The
Cause
Vol.XII, No, 3 36th Regiment of Virginia Volunteers, Company A March. 1999
In this issue (Click on topic)
A new recruit is drilled at Hurricane, March 27,29, 1999
Lt. Bishop speaks to some of the 36th at Hurricane
Opps .... there goes the entire Union infantry
Howdy,
Well, this month finds me writing the report for the newsletter again. Since we can't call this "The Lieutenant's Report" any more, I guess it'll have to be "The Hogg Report."
The big news for the 36th this time is that our Battalion drill is this coming weekend. We ought to be able to field a full company for this event since we don't have to drive all the way to Indiana like last year. Of course, driving to Indiana provided some interesting moments, such as the stop for gasoline. Get a bunch of guys dressed in unusual clothing and make them sort of punchy from driving a long distance and then .....
Well, I'll save that story for another time. First, here's a look at some of our upcoming events.
Battalion drill
Loudonville, Ohio (April 9-11) Medich's Battalion will assemble for the eastern drill. Orders are for light marching order. We may be camping in some woods or an open field, depending on the area the Battalion staff chooses for a camp. The men are advised that tents may be necessary. Straw and firewood have been secured and water will be made available. Don't look for sutlers and be sure to bring something to eat - there may or may not be a grocery store or restaurant nearby for food.
I'm not sure what the best route to take will be, but it looks as though you can take Interstate 77 to the Dover exit, then travel on Route 39 to the event site.
We need everyone to attend who can. For the new guys, if you've done company drill with the unit, you can do battalion maneuvers. The officers and NCOs have the hard jobs, but they can't get experience if we don't have enough men to field our own company.
We usually wind up dog tired by the end of the day, but that just makes it easier to go to sleep and you feel more like a soldier when it's done.
Tamarack
Beckley (May 1-2) The Civil War living history event at Tamarack will be held on Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2. Tamarack hours are from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. There will be a variety of presentations both inside and outside during the two-day event devoted to the state's Civil War heritage.
If you've never been to Tamarack, it isn't difficult to find. From Charleston, just travel towards Beckley on the W.Va. Turnpike and you should notice several signs along the highway telling you the miles to Tamarack. The building sits on top of the hill behind the rest stop and it has a bright red roof that looks like some giant crown.
One of the featured attractions will be two lectures on Saturday by James I. Robertson Jr., author of Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, the Legend. It is my understanding that we will be able to attend Mr. Robertson's lectures.
The 36th Va. is invited to attend and is free to chose how we will participate. This will likely involve a typical living history presentation with a some drill depending on the amount of room we have available. Although it will be in a modern setting, a military atmosphere will be attempted. Guard posts will be posted and civilians impressions are discouraged from wandering around in the military camp.
Tamarack liability policy does not permit us to physically stay at the facility overnight. Security at Tamarack will oversee the equipment and tents left overnight, but we will have to provide our own accommodations elsewhere. Those wishing to set up for the weekend duration should contact Stephen Cassle at (304) 768-1480 for details.
Hurricane event
I was only at Hurricane on Saturday, but it seemed as though we had a decent turnout for this small event. Our new lieutenant, first sergeant and corporal were able to get some experience, the merchants were better this year, we got some possible recruits and the food was pretty good - even though I don't pick events to attend based on the meals they serve.
Hopefully, this event will continue to grow and attract some more Federals. Or maybe next year, the 36th should galvanize and exercise our Federal impressions. That will help prevent the entire Union infantry from being completely wiped out all at once with one canister charge.
Well, that's about all I have to say. Look for more information about the Buffalo event in our next newsletter.
Your obedient servant,
Henry H. Hogg
(Kevin Cade)
Other notes
A battalion is a military organization made up of two to 10 companies commanded by no higher than a Colonel. Technically, if it has ten it is called a regiment, but the two terms - battalion and regiment - were interchangeable in most cases.
The 26th Battalion never had a full 10 companies, thus it was designated as a battalion. However, the 36th Va. didn't have 10 companies until 1864, but it was always called a Regiment Š go figure.
Owen Wright, who lives down around Prestonsburg, Ky., told us that the teacher in his son's class was preparing to teach them the Pledge of Allegiance. She held up an American flag and asked if anyone knew what it was. "I know, I know," said Owen's son, "that's the Yankee flag."
During the Saturday battle at Hurricane, someone suggested that one of the soldiers bolt to the rear as though he were running away. Another looked back and said, "Thar's no way I'm a gonna run .... Jeff Clagg is a watching the rear back thar!"
Anyone having a hard time finding certain ingredients or foods for reenactments may want to check out The Country Cupboard in Ceredo, W.Va. This small store carries bulk Amish and specialty foods such as stone ground whole wheat, buckwheat and other flours, several types of whole grains and even whole kernel dried corn. They also stock dried beans and dried fruits, hard candies, cheese, jerky, baking supplies, herbs and spices. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
They are located at 303 6th Street West, near the Big Bear store and Little League field. Phone is 453-6282.
