The Irish Volunteer Official Newsletter of the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Co. B VoL. X. - No. 1] PENNSYLVANIA, February, 1863 [SINGLE COPIES SIX CENTS Entered according to Act of Congress, in the Year 1863, by Sullivan et-al in the Clerk's Office for the Far Western District of Pennsylvania February 2004 Joe and Holly Sullivan Editors ¾¾¾¾¾(¾¾¾¾¾ ADMINISTRATION IN THE FIELD Capt. Steve Stowell BEHIND THE DESK Chairman, Kevin Burton ON THE HOME FRONT Civilian Advocate, Lynette Stowell Official Web Site of 116 PVI http://www.116pvi.org ¾¾¾¾¾(¾¾¾¾¾ UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS Company Drill Saturday, March 6th 2004 at 9 - 10:45 AM Aldrich Park, Salem . Board Meeting, 11AM at John Baker's office in Salem. Company Drill Saturday, April 3rd 2004 at 9 - 10:45 AM Aldrich Park, Salem. Board Meeting, 11AM at John Baker's office in Salem. Dal Bellow Class, March 13. See article in this newsletter. Winter Quarters at Camp Riley. March 26-28 at Camp Riley (Between Seaside and Astoria) for more information visit http://nwcwc.org/winter.htm For a full calendar of events visit our events web page at http://www.116pvi.org/Upcoming Events.htm COMMANDERS REPORT February 11, 2004 Greetings To All, well the new season is under way, and we started off with our first drill. I would like to thank the following soldiers for their attendance at our drill on Feb. the 7th; Private John Hoffman, Private Micah Lindvall, Private Rich Lindvall, Private Mark Miller, Sergeant Mark Stevens, Lt. John Baker, Sergeant Ben Miller, Private John Plett, Private Brain Plett. I hope to see more of the soldiers at our next drill which will be on 6th March starting at 9:00 A.M. please also note that we will only have the opportunity for two more drills before the McIver event in April. Lieutenant Colonel Steven Betschart has arranged for Colonel Dom Dal Bello to give a workshop on Saturday ( March 13th ) at the Oregon City Armory from 10 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. there'll be no charge for this instruction. Colonel Dal Bello will be presenting information concerning drills, tactics ( both infantry and combined with Calvary and artillery), uniform and equipment for the officers, deportment and other subjects as we provide direction to him. This workshop is thus for all branches of service and not only for those actively serving as officers but for those who would like to serve as officers at some future point. Everyone is welcome, He also plans to invite our comrades in the Washington Civil War Association ( both Union and Confederate). All that The Colonel asks is that you brush up on your tactical manuals so that you will be able to provide Dom with informed questions. I strongly in courage all officers and NCO of the 116th, as well as private to consider attending this workshop .PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING SO I CAN GIVE THE COLONEL A HEAD COUNT ! To arrive at the Orange City Armory take the Park Place exit off I-205 and head east on Highway 213 ( Beavercreek Hwy) to the first right turn. This is Washington street. Follow this past the end of the Oregon trail center_ go though the three way cross street at the first light staying on Washington Street until you get to fifth Street. Turn left on 5th street and then take the next right turn on John Adams street. Go up the hill to the right to the Armory parking lot. If you have any questions the Colonel can be reached at Ph (503)623-2102 or e-mail address Yankeebugler(hotmail.com Again hope to see everyone out at the next drill ( on March 6th) and some of you at the workshop and Oregon City (on March 13th). Company Commander 116th PVI Capt. Steven Lee Stowell ¾¾¾¾¾(¾¾¾¾¾ COLOR GUARD OPPORTUNITY AT OREGON GARDENS May 20 and 21 2004, the International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP) will be having a conference at the Oregon Gardens in Silverton. Terry Rich, the Veterans representative for the Oregon Employment Dept. is looking for people from our group to present the colors at the start of the conference. If you are interested, please coordinate with Mark Stevens at CoBCorp(aol.com FROM THE CIVILIAN ADVOCATE Well 2004 season is almost upon us and we need to start thinking about a few things. First remember ladies that on the Sat. of each reenactment we will have a tea party and talk about a few things, this is the time to ask questions about what to do and how to do it, so ladies be prepared to ask and answer questions. We are planning to start up the kids dress-up with the clothing from the exchange, our company bought a camera for this reason. A few of us are thinking of starting a Childrens Clothing Exchange (CCE) for all NCWC families to participate in, I will need a little help doing both the dress-up and the CCE so let me know if you can help out. It was suggested by the NCWC civilian advocate to run the CCE by the NCWC board, which I will do this month. I look forward to serving as your civilian advocate this year,and we will have a better year, with you helping me and working together. Submitted by, Lynette Stowell, Civilian Advocate ¾¾¾¾¾(¾¾¾¾¾ MARCH DAL BELLO CLASS Colonel