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vol9-9
The National Regiment
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Mail the Editor with Submissions for the Regular or if you have a good picture you'd like to see on this site.
Field Commander’s
Comment
This year's Meade's HQ event at the Leister House in Gettysburg, for the National Park Service, was both
different from past events, and enjoyable to do. Patterned after the torchlight tour that we do every
September at Antietam, scenes of both military and civilian content were acted out twice daily for the
enthusiastic masses. This schedule gave us some free time, and allowed us to refine our individual
performances. By Sunday we were awesome.
I hope to see many of you at the Manassas Museum event at the end of August. It is a paid event, and the units need the proceeds. If you can attend for only one of the two days, please do so. We need you. Refer to the information listed below.
Capt. Don Rivera
Field Commander
Brigade Schedule
September October, 1998
IMPORTANT EVENT
A PAID EVENT - ATTENTION!
Date: 29 - 30 August, 1998
Place: Manassas, VA
Event: Manassas Museum
Info: This is a paid event and was a very laid-back event last year. We will camp on the museum lawn and
drill several times each day for the public. Men in gray will also be present and entertain the visitors too.
We found a very nice place to eat nearby, so come out and join in the fun.
Uniform: Late war uniforms and dress uniforms for color guard duty with clean weapons and polished brass.
Directions: The Museum is at 9101 Prince William Street, Manassas, VA. Take I-95, U.S. 15. U.S. 17, or I-66 to Manassas, exit at VA Rt 234 which becomes Grant Avenue, and drive to Prince William Street, turning East on Prince
William. Please plan to be there and ready to participate by no later than 1000 hours on Saturday and/or Sunday. If you can make only one day, come for the day. We need at least 10 rifles EACH day, or no much-needed money.
Date: September 5-6 1998
Place: Emmitsburg Community Park,
Emmitsburg, MD
Event: Emmitsburg Civil War Bazaar
Info: A Civil War Bazaar, based on the MD State Fair and other Sanitary Fairs of the period. Eighteen
different booths will be portrayed set up in tents and flies with the overall theme of a military encampment.
Military impressions can be used for review, sentries, entertainment, and demonstration of camp life.
Civilian impression is encouraged as this best fits in with the idea of Civil War civilian effort.
Directions: Rt. 15 traveling south take exit Rt. 140 east towards the center of town. Rt. 15 traveling north
turn left on South Seton Ave. (At yellow set of blinking lights) follow signs. Note: 270 N will turn into 15
north at Frederick, MD.
In addition: A Civil War period dance is to be held Sat. evening in conjunction with the Bazaar. The
dance will be held at the Community Center. (Within walking distance.) The cost is $5.00 per person and
is open to the public. The Victorian Dance Ensemble will provide instruction from 7:30 to 8:30 PM and the
dance will continue through till 10:00 PM. Light refreshment is included. Music by Gilmore’s Light
Ensemble. For more info. call 301-447-3746.
Date: 18 - 20 September, 1998
Place: Antietam National Historic Battlefield Park, Sharpsburg, MD
Event: Military Demonstration
Info: This is the demonstration weekend in which we join with members of the cavalry and artillery to
educate the public. We will depict a grand guard with cavalry outposts and artillery cover. This is similar
to what we have done in the past, and it is on the original battlefield.
Uniform:Late war, with clean weapons. Tenting will be set up, and we will sleep on the battlefield.
Directions: The park is one mile North of Sharpsburg off of MD Rte 65 in Washington County. Take I-70
to MD 65 west of Hagerstown, exit onto MD 65 and drive South toward Sharpsburg.
Date: 19 September, 1998
Place: Antietam National Historic Battlefield Park, Sharpsburg, MD
Event: Antietam Torchlight Tour
Info: This is the annual evening Torchlight Tour of the battlefield. For those not involved in specific
scenarios, you are invited to take the tour, which leaves from the Visitors Center.
Uniform: For those in a scenario the uniforms are as in the past.