Mark Mengele, park superintendent at Carnifex Ferry, is looking for someone who can do a talk with him to a couple of high schools anytime during the week of April 19. His office number is (304) 872-0825.
Mary Jo Martin is helping to coordinate an American history weekend May 7-9 at Fairland Middle School at Proctorville, Ohio. The folks there are looking for "anything and everything" that has to do with our past and are hoping to have several Civil War reenactors to join them.
The event begins Friday morning for the students from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is then open to the public until 8 p.m. Saturday will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Soap making, churning and weaving demonstrations are being planned as well as Native Americans and mountain men encampments. Showers, firewood, hay and straw are to be provided.
The event will be free to the public and is being held to raise money to go to the Christian youth organization in the school. For more information, contact Danny Casey at (740) 886-6242 or Mary Jo Martin (740) 886-4553, e-mail: MJM1964@aol.com.
Just putting in my two-cents worth
Commentary by Kevin Cade
When I was a boy, one the favorite pastimes in my neighborhood was to play "army." We had seen the old movies on TV and read the comic books, then we gathered outside with plastic machine guns and Nerf football-grenades to chose sides and try to recreate those battles we had seen on TV. A few of us had hats or shirts from the Army surplus store or what had belonged to our fathers. It didn't really matter what we wore since our main objective was to run around having fun trying to shoot the other guys before they shot you.
In time, we outgrew this sort of entertainment, but I still had an interest in our military history. The comic books were replaced by books from the library and as I gained knowledge, I noticed that often times in the movies, the German tanks were actually modern U.S. tanks that had German insignia painted on them. I wondered if they thought that nobody would know the difference. Maybe they reasoned that since they were just telling a story and not trying to teach history, it would be all right. But I knew the difference and I also wondered what else was incorrect about what I was seeing.
My introduction to the 36th Va. came from Dwain Hamlin. He would come to work on Monday and tell stories about his reenactment weekends. My first thoughts were that this was simply some guys running around in the woods playing soldier - not unlike what we did as kids.
My initial meeting with members of the 36th came at a living history. I joined the unit soon after without ever having seen a battle reenactment or even a musket being fired. After seeing the uniforms and equipment, I realized that it was not just some guys "playing soldier," but rather, it was history being preserved.
For me, that has been the most important part of reenacting - preserving the way of life of a particular period of American history.
At the Hurricane event, one of our newer members asked why the unit was so picky about what he should buy. My answer to this is, what are we trying to portray? Are we trying to accurately recreate a time period or are we just playing "army." Are we just going to paint Civil War "insignia" on modern equipment and materials, or should we try as much as possible to live the same way our forebears did?
I liked what was written in the introduction of Cal Kinzer's collection of Civil War research, The Hardcracker Handbook, and so I'll reproduce it here:
Since the beginnings of the modern reenactment movement in the early-1960s, there have been hundreds of thousands of reenactors who have donned the authentic (or not so authentic) uniforms, weapons and equipment and gone out to recreate the battles of the Civil War. A much smaller group ... have made a serious effort to authentically recreate the life of the Civil War soldier. Their work constitutes an extremely important body of knowledge about the soldiers of the Civil War.
Conventional historians concern themselves primarily with the battles, leaders and social background of the war. While they may delve into the life of the common soldier, their main focus is usually such that this serves only as "atmosphere" to the main story.
Living historians, by contrast, approach the war from the "grassroots" level. By living the way the soldiers did - camping in tents, eating authentic rations, learning from the original drill manuals and attempting to copy as closely as possible the uniforms, weapons, equipment and mannerisms of 19th Century soldiers, they bring a new understanding of the war not possible through the purely academic approach. The academic historian may talk about ho difficult it was to march from "Point A" to "Point B," but until one has put on a pair of brogans, buckled on his traps and shouldered a musket for twenty miles or more, he will never have the depth of understanding the living historian has.
I would also like to let you read part of a commentary written by Mike Murley in the Summer 1998 issue of The Watchdog:
... As a unit, we are trying dang hard to be as accurate as we can. We have guys who started out with other units that wear hideous kit ... because they rushed out and bought the first cheap costume they could - "The vender said it was right!" They know what is wrong with their impression, though and they are working hard to improve.
I proposed to my pards that we adopt the simple ethic espoused by "The Watchdog" - "Because It's Right, Darn-it" (a.k.a. B.I.R.D.) Most of the boys adopted it enthusiastically. We voted in a set of extremely tough authenticity standards. We voted to do Gettysburg campaign - to include issuing period rations (and these were pards that had been in common tents one short year ago). We have, as a unit, decided to move forward to a good, accurate impression of an infantry company on campaign and not look back.
