TThhee RRiifflleemmeenn’’ss SSttaannddaarrdd Volume VII ♦ ♦ ♦ October & November 2013 (1863) ♦ ♦ ♦ No. 7 The Official Newsletter of the PALMETTO RIFLEMEN & NEW YORK ZOUAVES Palmetto (S.C.) Sharpshooters & 17th N.Y. Veteran Volunteers Volume VI, No. 7 The Riflemen’s Standard Thursday, November 7th, 2013 Volume VII, No. 7 Thursday, November 7th, 2013 The “Rifleman’s Standard” is the monthly publication of the “Palmetto Riflemen” & “New York Zouaves,” a group of American Civil War Living Historians and Reenactors, it is sent out via e-mail the first Thursday of each month. All submissions are welcome, and should be sent to the Editor. CONTENTS OF THE STANDARD Quote . 2 From the Field Desk – Captain K. Robison . 2 Comments from the Company Commander Attention to Orders . 2 Announcements, notices, advertisements, and other items of interest Marching Orders – Events Schedule . 2 – 3 Upcoming events and activities for the year The Soldiers Sprit – Andrew Jerram . 3 – 4 An article on what a reenactor can do to improve their impression Company Songster – The List of Generals . 4 – 5 Period music, songs, and poetry, written prior to January of 1865 Company Classroom – The Battle of Balaclava, 1854 . 5 – 7 Historical articles about people, places, or events prior to January of 1865 After Action Reports . 7 – 8 Reports from reenactments, living histories, etc., from unit members COMPANY STAFF Captain Kenneth H. Robison II [email protected]; (803) 345 - 2025 1st Sergeant Matthew E. Wilbanks [email protected]; (864) 638 - 7598 Corporal Charles E. Ferguson [email protected] Civilian Coordinator Cynthia Lampley [email protected] Company Website – http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scprnyz/MainPage.html On the Cover: Private Earl Thomas, 9th N.Y. & 17th N.Y. Veterans, Memorial Day in 1932 Company C, Palmetto Sharpshooters Regiment, & Company H, 17th N.Y. Veteran Volunteers Page 1 Volume VI, No. 7 The Riflemen’s Standard Thursday, November 7th, 2013 “I hope to live long enough to see my surviving comrades Fez - $40; Trousers - $70. Turnaround time on production march side by side with the Union veterans along Pennsylvania of the uniform, if the materials are on-hand, is about four to Avenue, and then I will die happy.” six weeks. When having your measurements taken it is General James Longstreet, Memorial Day Parade in 1902. important that the measurements are correct. It is suggested that you have someone else measure you to be sure. For more information contact Michael Zatarga at ♦ ♦ FROM THE FIELD DESK ♦ ♦ [email protected]. Greetings All! To Arms! Recruiting for the Company. Pardon the delay in the issuing of the October newsletter of Do you know of someone who is interested the company; due to several unexpected delays I was unable to in Reenacting or the American Civil War? release the newest edition. As a result this edition is being sent If so take a few moments to talk with them about the hobby, out now as a joint October-November edition. if they show an interest invite them to come out and join us for an event. New recruits are always welcomed into the A few events are still remaining on the calendar for the Company, and we will be glad to get them get involved. The 2013 (1863) year, among those are the Veterans Day Parade company has recruiting flyers and brochures available for and the Battle of Fort McAllister in December. As such we members use; these can be taken and placed at local have begun planning for the 2014 (1864) term, anyone with libraries, school, civic centers, and other public places. suggestions for battles, living histories, encampments, or camps Anyone interested in obtaining the materials or more of instruction is encouraged to submit them. The annual unit information on how to do recruit contact Captain Robison at business meeting will be taking place February 1st & 2nd this [email protected]. year rather than in January, the meeting will be both a living history and a candlelight tour in addition to the meeting, all members are encouraged to be present, more details will be sent out regarding the meeting and event later on. The thoughts and prayers of all are asked for the mother of our comrade Matt Youmans of the 3rd New Hampshire as well as to the Grandfather of Elizabeth Fogle, both of whom are currently in the hospital and that it is our sincere desire that they both recover soon. I look forward to seeing all of you in the field soon. Until then, Toujours Pret! ♦ ♦ MARCHING ORDERS ♦ ♦ Kenneth H. Robison II, Captain, Palmetto Riflemen & New York Zouaves. The following is the event schedule of the company, covering the next six months. If you are aware of an event that should be added to this listing, email the information