The Irish Volunteer Official newsletter for the 116th Pennsylvania/ 4th California Volunteer Infantry and the 54th Massachusetts Infantry November, 2005 Published by Mary L. Miller The New Look The newsletter has had a makeover! Please look for several new serial columns in future editions of our monthly newsletter: Improving Your Impression: Tips about how to take your impression to the next level, including relevant quotes from original sources, stories of what works well and what not to do ("don't do what I did!") and more. Reenactment Stories: Tell us about your favorite experiences from past events- recent or long ago, local or back east. Battle Summaries: Rather than battle overviews, these will be up-close looks at the 116th's or 54th's involvement in battles large and small. Quotes From the Soldiers: The best way to learn the past is to learn from the people who lived through it! These are original quotes by Civil War soldiers and civilians about any aspect of their Civil War experience. Book Reviews: Readers share their impressions of books about varying Civil War topics. Please consider sharing your favorite quotes, reenactment experiences, review a battle or a book you recently read (whether it was a page turner or real yawn). Everyone in the unit can benefit from each other's experience. CHRISTMAS PARTY The 116th Christmas party will be held December 3rd from 6-10 PM at the Philomath Grange Hall in Philomath (this is the same place as last year). The Sullivan family will take care of decorations and games. The Burtons have agreed to be Dance Masters. Please bring a salad and a dessert. Meat, drink and disposable place settings will be provided. No one offering help with clean up will be turned away. Directions: From I-5, take Highway 34 west to Philomath. As you exit Philomath on the west end, Highway 34 turns left. Continuing on Highway 34 less than one mile, turn left on Grange Hall road. The Grange is located about 1/4 mile on the left. The address is 24707 Grange Hall Road. 2006 NCWC EVENTS The 2005 season is closed now, and we can look forward to several new opportunities in the upcoming 2006 season, in addition to much of our usual and customary events. As so many families today have such busy schedules, we wish to present the planned schedule of NCWC events now to provide the best possible lead time in your personal lives. The big changes for 2006 involve the return of an old favorite, the moving of a traditional reenactment, and the establishing of a new event into a new date as follows: April 1-2 2006: School of the Reenactor, Fort Vancouver, WA: Hosted by the 1st Oregon/20th Maine, this promises to be a great event, as it has in years past. The planned program will have sessions for both civilians and military, for all branches and both sides. In addition, they hope to have lectures or sessions of general interest to all as well as period drill. Will be one not to miss! July 1-4, 2006: Willamette Mission State Park Reenactment: Our traditional 4th of July event is 4 days this year, and should as always be well attended by the NCWC, Washington Units, and the public. July 29, 30 2006 Deschutes River/Tenino Washington Reenactment: As in this year, this WCWA event counts towards unit numbers for NCWC units. Was a good event in 2005, more participation would be great in 2006. August 4,5,6 2006 Dorris Ranch, Springfield: Our new event in 2005, this is a partnership with the Dorris Ranch living history park, and should be a great event as we gain community recognition and support. This is a prime area for recruitment as well, as Eugene/Springfield is our second biggest population center in Oregon. September 2,3,4 2006 Fort Stevens State Park Reenactment: Our traditional Labor day event, Colonel Betschart is working with the park on some potential new scenarios (Battery Wagner!?) September 23,24 2006 McIver State Park Reenactment: In meeting with the state park staff, we found that it would meet both their and our needs better to move McIver to the fall. This is the date that was chosen, the only changes should be better weather and footing and much fuller use of the park, particularly for horses. November 6, 2006: Eugene/Springfield Veterans Day Parade (NCWC event for 2006) November 11 2006: Albany Veterans Day Parade: This event only lacks you to make it great! TBA November 2006: NCWC Ball Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War During the four years of the Civil War, 2,778,304 men served in all branches of the Union forces. By far the vast majority of these were citizen soldiers - volunteers who enlisted and served the nation during its greatest crisis. Common enlistments were for thirty or ninety days early in the war, and by 1863 most enlistments were either for three years or "the duration". These Union troops were highly praised during the war, by both the media of the day and the politicians in Washington. Each state was given a quota to provide for federal service, and often a sign-up bonus or bounty was offered. A pension was assured in the case of disability or death. In the years following the war, the enthusiasm for the service and sacrifices of these soldiers was soon forgotten. Shouldering both a staggering war debt and facing reconstruction in the war torn south, the cost of the promised pensions to federal veterans was considerable, and as politicians are prone to do, promises were soon forgotten. Veterans applying for pensions found instead bureaucracy, red tape, and denials. On July 12, 1866 the Grand Army of the Republic organization was founded in Illinois. The only requirement for membership was service in the armed forces of the United States during the Civil War. GAR membership reached its peak in 1890, with 427,981 members nationwide. Started as a fraternal and patriotic organization dedicated to honoring and preserving the American democratic system, it became a powerful advocate and lobby for veterans rights throughout its long history. The GAR ended in 1956 with the death of Albert Woolson of Minnesota, Union Army Drummer boy and the last surviving Union veteran. The GAR members recognized that their organization and its ideals would only last their lifetimes, and in 1881 the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America was formed, which survives today as the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW, or SUV). The guiding principles of the SUVCW are those handed down by the GAR: Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty. Membership takes two forms: lineal, for those who