It was another exciting year at Goldendale for the annual WCWA tactical event. The weather was great and much cooler than last year's heat wave. Turn out was about the same. It's a shame that so many mainstream reenactors miss out on this event. The terrain is great, the theater of operations huge, and the opportunities for immersion nearly limitless. By the time I pulled in Friday afternoon, the union camp was busy digging bunkers, fighting pits, and arranging fortifications. The 14th Brooklyn were certainly passionate and impressive with their earthworks and they were well positioned away from camp to warn of approaching secesh skirmishers.
  There wasn't much battling to speak of, though skirmishes could happen throughout the day.  The Confederates made some substantial surprise attacks on Union camp. At one point the sole defense of the camp came down to myself and Severson who defended it successfully in our camp slippers. It was mostly tense due the highly effective body armor the attackers seemed to be wearing. However, judges did make sure fighting and game play stayed fair and exciting. When not fighting many of use spent time on long scouting hikes, sometimes getting shot, captured, or getting away with a dazzling escape from Confederate pickets. We did suffer one actual injury when private Christiansen sprained his ankle. But we got a care to him and he was bandaged up for safe travel home by nurse Molly. We all decided it would be better safe than sorry to head home early to tend to the injure, though he was greatly missed the rest of the weekend.
   Plenty of time was spent finding prize caches, earning points, relaxing in town, and guarding presidents Lincoln and Davis. Town outdid itself yet again with their incredible store, refreshments, leisure activities, and overall unparalleled immersive experience. Evenings were spent comfortably in camp playing games, swapping stories, and enjoying each other's company. There is good reason why this event is the favorite organization event for most who attend.

     The Battle of Union Gap event went great this year. The weather was cool and the schedule was accommodating for lots of drill, team building, and shenanigans. The public turn was great and we saw some of the highest public engagement at the event in years. Though, on the camp life size the 1st Sgt struggled with one of his greatest peeves: randos cutting through the company street. Now, for any knowledgeable reenactor, asking for permission to enter camp at the end of the street is common practice but not so much for farbs and some mainstreamers. Sgt. Spiekerman did an incredible job "educating" unknowing "officers" trying to take short cuts. Others, took turns to stand guard to do our part to remind officers of one of the most basic elements of military routine.
     Lots of fun was had in camp. One of the most hilarious highlights was when a bunch of the 2nd and 20th ME discovered one could button their coats together like a shelter half and challenged themselves to walk around camp and visit battalion as their own new organism. It was a hoot. 
     The battles were alright, though it was the last battle of the event that really stood out. The two battalions worked together on a great scenario that played out wonderfully. Company D captured two companies and a bugler and had some incredible support from Union cavalry. 
     Overall, it was a delightful weekend. It was great to see units really support each other and dig into the drill manuals. Even officers worked on their study including when Capt. Whitehall taught the manual of the sword. The two armies played well together and everyone brought lots of great information, scenarios, and demonstration for the public. We hope to see everyone in Yelm next month.
     

     The new Spokane event site was great. Farby, but great. It was at this event, I learned to embrace that #farblife and just have a good time. Everywhere you looked, you were surrounded by modernity, but the site was comfortable, the food vendors were probably the best every, the event host was gracious and wonderful, and the battlefield was decent. Most notable, was the incredible public turnout for the event. It's been years since the public not only showed up for the battle but also spent lots of time in the camps, asking questions, enjoying the pavilion demonstrations, and various skits throughout camp. The slower pace of the weekend allowed for so much more bonding, teaming building, dreaming, and planning. 
      Perhaps my favorite part of the new site was the march to the battlefield. It's been awhile since the armies have had a chance to have a meaningful march. The great part of it was watching all the locals drive by the armies on the movie and slow down their driving and pull out their phones to photo or record the most unusual sight.
     The extra down time allowed for old friends to reconnect after a long off season, companies to share knowledge and experience, and to socialize unlike usual events where the agenda can be so crammed packed that we barely have time to fill canteens. The battles were decent and wonderfully narrated by the ever improving announcer who does such a great job of educating and keeping the public engaged. We hope to be there again next year.