Directions: If you are in the camp, walk over to the Visitors Center. Otherwise, take I-70 to MD 65 west
of Hagerstown, exit onto MD 65 and drive South toward Sharpsburg.
Date: 10 October, 1998
Place:National Historical Park, Harpers Ferry, WV
Event: Election 1860
Info: This one-day event is by NPS invitation, and you must register yourself and your weapon upon
arrival.
Uniform: Pre-war uniforms are preferred. Hardee hats, nine-button frock coats, dark blue trousers, scales,
white gloves, leathers, and weapons.
Directions: U.S. 340 to Harper's Ferry, WV. Park on the Visitors' lot and bus into the town.
Date: 16 – 18 October, 1998
Place: Cedar Creek, Middletown, VA.
Event: Belle Grove Mansion
Living History
Cedar Creek
Info: The duty will be as camp guards. However, if anyone is interested in burning powder, they may attach to a Federal unit for the battles. Otherwise, it will be a living history weekend near the Belle Grove Mansion. It can be a very laid-back weekend.
Website:http://www.winchesterva.com/cedarcreek
Uniforms: Late war, with clean weapons. You will tent near the mansion.
Directions: The event will be held at the Belle Grove Plantation south of Middletown, VA. Take I-81 to
Middletown, exit and drive south on U.S.11 to the event. The site is approximately two miles south of town.
Reports From the Field
Journey of the Wounded
The weekend of July 25th and 26th found members of Sykes' Regulars portraying General Meade's Staff at the Leister House in Gettysburg. They were a pivotal scene in a living history tour that was given its first trial run that weekend. This living history, in prior years, consisted of two separated scenes. One was the staff scene created by Will Hutchison, 2nd US Inf. at the Leister House with Doctors Morris and Belldino and their field hospital display and the other was the McGranes U.S. Christian Commission and Convalescent Hospital run by the Frederick Ladies which was situated at the top of the hill near the Cyclorama. Up until this weekend the two scenes were loosely connected with the staff officers paying informal visits to the wards on the hill.
This year the scenes were connected using a timeline of several days after the battle covering a variety of points essential to the understanding of the ordeal of the wounded and the hurculean effort needed to deal with so many casualties. Each scene connected with the next by a physical transition, usually a character from one scene that would guide the crowd to the next.
Scheduled tours were used this year as opposed to random gatherings of tourists as in previous years. Two shows a day were performed with a third person narrator leading the tour and explaining in more detail the scenes as they occurred.
The first scene was the 'wounded' scene with a cluster of soldiers placed under makeshift shelters around the barn next to the Leister House. The men of the 8th Conn. and the 83rd PVI were made up with wounds done by the talented Sherry Porter of the Frederick Ladies. The use of make up was a large part of the realism we were trying to achieve in the presentation and it succeeded in its effect.
The men were then confronted by an officer whose duty was to check that all wounded had been removed from the battlefield to the field hospital. After having gotten the wounded to their feet the officer encounters a young lad with a grevious chest wound and the sight of so much death and destruction tells in his emotional response of frustration. The officer is then called by the General to the staff meeting and the crowd follows the officer to the Leister House where the meeting is about to start. The wounded slowly move accompanied by the crowd of tourists.
The staff meeting scenario was next and was critical in giving the audience the necessary facts needed to understand the challenge of dealing with the wounded. Casualty reports, signal operations, lack of supplies, ambulances, burial of dead men and horses were covered during the meeting. A medical officer outlined the innovations of battlefield medicine under Surgeon Letterman's system. Also, an overall frustration and tension at the meeting showed the human aspect of dealing with such a situation. 
As the meeting adjourned, several of the officers moved up the hill and the wounded from the barn once again started moving up the hill after a respite always staying in view of the audience.
The officers encounter a delegate (Larry McGrane) from the U.S. Christian Commission amongst a pile of crated supplies. The delegate asks the officer for directions to the 2nd Corp hospital and tells of more supplies following behind. The officer thanks the delegate with much enthusiasm as it is a ray of hope amidst much despair.