have ancestry from a Union veteran, and associate, for those without Union Civil War ancestry but who subscribe to the principles and ideals of the SUV. There is no difference in the two membership types at the local or state level, however, only lineal members may hold national offices or positions. The SUV has several ongoing programs that are currently being conducted by the local camps here in Oregon. Educational presentations and lectures: These are conducted for interested groups including veterans organizations, schools, civic groups, service clubs and genealogical and historic societies. The Eagle Scout Recognition Program: This is a national program that recognizes those young men who attain the Eagle rank (the highest in the Boy Scout program) with a certificate and award presentation. The Civil War Veterans' Graves Registration Program: This is a large scale, nation-wide program to establish an accurate database of veterans' gravesites and was started in Oregon by the Colonel Edward D Baker Camp 6 in November of 2004. There are between 15,000 and 20,000 Civil War veterans buried in Oregon. The Sons are attempting to locate and access the condition of every single one, from the single grave in a family plot no longer cared for, to the plots surrounding GAR memorials, such as those at the Eugene Pioneer Cemetery and Salem's Cityview Cemetery. Sons visit all identifiable gravesites in their work area and complete a checklist type form on each veteran found. In addition, there are a number of potential veterans either not identified as to their service or not marked at all. Our Son survey teams collect all available information on these sites and check each possible veteran against several available databases. Through this process, we have so far located six veterans who were unmarked and many, many more who had private markers but no military service recognition. All Civil War veteran data is transmitted to the National database to be preserved and available for future generations. As a side note, one commonly asked question is about Confederate veterans. The Sons also collect their data and share it with various southern heritage groups locally and nationally. In addition to compiling data on the location and condition of these sites, the Sons are obtaining Military headstones for those unmarked graves found and planning restoration work on sites in poor condition. For example, sponsoring and working with Bobby Fitzgerald of Boy Scout Troop 15 of West Salem, the SUV Camp 6 participated in Bobby's Eagle Scout project in Dallas Pioneer Cemetery. Conducted on November 12, 2005, the project involved lifting and resetting six tilted or sunken headstones and cleaning approximately 20 additional veteran's markers. Many, many more such projects have already been identified throughout the Willamette Valley and many more are anticipated as the Graves registration project continues. For more information on the program or Sons of Union Veterans contact Mark Stevens, Senior Vice Commander, Colonel Edward D. Baker Camp 6, Sons of Union Veterans: CoBCorp@aol.com 503.623.6817 Or, of course, you can ask him at any campfire- you know he will talk! Words from Our Chaplain Greetings Comrades in Christ. The other morning I looked outside and saw the sun rise. It was amazing to see the sun in all it's brightness, beauty, and splendid, which many of you know is only a star and is actually a smaller star compared to the numerous other ones in space or the firmament of the heaven. For example, there is a large star in the firmament of the heaven or outer space, within the Orion star system called Betelgeuse. This particular star is over a thousand times larger than our sun and as you know there are billions and billions of stars in the universe of difference sizes and colors. If our sun was the size of Betelgeuse, it's surface would extend to the orbit of the planet Saturn, which is the sixth planet from the sun. Keep in mind that our planet earth, is the third planet from the sun. Interesting. So what's the point? When Solomon built the temple of the Lord, he said in 1st Kings 8:27, 2nd Chronicles 2:6, and 2nd Chronicles 6:18 in the Old Testament Scriptures, "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? These are interesting Scriptural verses to ponder over and think about. The heavens of heavens cannot contain God! Wow! Evidently, the Lord God is way beyond our imagination and beyond our comprehension in awesome power and great glory. Fortunately for us, the Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible, brought the beauty of the power of the Kingdom of God and it's Eternity Glory to us. Again, only the Lord Jesus Christ brings the Kingdom of God to us and He is the only one worthy enough to redeem us into that kingdom, which is through his blood. However, what is the significances of the name of the "LORD JESUS CHRIST" in all the power of it's entirety? In the second chapter of Matthew in the New Testament Scriptures, the Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem and there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem saying "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him." When Herod the king heard what the wise men said, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. Even today in twenty-first century contemporary times many people are troubled when you mentioned coming to "worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords." They prefer you mention some other names or worship some one else or just settled with the Herods kingships of today, which are many. Those that are under the Herod kingship mentality maybe enjoying the ride for the moment but when they are confronted when some one is seeking the true Jesus of the Bible to worship, the get very troubled and quickly run to their Bibles to determine the second coming of the Lord. However, those who acknowledge his Kingship and come to worship him, knows that he is way beyond everybody else in power and glory. Yes, there are many wise people today who are just as determine to find him and seek him out regardless of the obstacles confronting them today. Nevertheless, let us look at the Lord's kingship and worship attributes, which are specifically relevant to Him. First to acknowledge one as king, one must be recognized as Lord. Why? Because Lord is addressed to a specific person who has sovereign power and absolute authority to rule over many things. In Matthew 28:18, the Lord said "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Therefore, for the wise