     The Goldendale tactical was an event for the history books. The location was terrific, the scenarios fun, and the camaraderie uplifting. Of course, the Sharpshooters took on numerous challenging and late-night missions to keep pressure on the Confederates and stack up incredible points. Activities that counted for points included capturing a cowbell, taking prisoners, engaging in activities in town, and finding caches hidden around the event site. I must own up to how hilariously obsessed I became with finding the burlap sacks filled with root beers, money, and store script. The obsession paid off as not only did our unit find most of the sacks, but our leadership corps were the ones that found all of them. Of course, we shared the bounty with the unit who had fun shopping at the incredible town impression throughout the weekend.
     The high heat kept battles spaced out, but the Union army stayed busy on picket duty, standing watch, and building fortifications. Our most impressive mission during the event was a daring night infiltration of the Confederate headquarters, including Sgt. Spiekerman, Pvt. Moore, and Pvt. Chistiansen. After Company D, supported by the 20th Maine, had already captured the valuable cowbell from the enemy earlier in the day, Colonel Struve visited the camp and offered us even more points if we could sneak into the Confederate camp and return it without being caught. Beginning at dusk, the intrepid Sharpshooters began their successful mission, which took at least two hours, including lots of low crawling before successfully completing their mission and returning to camp. Everyone in Company D performed outstandingly. I want to make an additional note commending Brevet Corporal White, who dropped his gear and made a mad, sacrificial sprint into Confederate camp during the last battle to earn us one more round of points for accomplishing another raid.
     While Confederate participation in this event was sadly small, those who did attend were so much fun to play with and absolutely contributed to the event's success. The leaders of the two armies found many ways to keep the weekend fun. On the last day, the Confederates organized a great Alamo-style last stand.
     We would be remiss if we didn't also share ample praise to the civilians who created such an immersive and fun experience for all of us soldiers. Everyone in Company D would say it was the best, most worthwhile, and most enjoyable interaction we've ever had with the civilian township. They really outdid themselves.
    We look forward to this event again and hope the experiences of this event influence the mainstream events for the better.
   

     The Battle of Everson farm provided the best battle and campsite in years. Oak trees, shade, and expansive, rolling terrain made for an incredible battle scenarios. We were able to utilize a full array of tactics and maneuvers, too. It was great to be able to scout trails and pop out from the tree lines into the enemy's flanks and rear. Perhaps most exciting was the presence of a deer stand that allowed for a heavy team to sharpshoot from a tree in actual battle for the first time. On our last day, we had the opportunity to spend quality drill time and battle alongside our friends in the 20th Maine. Battles were fantastic and the Confederates provided for some great game play resulting in the capture of prisoners on both days. The second battle of our last day was a sight to see. We opened as screeners for the 14th Brooklyn who, when on line as skirmishers, covered our withdraw back through the woods and trails to surprise the rear flank of the Confederate army. Pvt. Christiansen and 1st Sgt. Koepp stayed near the 14th to feint that the Berdans were still near and in front of the enemy. Thanks to a dispatch delivered by the cavalry, the 20th Maine was able to link up with us after a long and spirited run around most of the battlefield. Once linked up, they made it through the woods to support us. Maine soldiers kept up a strong wall of fire and contested every inch of ground.
     Company D fought brilliantly, covering an incredible amount of ground and utilizing cover and concealment like we rarely have the opportunity to. The strenuous battles combined with high heat took a toll but due to years of experience and proactive self-care, the heat didn't take any Sharpshooter out of battle.
     The camp site was unusually pleasant with lots of shade and room to spread out. It was so close to the 1st Sgt's home that he even brought out the shebang shack. We are all excited for the future of this event site and its potential.
     Lastly, for those who have been wondering, we brainstormed a long list of upcoming video ideas. Stay tuned and be sure to keep an eye on the Company D YouTube channel.
      

     It was another great weekend of the Woodland Tactical event.  These no-public events are really the best part of the hobby.  Just long days and long nights of soldiering, camaraderie, and fun are all you need.  Events like these are also great times for us to become better reenactors by spending more time playing with each other and learning how to play better.  It's a great time to take more chances and maybe experiment with more hijinks.  Even when the rebs "cheated" a bit by attacking through Union camp, it was an incredible fire fight and totally worth the fudging of the rules.  They pressed us super hard and everyone took lots of hits on that fight.  My favorite part of that battle was when Captain Whitehall took an expeditionary force to scout around the rebel attack, leaving me in command of the right flank.  Once the firing began, I pulled back to review my fighting force realizing he somehow mistakenly took the entire company!  With just a hand full of soldiers from various units, we just barely survived being hit by intense and well disciplined Confederate fire from three sides.  The Captain and I had a good laugh about it afterwards.  Especially when he realized he pulled the company for the whole fight only to discover there was no way around the Confederates.
     Of course there were discussions about not taking enough hits on both sides. But what's great about these events is that there are so many opportunities for the battalion commanders to chat it out, find solutions, and in about an hour, we're back at it trying to do better for each other.
     On Saturday, our company spent just about 12 hours on the front line after getting up and moving out at 5:30 a.m.  We immediately set about doing what we love: building fortifications.  We made three lines with additional units building cover in the extreme rear. There were long periods of down time and lots of time for intense fighting, especially when the Rebs cuts trails through the woods for surprise attacks.  All of this time gave us opportunities to chat, laugh, and connect, which is something we don't quite get during mainstream events.  It's also such a great opportunity to use our gear, learn to use it better, and experience soldier life for more than a couple of hours a day.
     My biggest highlight involved the civilians who participated.  One time, we were deployed out as skirmishers and while lying down aiming at the enemy camp, they graciously came out to us and gave us all watermelon.  It was equally fun, when the once kind civilians turned hostile insurrectionists on Sunday.  The women began shooting back at the Union Army, even turning over their kitchen tables for firing positions.  That got my dander up in the most fun way.  So we devised a plan for Pvt. House-Higgins to spring from the far end of our position on the right flank and capture one of their wooden spoons.  We checked our ammo, crept to the boundary of our position, and Pvt. House Higgins and his father stripped their gear off for a mad dash.  At the call they ran like the wind only to narrowly avoid capture.  Andy got a violent lashing by said wooden spoon and Pvt. House-Higgins nearly met the same fate.  Thankfully both managed to escape the civilian terror but not without drawing the attention of Confederate skirmishers.  This forced us to retreat as skirmishers to the safety of our lines.  Once the rebs turned back, we approached the line again.  Tom ran behind the town and got as close as touching the spoon before the Confederates returned with a company to repel to us.  Not only that, those rebs picked up the over turned tables and moved with them as a barrier approaching our line.  We had to hold for the time being.  Defeated but intent on not giving up, I was more determined than ever to get retribution.  After our last battle, the Confederate wounded were making their way back to camp.  A small handful of 79th were still on the field and Pvt. Renke came up to me to say, "now's our chance." I dashed out to the 79th to call on their support for our joint operation.  They deployed as skirmishers and with just a few rounds left a piece, we charged the civilians so Pvt. House-Higgins could take his war trophy and avenge his father's brutal beating.  After stiff vocal resistance and world class game play, the civilians, surrounded by armed Unionists, surrendered the spoon and we dashed off to battalion where our youngest private was tossed about as a hero and victor of the Battle of the Wooden Spoon.  And, yes, after the event, the spoon was safely returned to its owner.
      This light-hearted story is mostly to illustrate how much fun can be had with in the moment game play when everyone is out to have a good time.  No scripting, no worrying about making sure it's scheduled for the public, just the joy of a for us by us event.  There is growing interest in expanding events like these and of course we're all so grateful for everyone who had the time and interest to join and contribute.

