OK, since this subforum is entitled “Rants,” here’s mine: as this season begins, can we all make a concerted effort to focus on drill? I’ve noticed that in some pics I’ve seen, and in the events in which I’ve participated, drill has gotten really sloppy. Everything from basic manual of arms positions and motions to company drill have all suffered. I’m not just pointing fingers, either – I was amazed at how rusty I was at it as well.

I know some people like to rationalize things by saying that these guys were volunteers or proud, individualistic westerners, but if they weren’t marching, standing grand guard or on some fatigue detail, they were drilling – constantly. I have an unpublished diary at home from a gent in the 17th Illinois, and if they weren’t on campaign, he specifically mentions drill at least a couple of times a week. If anyone has a copy of the videos of the veterans reunions (or has been to the Horse Soldier in Gettysburg, where they run it on a constant loop!), you know how they are still crisp with the manual of arms even 50-60 years after the war. You can tell the positions and motions were branded into their memory.

What to do? I’ve started by reading and rereading the manuals – I know there are some modern interpretative books out there, but I like to go straight to the source. Then I’ve started heading to the basement from time to time and running step by step, motion by motion through the manual of arms (my wife thinks I’m crazy – well, it just confirms to her that I’m crazy). I’ve also starting studying the School of the Company as much as possible as I think it is important for all enlisted and NCO’s to know it well, something on which I think we all let ourselves get a little lax. It might be nice to form the company at the beginning of an event to run through a few things to make sure everyone is on the same page as well.

Here’s a question: what ever happened to a spring drill event? It used to be a regular thing with groups, but seems to have gone by the wayside. I think it’s easy to come up with scenarios (mustering in event, barracks/winter quarters/camp event, etc.), and I think it’s important to get the year started and shake off the rust.

We spend a lot of time on impressions and material culture, and I think this aspect of soldiering gets overlooked sometimes.

OK, there’s my rant. I’ll crawl back into my hole now where I lurk. Hope everyone successfully thaws out and I get to see you at an event this season.

Cheers,
Eric

Eric,

I agree with what you are saying. At Kennesaw this summer we have planned many drills. I too have been studying my drill manuals this winter. With being an officer this year I want to be ready for anything.
One problem is that at many events we are on the move so much that the time to drill is not there. Think BGR!

As a side note: We are having a School of the NCO/Officer May 16-18 at Athens, Missouri. This is a weekend to review everything that we need to know.(We will be looking at Casey's) We may have five or 15 people there who knows. I have not posted anything on this forum so as not to take anyone away from P.Mill.
The Hairy Nation Boys will be there.

If you or anyone else is interested in attending please contact me.headlog@gmail.com

Holler

Eric and all interested parties,
The Comrades will be attending a living history at Sommer Park in Peoria, IL on April 19-20. We have a small scenario worked out, but the main focus of the weekend is drill and shaking off that winter rust. The invitation is open to anyone that wants to attend for all, or even part of, the weekend. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions and more info can be found by going to the Corn Fed Comrades web site. Go to the schedule section and click on the Peoria link. This will give basic scenario information and a small list of guidelines. The one catch is that we will be CS. If anyone really wants to attend as Federal I can work something out, but the Federals are not part of the Comrades so take that for what it is worth.

Jeremy Powell

arkansas8th@yahoo.com

Hi Eric,

I completey agree with you as well. One of our best events in the early stages of the ONV was our Camp of Instruction at Old World in 2006.

We will be going through both Scott's Tactics and Caseys at our Fox Lake Preservation March & LH for those interested in attending. Sunday afteroon we will have plenty of time for drill using Casey's Tactics for those attending Pickett's Mill or Kennesaw.

And if anyone can not attend Boonsfield, some of us in the Hard Heads & Citizens Guard are going to get some battalion drill in at the Wade House under the command of ONV member Pete Seielstad on Satuardy April 26th courtsey of the 2nd Wisconsin. It will be a good primer for those that can not make Boonsfield and only for a day. Contact myself at fallriversoldier@hotmail.com if you can not attend Boonsfield and want to get in a day of battalion drill at the Old Wade House State Historical Site in Greenbush, Wisconsin.

Thanks for some good thoughts Eric,

Tom

We are also trying to put together a platoon or small company for the event at Galena on April 19th and 20th. If there is enough interest we can spend the entire afternoon at school of the soldier, company drill(if we have enough) and skirmish drill. I am making up rations for this. I talked to the organizer and they want to make it a living history event instead of a battle free for all. We were thinking about using the same impression we did for Shiloh.It will be a federal impression.The idea of using the 8th Illinois was mentioned. Frock coats or state jackets and forage caps.Any other suggestions just yell. I LOVE to drill boys, lets do it.
If anyone is interested just holler.
Cheers
Terry Sorchy

Terry,

Jake and I are going to attend Galena. As a stated before we have to leave Saturday evening.

Even if we don't have a lot of boys there lets go over things anyway.

Holler

Hey Guys

I'm speaking here as a member and not a member of the board. As Tom mentioned already, we had a very successful drill in 2006 at old world wisconsin. It would have been better if the weather hadn't come in Saturday night and opened in on us. Right now it looks as if members of the ONV have 4 seperate events where ONV members are focusing on drill early in the year April or May. 2 are located in Illinois, one in Wisconsin and one in Missouri.

