Perryville 2006 AAR

[Matt Woodburn]

Re: Perryville AAR

I'm tired of the discussion about Perryville, a mainstream event. Some people had fun, some didn't. I'm tired of mentioning the perforated paper from Albany New York as authentic. A ten year old capable of Googling could find out that is was a post Civil War product. (Try Joseph C. Gayetty's Medicated Paper 1857 for something correct even if it was not PEC). I am truly sorry for Terre's bad experience, but take it up on the Civilian forum here if it needs further discussion. This thread has run it's course. Go discuss some upcoming hardcore events. If you're truly a well read and researched student and have executed in the field, help some of new "campaign curious" (not gay bi curious - Mods edit this out if you think it should be) mainstream folks that have wandered in here. Mainstream folks, I spent 20 years on that side. I see how it fits in life and have no stone to cast. But it doesn't fit on this forum. There is an excellent forum that caters to that side of the hobby - www.cwreenactors.com. Go there as they'd love to have you. Come here with the intent to learn and leave any attitude at the door. If you can do that, you'll find plenty of guys on this side of the hobby and on my forums that will lend a hand to you just as they did me years ago. I'm closing this thread so we can all go do something productive.

Best Wishes to All!

[Old Reb]

Re: Perryville AAR

Mitch,
And this comes from someone that caused the Burger King in Mansfield, Louisiana to shut down after using their facilities? Give Pat a break. He has a great quote. I would venture to guess that if you went to the sinks over the log the results would not fit into a haversack, or even a double bag.

[fahtz]

Re: Perryville AAR

Patrick,
Thank you for pointing out that even the authentic camp with the ego squad had something wrong with it. It was what it was, everyone knew what they were getting into. And the purpose of the forum from the beging was to help others. There are other forums for the hardkewl ego squad to hang out on.

[Old Reb]

Re: Perryville AAR

I still don't see where using the restroom over a log qualifies as part of the authentic movement?

Patrick,
You have given us a classic quote that will be used for years. Congratulations! Now, if you could stuff the stuff you dumped over the log into your haversack, you would have the perfect haversack stuffer.

[John-Owen Kline]

Re: Perryville AAR

Shoudn’t pens and books get ''stuffed'' somewhere besides a privates haversack?

[btwils]

Re: Perryville AAR

This gets better all the time.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Perryville AAR

"...using the restroom over a log qualifies as part of the authentic movement?

Congrats for one of the best puns this forum has ever seen. ;)

[coastaltrash]

Re: Perryville AAR

I still don't see where using the restroom over a log qualifies as part of the authentic movement? Historically these two armies ran into one another at Perryville, I highly doubt constructing sinks was a major priority.

[flattop32355]

Re: Perryville AAR

And this forum is for those folks who have gotten off the fence! So, I hope the moderators will take note of that.
Jim Butler

Just for clarity's sake: Are you saying that I should not post here?

YHS,

[Jerry Gouge]

Re: Perryville AAR

I am ever impressed by the in-camp sutlery that Mr. Dunfee and his pards of the AoP put together. It really adds to the event and allows us to pick up some correctly packaged haversack stuffers. I was able to pick up another (I have a thing for pens) Patent Jan. 3, 1860 dipping pen, some Perforated Paper made by Albany Perforated Wrapping Paper Co. - Albany, NY (just the thing for those nice sinks we had in camp) and one Charles Bartholomae's Army Folding Knife, Fork and Spoon Combination (extra nice quality and better than you typically find on sutler row and now I will not feel compelled to carry my original knife spoon combo). If you have not fallen in with the AoP it is worth the price of admission just to go to their sutler and participate in a ration issue. Everything is packaged in period correct packaging (or as close to it as we can get in these modern times). Also Dom DalBello wrote some of the books on battalion drill and participating in one of the good Colonel's drills is a great learning experience.

The SCAR company (company A) did a great job as always. Each time we serve together we seem to form a firmer bond. It is good to work in a company with alot of familiar faces. The familiarity adds to the comraderie and fun, with everyone kidding each other in a good humored way. It is good to see officers and NCOs rotated at each event so that people progress on the learning curve. Shared leadership makes sense and just seems to work.