The officer continues on and meets a townsman that tells of the destruction of his property and is seeking reparation. The General has no time or patience and dismisses the gentleman. The townsman (Al Padilla) then proceeds to make an offer to carry the wounded at an inflated price and the General attacks the man verbally and almost physically.
In the meantime the wounded are put into makeshift shelters as there are not enough tents and most of the wounded lie in the open.
Next to the shelter lies the field hospital where a surgeon is busy at his grisly work. Women from the town (Frederick Ladies) arrive to ask where they can be of assistance and immediatly go to work giving comfort to the soldiers. The scene is frantic as orderlies and soldiers rush about trying to deal with so many wounded. One of the surgeons confronts the General and pleads for more supplies and help. The General can only throw up his hands and state that everything that can be done is being done. The delegate of the USCC arrives carrying boxes and the surgeon thanks him like he is an angel fallen to the earth.
The next scenes represent the provision made for the recovering soldiers weeks and months later. The USCC is represented with the excellent display of the family McGrane. The USCC set up a station at Letterman Hospital that provided much comfort an aid to the recovering wounded as well as spiritual aid.
Next was the dietary kitchen that provided meals at the hospital and was crucial in the physical recovery of the men. The Frederick ladies put this display on as well as a representation of a hospital barracks tent where wounded recovered.
The tour ended with the tour guide (Pat James) summing up the tour and explaining the plight that the little town of Gettysbury endured and would soon be famous for till this day.
The challenge of living history is to bring an exciting program to the public that is accurate and brings as much information to the public as possible. To keep the attention of the American public means you have to entertain and shock them. The Civil War has so many compelling stories that are true that there no reason to add any melodrama. By bringing the story of war to life we can learn of its destruction and that there are no true winners. To do this we can't whitewash the facts and make them politically correct. If we do, we are not facing the truth of our humanity. Living history is one of the best teaching tools in reaching the public. As the evolution of our hobby progresses, we should strive to make the shows bigger and better as to make an impression on the audience they will not soon forget. If we could get a third of the bodies at a reenactment to participate and cooperate on a living history the effect would be truly amazing.
Written by a Living Historian
Photographs are courtesy of Steve Hoovie 45th PA Volunteers who happend by with his JPG camera. We thank this itinerant photographer for his fine photos.
Steve Hoovie
Bugle Call!
Miss Jonah
We have a new first folks. The Jonah of the month for August is for the first time a woman.
At the Ft. Washington event Aug. 2,3 we were witness to an unfortunate injury to our own Cpl. Jason
McConnell. While carrying a large box of commissary equipment to the ‘bat cave’ Mr. McConnell had the
misfortune of twisting his ankle into an angle it was not built to accommodate. Falling to the floor he
writhed in pain and made squeaking appeals for help. While the rest of group walked over him continuing
in their chores thinking he was taking a nap a certain lady, Miss Kim A, approached the kitchen casualty and kicked him with her little size 6 foot saying “Get up you lazy good for nothing @#$%&,” and passed on her way. Someone finally figured out that he wasn’t kidding and we of course then snapped into action and brought the poor lad to the hospital where he was found to have no broken bones.
Kim was later heard to say, “Maybe I shouldn’t have kicked him so hard.”
Lesson being, never kick a man when he’s down. He might be really injured. If he’s not, then you can kick
him. Always check first.
(Thank you Miss Kim for indulging our fun as we all know that you are the sweetest and kindest Southern Belle we’ve ever had the fortune to meet.)
The Jonah Board of Inquiry
From the Desk of the First Sergeant
The desk of the First Sgt. was the victim of a runaway mule and was kicked roughly 2/3 of a mile into the
next county. Many quills and ink bottles were destroyed in the tragic episode. Papers and report forms
littered the area. The First Sergeant with lower lip quivering manfully restrained the tears in his eye and
resigned himself to the fact that his monthly report would not be forth coming. Once full repairs have been
made to the desk, wisdom of the First Sgt. will again be available. Gems of wisdom can still be acquired
verbally. (Just don’t bring up the matter of the desk) Any soldiers with carpentry skills please report to the
First Sergeant.
