145th G'Burg- What went wrong/right

[indguard]

Random comments from the Confederate side...

Camps were closed to the public. Why? On top of that, they were so far away from the event (across the street, up a hill, behind a modern barn and wholly out of sight) that the public wouldn't have come up anyway. Simply too far from the main site.

Did the distance from CS camp to Sutlers affect their bottom line much? Maybe.

Trams to and from CS camp to the rest of the event were a good idea, except they stopped at the bottom of the hill. It really wouldn't have taken that much effort to send them the last 100 yards to the top.

Water was very good, porta johns fairly good, though they could have had an earlier clean out each morning. 10AM was a bit late.

Battles were awfully late in the day on Saturday. The 7PM ending time left the folks that wanted to go to the ball very tight on time to get themselves ready.

CS overall command seemed a bit unable to answer questions in a timely manner. However, they were easy to work with on the field.

CS overall division/corps meetings were so late in the evening (9PM) that the divisional generals could not get back in time to have a proper meeting with their colonels.

Battle plans did not seem to match the reality on the ground much at all. Troops out of place, timing way off. Still, Friday's 5PM battle was fantastic and Pickett's charge was adequate. I'll leave my feelings about Saturday's fiasco to you to decide.

Who ever thought it was a good idea to put the artillery park on the side of a hill was daft! I saw a cannon careen down the hill after jumping its chocks and miss a car coming up the hill by mere inches. The cannon ended up in a ditch across the road. I did not wait around long enough to see if it was badly damaged.

The only field we could drill on was too far away to reach quickly and easily.

The marches from camp to the battles were badly handled. Far more stopping and starting than necessary.

As mentioned on this board, charging $40 and not allowing substitutes on grounds was enraging.

Still, my boys had a relatively good time. We have certainly been to worse national sized events. We had 780 men in our brigade and 4 good battalions under one of the best brigade commanders in the hobby, Gen. Willie Huckabee. The Trans Miss made its mark.

That's all I can think of now, but I know I missed something.

Yours in service,

Warner Todd Huston
Col. cmmdng the INDEPENDENT GUARD

[ScottWashburn]

A few thoughts from the Union side: Registration was quick and painless. Access to our camp (2nd division) was very easy and the parking was close by (although far too visible). Initially the water was an impossible distance away but a request for a closer supply was filled with remarkable speed and a trailer with 3 large water tanks appeared within a few hours (and was refilled as needed). For the first time at a national event our camp area was actually big enough for us. We were able to set up a by-the-book camp with room left over. Bravo! After hearing about the tick problem at AHT, I brought plenty of repellant, but bugs of any type were actually quite rare in our camp.

The Union command did a barely adequate job. Despite repeated requests from all quarters, no detailed scenario information was ever given out before the event (just a few generic descriptions and maps). Most brigades did not know who they were supposed to portray until the briefings just before the battles. With nearly a year to prepare for the event, this is inexcusable. The first battle was a real mess with a third of the army seeing little or no action. The other battles went much better. My division commander did a fine job (as he always does) and the army commander took great efforts to make amends for the first fiasco.

The creek in the middle of the field is a disaster. It caused a LOT of trouble throughout the weekend. If this location is to be used again, the creek should be buried in a culvert. Expensive, but not impossibly so and well within the budget of an event this size.

My camp was at the extreme end of the site so I never got to the sutlers or spectator areas. Even with the shuttle it was just too far for my sore feet.

But we had a good time and left with some great memories. Definitely one of the better 5-year events I've attended.

[27VA]

These prior posts should go to the "whine cellar"

No public - get your company to go over to the public area and drill and or take rations and eat over there I'm sure you would have have lots of taters,
none in camp....this was not a real camp on the march anyway, I think it was best for the public not to see the hundreds of wall tents and tent flys, because no way in **** a army on the move could move that much crap and be efficient

No transport close to camp; no close drill field; late meetings and late porta pot lean out; late for the ball this is actually funny. If you are in command you come to an event like this expect these kinds of things.

This was the 145th Gettysburg; semi-mega event, if you went into this event knowing what these events are like then, no sweat. I knew what I was getting into so It met my expectations.

I thought the logistics were good for 10-13K , plenty of wood water and potties, we didn't have to camp 100 feet from the union camp and in fact once you were in camp it was fairly isolated. Marches and waiting, welcome to the army.
Battles...I came for the numbers, i thought the terrrain and props were pretty good for a mainstream event. They built a "cemetry gate house" they had an "angle and rock wall", they had a "wheat field". not bad...
The ditch....I cant believe folks are complaining about it we crossed it twice,
big deal, we got wet, we dried. Heck, they had food just outside the camp you could buy for those not wanting to cook.
I attended AHT and the 145th, I went to each with different expectations and reasons. I had great time with my pards on both sides of the reeacting fence mainstream and progressive. Nothing surprised me at the 145th accept I only saw one Indian and heard only one bag pipe, (I expected more)

Shawn Stern
27th Va Co G

[ScottWashburn]

The ditch....I cant believe folks are complaining about it we crossed it twice,
big deal, we got wet, we dried.

My complaint was not because I had to cross it and get wet--I deliberately splashed through the water even though I had ordered my men to build a few bridges using fence rails (which we replaced the next day). The problem was that so many OTHERS would not get wet. During the Saturday battle, my brigade was pushed back across the creek (most of us getting wet) and we fell back awaiting the next Confederate onslaught--which never came. The Rebs came up to the ditch and just stopped. They stood there firing for a while and then the entire force (1,000 men or more) backed up (apparently to get a running start) and then surged forward, only to be halted at the creek again like a balky horse refusing to jump a fence. Eventually a few battalions slowly picked their way across (mostly on the bridges we had built) but by the then the battle was halted and their attack was never resumed. Either the creek needs to be covered over, or the men need to get over their hydrophobia.

