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T H E O FFICIAL N EWSLETTER OF TH E S OUTHERN P IEDMONT H ISTORICAL R EENACTMENT S OCIETY
T HE R EGIMENTAL D ISPATCH
V OLUME 4, I SSUE 1
F EBRUARY 2012
2012: A L OOK A HEAD
2011 seemed to pass by rather quickly for the Southern Piedmont Historical Reenacmtent Society. The events that took place during the first year of the Civil War
Sesquicentennial were very memorable. From Fort Sumter to Ball’s Bluff, the
SPHRS has taken part in events that have never been held before, and may never
take place again. In addition to the big ones, events took place at Vance Birthplace
in Weaverville, as well as the usual haunts at Latta Plantation, Allison’s Woods and
Hickory Landmark. The year proved to be one of the biggest for the reenacting
community, and for the history of the war itself.
2012 promises to be even bigger. The major events this year include the 150th
Anniversary reenactments of Shiloh, McDowell, and Antietam, as well as a special
living history event at Malvern Hill, the site where the 49th NC Troops first went
into battle. To see what our group is in store for this year, look no further than this
edition of The Regimental Dispatch!
The Sesquicentennial Continues...
I N SIDE
TH IS ISSUE :
E DITORS ’ S N OTES
2
2 012
E VENTS S CHEDULE
3
2 012: T HE “B IG
F OUR !
4
1862 IN THE E AST :
150 Y EARS L ATER
5
G ETTYSBURG : D IRECTOR ’ S C UT R EVIEW
9
D IRECTIONS TO
150 TH S HILOH
E VENT S ITE
11
W HAT TO EXPECT IN
THE N EXT N EWSLETTER ...
12
T HE R EGIMENTAL D ISPATCH
P AGE 2
E DITOR ’ S N OTES : F EBRUARY 2012
Members of the SPHRS:
In case you noticed, the address for the Regimental Dispatch has been changed.Your humble editors are moving to a new location! No, this is not because of anything bad. It is actually because of
something great! The elder Hancock found a new job this year, and one of the stipulations of his job is
that he live in Davidson County. And because the younger Hancock has grown weary of living in his
parent’s home, he is moving there as well.
But do not worry, dear readers. Even though a change of scenery is taking place, the Dispatch
is going nowhere! We will continue to work diligently to bring you the latest information about upcoming events, and so on. As the great Gary Busey once said, “Nothing changes, except the changes.”
So, here is what occurred at the recent business meeting on January 22nd, 2012: Jerry Hopping and Matt Paris retained the rank of Captain and 1st Sergeant, and Frank Cachia remains Chairman of the Board. New members were welcomed, events were decided, and awards were given out.
Apologies for the little information we have. One of us had to work that day, and the other didn’t
take good enough notes…
Events for 2012 look exciting! In addition to our regularly scheduled events (Hickory Landmark, Latta Plantation, and Allison’s Woods), we have some very exciting events to commemorate the
Sesquicentennial of 1862, including Shiloh, McDowell, Malvern Hill, and South Mountain/Antietam.
In addition, we have some very special events, including a tactical at Allison’s Woods in October, and a
special event at the Historic Sharps House in Statesville. Some of the events are tentative, but when
more information becomes available, you’ll find out about it here. Here’s to a great year in 2012, ladies and gentlemen!
Your Humble Servants,
Steven and Tony Hancock, Editors
V OLUME 4, I SSUE 1
P AGE 3
2012 E VENT S CHEDULE
DATE
EVENT
LOCATION
UNIFORM
February 17-19
Camp of Instruction - Camp Marshall
Winston-Salem,
NC
Confederate
March 30-April 1
150th Shiloh Reenactment
Counce, TN
Federal
April 19-20
Hickory Landmark Living History
Hickory, NC
Both
May 4-6
150th McDowell Reenactment
McDowell, VA
Confederate
May 19-20
Latta Plantation - Mustering Event
Huntersville, NC
Civilian/
Confederate
June 29-July 1
150th Malvern Hill Living History
Richmond, VA
Confederate
August 16th
123rd Old Soldiers Reunion Parade
Newton, NC
Confederate
September 7-9
150th South Mountain/Antietam Reenactment
Boonsboro, MD
Confederate
September 14-16
Allison's Woods Living History
Statesville, NC
Federal
October 13-14
Allison's Woods - Civil War Tactical
Statesville, NC
Both
November 9-10
Mint Hill Living History
Mint Hill, NC
Both
December 15th
Sharps House - Living History
Statesville, NC
Confederate
A DDITIONAL I NFO :
Allison's Woods Work Days:
June 2nd
August 18th
-Camp of Instruction: $5 is due at the event. Contact Jerry to let him know if you will be there.