Flexi for Hire
Flexi McDevitt will now be offering summer time rates as a professional party guest.
If your party needs a head start and needs to have bodies present to make it look as though you’re popular,
Flexi will bring his body and stand at your party.
He is qualified in all the current phraseology and trends and can hold his own in a conversation. He is
adept at milling about and mingling and possesses several interesting body perforations to exhibit as
conversation starters.
Reasonable rates available. Paid per hour. He will stay all night if necessary. Help with cleanup is
negotiable.
Regulars Occupational Services
An Incidental Tour
Mt. Vernon
After the Ft. Washington torchlight tour the clan was free early on Sunday morning to return home. Seeing
that it was going to be a spectacularly beautiful day the suggestion of touring the nearby home of George
Washington was made. A small group of folks thus embarked on a spontaneous adventure that continued
our pursuit for our obsession of choice.... ‘history’.
The crew consisted of Pete Calahan - a noted historical junkie of high repute and navigator, Jim Wassel -
the detail guy who made “lets have lunch” type decisions, Tank (Grumbles) Nickle was there so he can
make sure we don’t have too good a time by grumbling at us, Jason (the Gimp) McConnell came along so
that we could test our physical stamina by pushing him up hills in a wheel chair all day, Tammy Wenrich
came along to mother us for the day and make sure we didn’t get lost and yell when we got too rowdy, Eric
came along to point out the obvious and we brought Flexi because all the girls like him....and away we
went.
We arrived to find that no one had called ahead to make sure that they had cleared the park and let us have
unlimited access to all buildings and artifacts and so we had to compete with crowds of ice cream licking
tourists who just got in our way. After several rounds about the parking area we finally found spaces and
met at the visitor center where Jim Wassel said, “lets eat lunch while we wait for Tank and Eric.” If he
wasn’t there to make that suggestions the whole group would probably still be standing in front of the
visitor’s center. As it turned out the suggestion wasn’t as meritorious as initially thought as the cafeteria
food was bland and highly over priced.
We then paid our admission fee except for Pete who had an annual pass. (the big Fink) We then haggled
with the wheel chair lady to get some wheels for Mr. Gimp till she said all you need is a driver’s license.
We thought we had talked her down to a $1.00 rental fee.
We then started on our journey of history and stopped to read every sign posted in this very large estate.
We took turns wheeling Mr. Gimp of the sprained ankle and did our best to run over any other tourist in our way. Since we were living historians we
felt we had the right of way. We looked at all the outbuildings surrounding the main house and delighted
in learning how this estate acted as its own self sufficient community and was a fine example of Southern
Agrarian society. You could see why Washington was always anxious to return to the simple life of a
gentleman farmer spent at this incredibly beautiful place.
We made our way to the top of the hill to the main house and stopped and stared at a line of tourist that
stretched for 3.56 miles. Our jaws collectively dropped. We came up with several plans to gain access.
Anything from muscling our way into line to picking up rocks and stoning the crowd to setting one of the
outbuildings on fire as a diversion. We settled on “Forget it, it probably isn’t worth seeing anyway.”
As we pushed Jason around we found we should have orderd the all terrain wheel chair as the ground
became rocky and hilly. We almost forgot the poor lad at the top of the hill near the main house until some
one looked back and saw this small pathetic figure in the distance waving his hands saying “Hey , Hey!!!!!
Don’t forget me.”
We continued forward to the orchard where we finally found a voice box with a button we could press. The
group was giddy with exitement. We learned that Washington experimented with ways of blocking deer
from eating his crop all of which failed. So.......he wasn’t so perfect. Only finding two cherry trees and no
axes we could chop them down with then lie about we continued on our way.