      The Battle of Cheney turned out to be a wonderful event.  Everyone was excited to be back to reenacting with larger numbers again.  The days were full of training, drilling, and comradery.  We were happy to welcome the 79th NY to fall in with us for drill and battle.  We were also happy to welcome new recruit Pvt. House-Higgins as our new runner. In addition to being a great soldier, he also managed to take prisoners with only a sword scabbard. Cpl. Severson also took out the remnants of a secesh company with only his pistol. We were also happy to welcome Pvt. Izzard.  Pvt. Izzard was an incredible help around the camp, great on the field, and wonderful company for the weekend.
    In addition to camp life, we also had the opportunity for some important recognition and ceremony.  Pvt. Severson received his warrant as corporal, several soldiers earned their corps badge, and Cpl. Hardway was distinguished with the Sharpshooter Medal of Honor for her years of service prior to retirement.
     Additional surprises included a visit from Cpl. Soderling (2nd USSS Co. D ret.) who, showing up in time for drill, took charge for a company stress test.  Though retired, Cpl. Soderling still has all the fire and knowledge to keep the enlisted at their fighting best.  We are proud of the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our incredible NCO corps.  The deepest thanks from all of us to everyone who could make it and contribute to making such great event.
   The weather was cool and damp making for a rare, comfortable treat on a Memorial Day weekend.  Something I'm sure will not return for the Battle of Union Gap later this month. Prior to Gap, we encourage everyone to train, hydrate, and thoughtfully plan out their diets for what will likely be an incredibly hot weekend.

