Joining the 1st

[huntdaw]

Putting in a marker for this event. The event will be "Joining the 1st". Part of the 1st MO Inf. (Confederate) was raised in Memphis. They then moved to New Madrid in August of 1861 and recruited men from the Bootheel area in August of 1861. The New Madrid Guards, a local militia, became Co. I in the newly formed regiment. While this won't be held on any 150th anniversary, I think it will be a good precursor to the following events. Plus, I don't want to plan two events in the same year.

Mosquitoes, heat and humidity are too bad to do this in August. So, I am setting a date of Oct. 1-3 for the event. This will separate us from Westville by about 3 weeks so confliction should be minimal I hope. The event will be an early war recruiting event with speeches, militia musters, enlistment, voting for officers etc. This can have a mixture of military, militia and a large civilian aspect.

[John of the Skulkers Mess]

Sorry for a dumb question, but would this be at Hunter-Dawson?

Good chance for some to see the Riley overcoat....

[huntdaw]

Not a dumb question at all. Yes, it will be at Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site. You can get some info on the site at http://www.mostateparks.com/hunterdawson.htm.

[Rmhisteach]

Mike ,

You had me with I am putting on an event

RM

[Abrams]

I will don the gray wool for this event. :)

[Campjacksonboy]

Mike
I'm all over this one. I have a repro of the 1st Mo's flag I'll bring it.
The first time in 20 years I will have been able to use it in its proper context.
Frank

[Rmhisteach]

Mike are you going to raise more than one company??

RM

[huntdaw]

Rod,

The event will focus around the New Madrid boys that formed Co. I in the 1st MO. However, that leaves room for quite a few folks. Real companies had more men than most of our reenacting companies.

There will also be quite a bit of room for civilian roles and there will be room for some to portray men already in Confederate service having joined the 1st MO in Memphis before coming up to New Madrid.

Was there a particular reason why you were wanting to know about multiple companies?

[huntdaw]

Frank,

I didn't know you had a repro of the 1st MO flag. That is most excellent! At the end of the event I plan for us to march down Main St to the river which is what the real boys did. They boarded riverboats there and headed East; most to never return to their Missouri homes. That flag will look good in the column.

[Rmhisteach]

Mike,
Not really. does that mean that we will have the chance this time to be locals insteaqd of invaders. Ha HA

PS- I would be happy to purchase the coffe for this one.

[Campjacksonboy]

I'll post more "educated" stuff on this later but just an FYI. Joseph Boyce mentioned that they had British muskets. Ordnace Reports from their regiment and others (Namely the 5th Missouri) Suggest they were ".75 and .69 cal. British Muskets." Possibly some of the same ones captured by "Old Hickory." Himself at New Orleans. Around the time of Shiloh, Boyce mentions that the muskets were still flint. On that note last time I was at Grand Gulf, Mississippi they had one of these on display in the museum. However the entire lock and breach area were missing.
The Missourian's were there in '63 when Grant started his landing at Bruinsburg at the begining of the Vicksburg campaign. Although by '63 I know they had also been visited by Jefferson Davis and had been issued enfields by then.
For those of you that were at Lost Tribes, 2 men with Tom Yearby had converted British .75's and they were repro's. Part of the reason many of you didn't see me was that I was too busy geeking out over them.

Also I'd like to think that their Lt. Col. Rich was a man of my own heart. They called him "Lt. Col. Double Quick." (Another Missouri Squirrel on Mesquline) For those of you that have suffered an event with me or have been through one of my battalion drills this was the man who inspired me. He liked to drill the regiment at the Double Quick.
He was notorious for pulling officers out of line and making them command the regiment during the regimental drills. He was also known for his Chalk Board at officer's call and calling on various officers having them instruct the various evolutions...Woe to the man who could not perform. He was mortally wounded at Shiloh.

With your permission I'll go through my papers and share what I have here. Although their uniforms in the '61-'62 time frame seem to be a mystery there are a lot of clues about the rest of the material culture.

Mike if you want any help coming up with guidelines I will be glad to help out in anyway that I can. This regiment has been my true passion since I got into this hobby.

Frank Aufmuth

P.S...and the whistle came from them too.

[huntdaw]

Your help is always most welcome Frank. I'll get with you in the future and we'll hammer some guidelines out.

[Bill Cross]

Now if you were doing the 5th, I'd be there in a jot. My ancestors are 5th Missouri (CS) and 9th VA cavalry.

[huntdaw]

Well, the 5th and 1st ended up being brigaded together in 1862 and, with other Missouri units, formed one of the best all around fighting brigades on either side of the war.

[Bill Cross]

Reuben Chapman and his brother-in-law, John Thomas Adams, joined the 5th. Reuben died of measles, while John was mortally wounded at Kennesaw Mountain. Another brother, Alexander Campbell Chapman, joined the Arkansas cavalry. After the war, he married an Alabama woman and settled in Waxahatchie, TX.