[Alamo Guard]

Re: Perryville AAR

So besides that what did you think of the event? How about some stories of what you enjoyed and would like to see in the future and we can put down the mud we are slinging?

[PogueMahone]

Re: Perryville AAR

Jerry,

You make a good argument.

On the other hand, I think it is good that this issue has come to the surface for people to discuss. Sometimes you have to air dirty laundry.

[The Egyptian Homeguard]

Re: Perryville AAR

I think calling anyone who didin't attend with unit x or y a mainstreamer is painting with a pretty broad brush. I didn't come with the AoP, because I don't have a Federal impression...

Derek, With that said, this discussion wouldn't apply to you since you don't have a Fed. impression and did C.S. at Perryville. IF you had fallen in as a Federal with the "Union Brigade" and not with the AoP then you would have been subject to this debate. I agree with Joe and Jim on this topic. Just so you know where I'm coming from on this, I marched with Western Brigade at several events between 92' and 98' then I marched with the AoP for two years before starting to ride as a courier/escort with/for the AoP command which I have been doing for the last four years.

It doesn't matter if you have a totally hand-sewn kit, sleep on the ground with no tents, and look like you walked out of 1862, if you are still in a mainstream mindset then your'e still mainstream. I have several friends in the Western Brigade that have good kits but they refuse to leave their friends who will not progress, therefore they are stuck in mainstream as they to refuse to progress, in this case past their friends impressions... a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, in this case our chain is our impressions, our comrades and our mindsets. We are not the best at what we do (that would have been the original boys from the 1860's,) but we're a damn close second. When ration issuse are Division wide, there are no cots for the enlisted, everyone can march in with what they can carry (in one trip), and there are no longer dead animal parts on hats and uniforms, then we will actually be making progress in the hobby as a whole...
Sincerely, TEH

[Jerry Gouge]

Re: Perryville AAR

Jerry,

Some guy on the "other forum" trumpeted that Perryville was a great example of mainstream and progressive combining in the field and everyone getting along. He pointed to this thread on the AC as his evidence of such. So, I come over here and read this and find mainstreamers boasting of mainstream deeds.

That guy thinks that, because these people are posting over here, all these posters are progressives. How many others think that? Obviously, many of the posters here think the same thing.

I think it needs to be clarified. That's all.

Derek,

Yes, it is a broad brush. I usually don't do that. But the plank is wide and I need to cover as much surface as I can at one time.

No huge or hidden agenda here. Just trying to get the truth out there.

I have not been monitoring the other forums. I understand where you are coming from. I am not concerned with what others call themselves. Joe you and I know what we are and how we go about it, shouldn't that be enough? Unless people go to the TAGs, Fighting Withdrawals, Pickett's Mills, Outposts, Port Gibsons, Immortal 600s, AoP at Perryville, etc. it will be difficult for them to understand. Our picking at them and denigrating their efforts will only serve to close their ears. If we describe our experiences to such an extent that it piques their curiosity they may venture out to join us and find out what we are talking about. Then and only then will they know the difference. Until then as long as each of us feels that we are progressing toward being more authentic the hobby is moving forward. To me that is a good thing. Would I like the progression to move faster, yes. But everyone moves at their own pace. Sometimes I think we make things too difficult for others. We do not think about how long it took for us to reach our epiphany. We want others to transform immediately and condemn them for not seeing everything as we do. All we can do is be the best we can be, consult and answer questions when people inquire and create an environment at the events and portions of events we control that leads others to want to move toward our end of the reenactor authenticity continuum. Bit by bit, day by day.

[coastaltrash]

Re: Perryville AAR

Gee and sometimes campaigners wonder why others think we're difficult to work with. All folks need to say in this stuff is the opinion of an event, but it turns into "No we're better, YOU SUCK!" type pre school garbage that makes me want to sell the closet full of stuff that ties me to this part time idiotfest.