to ♦ ♦ ATTENTION TO ORDERS ♦ ♦ [email protected]. Hawkins Zouave Uniforms. The Hawkins The events are indicated by date and the name of the Zouave Uniforms of the company are available event. Any event marked with a (+) represents a Company for purchase by company members. The package includes the Maximum Effort Event. A maximum effort event is an fez, sash, gaiters, jacket, vest, and trousers; the price for the set event that all members of the company are encouraged to be will be $350 or purchased individually at the prices listed as present at and take part in. follows: Jacket - $200; Vest - $40; Sash - $40; Gaiters - $25; Company C, Palmetto Sharpshooters Regiment, & Company H, 17th N.Y. Veteran Volunteers Page 2 Volume VI, No. 7 The Riflemen’s Standard Thursday, November 7th, 2013 ♠ November 2013 (1863) ♠ move out of it. Comfort shared 3rd place with convenience. 8th to 10th: Battle of Battery Wagner, So. Carolina Soldiers were known to spend time mud-daubing chimneys in winter huts, but then not bothering to change them when Sun., 10th: Veterans Day Parade, Greenwood, So. Carolina it is discovered that it flooded the hut with smoke. Mon., 11th: Veterans Day Parade, Columbia, So. Carolina Cleanliness and appearance both have a strange distinction Fri., 15th: School Tour in Hephzibah, Georgia in that to some soldiers they meant quite a good deal, while to others they meant little or nothing. Some fastidious ♠ December 2013 (1863) ♠ soldiers were known to wash religiously at every camp with 6th to 8th: Battle of Congaree Creek, So. Carolina water available while some would let a shirt rot to pieces on 14th: Wreath’s Across America, Florence, So. Carolina their body for the lack of taking it off. (+) 13th to 15th: Battle of Ft. McAllister, Georgia So how can we apply attitudes such as these to our impression? First of all, we need to be realistic with ourselves. We can never fully portray a Civil War soldier's misery until we suffer dysentery in lieu of a porta potty and toilet paper, and scratch graybacks as we skim maggots from a hardtack and coffee mix. We shouldn't however roll in the mud like children to “get ready” for an event. Why ever would a real soldier have done this? He wouldn't. Would they get dirty, yes. Would many of them wash off what they could, when they could? Yes. So leave the Chickamauga dust in the uniform, and the Grant vs. Lee THE SOLDIER’S SPIRIT mudstain can stay on the bottoms of your trousers. So many reenactors try to portray a “Devil-may-care” By Andrew Jerram, Georgia Volunteer Battalion attitude toward their impression, especially Confederates. Their evidences for this type of impression are accounts of To allay any suspicions, this article has nothing to do with observers of the army on the march. This impression is not séances, or the paranormal. To an extent, it has nothing to do altogether unfounded, but we need to temper this style with with religion, either. Instead, this article is intended to shed the realization that although they were not professional some light on the mentality of the common Civil War Soldier. I soldiers, within a year or so, they were among the best am only 18 and I have never been in the military. But I have armies that ever had, (or ever will) march the earth. Both spoken with many veterans of many wars and the similarities armies became adept at drill and the routine of army life. between their experiences led me to consider the parallels of Most did not like it, but the preponderance of soldiers their experiences and those of the millions of soldiers in the settled in to the grim task of seeing the war through to its War Between the States. completion. But how, and what did the average soldier think about? To What, ultimately, must be done to better portray the guess, we can look at diaries, letters, and the contemporary men who did it for real? experiences of our veterans. Several priorities show in many soldier's correspondence. First, came the stomach. Napoleon 1) Let's get the drill knocked out. I believe that units said: “an army moved on its stomach.” Getting sufficient food should practice drill every event at least. On top of this, was a priority for both sides. Hunger pains were alleged to effort should be made to form with other units so that some “wrack the body,” and “despair the spirit.” Next, came sleep. experience can be had with battalion and brigade sized Soldiers had, (and still have) a propensity for being able to formations, when possible. sleep anywhere, anytime, and under any conditions. Stories abound of soldiers sleeping in standing water, being too tired to Company C, Palmetto Sharpshooters Regiment, & Company H, 17th N.Y. Veteran Volunteers Page 3 Volume VI, No.