-150th Shiloh: Pre-registration is completed. $15 walk on. This is the Armies of Tennessee event, and
not the Blue-Gray Alliance event. Website is http://www.shiloh150th.com.
-150th McDowell: $24 due by April 15th. First Southern Division event of the year.
-150th Malvern Hill: No registration fee. Contact Jerry or Matt if interested.
-150th South Mountain/Antietam: $20 by March 31st. Event is titled “Maryland, My Maryland.”
-Allison’s Woods CivilWar Tactical: Contact Matt or Jerry for information.
-Sharps House Living History: Tentative schedule includes regular living history during the day, and period ball that evening. Information will be forthcoming.
-Scheduled Workdays for Allison’sWoods: June 2nd and August 18th.
T HE R EGIMENTAL D ISPATCH
P AGE 4
2012: The “Big Four”
A Look at the Biggest Events of 2012
150th Shiloh Reenactment (March 30-April 1)
Reenactment of one of the bloodiest battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.
Fought April 6-7, 1862, the battle started as a surprise attack by Confederate forces under Albert Sidney
Johnston on Ulysses S. Grant’s troops near Pittsburg Landing. The attack failed, and Union reinforcements under Don Carlos Buell helped drive back the Confederate troops. Nearly 24,000 men became
casualties, including Johnston himself. The event will take place in Counce, Tennessee, and will be hosted
by the Armies of Tennessee (Another Shiloh event is being hosted by the Blue-Gray Alliance, for some
stupid reason). We will be going as Federal for this event. Information can be found at: http://
www.shiloh150th.com.
150th McDowell Reenactment (May 4-6)
Reenactment of the second battle of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s legendary Valley Campaign, fought
May 8, 1862. The first victory for Jackson in the Valley, following the defeat at Kernstown the previous
March. The battle was a Confederate Victory, resulting in nearly 680 casualties for both sides. This is the
first Southern Division event of the year, and will take place on portions of the actual battlefield. Additional information can be found at: http://www.battleofmcdowell.org.
150th Malvern Hill Living History (June 29-July 1)
Living history at the Malvern Hill battlefield site, part of Richmond National Battlefield Park. Fought on
July 1, 1862, the battle was the final part of the Seven Days’ Battles, which saw the rise of Robert E. Lee
as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. The battle was a Confederate defeat, resulting in over
5,600 casualties, compared to 2,100 for the North. Despite the failure, George McClellan pulled his army
from the Peninsula, resulting in a tactical victory for the Confederacy. The unit will be joining the 26th
North Carolina for this event. Contact Matt or Jerry if interested. Additional info can be found at the
26th’s website, http://www.26nc.org.
“Maryland, my Maryland:” 150th South Mountain/Antietam Reenactment (Sept 7-9)
Reenactment of two battles fought as part of the Antietam Campaign. After finding a copy of Lee’s overall orders for the campaign, Union General George B. McClellan attacked Lee’s forces in the South
Mountain region on September 14, 1862, forcing his men from the field. With Jackson’s corps rejoining
them, the Confederates made a stand along Antietam Creek, near Sharpsburg. On September 17,
McClellan struck at several points along Lee’s lines throughout the day. Although initially successful the
Confederates retained the ground at the end. The battle resulted in 23,000 Confederate and Union casualties; the bloodiest single day of the war. Although a tactical victory for the Confederates, Lee was forced
to pull his men back into Virginia, resulting in a moral victory for the North, and gave Lincoln the incentive to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. The event will be held in Boonsboro, MD. September 8 will
feature the South Mountain Scenario, with the Antietam reenactment the following day. More information
can be found at: http://www.marylandmymaryland.org.
T HE R EGIMENTAL D ISPATCH
P AGE 5
1862 in the East: 150 Years Later
By: Steven T. Hancock
Sketch of the Battle of Seven Pines (Fair Oaks), May 31-June 1, 1862.
