The New Recruit Page
So you want to be a soldier! Here you will find all the information you need to join Georgia's Finest in New England!
THE PURPOSE OF THIS UNIT
IS
To Portray, as Reenactors/Living Historians
a
Company of Georgia Volunteer Infantry,
Army of Northern Virginia,
C.S.A.
During the War Between the States
1861-1865
To Provide Information and Education
and
To Honour Those Who Made The Supreme Sacrifice
for
Family and Friends.
Click on the link for the particular information you need, or scroll down to read it all
|
|
|
Membership in the 12th Ga. Infantry is open to all persons. New recruits are given one year in which to equip themselves with uniform, accoutrements, and rifle-musket; being allowed to borrow from available Company gear until that time.
Soldiers between the ages of 16 and 18 may take the field, but they must have a parent or Legal Guardian on the field or in Camp. To take the field "unescorted" you must be 18.
There is a 3-event/Muster trial period for all prospective members.
Membership dues are $17.00 a year, payable at the January Muster; if joining mid-year, $1.00 per month of the remaining year. Dues are used to pay for company expenses: printing and mailing the newsletter, incidental registration fees, etc. Reenactor's insurance from the ANV is $8.00 per year per member. Families pay $17.00 per year + $8.00 insurance per member. Examples:
Single member: $17.00 + $8.00=$25.00 per yr.
Single parent w/ one child member: $17.00 + $16.00($8.00x2)=$33.00 per yr.
Two parents w/ one child member: $17.00 + $24.00($8.00x3)=$41.00 per yr.
All new recruits having passed the 3-event trial period will receive their own Richmond Arsenal ammunition box, with specifications, stencil, and color scheme included. Also issued with the ammunition box will be templates for cartridge papers, wrappers, samples of cartridge-pack labels.
Co. F, 12th Ga. Infantry currently enjoys a reputation for having a very high level of authenticity and period correctness. While not quite "stitch counters", we are constantly trying to improve our knowledge of the time and people we represent. While some may feel that "political correctness" goes too far, the use of racial slurs and epithets will not be tolerated by anyone in our Camp. However, 1860's etiquette should be observed at all times in Camp, from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave the site.
We encourage soldiers to bring their families with them and have them participate in events, making sure of course that they're able to provide adequate shelter for them. Soldiers may have their wives, girlfriends, Significant Others, etc., camp with them on the Co. street. Single female Civilians may camp on the Co. street or on HQ row, wherever they feel most comfortable. It is our intention to keep The Hobby fun and accessible for all.
There are two methods of promotion, to be eligible for either, the soldier must have the full compliment of clothing and equipment.
1. Testing. NCO exams are held at the Jan. Muster, written and field tests. In the event of ties in scoring, elections will be held to decide the outcome.
2. Appointment. With approval of So.Legion/6th Btn. HQ. Brevet/Permanent.
All NCO's are required to be full-time 12th Ga. members.
Whenever possible, the Infantry Camp will be set up as per the Regulations for a Camp of Infantry, Army of the Confederate States of America, 1863, with particular attention paid to the spacing of the kitchen and tentage on the Co. street. We will nearly always set up in this "Garrison" mode, which allows us to have the luxury of wedge tents. Shelter-half tents, "shebangs", or bedrolls are also allowed. No wall-tents are allowed on the Co. street.
At present, we do have a Commissary Sergeant who comes when he can, and does all our meals for us in return for a stipend. In his absence, we all bring a little something to contribute and share in the Co. Mess. This is much more economical and time-saving than having everyone cook separately. Avoid modern containers as much as possible. Any 20th century gear or food must be well-hidden from the public coming through Camp. Plates and cups should be plain tin, no blue or black speckle-ware, it's not correct.
Try your best to keep it to a minimum. The less you bring, the less you have to pack up at the end of an event. Keep the Co. street clear so that people can walk through.
The use of alcoholic beverages in Camp is not really encouraged, but IS permissible, however, ONLY after weapons have been secured and the Camp is closed to the public. No consumption of alcohol before handling weapons at any time. ALCHOHOL AND BLACK POWDER DO NOT MIX!!!
During the time the Camp is open to the public, only use cigars or pipes, as cigarettes as we know them today were incredibly rare. For cigarette smokers, Sherman's brand in the brown oval shape is a great alternative. Don't smoke modern cigarettes blatantly in front of spectators.
Strict weapons safety WILL be observed at all times. Make sure your rifle-musket is in good operating condition, and clean, BEFORE you bring it to an event. Weapons will be field-cleaned at the end of each day and secured in such a way as to protect them from the elements as much as possible.
