Number 10
Our involvement in many events sometimes goes beyond participation and involves organization and preparation.
In the case of this years "Eyewitness to War" event at Mount Zion Church, the new "Mosby's Run" property was being
used and a pair of foot bridges were needed so the spectaters could cross a creek during the torchlight tours
Saturday night.
1st Maine to the rescue! In quick order a design and bill of materials was done, materials aquired by the committee,
and with the help of James Owens a pair of bridges were constructed the weekend before the event.
Eyewitness to War ~ June 25-26
Because of major stuctural problems with Mount Zion church making it unsafe, this years "Eyewitness to War"
event was held across Route 50 on the 80+ acre Mosby's Run property.
We turned out 7 troopers this year with Bunker coming down from Maine. The 4th Virginia "Black Horse" cavalry and some of the 1st Minnesota were on hand. Chuck Raugh did his usual fine medical display which was a very convienient thing as Dave Myrick was kicked by a horse opening up his shin pretty bad. Chuck and Anita Henderson, both MDs, had him patched up and back in the saddle quick. One spectater, not knowing the situation was real was heard to remark; "This guy is good, that doesn't even look like a rubber leg."
We did the usual public demos. The 4th Virginia did their run at the heads, hacking grain bags with sabres, then shooting balloons with revolvers. They also discovered a hole that was hidden by the newly cut grass the hard way; when a horse dropped into it and it's rider went over it's head. No one was hurt, but we all paid much more attention to checking the ground before riding it.
Gettysburg College ~ June 26
As soon as we were done at Mount Zion, Jerry, Bill King, and Bunker headed up Route 15 to Gettysburg to do a demonstration for the college arranged by Lester. John Nolan, Todd Kern, and John Sweeney also came up from a project they were on in Virginia to help out here. Lester gave his talk, then we each talked to small groups showing details of uniform and equipment, then the 6 of us did a riding demo and once again talking to individuals and small groups. All of this ended well after dark.
Union Mills Homestead ~ July 9-10
A weekend off, then it was off to Union Mills. Very heavy rains that Friday had flooded the site and warning of
this was sent to participants. The entire weekend was warm and sunny and the site drained off and was pretty
usable by mid-morning Saturday. Still, most folks chose not to come and it was a 1st Maine solo show, 1st Maine
consisting of Dave & Andy Myrick, Bill King, Joe Bordanaro, John Clark, and Jerry Todd.
We did our program and camped nearer the road than usual, on higher, drier ground. It was a big motorcycle weekend in Gettysburg, unfortunately, and squadrons of Harleys roared by all day & all night, all weekend long. We got used to breaking conversations till the bikes went by and then continuing.
On the civilian side we had Barb Todd and Douglas Harding. Mr Harding joined us for some "trail rides" during the off hours and was good company. Union Mills besides the obvious milling operations served as a stage stop in the 19th century and Mr Harding premise was waiting for that stage. As the fortunes of war would have it, it didn't come. He was on hand to aid a lady that collapsed after taking nitro for a heart problem, for which the folks of the homestead were profusely grateful.
Kernstown ~ July 23-24
Mark Dudrow arranged for us to be at Kernstown Battlefield park. The Stonewall Brigade had a contingent there and
we worked with Todd Kern, John Sweeney, and John Nolan again doing a combined US/CS cavalry demonstration. That is
after spending much of the morning marking the many holes and burrows that made the entire site like swiss cheese!
The picture here by Ginger Rice of the Winchester Star newspaper and you can see Dave Myrick, Todd Kern,
Lester Schumacher, Mark Dudrow, and John Nolan during one of the charges in our demo.
Saturday evening some of the boys did some paid work on a film called Waterford's War over in Berryville.
Sunday was spent riding around every inch of the 60+ acre property.
Coming Up
Our big event in August is The Summer of '62 in Boonesboro Maryland and will feature our recreation of the 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry's charge at Cedar Mountain. Tom Craig will be commanding the Federal cavalry at this event.
In September at Burklittsville, Jerry Todd will command the troop over a 6-8 mile march, skirmishing with
Confederate cavalry over part of it, and entering a town populated with friendly citizens.