We then made our way down
to the wharf and asked everyone we met if they had a silver dollar we could throw across the Potomac.
Some people don’t have any sense of humor let alone loose change. So we threw Jason in instead. There is
photographic evidence.
We thought better of it and fished him out and wheeled him over to the next site. As we approached we
could hardly contain ourselves as we saw in the distance the object of our search. A living historian.
Having tourists come up to us weekend after weekend asking us the usual question lacking in any historical
knowledge or common sense whats-so-ever we came to the conclusion that it was now our turn to ask the
questions. We made ready.
Our plan was to approach this unfortunate young lady with the blankest of stares, stand for a moment in
silence, then one by one ask the most simple minded questions we could come up with. Such as: is that a
real corn fritter?, can you eat that?, did George Washington eat those, and of course is that outfit hot? We
of course let her know that we were just having fun and she laughed identifying with this torture that we as
living historians all have to endure. She then consented to having her picture taken with our entire group
pointing at her like she was a special site on the tour which ideed she was.
We then saw the threshing barn where they make mules and horse run around in a circle and get dizzy
trying to separate wheat from chaf. We learned that 1 1/2 inches is the ideal distance between slats on the
floor for this purpose.
Forward we went to the obstacle course part of our tour as we scaled a wooden set of stairs through a
mountain side. We set Mr. Gimp on his crutches and said your on your own while we carried the chair and
sat in it ourselves along the way. (Tammy, being of a kind a maternal instinct remained with the wounded
Regular and some of the lads even helped.) We all put our collective intellects to the test for a series of
signs quizzing us about the flora and wildlife of the area. When we didn’t get any of the questions right
because they were trick questions we ripped the signs from their posts and threw them down the mountain.
(Maybe we didn’t but we sure wanted to.)
We continued our walk and approached the rear of the main house and took photographs of us pointing in
all directions one of which was at Pete C’s backside. Why those individuals considered it of great historical
value is still being debated.
A large canvas tent came into view and we were compelled to walk to it as it seemed so familiar and
comforting some how. Inside, a documentary of the life of Washington was being played and Tank
grumbled that it was missing the most important aspects of the first president’s life. Something to do with
his glasses I think. You can never please a grumbler.
We then gathered at the visitor’s center and bought refreshments and when Tammy came out with an ice
cream cone we felt that our mission as the accidental ‘ice cream lickers’ had been accomplished. Of course
we photographed the incident for posterity. The whole group pointing at the ice cream cone. Stay tuned for the next
Regular’s tour...... INTO HISTORYYYYYYY.
Written by the Accidental Tourist
The Chief Speaks
It's hard to believe that September is almost here...but it is. Although we've already participated in over a dozen events since January, we still nearly that many to go before going into hibernation. Please review the REGULAR and mark your calendars for the events you're planning to attend and contact your chain of command .
We have been invited to participate in the Belle Grove Mansion's living history impression 17 and 18
October 1998 during the Cedar Creek reenactment Our objective would be to establish a camp of infantry
in front of the house and provide the public with an impression of the infantryman's camp life (ca. 1864).
According to the points-of-contact, two meals on Sat. one Sun-($10.00) and we would not have to participate in the battles (However, if members wished to participate, there would be no barrier for them to do so.) Please get back to me via e-MAIL or phone ASAP so that I can get back to the inviting organization. Also, if you've got any questions or have any ideas for scenarios, skits, impressions, vignettes, etc., give me a call and I'll get back with you.
In closing, let's keep up the good work and the good numbers. Stay in touch and stay safe.
Best wishes, as always, with warmest regards.
Craig W. Mastapeter, President
Fort Washington
The Regulars and Sykes’ Civilians found themselves in the midst of one of the most beautiful weekends
this summer at Ft. Washington.
