Our New Treasurer
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The Regular The Official Newsletter of Sykes Regulars February Regular |
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| 2000 Brigade Schedule | Bugle Call | Reports from the Field Annual Meeting |
From the Desk of the First Sergeant |
Field Commander’s Report Written by the Editor.
It was good to see those of you who turned out for the Annual Meeting this past Saturday. I hope to see all
of you at your convenience this year. We will begin in March with a garrison weekend inside the Star For,
at Ft. McHenry in Baltimore. We need to work out the “Winter Dulls”, show up with our brass polished,
our leathers blackened, and our weapon CLEAN. Think about what it is that we are doing in ranks.
Concentration is the key. When we allow our minds to wonder, we make mistakes. This year, we will
continue to be quiet in ranks, and in addition, we will practice marching with the free arm stationary, and
when we count “twos”, we will refrain from turning our heads. We are Regulars, and will continue to act
as such.
The schedule looks promising, and we hope that it suites most of the membership. It is important that we
send in to Eric our registration money as soon as possible. Currently, we know what Bentonville and Ft.
McHenry will cost us. As soon as I know the registration cost for Wilson’s Wharf, Gettysburg, and
Chancellorsville I will publish this information in the Regular. The entire schedule is published later in
this issue of the Regular. The amounts listed below are guesses at this time.
Each unit representative must supply the National Regiment with a list of unit members, which must
include their e-mail addresses. This is to allow the NR to communicate with each of you when required. If
you were not at the Annual Meeting, and either have a new e-mail address, or you address has changed
from that listed last year, please let you unit contact know. E-mail Steve Hanson at shanson2us@yahoo.com, or me at FourthUS@erols.com.
This year’s National Regiment NCO/Officers’ School is scheduled again for Gettysburg. If you are
interested, please contact your unit rep asap. For the latest information on the NR go to :
NR Web site. Once in the NR site, if you do not know the NR
access code, e-mail 1stSgt Hanson or me.
Captain’s Comments,
Fourth United States Regulars
Congratulations are in order to Craig Mastapeter and Jason McConnell for again being voted First
Sergeant and Corporal respectively. Well done lads. Additionally, the Fourth has set as a goal this year to
have each active member bring in at least one recruit. This is a necessity so that we may replenish out
ranks. Pass the word, one and all, to join the Regulars.
Maximum Effort Events
15 January, Annual Meeting
19-20 February,NCO School , Gettysburg, PA (NR)
3-5 March, Garrison Weekend, inside the Star Fort, Ft.McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland. Regis. $7.00
17-19 March, Bentonville, near Newton Grove, NC (NR)
29-30 April, Annual Living History Weekend at Ft. McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland Regis. ?? Guess,
$7.00
19-21 May, Wilson’s Wharf, near Richmond, VA (NR)
27-28 May, The Forgotten Regular, Gettysburg, PA
30 June, 1-2 July, the 137th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, Gettysbsurg, PA (NR)
26-27 August, Living History, Manassas Military Park, Manassas, VA
22-24 September, The Battle of Chancellorsville, in Northern Virginia.(NR)
7-8 October, Infantry/Cavalry/Artillery Demonstration, Antietam National Park, Sharpsburg, MD
18 November, Remembrance Day Parade, Gettysburg, PA (NR)
Secondary Brigade Events
22-23 July, Meade’s Head Quarters Staff, Gettysburg, PA
16-17 September, McClellan’s Head Quarters Staff, Antietam National Park, Sharpsburg, MD
16 September, Evening Torchlight Tour, Antietam National Park, Sharpsburg, MD
Send Registration Monies to :
Eric Schlegel / Sykes’ Treasurer
5260 Chapmans Landing Rd.
Indian Head, MD 20640
Annual Meeting Report
Regulars 2000
Well lads, we’ve made it. We’re on the edge of the 21st century. As the stewards of history, we once again
rededicate ourselves to passing on the story of a war that we all hold great interest in and have great
passion for. Each of us has their own reason for reenacting, but in the end we come together and form a
band of brothers devoted to each other and to the memory of another band of brothers. The Regulars. Let’s
take a renewed inspiration from the turning of the century and recommit ourselves to the telling of the story
and to Sykes’ Regulars.
The meeting was held on Saturday the 15th of January at the Days Inn in Gettysburg. A handful of lads
came in on Friday night and partied while playing a great WWII video game. It seems Mr. Allen
Thompson is a fantastic sharpshooter in the video realm. The comradery lasted till the wee hours then
sleepy Regulars marched to the land of Nod.
Morning came early as the 2nd’s and 4th’s unit meetings were slated for 9:00 that morning. Our usual
breakfast nook, Perkins was closed for renovations so we moved on to a diner up the road. We were waited
on by a pair of enchanting and fun loving waitresses and filled our bellies with a breakfast of large
proportion. We drank our coffee and headed back to the Inn to get down to business.
