2nd United States Sharpshooters, Company D
  • Home
  • About
    • Meet Company D
  • Military Life
    • Uniforms and Gear
    • Drill and Tactics
  • Research Library
  • Civilian
  • Armory

​Next Event:

Goldendale Tactical August 24-25. Goldendale, WA.

Woodland Tactical

8/29/2022

6 Comments

 
     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.
6 Comments
    Picture
    Picture
    Contact us!
    Captain Ethan Whitehall: [email protected]

    Vendors:
    NJ Sekela
    Wambaugh & White
    Regimental Quartermaster
    Townsends

    Dell's Leather Works

    Gun Parts:
    VTI gun parts
    Taylor Arms
    Flintlocks, etc.


    Firearms Dealers:
    Gun Broker
    Dixie Gun Works

    Other Links:
    Washington Civil War Association
    Happy Friends of Civil War Farb
    Company C Berdan Sharpshooters
    Historically Speaking

    New Recruits:
    WCWA Safety Test

    Other Resources:
    Reenactment Checklist
    Company D Standing Orders
    Company D Drill Guide
    Berdan Brochure
    Officer Responsibilities

    Archives

    June 2024
    September 2023
    July 2023
    August 2022
    June 2022
    August 2021
    May 2021
    May 2020
    April 2020
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    November 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    July 2013

    Picture
    Special thanks to the archivists at the Maine State Archives for all their research help.



    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly