeant

1 Sergeant

1 quartermaster Corporal

2 Corporals

Ordinance:

3 – 3" Light Artillery with Limbers

Phone Numbers:

Lt. Col. Phill Matteson-(716) 694-0947

Major Craig McCann-(585) 225-8984

Captain Ron Lutz-(716) 692-1320

$50.00 Family

Dues are due ASAP.

Is it fun yet?

You better believe it!!

3 guns this year. We need everyone possible at every event. Try to plan your vacation or time off so we can win the war this year.

Members, I have sent everyone a packet with a list of events. Please fill out which events you plan to attend this year and return back to me ASAP. I need to get some of the registrations out real soon. I have everyone registered for Gettysburg 140th. Everyone needs to be registered and needs to attend the artillery school at Old Fort Niagara. If you don't go to the fort you will not be able to work on a gun crew. Please remit payment for the events you choose to attend. Dues are due, $30.00 for a single and $50.00 for a family.

In 1861, all well informed persons believed there would be war between the Northern and Southern states. Volunteer military companies were formed. A number of persons in Liberty, Bedford County, Virginia and its vicinity were organized into a company calling itself the Bedford Light Artillery. Along with the four commissioned officers, this company was served by four Sergeants and four Corporals and 56 privates. These men came from almost every vocation and many were so young that they never chose a vocation. Their uniforms were made of dark blue material. The coat buttoned straight up the front, fastened at the waist by a belt, with a short skirt below it. The pants and coat are trimmed with red, the style suited for artillery suits. A cap was supplied to match the uniform, mounted with two brass cannons crossed obliquely. These uniforms were given by liberal and patriotic citizens.

After a couple of months of drilling the company tendered its services to the Governor of the State of Virginia, thereby being accepted in the month of April. On May 8, the services of the company is enrolled for active service for one year by the Governor of Virginia; and henceforth on every muster roll, this date is given as the time from which it must be paid. And all officers are commissioned except one who is refused a commission, since only three lieutenants are allowed to a company. On this same date orders are received to leave Liberty to be in camp at Lynchburg.

Military companies are spoken of as coming from a county instead of the town in which they are recruited, as well as designating the kind of military service they wish to engage in. This company was therefore called the Bedford Light Artillery, as they were recruited in Liberty, the county seat of Bedford County, Virginia. The Bedford Light Artillery was the only one organized with a view to serve as light artillery. From a copy of the muster roll it is stated: "This company was organized and mustered into service as a light artillery company, and is in every way admirably adapted to that branch of the service, being composed of men of intelligence, youth, energy, and activity; and it is a subject of complaint, on their part, that the authorities have failed to furnish them with the proper arms, or even to furnish any of the side arms or equipments necessary for artillerymen."

This information is extracted from The History of the Bedford Light Artillery 1861-1865 by Rev. Joseph A. Graves.

The following test was given to 8th grade students in Salina, Kansas, back in 1895. It was taken from an original document on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, KS and reprinted by the Salina Journal.8th Grade Final Examination: Salina, Kansas - 1895.

Grammar (Time, one hour):

1. Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters.
2. Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no modifications.
3. Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph.
4. What are the Principal Parts of a verb? Give Principal Parts of do, lie,
lay and run.
5. Define Case, Illustrate each Case.
6. What is Punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of Punctuation.
7 - 10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you
understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.

Arithmetic (Time, 1.25 hours):

1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.
2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels
of wheat will it hold?
3. If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lb., what is it worth at 50 cents a bushel,
deducting 1050 lb. for tare?
4. District No. 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to
carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for
incidentals?
5. Find cost of 6720 lb. coal at $6.00 per ton.
6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.
7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. long at $20 per
meter?
8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.
9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per are, the distance around
which is 640 rods?
10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.

U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes):

1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided.
2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus.
3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.
4. Show the territorial growth of the United States.
5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas.
6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.
7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln, Penn, and
Howe?
8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, 1865.

Orthography (Time, one hour):

1. What is meant by the following: Alphabet, phonetic, orthography, etymology, syllabication?
2. What are elementary sounds? How are they classified?
3. What are the following, and give examples of each: Trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals?
4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u'.
5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e'. Name two exceptions under each rule.
6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.
7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word: Bi, dis, mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, sup.
8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates the sound: Card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood, fare, last.
9. Use the following correctly in sentences: Cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane, vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.
10. Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use of diacritical marks and by syllabication.
 

Geography (Time, one hour):

1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?
2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas?
3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?
4. Describe the mountains of North America.
5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia, Odessa, Denver, Manitoba, Hecla, Yukon, St. Helena, Juan Fernandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco.
6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.
7. Name all the republics of Europe and give the capital of each.
8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?
9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers.
10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give inclination of the earth.

This gives a whole new meaning to the popular saying, about an early 20th
century person: 'Oh, he/she only had an 8th grade education.' How many of
today's High School, or even College Graduates, could pass this "simple" 1895
8th grade level, test?

I realize this is 1895, not quite our period, but I think it’s close enough to get across the idea. Good luck.

In 79 National Civil War cemetaries, 54 percent of the graves are those of unknown soldiers.

In Vicksburg, where 16,000 soldiers rest, only 3,896 are known.

At the confederate prison site in Salsbury, NC, 12,126 union soldiers are buried, 99% are unknown.

During the Shenandoah Valley campaign of 1862, "Stonewall" Jackson marched his force of 16,000 men more than 600 miles in 35 days. Five major battles were fought and 4 separate Union armies totaling 63,000 were defeated.

The 4 Secretaries of War during the 11 years prior to the Civil War were all from the south. All 4 later held office in the Confederate government.

President Lincoln, Commander in Chief of the Union Army, had 4 brothers-in –law in the Confederate Army, and 3 of his sisters-in-law were married to Confederate officers.

Miss JoAnn is looking for Meal ideas. Please contact her with any thoughts you may have.

Completion of the events list is essential. Due to many events NOT allowing walk-ons, the count has to be turned in as soon as possible.

With 3 guns at each event, EVERYONE is needed at every event possible.

Dues remain the same as last year, $30.00 individual and $50.00 family.

Liability insurance policies were discussed, one on Bedford Light, and one on Longstreet’s Corp. Due to our involvement with Longstreet’s Corp, both must be purchased.

There are still a couple events in question on our event list. One is Elmira (due to the cold) and Vermont vs. Macedon. Please contact an officer if you would like to place an opinion.

Recruitment Ideas Needed. Lt. Karnitz, Sgt. Meiers, Pvt. Henry, Miss LuAnn, & Miss Andrea held recruitment at the movie theatre in Webster for Gods & Generals. Also Miss JoAnn is checking into Canal Days opportunities. If you have any other ideas, please let an officer know.

4/5-6 Artillery School-NC

4/11-13 Corp Inst. School, VA

5/3-4 Elmira, NY

5/10-11 Artillery School –

Ft. Niagara, NY

5/17-18 Letchworth St. Pk., NY

6/7-8 Beaver Center, PA

6/20-Brockport School, NY

7/4-6 Gettysburg 140^th,, PA

7/19-20 Mumford, NY

(Infantry Only)

7/26-27 Liberty, NY

8/16-17 Hamlin Beach St Pk.

NY

9/6-7 Macedon, NY

or

9/6-7 Orwell, VT

9/12-14Chikamauga/Franklinv., VA

10/4-5 Gettys. Living Hist.

PA

10/18-19 Cedar Creek, VA

11/15-16 Gettysburg, PA

Remembrance Day