'Mander's Log

http://www.n-ssa.org/NATIONAL/2011Schedule.pdf

The following is from the a letter written by Henry Marsh,
Hospital Steward of the 19th: Dated August 3, 1914, of the actions of the color guard of the 19th Indiana Volunteers at Gettysburg, July 1st 1863.

Burlington Cunningham of Company K was the color bearer, made such because he had bravely rescued the flag in a charge at Antietam. In the morning, just before the charge on Archers brigade, a staff officer rode by and said “Do not unfurl the flag.” But when Cunningham saw the battle was forming, he said “Abe, pull the shuck,” and swung the flag to the breeze. In the first volley, a shower of bullets rained about the colors and Cunningham fell, shot in the left side and lay unconscious for hours where he fell. Someone said, Abe [A.J.Buckles], take the flag. The line pushed forward in capturing Archers men. The line passed Willoughby run some distance. Lt. Colonel Dudley, in words quite emphatic, said, “Come back with that flag!”

….when the regiment was ordered to fall back, someone said to
Capt. W.W. Macy “The flag is down” he answered “go and get it!”
The reply, with an oath, was “I won’t do it” Capt. Macy then ran
back and pulled a man from it [the flag] and caught up with the
regiment. He was being assisted by 2nd Lt. Crockett East of
Company K in putting the flag in the shuck when Lt. East was
shot dead, bearing the flag to the earth.

Capt. Macy was carrying the flag from the field when Sgt. Major
Asa Blancchard came up and demanded it. Macy, thinking that
Blanchard would act rashly said “No, Theres been men enough shot
with it” Blanchard appealed to the colonel who said to Macy,
let him have it.

As soon as Blanchard received it he tied the shuck around his
body, unfurled the flag and began waving it at the rebels,
crying out “Rally , boys!” At once he was shot in the groin, an
artery being cut. W.W. Jackson, who was next to him, said the
blood came out in a gush. Blanchard said, “Don’t stop for me.
Tell mother that I never faltered”.

His body was returned to Richmond Indiana for burial, wrapped in
the flag he so gallantly bore.

Gentlemen:

Please be advised that the “3 Rivers Shootout,” scheduled for for July 9 thru 11, 2010, has been canceled due to lack of participation. All funds submitted by the teams involved will be returned. We look forward to rescheduling this skirmish at a future date.

Thank you all for your time and efforts in this endeavor. We look forward to working with you in the future.

Sincerely Yours,

David E. Willard
Skirmish Director
9th PA Infantry – C.V.G.

It sure is no secret that we were less than crisp with all 3 firearms at Centerburg. Our medal count was 2, and those were 3rd place awards in A musket and carbine.  Not much needs to be said, lets just keep getting after it.

Kudos to Dave Collins for his shooting in his first musket match. Best first skirmish for a new member that I can ever remember witnessing.  Well done  Dave !!

Remember that we are going to have a work party at Fort Shenandoah the week between the Allegheny regional and the Vets. Tom Robey will be our destruction / construction foreman and if we get the work done by Wednesday, perhaps we can take a battlefield road trip.

Ernie has posted an updated financial report and participation rosters on our webpage. Please take a moment to review the participation rosters and get Ernie posted on any changes.

I will leave you with one final thought, from the late John Wooden, a great Hoosier,  legendary coach and a wonderful man, and teacher.

Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.
John Wooden

See many of you at Batesville. Remember there is no food service available at the range this year, so bring rations !

Philo

A.S.R. 121^st National Skirmish

Great job Guards!  Every last one of us should be very proud of our shooting during the musket match. With a 2^nd place finish for the “A” company, and 7^th place for the “B”, while missing some of our good pards, we showed that we do have some depth with our musket companies. Make no mistake about it this is a good start for the 2010 season.  A very good start.

