To Prevent the Effusion of Blood - Planning for Dec 2010 - Jan 2011

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Greetings,

The flash point of the American Civil War is accepted to be Charleston Harbor with the events of December 1860 and January 1861 providing an impetus on the part of the new Confederacy to organize their forces for combat and providing the Federal Government a breathing space until the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln.

Major Robert Anderson had been sent to Fort Moultrie to take command by the Buchannan Administration in the hope that a Southern Gentlemen would be congizant and respectful of Southern Sensibilities. Major Anderson decided his duty lay with executing his vague orders from the Federal Government. He was mindful of the moves the State of South Carolina made to arm itself and the situation of his command. In his own words, Major Anderson decided to move the Fort Moultrie Garrison to Fort Sumter on the night of 26-27 December 1860 "To prevent the effusion of blood."

This action caused an up roar in South Carolina and led to a delegation demanding Major Anderson return to Fort Moultrie. Major Anderson refused under the pretense that as commander of the Defenses of Charleston Harbor he could occupy any Federal Property of this choosing. By moving the garrison he removed them from direct contact with the people of South Carolina and forced the Secessionists into a corner, where they would be required to either impose a seige or overtly attack Fort Sumter.

A merchant ship, the Star of the West, was sent with supplies but was turned back by South Carolina Artillerists on 9 January 1861. This event is still considered by the Military College of South Carolina, The Citadel, and many scholars as the first shot of the Civil War.

The Tramp Brigade Organization of Historical Interpreters (http://www.trampbrigade.com) is coordinating and opening dialogues with organizations in the Carolina Low Country about their plans to commemorate these events. There is no concrete plan at this point, but we are interested in the opinion of the Living History Community in their participation in an event to commemorate and recreate the events in Charleston Harbor during December 1860 and January 1861.

Name - To Prevent the Effusion of Blood (working event title)
Dates - 26 to 29 December 2010 or 7 to 9 January 2011
Location - To be determined, in and around Charleston, SC
Coordinator - Pete Berezuk - pete.berezuk@gmail.com
Event Type - Semi-immersion, Historical Reenactment
Sponsor - Tramp Brigade Organization of Historical Interpreters (http://www.trampbrigade.com)
Website - To Be Announced
Discussion Site - AC Thread and Tramp Brigade Forum (http://trampsbrigade.freeforums.org/)
Impression - 1st US Artillery, South Carolina Military and local populace

We are looking at this time for what general interest there is in the Larger Living History Community for our proposed dates. Please feel free to contact me directly if you are interested in supporting this event.

[FlatLandFed]

I voted for December as I could visit my inlaws in the Carolinas and Savannah for Christmas holiday season and as an (ahem) reward, could participate in this event.
Best of luck on this endeavor.
Paul Hadley

[btfire]

There is only one clear choice here. The Evacuation of Moultrie and the Star of the West are two separate and independent events. Portrayed as a singular event during the 150th will only further remove accurate history from the retelling.

[AndrewGrim]

The evacuation of Fort Moultrie for Fort Sumter on the anniversary dates would be a great moment that few would get to do.

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Thanks for the input already guys...

This poll and announcement are to put a 'marker' out for Living Historians to consider for 2011 and to gauge the interest and inclination of the people we need to recruit to make any event worthwhile.

So, I do encourage comment but at this stage we haven't decided on precisely what we are going to do, just what we could do given the sufficient support we are polling for.

[PogueMahone]

Having voted, I can no longer see the entire question. Does it say "which would you prefer" or "which would you commit to attending and not just be participating in a poll without any real thought of participating in the event and possibly skewing the results"?

I can't remember.

[tenfed1861]

I would suggest doing it sometime in mid December.As you pointed out in the poll,the Christmas season could play a problem for people who have relatives coming in/going to see relatives.At least in mid-December,it wouldn't effect it all that much and still give people a chance to do some shopping at the great shops around the town.

[Coatsy]

Pete,

I was a farb and voted for the January date, but I could probably work something out if it was in December. Wifey does like Charleston.

Either way I'd like to recreate the events that took place around Charleston Harbor in late 1860- early 61.

[Spinster]

I pressed the vote-o-meter early this morning when I did not have time to type.

I'm very partial to the December date in Charleston, for a purely selfish reason--that January date would quite likely be the date for the Battle of New Orleans commemoriation down at Chalmette......

And being forced to choose between Charleston and New Orleans would be terribly hard. :rolleyes:

So many wars, so little time,

[Charles Heath]

Pete,

This type of forward thinking shows some real (and all too rare) hobby leadership.

Thank you!

