2010 Unit Event Information
These events fall into one of the following categories:
they are progressive; they include a significant progressive element; we host them; or at a couple of smaller events, we provide the significant progressive element.
March 19-21 Bentonville - 145th Anniversary
Location: Bentonville battlefield
Event website: http://www.bentonville145.com/
Rationale: Battlefield preservation; large event, for the large army "feel"; the last major battle (& Confederate victory); exact historical dates
Registration: $10 to the orderly by January 27
All proceeds from this event go directly to the Bentonville Battlefield Historical Association for preservation of the battlefield.
Historical Framework: Carolinas Campaign, March 19-21, 1865
Unit Portrayed: Nutt's Louisiana Company, attached to 10th Texas Infantry
The Red River Rangers were organized at Shreveport LA in 1861 as an independent cavalry company, commanded by Capt. L. M. Nutt. The unit operated as cavalry in the District of Arkansas until part of the men were captured at Arkansas Post Jan. 11, 1863.
The portion not captured became Company G, 3rd LA Cavalry. After being released from military prison, Nutt and the portion that had been captured served the remainder of the war in the Army of Tennessee.
Long before the Battle of Bentonville the company had been attached to Col. R. Q. Mills' 10th Texas Infantry. Through capture, change of department, consolidation, and conversion to infantry service, and assignment to a Texas regiment, the unit retained its identity as Nutt's Louisiana Company. A soldier account refers to their designation as Company L, and indicates that they were frequently used as a skirmish company, no doubt in recognition of their skill, and as a means of preserving their identity.
Uniform & Equipment Guidelines:
*Uniform should look ragged and dirty. Avoid using new items or clothing in good condition.*
Coat/jacket: 1) Southern depot shell jacket (Atlanta, Columbus, Peter Tait; Milledgeville); 2) Civilian coat/jacket; 3) Federal sack coat
Trousers: 1) Civilian; 2) CS issue
Shoes: 1) Confederate issue; 2) Civilian
Headgear: 1) Civilian slouch hat; 2) CS kepi
Accoutrements: 1) Confederate issue; 2) English imports; 3) Federal issue
Haversack: 1) Civilian; 2) Field manufacture; 3) Confederate issue
Knapsack: 1) Blanket roll strongly preferred; 2) Imported; 3) Confederate issue
Canteen: 1) Wooden; 2) Tin drum; 3) US smoothside/bullseye
Weapon: 1) Enfield; 2) Springfield; 3) 1842 Smoothbore - issued to replace lost or damaged Enfields. **No 2-bands--forbidden by the event.**
Blanket: 1) Civilian coverlet or jeancloth blanket; 2) Confederate issue; 3) Federal issue
Groundcloth: 1) Civilian ground sheet or floor cloth; 2) Rain fly or scrap piece of canvas; 3) Confederate issue
May 14-16 Resaca GA
Event Website: http://www.georgiadivision.org/bor_reenactment.html
Rationale:
Registration: $10 registration to the orderly by April 25
Unit Portrayed: Company G, 9th Kentucky (t
Historical Framework: Army of Tennessee, May 1864
Impression Guidelines:
Coat/Jacket: 1) Columbus depot jacket strongly preferred; 2) 4 button style jacket; 3) Civilian coat
Trousers: 1) CS issue; 2) Civilian
Headgear: 1) Civilian slouch hat; 2) Confederate issue kepi
Shoes: 1) Confederate issue; 2) Canvas; 3) Civilian shoes
Accoutrements: 1) Atlanta depot (encouraged); 2) Contract; 3) Federal issue (limited use)
Haversack: 1) CS issue; 2) Civilian
Canteen: 1) Tin drum; 2) Wooden; 3) Smoothside
Knapsack: 1) Blanket roll strongly preferred; 2) Confederate manufactured (ex. Augusta pack); 3) Imported English, French
Weapon: 1) 1853 Enfield (strongly preferred); 2) 1861 Springfield
Blanket: 1) CS issue; 2) Civilian coverlet or blanket; 3) Federal issue
Groundcloth: 1) CS issue; 2) Rubber blanket
May 29-30 Elkhorn City KY
Rationale: Fight in the woods on an island in a river
Registration: $8 to the orderly by April 1
Unit Portrayed: Company B, 5th Confederate Infantry
Organized at Memphis Oct. 5, 1861, Col. L. M. Walker's regiment consisted of 1 Florida, 1 Kentucky, 4 Alabama, and 4 Arkansas companies. It was mistakenly designated the 40th Tennessee Infantry, and appears in many records as such. An Feb. 25, 1862 order re-designated it as Walker's 5th Confederate Infantry (not to be confused with James A. Smith's 5th Confederate Infantry). The regiment served around Island No. 10 and west Tennessee until its capture in April 1862. Once paroled and exchanged, the companies were reassigned to other regiments.
Francis A. Ragsdale's Company B, the Kentucky company, was organized in Sept. 1861. It served with the 5th Confederate until it was reassigned as Company 8th Kentucky K, 8th Kentucky Mounted Infantry.
Historical Framework: Island No. 10
Impression Guidelines: See the early war guidelines on the Authenticity page.
Location: Richm0nd Battlefield (http://www.battleofrichmond.org/)
Rationale: An untrained soldier is not a soldier. If you are a Greys member or prospective member and even slightly alive on these dates, be there.
Registration: Free (the host welcomes donations to the battlefield)
Unit Portrayed: Company G, 5th/9th Kentucky (the original Breckinridge Greys)
Historical Framework: Camp Boone, September 1861
Uniform & Equipment Guidelines:
Coat/jacket: 1) Civilian sack coat; 2) Frock coat; 3) Commutation/militia/old army jacket; 4) Overshirt/battleshirt
Trousers: 1) Civilian; 2) Old army/militia
Shoes: 1) Civilian pattern; 2) Confederate issue
Headgear: 1) Civilian slouch hat; 2) Old army/militia headgear; 3) CS kepi
Accoutrements: 1) Old army/militia; 2:) Civilian shot bags; 3) Pockets/haversack
Haversack: 1) Civilian; 2) Old army/militia
Knapsack: 1) Blanket roll; 2) Old army/militia
Canteen: 1) Tin drum; 2) Wooden; 3) US smoothside/bullseye
Weapon: 1) Old flintlock, shotgun, squirrel rifle; 2) Foreign musket; 3) 1842 Springfield; 4) Other common WBTS musket
Blanket: 1) Civilian; 2) Old army/militia issue
Groundcloth: 1) Civilian groundsheet, either painted or painted with linseed oil
August 28-29 Richmond KY - MAX EFFORT
Event Website: http://www.battleofrichmond.org/reenactment.htm
Rationale:
This was one of the largest and most significant battles in Kentucky, and the most complete victory of any field battle in the war. Fought on original battlefield. Central location; ability to have a sizeable progressive presence.
Registration: $5 to the orderly by August 1
Unit Portrayed: Company A, 10th Texas Cavalry (dismounted)
We will portray specific actions of the 10th Texas Cavalry (d), which was originally raised as cavalry, but was permanently dismounted in April 1862 to serve as infantry.
Historical Framework: Battle, August 29-30, 1862
As Maj. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith's Army of Kentucky advanced from Barboursville, Col. John S. Scott's cavalry routed federals at London and Big Hill. Early on Aug. 30, Gen. Pat Cleburne encountered the Union forces of Gen. Mahlon Manson, deployed his division, and sent the Buckner Guards, a Kentucky cavalry company, forward "to find the enemy". After a 2 hour artillery duel and skirmishing, Gen. Thomas J. Churchill's division arrived and turned the Union right, forcing the federals to a new position at White's farm, 2 miles away.
T. H. McCray's brigade of Churchill's division repulsed a federal counterattack there, then charged and put the bluecoats to flight as Cleburne's troops arrived. Maj. Gen. William Nelson arrived to take command of the federal army.
After marching 2 more miles, Evander McNair's brigade of Churchill took position on the left, while Preston Smith brought Cleburne's division up at the double quick, forming "with wonderful precision and rapidity" on the right. The cavalry rode to the left to get in rear of Richmond to cut off the federal retreat. Nelson's troops were driven from the field in the greatest confusion and disorder, darkness closing the battle.
Nelson escaped, but US killed and wounded numbered 1050. CS losses totaled 600. Smith's army captured 4303 prisoners besides the wounded, 9 cannon, 10,000 small arms, and large quantities of stores.
Impression Guidelines:
Coat/Jacket: 1) Civilian coat; 2) Commutation jacket; 3) Frock coat
Trousers: 1) Civilian
Shoes: 1) Civilian pattern; 2) Confederate issue
Headgear: 1) Civilian hat; 2) CS kepi
Accoutrements: 1) Confederate issue; 2) US Army issue
Haversack: 1) Civilian; 2) Confederate issue; 3) US Army issue
Knapsack: 1) Blanket roll; 2) Confederate issue; 3) US Army issue
Canteen: 1) Tin drum; 2) Wooden; 3) US smoothside/ bulls eye
Weapon: 1) 1842 Springfield; 2) Foreign musket; 3) Springfield or Enfield
Blanket: 1) Civilian; 2) US Army issue
Ground Cloth: 1) Civilian ground sheet either painted, or painted with linseed oil; 2) US Army rubber poncho or ground cloth
September 10-12 Out-post (Rome GA)
Event website: http://www.westernindependentgrays.org/beforebreakout/index.htm
Registration: Individually (see the event website)
Unit Portrayed: 45th Alabama
Historical Framework: The period between Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain
Impression Requirements: See the event website.
If you are interested and have questions or need help with equipment for this one, contact Chad or Brian.
October 2-3 Perryville KY
Event Website: http://www.perryvillereenactment.org/
Rationale:
This was the largest, most significant campaign & battle in Kentucky, commemorated on the actual ground of one of the best preserved battlefields in the nation.
Registration: $7 to the orderly by June 26, or $10 to the orderly by September 11. All registration fees go directly to battlefield preservation.
Unit Portrayed: Quartermaster, 7th Arkansas (see the event website for unit information)
Historical Framework: Major battle, October 8, 1862
Impression Guidelines -Listed from most to least preferred:
Coat/Jacket: 1) Jean frock coat; 2) Civilian coat; 3) Commutation jacket
Trousers: 1) Civilian; 2) Confederate issue
Shoes: 1) Confederate issue; 2) Civilian; 3) Federal issue
Headgear: 1) Civilian hat; 2) Confederate kepi; 3) Federal kepi
Accoutrements: 1) Confederate issue; 2) Federal issue
Haversack: 1) Confederate issue; 2) Federal issue; 3) Civilian
Knapsack: 1) Blanket roll; 2) Confederate issue; 3) Federal issue
Canteen: 1) Smooth side/bulls eye; 2) Tin drum; 3) Wooden
Weapon: 1) Enfield; 2) 1861 Springfield; 3) 1842 Springfield
Blankets: 1) Confederate issue; 2) Federal issue ; 3) Civilian
Ground Cloth: 1) Confederate issue; 2) Federal rubber poncho or ground cloth; 3) Civilian ground sheet
October 16-17 Camp Wildcat/London KY
Event Website: http://www.wildcatreenactment.org/
Rationale: Battlefield preservation; location
Registration: $5 to the orderly by September 18
Unit Portrayed: 20th Tennessee
Historical Framework: Camp Wildcat, October 20-21, 1861; London, August 17, 1862
Action at Camp Wildcat, October 20-21, 1861
Easily ascertained from the numbers present and the casualty rate of less than 1% for either side, the action at Camp Wildcat was not a pitched battle by any definition, but rather a reconnaissance in force. Gen. Felix K. Zollicoffer's brigade advanced through London, somewhat hindered for lack of subsistence and transportation. Reaching the federals' entrenched camp on Rockcastle Hills, they reconnoitered the federal position on the 21st for several hours.
The federal force there consisted of the post under command of Col. T. T. Garrard, reinforced by the brigade of Gen. Albin Schoepf, together numbering 7000. Most of Zollicoffer's 5400 men were not engaged. Confederate losses amounted to 11 killed & 42 wounded, primarily in the 17th Tennessee Infantry. Scheopf reported 4 killed & 18 wounded. Zollicoffer also claimed 21 prisoners. Having consumed all the forage in the country and finding the union position strong, Zollicoffer withdrew the next day.
Action at London, August 17, 1862
Col. L. C. Houk with 200 men of the 3rd Tennessee Infantry (US) was attacked by about 800 Confederate cavalry under Col. John S. Scott. US forces, acting in two bodies, were summarily driven and both nearly surrounded. During the fighting a herd of government horses stampeded the federal line, crippling several. The Confederate cavalry captured 130 wagons in the action.
Houk retreated 3 miles northwest, regrouped until the next night, than marched to Cumberland Gap with 160 men, leaving another 20 behind along the way. On orders to join Houk, 98 convalescents on a train near London were captured by Scott, who also took 4 more wagons, stores, and regimental records.
Confederate losses were 35. Federal casualties totaled 40, plus the 98 captured on the train, plus 20 missing on the march to Cumberland Gap.
Impression Guidelines: See the early war guidelines on the Authenticity page.