Betschart has set up a class on March 13th in Oregon City (Saturday) from 10am to 4pm. This is being taught at no charge by Colonel Dom Dal Bello, probably one of the top experts in Civil War tactics in the US, certainly here on the West Coast. The Colonel wants a rough idea on who plans on attending from our NCWC units, and I just want to say this should be a fantastic opportunity for all of us. I attended several of Dom Bello's classes and they are a great chance to learn the who, and how, and why of our drills and manuvers. I am planning on going, and I urge all of you to do so also. I hope perhaps we can make this a 116th event, and arrange carpooling, etc. 2nd Sergeant Mark Stevens CAN YOU NAME THE WORST MARITIME DISASTER IN UNITED STATES HISTORY? The Sultana was a Mississippi River steamboat that was allowed by law to carry only 376 persons, including the crew. On April 27, 1865, straining against the floodwaters of the Mississippi and grossly overloaded with repatriated Union prisoners returning home after the end of the Civil War (steamboat captains were apparently paid a contract of $5 per person to carry the prisoners home and some estimates place the number of people actually on board at over 2000), Sultana's leaky boilers exploded in a huge ball of flame that was seen and heard for many miles, setting the vessel on fire and throwing many of the weakened and ill former POWs on the decks several hundred feet into the river. Others that had survived the initial explosion were trapped in the wreckage and burned to death. Since there was no list of personnel aboard, estimates of the death toll range as high as 1900 people (more than RMS Titanic 47 years later), making this the worst maritime disaster in United States history. The number of survivors is estimated at approximately 500 people. There was relatively little publicity about the incident at the time as it was overshadowed by the end of the war and the assassination of President Lincoln only eleven days earlier. ¾¾¾¾¾(¾¾¾¾¾ SI KLEGG: HIS TRANSFORMATION FROM A RAW RECRUIT TO A VETERAN by John McElroy CHAPTER 7 IN THE AWKWARD SQUAD - SI HAS MANY TRIBULATIONS LEARNING THE MANUAL OF ARMS When Si Klegg went into active service with Co. Q of the 200th Ind. his ideas of drill and tactics were exceedingly vague. He knew that a "drill" was something to make holes with, and as he understood that he had been sent down South to make holes through people, he supposed drilling had something to do with it. He handled his musket very much as he would a hoe. A "platoon" might be something to eat, for all he knew. He had a notion that a "wheel" was something that went around, and he thought a "file" was a screeching thing that his father used once a year to sharpen up the old buck saw. The fact was that Si and his companions hardly had a fair shake in this respect, and entered the field at a decided disadvantage. It had been customary for a regiment to be constantly drilled for a month or two in camp in its own State before being sent to the front; but the 200th was rushed off to Kentucky the very day it was mustered in. This was while the cold chills were running up and down the backs of the people in the North on account of the threatened invasion by Bragg's army. The regiment pushed after the fleeing rebels, but whenever Buell's army halted to take breath, "Fall in for drill !" was shouted through its camp three or four times a day. It was liable to be called into action at any moment, and it was deemed indispensable to begin at once the process of making soldiers out of those tender-footed Hoosiers, whose zeal and patriotism as yet far exceeded their knowledge of military things. Most of the officers of the 200th were as green as the men, though some of them had seen service in other regiments; so, at first, officers and non-commissioned officers who had been in the field a few months and were considered veterans, and who knew, or thought they knew, all about tactics that was worth knowing, were detailed from the old regiments to put the boys through a course of sprouts in company and squad drill. One morning three or four days after leaving Louisville, word was passed around that the regiment would not move that day, and the boys were so glad at the prospect of a day of rest that they wanted to get right up and yell. Si was sitting on a log, with his shoes off, rubbing his aching limbs and nursing his blisters, when the Orderly came along. "Co. Q, be ready in 10 minutes to fall in for drill. Stir around, you men, and get your traps on. Klegg, put on them gunboats, and be lively about it." "Orderly," said Si, looking as if he hadn't a friend on earth, "just look at them blisters; I can't drill to-day !" "You'll have to or go to the guard-house," was the reply. "You'd better hustle yourself, too !" Si couldn't think of anything to say that would do justice to his feelings; and so, with wailing and gnashing of teeth, and a few muttered words that he didn't learn in Sunday school, he got ready to take his place in the company. As a general combustion of powder by the armies of Buell and Bragg was hourly expected, it was thought best for the 200th to learn first