After Action Reports

Finished last minute packing, and headed on to Crockett, via TX-7, a good omen for the weekend. After arrival, and looking for a good place to camp, fell into the Lane family’s camp area, and began setting up. After a bit, the Paynters arrived, followed closely by Mike Kientzle, his son and Tonya Gardner. We got all set up, and began to count folks, finding quite a good turnout for the 7^th . Present for duty were:

Sgt Paynter, Trp. Lee, Trp. Glass, Trp Kientzle, Bobby and Frankie Wyatt, Along with, Trevor, Nathan, Byron and Stuart Lane, and in their company came Trp. Cooper.

Thus, we fielded 11 men, and 1 officer for duty. After quite a bit of hammering and sweating, Trp’s Glass and Lee managed to excavate a fire pit from the bricks, known as the ground in those parts….That complete, we turned in for the night.

Woke early, and started the day. I had some breakfast, and went to officer’s call.

After that, returned to camp, and had weapons inspection and roll call. During this assembly, I announced that Trevor Lane would be brevetted for the weekend to corporal.

Before lunch, we conducted drill, and executed quite a few maneuvers, it sure was good to knock some of the rust off. We returned to camp, and had some dinner. We also had the opportunity to celebrate Mrs. Lee’s birthday, with Tim bringing out a battle flag decorated cake. It was really good! Shortly, we formed up and headed off to join our friends in the 11^th and 15^th cav.

The battle started with a wagon being ambushed by Federal Cavalry, and a rider galloping back to report. The Pyrotechnics were great for this battle, and the choreography was perfect. We formed up and marched out, leading the Confederate counter-attack. A little later, the other 2 companies came out, and we were relieved .

Then, the Federal dismounted pressed an attack, and we went back out to fight them. We fought them for quite a while taking heavy casualties. Our line slowly fell back, losing men the whole way. We were down to about 6 men in our section, facing superior numbers of Federal troopers. The 11^th and 15^th had been forced back into us, and we were in a defensive box-like formation. The Federals fired a volley, and I was hit, handing command to Sgt. Paynter. He , in rapid order was also hit, and in the loss of the command staff, our line began to falter. The 11^th and 15^th broke, and then a few of the 7^th’s men ran into camp as well. Trooper Kientzle rallied the men, but they were killed, only 1 escaping, by running away screaming. That ended the battle for Saturday.

After resurrecting, and marching back to camp, we executed the coward. Soon, we had supper, and got ready to go dance. Jenny and I had our first dance together in years. It was really fun, and I was proud to have my wife on my arm for the dance.

Went to Officer’s call and did a weapons inspection, with only 1 problem, the weapon had been over-oiled. That’s a good problem compared to fouling or rust, so Good job, guys! We lost 3 troopers overnight to the cold but were determined to fight on. After Church, we had a light dinner, and marched off to see what awaited us on the field. The fight started much the same way, but soon we were in line pushing the Fed cav. back. The 7^th was detached to cover the far right, and we double quicked to fill in the gap. Once there, the artillery did it’s job, and we attacked 2 batteries of Federal artillery, taking both. The dismounted Cav and gunners didn’t want to lose their battery on my front, and the gunners charged us with rammers. We cut them down, only to be charged by the dismounted cavalry, with fierce hand-to hand combat breaking out. We finally subdued them, and the battle ended with a complete rout.

Our wagon left Ft. Worth Thursday at 5:30am for Duncanville to pick up Lt. Mark Hanna at his cabin by 6:30am. We headed out I-20, there we met Miss Paula Brock in her wagon an we continued east, for Corinth Miss. About 6:30pm we arrived in Corinth, there we added Bobby Wyatt & his mother Barbara. We continued for registration there we added Mr.&Mrs. Tim Lee. at this point we all found civilian camp, and proceeded to try and set up camp before dark. Around 8:00pm Sgt. Dean Bray arrived , troopers Eddie Glass and Chris (coyote) Brussell had arrived, The 7th Texas Cavalry was now complete.

On Friday morning around 7 am, the camp came alive with coffee brewing, bacon, sausage, and eggs cooking, courtesy of Mrs. Rebecca Paynter who awoke at 3 am to do so ! (Thank you my dear). At 9am, we had inspection of weapons and roll call with the 12th Texas dismounted cav. led by Capt. Randy Cohen and his 4 troopers. We coutered up by 11 am and headed for Confederate cavalry camp to meet Col. Fallwood for order of battle. We re-supplied and by 2:30 pm headed out for our first engagement. We crossed a tree orchard to a barbed wire fence and crossed it to an open field. There we spotted union Cav. mounted and dismounted and engaged in a combat about 30 minutes, we pushed them down a road through thick forest there by telegraph polls we held union forces for almost an hour! Finally exhausted and down to our last few rounds the infantry arrived led by Mark Griffin commander of the Texas infantry div. HOORAH! an saved the day! Terry Texas Rangers led by Capt. Wilson dismounted and fought along side us, what a show, it was shame spectators didn't see this fight.