While the above is all good, we need to improve our carbine and smoothbore performance. We have not been in the National “A” class medals with the smoothies since the 115^th Nationals and with the carbine since the 116^th.  While we spend time making sure our muskets and their loads are perfected, I often wonder if give our carbines and smoothbores the same amount of attention. So let’s all take a good hard look at those 2 firearms. If you shoot a Smith / Maynard insure that the action is tight, the touch hole in the breech is not burned out, and the trigger pull is what you desire. Check your cone and make sure it has not burned out also. Check your powder charge, lube and bullet combination to make sure it gives you the best group possible. Take a look at your tubes. If the touchhole in the back is enlarged replace with new. I make it a habit of starting the season with new tubes. It’s a minimal investment that I find gives me better performance.

For our Sharps shooters, check you gas check plate and cone along with your powder charge, bullet and lube combo. And make sure the trigger pull is what you like.

For smoothies, trigger pull and the condition of the cone are important. Along with the touchhole burning out, the cone tends to get battered down due the strong mainspring used on the smoothbore musket so check it often and replace as necessary.  Check your load and see if it holds up at 50 yards. When you practice work at 50 yards as much as possible. We all know that is where many matches are won or lost.

If you need help on any of the above, just ask. We have the people and expertise to help you get the results you desire from your firearm.

And finally practice, practice, practice!!!

Notable Observations from The 121^st

• Kudos to Paul Lycan for one hell of a musket shot to stop the clock during the 100 yard tile event. When he took that shot, I happened to be watching his hold, and follow through. It was so solid, I knew he hit without looking downrange.  Well done “Smiley!
• Mike Simpson has worked harder than any member of the Guards to improve his shooting over the last 2 years. The payoff came with a very solid musket performance on Sunday. Well done Mike. Nice example to all of us.
• Tom Robey overcame a horrific carbine day, and shot a very solid skirmish with his musket Sunday.  Tom is a fine example of the old “I sucked, but I got better” theory of shooting!  The lesson here is not to dwell on the previous shot or match, but to get back at it and attack those targets.
• Scott Yarling made a solid return to shooting at the Nationals. Shot well with the Grundy Boys during the Henry match, and followed that up with a very solid musket match. Well shot Scotty. Glad to have you back in Virginia with us!
• Bill Jordan got some help with his vision…and had a fine match on Sunday. There is no doubt in my mind that the “Old Dawg” can still hunt a bit!!!
• Congratulations are also due to all of the Guards who won individual honors at the Nationals. Never forget that your individual shooting accomplishments reflects well on all of the members of the Guards.
• And finally a heartfelt thanks from me, for your support during the awards ceremony on Saturday night. What a long strange trip it’s been to receive the DSCA.

Upcoming Events

Please let Ernie know by email if you will be attending the Centerburg and Batesville skirmishes and what matches your will be participating in.

We will be sending a team to the Allegheny regional to be held at the Dormont / Mt. Lebanon Sportsman’s Club, July 9^th to the 11^th. After this skirmish some of us will be heading to Fort Shenandoah to rebuild the back porch of the bunkhouse into Greco Roman style shower area. Then after the destruction and construction of our new shower / bathhouse facility is finished we will be attending the Vets skirmish to be held the weekend of July 17^th and 18^th.

Links to both of these events follow:

http://www.mdi.net/dml/ – info and directions only. No invite available yet.

http://www.n-ssa.org/NATIONAL/2010/VetSkirmish2010.pdf

We will have a team meeting on Sunday at Batesville to discuss the two skirmishes we will be working this summer along with various and sundry items of import.

A mention should be made that Saturday August 28^th is the 148^th anniversary of the Battle of Brawners Farm.  We have Father, Sons and Friends booked for the concert that night, but I think we should come up with some sort of ceremony to commemorate “seeing of the elephant” for the 19^th.  Any and all ideas are welcome, but let’s get something put together.

2010 Goals

There has been some discussion of setting some goals for the Guards. Below is what I have come up with. They compare favorably with the winning times at the 121^st Nationals and given the talent on the Guards are very reachable.