As to the clothing and equipment? The more I look at original uniforms and equipment, the more I want my stuff to be exacting reproductions. I bought all the costume trash. It's gone, replaced with "good" stuff. Gee, wish I'd bought that first, instead of the cheapest junk I could find (oh, yes - I shopped for the cheapest when I started ... the cheapest costume trash). I have sworn I will never willingly let a fresh fish do that - ever! Why do I want my stuff to be correct? Not for the "public." Not to lord over some poor fellow in a Servant & Company costume. For me ... because it's right, darn-it.
I think the preceding commentaries have the correct approach to reenacting - to be constantly striving to improve our impressions and therefore gaining knowledge about the past along with it.
For our new members, I should warn you that it doesn't happen overnight and you just can't go out and buy it. Authenticity requires a lot of questions, research, reading and experience.
A couple years after joining the unit, I thought I was pretty authentic and I thought I knew a lot. I looked at an old photo of myself the other day and noticed that most of the equipment I used then had been replaced - hat, jacket, pants, belt, capbox, canteen and shoes. I've made a lot of changes since I started, yet even now, there are several things I'd like to change about my impression that aren't totally correct. It's a constantly growing and changing process.
I hope to continue changing and continue improving for the simple reason that I want to do it right. Otherwise, I'm just some guy who's still playing "army."
I love a parade
The Following information was taken from "Parade, Inspection and Basic Evolutions or the Infantry Battalion" by Dominic Dat Bello.
Dress Parade
1. By the Regulations, the shall be a Dress Parade at least once per day (unless circumstances prohibit it) at Troop or Retreat (morning or evening Parade). All members of the Battalion must attend the Parade unless specifically excused.
2. When the music sounds Assembly, one-half hour before Troop or Retreat, each company commander will form his command and have the roll called. At Adjutant's Call (ten minutes later), each company will march to the parade ground.
3. The adjutant places the Color Company, after which the other companies will take their places in line. Each company will then Order Arms and come to Parade Rest from right to left.
4. The adjutant, having verified or corrected the alignment of the companies, will have the field music beat off. The music will march across and then return to their position.
5. The Adjutant will then order 1. Attention ... Battalion 2. Shoulder ... Arms 3. Prepare to bpen ranks...To the rear, open order... March.
6. At "open order," only the first sergeants and the leftmost company's left guide (2nd Sgt.) will move four paces in rear of the front rank. On the command "march," the company will open ranks and All company officers will move to positions four paces in front of their companies, opposite their places in line of battle. The 1st Sgts. will replace their company commanders in the front rank when The rear rank has been aligned.
7. The adjutant will then march in front of the Battalion and command, Present-Arms, and report, "Sir, the parade is formed."
8. The Battalion commander will order; Battalion, Shoulder ... Arms, followed by any other exercises he desires, concluding with Order ... Arms.
9. Upon direction from the commander, the adjutant will order First Sergeants, to the front and center... March. At the first command, the 1st Sgt. of each company will march two paces forward and face inward (to the center). At March, they will march to the center and halt. The adjutant will then order 1. Front ... Face 2. Report. From the first company to the last, the 1st Sgts. will salute (bringing the left hand to the right shoulder, palm down) and give their roll call reports.
10. Having received the reports, the adjutant orders 1. First Sergeants, outward ... Face 2. To your posts... March. The NCOs will retake their places and Order Arms.
11. When the Parade is dismissed, all the officers will sheath their swords, face inward and march towards the center. The adjutant will order the officers to 1. Front ... Face 2. Forward ... March. They will march to within six paces of the Battalion Commander and halt at the adjutant's command and salute the Commander. The 1st Sgt. may close his company's ranks and march it back to camp where it will break ranks.
Minding Your Manners - A brief look at 19th century etiquette
Most people living in the 19th century were much more careful to follow rules of etiquette and conduct restrictions that society placed upon them than we do today. As reenactors, we should realize that relationships tended to be much more formal then. For instance, it was considered impolite to refer to another person by their first name in public.
The following is from Martine's Handbook of Etiquette, published in 1866. For those who want to refine their 19th century impressions, follow the advice. For those who lean toward the vulgar or boorish, do the opposite.
Never ask any one who is conversing with you to repeat his words. Nothing is ruder than to say, 44Pardon me, will you repeat that sentence? I did not hear you at first," and thus imply that your attenton was wandering when he first spoke.
When we speak of ourselves and another person, whether he is absent or present, propriety requires us to mention ourselves last. Thus we should say, he and I, you and I.
If a man is telling that which is old as the hills, or which you believe to be false, the better way is to let him go on. Why should you refuse a man the pleasure of believing he is teiling you something which you never heard before? Besides, by refusing to believe him, or by telling him his story is old, you not only mortity him, but the whole company is made uneasy, and, by sympathy, share his mortification.
