More walking the walk...

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Phantom Captain

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Well most of you seem more into the pre Civil War period but I'm gonna post these anyway. Granted your flintlocks are all nifty and such but our gallant boys in blue and gray both did their parts and performed admirably with their black powder weapons too. My Dad was a buckskinner and got me into black powder before I could walk as I remember it. We used to go to Friendship yearly and some of my earliest memories are camping there in our teepee while Dad did his thing in buckskins with his flintlock and tomahawk.

Anyway, to each their own. Being the son of a buckskinner it's only natural that my time would come during the great War of Secession. :neener:

Our camp of instruction the last week of March. That's me on the far left aiming my reproduction Lorenz rifle. Three guys in my unit have them now with three more ordered and coming! They are really sweet. The 49th Indiana was originally issued Austrian Lorenz rifles so we are absolutely correct carrying them. I brought a ton of live ammo this year, .58 minie ball cartridges plus both regular .69 ball and buck and ball loads to shoot in between drill. You all would be amazed how many reenactors have fired blanks for years and never once shot their rifles for real. Buck and ball loads were by far and away the most popular. My favorite too!

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Camp of instruction again. We shared camp with our counterparts the 44th Tennessee, also based out of Indiana. We decided to combine both companies for drill. I'm again, on the far left.

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This was last weekend in Vernon, Indiana. In line of battle, nice muzzle flash!

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We portray western federals of which I'm infinitely proud being a Hoosier myself and having six relatives all who fought for the western armies under Grant and Sherman from Shiloh all the way to the March to the Sea. I'm very proud of our modern unit as I think we really nail the western soldiers look. We are much more ragtag and individually unique compared to our eastern cousins who are much more cookie cutter. Here last on the right in the rear rank (blanket roll and flat top bowler).

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Here my 1st Sgt. stands over our wounded. You get a great view of his Lorenz rifle. You can also see our differing gear and appearances. Slight variations in sack coat colors, gear carried, blankets, etc. I'm on far right with the tan blanket roll.

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Break time down at the river...

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The blanket rolls may not have offered a soldier much protection from being wounded, but at least it would soak up a lot of blood and was immediately available to dress a serious wound!
Also it must need to be well secured on the non-shooting shoulder to not interfere with shooting. :rolleyes:
 
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This is definitely a do not try it at home.

A blanket roll sometimes provides protection. One Union soldier pinned down before Marye's Heights pushed his blanket roll ahead of him for some "sense" of protection. Wounded, he managed to get back into town with some assistance. His pards wondered why his blanket was so heavy. They unrolled it and out dropped 17 minie balls. Naturally, the guns that fired them must have been fouled (explaining the loss of velocity) but better to be stopped in the blanket than the body.

More modernly, I read of a GI who shot a fleeing German with his M-1 carbine. The German was caught and the carbine bullets dropped out of his blanket.
 
Phantom Captain you are the only solider in step with your squad leader ...
Have the rest of the guys drop and give me 20 !
Great Pics .....where`s the Rebs ?
 
Well, I would say that they were nice photos, ceptin for one thing...

Where is that pretty missus of yours? I'd say from previous photos that she is as pretty as, if not better than, that line of muskets. :evil:

The Doc is out now. :cool:
 
His pards wondered why his blanket was so heavy. They unrolled it and out dropped 17 minie balls. Naturally, the guns that fired them must have been fouled (explaining the loss of velocity) but better to be stopped in the blanket than the body.
Click to expand...

It's also possible the rounds had skipped across the field toward his position. We fired several rounds from a 3-band Enfield offhand, over an open field at a 100 yard target. We found that at about 200 yards the rounds started to skip along the ground making little grooves, then a large gap, then more grooves, doing this several times before coming to rest.

HEY how about them guys in the second rank leveling their muskets! If us flinters can do it, with pans opening and sparks flying, so can you Yankee Caplock Boys!

LD
 
Thanks guys for all the nice comments!

I truly love doing this stuff and am lucky be in such a great company and double lucky to have a girl who loves joining me for all my craziness.

Well, I would say that they were nice photos, ceptin for one thing...

Where is that pretty missus of yours? I'd say from previous photos that she is as pretty as, if not better than, that line of muskets.
Click to expand...

Ha! Here she is in the middle, getting ready with the other ladies for the big saturday night ball! This was in Vernon, IN last weekend.

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Loyalist Dave, I agree on the balls skipping into the blankets too. That does seem more realistic although crazy things can and do happen with bullets. Some soldiers could have only half charged their rifles too. In the heat of battle with adrenaline pumping I'm sure more than one poured more than half their charge on the ground instead of down the barrel. Either way, there are so many accounts of the sort, bullets bouncing off belt buckles, sword scabbards, being stopped by a pocket bible, etc. etc. etc. Always fun and interesting to read that stuff though! Thanks 4v50 Gary

We are careful in the second rank not to get our locks too close to the ears of the 1st rank but usually it's no problem at all. If you notice in that first picture the 2nd rank always steps up and to the right with their right foot to do exactly that, get over the 1st ranks shoulder and not to be too close to their ears. It's straight out of the manual of arms!