     Despite extreme heat, a burn ban, and poor air quality, the WCWA's first tactical in many years was an excellent time.  We camped in our shebangdominium on rather hard ground but our home did provide great shade for the hot days and warm nights.
     After set up, our call to man the picket line began at 4 a.m. after a sweltering and challenging night's rest.  Up on line, we made ourselves at home while we waited for the enemy.  This included sleeping in shifts and cooking from our haversacks.  Once the shooting time began, the rebs put up fierce resistance for two hours of rolling gun fights.  This included reinforcement at times from the 79th NY and Brooklyn Zouaves.  During one of those actions, Captain Whitehall and Cpl. Soderling daringly captured a rebel prisoner who was one of the friendliest prisoner's we ever captured.  After taking an oath of allegiance he joined us for fighting throughout Saturday afternoon.  We were very pleased to welcome nurse Molly who decided to carry an 1859 Sharps instead of her usual ice bucket this weekend.  Molly was a fierce and reliable Sharpshooter and wonderful company all weekend.
     Once off the line, it was all about managing the effects of heat.  We quickly spent much of the weekend in shirt sleeves, hydrating, and using ice packs liberally to stay healthy and in fighting shape.  Midday rest was interrupted occasionally to help support the Union line as the Confederate tactics improved.  This included a suicidal flanking maneuver by Cpl. Soderling, Pvt. Severson, and myself.  With Union backs to the wall, we provided several minutes of distraction forcing secesh to pull off valuable troops to address our gun fire, allowing Cpt. Whitehall's command to gain valuable ground, eventually holding the forest.   During a lull in afternoon fighting, Pvt. Severson and I went to investigate the position of the 79th NY.  As usual, we began fortifying a shooting position near a fence crossing that was regularly probed by the Confederates.  This quickly took on as the rest of the Company D came up to help the 79th expand fortifications around the Shephard's Hut.
     Sunday morning saw fighting come on hard and fast again. With our unit taking early casualties leaving Pvt. Moore and I holding the extreme right flank of the forest.  The rebs were hitting us from the front and the rear.  Luckily, Captain Whitehall saw a squad of rebs rush to support the few that broke through the Union rear.  Returning from camp, he grabbed two training knives and while quickly running up to them in surprise, knife killed at least six of them in front of battalion leaders of both sides.  
     Both sides did pretty well taking hits and prisoners.  You could sense the desire by most of the people there for these events to continue.  We heard rave reviews from numerous people about their experience this weekend.  Corporal Soderling even praised it as the best event she's ever been in.  You could tell the people there were really trying to find a fun balance of hot action and hit taking.  It wasn't all flawless, though.  Our biggest critique is that our opponents didn't seem to understand that a quick shot at sharpshooters lying prone and behind cover weren't going to die at the first crack of a rifle.  This played out disappointingly towards the end of Sunday when our unit, with some early support from a couple of 79th NY soldiers, set out to lie in ambush on a well travelled enemy back road.  Taking the high ground, on a rise above a ravine, behind dense brush and under the cover of trees, the company of Confederates didn't take a single hit from the well aimed and well covered expert marksman of Company D.  Most of us had at least three well aimed clear shots at different rebs as the they struggled towards our position.  Ignoring all of our gunfire, they lumbered noisily towards our position in mass and insisted we were prisoners because they were all loaded.  Also indicating, they weren't returning much fire.  This was frustrating and ridiculous, but listening to the rest of the fighting die out, we did manage to pull off and delay an entire company for the rest of the day's fighting.  I suppose that's what you call making lemonade out of lemons.  I'm hopeful this lack of sportsmanship is just a growing pain as more and more people learn the spirit of non-mainstream events.
     Speaking of non-mainstream WCWA events, this event was made even better by the lack of public.  We weren't held to the old community theater of mainstream reenactments or their overbooked schedules.  We were there for us.  We were there to improve, connect, and build comradery across units as we spent so much time fighting side by side and against each other.  The fighting was better than the vast majority of WCWA events as was the maneuvering.  Working in teams and reorganizing cut off groups to form new lines was an incredible experience and great opportunity for commanders to really stress test their companies.  Both sides had fun, fought hard, and fought safely.  
     A lot of thanks go out to everyone who helped make this possible and everyone who could make it and all of those who helped to make it special.  We hope the organization can see the value of the time, commitment, and participation of all those involved and honor the event (as well as the participants) as being eligible for numbers.  We look forward to the next one!

      After a long pandemic separation, Company D got together again vaccinated and ready to drill.  With everyone vaccinated it was also time for us to finally break in our new Maine-style walled Sibley tent.  We had a great time learning how to set it up and certainly look forward to using it in the future.  We were joined in camp by two new recruits who were an absolute pleasure to welcome and spend time with.  We certainly hope to see a lot more of them in the future.
     We had our usual plans for more involved bivouacing but we heard from the land owner at the last minute about a burn ban.  Luckily we were able to adapt pretty quickly but certainly felt the struggles of trying to use tin ware on propane.  In honor of the famous chicken story, I had the junior NCOs work with enlisted to cut up and prepare whole chicken with potatoes, onions, and bread.  Most had never cut apart or cooked a whole chicken, so their end result was even more impressive.  The Captain and I honored another aspect of Maine tradition by steaming lobster tails in our Berdan mess kits which worked out great.
     Drill time was focused on a lot of marching, getting used to the Sharps, and supporting our junior NCOs in their training skills.  Pvt. Severson drilled the company in manual of arms and Cpl. Soderling drilled the company in skirmish drill for a substantial amount of time.  While both performed excellently, Capt. and I were impressed to see Cpl. Soderling train the new recruits in some of our most challenging skirmish maneuvers. The whole team's skirmish work was exceptional!
     In addtion to the wonderful time spent reconnecting we shot quite a few new YouTube videos.  Speaking of shooting, Cpt. Whitehall brought his Henry for even more late afternoon fun.  The pandemic has certainly effected our hobby, but we're busy at work coming up plans for more opportunities for us to live history.