[bill watson]

If only Lincoln had known about the Confederate aversion to water, the war could have been over in less than a year.

[Capt Terry]

My complaint was not because I had to cross it and get wet--I deliberately splashed through the water even though I had ordered my men to build a few bridges using fence rails (which we replaced the next day). The problem was that so many OTHERS would not get wet. During the Saturday battle, my brigade was pushed back across the creek (most of us getting wet) and we fell back awaiting the next Confederate onslaught--which never came. The Rebs came up to the ditch and just stopped. They stood there firing for a while and then the entire force (1,000 men or more) backed up (apparently to get a running start) and then surged forward, only to be halted at the creek again like a balky horse refusing to jump a fence. Eventually a few battalions slowly picked their way across (mostly on the bridges we had built) but by the then the battle was halted and their attack was never resumed. Either the creek needs to be covered over, or the men need to get over their hydrophobia.

It happened as you say, but the reason you state is wrong. The division under my command were ordered to halt because of medical emergencies. We ceased fired and awaited orders. The 2 overall commanders stopped the battle due to mounting heat injuries, several medical cease fires occured.
I counted 8 people going down during the battle, 1 before the battle and 5 in my division after we got back to camp. I know this to be true because I carried a radio, as all division commanders did, and heard it first hand. We were ready to cross and intended to do so, as did the Confederate command.
I don't fault them for calling the battle, people were dropping like flies.

[Capt Terry]

CS overall division/corps meetings were so late in the evening (9PM) that the divisional generals could not get back in time to have a proper meeting with their colonels.


Don't know where this info came from, but the divisional commanders' meeting with the commanding general were held during the day. I never went to a 9 PM meeting the entire weekend and all the divisional commanders were there at the day meetings, usually at 10 am, one was held at 12:30 pm, but not at night.

[27VA]

I don't fault them for calling the battle, people were dropping like flies.

This is my biggest complain. If you are out of shape and can barely walk 100yds without stopping WHY? do you you take the field with a full uniform, caring 20lbs of gear and then wonder why you feel like you are going to pass out. I am no picture of perfect health but i sure as **** know my limits. If you sit on your arse all day in the AC and/or can't walk up three flights of stairs without being out of breath DON'T take the field and ruin a battle because you are not physically up to the task. take a hit right off the bat.
This is a physical hobby, requiring ambulation and perspiration. Either get in shape or stick to small events were you walk 5o feet for the battle.
I am a physician and saw so many preventable injuries, dehydration being the most common it was a wonder more folks didn't get injured. Accidents are sometimes unpreventable but being out of shape is able to be modified as well those who got dehydrated.

2 cents
Shawn Stern

[83pvi]

When the battle was stopped early on Saturday my company was on the extreme union left with backs to the creek. The battle was stopped for some people who went down, and the Rebs were still firing, but we did manage to signal ceasefire. During the lull, they started chanting, and we found out they were from North Carolina. So the entire US battalion starts chanting, "Who shot Jackson?". Then the Rebs shouted "Who shot Lincoln?", then we got a soccer chant going. The chant comes from Germany vs. Englang World Cup, England was losing, so they decided to chant "If you won the war stand up". All the way aroung the stadium. Back to reality, some people shouted this to the Rebs. In was fun, but Sat. was the Charlie Foxtrot day. My brigade was the first Fed. division, so we didn't have to walk far to every battle, but htis one. We walked all the way around the union camps, to USV camp, then on to the field. We walked all the way to the extreme left of the Fed. line. Later we pulled back across the creek and were being double quicked to and fro for five minutes to fire maybe a round. By this time four people are totally out of water and most are very low just in my company. So our division walked off the field, then the Little Round Top scenario was fought, while we were back in camp.
Every other battle was fine except for the first one on Friday. We were the second wave and we came on line to the right of the first US wave. Right in the middle of the company was a tree and on the side closest to us was a pyro charge. So we really couldn't shoot, and then the battle was over, but I thought at first another wave was coming.
All in all loved the event. Great people and our camp was close to everything.
Peter Sivak
83 PVI/2 FL

[Capt Terry]

I don't fault them for calling the battle, people were dropping like flies.

This is my biggest complain. If you are out of shape and can barely walk 100yds without stopping WHY? do you you take the field with a full uniform, caring 20lbs of gear and then wonder why you feel like you are going to pass out. I am no picture of perfect health but i sure as **** know my limits. If you sit on your arse all day in the AC and/or can't walk up three flights of stairs without being out of breath DON'T take the field and ruin a battle because you are not physically up to the task. take a hit right off the bat.
This is a physical hobby, requiring ambulation and perspiration. Either get in shape or stick to small events were you walk 5o feet for the battle.
I am a physician and saw so many preventable injuries, dehydration being the most common it was a wonder more folks didn't get injured. Accidents are sometimes unpreventable but being out of shape is able to be modified as well those who got dehydrated.

2 cents
Shawn Stern

Shawn,

I agree, reenactors need to better prepare themselves. I woke up a little over 2 years ago, quit drinking and smoking, started running and lost 50 lbs.
I currently run every other day about 2 1/2 miles and do it in the heat. I still need to drop some weight, but I tell you the heat didn't bother me in the least at Gettysburg, I felt very strong. I say this in hopes that people will understand, that if you get in shape, and take care of yourself, you'll not only live, but reenacting is much more fun and less dangerous to your health.
Nobody can have fun out there, if they're constantly having heat issues.

Everyone needs to wake up, if I can do, anyone can do it.