Gettysburg, 1998 - For your viewing pleasure

[LibertyHallVols]

I thought I'd share these pics of the "the" 1998 Gettysburg event. It is interesting, looking back on it, so see the scale of that event.




Me an' my pards...

[rbruno68]

John,
They are great pics. I too was at that event and it was the largest company of cavalry I have ever commanded. I was still somewhat new to the hobby and I remember being amazed at the numbers of people involved. I also remember it being a very good event. There are so many things that have changed in this hobby in those 14 years, some good, some bad, but I remember having a lot of fun at this mega event.
Rob

[flattop32355]

No reason next year's can't be just as good, if a bit smaller for a wide variety of reasons.
Same ground as in 1998, same desire to do it well.
Y'all come.

[Choatecav]

Rob,
Do you remember and/or did you participate in the cavalry review down near that large field with the bleachers? If I remember correctly there were over 2,000 horses registered. The event ranked high on the "farbosity" scale, but the sheer numbers were amazing.

John, thanks for the photos....

Mark

[redlegger1]

Here's the best pic i've seen for showing the sheer scale of the event:

Here's a direct link since the pic is severly shrunk in the post: http://www.gettysburg.com/livinghist...0598jd0631.jpg

[indguard]

This is one event that I'll never forget. Yes there were a ton of farbs, but those numbers... we will never, ever see the likes of it again.

I had just started my battalion over the previous winter and this event was only my second one in command of my own battalion. I was a bit anxious, to be sure. On Friday we marched up through the woods where the Yanks camped to come out on top of that ridge before we were fed into the scenario. The interesting thing was that you could hear an audible gasp from every battalion that emerged from the woods as they looked to their left, down that bowl of a field and saw the THOUSANDS of troops that were already engaged!

It was an electric moment.

Like I said, those days for this hobby are long gone. We'll never see such numbers again for a whole host of reasons.

WTH
The ManDidWeLoveIt mess

[Bob Minton]

Todd I was a company commander for the first time that weekend. I was as nervous as you were or more! I remember when we (I was in your battalion for those who don't know) came out of those woods and looked at the panorama it was simply breathtaking. Maybe my biggest wow moment in the hobby until the Cornfield at MMM this year.

Bob Minton
Wish we still had those numbers mess

[Jubilo]

Dear Sir,
Thank you for posting these. Outstanding! It was the best of times or until June /July 2013!
all for the old flag,
David Corbett

[captdougofky]

Dear Sir,
Thank you for posting these. Outstanding! It was the best of times or until June /July 2013!
all for the old flag,
David Corbett

Jubilo

With two Events I would not expect anything close the the 145th. Even with Anders High Tide event which only had about 1200 did not hurt the bigger GAC event. This coming year with more Folks on board for the June Event, numbers at either one Folks decide to attend, won't reflect the past. People have a choice, it's their right to attend one best fitted to their vision of the Hobby. Gettysburg 150th will let everyone the true status of the Hobby. I don't expect a lot of support out of the West, Food and Fuel playing into the equation. In my case I went to the 145th-GAC, which may turn-out be one of the last mega Events. Cost and distance plays into Artillery, just was not worth Fuel and Gunpowder used. Have a good time which ever Event you decide to go to.

Always

Doug Thomas
Lyons-Kentucky CS

[rbruno68]

Mark,
Yes, I did. I was out of the ranks as a commander and could actually look around and see the numbers and the long column of horses. I don't know what the final registration or how many showed up, but it was a lot of horses and riders. As someone else mentioned, I don't think we will see this again. The one thing I remember the most about that event is riding through all the infantry to get out on the field. The infantry had be formed in a road that kinda of circled around the outside of the battlefield. I guess no one realized that the cavalry needed to get to the front. So, the infantry sorta of stepped off the road as we road around. I just remember riding for a very long time to get to the front. The road was mostly in the woods, so when you got out onto the field, you couldn't see all the infantry stacked on the road. We only saw them because we road past. Once we got there, we went right in and kicked off the battle. Then the infantry started to take the field. I am not sure if they just forgot about us, but my company was left on the field in a little ditch and we were able watch the infantry battle. I remember looking up into the corner of the field and just watching line after line of infantry coming out of the woods trying to get into the fight. I don't remember how long it was, could have been 15 mins, could have been 2 hours, but I think that is still the longest reenactment battle I have ever been in.
Rob