Had another cold night! Sat. morning woke up to the coffee brewing, fixing cooking for burrito's (courtesy of the Lady's). Around 8 am we cootered up and headed out for drill about a mile walk to an open field by battery Powell (Union Territory) after about 10 minutes the mounted Cav. was on their way to drill with us when they was jumped by the Union pickets, so we loaded and primed formed a skirmish line an proceeded to help our comrades in arms. Sgt. Bray went out to parlay with the union Col. after a brief period of time a truce was called no shot 's were fired by either side. we went back to camp got ready for the 3 pm battle of Corinth. Before we could leave we had got a message to Col. Fallwood where to stage and when myself and another trooper (Richard) volunteered for the job we ate lunch and then cootered up an headed out for the cavalry camp site. As we walked down the free lane we saw union pickets and troops on both sides of the lane waiting for anybody to step out side the line to be taken prisoner, we arrived at Confederate camp we were stopped by pickets an asked for the password of course we didn't know one. The cpl. of the guard arrested me an let Richard go back to camp to let the others know of the problem and that i would return later. I was marched to confederate HQ there I was given a choice to return to camp or wait for the Cols. return later, I chose later. About 20 or 30 mins. later I spotted Capt. Wilson of (Terry Texas Ranger) he came over and took me to the Col. personally worked out the problem and got a password (athens), after leaving the camp and going down the free lane I ran into the union Col. with a single picket standing right in the middle of the road i literally had to dodge him sideways as not to step out of the line an get captured, once past them the rest was down hill, as i turned down the fence line by town at the far end i saw my fellow comrades coming my way little did i know it was for my rescue HURRAY!!! We all returned to camp for a short rest Then we cootered up an marched off to staging area. We marched out of Confedrate camp an went about mile to the edge of the woods opening to a large open field there we waited to ambush union cav. one of our cav. drawed them in. It worked an the fight was on for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the heat we pushed the back to the edge of the woods that's where the infantry took over. We cut a trail behind Capt. Cohen through the woods double quick to the right of the infantry there in the woods we lost Bobby Wyatt to heat exhaustion Sgt. Bray, Lt. Hanna an trooper Brussell stayed back an helped him i finally caught up with Capt.Cohen and to him we had a man down an only 5 men made it to the edge of the woods by then heat had set in on the Capt. also. When the final assault was made we sent only 4 men Corp. Lee, trooper Glass, (both 7th Texas) Sgt. Pooch, trooper Richard (Both 12th) the rest of us was spent! Because of the heat!!!! Sunday after another fine breakfast Capt. Cohen gave full command to 1st Lt. Hanna an he did an awesome job, we cootered up and headed for confederate camp, once there we found out we had to fight in the same field third straight day! again we drove the union army too the edge of the woods by battery Robinett there we held till infantry support arrived. as we rested in the shallow woods an watched the battle for Robinett began watched with sadness as the Louisiana boy's charged three times, but failed to reach the battery walls! then I saw our beloved TEXAS boy's charge, on the third an final assault, I witnessed as so did my comrades did, our flag went up on top!, but came down way too quick. the Confederate army was decimated to almost nothing. We were ordered to protect the infantry's retreat in case of a union counter attack, but nothing happened, the fight was over an Corinth was left in union hands a terrible loss for the south.

Tribbey, OK
2004

Crockett Civil War Re-enactment
October 18-19, 2003

The Trip and the Site.

The weekend before the event, James Watson (Crockett event coordinator) called. He asked if Stuart could call the re-enactor dance at the Crockett event. Initially our schedule had kept us from attending the event, but it had just cleared for the weekend. So as a result, part of the Lane family committed to go to Crockett. Nathan and I made the trip from Arlington to Crockett by way of College Station to pick up Ginger. Her assistance proved invaluable at the dance.

The 4+ hour trip on Saturday ended in the piney woods and the rolling hills of Crockett, Texas. The rain that had been threatening to wash away the whole event quickly passed through before we arrived. The reenactment site was adjacent to the Crockett Civic Center as it was 2 years ago, but the sutlers had been moved to the Civic Center grounds – a major improvement. The camps were in an area next to a gently sloping lush green field. The field provided a large open area to fight and gave spectators and reenactors alike a tremendous view of the field. A dense wood line 2/3 of the way back provided opportunities for surprise and maneuver.

We quickly located the Celtaire Band and finalized preparations for the dance that night. There was not a moment to lose because the battle was about to begin. We anticipated that we would fall in with the 11^th Texas Cavalry as Confederates. However, with the acute shortage of Yankees, we joined up to fight for the Union. The 173rd New York Infantry were gracious enough to count us as their own. No ugly comments were heard about dismounted cavalry! We marched away from the camps and set up our ambush behind the dense woods. Because the battlefield was covered with POWERFUL pyrotechnics, we all eagerly anticipated an explosive performance. We were not disappointed.

The plan was to hide in the woods and ambush James Watson’s carriage. He was out for a carriage ride not knowing that Yankees where nearby. The ambush would provoke the Confederates into attacking the Federals in order to defend the Confederate camp. Meanwhile in the woods, I found that Yankee blue does not repel fire ants, especially when you stand on their bed. Nathan graciously assisted picking off the 5,000 ants that invaded my trousers. Not long after the ants were cleared off, the battle began as Federal and Confederate artillery fired on each other. Great clouds of dirt were thrown into the air, drifting gently down the field and showering unwary spectators. After a few minutes, the order came to form up and attack. We marched out onto the field and came under immediate cannon fire. One charge exploded right next to us covering us with a thick layer of brown dirt. Thus in one stroke, we changed from blue to brown. Unfortunately the Confederates were not fooled; their fire came in hot and heavy. We were able to keep sufficient fire on the enemy to keep them from being too aggressive.

Bad things began to happen. Our commanding officer and sergeant were killed within minutes of each other. Constant cannon fire decimated our ranks. Yet despite all, our corporal rallied the remaining troops and attacked the enemy. His bravery was rewarded with death to himself and all under his command. Nevertheless, the Confederates, considering the Federal artillery and mounted cavalry, were reluctant to take possession of the field and prudently remained content to protect their camp. At last, hostilities ended for the day and all combatants rose from the dead.

The event had a number of artillery pieces and mounted horsemen. The battle was clearly dominated by the artillery and the pyrotechnics. The mounted cavalry had a good turnout and put on a good show, constantly crisscrossing the field with charges and counter charges. The Federal cavalry managed to keep the Confederate cavalry from flanking the blue infantry. Unfortunately, the dismounted cavalry and infantry were far too few in number. Nevertheless, we had fun and made new friends.

After the battle Nathan and I collected Ginger from the spectator lines and headed to the Pavilion where the dinner and the dance were scheduled. There, Nathan graciously volunteered to be one of the judges for the Blue-Gray Bakeoff. The winner was the Old Fashioned Tea Cakes by Linda Ford. (I found a copy of the recipe on the ground after the dance.) The dinner of fried catfish got off to a late start, but once it was started, everyone ate their fill. I began the dance right after dinner. The enthusiastic reenactors participated in the Grand March, Virginia Reel, Spanish Waltz, waltzes, and other dances. The dance continued until everyone was ready to retire for the evening. Nathan, Ginger, and I retired to a Holiday Inn Express just down the road for the night.

The next morning, blessed by another hour from Daylight Savings Time, we packed up and headed for College Station. There we attended church with Ginger at Grace Bible Church and were inspired by an excellent message. After church, Ginger treated Nathan and I to all-you-can-eat at Sbisa Dining Hall on the Texas A&M campus. After our loving good-byes, Nathan and I headed home. Thus ended the 3^rd annual Civil War reenactment of Crockett, Texas.