The clan arrived Friday to a gorgeous moon lit evening and socialized to the wee hours of the morning
catching up on past events and enjoying each other’s company. Janice and her commissary arrived and as
usual everyone assisted in unloading her wares. One helper was injured in this duty. Sgt. Jason McConnell
was viciously attack by gravity while carrying a large box into the ‘bat cave’ (the kitchen area at the fort).
A mis-step on the uneven slates resulted in a nasty sprain of the ankle. Writhing in pain on the floor Jason
manfully tried to fight the tears until a certain cold hearted individual came down and kicked him several
times and told him to ‘get up and stop being such a baby’. (Refer to the Jonah of the Month award to find
out who this individual might be). The rest of the ‘loving and caring’ folks in the group gathered around
the fallen and put ice on the swollen ankle and carried the injured to Tammy Wenrich’s truck where he was
quickly taken to the nearby hospital and attended to. After x-rays and no broken bones to be found the
‘gimp’ as he was known for the rest of the event began his weekend of leisure with all waiting on him hand
and foot with the appropriate amount of abuse tendered at each moment of charity. Balance in all things. A
special Clara Barton award goes to Tammy Wenrich and Tank for taking Jason to the hospital and waiting
the inevitable 5000 hours to get the poor lad attended to.
The morning brought the arrival of Captain Mastapeter who had been inspecting the surrounding fortifications. Taking the place of the wounded Sgt. McConnell, Jim Nickle was breveted and did a fine job of keeping the lads to their duties. Garrison duties included drill, guard post and more drill. Capt. Mastapeter conducted a review of the basic manual of arms sighting the need for fundamentals. Second Lt. Wassel assisted. Small divots were drilled into the ground as the captain demonstrated the correct way to
pivot on the left heal while turning. A gathering of civilians present in the fort found the entire exercise quite amusing and as the drill progressed their quiet giggles turned into loud guffaws of laughter by the end. The captain was very close to having them all thrown into the guard house.
Sentries were posted at the sally port and the off duty soldiers resumed the wist obsession. Another
uneventful day. Later, Sgt. Nickle drilled the lads in skirmish and continued the effort to keep the Regulars
sharp in their knowledge of drill.
As the day wound down to evening, preparations were made for the evening torchlight tour. The theme
being, “The War is Over”. Following last years general format, a series of five scenes to express some of
the emotion involved with the end of such a monumental conflict and the resumption of lives torn apart by
war.
The first scene was the arrival of Yankee soldiers back to the fort for their mustering out. Wives and family
are there to greet them with great enthusiasm. One soldier (Mike Aldrich) arrives with the absence of his right arm and his wife (Kim A.) struggles to be supportive of her soldier husband. A lone woman (Leslie Hagensen) waits for her man who never arrives.
The groups lead by Nancy Schoppert bring the group to the next scene where Confederate prisoners are taking their oath of allegiance and being processed back to their homes. Lt. Wassel fills out the requisite paperwork as Sgt. Nickle is administering the oath. One Confederate (Ron Mason) decides that the war is not quite over for him and begins to interfere with the others’ decision. The patience of the Lt. wears thin and when the Rebel soldier makes a disparaging remark about the assassinated Pres. Lincoln a moment of violence erupts. Rifles of the sentries are leveled at the trouble maker as the Lt. physically admonishes the Rebel that he better curb his tongue or suffer the consequences. Acknowledging that war wounds run deep, the Lt. decides to put the prisoner back into confinement until he decides to accept the generous offer of freedom. Several other of the prisoners of the same decision accompany him.
The next scene picks up the soldiers going through the mustering out process. The soldiers are turning in
their accouterment of war and are getting their last pay vouchers. The staff at the desk inquire if any would
care to re-enlist. One soldier (Eric Schlegel) almost looks interested but that look of indecision is quickly
changed by the glare coming from his wife (Tammy Wenrich). Further attempts fall on deaf ears as Sgt.
Nickle cajoles with the ‘fine opportunities’ offered by army life. The happy couple walk off with a hand
shake from the officer for a duty to country well served.