In 1862, the American Civil War entered its second year, and the conflict went into full swing. In
both theaters of the war, Confederate and Union forces would struggle in some of the bloodiest fighting of
the war. By the end of the year, two things would be made clear to all who were involved. First, the war
was not going to be a short one. For either side to win, a long and bloody struggle was necessary, and
countless lives would be lost in achieving success. Secondly, the weaponry being used was far more advanced than that used in previous conflicts. Rifled Muskets, pistols and artillery all had a more effective
range than before. However, the tactics being used were still those familiar to the likes of Washington,
Napoleon and Wellington, meaning that casualties would be much higher than any previous war in
American military history.
In the eastern theater of the war, Union forces faced formidable odds despite heavily outnumbering their enemy. Union General George B. McClellan had successfully organized the Army of the Potomac into a major fighting force, but was slow to put them onto the field of battle. When he finally did, his
penchant for moving slowly proved to be a detrimental to the army. The infamous Peninsula campaign got
bogged down in front of the Confederate defenses at Yorktown, Virginia in April of 1862. Although he
heavily outnumbered his opponent’s forces, McClellan always feared the opposite. When the army finally
P AGE 6
T HE R EGIMENTAL D ISPATCH
moved, he realized he had been duped by the enemy into thinking they had more troops and artillery than
they actually had. McClellan began to move the army closer and closer toward Richmond, fighting battles
at Williamsburg, Eltham’s Landing, Drewry’s Bluff, Hanover Courthouse and Seven Pines.
It was at Seven Pines on May 31 st that the commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Joseph E. Johnston, was severely wounded. In his place, Jefferson Davis chose his military adviser,
General Robert E. Lee, to take over command of the army. Johnston would later comment that his being
wounded was the best thing that could happen for the army. Lee wasted no time preparing for the defense
of Richmond. But knowing that McClellan was slow to act, and very cautious, Lee chose to move on the
offensive. Calling on the forces of Confederate General Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson, whose
force of fewer than 18,000 men had successfully driven a large Union army out of the Shenandoah Valley,
to come to Richmond, Lee consolidated his army, and prepared to attack the enemy. In what became
known as the Seven Days’ Battles, Lee would drive his men into several battles between June 25 th and
July 1st. Although only successful at one of these battles (Gaines’s Mill on June 27 th), the offensive strategy worked, and successfully drove McClellan off the Peninsula.
Following this defeat, Union President Jefferson Davis gave command of the army to General
John Pope. Pope proved to also be a failure in commanding an army. On August 29 th-30th, his men were
defeated at the Battle of Second Manassas. Following this battle, Virginia was briefly free of Federal
troops, and Lee chose to move his army into Maryland, hoping to secure a major victory that could help to
end the war, and gain the Confederacy some legitimacy in Europe. On September 4 th, his men began
crossing the Potomac River. Jackson’s Corps was sent to take care of the Federal garrison at Harper’s
Ferry, while the rest of the army moved along the South Mountain range.
However, it was at this moment that disaster struck the Confederates. A copy of Lee’s orders were
found by Union troops, and sent to George B. McClellan, who was once again in command of the army.
With this knowledge, the cautious McClellan moved quickly, attacking and driving the Confederates out
P AGE 7
T HE R EGIMENTAL D ISPATCH
of the South Mountain gaps on September 13th. The Confederates pulled back to a defensive position
overlooking Antietam Creek, near Sharpsburg, Maryland. McClellan chose not to attack, giving Lee the
time to consolidate his forces. Jackson, having successfully forced the garrison at Harper’s Ferry to surrender, was able to join the rest of the army before the battle on September 17 th. In what became the
bloodiest single day in American history, 23,000 Confederate and Union forces were killed, with neither
side gaining a clear advantage. The battle became a tactical draw. However, with Lee having lost a third
of his army, the Confederates were forced to return to Virginia. McClellan chose not to pursuit the enemy,
thus enraging President Lincoln.