men from the east to travel so far to see a king and to worship him, it is likely that they already knew that he had sovereign power and authority in spite of him being only an infant, which is enough motivation to pursue the Lord and honor him. In Colossians 1:17 "And he is before all things and by him all things consist." Also, Hebrews 1:3 says "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power." Consequently, the rotation of the earth and the moon, the orbits of the planets, the moment of the stars (suns), constellations, (groups of stars) their travel patterns, and galaxies (groups of constellations) are all under His control and are being held by the word of His power, which keeps those objects from crashing into one another. Yes, the very hairs on our heads are all numbered by the Lord but even the chromosomes, DNA, cells in our bodies, the atoms in all forms of matter, and the elements are all held in place by the word of His power. Even the gravity atmosphere that keeps us grounded on planet earth and keeps us from floating off in outer space are held together by the word of His power. Jesus Christ is the definite acknowledge one as the LORD! Also, another perspective in acknowledging Jesus' lordship was the situation of the thief on the cross next to him in Luke 24:39-43. There were two malefactors on the cross next to the Lord. One railed on him saying "if thou be Christ, save thyself and us. Apparently he was not sure who he was, which is why he said "if thou be Christ?" However, the other malefactor rebuked him saying, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?" Evidently, he knew who Christ was, which is why he said Dost not thou fear God? For the one malefactor to make this comment was a tremendous act of faith. Why? Because when He said "dost not thou fear God," he was acknowledging and making referring to the sovereign power and status of Christ as equal to God, even when the Lord was on the cross next to him, which definitely takes faith. Because he had faith, he believed in the Lord, which is why he said "LORD, remember me when thou come into thy kingdom." And the Lord said "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." One definitely wants to be wherever Jesus is in the next life, which is in his kingdom. Now keep in mind that one who is acknowledged as Lord also has attributes of being worship to and in Revelation 19:10 and 22:9, portions of those Scriptures says to "worship God." We do not worship men, prophets, apostles nor even angels but God only. Yet, Jesus was worship as an infant. Again, it is likely that those wise men knew that they were worshipping God, when they came to see the infant Jesus, which is equivalent to John 1:1 and John 1:14. In Matthew 1:21, it says "thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Also, Acts 4:12 says there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved," which is in Jesus. In John 1:41, it says "we have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ" and in Luke 2:11, the angel of the Lord spoke to shepherds abiding in the field, "I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is CHRIST the LORD." The angel's proclamation was indeed good tidings of great joy for all people than and now and the Lord himself said in John 12:32 "if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all me unto me." CHRIST being the anointed one to preach deliverance and the Gospel of good news to all men. In the second Chapter of Matthew, we mentioned that the wise men came from the east to worship him, which was at his birth. However, the Scriptures say in Luke 13:29, "And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God," which will happen when the Lord establish his eternity kingdom. In John 12:32 the Lord said "if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all me unto me," which is a notice to include all. Even other Scriptures verifies those coming from the east, from the west, from the north, and from the south will sit in that kingdom. For examples, from the east 1st Peter 5:13 mentioned the church that is at Babylon, (which is difference than the one mentioned in Revelation 17). From the far east, in Isaiah 49:12, and "these from the land of Sinim." Sinim is the Hebrew translation for the word Qin, which is the ancient translation of Ch'in, which is intern referring to China. Also, the Apostle Thomas preached in India and China. In spite of how things appear, the underground true churches in China, India, Vietnam, Burma, and Indonesia are growing and I have many Asians brothers and sisters in the Lord here in Portland. From the far west, in Romans 15:24, 28, the Apostle Paul make references to going to Spain and it is likely that he ministered there. The Hispanic population is seeking the true Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible. Also, from the west and from the north, Greeks came to Jerusalem to worship at the feast and to see the Lord, which is in John 12:20 and in Acts 17, the Thessalonians church was established with many devoted Greeks. Also, the letters of Paul written to the various churches in Greece and Rome. From the north and east, in Colossians 3:11 it says "Where there is neither Greek nor Jews, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond, nor free:but Christ is all, and in all. The Scythian were a people living north of the Caspian Sea and Black Sea region of southern Russia, which not to far from where the Ukraine region is today. Again, in spite of how things appears, there are many believers of the Lord Jesus of Russian descendent and I am Blessed to Russian brothers in the Lord. And coming from the south in Psalm 68:31, it says that "Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God," which is in accordance to Acts 8:27-37 where we read about the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. Also, the church in Africa is growing in spite of persecutions today. So what's the main point to all this? In my opening remarks, I mentioned the brightness, the beauty, and the splendid of the sun rise. When we all sit in the Kingdom of God, in Matthew 13:43, the Lord Jesus said "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." I know that many of you have ears to hear that some day we shall shine as the sun rising in the morning, in the kingdom of our Father throughout eternity. Everyone have a Blessed Holiday Season in our Lord Jesus Christ, as I look forward to seeing you all in the 2006 reenactment season. Take care all from your brother in Christ, Chaplain Daniel E. Hayes Jr.