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Post by Spencer Davis on Apr 23, 2002 15:11:41 GMT -5
I don't know what the plans are for Perryville but I read on the Authentic Campaigner that a possible battalion portrayal is the 21st Wisconsin. From what I understand the AOP is going to do the 105th Ohio for one battalion and either the 21st Wis. or the 42nd INdiana for another. Here is the email that I got from John Cleaveland:
So i thinkk that it would be great to be able to portray the 21st but it still isn't decided yet.
Spencer P. Davis
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Post by Spencer Davis on Apr 23, 2002 15:12:55 GMT -5
well that didn't work. here it goes again.
Mr.. Davis, I am not sure what Dom is going to do. that being said I am pushing for doing the 21st wis. they had their baptism of fire at Perryville. I personally am in charge of the ghost walk that the doms battalion will be participating. for one of the vignettes we will portraying the dead from the 21st on the very ground they fought on. I would like very much you men from the the Great Northwest to help portray those brave men that fell that day. my number is 706 769 0541 feel free to contact me and I will try and answer any questions you might have.
John Cleaveland woolhat boy critter company western independant grays 't work here it goes again
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Post by Robert Braun on Apr 23, 2002 15:50:01 GMT -5
Yes... the 21st DID get their baptism of fire at Perryville.
They were in the front line after having left Wisconsin just four weeks before. So new they hadn't received their colors yet, and had barely drilled in the loading and firing of their muskets. As Maney's Tenessee Brigade approached through the cornfield to their front, the regiment got off a single volley. In the return volley from the Confederates, all the 21st's field officers were hit, and the entire regiment came unglued. They routed through the artillery position (among them Bush's 4th Indiana Battery) on the hill to their rear and into the supports of Startweather's Brigade---
[glow=red,2,300]The Wisconsin First Regiment[/glow]
It was the Wisconsin First that held line at Perryville, charged and repulsed the Tennesseeans, recaptured at least two Union guns, and saved the left of the line at Perryville. They likewise captured the colors of the First Tennessee Infantry-- the only Confederate battle flag captured that day.
The cost was fearful--the Wisconsin First lost 53% of their men. The 21st lost a reported 41 killed, 101 wounded, 121 captured and 15 more missing in action.
For its contributions, the Wisconsin First was hailed as the saviours of the Union left; some say, the entire Union Army that day. The greatful men of Bush's Battery sent the Wisconsin boys a resolution of thanks, and awarded the regiment an entirely new stand of colors--flags and staffs that exist today. And the deadful losses earned for the regiment a hard sobriquet--
"The Bloody First."
For my money, I recommend consideration of the Wisconsin First Regiment as one of the guiding impressions.
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Brad
Gurley Hawk
Hard Head Mess Member
Hard Heads!
Posts: 24
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Post by Brad on Apr 23, 2002 20:15:24 GMT -5
I also recently spoke with John Cleaveland. It sounds like there will be at least portrayal of the 21st Wis for the candlelight tours. Its possible that they will be chosen for one of the battallions of the AOP as well. He mentioned that the candlelight tours are $10 per head, and they are hoping for something close to 1000 participants, that's $10000, 100% of which goes to preservation of the battlefield. That's one of the best things about Perryville, the state subsidizes the entire event, so all money goes to saving the site.
Perryville should be fun.
Brad HHM
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Post by Robert Braun on May 7, 2002 9:58:04 GMT -5
I am all for a portrayal of the 21st Wisconsin... but I think a better choice would be the Wisconsin First Regiment.
The 21st's story at Perryville is an unfortunate one... and the story lasts 10 minutes. In contrast, the Wisconsin First Regiment has a very interesting story, of which Perryville is one of the best.
I hope the decision to do the 21st isn't being driven soley by the information available on the internet. The 21st frankly has several pages of info; the First very little. IMHO, the availability of info. vs. the regiment's service at Perryville is, in this case, an inverse proportion.
If people desire information on the First at Perryville, in order to arrive at an informed decision, I have access to unpublished first-hand accounts. They need only contact me.
ADIOS! r.
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Post by Mississippian on May 10, 2002 5:50:19 GMT -5
I hear now that Dom's 1st Batt. will be the 80th Illinois and the 2nd Batt. will be the 105th Ohio.
The 21st is still the impression for the candlelight tour.
Will MacDonald Cleburne's
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Post by cleaveland on May 11, 2002 22:41:17 GMT -5
gentlemen, It is good to see you all are interested in what will be done this year at perryville. first let me clear some things up. Although I was cheering for a wis , impression I had no hand in picking them . And I have no problem with the ones dom picked. Dom will have two battallions in his command the impressions will be as stated above. the impressions for the designated units are very similar to other units that where in close proximity during the fighting on the northern part of the battle field,ie parsons hill. the 21st did disinigrate as a unit as did many others on this section of feild and the 1st was magnificent, wouldn't it be beautiful to recapture a battery and haul it off by hand as they did?!!!
OK here is the line as far as I know it. the ghost walk will be done on the corn field after the battle sat, around dusk it will last about 2 hours. we stand to raise at least 10,000 dollars for the park through ticket sales. part of the tour will be depicting man for man the dead from the 21st. If you all are interested I would like you to help with that specific vingette. if there is enough participation perhaps we could add to that number the kia's for the 1st, I have a good deal of info on the 21st and not much on the 1st. Any information that pertains to the area and units taht fought on and behind Parsons hill would be GREATLY appreciated. the park is helping me out, but the more information I have, the more specific we can be in our portrayals during the ghost walk. letters written from the feild or immediatey after are what I need most. we would like to use only the words of eyewitness in our interpetive program. the program will be on the ground that occupies the "cornfeild" which will also be our camp sat. night.