[Lance Stifle]

Good morning Hunt
I'll be visiting the states from Australia for purely ACW reenactment events and trips to historical sites, from Sept-Oct 2010.

Your "Joining the First" event fits in nicely, I can be there appropriately uniformed/clothed etc, but will need a loaner long arm of some sort.
Is that possible?

Thanks for your consideration
"Lance Stifle"



Your help is always most welcome Frank. I'll get with you in the future and we'll hammer some guidelines out.

[huntdaw]

I'm sure I can fix you up with something weapon-wise.

[missourirelics]

Mike, let me know what I can do to help.

Paul Arnold

[Lance Stifle]

Thank you, I'll confirm more closer to the date, please consider me as being there.

"Lance Stifle"




I'm sure I can fix you up with something weapon-wise.

[David Dalton]

Im in... Ill play any roll you would like. I think some musicians could be a goodroll in the event?

DD

[huntdaw]

Just wanted to put a little info about how the organization will be for this.

Guidelines will be forthcoming in the near future but the breakdown will be that participants will have a choice of three impressions to choose from. You may do a 1st MO Inf. impression which will be an early war Confederate look, a New Madrid Guards impression which will be a civilian/state guard, pre-war militia look and a civilian impression. At this point, there is no limitation on how many can do any of the impressions. I would foresee only the New Madrid Guards being limited since we are portraying the men who formed Co. I so numbers will need to hopefully match but certainly not exceed the original.

There will be some patriotic speeches, plus one or two Unionist type stump tirades, the enlistment process, and drill as the Guards are taught some of the finer points of soldiering. A good sized civilian contingent is welcome at this since this would be an exciting time - the war is new, patriotism is high and there are dreams of valor and glory among many. General Bowen is here to raise men for the Confederacy, Governor Jackson is in town and New Madrid is an important place in 1861. Excitement is running high among among all involved.

The men that formed the 1st MO left a combat record equaled by few units in the Civil War from Shiloh to Corinth, Iuka, Champion Hill, Vicksburg, the Atlanta campaign, Franklin and finally Ft. Blakely at Mobile, where decimated by the war and few in number, they were overrun by superior forces. Although often overlooked, they were part of a brigade that served with great honor and were often looked to when times called for a true group of shock troops.

Joining the 1st will be held on the grounds of Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site, which is one of the facilities I manage for the Missouri State Park System. A little more info on the site can be found here:

http://www.mostateparks.com/hunterdawson.htm

[EasySam]

Sir,
I reenact in the 1st Mo Battalion. I think some of the men in our battalion and I would like very much to be a part of this. Any part where we are needed. I am a Major in this battalion and was Captain of Co. E 4th Missouri Regiment for 5 years. Of course you know the 4th was consolidated with the 1st. Missouri history in general and the Missouri Brigades in particular are my passion. We have an event planning meeting in January and if we are welcome I would put all my influence into supporting this. I think I could get a couple of dozen men & 1/2 a dozen women at the least. I would stress that there is no deviation from the guidelines whatsoever. We have some very good men.

[huntdaw]

Sam,

Anyone willing to meet the guidelines and work on an appropriate impression, will be welcome to attend the event. I would hope this event will have some special meaning for Missourians.

[moconfed]

Mike,
I know it's several months away, but let me know how I can help. I realize that there's a lot of behind the scene and prep work that needs to be done. I plan on keeping several days prior to the event open to assist you anyway I can with the grunt work.

Dan Hill

[Campjacksonboy]

Mike
We need drummers and fifers and they need to be used in making routine camp calls and etc. Those calls should be the "clock" of the camp.
According to Joseph Boyce:
The Regiment had a fife & drum corps made up of 20 boys 14 to 16 years in age.
According to the Kennerly scrapbook: James kennerly, the band master, would throw down his drum at Shiloh and seize a musket.

"The calls were the same as those used in the U.S. regular Army" (Boyce)

If any of you out there are drummers or fifers and you know the camp calls we need you.
Frank Aufmuth

[MarionRifles]

Any idea when a website will be up and running that would have all the military and civilian guidelines?This sounds like an event well worth going to.

[huntdaw]

Ron,

Don't know much about websites but I guess I could give it a go. Guidelines are being worked on and researched and are very close to being ready. We should be posting info by the first of the year.

Thanks for your interest in the event.

[mboyce]

Sounds like a great event. I hope to be able to make this one.

[Campjacksonboy]

Mr. Boyce
Are you any relation to Joseph Boyce?
Frank Aufmuth

[mboyce]

Mr. Boyce
Are you any relation to Joseph Boyce?
Frank Aufmuth

Not that I know of, most of my ancestors were coming out of Texas at that time. I'll have to look it up.