However, with the Confederate invasion thwarted, Lincoln chose to deal a crippling blow to the
rebels. On September 22nd, five days after Antietam, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, giving the
army a dual purpose: preserve the Union, and free any slaves in bondage. With this document, Lincoln
stated that all slaves in the Confederacy were to be free on January 1 st, 1863. This not only robbed the
Confederates of their labor force, but also helped to keep European countries, which had already emancipated their slaves, from recognizing the Confederacy. Although Lincoln did not see it as a moral cause at
first, issuing this proclamation would change the face of America for the better.
But the military situation in the east was very precarious. Weeks passed before McClellan began
to move the army back into Virginia, but his case of the slows prevented any strategic successes from occurring. In November, following the mid-term elections, Lincoln removed him from command of the
army, and named Major General Ambrose Burnside as his successor. McClellan decided to take his army
on a winter campaign, something considered dangerous at the time. His plan called for a crossing of the
Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg, Virginia, and a move toward Richmond from there. However,
when the army arrived across from the town, the pontoon bridges necessary for a river crossing were late
in arriving. Although a portion of the river could be forded easily, Burnside chose to wait for the pontoons
to arrive. By the time they did, Lee and the Confederates arrived, and began preparing strong defenses on
T HE R EGIMENTAL D ISPATCH
P AGE 8
the heights beyond the town. But instead of adapting his plan to the changing strategic situation, he instead chose to go ahead with the crossing at Fredericksburg, and drive through the Confederate defenses.
In the battle on December 11-13, the army was successful in pushing Confederates out of the town, but
failed to dislodge the enemy from the heights beyond, resulting in a major defeat for the Union forces,
with 13,000 men becoming casualties. Burnside then moved the army to Stoneman’s Switch, where it
would bivouac for the rest of the winter.
The Army of the Potomac began moving in the spring of 1862 with great enthusiasm, and the objective to end the war. However, by the year’s end, the army had suffered serious losses, while achieving
one real success at Antietam, and even that battle was a tactical draw. Three commanders, McClellan,
Pope and Burnside, had failed to prove a serious threat to Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. However, with the changing war aim of freeing the slaves, European involvement in the war was
kept at bay, and in the long run, Confederate chances at winning the war were slim at best. Even though
the strategic situation favored the Confederates, victory for the Union was almost assured by the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22 nd, guaranteeing freedom for the slaves at
the war’s conclusion.
Works Consulted
McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York: Oxford University Press,
1988.
GETTYSBURG: Director’s Cut
A Review by: Steven T. Hancock
In the fall of 1993, after a fifteen-year journey, filmmaker Ronald F. Maxwell finally
achieved his dream of bringing Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Killer
Angels,” a dramatic look at the Battle of Gettysburg and the men who fought on both sides,
to life. Originally conceived by Maxwell and financier Ted Turner as a six-hour miniseries,
production commenced in the late Summer of 1992. But when Mr. Turner saw the highquality of the film being produced, the decision was made to turn the miniseries into a theatrical film. The film was edited down to a 254-minute run time, still the longest single film
ever shown in theaters, and renamed Gettysburg. The film was released in October of 1993,
and became an instant classic. When it did air on TNT in the summer of 1994, it achieved
the highest ratings ever for the cable network, and home video sales, as well as sales
of Shaara’s book, were major successes for
Maxwell, Turner, and the men and women
who worked on both sides of the camera to
bring this monumental story to the screen.
The director’s cut of the film, which
was the version shown on TNT in recent
years, and meant to be the version shown on
television if the film had been released as a
miniseries, was released on Blu-ray and
DVD in 2011, along with the extended version of the prequel, Gods and Generals.
Unlike the latter film, the added footage to
Gettysburg doesn't change the overall narrative or structure of the film. But what has
been added to the film is fascinating nonetheless. Among the new footage Maxwell put back in the film includes: more footage of
General John Buford (Sam Elliott) and his cavalry riding through Gettysburg; extended
footage of Pickett, Armistead, Kemper, Garnett, Longstreet and Fremantle in the first scene
around the campfire; Longstreet and Fremantle’s discussion on the morning of July 2nd, as
well as Longstreet’s and Harrison’s discussion at the hospital, are extended, and: a glimpse
of a wounded General Trimble during Pickett’s Charge; where he gives a message to
Longstreet’s aide.
But the two best changes to the Director’s Cut involve Robert E. Lee and other supporting characters not seen in the theatrical version. The first is the scene on the morning of
July 1st, when Major Taylor comes up to Lee, has been extended by about thirty seconds.