LOL @ sundance44s! Yeah, them 44th Tennessee guys aren't too keen on drilling to the extent we do. Us blue coats do march and try to keep in step as much as possible (although there is always one slacker or two who aren't and then throw it off for everyone else). The Rebs on the other hand don't really care too much for all that and pretty much go at the route step all the time.

Here's a few more pics from last November at an event we did just outside of Atlanta. We were lucky enough to have the event right on the Nash Farm battlefield. I tell you what though, I thought the south and Georgia were supposed to be warm!! Those two nights it was down in the lower 30s!! My whole unit was going campaign style, like Sherman's boys would've, so we had no tents etc. It was sleeping out under the stars, nothing but a fire in the middle of us all and greatcoats and blankets. Still we all about froze! Ah good times good times! Nothing better!!

Yep, that's our camp. What you see is what you get. We were the only unit going campaign style, everyone else had canvas.

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Brrrrrr...

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Here's the boys waiting to be marched up to the line. I'm just behind our 1st Sgt.

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At Atlanta they dug works and trenches and had broken down artillery and such in the field for more realism. It was amazing to be hunkered down here looking up at those Rebs manning the works. We charged it too and pretty much got wiped out to the man as one would think. Awesome.

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"When the order was given it was all smoke, fire and roar of battle."

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You guys charged and got wiped out to a man? Were you reenacting Pickett's Mill or Kennesaw Mountain? By 1864, most of Sheman's boys knew better to try a stand up and fight in purdy lines ala 1861.

BTW, those are terrific pics. Your young 'uns do look the rite age to be soljers back then too. Camping in the low '30s has no appeal to me. I visited a War of 1812 group in Missessinewa (sp) in Indiana and that was cold enough for me.
 
You guys charged and got wiped out to a man? Were you reenacting Pickett's Mill or Kennesaw Mountain? By 1864, most of Sheman's boys knew better to try a stand up and fight in purdy lines ala 1861.

BTW, those are terrific pics. Your young 'uns do look the rite age to be soljers back then too. Camping in the low '30s has no appeal to me. I visited a War of 1812 group in Missessinewa (sp) in Indiana and that was cold enough for me.
Click to expand...

It wasn't anything specific, just a scenario of our boys trying to break the lines outside Atlanta. We did it more for the crowd to give them a nice spectacle. After the Rebs came out of the works and gave our wounded water and helped them back into their lines as prisoners. The crowd did like it.

And thanks for the compliments on the pictures again. Yep, the youngsters sure do look the part don't they?! We have six under the age of 20.

Been to Mississinewa myself and it's really cool to see! It's a great event but it actually conflicts now with our Civil War Days event in Hartford City. I went two years ago and it was 85 in October. Sounds the exact opposite of your visit! I wish they would schedule them on seperate weekends as the folks who go to the one would most likely go to the other as well. No sense in competing but that's what they do. I love all the colors and units in the 1812 reenactment it's a real treat to go to.
 
Can any of you guys tell me who is mfg.of the Austrian Lorenz rifles that are in Phantom Captain pics? Any Info. such as quality, wood type, price range,
Specs. compared to an original, Etc. would be much appreciated! I had no Idea it was even available. Again thanks very much! ~ RR
 
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Great pix...

Would love to see a reinactment some day ! Not much of it available to us'ns out here in Latte-land.
 
I don't know where Phantom Captain purchased his, but you can click on his name to send him a personal message (PM) to ask him.

But I did find Lorenz reroductions available at Loyalist Arms that are probably made in India. Note that the .54 rifled barrel version is listed at the bottom of the page priced at $775 U.S. Dollars.

http://www.loyalistarms.freeservers.com/1854LORENZ.htm


An announcement & info. about the Loyalist Arms reproduction Lorenz was also posted on the page below:

http://www.armoryguards.org/lorenz_purchase.htm

The page also has a link to a Civil War reenactors forum to search for discussion & info. about it:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/index.php
 
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Arcticap, Thanks for the links! I believe that is what I'm looking for.Will review
the info. closely and PM Phantom Capt. if need be. ~RR
 
So here's a few more pics of our last event.

This one was at Conner Prairie just north of Indianapolis. It was pretty large actually which is always fun. Weather was a bit rough Friday and early Saturday as we had rain and thunderstorms then had to deal with the mud after. I don't mind though, makes it more realistic in my opinion. You just have to deal with it!

Here's yours truly waiting for the call to battle. Just like the real army, you form up, wait, wait, wait, then are told to rest as you wait and then get called up again about five minutes after you finally sit down. How do you like my 19th century shave job eh?? I'm digging it.

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Our western boys again in battle!! This is another great picture of our western impression with the motley and ragtag look as compared to our eastern compatriots.

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Yep, that's me.

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Forward at the double quick! Charge!!

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AdmiralB - Conner Prairie Museum in Fishers is hosting two days of Civil War reenactments. Check it out at their website and then get thee down to Conner Prairie.
 
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