something about shooting. If called suddenly into action it was believed the boys could "git thar," though they had not yet mastered the science of company and battalion evolutions. Co. Q was divided into squads of eight for exercise in the manual of arms. The man who took Si's squad was a grizzled Sergeant, who had been "lugging knapsack, box and gun" for a year. He fully realized his important and responsible functions as instructor of these innocent youths, having at the same time a supreme contempt for their ignorance. "Attention, Squad !" and they all looked at him in a way that meant business, "Load in nine times-Load !" Si couldn't quite understand what the "in" meant, but he had always been handy with a shotgun, to the terror of the squirrels and coons up in Posey County, and he thought he would show the Sergeant how spry he was. So he rammed in a cartridge, put on a cap, held up his musket, and blazed away, and then went to loading again as if his life depended upon his activity. For an instant the Sergeant was speechless with amazement. At length his tongue was loosened, and he roared out: "What in the name of General Jackson are you doing, you measly idiot! Who ordered you to load and fire your piece?" "I-I th-thought you did !" said Si, trembling as if he had the Wabash ague. "You said for us to load nine times. I thought nine loads would fill 'er chuck full and bust'er and I didn't see any way but to shute 'em oft as fast as I got 'em in. "No, sir! I gave the command according to Hardee, 'Load-in-ninetimes!' and ef yer hadn't bin in such a hurry you'd 'a' found out what that means. Yer'll git along a good deal faster ef you'll go slower. Yer ought ter be made ter carry a rail, and a big one, for two hours." Si protested that he was sorry, and didn't mean to, and wouldn't do so again, and the drill went on. The master went through all the nine "times" of "Handle-Cartridge !" "Draw-Rammer !" etc., each with its two or three "motions." It seemed like nonsense to Si. "Boss," said he, "I kin get 'er loaded in just half the time ef yer'll let me do it my own way !" "Silence !" thundered the Sergeant. "If you speak another word I'll have ye gagged 'n' tied up by the thumbs !" Si. had always been used to speaking right out when he had anything to say, and had not yet got his "unruly member" under thorough subjection. He saw that it wouldn't do to fool with the Drill Sergeant, however, and he held his peace. But Si kept thinking that if he got into a fight he would ram in the cartridge and fire them out as fast as he could, without bothering his head about the "one time and three motions." "Order-Arms !" commanded the Sergeant, after he had explained how it was to be done. Si brought his gun down along with the rest like a pile-driver. and it landed squarely on the foot of the man next to him. "Ou-ou-ouch !" remarked the victim of Si's inexperience. "Didn't do it a'purpose, pard," said Si compassionately; "'pon my word I didn't. I'll be more keerful after this." His suffering comrade, in very pointed language, urged upon Si the propriety of exercising a little more care. He determined that he would manage to get some other fellow to stand next to Si after that. "Shoulder-Arms !" ordered the Sergeant, and the guns came straggling up into position. Then, after a few words of instruction, "Right shoulder shift- Arms !" "Don't you know your right shoulder ?" said the Sergeant, with a good deal of vinegar in his tone, to Si, who had his gun on the "larboard" side, as a sailor would say. "Beg yer pard'n," said Si; "I always was lefthanded. I'll learn if yer only gimme a show !" "Silence !" again roared the Sergeant. "One more word, sir, and I will tie ye up, fer a fact !" The Sergeant got his squad down to an "order arms" again, and then, after showing them how, he gave the order, "Fix-Bayonets !" There was the usual clicking and clattering, during which Si dexterously managed to stick his bayonet into the eye of his comrade, whose toes were still aching from the blow of the butt of Si's musket. Si assured him he was sorry, and that it was all a mistake, but his comrade thought the limit of patience had been passed. So he confidently informed Si that as soon as drill was over he was going to "pound the stuffin'" out of him, and there wouldn't be any mistake about it, either. When the hour was up the Captain of the company came around to see how the boys were netting along. The upshot of it was that poor Si was immediately organized into an "awkward squad" all by himself, and drilled an extra hour. "We'll see, Mr. Klegg," said the Captain, "if you can't learn to handle your arms without mashing the toes and stabbing the eyes out of the rest of the company." ¾¾¾¾¾(¾¾¾¾¾ "At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years. At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide. Abraham Lincoln-- January 27, 1838 - Address Before the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois." ¾¾¾¾¾(¾¾¾¾¾ CLASSIFIEDS Three band, .58 cal, Armi Sport, Enfield rifle for sale. Only used once with no defects, or scratches on wood. Comes with bayonet and scabbard. asking $350. Call Jill Little at 503-221-4979. 1