I am also cooordinating a locust fence rail drive I can get a 8 foot rail for 4 dollars plus delivery, last year we had 200 rails donated to the park. so far this year I have raised 500 dollars towards the project of fencing the cornfield. it will take at least 1400 rails to accomplish this. any amount will help. your donations can be sent to.
john cleaveland pobox 772 farmington ga 30638
I can be reached in the evenings at 706 769 0541 if there is somthing you want to know about these efforts.
john cleaveland
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Post by Robert Braun on May 12, 2002 20:45:43 GMT -5
At the expenze of sounding ghoulish, how does the park propose to "portray" the dead of the 21st in the "ghost walk?"
r.
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Post by cleaveland on May 12, 2002 21:17:22 GMT -5
Mr.. Braun et al, if your question is brought on through skepticism, I don't blame you, you probably don't know me from Adam. I encourage you to ask around about what we did last year at Perryville , picketts mill or the I600. I am involved in this to win the hearts and souls of the people that walk these tours. we can raise all the money in the world and it won't make a difference unless we can enlarge the number of people that hold these places dear. if we can convey the seriousness and gravity of our passion for these places maybe they will help us save and protect them. I assure you that our effort will not be maudlin in the least. the park is not involved in the walk except in the promotion and ticket sales. the state of ken. park service has contacted me to direct and control what is being done in all aspects of putting the walk on. That being said, we will use simple dramatic tecniques for depicting the dead. and mainly by representing their number man for man as close as the records allow, 30 men ling dead still some strip to their drawers will likely have an impact. this will be done with no stage blood or the like. we have done this twice before once at picketts mill for the dead of the 41st Ohio and last year at Perryville for the dead of maneys brigade. both times we used simple straight forward methods, when viewed by candle light it can be quite convincing. At both walks the spectators where visibly moved. the docents said many of the spectators where moved to tears. let me add here that as the viewers are at the station of this vignette they will have period letters read to them describing the action and the loss of a friend or son. there is one letter I know of and am told there are more from the 21st it would be even better to get a post battle letter from someone in the 1st. If you still have doubts or questions feel free to contact me . john cleaveland
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Post by Robert Braun on May 13, 2002 14:33:27 GMT -5
Mr. Cleaveland, thanks for your perspective. What you propose is entirely different from what one normally envisions for a so-called "candle-light tour." I understand from an intellectual standpoint what you propose.
I am grappling with my visceral reaction.
Allow me to explain. With respect to all those who portray an appropriate medical impression, I am weary--- nay revulsed-- at the oft horrid theatrics seen at the so-called "surgeon's tent." The real quality portrayals are eroded by the incredibly poor reditions that end up being comic... and hence a sacriligious charade of the mountains of human suffering endured after a battle.
With respect to your proposal, unless tightly controlled (which you have indicated you do) I see huge potential for similar abuse in such a scenario.
Again... I understand what you are trying to do intellectually. The "realism" of warfare, unfettered by the modern intrusions of modern trappings, if only for a moment, can provide a powerful tableau. And if moderns are willing to pay for that experience....
That being said, I personally would feel a certain compulsion to "rise from the dead" and clobber the first mush-mouth tourist that blurts out "Hail, we shur'n got ossel'es quite a crop o' daid Yankees this saison!"
Bob.
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Post by cleaveland on May 13, 2002 17:53:39 GMT -5
you do understand what our intentions are! And what I want to make happen. the funny thing is if all aspects are working right you can get so caught up in the senario that you forget there are spectators. and as for the spectators, at the begging of the tour they are told what to expect and what is expected from them and at 10 dollars a pop I think we will have weeded out the why ain't thar more ded yankeys crowd.
So, Are you willing to throw in your hat?
john
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Paul Calloway
Blake's Prairie Ranger
Proud member of G.H. Thomas' Invincibles.
Posts: 4
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Post by Paul Calloway on May 23, 2002 11:10:13 GMT -5
Bob - I took part in the "ghost walk" last year which is a bit of a misnomer... "candle light tour" is certainly more descriptive.
John Cleaveland, Drew and I worked closely to eliminate any 'theatrics' and kept a tight hand on all the stations. On the Federal side, I only gave "speaking" assignments to guys I knew had their head and heart in the right place.
At the medical scenario we had several men laying about resting while a tired surgeon and assistant worked quietly. There was very little noise other than a company Captain writing letters home to the families of deceased and dying soldiers, and speaking to his clerk... the theatrics were at an absolute minimum. We also a couple dozen feet away had a 'shell-shocked' NCO (Jay White) explaining to his company commander (me) why he didn't feel he could go back to the company anymore.
That was the 'medical' scenario.. very matter-of-fact. No theatrics...
We had several other stations set up as John has explained. All we were really doing was allowing the public to peak into the after-battle lives of Perryville combatants. It was all very matter-of-fact, there was no "Gone with the Wind" style acting... in fact very little acting at all.
The "candle light tour" was entirely controlled by the WIG CS battalion and the GHTI's 105th Ohio battalion. No streamers to goof it up.
I saw many spectators rolling away in wagons with dumb-struck looks on their faces, and yes a few of the spectators looked pretty choked up. By doing this, the candle light tour has built up quite a reputation in the local community, and all those proceeds generated by the tour goes directly to benefit the park in 2002.
It's a unique and exciting opportunity to raise a few thousand dollars for preservation of Perryville... a wonderful park and one of high historical importance.
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