Caesar Creek, Ohio - 15 Sept 2007

Our most recent event was at Caesars Creek Pioneer Village between Dayton and Cincinatti just west of Interstate 71 via State Route 73. It is a great little set up there of restored cabins and such of early settlers. Merle and I were really the only ones representing the 5th Texas Cavalry. There were a couple of other fellas, but they were busy playing Generals Lee and Grant. This was our first event in Ohio...and we've only been here for about 3 weeks at this point! I got all our gear out of storage the day before we went, that is how fast we got into it in our new home area.


Here I am proudly standing next to the Battle Flag. I was heavily armed to defend it out there on the battlefield! I was carrying (2) borrowed '51 Colt Army pistols (.45 cal) and my '51 Colt Navy Sheriff (.36 cal).

This is myself with Merle Collins. He invited me into the 5th Texas Cavalry. His support has been invaluable. Without his knoweldge, and generous use of his horse, Chic, and the tack, extra revolvers, traps, etc....I wouldn't be able to do a cavalry impression at this time. Thanks for making a dream come true for me, Merle!

Here is Bethany and I in front of our Battle Flag. Look at all those pistols...phew! I'm sure our buddies in the 26th NC would be greatly impressed! (a little bit too mainstream for them...but it sure was fun to fire a ton of shots from horseback!) I like this pic of us a lot. Only the little .36 cal '51 Colt Navy Sheriff is mine. I plan to get a Remington with additional cylinders to change out while on the field in addition to my Sheriff. I might also get a Colt Walker too, just because they are so dang cool!

Dead Yanks in the ravine...that is always a good thing! But as Joe would say, 'the Yankees didn't win the War, they just win on Sunday!' Merle and I only observed from the top of ravine as we were on horseback in a dense and rugged forest area. This was one of two operations on Saturday afternoon.

What a beautiful day it was...perfect weather for anything, especially a reenactment. Here is our infantry behind the picket fence. There probably were another 100 Confederate foot soldiers and a few cannons around to the right of the fence. The Yanks charged across the field and were decimated by our artillery pieces and the fire of the men. They were a bit 'too' decimated as they all died...quite hokey! But the crowd had fun and seemed to enjoy themselves, and that is the main thing.

Here is Jimmy wandering around our campsite - our home away from home!

Here is Jimmy in typical form...He looks tired there, doesn't he?

Bethany soothing a poor, hurt Jimmy.

Here is Jake kickin it around camp and climbing an apple tree he was not supposed to climb. He just goofed off and had a good ol time!

Here is Tom vanquishing a foe...of some sort. I guess he is beating down the pioneers here or something! That looks a lot like Joe there getting the business end of that stick from Tom!
Here is Tom hanging out with his buddy who we liked to call 'Johnny Appleseed'.

This is classic Eme...she always manages to find friends!

Isn't my little Eme Pie so pretty?!!

Joe is always on the move and difficult to pin down for a good shot. He is often in the mix of kids, but always quietly. We like to call him the 'silent destroyer' at home, because he is stealthy when tearing up something that he shouldn't be touching. But he often has guns that he likes to carry around at events. And he likes to run with the older kids whenever he can.

And of course, Jim likes the pistols too!

Here are all the kids in typical action (except Eme...she is hanging somewhere with her girlfriends!). There is usually another kid or two to be on hand with our gang.

This is, as you may imagine, tough on Mom. You should she how tired she looks at the end of the day!

Here are some very poor quality pics of me on Chic, but that is all I have for now.

This is probably about the point where the Yanks said something to the effect (but more kindly) 'Y'all should retreat because you stink, Brent'. And they were of course right, but for my first time ever, I did pretty good really. I'll get better and whip 'em out right in time!

Merle is atop Travers, a beautiful, but honery gray Tennesse Walker. Merle is doing a field repair on the stirup I broke by not knowing what I was doing out there on Chic. You can kinda see Merle's wife Jeanne holding the horses still while he cuts leather with a big Bowie Knife. I was just waiting for Travers to jump and me to get a Bowie knife to the gut!