[Johnny Lloyd]

Pete! ;)

We should be in the area visiting my family in Myrtle Beach during the Dec date. In 2010, it's my family's turn to host Christmas for my wife and I!:D

-Johnny

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Thanks for all the kinds words and the helpful suggestions...


Having voted, I can no longer see the entire question. Does it say "which would you prefer" or "which would you commit to attending and not just be participating in a poll without any real thought of participating in the event and possibly skewing the results"?

I can't remember.

Joe, thanks for bringing up the issue in your friendly, old Sergeant way...

I guess I could have been clearer. We are looking to provide a great event for the Living History community at the start of the 150th Cycle. That will require participation by that community. I've got two (for lack of a better phrase) 'operational constructs' to build this event on. Those are the dates that match those operational constructs. I am certain we will not get every person who votes, but if at the end of this poll I can see a clear preponderance of interest then I can be confident in my planning that we can achieve the attendance we would need for success. I would hope the inclusion of the third choice allows those who feel they cannot or would not commit to let us know that the dates are just wrong for what we are trying to achieve and that we should redirect our planning effort at a different event and date.

On a note of the historical scope... the Federal Garrison numbered 86 Officers and Enlisted Men in December 1860. There was a civilian crew of 50 laborers contracted to perform work on Forts Moultrie and Sumter. And of course the City of Charleston and State of South Carolina were forming their new government outside of the Federal Union that included an Army and Navy...

If you haven't taken the time to provide your input in this poll, please do. It will be very helpful to me personnaly and I hope to the community at large. Thank You.

[SCTiger]

I am not aware of any concrete plans around the "Star of the West" by anyone other than a local S.C.V. camp. There is no official state or local plans that I know of. If there was an event planned either by a reenacting organization, historical organization or such, they aren't announcing it or making it well known with less than two years to the first post secession, military action.

We have the support of the NPS and have made significant connections with other organizations.

The Evacuation of Fort Moultrie has never been done as a commemorative event.

Plenty of visitors will be in Charleston that week.

Our community is small, and it would be easier to organize and secure this, without too many outside influences that would dilute our efforts. See quality control.

It would be the first, post-secession military movement.

I cannot guarantee that a collaboration event would produce the quality results that you seek. I would guarantee that any event we would host exclusively, would abide by NPS guidelines and the authenticity standards we promote.

If you can make it to the 1859 LH next month, I would like to discuss this at length and get more people in on the process. December will work, but as a family we need your help.

Thanks Pete for posting this.

[Hank Trent]

There was a civilian crew of 50 laborers contracted to perform work on Forts Moultrie and Sumter.

If I recall correctly, the idea for this event was floated on the OTB several months ago, and at that time I said I'd definitely be interested in being one of the civilian crew, if you decide to have any of those portrayed. Well, that's still true. :) I didn't vote in the poll because either date is equally okay for me so I didn't want to affect the results, if one date would definitely be better for most folks.

I think there was also some talk of including one or two local journalists, and I said I'd be willing to mentor, accompany, or whatever you want to call it, a journalist with the civilians, and that's still true too.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Hank,

Your invitation to participate will come with profuse words of praise and thanks. We do want to have the civilian contract laborers represented and the local civilians of the populace. One interesting side note is the role of the Charleston Newspapers in the events.

Once we see the interest of the Living History community in this effort, we will set a date and work the coordination with the NPS, Local and State Government. My intention is to be able make an announcement this Fall so there is over a year of time for those interested in attending to plan their attendance with their real life obligations.

Thanks for the support.

[508preach]

My input I'm not sure matters as I am only an hour and a half south of Charleston, meaning it wouldnt be a big deal for me to travel up there and back on any of those dates.

BUT we also need to think about the safety of the event participants who are coming from a considerable distance and the weekend of the 26th and 27th since it falls on a Sunday would be quite dangerous driving wise as there will be ALOT of people travelling on the road, the day after christmas is one of the biggest travel days of the year, now have the day after christmas fall on a saturday that also makes it potential for both the 26th and the 27th to be very busy travel days since it falls on a weekend.

[Suppelsa]

December, As I'll be on break from school.

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Thanks for the input already everyone. We have ALOT of coordination to do before deciding on a date this summer, but this input is very helpful and much appreciated.

[majdoc]

I did vote on the Jan dates. But the December one would work out fine also.
Just keep us posted. Whenever is fine.

[Rob Murray]

Pete, I voted the January dates. However, I will make the event whenever you hold it. Late 2010-early 2011 have already shaped up to be a great time.

[Pvt_Sullivan]

ROB and Doc, Thanks for the input. We are still in the discussion phase with the interested and concerned parties, more to follow this summer.

[SCTiger]

I am hoping that there will also be a short, symbolic firing on a merchant ship artillery drill around this time.