Never notice it if others make mistakes in language. To notice by word or look such errors in those around you, it excessively ill-bred.
Avoid raillery and sarcasm in social parties. They are weapons which few can use; and because you happen to have a razor in your possession, that is no reason why you should be allowed to cut the throats of the rest who are unarmed. Malicious jests at the expense of those who are present or absent, show that he who uses them is devoid both of the instincts and habits of a gentleman. Where two individuals or the whole company agree to banter each other with good-natured sallies of wit, it is very pleasant, but the least taint of ill-nature spoils it.
Avoid the use of proverbs in conversation, and all sorts of cant phrases. This error is,I believe, censured by Lord Chesterfield, and is one of the most offensively vulgar which a person can commit.
It is bad manners to satirize lawyers in the presence of lawyers, or doctors in the presence of one of that calling, and so of all the professions. Nor should you rail against bribery and corruption in the presence of politicians, (especially of a New York politician,) or members of Congress, as they will have good reason to suppose that you are hinting at them. It is the aim of politeness to leave the arena of social intercourse untainted with any severity of language, or bitterness of feeling. There are places and occasions where wrong must be exposed and reproved, but it is an unpardonable piece of rudeness to attempt such things at your own or another's social party, where everything is carefully to be avoided that can in the least disturb the happiness of any one. For this reason all kind of controversies are, as a general rule, to be avoided at such times.
If upon the entrance of a visitor you continue a conversation begun before, you should always explain the subject to the new-comer.
If there is any one in the company whom you do not know, be careful how you let off any epigrams or pleasant little sarcasms. You might be very witty upon halters to a man whose father had been hanged. The first requisite for successful conversation is to know your company well.
Carefully avoid subjects which may be construed into personalities, and keep a strict reserve upon family matters. Avoid, if you can, seeing the skeleton in your friend's closet but if it is paraded for your special benefit, regard it as a sacred confidence, and never betray your knowledge to a third party.
Listen attentively and patiently to what is being said. It is a great and difficult talent to be a good listener; but it is one which the well-bred man has to acquire, at whatever pains. Do not anticipate the point of a story which another person is reciting, or take it from his lips to finish it in your own language. To do this is a great breach of etiquette.
Dr. Johnson, whose reputation as a talker was hardly less than that which he acquired as a writer; prided himself on the appositeness of his quotations, the choice of his words and the correctness of his expressions. Had he lived in this age of progress," he would have discovered that his lexicon was not only incomplete, but required numerous emendations. We can fancy the irritable moralist endeavoring to comprehend the idea which a young lady wishes to convey when she expresses the opinion that a bonnet is "awful," or that a young gentleman, when he asserts that his coat is "played out!"
Any conversation (that is not interdicted by decency and propriety) which can be pleasing to the whole company, is desirable. Amusement, more than instruction even, is to be sought for in social parties. People are not supposed to come together on such occasions because they are ignorant and need teaching, but to seek amusement and relaxation from professional and daily cares. All the English books on etiquette tell you that "punning is to be avoided as a species of ale-house wit," and a savage remark or Dr. Johnson is usually quoted on the subject. But punning is no more to be avoided than any other kind of wit; and if all wit is to be banished from the social circle, it will be left a stupid affair indeed. All kinds of wit, puns by no means excepted, give a delightful relish to social parties when they spring up naturally and spontaneously out of the themes of conversation. But for a man to be constantly straining himself to make jokes is to make himself ridiculous, and to annoy the whole company and is, therefore, what no gentleman will be guilty of.
Talk as little of yourself as possible, or of any science or business in which you have acquired fame. There is a banker in New York who is always certain to occupy the time of every party he gets into, by talking of his per cents, and boasting that he began life without a cent which every one readily believes; and if he were to add that he began life in a pig-pen, they would believe that too.
While walking the street no one should be so absentminded as to neglect to recognize his friends. If you do not stop, you should always bow, touch your hat, or bid your fried good day... Never nod to a lady in the street, neither be satisfied with touching your hat, but take it off - it is a courtesy her sex demands.
other 19th century rules:
Always wear gloves on the street, in church and other formal occasions except when eating or drinking. White or cream colored gloves for evening; grey or darker colors for day wear.
Always stand up when a lady enters a room (or your presence in a large room). Stand when a lady stands. Offer a lady your seat if no others are available and assist a lady with her chair when she sits down or stands, especially when at a table. Open doors for a lady. Ladies should always graciously accept gentlemanly offers of assistance.
Never greet a lady in public unless she acknowledges you first, and then lift your hat. Merely touching the brim or a slight "tip" of the hat was very rude. Remove your hat when entering a building. Never leave a lady you know unattended, except with permission and never use tobacco in any form when ladies are present.