     This Memorial Day weekend was full of training, bonding, and good times.  Camp was great even with the early burn ban and Private White and Severson made a big shebang to stay warm during the cold nights.  They cut branches and made tent stakes, button three whole tents on end, and Captain Whitehall added his lanterns for ambience.
     Saturday morning started with a nice long NCO meeting and training session followed by hours of drill in manual of arms, skirmish, and tactics.  Lunch was followed by Captain Whitehall and Private Severson having a boxing match refereed by Private White.  Captain Whitehall came out hot but Private Severson managed to stay in the fight and even a good swing or two in himself.  The afternoon included more marching, deployments, and time in camp.
     Sunday included lots of firing drills to get used to shooting on the move, from different positions, and under stress.  We practiced speed loading and firing where Cpl. Hardway shined consistently with her trusted rifle, "Deadway."  Pvt. Severson wasn't far behind, either.  We drilled in the differences between shooting prone and loading from the cartridge box and loading from a loose arsenal pack.  We also spent a good amount of time experimenting with wearing and using our gear including readiness practice.  Or, how quickly could we get into and out of our gear ready for battle or to take a break.  Private Glasgow and I had lots of great conversations about translating modern military practice and tactics in to Civil War tactics.  Its was great.  Sunday evening was full of fun singing and sharing stories.
     Of course, no trip to Goldendale would be complete without a foxhunt tracking down Capt. Whitehall.  The hunt was long with squads working methodically led by Cpl. Soderling and Cpl. Hardway with me falling in as private for the training exercise.  I had a blast "bunker busting." The area is also used by WWII reenactors so we had to clear trenches and bunkers where Cpt. Whitehall could be hiding.  Eventually, it was Pvt. White who fired the first shot at Cpt. Whitehall as his team mates, Cpl Soderling and Pvt. Severson gave pursuit in a running gun battle.
     Monday wrapped up shooting a YouTube video and planning more for the upcoming season.  All things going well our next event should be the end June.  Until next time, stay safe everyone.

     This year's School of the Sharpshooter went great with lots of time spent on camp and field craft in preparation for the upcoming season.  The bulk of our time was spent learning and developing traditional skills.  We spent lots of time using our mess gear and experimenting with period recipes and camp fire cooking.  Soldiers learned how to make a tripod, gather tinder, make fires with natural tinder bundles, and build a cooking fire.  To keep the fires going all night, Pvt. Severson led excellent firewood details where the detail used period lumber tools and learned or improved on traditional wood processing skills.  Pvt. Cook really showed his love of lumber work by bucking a big portion of wood by hand with an axe.
     After breakfast Saturday morning, we packed up camp and went on our longest march yet, drilling along the way.  Drill focused on tactics, deployment, using the terrain, and scouting with battle buddies.  Everyone showed great improvement in marching endurance.  After a lunch break, we engaged in a very special and never before seen activity which you'll just have to hear about around the camp fire at Cheney.  Evenings were spent swapping stories and singing songs around the campfire.
     We really enjoyed the time spent learning how to use our gear and develop camp craft.  It's low key events like this that provide not only bonding time but opportunities to develop skills and leadership.  It was also great to see how we are approaching near 100% authenticity by leaps and bounds.  We were so proud to see everyone was able to live entirely out of their knapsacks or bedrolls all weekend. We're so thankful to everyone who could make it and we can't wait to see everyone again at our next event.
      Until our next event, stay safe, keep studying, training, and working on your impression.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp
​     It was another great weekend at our Fort Stevens living history event.  A big thanks to everyone who could make it and for all of their participation working with public each day.  There was a lot of visitors for all of our many demonstrations and presentations.  This weekend included bayonet drill, target shooting, drill led by Sgt. Spiekerman, shooting YouTube videos, capture the flag, photo shoots, and of course our annual tradition of visiting the battery tunnels late at night.  This year, our trip to the cave-dark tunnels included a reading of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado.  Corporal Hardway's team won at capture the flag, but I managed to get a delightful surprise bayonet "kill" before losing.  This weekend also saw the reveal of my prototype of a portable winter quarters that Private Cook got to call home making this the first event his tent didn’t fall over.   Private Glasgow provided great public entertainment not only with his presentations, but also his demonstrations at the targets on the range.  I managed to “shoot” him once and even “shot” his cup out of his hand, winning me a $5 bet from Corporal Soderling. 
     The weather was ideal all weekend and the park took wonderful care of us.  As usual at Stevens, we got some interesting public comments and questions.  This year’s top comments went to Abby who was thought to be an animatronic doll.  The other happened when Corporal Hardway was napping under that fly and a child asked, “Is that a real person?”  Aside from the silly, the public was wonderful, curious, and working with the Fort continues to a pleasure and an honor.
     It’s hard to believe our regular reenacting season is already over, but I’m sure we’ll be working on private events to keep bringing us together over the off season.By