The reenactment in Atoka, Oklahoma was a big success and those that went had a wonderful time. This is the first event I have been to in a long time where you actually didn’t have any problems with the weather. It was beautiful all weekend! The trip from the Dallas / Fort Worth area was around 3 hours, and once we arrived we quickly set up camp. Unfortunately the only negative the whole weekend was our designated “Cavalry Camp” which was not real good. We had no shade for man or horse, no firewood, and the water and porta-johns were a long way from camp. When we did locate some firewood in the very picturesque and shaded “Infantry Camp” we had to almost fight them for it. I also never saw the provided horse hay and was glad I brought my own from home.

Friday night we all stayed up very late socializing and talking around the campfire. The next morning we all woke up around 6:30 AM to the sounds of Reveille and the Drum and Fife Corps in the Infantry Camp. Sgt Norton then cooked a few of us some bacon on his brand new cast iron skillet over the campfire. For formation that morning we had around 15 mounted and 10 dismounted and we drilled on the field for well over an hour. It was good to see our new dismounted Trooper Tim Lee and also our new mounted Troopers Brent Shivers, Mike Paparo, and Stuart Lane in formation. Yes you read that right! Stuart was mounted at the Atoka reenactment and we have the pictures to prove it. All of these men did an excellent job in drill and in battle. Way to go guys! The Saturday afternoon battle, which was a generic battle, was a lot of fun! We had plenty of room to maneuver on the field and about all that was lacking was a little saber action. Saturday also had a good spectator turnout, however I don’t think any made it down to the Cavalry Camp because we were just too far away from the activities on “Sutler / Infantry Hill”. On Saturday night a few of us drove into town for some very good Mexican food, and then made our way to the reenactor dance which was off site at the local Middle School. Unfortunately the band only had two musicians and one caller, so you couldn’t hear them real well. However all seemed to overcome this and enjoy the dance despite the farby setting and bad music.

On Sunday morning most of our camp woke around 6:30 AM. After breakfast we tore down camp and then got ready for the afternoon battle. We had a short drill around 12 PM and had the privilege to have some riders from a few other units join us. I must say that the two days of drill really paid off because I thought we were the sharpest looking unit on the field that weekend and it really showed in battle. The Sunday battle was the reenactment of the Battle of Middle Boggy. This battle was a lot of fun and probably a good show for the spectators, however I don’t think our representation was anything like the original battle. After the battle we quickly packed up our saddles, said our farewells, and headed back to Texas.

The Atoka reenactment was a lot of fun and the weather was beautiful! We did some hard riding and hard fighting, and everyone burned plenty of powder to say the least. Unfortunately this event is only held every 3 years. I for one vote for putting this one on the schedule for 2006!

Well we did it folks! The Beaumont Ranch reenactment is now over and we can sit back and take a well deserved rest. For a first time event we probably had the largest reenactor turnout I have ever seen here in Texas. This wasn’t just your normal every day Farb Fest either, we had some real quality troops at this event and most of the reenactors really enjoyed the event. Now we have some areas that we need to change for next year; however this won’t be hard to do. Most of the reenactors complained about the distance from camps to sutler row, so next year we will try to move the Civilian Camp and Sutler Row in the field directly behind the Lone Star Barn. We also need to try and get the spectators closer to the battles and I have thought of a way to do this. We need to put a gate in the middle of the fence that separates the battlefield from the spectators. We can start the spectators in the same spectator field as this year, but have somebody standing at the locked gate. As soon as the battle moves to the south side of the creek we can open the gate and let the spectators walk to the creek to watch the battle progress up the hill. We would just need a few people standing on the bridge preventing the spectators to cross over. It was suggested that we have the spectators on the hill, but there really isn’t any easy way to get spectators up there before the battle and most of your average spectators couldn’t make that climb anyway.

I am also thinking about moving the Federal Camp to the bottom of the hill on the north side of the creek. This would bring all the camps in closer and should satisfy most of the complainers. We can still put the hard core campaigners on the south side of the creek in both the Federal and Confederate camps, but they will have to walk into this site. We will keep the reenactor parking in the same location.

I heard nothing but positive comments about the battles. The battle on Saturday was 1 ½ hours long and the battle on Sunday was 1 hour long. Fighting up the hill on Sunday was incredible to say the least and I saw nothing but grins on all the reenactors as soon as they made it to the top. I also heard good things from the cavalrymen about the battles. Needless to say, we have a unique battlefield at Beaumont Ranch with plenty of room for all branches of the military to maneuver and have fun. On Saturday afternoon all the cavalry went as Confederate for the raid on the town and this was a big success! Both cavalrymen and civilian reenactors liked this scenario, however I think the civilian reenactors enjoyed it the most. This was one time that the civilian reenactors got to participate in the scenario, so we need to do something similar to this for next year.

I would now like to thank all of you guys for working so hard to make this event a success. Without all of your hard work we could not of pulled this off. Months prior to the event we had volunteers cutting firewood, and special mention needs to be made here. Thanks goes out to Michael Eoff and Dean Bray for bringing out the big trailer to haul the wood in. Also thanks goes out to Stuart Lane and his family for cutting firewood for us on numerous occasions along the creek bed at Beaumont Ranch.

I would also like to thank all of you guys that helped build the bridge across Beaumont Creek. We did this in one day and the finished product looked wonderful! Also thanks goes out to all of the guys who spent long hours at the registration table. Next year we need to try and have assigned shifts for the registration table and make sure we are able to rotate fresh people in every few hours. There are a couple of people I would like to mention in particular. One person is John Pringle. John lives in Grandview, so he was always there when I needed somebody to help with a project. John and Rance helped me tremendously and I for one really appreciate it. The other person I would like to mention is Josh Coonrod. All I had to do is pick up the phone and Josh was there to help me. I appreciate all your hard work Josh. Keep up the good work!

The Beaumont Ranch reenactment was a lot of work, but I think it paid off and most of the reenactors had a good time and want us to continue with the event. It is a wonderful location to host a reenactment, and if we make a few changes next year we should have one of the best events in Texas in 2004!

Beaumont Ranch Workday
(we wanted to include this to give you all a flavor of what is coming!)