National Event Goals

Musket

A/B

Bird Board -120 seconds / 180 seconds

50 yard tiles – 50 seconds / 80 seconds

Hanging Birds – 60 seconds / 90 seconds

Pots – 65 seconds / 120 seconds

100 yard tile – 60 seconds / 90 seconds

Totals                355 seconds / 560 seconds

Carbine

A/B

Bird Board -110 seconds / 165 seconds

50 yard tiles – 45 seconds / 80 seconds

Hanging Birds – 50 seconds /75 seconds

Pots – 55 seconds / 100 seconds

100 yard tile – 50 seconds / 65 seconds

Totals                310 seconds / 485 seconds

Smoothie

A/B

Bird Board – 75 seconds / 100 seconds

50 yard tiles – 50 seconds / 60 seconds

Hanging Birds – 50 seconds /60 seconds

100 yard tile – 60 seconds / 100 seconds

Totals                235 seconds / 320 seconds

Single shot

100 yard tile – 35 seconds

Bird Board – 85 seconds

50 yard tiles – 35 seconds

Pots – 50 seconds

Totals                205 seconds

122^nd National Goals

Musket

A – 1^st

B – Top 5

Carbine

A – Top 5

B – Top 5

Smoothbore

A – Top 4

B – Top 4

C -1^st

SS

Top 4

Now how to we achieve the above?

• We will use the regionals as good competitive practices.
• Individuals must practice using the above times as their goals.
• We must all shoot within ourselves. We don’t need heroes. We just need to do what we each can do and take our best shot every time. In short, stay within yourself.  Our musket performance at the 121st exemplifies this. We were all solid and showed no quit.
• Have fun with your shooting.
• And finally, let strive to get 100 percent participation for the 122^nd Nationals. We are the strongest when we are shooting together towards  a common goal.

That’s all for now. Remember to take a moment this upcoming weekend to remember the “Boys of ‘61” who wore those damn Blackhats so well. No quit in those boys. No quit in us either.

Philo

PS – I love this quote from an Old Johnny who soldiered in the Army of Tennessee to a member of Longstreet’s Corps when they arrived at Chickamauga in September of 1863. I think it sums us up quite well when we journey east to Virginia.

Roll on boys. Roll on.

“Them fellers out thar you ar goin up against,

ain’t none of the blue-bellied, white-livered Yanks

and sassidge-eatin’forrin’ hirelin’s you have in Virginny

that run at the snap of a cap -

they’re Western fellers,

an’ they’ll mighty quick give you a bellyful o’ fightin.”



Commanders Log

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

“Fast is fine, but accurate is final. The trick is learning to take your time when you’re in a hurry.” – W. Earp

AAR Report – P-Hill

It was a mighty wind. And while there will be some of us who will never be able to watch the ‘Wizard of Oz” again without rolling up into a whimpering little ball, thankfully none of us suffered any severe physical injuries. Campers can and will be replaced, but the uniqueness of the Guards cannot!  The one bright spot is the amount of good stories / tall tales/lies that were generated by this near disastrous meteorological event will enliven our campfires for years to come.

As for the skirmish, even without the severe weather it was a very strange weekend. Smoothie only on Saturday, and carbine and musket match [all at 50 yards] on Sunday. We did well with our musket companies garnering first A/B.

And while our B carbine finished first, the A shot its way to a third place finish [second in the region]. For those of us who struggled a bit, forget it. We have bigger fish to fry. And for those who shot well….remember your success [and sight pictures] and roll on!

I have been asked to pass along the thanks of the 110^th for the donation we gave them on Sunday in support of their skirmish. I really do look for them to move their date away from April / May at the Pleasant Hill range. History has proven that the seasonal weather conditions are just too much of a factor at that time of year to host a successful event.

Spring Nationals

Here is what we have numbers wise participating at the upcoming Nationals:

• 15 carbines
• 15 muskets
• 11 smoothbores
• 3 single shots

I have the needed musket, smoothbore and single shot shooters picked up. And I am working on the B carbine company pickup this week.