During the extended discussion, Taylor asks Lee how he is feeling. It is here that you realize that Lee has been ill during the campaign, and why Martin Sheen’s performance as Lee
comes off as somewhat feeble. The second scene is an added discussion between Lee and
Generals Ewell, Early, Rhodes and Hill. If you recall, Tim Scott is credited as Ewell in the
opening credits sequence, but is never seen on screen during the theatrical cut. Now, his
scene has been added back in, and gives more insight into how the failures at the end of the
first day played out. The scene where Lee and Ewell talk face to face after the other officers
have left is very powerful.
Overall, the extended cut of Gettysburg is a slight improvement over the original theatrical version of the film. The seventeen minutes of added footage gives further insight
into the overall strategic situation that took place between June 29 and July 3 of 1863, as
well as a better look at why Robert E. Lee looked feeble during the battle. While the new
footage doesn’t change the overall structure and tone of the film as with Ron Maxwell’s extended cut of Gods and Generals, the new footage is fascinating, and allows for further
character development and historical insight. If you are a fan of the film, then you will definitely want to add Gettysburg: Director’s Cut to your historical film collection.
Grade: A+
Tim Scott as General Richard Ewell in Gettysburg. Although credited in the theatrical
release, his scene was cut, but later edited back into the Director’s Cut.
N EWSLETTER T ITLE
P AGE 11
D IRECTIO N ’ S
TO
150 TH S HILO H E VENT *
-Take I-40 West, going into Tennessee. Continue to follow I-40 West Signs.
-Take exit 235 to merge onto TN-840 W toward Murfreesboro. Go 45.7 Miles
-Take exit 31 to merge onto I-65 S toward Huntsville. Go 13.6 Miles
-Take exit 46 for US-412/TN-99 toward Columbia/Chapel Hill. Go 2/10 of a mile.
-Turn right onto TN-99 W/US-412 W/Bear Creek Pike. Go 7.1 Miles.
-Continue onto US-43 S. Go 23.1 Miles
-Turn right onto State Route 20 W/TN-20 W/State Hwy 20 Scn. Continue to follow State Route 20 W/TN-20 W, going
2.0 miles.
-Take slight left onto TN-240 S/Co Hwy 361. Go 15.2 Miles
-Turn right onto TN-15 W/US-64 W/Waynesboro Hwy. Continue to follow TN-15 W/US-64 W, going 14.8 miles.
-Turn right onto US-64 Bypass W/Veteran Memorial Pkwy. Continue to follow US-64 Bypass W, going 2.6 miles.
-Continue straight onto TN-15 W/US-64 W/Savannah Hwy. Continue to follow TN-15 W/US-64 W, going 28.4 miles.
-Turn right onto Main Street. Go 5/10 of a mile.
-Slight left onto TN-15 W/TN-69 N/US-64 W/Bridge Ave. Continue to follow TN-15 W/TN-69 N/US-64 W, going 4.1
miles.
-Turn left onto TN-22 S. Go 8.4 miles.
-Continue onto TN-142 E. Go 3.3 miles.
-Turn right onto Possum Trot Rd. Go 9/10 of a mile.
-145 Possum Trot Rd, Counce, TN, 38326 will be on the right.
*As with all directions, double check with Google Maps or Mapquest for the accuracy of the information.
Southern Piedmont Historical
Reenactment Society
c/o Steven and Tony Hancock
180 Quail Place Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27127
Phone: 336-926-5861
E-mail: [email protected]
PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF THE
49TH NORTH CAROLINA TROOPS
AND 21ST MASSACHUSESTTS
VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
V I S IT US O NLI NE !
W W W . 4 9 N C T . O RG
IN
THE NEXT EDITION OF
T HE R EGIMENTAL D ISPATCH :
-After-action Reports from Camp of Instruction, 150th Shiloh, Hickory Landmarks, etc.
-Information about, and directions to, the events at McDowell, Latta Plantation, and
Malvern Hill.
-Pictures from Camp of Instruction, 150th Shiloh, and Hickory Landmarks events.
-”1862 in theWest: 150Years Later” article.
-Articles from previous editions of the Regimental Dispatch.
-And more.
Next edition due for release: Tuesday, May 1st, 2012.