Here is the beautiful Chic. She is training me up to ride real nice! Chic is a quarterhorse, and obviously a 'sorrel' color as they say. I borrow Merle's "McClellan" style saddle. After the battle, Merle and I practiced a bit more and I finally got the 'holding on with your knees' part I think! I also got where I wasn't confusing Chic with commands. She is neck reigned, and will be great to ride as I get more practiced.

Boscobel, WI - 3 to 5 August, 2007

Hanging around camp at the end of the Boscobel weekend. It was a happy time as we were moving to Ohio, but it sure was a sad time as we were leaving behind all our buddies in the 26th...thanks to you all for all your kindness, help and overall support of us new folks in the hobby!

Here is a good example of tents at camp - and how tight we were packed in there at Boscabel.

A good random camp scene.

George looks like he is passing secret messages to the Yanks here!

We're chuckling about something...maybe someone cut the cheese or something...I don't recall!

Ooh, this one would be perfect...if only Captain Paul were in it!

Why we are acting like tigers...I'll never know!

Phil and I here before I leave. Phil was very helpful right off the bat in helping me and the family feel welcomed in the group. He was one of the first people we met that October 2005 at Minooka. Phil, thanks for all you did to get us into the hobby and the NC 26th!

Ryan and Bill...well, you look mighty tired Sgt. Bill after a long, wet weekend at Boscabel!

John and I here. John was Gen Longstreet this weekend. But I like your Stonewall Jackson impersonation the best!

General R.E. Lee or Paul Wood...Paul, you did a great job in portraying Lee. Paul was actually a driving force for us to join the 26th as well. We also talked with him a lot back at that 2005 Minooka event. I think Paul looks the most like Lee from any reenactor I've seen yet!

Look at those period kybos...cool! :)

Defeated at Saylers Creek...we didn't reenact the hand to hand, all out claw to the death that occurred in the real battle though. Nor the horrible lack of food and water that the Army of Northern Virginia was having to endure at that time in April 1865.

Here is some of our gang, with Sgt Tom and Lt. Gerry leading the way.

These drummers were very cool...wish we had them at each event. Only thing to top them would be some fifes to go along with them.

That's a nice pic at the end of the battle. Minus those distant telephone poles (which I should just photoshop out) it looks like it could be a real picture. And well, it is color, etc...

The 26th NC is in there somewhere!

Yank cavalry...keep on moving! Nah, they did a great job and there was quite a group of cavalry assembled for the event.

Look at those trench works...pretty cool eh?! Nice pic, sweetie!

There is my happy Joe...always having a good time!

It was actually worse rain than it looks in this picture. I am trying to get poor little Jim dry. You can see how wet I was and I was trying to stay dry!

Infantry...always standing and getting jawed at...I don't miss that in the cavalry, that's for sure!

Here we are getting the low down from Lt. Gerry prior to going out there.

Somebody needs to drive them from the field!

Ah, lots of smoke in the air, and lots of fallen Yanks...that is a good day's work! We are entrenched some where down to the left of the flag. I actually see Capt Paul getting down in the trenches there left of the photo. I also see my bald head there next to him. We were saluting the gallant foe, who, as a flag bearer, charged up the trenches all by himself, not knowing that all his mates had fallen wounded or dead around. This really happened at the battle of the second Cold Harbor, Virginia. Our colonel is saluting that flag bearer in the pic.

I wish I could have seen this battle from the spectator point of view. It apparently, was quite a somber scene as so many Federals fell trying to take the entrenchments at Cold Harbor. This was the battle where Gen. Grant got the nickname "The Butcher". There was almost complete devastation on the Yank side. The crowd was quite hushed and subdued as the battle was reenacted in a fine manner. It really brought home the sacrifice of the men on both sides who sacrificed so that America is what it is today.

The smoke is rolling!

A typical well laid-out campsite.