The day was cool and there was a light mist in the air. Chainsaws growled as they cut through trees. Stacks of logs cut down for firewood. DONUTS to munch on. Back and forth from pile to trailer. We managed to get about 3 cords of wood before the order came down to cease and desist. We were then ordered to Grandy's for lunch where some of us really liked the chicken livers. The talk was of Gettysburg, Cavalry games and Beaumont Ranch. Once we had our bellies full it was off to the ranch. Upon arriving at the ranch we had to unloaded the firewood the barn. The ground was just too wet to bring in the heavy trailer. After we unloaded the wood we looked around the small old time town that the ranch has. This fine old town will see the Union forces occupy it for the Saturday battle only to be ousted by the Grand Old Gray on Sunday. We also noticed the Headquarters for the 7th Texas Cavalry. Yes, they have placed a nice sign on one of the buildings for us. We looked at the little church that will be used for Sunday services. It's a really nice church with a bell and stained glass windows. There is a large field that will make a wonderful Civilian Camp Area and Sutler Row. Acres of good green winter grass and a large pond next to the town. We met with some of the people who will be involved with the Reenactment setup. There is a large barn dance area called, "The Lone Star Barn".

From the High Ridge the battlefield was in full view. With the Federals on the high ground the Confederate forces will find it hard to approach. The battlefield has small creeks and if a commander is not careful it will cause them great headaches. They will be forced to double back to get around it and the gullies will provide cover for the troops to lay in. THEN there is a LARGE DEEP DROP to another creek with few crossing areas. This will slow the advance to the high ground. A lone bridge will be the only way to cross easily, which we, the men of the 7th will build with our own hands. Federal Artillery will hold the high ground and if there were rocks the area would look like "LITTLE ROUND TOP". Gen. Hood might be heard to object with Gen. Longstreet, "They don't even need guns to defend that. All they need to do is role rocks down on you." This will not be a short jog up and down the field. Commanders will need to pace themselves and their troops so as not to wear them out. There is a lot of ground that will be great for cavalry battles. Infantry will have plenty of room to maneuver and if there is horse drawn artillery they too will have lots of room. By the time we are finished with this site it will be a great place for a reenactment. One that will be looked forward to annually for years to come.

Saturday morning saw the arrival of more troops. We woke to the smell of hot coffee and then had biscuits with gravy to start the day. The dismounted formed up to drill and practice skirmish battle drills. The mounted launched an attack on the dismounted that caught us with no ammo to fend off the attack. By this time it was lunch. Janice Norton and her assistants made chicken noodle soup served with cheese and summer sausage, crackers and fruit. After lunch the troops split into two parts. Federal and Confederate for the afternoon battle. The Confederates took their position at the Fort's spring to defend it. The Federal foot troops, well let us say went for a stroll through the woods trying to take a not so short cut to the spring. After the battle the troops move back to the barracks. We were provided with an artillery safety demonstration. This took its killer toll on an old T-shirt as proof of what an artillery piece could do to you at close range. Then mounted troops navigated their way through the saber course. One member met the ground twice once from horseback and once from the bench seat. Those benches are really tough. The evening meal was one that if you left hungry it was your own fault. Turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, cornbread dressing, mash potatoes and gravy and much more. Thanks to the Norton's who handled all the meals and those who helped them. The men had KP duty on pots and pans. Then it was time for the cake because Major Kevin Keim celebrated his birthday with us. Trooper Cody was awarded the Don Robertson Trooper of The Year Award. Don's wife Nancy spent the weekend with us. She is a really super lady. Then came the gift war. Unfortunately for some of us the three time law was in effect. Books switched hands, paintings were traded. One minute I had the spurs and then the next minute they were gone with the wind. Overall it was a great time had by all. Then it was time for the dance music provided by the old time CD player. The dance was called by the Lanes who gave lessons to those who needed a refresher course before the big event. The ladies and children did a splendid job decorating the Christmas tree. The dance was lighted by the candle chandelier that was brought and the windows decorated with pine and berries and candles. After the dance the troops again split into two forces. As the battle began the flash of rockets lit the sky with their colors of red, green and blue. Then was the roar or muskets and pistols as the poor Federals had the task of attaching the old barracks. The Confederates out manned and out roman candled the Federals. The moon light was so bright it made it hard for the Feds to reach the barracks. Most of the Federal force was killed or forced to retreat like a fox caught in the hen house.

Well if you missed the reenactment at Liendo Plantation you really missed a good one! The weather was perfect (around 70 in the day and 40 at night), the battles were exciting, and the spectator numbers were large on both days. Once we arrived on Friday our guys set up camp in the Confederate area with our pards from East Texas (James Watson, Patrick, Jean Marie, and Nick). We had a very nice camp site, which was close to the sutlers and the plantation house. After most of the 800 reenactors rolled in the cavalry commanders determined on Friday night that we had about 30 Confederate cavalrymen going up against 5 Federal horseman. The plea for help was then put out for some of the cavalry to galvanize. I want to thank all of you guys that helped out here. It made the battles more believable and a lot more fun for the participants. On Saturday morning our newly organized Federal Cavalry branch decided to get to work and we had about a 2 ½ hour mounted drill. We had a lot of green troops and new horses on the Federal side, but by the end of the drill you guys were all acting like veterans. The battle started out with some of our dismounted troopers being placed out far in advance of the main Federal line as skirmishers. The rebels soon brought up their dismounted troopers and Infantry and a large battle soon erupted. The cavalry was used primarily on the flanks of the infantry and we all had a good time in this fight before being pushed off the field by the overwhelming forces of Rebs. After the battle the medical staff put on a great medical demonstration for the public on the lawn of the old plantation house.

On Saturday night we all visited and shared stories with old friends in the camps. There was also a surprise birthday party for Kathy Lane and we were all treated to cake and some wonderful peach cobbler made by Stuart Lane. Latter on that evening, the reenactor dance was held on the lawn of the old plantation house and it was wonderful as usual! The music was great, the weather was perfect, and the atmosphere in general was wonderful! I even saw a few of our young troopers cutting a few steps on the dance floor.

On Sunday morning we all awoke again to the beautiful tunes of our bugler Mike Holbrook playing reveille in camp. Mike is really starting to make a name for himself as a bugler now in the reenacting community and he received many compliments on his bugling throughout the weekend. On Sunday the battle had a surprise element involved in the scenario. We were all told that the battle started at 1 pm and all the Federals were on the far end of the field ready for battle at 1 PM; however the Confederates were told that the battle time had been pushed back to 2 pm. The Federal branch commanders were then informed of the little surprise that was about to take place. The Federal cannon then opened up at 1 PM on all the Confederates who were still in their camp. Our cavalry, who were in battle line hidden behind a hill, then charged to the edge of the Confederate camp and opened fire. It was all out pandemonium in the Confederate camp as their Infantry rushed for stacked arms and their cavalry quickly began to try and get in the saddle. Once the Confederates began to trickle onto the field our cavalry fell back behind our Federal Infantry, which was already marching up the hill and pressing the Confederate camp. A large battle between both forces then broke out. The Confederate cavalry then attempted many flanking maneuvers, but our guys managed to keep them in check. The battle finally ended with a truce between commanders in the middle of the field. Both sides then agreed to gather their dead and wounded and to fight another day.

