Fort McHenry Court Martial

August 21-22, 2004

 

Location

Ft. McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland

Schedule

If you are planning on arriving Friday night after the gates close at 8:00, the gang will be meeting at J. Patrick's.  We will have a key to let everyone back into the Fort afterwards.  J. Patrick's is located at 1371 Andre Street.  Andre Street is the next-to-last north-south street before the long railway overpass into Fort McHenry.  J. Patricks is one block north of Fort Avenue on Andre Street.

 

Saturday - August 21
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Participants arrive, report to their unit leaders, set up company street.
10:00 a.m. - Court martial rehearsal.
11:00 - Dress parade, changing the flag to the new, big CW-era banner (the first time it will be flown!)
12:00 - Guard mount in the fort. - rotate men for lunch.
12:15 - Court martial demonstration
1:00 - Concert in the fort featuring The Baltimore Brass – Regulars to participate (45-minutes)
2:00 - Court martial demonstration
2:00 - Dan Toomey to give second talk near Visitor Center
2:00 - Drill demonstration on parade ground
3:00 - Concert in Fort – Regulars to participate (45-minutes)
4:00 - Court martial demonstration in fort
4:30 - Dress parade, change flag back to modern one or a smaller CW flag.
8:00 - Park Closes.
Sunday, Aug. 22
8:00 - Park opens
10:00 Dress parade, change flag to Civil War flag
11:00 - Court martial demonstration
12:00 - Guard mount & Rodman talk
1:00 - Tactical demonstration
2:00 - Author Dan Toomey to speak (near Visitor Center)
3:00 - Civil War period entertainment at tavern tent
4:00 - Final formation, flag change, program ends.

Registration

Notify your Chain of Command by August 13

Fee:  None

Registration:  At visitor’s center upon arrival.

Where to meet:  Muster by 9:00 am Saturday at Ft. McHenry

Description

Host:  Sykes Regulars

Command structure:  Sykes Regulars

Portrayal: 

- First Unit: U.S. Regulars in camp & garrison (Sept. 1862).
- Second Unit: U.S. officers & enlisted (Sept. 1864).
 Role of rank and file:  Parade (flag raising), Drill, Tactical (firing) Demo, Guard Mount, interacting with period civilians and POWs.

Uniform: 

- First Unit: U.S. Regular enlisted and NCOs, 1862 Dress and Fatigue Uniform (with light blue trousers for both dress and fatigue). Forage caps only – no slouches.
- Second Unit: U.S. officers Dress finery, and enlisted in Fatigue Uniform and enlisted (Sept. 1864). Forage caps for EM only – no slouches.

Equipment:  Heavy marching order

Quartering:  McHenry Officer’s Barracks; enlisted in Full Camp – it is not confirmed whether we will be able to use the Enlisted Barracks, so bring your shelter halves.

Ammunition:  Bring rounds for demo.

Food:  Lunch rations will be provided by the Park Service. We will forage in town for dinner and libations.

Additional information

Event Web page:  Fort McHenry

Directions:  Plan Your Visit (scroll down for driving directions)

 

Activities will Parades, Drill, Tacticals and living history as a company street (life in the Fort), along other re-enactors and living historians as prisoners, civilians, and supporting military impressions. Activities will also include concerts by the Baltimore City Brass Band (we will participate as part of the show), Sykes' Regulars will provide an early war garrison impression, in dress uniform, as well as stage a late-war Court Martial of a deserter, the last man to be executed at Fort McHenry, and the only one to be shot.

Most Sykes' members will portray early war Regulars performing Dress Parade, Guard Mount, Drill, tactical/skirmish demonstration, and “living the life” in garrison in and around Ft. McHenry. This will also be an opportunity to become acquainted and interact with other Regulars of the 4th U.S., Company I, who will be present.

A smaller number of Sykes' members will stage the late war Court Martial of George McDonald, with members playing the Judge Advocate, military panel, witnesses and the accused. The Court Martial is based on the actual transcript of the McDonald trial, retained at the National Archives.

This is another excellent event for us as Regulars. The NPS has given us an opportunity to really show our stuff.

We have a good number planning to participate at this time. First Unit (1862 enlisted): If you have not registered and wish to take part, please contact Mike Cribbs for details and registration. Second Unit (1864 court martial): If you have not registered and wish to take part, please contact Ed Czarnecki for details and registration.