The next encounter is not as pleasant as the soldier with one arm inquires what provision will be given him. Other than the knowledge that he will be given a small pension, the soldier finds out that the loss of his arm is a part of doing ones duty and that all who serve risk life and limb. This of course is no consolation. His bitterness erupts and all the officer can do is give him the names of public commissions that will help him and his family get on his feet. He wishes him the best of luck and continues to other
matters. The last scene is to two distant relatives who had served on opposite sides of the war and they meet and
make a reconciliation and wish each other well ending the tour on a positive note.
An incidental scene that was of interest was a crazed woman (Lori Amodeo) trying desperately to see her Confederate husband in the guard house. Passing the point of pleading for his release she becomes physical and tries to by pass the large sentry posted there. It was quite comical to see the diminutive woman in a hoop skirt with arms and legs flailing try to wrestle past the dutiful sentry. In subsequent tours she consented to try and tug at his heart strings by crying all over his brogans.
Well done and thank you to everyone involved especially to all the folks who provided background to support the scenes. Sykes’ Civilians and Sykes’ Regulars once again proved their versatility and range in doing living history. We would also like to thank members of the 4th NC and the 21st VA for helping with the program and Don Steiner for having us. And a special thank you of course to Janice and Pete for keeping the troupe fed and watered.
Written by the Editor
Observations concerning:
"A Strange and Blighted Land
Gettysburg:The Aftermath of a
Battle",
by Gregory A. Coco, Thomas
Publications, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 1995
"[T]he ground was trampled to a bog, and was covered with every conceivable thing...everything used in war or by soldiers, was scattered around in plenty. The grain and grass which once grew there, was almost ground to a jelly."
"...[T]he surface of the ground, besides being everywhere gashed, seamed and trampled, is blackened, greased and besmirched, until one cannot think of remaining upon it or near it."
With quotations such as these, Gregory A. Coco brings to a close the first chapter of his 1995 " A Strange and
Blighted Land", and at once drives home the power of both his subject and his book as he goes on to observe:
In summation, ...the appalling filth of the field of battle was the worst thing about it. The feeling that nothing should
be touched, that everything was so sickeningly dirty that
simply walking on the surface of the ground seemed obscene, and any normal and sensitive human being ought to be disgusted by the prospect.
At Meade's Headquarters at Gettysburg, Sykes' Regulars recently participated in a much needed effort to bring into
focus the reality of battle, the legacy of the epic three days of fighting there in terms of the physical impact upon the
individual soldier, as opposed to its significance in more familiar personal or historical terms. Mr. Coco's book takes a broad stride in that same direction.
As all politics are local, so too are all wars individual: one man with a gun loads, fires and either misses, wounds or
kills. Another man, in the line of fire of the first, either dies, is hurt or remains, at least for the moment, unaffected by
that shot. The dead man must be identified and buried. The wounded man must be found and cared for. The man who
escapes either fate must move on to fight another day at another place or, if a prisoner, must be moved on to insure that he fights no more. But many remain: the townsfolk and the farmers who must, the soldiers who are ordered to and those who choose to come on their own, who will, in the months that are to follow, be drawn to or repelled by, feel, smell, touch, see, hear, react to, clean up, repair, restore, preserve, loot or try to profit from, be ruined by, venerate or seek to hallow the battlefield of Gettysburg.
Mr. Coco fixes his gaze upon that battlefield and those who found themselves there, alive, dead or wounded in the
aftermath of the fighting with a steadiness and unflinching determination matched only by the look of those stone and
bronze men of battle who forever stand witness to what happened there. He lets those who witnessed that aftermath speak for themselves, comfortably weaving quotations from diaries and letters into his text in such a way as to keep the narrative power of his story intact.
The only time the author seems to vere off course, however, is when he touches upon religion. A particularly unfortunate example of this occurs in his discussion of the work of the U.S. Christian Commission. In the context of that discussion, he feels compelled to launch into a distracting personal aside regarding the lack of religious fervor in the Country, in general, and among the soldiers, in particular: referring at one point to Christianity itself as a "particular brand of religious myth".