After battle the rush for the camps with the cars began and the once very scenic looking campsites turned into parking lots of trucks and trailors. We eventually got packed up, said our farewells, and headed for home. The reenactment this year at Liendo Plantation was probably the best event ever held at the site and I look forward to the next one.

All I can say is WOW ! The Perryville, Kentucky reenactment was a lot of fun and we all had a great time. Let me try to start from the beginning. Our caravan of 7^th Texas Troopers (Kevin Keim, Michael Tolleson, Kelly McElhanon, Mike Holbrook, Joe Nevarez, Richard Nevarez, Michael Gillett, Josh Coonrod, and Cody Neeley) left my house around 9 AM on Wed Oct 2. We drove all day, only stopping to exercise the horses every four hours. Around 10 PM we finally found an RV Park just east of Memphis, TN where we were able to camp out. During the night we had a little excitement and our little camp was almost overrun by a pack of coyotes! Needless to say I have never been awakened from sleep because of a coyote invasion. Ironically in the morning we found out that we were camping right on top of historical ground where a small battle was fought during the Civil War.

On Thursday morning we quickly got the horses loaded and got on our way. I must say that the scenery in this part of the country was beautiful and made the trip very enjoyable. We arrived in Perryville, Kentucky around 3:30 Pm and immediately went to the registration area where a line was already formed for registration. We found that our new troopers Mike Paparo and Joe Connelly had already arrived and were waiting for us. After registration we then located our camp and began to set up the few tents we brought for the trip. Thanks to Joe Nevarez, we also got to use Joe’s new free standing picket line and it worked great. We now don’t have to fight for picket line areas next to trees. Our friends in the 5^th Texas Cavalry arrived about the same time we did and we had a nice looking company street in a matter of a few hours. Later on Rick and Janice Norton made it to camp and all were glad to see that they both had arrived safely.

Unfortunately the rain hit on Friday and all the camps got soaked. Many vehicles got stuck before they could get out of camp, but fortunately we got all of our vehicles out of camp on Thursday evening. The really bad thing about the rain was that it caused the event sponsors to cancel the Friday evening battle that was scheduled for 4 PM. The ground was just too wet; however the early morning Saturday fight was still on.

On Saturday morning our Bugler, Mike Holbrook, sounded reveille at 5:15 AM. WOW that is early when you stay up all night talking and playing cards with your buddies. We quickly saddled the horses by the light of the campfires and lanterns. At 6:15 AM all troops were in formation and ready for battle. I could not believe the amount of spectators that had showed up for this early morning battle. It was really impressive and my hat goes off to these people getting up so early to come out to watch the show. The first cannon shots started around 7 AM. The cavalry brigade was in about 4 long lines of horses, ours being the last line of attack. After the other battalions had attacked across the field, the mounted Texans were finally called in to the fight. We then galloped across the field in perfect formation right next to the spectator line; however we did not know what was on the other side of the hill. Once we got on the other side of the hill several companies of massed Infantry emptied our saddles. We quickly recovered and were then sent to another area of the battlefield were we fought a large amount of Federal dismounted cavalry. After more than an hour of intense fighting both sides fell back to their camps.

On Saturday afternoon several of our 7^th Texas Troopers competed in the Cavalry Competition and I am pleased to announce that Sgt Tolleson and Trooper Joe Nevarez got 2^nd and 3^rd Place in the competition. Way to go guys! The 7^th Texas Cavalry was very well represented in this national level competition. Later on that day we again formed for battle, but at the last minute we were told we needed to galvanize. We quickly rode to the parking lots and grabbed our blue coats out of the trucks. This afternoon battle was good and we even got to link up horses and fight on foot for a while. All of our troopers did exceptionally well in this battle and our bugler could be heard for miles around.

On Saturday evening several of us went to visit our pards in the 4^th Battalion camp. A special ceremony was then given in honor of Colonel Kevin Duke, who was stepping down as 4^th Battalion commander. A special present was given to Colonel Duke from all of us in the 7^th Texas and a big thanks goes out to those of you that helped make this possible. After the ceremony we all gathered around the campfire and sang some wonderful old songs together with our pards in the 4^th Battalion.

By Saturday evening most of the ground had dried from Fridays rain; however the weather turned a little chilly during the night Thanks to Janice and Rick Norton all the troops woke up to hot coffee and wonderful biscuits and gravy on Sunday morning. A big thanks goes out to both Janice and Rick for doing such a wonderful job supplying all our troops with hot meals during the course of the three-day weekend. The food was GREAT and we all really, really appreciate all your hard work!

On Sunday we were told to put on our Confederate uniforms again and we then prepared for what I think was the best battle of the weekend! All the Confederate cavalry rode a long distance to a remote cornfield on the opposite side of the reenactment site from our camp. I was then informed from General Hughes that I was to take the 2^nd Battalion through the cornfield in battle line and then assault the Federal gun emplacements at the top of the hill. Several battalions of cavalry then made this grand charge and a large battle then erupted before us. Several companies of Federal dismounted cavalry then came over the hill with carbines. Our battalion then dismounted and fought on foot through the cornfield. Just before we were about to be cut off we were then quickly given the order to remount and we barely escaped to safety. Once remounted we then went to the aid of one of our fellow cavalry battalions across the field that was fighting a hot saber fight with Yankee cavalry. Our Lone Star Battalion then drew sabers and galloped to the rescue. The biggest saber fight I have ever seen in over 10 years of reenacting then broke out between the Yankee and Confederate cavalry, with over 200 horses and cavalrymen going saber to saber. Both sides would reform and then attack again. I got in a rather long and tiring saber fight with A Yankee officer (Doug Kidd) and the spectators and reenactors alike seemed to enjoy watching both of us fight it out for several minutes. Our battalion was then ordered to fall back across the field where we again prepared for another mounted attack of the Yankee cavalry. Both sides then exchanged about every pistol round that they had on them. Being out of ammo we then went to the saber again. We then fought a large fight right next to the spectator line and all seemed to enjoy this fight. After over one hour of fighting we then were pulled back and both sides made an orderly retreat back to their respective camps.

