After the Battle - 14-16 November 2008

[Charles Heath]

Date: 14-16 November 2008
Name: After The Battle
Location: CWPT Slaughter Pen’ Site, Fredericksburg Battlefield, VA
Sponsor/Host: Stonewall Brigade & Columbia Rifles
Federal Impression: 11th NJVI
Confederate Impression: 21st VA Infantry
Capacity: Two small battalions
POC: Kevin O'Beirne
Email: kobeirne@roadrunner.com
Website: After The Battle (http://www.stonewallbrigade.com/afterthebattle07.htm)
Forum: AC Forum subforum (http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=99)
Listserver: None
Preservation Component: Donation to CWPT
Notes: Opposing picket forces on the actual Fredericksburg battlefield depicting historical events of December 14-15, 1862.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

UPDATED AS OF 10/01/2007

The Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT), Stonewall Brigade, and Columbia Rifles are pleased to announce a semi-immersive living history event, “After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2008”, to be held on November 14-16, 2008 on part of the Fredericksburg battlefield.

The event site is CWPT’s 207-acre “slaughter pen” property, site of heavy fighting between Stonewall Jackson’s corps and Union troops under John Gibbon and George Meade, near the southern end of the Fredericksburg battlefield. The site was preserved when CWPT acquired it in June 2006 for $12.5 million, making it the most expensive purchase — and one of the most significant — in CWPT’s history. Outside the boundary of the National Park Service’s property, few parts of the Fredericksburg battlefield that saw significant fighting remain unspoiled, except the “slaughter pen” site.

The event will feature opposing picket lines portraying what happened at the “slaughter pen” in the days immediately following the December 13 battle — from the evening of December 13 through December 15, 1862 – including opposing picket fire, a truce for collecting the wounded and removal of the dead, and a Federal field dressing station.

Approximate participant numbers are envisioned as follows:

• Confederate: 50 to 75 infantry.
• Federal: 50 to 100 infantry and three to six medical portrayals

The total number of participants is not capped. We are also planning for participatiion by a limited number of mounted personnel, portraying couriers and videttes. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate artillery at this event.

At the request of the CWPT, the event will include a limited public interpretation aspect: a guided tour of the site for spectators. The tour will be approximately 90 minutes long on Saturday afternoon and is limited to 200 people.

This event will be held on the only undeveloped part of the Fredericksburg battlefield that saw significant fighting where a reenactor event with opposing forces can be held. All other sites are either within the National Park Service park (where opposing force portrayals are prohibited) or developed and unavailable.

This event is co-sponsored by the Stonewall Brigade (Confederate contact Mike “Dusty” Chapman, dustyswb@verizon.net) and the Columbia Rifles (Federal contact: Kevin O’Beirne, kobeirne@roadrunner.com). The event team includes most of the same folks who planned and ran the 2005 Payne’s Farm event in cooperation with CWPT. The event website is at www.stonewallbrigade.com (http://www.stonewallbrigade.com).

We are looking for dedicated reenactors with good late-1862 portrayals to help us commemorate the battle of Fredericksburg and its aftermath. We hope to see you at “After the Battle: Fredericksburg 2008".

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re-construction of the 'After the Battle' website is now underway to accomodate the new, November 14-16, 2008 event date. We hope to have the updated website open for business, including open for registration, in the next couple weeks.

Anyone who's a member of CWPT knows how many appeals for donations you've received in the past year since CWPT purchased the Fredericksburg "slaughter pen" property. Consider attending this event to help CWPT both raise funds to pay the mortgage and raise awareness of the history of this historic and important piece of battlefield land.

See ya outside of Fredericksburg in November! :)

[dusty27]

Bump to start the discussion again. Any questions? dustyswb@verizon.net

[GrumpyDave]

How about a registration update?

[dusty27]

Dave,

It's here: http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17544

Updated as I get them.

[GrumpyDave]

Thanks Dusty!

[GrumpyDave]

Don't be the last to register!

