Funny Anecdotes

[DougCooper]

At such a long event with so many players, there must be some hysterical moments. My favorite had to involve Cody Mobley and Micah Ables of Co C, 15th Texas. Now Cody is a man of few words who makes a living punching cows and making great uniforms and equipment. He marched most of the event without heels on either shoe while carrying the flag.

At the halt on Thursday at the top of a hill around noon (during the evac of the federal with the bad med reaction) Cody sat whittling happily on a piece of wood, sharpening it to a fine point with a truly nice period knife. Due to some comment I assume (or maybe not) from Micah, Cody reached over and jabbed the point of the piece of wood into Micah's thigh.

Micah was startled at the sudden pain and inquired what the heck it was that Cody had been whittling.

Cody calmly replied "Its a poke stick."

[Old Reb]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

It is a Ground Hornet thing. We usually play such games with knives.

[Alamo Guard]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

We had great fun watching a small dog try to battle with the chickens in the civilian camp. The poor dog was getting his butt whipped on a regular basis by those chickens and kept coming back for more.
We would be in the middle of conversation see the dog approach the chickens, stop the conversation, watch the dog get chased off, then resume the conversation and never miss a beat.
Don't ask what happened when he tangled with the oxen.

[Old Reb]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

One of my favorite moment was after the last battle Sunday morning and Yanks and Rebs were marching in columns together down a Forest Serivce Road and in good spirits and singing and all and then they were led off that good Forest Service Road down an old log road with many fallen pine trees across it and pioneers were called forward with axes to clear the road for the wagons. The singing stopped.

[Stephen Johns]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

I guess mine was on Wednesday Night, Col. Aufmuth and I went to the Federal camp to parlay with the enemy about a few details we had to work out. After our talk we slipped into the federal camp and actually spoke to some of our pards in blue. But the nights there were so dark no one (except our pards) knew we were actually CS. When we started to leave we asked a federal picket where the trail was and he asked what unit we were with. I said 81st Ill. He then asked what company and I replied Co. I, Marek's comany. While this was going on Col. Aufmuth was looking for the trail. The fedral then asked who our commander was just as Frank said here is the trail, lets go! The federal had actually approached me and felt my sword belt buckle and said "you boys look confederate!" We quickly made our way up the trail and out of the federal camp and back to our own lines before we were captured and had to spend the whole event as POW's.

[DougCooper]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

Saturday morning the wagons pulled out and we suddenly realized that we had left some of the Colonel's baggage behind in the sand. Sgt Major Ox Johnson and Pvt Jake Bekstrand took off at the dead run with baggage in hand. Ox drew his sword and with revolver in one hand and sword in the other ran down the hill, over the creek and up the other side screaming "stop that wagon" with Jake carrying the stuff on his head at full tilt as well. I can only imagine the look on the driver's face when he turned around and saw the assault from the rear The wagon quickly came to a halt, baggage was deposited and both returned to cheers and laughter.

Greg Boothroyd of the Lazy Jacks remarked that normally Ox did not go that fast unless pie was involved. :D

[Cottoncarder]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

We had great fun watching a small dog try to battle with the chickens in the civilian camp

Indeed it was hysterical watching Tad with one ear up and one ear down approach, then get his floggings over and over again. Another funny episode was when one curious hen sauntered over to Mizz Terre's cup sitting on the ground next to her and first peer in with one eye, then cocked her head and peered in with the other; then satisfied strolled off as if she had just been chaperoning the whole situation.

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

Though I was not physically there, Tom and my other Hornet comrades have informed me of the deeds of one Sean Harla, a stout lad marching in the Ground Hornet/Lazy Jack company. They seem worthy of mention here.

A few days into the event, Sean was standing behind a teen-aged Brit, a red-headed fellow. Somehow in bringing his piece to the ground from shoulder to order arms, Sean's Enfield discharged. In bringing the piece down, Sean's slouch hat tumbled from his head. So within the space of a second, Sean's hat fell off and his rifle discharged. The blast blew a hole in the rear of the crown of the hat and came near to blowing off the red-headed Brit's ear. Those watching said the Britisher fell over as if shot and Sean immediately dove to his rescue. The silk lining in his Bender smoldered for a while and the Brit was deafened in one ear for the better part of a day but the lad brushed it off as the cost of doing business. A day later, when the armies passed the civilian world up at Oak/Corral Camp, the locals dished out edibles to the Secesh boys. Sean got a large boiler full of piping hot chicken soup and had it held in front of him. Focusing on the provisions and not the column, Sean failed to see that a halt had been called and plowed into the young red-head, scalding him with soup. Having been assaulted twice, the young boy demanded to know what Sean had against "the ginger hairs" (as red-heads are apparently referred to in distant lands) and finished by saying, "just throw me down and piss on me then."

Though Sean is a heck of a soldier, he is not one to have behind you when rifles are loaded or hot soup has been dispensed.