Although pre-made cartridges are sometimes available from sutlers at events, they must not be relied upon as their supplies are limited. It's MUCH more economical to make & package your own. You'll find elsewhere in these Regs. instructions on how to do this. DO NOT buy cartridges from a non-sutler unless you know them well personally, you have no recourse if they are bad or unsafe.
Use light-brown paper for American-made cartridges, white paper for British. No printed newspaper.
Cartridges to be closed with string or glue, no tape, staples, etc. No cardboard, penny wrappers; plain paper only. CARTRIDGES WILL CONTAIN POWDER ONLY. NO WADS, CREAM OF WHEAT, ETC. BLACK POWDER ONLY.
60 GRAINS MAXIMUM PER CARTRIDGE.
1. Before going into any combat, Tactical or Spectator, you should make sure first of all that you feel well enough physically. Check your canteen beforehand, make sure it's full. Check your ammunition and caps, you should carry at least 60 rounds and enough caps to last you through the engagement.
2. Privates, listen to and follow the commands of your NCO's and Co. officers. Even mock combat can be very noisy and confusing. If you don't understand a command, try to do what you think is meant. If you have a real problem with an order, or the person giving it, follow the command anyway, and take it up with them after action has ceased, in private, AWAY FROM SPECTATORS.
3. No one-man charges, it only looks like a useless suicide. Stay in ranks.
4. No persons under the age of 16 shall carry any arms into combat of any kind.
5. Bayonets are NOT to be fixed at any time for any combat whatsoever.
6. Ramrods will remain "in the pipes" at all times during combat.
7. Firing Distance. If Federal troops are more than 100 yards away, aim just over their heads. From 100 to 50 yds., elevate safely but not so high so as to appear duck-hunting. From 50 to 25 yds. elevate plenty high before you fire. If Federal troops continue to close and fire from this distance or less, it is not safe, take a hit, and let your immediate superior know the identity of the Federal unit; after action has ceased.
8. Hand to Hand. Absolutely no unscripted hand-to-hand combat. Things can get out of control quickly, especially when people don't know one another.
9. Taking Hits. Most of the time this is done on the honour system. When taking a hit, do it reasonably and safely. If you're coming down with the heat, run out of ammunition, take a hit. If only wounded please no long drawn-out affairs. If afflicted with a mortal hit, stay down and dead until action ceases. DO NOT TAKE A HIT WITH A LOADED WEAPON.
10. STAY AWAY FROM MOUNTED CAVALRY . STAY AWAY FROM ARTILLERY.
11. Safety Violations. This is very important. Should you see something going on during any combat that presents a threat to life and/or limb, anyone at any time may call out "CEASE FIRE!" Such things as blatant disregard for weapons safety, drunkenness on the field, will be reported, after action has ceased, in private, AWAY FROM SPECTATORS. No shouting matches on the field.
12. THE 12TH GEORGIA DOES NOT RUN BEFORE YANKEES. If ordered to withdraw, we will do so in an orderly fashion.
Should someone require medical attention on the field or in Camp, call out very loudly, "MEDICAL EMERGENCY!" Do not call out "Medic", or "Surgeon", so that people will know that you have a for-real situation at hand. Remember, the correct call-out is:
"MEDICAL EMERGENCY!"
12TH GEORGIA INFANTRY--REQUIRED UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT LIST
|
BROGANS Period Style military shoes, Jefferson Pattern SHIRT Period Style, Mil. or Civ. SOCKS Wool or Cotton, Grey or White, no stripes CANTEEN COAT 7-9 Button Shell Jacket, Wool or Jean-cloth, no trim PANTS Wool or Jean-cloth SUSPENDERS Period style, no elastic HAT Slouch hat, Forage Cap BELT Black or Russet leather BUCKLE Georgia State Seal, Frame, Snake, Oval CS HAVERSACK Cloth or Tarred TIN CUP Period Style, Plain Tin PLATE Plain Tin, no speckleware UTENSILS Period Style BLANKET Period Style Wool or Quilt CAP BOX USm1850 or CS version CARTRIDGE BOX USm1855 or CS version RIFLE-MUSKET P.53 Enfield w/sling BAYONET Appropriate to Rifle-Musket SCABBARD Included w/ bayonet
TOTAL: SPREAD OUT OVER ONE YEAR:
|
$90.00 $25.00 $08.00 $35.00 $75.00 $60.00 $10.00 $30.00 $10.00 $5.00 $20.00 $10.00 $05.00 $15.00 $25.00 $15.00 $40.00 $400.00 $35.00 $00.00
$903.00
|
ACCEPTABLE WEAPONS FOR 12TH GA. INF'RY.