Once back in camp, we found out that a campfire had been left unattended in the camp of Terry’s Texas Rangers and a large fire had broke out and was burning some of the trees and bushes. Fortunately the local firemen quickly got this fire under control. We then loaded up the remainder of our camp and packed the equipment to the parking lot on horseback. We said all our goodbyes to all of our friends and were on the road for home around 4 PM. Our little caravan drove for many hours until we stopped at a truck stop where we showered and had a hot meal. We were then fortunate to find stables for the horses at the Loretta Lynn Dude Ranch, where we stalled them overnight. We then found a local hotel and slept a good nights sleep in a real bed. On Monday we had breakfast at the Loretta Lynn Kitchen and then loaded the horses for the last leg of the trip. We finally made it home around 2 Am on Tuesday morning and all were very tired.

Needless to say, it was a very long trip to Kentucky but everyone that made the trip had a wonderful time! I for one will always remember that last big cavalry fight at Perryville on Sunday and also the attack of the coyotes while asleep on the ground in Tennessee. I had a great time caravanning up with all of you and I would like to especially thank Kelly McElhanon for providing the truck and trailer for this trip. We couldn’t of made this trip without you Kelly and I for one am truly thankful. We have some really good local events now coming up this fall here in Texas at Crockett, Liendo, and Fort Washita, so I hope you all will put these on your schedule. We also have the Fort Worth Stock Show Parade and Grand Entry of the Rodeo in January and our Beaumont Ranch reenactment in March. We will be planning a few work days to build a bridge across a creek and clear some brush at Beaumont Ranch and these dates will be announced in the near future. Meanwhile keep your powder dry and your saddles ready. I hope to see you all at the next event!

Well if you missed the Bellmead reenactment, you really missed a good one. The weather was perfect and the battles were really good! Me and my traveling companions arrived at the site on Friday afternoon; however we quickly found out that the US Cavalry had set up in the designated CS area, so we had to set up camp in the US camp. That is my only complaint about the Bellmead site. It would be a lot better and more authentic if they would totally separate the US and CS camps. Fortunately we eventually found a very good spot with beautiful shade trees for the horses.

By Saturday morning we had 13 horses on the picket line and approximately the same number of dismounted troopers. We had several new dismounted troopers at Bellmead and I would like to thank all of you who loaned them clothing or gear for the weekend. They all appeared to have a good time and will probably be joining our ranks soon.

We began Saturday with a full bacon and egg breakfast cooked by our new unit cook Jerry Holland (AKA….Wishbone). The breakfast was really good Jerry. Keep up the good work! After breakfast we then drilled both our mounted and dismounted forces in the cool morning breeze. It was nice drilling to the sound of the bugle call while on horseback. Keep up the good work Mike! After drill several of our troopers competed in the Cavalry Games and I am proud to announce that our trooper Joe Nevarez won 1st Place in the Novice competition. Way to go Joe!

We managed to stay Confederate the entire weekend at Bellmead and the forces were fairly balanced on both sides for Saturday’s battle. On Saturday our mounted forces were held in reserve at first; however we quickly got into the heat of the battle. We then did several mounted charges against the Federal cavalry, and then some flanking maneuvers through the woods. After about an hour of fighting had passed the Yanks eventually pushed the Confederates off the field and won the day.

On Saturday evening we were all treated to a BBQ dinner and afterwards everyone was entertained with period music at the reenactor dance. I did my traditional one dance, the Virginia Reel, and then retired to camp. Those left in camp then put together a very heated game of cards and we played until around 12 AM. The card game was a lot of fun, but unfortunately I had to get up at 5 AM to do my shift on the picket line so I was a little sleepy the next morning.

We were again treated to another breakfast cooked by "Wishbone Holland" and we then had a short drill on the battlefield. After drill we attended a church service conducted by Stuart Lane in the civilian camp. Stuart and Robert Paleschic did a fine job conducting the Sunday morning worship service. Keep up the good work guys!

Sunday’s battle was a lot of fun and everyone seemed to burn plenty of powder. Sgt Norton stated that all the dismounted troopers performed very well and all of the new guys did a great job. The Confederates ended up winning the day on Sunday, and some of our mounted guys even captured a platoon of Yankee cavalry at the end of the battle. My hat goes off to Sam Vinson and the rest of his guys for voluntarily surrendering to us on Sunday. You don’t see this much at reenactments and I think the crowd really enjoyed it.

After the battle we quickly broke camp, said our fair wells, and headed for home. I for one had a wonderful time at Bellmead this year and I really enjoyed seeing all of you. I understand that the Bellmead reenactment will now be held every other year, so I guess the next one will be in 2004. I look forward to seeing you all again at the next one!

The Fort Worth Stock Show Parade this year was fun, but we sure missed having our dismounted guys with us. Hopefully next year they will change this new no firearms policy and we can all be in the parade together! It would of looked pretty silly having our dismounted guys march without muskets in the parade. We made this a battalion event, so we had some pretty good mounted numbers. We had 22 mounted troopers from the 5th, 7th, 8th, and 11th Texas Cavalry units. The weather was nice and the spectator numbers were really up this year.

After the parade we all went to the Fort Worth Stock Yards for lunch at Risky Ritas. The food was good and it was nice to see some of our dismounted Troopers join us for lunch. A big thanks goes out to Janice Norton for making the reservations at the restaurant. After lunch the members of the 5th and 11th Texas had to head back home; however the 7th and 8th Troopers drove to Trinity Park and had a short mounted drill. We need to start having more mounted drills and trail rides because we have several new members and these horses and men really need some work. We all had an experience to say the least trying to cross the large creek in Trinity Park. Lt. Strain even put on a rodeo saddle bronc demonstration for all of us while trying to get a new trooper’s horse to cross the creek. Thankfully Jack and the horse are both OK.

After the drill the remaining members of the 8th Texas had to head for home, so that just left 9 members of the 7th Texas for the Grand Entry of the rodeo. I must say that this year’s Grand Entry was very unique! The Texas A & M Aggies always ride in this Grand Entry, but this year one of their riders’s saddles slipped and the show was on! The rider fell off, the saddle slipped under the horse’s belly, and general pandemonium erupted in the arena. I bet it was fun for the spectators to watch in the stands! A simple surcingle would of prevented the accident. Amazingly none of the aggies had them on their saddles.