[Michael Comer]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

I and others in Co. A under the gallant Capt. Tucker got a pretty good laugh when he announced to us as we formed up nice and straight before the morning's march on Friday I believe, that he had his shoes on the wrong feet. And indeed he did. It helped explain why he kept getting his directions backwards when giving orders. He was ribbed unmercifully for that one for a while.

[Cottoncarder]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

Having been assaulted twice, the young boy demanded to know what Sean had against "the ginger hairs" (as red-heads are apparently referred to in distant lands) and finished by saying, "just throw me down and piss on me then."

To quote one of my favorite comedians, "Now, that there's funny I don't care who you are." Being of a like circumstances (though now a bit faded), I remember well the copper haired fine young man with the Lazy Jacks.

[DougCooper]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

I and others in Co. A under the gallant Capt. Tucker got a pretty good laugh when he announced to us as we formed up nice and straight before the morning's march on Friday I believe, that he had his shoes on the wrong feet. And indeed he did. It helped explain why he kept getting his directions backwards when giving orders. He was ribbed unmercifully for that one for a while.

Actually the funniest tactical thing I saw was Sunday morning when he gave one of your platoons a fire by file command while you were in skirmish order. Had the Yanks noticed it they could have scooped all of you up before anyone could re-load. We chalked it up to the excitement.

That was also the fight where we retreated in the face of the Yanks surge down the hill. Not being used to seeing our backsides, the proud Suckers began braying and clucking like a barnyard gone mad. Chalk that up to 4 days of retrograde - and lots of spirit.

[hooyahmicah]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

A few days into the event, Sean was standing behind a teen-aged Brit, a red-headed fellow. Somehow in bringing his piece to the ground from shoulder to order arms, Sean's Enfield discharged. In bringing the piece down, Sean's slouch hat tumbled from his head. So within the space of a second, Sean's hat fell off and his rifle discharged. The blast blew a hole in the rear of the crown of the hat and came near to blowing off the red-headed Brit's ear. Those watching said the Britisher fell over as if shot and Sean immediately dove to his rescue. The silk lining in his Bender smoldered for a while and the Brit was deafened in one ear for the better part of a day but the lad brushed it off as the cost of doing business. A day later, when the armies passed the civilian world up at Oak/Corral Camp, the locals dished out edibles to the Secesh boys. Sean got a large boiler full of piping hot chicken soup and had it held in front of him. Focusing on the provisions and not the column, Sean failed to see that a halt had been called and plowed into the young red-head, scalding him with soup. Having been assaulted twice, the young boy demanded to know what Sean had against "the ginger hairs" (as red-heads are apparently referred to in distant lands) and finished by saying, "just throw me down and piss on me then."

Though Sean is a heck of a soldier, he is not one to have behind you when rifles are loaded or hot soup has been dispensed.

I remember coming to a stop before a bend and taking a knee. There was a shot directly behind me and I whipped around just in time to see Adam Hammersley do a deadfall to his side with Sean dropping his rifle and leaping for him. After that, I went to look for the creek, but word is Adam hopped up and said 'Com'on boys, what are we waiting on?' I'm sure there was a 'Cheers!' to be heard at the end of that, too.

All night long Cody teased Sean about ginger-haired genocide...and then the soup! I think it was more a problem of going down the wrong pipe than being scalding hot, but we were halted when Sean just spewed soup all over Adam's back. That's when Adam turned around and told him to go ahead and piss on him. Sean denied, but one of the Lazy Jacks tried to take him up on his offer in Sean's place.

The best part about it was that Adam loved his first trip to America...despite the repeated attempts of harm. After every incident, I'd ask Adam how he was liking America and he had nothing but good things to say.

[hooyahmicah]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

Actually the funniest tactical thing I saw was Sunday morning when he gave one of your platoons a fire by file command while you were in skirmish order. Had the Yanks noticed it they could have scooped all of you up before anyone could re-load. We chalked it up to the excitement.

Our dear 1st Sgt. called for a fire by platoon when we were the far right flank of the Confederate line, not 30 yards from the enemy. As soon as we fired, they charged and we charged and...well, our platoon was all captured or killed.

[Footslogger]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

Yeah I did kind of have an ulterior motive for that move.
It didn't seem like we would get to meet up with the other side, and after all that travelling I wanted to meet as many of you good folk as possible, so when we were ordered to "sweep them off the hill" I saw my chance and once at the top got captured, And I must admit I had a great time as a prisoner all conversation was kept to a period context even having to explain why us brits were fighting for the Rebels.
Fortunately for me a chance to escape arose a while later, so I had to hot foot it a bit sharpish and got back to my Company.
It really was a fantastic event, Now I have finally recovered I would do it again tomorrow.

Regards
SteveB.

[JustRob]

Re: Funny Anecdotes

One of my favorites was the encounter between the Federal column and the Preacher.

In the course of his pitch, the preacher made a rather derogatory reference to "Papists".

This Papist color sergeant (& former Jesuit seminarian) was quick to respond that "he would rather be a member of a church founded on the Rock of St. Peter than the balls of Henry VIII."

All's fair in love & war.