Would it not make more sense if the ONV drops one Event from it's schedule and make a max effort drill event early in the year in the Wis,Ill,MO,Iowa area. It could be on somebody's personal land, a mainstream event or even a current event we are already looking at. I know that the focus should be on attending a quality event but we could use a mainstream event to our advantage. They would provide everything we need in order to put on a drill with little added expense. I personally would have no problem attending a mainstream event "IF" we can use it for our drill and it's schdeule is flexible. Any other ideas? It would be great to have some plans in place before our next meeting.

Great topic Eric. As a side note, at the first ONV drill event we scheduled a different drill for each of the two days. Casey's on Saturday and Baxter's on Sunday. I would love to see different Officers, Sgt's and Cpl's on each day as well.


Jason Reinholz
just got a new avatar mess

This sounds great!!!! Hell boys, can we call it a "spring muster" or how 'bout a Mini-Muster......picture my elbow bent with my pinkie at the corner of my mouth (Dr. Evil pose) ........but seriously. It sounds great!

Robert Gobtop

The Galena event is REALLY flexable and if we want to drill we can. We set our own shedule Jason.
Cheers
Terry

Jason Reinholz wrote:
Hey Guys

I'm speaking here as a member and not a member of the board. As Tom mentioned already, we had a very successful drill in 2006 at old world wisconsin. It would have been better if the weather hadn't come in Saturday night and opened in on us. Right now it looks as if members of the ONV have 4 seperate events where ONV members are focusing on drill early in the year April or May. 2 are located in Illinois, one in Wisconsin and one in Missouri.

Would it not make more sense if the ONV drops one Event from it's schedule and make a max effort drill event early in the year in the Wis,Ill,MO,Iowa area. It could be on somebody's personal land, a mainstream event or even a current event we are already looking at. I know that the focus should be on attending a quality event but we could use a mainstream event to our advantage. They would provide everything we need in order to put on a drill with little added expense. I personally would have no problem attending a mainstream event "IF" we can use it for our drill and it's schdeule is flexible. Any other ideas? It would be great to have some plans in place before our next meeting.

Great topic Eric. As a side note, at the first ONV drill event we scheduled a different drill for each of the two days. Casey's on Saturday and Baxter's on Sunday. I would love to see different Officers, Sgt's and Cpl's on each day as well.


Jason Reinholz
just got a new avatar mess

Hi Jason,

I am all for giving up an event if we can work together on drill and soldier skills. I think we can all learn something from a weekend each year like this and start raising the bar higher for our performance on the field.

Hopefully everone will get a chance this year with the opportunities available and I am looking forward to our own ONV event for future years.

Thanks,

Tom

Pards And Comrades,

I am not agin drill. Just don't let Kransel talk any of you into letting him do the fench rail march. We know Kris it works in your head.

RM

I suggested that we have some sort of NCO school last year. We did not.

We need to find a weekend in April where we can have a drill next year. But we have to consider location.

I say we find a place like Athens, or some owned land. Where we don't have to worry about participating in a battle or snow cone eating contest.

The Athens thing was going to be just for Hairy Nation Boys. We always go there that time of year. Our goal was to have a school for Nation Boys so that we could become better. I thought I would open it up since the topic has been suggested.

It would appear that we have several opportunities during the month of April to shake off the dust and get some movement back in those old stiffened joints.

Perhaps it is time that we consider an organized spring muster event as part of our annual schedule. I recall that the Mudsills had a max-effort spring muster event each year for the purposes mentioned in previous posts. As a matter of fact, the muster was at Old World Wisconsin for many years until the museum moved the event to Labor Day Weekend (It used to be over Mother's Day Weekend). The Shaker Village was the other spot they held musters in, if I recall correctly.

If Galena is looking to establish more of a living history event over a "battle reenactment", I'd be up for using that as a possibility for a spring muster event in the future. I can also see about future opportunities at Old World Wisconsin.

Heck, I'd even be willing to attend a mainstream event for the purpose of drill, as long as the event hosts agree to allow us to do our own thing and not to include us in the "festival surroundings".

My 2¢

I will propose this at the December meeting in Galena. I would say that we make the last weekend of April the drill weekend. We can alternated between sites each year. One year could be Galena, then Old World,, Peoria, then Athens etc. We need to make sure we can get as many members as possible.

People may have to drive. But it would not be fair to always ahve to drive to one place.


One more thing. My statement about the NCO school was proposed but I did not follow through as our schedule showed no room. I am not trying to point fingers.

First, let me just say that it gladdens my heart to see so many like-minded individuals out here in the midwest. Makes me feel good about the type of fellas I'll be able to fall in with now that I'm back in the Sucker State.

I'd like to heartily endorse the idea of a max effort spring drill event, preferably within the ONV boundaries. It's great that some of the individual messes are planning on drilling soon, but I think it's important to get as many guys together as possible to do a really good company drill. And if you are able divid companies into reasonable platoons for the School of the Company, it teaches a lot of the skills needed for School of the Battalion, etc. It would be nice if we could come up with some place that would allow us to do our own thing all weekend, as drill weekends can be pretty busy. And again, I think a scenario (if one is required at all) is pretty easy to develop.

Jason - I'm torn about the manual of arms - while I like the idea of running through a couple in a weekend, I also like the idea of getting down one as good as possible before moving on the next.

Terry and Jeremy, I'd love to do something the weekend of 19-20 April, but unfortunately I'll be just getting back from a conference that Saturday afternoon.

Thanks for making my day, fellas!

Eric