After the Grand Entry we all loaded up and headed home. This event is always a lot of fun and I look forward to doing it again next year!

Fort Washita After Action Report: By Capt Keim

I want to begin by stating that this year’s Fort Washita Winter Muster was one of the best event’s we have ever held there! Everyone had a wonderful time and if you didn’t get to make it you really missed a good one! We began on Saturday morning with a combined mounted and dismounted drill, and afterwards were given an artillery demonstration/class by Tim Auld and some of the members of the 1^st Texas Light Artillery. We then divided up in blue and gray teams and had a two hour tactical in the woods. Both sides did very well in this tactical and there are many good tales to be told on both sides. While the men were off fighting in the woods, the ladies back in the fort prepared an old fashioned Christmas party for that evening. I must say the ladies did a wonderful job stringing the popcorn and making the decorations for the Christmas Tree. Beautiful work ladies!

Later on that evening we had our Christmas Party. We began with a huge feast of smoked turkey, ham, and all the traditional fixins. We all need to give Janice and Rick Norton a big pat on the back because they did a WONDERFUL JOB on all the meals. I also want to thank the other ladies; such as Emily Paleschic, who helped Janice out in the kitchen. You all did a wonderful job! After our Christmas dinner we had our Chinese Christmas present exchange and everyone had a good time stealing the most valued gifts. There was even an 1850’s original Bible in the gift exchange. Needless to say that went quick!

After dinner and our Christmas present exchange, we all went up stairs to the ball- room and had a wonderful dance. Stuart and Kathy Lane were our dance callers for the evening and as usual they did a super job! We even learned a few new dances. During the Broom Dance, we all had a good time watching Rick Norton dance with the broom on several occasions (You got to be quick Rick!….Ha Ha). It was also good to see “Little Richard” and Stan Holli on the dance floor. Stuart Lane also wanted to pass on his thanks to all the men. He said that was the best dance and most well mannered group of men at a dance he had ever seen. Good job gentlemen!

After the dance the men divided up in blue and gray teams again for our legendary night battle in the ruins of the old fort. The Yankees were defending in the fort and the Confederates had to make the up hill assault. This battle went on for quite a while and everyone got to burn a lot of powder. Needless to say, it is hard to take a fortified position unless you have overwhelming numbers!

After the night fight, we all went back to the barracks to turn in for the night. A few of us in the men’s barracks weren’t quite ready for bed, so we had a good time playing cards and eating Rick Nevarez’ spicy peanuts. Boy were those some spicy goobers! We finally finished the game around 1 AM!

On Sunday morning we all had a wonderful breakfast of biscuits and gravy, and afterwards Stuart Lane gave a wonderful sermon during our Sunday morning worship service. Stuart really needs to be commended here because he was basically “Volunteered” after we found out that our Chaplain, Ed Quick, couldn’t make it for the weekend. You did a WONDERFUL job Stuart! After church we all gathered our gear and headed for home. It was very nice not having to tear down tents at the end of the event!

I want to thank all of those people that helped out to make this event special. I also want to thank all of those that chipped in a little extra money on the food for those that didn’t show up. We had approximately 40 people show up at Fort Washita for our muster this year, but we had 55 registered. We spent around $500 in food and supplies for Washita and would have been big-time in the RED if it weren’t for those of you who gave extra. Thanks to all of you who helped out here! Fort Washita was really, really good this year and I am looking forward to the next one!

Civil War reenacting has been the Lane family hobby for the past five years. “Family” in this case means Stuart and Kathy plus Ginger (18), Nathan (16), Trevor (14), and Byron (11); not surprisingly, reenacting for a family of six can be extremely complicated, primarily in planning and packing everything into one vehicle. However, the trip to Crockett, Texas, on October 26-28 proved to be more complicated logistically than most other events. Ginger, a freshman at Texas A&M, did not have a car; she needed for the rest of the family to bring her gear (which she had thoughtfully packed up the weekend before) from home and then pick her up from campus. However, Kathy’s supreme organization and preparation paid off, and the Official Lane Family White Suburban, fully equipped with two car toppers and lumber strapped to the roof rack, left at 11:00 AM Friday morning. (Kathy did point out that campaign style re-enactors are wimps. All they do is dress, grab some hardtack, and go. They could practically walk to an event. Families take a lot more work.) The three-hour trip ended in the piney woods and the rolling hills of Crockett, Texas.

The reenactment site was adjacent to the Crockett Civic Center, a large, square brick building. The view of the site from the loop was the opposite of promising, appearing to have no place to camp, much less hold a battle. However, fears quickly changed to excitement, for the civilian/military camp and Heritage Days camp (Indians, wood worker, etc.) were directly adjacent a lush green field. This field provided a large open area to fight, gave spectators and reenactors alike a tremendous view, and sloped gently away into a dense wood line two-thirds of the way back, providing an ideal place for surprise maneuvers.

As per logistical demands, we hurriedly threw out all our equipment. Then while the menfolk proceeded to set up camp, Kathy took the now-empty Suburban (ever driven a Suburban at freeway speed when there are two empty car toppers on its roof?) and began the three-hour round trip to College Station for Ginger. Robert and Emily Paleschic and their family—Nick, Jake, Caroline, and Savannah—arrived a few hours later, as did Jack and Nancy Strain, complete with horses and a large puppy. The 7^th Texas Cavalry had reached its maximum strength for the weekend.

The other reenactors were exceptionally friendly. The Lane tent was next to Tara Harl-Odom and her daughter Ailsa—Tara has reenacted since 1988—while Barbara Corry was directly across the company street. John Tatum, the Heritage Days wood worker, came over to the Lane camp and played the fife with Trevor, and Terry’s Texas Rangers, company E, were extremely gracious event hosts. If people make an event successful, this event is on the right track.

The events of Friday night were a dinner complete with peach cobbler and socialization with friends, both old and new. Later that evening, after the sun slipped below the horizon, the boys (at least five, three Lanes and two Paleschics) disappeared to explore the battlefield—and to uncover a mystery: The Federal camp across the battlefield had a blazing fire, a flagpole with the US flag fluttering in the night breeze, clean port-a-potties, water for horses, and no Federals. The tents that had been there earlier that afternoon were gone. The Federals had vanished—and Halloween night was still five days away. Afterward, the boys (and Ginger) sat on hay bales on the edge of the battlefield and held an improptu concert of homeschool choir songs interspersed with Civil War-era sea songs, belted forth strong enough to generate two sets of echoes from the surrounding hills.