The 2nd and the 4th held their meetings in half of the large meeting room separated by a divider. Each unit
conducted their meetings taking care of unit business such as unit property inventories, acquisitions,
recruiting, attendance, mission, and NCO’s. We reinforced unit goals and of course had the usual fun
during the meeting. Then we broke for lunch. Most of us headed to Hoss’s Steak house and pillaged the
buffet bar.
When we returned the big meeting ensued.
While everyone was assembling a Civil War episode of South Park was provided to lighten the mood. We
also permitted ourselves a libation as we were all of age and we were thirsty.
Secretary Hutchison called the meeting to order and pledge of allegiance was waived as there was no flag
present. We said our pledge to ourselves and carried forward. Pres Wassel introduced the new board which
was the same as last year with the notable exception of Eric Schlegel replacing Tank Nickle as treasurer.
Mr. Nickle was thanked enthusiastically for his service. It’s a tough job and Tank revamped the system into
a working financial juggernaut. Well done sir.
The Pres then asked for the reading of last years minutes and the waiving thereof, and it was was seconded
and passed.
As his last official act, Tank gave the treasurer’s report. Our financial status is in excellent shape. We will
have a surplus for the coming year and the money will be divided between the units once our dues have
been collected. The dues structure will be the same as last year. $20.00 for a single membership, $30.00 for
a family membership and $12.00 for an associate membership which is a subscription to the fabulous
Regular.
Once we woke up from the treasurer’s report, we went on to the Mission Statement business. Last year we
came up with a mission statement and shelved it. This year we will dust it off, and submit it to the
membership for review once more. In 30 days it will be adopted as official if there are no objections from
the Brigade. The mission statement is included in this Regular. If anyone has issue with it please contact a
member of the board. Their names and how to contact them will be attached to the statement.
Which brings us to Sykes’ Brigade Book. This book is a compilation of procedures, orders and the mission
statement. It will also include the current roster and a list of vendors. Every member of the Brigade will get
a copy of the Brigade book upon completion. It will also be available for reference at the First Sergeant’s
desk. Stay tuned.
The attendance for the year was good. We averaged 10 to 15 at smaller events and 20 to 25 at larger events.
The one event a month policy seemed to have accomplished its intent. Each of the events was a success and a positive time was had by all. We also had a banner year for vittles. I don’t think we could have spoiled
ourselves more. It was stress free year well deserved.
The president gave a brief report on recruiting. Most of the new recruits came from contact initiated by the
Web site. Once again we must do our utmost to try and gain recruits. If everyone would bring one new
recruit in a year we’d be a regiment unto ourselves. Lofty goal, but why have low expectations. If anyone
has and address of someone they think might be interested, pass it on to the recruiting officers of the 2nd
and 4th. That is Jim Wassel and Craig Mastapeter respectively. We’ll get recruit packs in their hands.
What we need though is follow up contact. Once they have the info we have to keep on them and reel them
in. Let’s get to it.
We also discussed goals for the Brigade. It pretty much follows the NR goals which are to get back to the
basics and improve camp and uniform standards. The ‘hat and the camp’ objective. This year we will be
endeavor to better suit the company mess to the event and limit our amount of ‘stuff’ we have
accompanying us on campaign. Word is that the NR staff will have more spies in the field to tell on us if
we are in violation. So stay sharp Regulars. We our the example to the misguided volunteer.
Announcements from the units included the 4th’s re-election of Craig Mastapeter as First Sergeant and
Jason McConnell as corporal and Don Rivera as Captain. Congrats lads. You must be doing something
right. The personage that was elected to the Lance Corporal’s position in the 2nd US will be announced at
NCO school.
Miscellaneous new business included the sale of Sykes’ Regulars sweatshirts. One more order form will be
mailed with this Regular then the order is going in. Shirts should be ready for NCO school.
Larry McGrane also threw out the idea of building a winter encampment on his spacious property. If
there’s initiative enough within the unit, this would be an excellent project and a great place to while away
the slow winter months.
We also have an eye on a trip over the pond to England for an international reenactment in the year 2001.
If you have interest in this excursion, start putting away funding and let Steve Hanson or Jim Wassel know
you’re interested. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a Czechoslovakian try to sing Dixie.
We will no doubt be involved in some sort of entertainment this season, so start jotting down ideas for
funny skits or dramatic moments or stirring songs. There’s no business like show business and we have as
much right to look silly as the next guy. In fact, we ought to do it better because we’re Regulars.
The training video project has also once again been dusted off, but this time we have a committee. The
producer will be Tank Nickle, executive producer will be Bruce Spahr ( he will also double as ‘grip’ and
‘best boy’ - movie jargon) and Pete Brooks has graciously offered to be cameraman as he has the video
recorder. Clark (Hollywood) Oliver will star and of course any other volunteers who would like to help in
this worthwhile objective. This ostensibly will be for our own recruits and will be accompanied by and
based on Steve Hanson’s ‘Drill Manual for Reenactors.” Afterwards we will sell it at an greatly inflated
price to any sucker that will buy it....ahem..... I mean any student of military arts. It will start with school of the soldier and will progress from there. We
will hopefully get to the point where we will be filming corp size maneuvers. If you believe that I have a
really nice bridge for you to look at.
At this juncture we found it prudent to go over the schedule for the coming campaign season. We are
following the same format as we did last year of one main event a month with peripheral events that are not
maximum effort attendance. It seems to work rather well as each event we participated in, we had a good
showing and a fabulous time. Don Rivera took the reigns of the schedule and if you look at the list of
events you’ll see we have a nice variety with the NR schedule as the foundation. We will try to make a few
more new and interesting things happen within the bounds of this schedule. Registration will begin
immediately and we will post them with each Regular. Send them to Eric Schegel. His addressed is posted
in the Brigade Schedule Section.
After the schedule was completed the President made a few inspiring remarks. While we are indulging our
passion for history we all should remember that we are there to honor the memory of brave men fighting
for a just cause. The Regulars are the standard and should lead by example. We should strive to continue
leading the hobby with innovation, inspiration and spirit. If you don’t feel this way there are plenty of
volunteer units. Here’s to a new century that appreciates history and the sacrifices contained therein. See
you on the battlefield.
Sykes' Regulars
Proposed Mission Statement
We, the membership, strive to honor the men of the United States Regular Infantry, and all Regulars who
fought and died in the Civil War, by emulating their activities and sacrifice, both on and off the field of
battle, in as authentic a manner as is possible, within 20th Century limits with regard to health, welfare and
family considerations. We strive for authenticity in uniform and/or period clothing, drill, field tactics,
military protocol, military life in camp and field, civilian interaction with the military, and the overall
character of the 19th Century person.
To execute this mission statement, the membership of Sykes’ Regulars will:
· Fully support any other quality historical interpretation or reenacting group portraying the Regular
US Army during the Civil War. We will especially support those portraying Regular infantry, in an
attempt to place as many Regulars on the field in a single unit as possible. We also support any
quality groups portraying civilians as they historically interacted with the Army during the Civil War
period.
· Use as basic references in military matters the US Army Regulations of 1861 and 1863, Casey’s Drill
Manual, and Kautz’s Customs of the Service for Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers, and any
other reputable documentation that is primary source or can be adequately authenticated.
· Encourage, but not require, that members adopt a persona or character which would place them in
the US Regular Infantry at the time of the Civil War, and to practice and develop that persona at
events. We feel that this is best accomplished by total immersion in camp life and activities/events as
they unfold during any living history presentation or reenactment. This is not meant to discourage
off-duty time during an event, but to encourage authenticity while on-duty in camp and in the field.
· Not prohibit or discourage any member from expanding their involvement in historical interpretation
by doing other impressions either within the Civil War period or in other historical periods. Likewise,
we will not pressure members who, because of personal reasons or geographic location, desire to
attend an event other than a Sykes’ Regulars event on a given weekend. We fully recognize and
support family considerations and commitments. We do, however, encourage attendance at events
sponsored by umbrella groups to which Sykes’ Regulars belongs (NR, etc.), and especially attendance
at specific Sykes’ Regulars-sponsored/hosted events.
· While not recognizing anyone as an expert, although some members may have a great deal of
knowledge and experience, we will rely on the knowledge and experience acquired by individual
members to assist in guiding the unit on a path toward historical accuracy and authenticity.
· Strongly encourage each member to conduct extensive research into the US Regular Infantry, the war,
drill, tactics, camp life, customs of the time, and, if one is chosen, a persona, in an effort to constantly
improve personal impressions. By doing so, we feel that Sykes’ Regulars, the umbrella units to which
we belong, and, thereby, the entire hobby can be improved.
· Recognize that not everyone is in the hobby for the same reasons, nor may they have the same
knowledge, experience or drive toward perfection. We will strive toward and practice consideration
and understanding in our interactions with others.
· Lastly, we will uphold the philosophy that any endeavor which is totally voluntary in nature, such as
historical interpretation or the hobby of reenacting in general, can best be improved by leading the
way and teaching through example, rather than criticism of others.
· After all, leading and teaching by
example is our historical responsibility. That is our legacy from those Regulars we strive to emulate.
If anyone has comment or is in
disagreement with the mission statement please refer to the 'Board of Directors' Page and contact the board through email.
Mail the Editor with Submissions for the Regular or if you have a good picture you'd like to see on this site.