For a list of the Guards who are making the trip east, check out the member’s only section of our website.

www.unionguards.org

If you have changed your plans, and are not attending the Nationals please let Ernie or I know ASAP!

We will have our team meeting on Saturday, May 22^nd, immediately following the Single Shot match.

As discussed at P-Hill we will be having “Got Meat, You Eat” on Saturday. Bring your hamburgers etc, a side dish and your own setups and we will cook for you. We will light the grills and eat in time to attend the awards ceremony to pickup our carbine, smoothbore and single shot medals.

During the Nationals I plan on getting the following targeting to come back to Ohio for our skirmish:

• 20 cases of birds

• 2 boxes of wire

• 2 rolls of pigeon clips

• paper targets – whatever Mike Simpson thinks we will need for the skirmish.

I will try and have the targeting back to the campsite before Wednesday.

Lonzo and I will try to bring back the bulk of the above, but we might need some help. Ernie you can haul the clips in your little midget car.

See the links below for National skirmish info.

• http://n-ssa.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13312 – for team positions.

• http://www.n-ssa.org/NATIONAL/2010/preliminaryprogramMay2010.pdf – for schedule of events

VFW Color Guard

We will have a color guard in the Pleasant Hill Memorial Day parade to be held on Monday May 31^st.  We will need to meet at the Newton High School in Pleasant hill at 0930. Right now we have Robey, Spaugy, Simpson and Hathaway attending and I sure would like to have some more Guards show up. After the parade the participants will be invited back to our house to celebrate the 69^th anniversary of the birthing of Doris and Leonard Robey’s baby boy. And yes, if you wish to come to the celebration without marching with the real men of the Guards, why that’s fine too. Just let me know.

Midwest Regional and the Guards Skirmish

We will be hosting 2 skirmishes this summer. Lonzo is the director for the Midwest regional skirmish to be held at Centerburg July 23 to the 25^th. And I will be the director for our skirmish to be held at Pleasant Hill August 27^th to the 29^th.

For the Centerburg skirmish we will be planning to start the target and range prep on Thursday morning July 22^nd.  More details on both these skirmishes to follow.

Travel safe, see you in Virginia!!!

Philo

Greer N. Williams.

Among the many enlisted men who earned the right to honorable and particular mention for their gallantry and faithfulness, is Greer N. Williams, who enlisted under the first call for three years’ men, under Capt. W. W. Dudley, in Company B, 19th Indiana Volunteers. He was present with this company when it was first organized in 1861, and in every march, raid, skirmish or battle, in which the regiment was engaged until its final muster out in July, 1865, he was present and participated with the exception of about three months, during which time he was in hospital at Philadelphia on account of severe wounds received at the battle of Gettysburg, where he was hit seven times; and excepting, also, his absence on veteran furlough at the time the regiment veteranized. No officer or comrade ever heard him complain at any necessary duty, however arduous or dangerous. He resides near Fountain City, Indiana, on a farm, and still has the musket and accouterments which he carried through the war, together with quite an extensive museum of trophies and souvenirs of the war of which he is pardonably proud.

Color Guard for the Memorial Day Parade, Monday May 31, 2010

I will be getting the time and meeting location for the parade at the 110th skirmish this weekend.

Uniform details:

Hardee Hat – the hat can be worn “campaign style” please remove all NSSA ID etc. Brass to be polished. Or purchase new from at the Nationals.

4 button blouse

Wool pants

Cartridge box, worn on sling

Belt, cap box and bayonet scabbard

Canteen and or Haversack

3 band rifle musket, rifled musket or smoothbore, capable of having the bayonet attached.

Brogans.

Gaiters are optional.

So far we having the following attending:

Spaugy

Robey

Simpson

Hathaway.

Guards,

Welcome to our newest social media communication tool….it will be interesting to see if and how [b]log is used by the members of the Union Guards….look for me to post whenever I have a profound thought or movement..if you know what I mean……

In any case, take a look at the rosters for the 110th skirmish and the Nationals…if you see any corrections that need to be made, let Ernie or I know.

Philo