     The Battle of Chehalis turned out better than expected.  Even with a temperature spike, Co. D dominated the field.  We welcomed new recruit Private Tiller who performed admirably on a very technical battle weekend.  Saturday's drill ended up a bit of a wash as battalion didn't seem to know what was going on, except they wanted us standing around aimlessly until they were ready for a brief instruction almost an hour after the scheduled time.  Sunday's drill was very fruitful since it was company drill.  We got down to business focusing again heavily on tactics and deployment.  Our NCO corps has really found its groove as we thoroughly began to shine as platoons.  Sunday's morning battle saw us swinging out into three L shaped ambushes on the secessionists.  First, we locked down a Confederate company so tight, they had to be relieved and reset.  Later in that same battle, we sent out 2nd Sgt. Spiekerman's 2nd platoon on another L formation which led to the easy capture of a squad of unsupported Confederates.  During one of my more epic death scenes, Private Glasgow took a great opportunity to roll my body over and use me as a sandbag. Our platoons have really coalesced into cohesive and independent fighting units.  Our NCOs did an amazing job with Corporals Hardway and Soderling being true professionals on the line.  Also during drill on Sunday, we practiced advancing at the low the crawl and Private Cook did a wonderful job instructing the company in proper technique.
     When not defending the Union on the battlefield, we caught up on local newspapers from home and even shared a spare copy of the Rockland Gazette with fellow Rockland man, Captain Keene of Company F, 20th Maine.  Everyone was on top of things with camp duties and we had plenty of time to socialize.  Company D hosted the joint battalion social as we continued to build friendship across lines.  Private Severson worked on perfecting his burgoo recipe each morning, cooking over the camp fire, and Private Ternan continued her excellent instruction on Sharps maintenance and cleaning.  It was great spending time with everyone during our last battle event of the year.
     Our next event will be our annual living history weekend at Ft. Stevens, August 2-4 and we look forward to seeing everyone there for a great weekend of drill and demonstrations for the public.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp

     Our first battle of the year began with a lot of well earned recognition for old and new members.  We were pleased to honor Sgt. Spiekerman with his very own and expertly made vintage Berdan knapsack.  We also held a ceremony to issue NCO warrants to recently promoted Sgt. Spiekerman and Cpl. Soderling.  After our first day's battles, we were pleased to also issue corps badges to our newest members including company bugler Ethan Lane, private Chandler White, private Marshall Knapp, and private Ron Glasgow.  The issuing of corps badges is a long standing Company D tradition to recognize the performance of our new privates after their first battles with us.  We were also happy for the return of private Moore.
     The new Cheney event site could very well turn out to be the best event of the WCWA.   Layout was chaotic and the battlefield was only a fraction of what it should have been, but we managed to carve out an amazing camp for ourselves.  
     Everything seemed to run excellently.  Everyone stepped up with work details, training, and gave their best effort every day.  With a more complete NCO corps, our unit was able to maneuver and fight with even more effectiveness and efficiency.  Private Lane's work on the bugle helped train us to the schedule of the day and our movements on the field.  Private Lane and Mrs. Soderling kept the company well fed with their excellent cooking.
     We are so thankful to the great turnout we had.  We look forward to seeing everyone again at Union Gap.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp

     Captain Whitehall, Mrs. 1st Sgt, and I spent spring break researching Company D in the great state of Maine.  We saw and learned so much and only a portion of what we saw is here in the slideshow.  Many once in a lifetime experiences like holding Edgar Crockett’s buttons, an original target rifle, and numerous artifacts belonging to the 20th Maine that belong in a private collection and we want to honor their privacy.  Most of what we did and saw will be posted on an ongoing basis, like the hundreds of pages of original Company D paperwork.
     We started our trip in Portland where we visited Captain Fessenden’s grave and stood in the place where his recruiting office once stood.  Leaving Portland, we stopped in Brunswick to visit Bowdoin College, Chamberlin’s house, and grave.  We then visited the Maine maritime museum in Bath to learn about the vast maritime culture that would have been so familiar to those in our company.  After Bath, we a day and a half in Augusta researching in the Maine State Archives.  We also met the legendary Company D historian, Captain Sulin who guided us through our experience and helped us get our researcher credentials.  After spending the next morning back at the archives, we visited the state history museum to learn more about Maine culture, history, and commerce.  We also got to see the 20th Maine’s Gettysburg battle flag.  Leaving Augusta, we carpooled with Captain Sulin through the Maine woods down to Cherryfield to visit the graves of the Tucker twins.  The Captain is an amazing tour guide and pointed out places like the building where James Matthews worked as a newspaper man, forts, and so many wonderful stories.
     We spent the rest of the time in Rockland which was the home to many of the company.  We researched original newspapers, spent time in the Rockland historical society, visited the graves of more fellow Sharpshooters, and was invited to an amazing lobster dinner with Captain Sulin and his wonderful wife.  We can't thank the Captain enough for sharing his time, his knowledge, and hospitality.
     The trip was overwhelming in all the right ways.  We learned so much, touched so much of history, and learned we definitely need to return to further our research!  Reading books and diaries is important for a better experience in our hobby, but visiting your unit’s home towns, and holding the very items they held is inspiring.  There is so much more to be learned by doing on site research and being moved by paying respects at the graves of soldiers we portray.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp

     Wednesday and Thursday, several of us began scouting new locations for future bivouacs starting with a site in Eastern Washington.  For our first scout, Skipper took us about an hour and a half north of Spokane where we spent several hours driving around the forest and stopping to march a washed out mountain road.  While it was in the mid to upper 90s and hazy from wildfires, the area was beautiful.  The several mile uphill march took its toll on Pvt. Severson but he powered on much further than he thought he could.  After a cool down, he recovered well for the long march down.
     After our march, we settled on a nice, small camp near a creek for our bivouac site.  Once the arms were stacked and the bedrolls laid out, we dug into our haversacks and began trading MREs.  With fire danger so high across the state, fires and cooking were out of the question, so we decided on modern soldier rations.  We used a water filter to refill our canteens with clean drinking water.  After supper, we settled in for a relaxing night of sharing stories.  With the weather so hot, no one got cold that night.
     Waking up with the sun the next morning, I explored with Pvt. Soderling and did a photo shoot near the creek.  Afterwards, we hit the trucks again and continued exploring to the top of a mountain where we shot a new YouTube video and took some great pictures.  On the way down, we checked out another camp site before heading back to Spokane.
     In all, our first scouting expedition went very well.  With our reenacting organization still struggling to secure event sites and our ever increasing closeness as a unit, finding places to reenact throughout the year is of increasing importance to us.  We hope to get a short of list of locations in Eastern and Western Washington to accommodate people's availability and transportation.  With our summers warmer and wildfire seasons so severe, finding places near water and with the ability to do some live-fire target practice is high on the priority list.
     Prior to this scout, I attempted to scout an ideal location in the central Cascades only to find all the roads closed due to a wildfire.  When I got home from that, the state announced a state-wide shooting ban on all state-owned public lands.  This underscores the importance of having two or three site on each half of the state to choose from.  For all of those who couldn't make this trip, don't worry.  While we did have fun, this, like future ones are working trips with quick turn around to accommodate work schedules.  We were considering a get together in the mountains over labor day but with extreme fire restrictions, shooting bans, high temps, and poor air quality, we're most likely going to postpone until rain returns.
     One other thing to keep in mind as we continue to explore state and national forests, is there are parking permits for all of the sites we are considering.  When these sorts of bivouacs become more regular be sure to look in to getting any applicable passes or planing to carpool.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp

      CO. D SKIRMISHES BY THE BUGLE!  That's right, folks, we finally did it!  With the Captain on the bugle, we managed to hold off the secesh for the first 15 minutes of our last battle with only bugle commands.  It's so fulfilling to finally have this important element of Sharpshooter history an increasingly regular part of our routine.
     In other news, the weather was hot but not as terrible as was originally predicted so our health and spirits were with us.  After the hot day's battles, several of us went to the nearby river for a quick cool down and some fun.  This weekend's drill focused mostly on tactics and battlefield training.  As always, we spent a lot of time scouting the battlefield prior to battles which allowed us to direct battalion on good routes for better battle scenarios.  The battles were alright but most notable was acting Corporal Soderling's excellent performance filling in for Cpl. Hardway.  Cpl. Spiekerman brought along a new recruit who we hope will join us regularly next year.  He was a quick study, hard worker, and great fit for Co. D.  Cpl. Spiekerman had his work cut out for him since it seemed that in every battle his flank was pushed the hardest.
     Camp life was good with Quartermaster Severson doing an excellent job issuing and caring for equipment.  He also proposed using company funds to invest in some needed items like trousers from Milk Creek at $75 each and some more shirts.  The skipper and I bought the loaner kit a shirt, cap pouch, belt buckle, and some other odds and ends.  With more of us interested in campaign impressions, Severson also recommended a knapsack or two for loaner gear.  We'll keep you posted  as we get shopping in this off season.
     As usual, no one seemed to want to be the battalion color guard which made battalion drill and parade a bit interesting.  So, of course, we volunteered.  What's better than having battalion form on our Nationals and Regimentals?  
     This was a weekend with lots of Berdans involved in the film-making process.  A small crew from Seattle's Cherry Street Films joined us to film a short scene with us in camp.  Acting Corporal Soderling had a fun time teaching them how to play Euchre.  Shooting and extra time for b-roll ran us right up to battle time, so those of us involved had to sprint right into battle and start shooting.  A very special thanks to Logan from the 3rd Michigan for connecting us. This event also included another viewing of the film "Vivandiere" which includes cameos of Cpt. Whitehall, Severson, and yours truly.  A painter looking to do some Berdan Shapshooter pieces wanted some poses from Cpt. Whitehall, so our company photographer, Private Ternan spent some time taking some nice portraits to send the artist.  
     This weekend also included an early birthday celebration for our Captain organized by his amazing grandparents.  Along with delicious cupcakes, the Captain received the gift of the last Trionni Berdan painting to complete his collection.
     I also had the pleasure of delivering our battalion Sgt. Major his new field desk which is featured in our latest YouTube video.  
     With our season ending sooner than usual this year, everyone is really committed to spending more time together in the off season.  We were considering rushing a bivouac for next week but we might be looking ahead to Labor Day weekend, so if you're interested be sure to let the skipper know.  We'll also have to come to some consensus about where to meet.  Either in the wilderness near the captain or the central Cascades.  I'm also sure people will be interested in a Christmas party, so keep in touch.  The Captain and I can't push everything along and still maintain sanity.
     Next year, if you use ANY of the company cleaning kit you must bring funds to reimburse our master of arms, Private Ternan.  She has graciously contributed out of pocket this year.  If you don't bring money for events next year, you will be left with a dirty rifle and ineligible to take to the field.  You will also not be issued a loaner rifle unless your small fee is submitted.  
​      Thank you to everyone in our company who worked hard to make this another amazing year.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp

     Our Ft. Stevens living history was another wonderful time full of demonstrations, training, and squad on squad tacticals.  Pvt. Hanks and his friend joined us this weekend to try out our unit, share some laughs, and get trained in using multiple firearms.  In all, we had a good turn out and we were all very to happy to see Cpl. Spiekerman again.
     The height of fun for everyone were the tactical competitions that were carefully planned and ref'd by our amazing corporals.  Privates Severson and Cook were squad leaders and the battles that ensued around the fort were entertaining for the public, too.  Fighting across the grounds of a historic fort really gave a tantalizing glimpse of how exciting reenacting can be when not stuck on "football field" battlefields.  We even got in some hand to hand combat and bayonet charges.  If you listen quietly, you can almost hear a mainstreamer yell, "safety violation!"  Many event organizers like small, boring fields because "it's better for the public."  Well, in our experience this weekend, families would pull over on the side of the park road and walk over to watch us shoot around buildings and the deuce and half tour truck routinely passed by full of visitors.  It is possible to have mixed terrain, buildings, and even trees to provide an even more engaging viewing experience. The squad leaders did a good job and each one won a battle.  The skipper and I fell in with each squad as either a person to guard or as a wild-card private.  We had fun keeping everyone on their toes.
     Camp life was quite relaxed with Severson working hard to get a jump on his new role as company quartermaster.  Since the 4th of July fell mid-week this year, fort attendance was down but we still worked with some good sized crowds.  During the lulls, we shot some more YouTube videos and I worked on figuring out our new audio recording gear.  Private Cook and the Skipper enjoyed loading the target rifles as if they were light artillery.  It certainly drew in the crowds.
     The Battle of Chehalis is coming up soon so be sure to watch the weather forecasts and prepare yourself accordingly.  Pvt. Soderling will be filling in for Cpl. Hardway, so we'll be doing extra drill to get the company ready for lots of movement.  You still have plenty of time to stock up on rounds and caps on your own.  The company ordnance stores are running low so feel free to visit a sporting good store and at least purchase some caps.
     Lastly, let's all be sure to keep in touch for a bivouac/live fire camp out.  The more everyone is curious and willing to help coordinate, the more likely it will happen.  I've ordered sixty more rounds and will be selling them if we have the event.

      Thank you to all of our Berdan's who were able to make it this last weekend and an extra thanks to all of their hard work.
     As usual, Union Gap was a relatively ho-hum event though we got very lucky with favorable weather.  While no one got over-heated, the pock mark covered battlefield took its toll on a number of us.  Camp life was comfortable with lots of down time to chat, rest, and socialize with our fellow reenactors.  Well, socializing and maybe some plotting with our friends in the 79th New York.  With a little extra planning and communication work, duty delegation in the company worked out smoothly.  We look forward to supporting and educating our soldiers who have added to their daily duties the specialization of specific responsibilities like master of ordnance, master of arms, and quartermaster.  While unofficial titles, the work is highly valued and appreciated by everyone.
     Saturday morning including a "parade."  While simply a slightly longer march to the battlefield for the public, Company D pulled out all of the stops going in full campaign gear, white gloves, and with flags flying.  Enjoying the sight of our two flags flying made up for an otherwise underwhelming parade. The battles were alright.  Not much to complain about but not much to write home about either.  For those of you who haven't been, the battlefield is the size of a football field with waist high grass.  Saturday evening included a nice dinner hosted by Confederate battalion.  From the end of second battle and for well over an hour, the Captain and I spit polished our uniforms with precision and cleaned ourselves up pretty good, too.  After being told no swords for the dinner, we finally agreed that uniform dress regulations matter, dang it! If no one does it, no one is going to know about Civil War uniform dress regulations.  So, we did it right and didn't make a big deal about it.  In a similar vein, both battalions have agreed to adopt our period correct and well documented resting on arms for taps.  After getting the "stink-eye" from enough reenactors, people started asking questions and we jumped at the opportunity to educate.  It's inspiring to learn just how many reenactors are eager to learn the proper ways of doing things and to adopt them when they learn.  Sometimes, people just don't know what they don't know.
     We're still learning some of the battalion's often unspoken or under-communicated management agendas.  After the Captain returned one afternoon with the disappointing news that my very period correct morning report was rejected, I nearly burst a blood vessel!  After lodging a complaint with the "higher ups" and asking to be informed explicitly when farb was required we learned that period morning reports don't matter to battalion.  They only need a modern check list of unit members and a rifle count.  Our unit takes maybe too much pride in period correct clerking and paperwork, so naturally it made me twitch to obey this modern accommodation for our dedicated battalion staff.
     Our next event is our living history weekend at Fort Stevens where we'll be filming a bunch of new videos, taking inventory and repairing loaner gear, drilling, training, offering project activities, and of course putting on a good, informative show for the public.  We hope to see you there.