Saturday morning dawned gloriously beautiful, if undeniably chilly; but the event had perfect weather, becoming quite warm during the day. After a breakfast of biscuits, jelly, and oatmeal, the Lane family began a full day of Civil War reenacting. John Tatum, the wood worker, used Nathan, Nick, Trevor, and Byron as assistants in his demonstrations, teaching them how to make shingles and square logs and how to drive a square peg into a round hole. Ginger later played Graces with Caroline and Ailsa and just looked beautiful, although the highly competitive Byron made that amusement a bit more interesting. Around mid-morning, the adult Lanes and Paleschics walked over to listen to the “concert in the park” as the Bayou City Brass Band played in the spectator area. After listening for a while, Stuart invited Kathy to dance. The spectators enjoyed the impromptu dance demonstration, even though it was cut short by the cavalry competition. Jack Strain, representing the 7^th Texas Cavalry, distinguished himself, as did all of the mounted cavalry.

The Saturday battle was a challenge with so few troops, even though there were two artillery pieces. Unfortunately, no Federals were ever found; the flag still flew in their deserted camp, but the boys in blue never showed. Nevertheless, a simple battle scenario was carried out: The Federal Infa-Cav (combined galvanized infantry and dismounted cavalry) attacked the Confederate camp after an artillery duel which left large craters in both ends of the field and blew a [phony] Federal Napoleon cannon into pieces. Stuart and Nathan were both part of the galvanized Federals, although there was only one rifle between them; Stuart used the weapon first. After the boys in blue had advanced halfway across the field and a lucky Confederate shot had badly wounded Stuart, Nathan courageously picked up the rifle and continued the attack. It looked for a moment as if the Federals would indeed take the Confederate camp until the flanking Confederate cavalry attacked the Federals from behind, hopelessly surrounding them. Federal Capt. Wil Gibson attempted to disperse the troops, but the Confederates shot them down like dogs; Nathan died valiantly, shot in the back by a Confederate coward. The end of the battle brought resurrection to the dead and peace to the beautiful green field.

Afterward, the soldiers returned to camp to clean rifles and to analyze the battle, while the ladies retired to the sewing circle; Kathy worked most of the weekend on the bodice for her latest creation. Reenactor ladies are like beautiful flowers at these events, for they bring a beauty and charm that challenges the men- and boy-folk alike to be on their best period behavior. Late in the afternoon the strains of “The Minstrel Boy” could be heard across the camp as Trevor and Jay Koch, 11^th Texas Cavalry Co. A, teamed up to form a fife and drum corp. Jacob Sadler, 11^th Texas Cavalry Co. A, provided music with his fiddle. Everyone enjoyed the quality music that they produced in such a short time.

Saturday evening brought brightly burning campfires and the warm glow of lanterns across the camp. At dinnertime, everyone walked (or drove) the short distance to the covered pavilion for the Saturday night meal, after which the ladies returned to camp and dressed in their beautiful ball gowns. At the dance, the Bayou City Brass Band played and all had an excellent time. After the dance when everyone was settling down for the evening, a night battle erupted across the battlefield near the deserted Federal camp; the Trevor/Jay fife and drum unit courageously sounded a call to arms, but no one came.

Sunday morning dawned bright and cool, just as Saturday. The entire camp gathered for a period church service which included hymn singing and a message from the Scriptures. Then everyone prepared for the battle, which would be larger than Saturday’s since more troops had arrived during the night.

This time also the Federals would attempt to take the Confederate Camp. The Confederate cavalry having discovered the massed Federal Infa-Cav behind the tree line, a running gun battle ensued and forced the Confederates to take refuge in their camp. Heavy artillery fire from the gun protecting the Confederate camp stalled the subsequent Federal advance, yet once his Federal troops were re-grouped, Capt. Gibson fearlessly led his boys in blue straight into the enemy position. A brief counterattack by the remaining Confederate cavalry was easily repulsed, although Stuart was mortally wounded by canister shot not long after the charge began. Nathan again courageously took his fallen father’s rifle and continued the attack. Once more, the Confederate resistance stiffened near the camp and the attack stalled. Suddenly, Federal mounted cavalry appeared behind the remaining Federal troops; a lightning-fast shotgun charge destroyed the remaining gun crew, while the charging Infa-Cav scattered the remaining Confederate troops. The Federal victory was so complete that every member of the Bayou City Brass Band, defiantly playing “Dixie” and “The Bonnie Blue Flag” in the midst of battle, was killed or wounded in the attack. The fleeing Confederate troops abandoned their camp as well as the ladies and children in the adjacent civilian camp to the victorious Federals. The valiant Confederate ladies fearlessly attempted to prevent the raising of the Stars and Stripes over the camp, but they too were forced to yield.

The end of the battle brought about the race to tear down, pack up, say good-bye, and began the long voyage home. Eventually, the Lane family managed to pack and load the Suburban for the trip home and take off for Arlington after short detour returning Ginger to College Station.

The Cabin Creek event was excellent. The weather could not have been better. The spectators seemed to be more interested and enjoyable to talk with than at other events. The Saturday battle was a fun in spite of being totally wiped out by the 9th Texas Infantry (Good job guys!). The battalion salute in memory of 9-11-01 brought tears to my eyes. The Sunday battle was by far the best. The dismounted cav. fought all over the field. We covered the left, re-deployed to the right, and protected the mounted as they re-mounted their horses. Yes, they dismounted 3 of 4, and joined us on the line. It was so exciting to see the mounted soldiers dismount and fight with us. Three Cheers guys, it looked great. The enemy resisted well until the "always" dismounted flanked them. Their attempt to refuse their line caused their whole line to collapse. Afterwards, the enemy alternated between surrendering and retreating. After the battle, Col. D'Olive came over and complimented our fighting. He predicted that the infantry will much greater respect in the future for dismounted cav.

Tribbey, OK 2004

Crockett Civil War Re-enactment October 18-19, 2003

The Trip and the Site.

Fort Washita After Action Report: By Capt Keim

Tribbey, OK
2004

Crockett Civil War Re-enactment
October 18-19, 2003