[boozie]

Original ground and opposing sides, what more could you want? Well, except to be in Skip Owens company.:D

[Prodical Reb]

An event practically in my backyard. I'd like to be there.

1. I'll be at the AHT event as CS, could I talk with some one there?
2. I could go as CS or Federal; which is needed more? As my kits should be good for both by then. If I register as One and the other is needed will galvanizing be allowed or strictly as registed?
3. Any work weekends scheduled? I live in Stafford County near Brooke VRE station. I could help if needed

This will be my first immersion type event. What else would be expected?
Thanks!

[dusty27]

Michael,

Contact me via PM or email at dustyswb@verizon.net and we can discuss what to expect.

Dusty

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Rations??

Is it safe to assume that the modest $10 registration fee, will NOT include rations?

All Proceeds obviously being earmarked for Preservation?

Paul B.

[dusty27]

Paul,

You are correct. The majority of your $10 will be going toward paying off the $12 million loan used to purchase the playground, as it were.

[Charles Heath]

This has to be some kind of personal record. The final registration deadline is nowhere in sight, and....okay, it still needs to actually get IN the mail, but that's the easy part.

So Easy even a Gecko can do it (http://www.stonewallbrigade.com/atb07_reg.htm)

Crittenden's Farm...gotta register for that, too. Must register....

[lukegilly13]

Just thought I would post this and get the blood flowing again for ATB. This comes from the remembrance of John. H. Worsham of the 21st VA Company F.
"It was very easy for the men to move, because by this time we had learned to live without tents. The only shelter the men had was oil or rubber cloths and cotton flies. The latter were pieces of cotton about four by six feet in size, hemmed around the borders. Button holes were worked around these borders and buttons sewed on at certain places; they were so arranged that three of them buttoned together made a very comfortable shelter for three men. We were dependent on the Yankees for them, as I never heard of our quartermaster issuing any. The men who could not get these, made a "shebang," by putting two forked sticks in the ground, about six feet apart, laying a pole in the forks, placing bushes with one end on the ground, the other inclined to the pole, enclosing in this way one side and the ends, and leaving the other side open. This would accommodate three or four men."
Great ideas????
By the way...the whole thing can be read here:
http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/worsham/worsham.html#wor149
Great depiction of his experience at Fredericksburg and the time there after.

[dusty27]

Luke, thanks for the information.

I word of caution, however, for those who might want to cut brush for the shebang described.

WE CAN'T DO IT!!!!

We are on actual ground and no disturbances of foliage or ground will be permitted.

[lukegilly13]

Very good point dusty! However, the fly thing can be done....at least it makes one feel better about having a shelter half (which to me is what his description sound like).

[ley74]

On an unrelated, but facinating note... Got to see the west side of the ATB/Slaughter Pen property on Friday as I returned to Richmond via Amtrak. Noted several doe and a fawn coming out of the six foot corn rows. No groundhogs were sighted (although the population is noteworthy, in itself).

Once in a lifetime event and two of them in one year!:D

[GrumpyDave]

You know you need to register!:wink_smil

[JustRob]

If we signed up for this last year, do we need to register again?

I've completely forgotten what was going on at the time.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Dusty Chapman:p-

Did you get my registration for this event? -Johnny

[dusty27]

Yes, John. You can see the registration list here

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17544

[GrumpyDave]

We're drawing closer, day by day, to the registration deadline. I'd appreciate your support. The registration form is easily found at the website.


http://www.stonewallbrigade.com/afterthebattle07.htm

[dusty27]

With just a little over three weeks left to register, please get your registration in so we can begin the breakdown of NCO's and companies.

Thanks in advance

[elcid01]

mike,
I have all the NCO's and Attendance for Co F already accounted for.. that was the intentions correct? Looking forward to the event, and glad to see your leading a company..

cheers

[dusty27]

Skip,

Thanks. Just want to make sure we have everyone registered that told you they were coming. Can you forward your list to me via email?