After reading "A Strange and Blighted Land" one cannot walk along the battlefield of Gettysburg the same way again. It must necessarily become a different place for you. Intuitively, of course, one understands to some extent what the aftermath of any battle must entail, and Mr. Coco's book is not needed for the development of just such an understanding. The transformation comes from one's progression from intuition and personal imagination to reliance upon what real people who were there wrote of witnessing and enduring for themselves. Mr. Coco provides not only the raw material needed for that transformation, but the inspiration to seek it:
"Therefore maybe we owe to those who went through it...to care enough to be able to seek the bitter truth of war and all of its unspeakable and damnable horrors. Does it not seem right that if we as a society can send
humans to battle, then should we not at least pay them the tribute of staring the evil of it straight in the eye?.
..That idea, then, is one of the small purposes of this book."
Written by Pvt. Steven Brizek
2nd US Infantry
Sykes’ Regulars
A Soldier Remembered
When I was just a young Civil War enthusiast in the early 1970’s, there was an auction down the street from my house.
With the few dollars I had, I purchased a few articles that looked as though they might be of historical value; some
coins and a combination pocket knife. I was dubious of it’s authenticity at the time because I didn’t think they had
pocket knives like the one’s we had but of course they did.
I lost track of this knife and thought it lost until recently when I was cleaning a closet and low and behold there it was.
I was very excited as on its handle was inscribed all the information I needed to ascertain whether or not this knife was indeed carried by a CW soldier. My research began.
Let me start by saying that if you have never done research of this type, you are missing out on a very exiting
adventure.
The name on the knife was J.Myers as seen at left. Co. I , 153rd PA. So I started in the Bates index that houses all of
Pennsylvania’s Regiments. I found the 153rd rgt. CO. I and listed there was the name Corporal Jeremiah Myers,
Wounded at Gettysburg. I was beside myself knowing that I had found my man. He was mustered into service Oct
1862 in my hometown of Easton and served from then till mustered out July 24 1863. 
The 153rd was a 9 month regt.
He served in the first brigade of the first division of the 11th Corp under Von Gilsa. He was on duty near
Fredericksburg during that battle and participated in the Mud March. He was in the regt. that was first hit by Jackson’s
flank attack at Chancellorsville. (They held their position till ordered to retreat) He was also at Barlow’s Knoll when
Jubal Early struck and it was here that he was wounded. This was the information I was able to get from that index. I have the full regimental history which I will be studying soon.
My research then took me to see if I could find out more about the man himself. Knowing that he was from
Northampton County I found his name listed in a church directory for baptisms. This gave a birth date and the names of his parents and where they lived. I then checked the 1860 census for that area and hit paydirt because it listed his family and their vocation which was that of ‘farmer’. He was 24 in 1860, so 26 when he went to war and he was the eldest of 7 children. After the war he married and had one child. I also looked up his obituary and found he died 1/4/1908 at age 72 and that he was buried in a local cemetery. I found his grave and that of his wife and brought his knife and told him that it was in good keeping.
I am hoping to further my research and see if I can track any of his ancestors and I will writing for his war record from the Nat. Archives.
The most striking thing I came to feel while gathering these facts was the reality that this man was an ordinary man.
Simple farmer with brothers and sisters but who was at the same time extraordinary as he fought a war that determined our country’s destiny. I would have liked to have known what he thought of the whole thing. What kept him in the line. Where he was wounded. Who his comrades were. What he saw.
In my mind’s eye I can see him using the knife, spoon and fork every day and moving about his duty. A simple man
answering his country’s call like thousands around him. But doesn’t it come down to that single man making the
decision to fight for what he believes. As I remember this man I ask myself what my answer would have been.
Stay tuned for more of the story of Cpl. Jeremiah Myers in coming issues of the Regular. Hopefully my research will be fruitful.
Written by the Editor