1816 SPRINGFIELD .69 Smoothbore Musket Percussion Conversion
1842 SPRINGFIELD .69 Smoothbore Musket Percussion
1853 LONG ENFIELD .577 Rifle-Musket
1861 SPRINGFIELD .58 Rifle-Musket
1862 RICHMOND .58 Rifle-Musket
1863 RICHMOND .577 Rifle-Musket
1863 SPRINGFIELD .58 Rifle-Musket
It is a good idea to work your way from the top down on the equipment list, saving the Rifle-Musket and Bayonet for last. When purchasing gear, get advice from someone with experience to save you time and money, so you don't end up with Farb things you can't use.
When the time comes to buy your Rifle-Musket, don't get one sight-unseen through the mail. Only purchase a weapon after you or someone you trust has inspected it. Armi-Sport and EuroArms are fairly consistent in manufacture.
Also, once you have ANY piece of equipment, no matter how small, make SURE to identify it as YOURS. This will prevent it from deciding it belongs to someone else.
SUGGESTIONS FOR 12TH GA. COMPANY MESS
|
BREAKFAST Eggs Ham/Bacon/Sausage Hash Grits Oatmeal Corn Dodgers/Fritters Pancakes/Johnnycakes Biscuits & Gravy Jellies/Jams/Preserves Apple Butter Breads; Corn, Wheat, Sourdough, Hardtack, Brown Bread
DINNER Beef Stew Baked Beans Steak & Potatoes Beef Cubes Chicken & Dumplings Fried Chicken Sausage/Pork Vegetables, Fresh or Canned Soups/Stews Meat Pies Breads Hasty Pudding Rice Fish
|
LUNCH Cheese/Pepperoni Crackers Sardines Chicken Fresh Fruit Jerky Cottage Cheese Fresh Vegetables Sloosh Apple Butter Breads; Corn, Wheat, Sourdough, Hardtack, Brown Bread
SNACKS-DESSERTS Canned Fruits Fresh Fruits Pies Cocoa Fudge Cookies Jerky Fresh Vegetables Goobers
DRINKS Coffee/Tea Iced Tea Lemon/Lime-ade Milk/Evaporated Milk Apple Cider |
FIELD CLEANING FOR THE RIFLE-MUSKET
As an Infantryman, the most valuable tool of your trade is your rifle-musket. An experienced soldier knows that nothing is better for a unit's morale, than to have their weapons clean, inside and out. Here are some suggestions to help keep your rifle-musket in good safe operating condition at all times.
When done shooting for the day, first of all, loosen your cone, or nipple, about a quarter-turn, then leave a dead cap on it. Using a tin cup or coffee pot, pour about a quarter-barrel full of hot (if possible) water down the muzzle. Slosh it around in there good, and then pour it out onto the ground. Don't do this in an area where ladies' dresses are likely to be going past. Do this a couple of times, until the water is coming out of the barrel fairly clear. Next, take the dead cap off of the cone, but save it. Fix a 2x2 patch onto your ramrod. For Enfields, you already have a slot in the end of the ramrod for this purpose. For Richmond's & Springfields, you'll attach your worm to the end of your ramrod. Take the patch and fold it so that it is in the shape of a triangle, with one corner pointed down. Put one corner through the slot in your cleaning-jag/worm, and pull it through about 1/4 of the way . Then fold the rest of the patch up from the bottom and over the top of the jag. Next, pour about half a barrel-full of hot(if possible) water down the muzzle. Follow this with your patch on the ramrod, and work the rammer w/patch back and forth, plunging the water out of the cone/nipple. When most of the water has been pushed out, keep working your rammer back and forth until you hear a hissing noise coming from it, you should still see a fine mist coming out of the cone. This means that your cone and "ignition train" are basically clean. Do this a couple of times. Once you've gotten the barrel and cone clean this way, take a DRY patch and run it down the bore a couple of times to remove as much of the moisture as possible. Then, using any kind of very light oil, SPARINGLY, put some on a patch and just barely coat the inside of the bore. If you have a tompion, place it in the muzzle now.
This next part is very important. Take a cloth or rag, remove your cone/nipple, and put it on the rag so you don't lose it on the ground. Then get your nipple pick out and use it inside the drum/snail area( where the nipple screws into) and get out any remaining residue. Make sure you get it down to bare metal. Sometimes powder residue can get so built up and hard it can fool you, but don't be satisfied until you see the shine of bare metal. Next take a small wire-brush and clean the residue from around the general area of the snail/drum to keep this from getting too built-up over time. Pipe cleaners work very well for both inside & out of the snail/drum area. Make sure your "touch-hole" is clear and dry. When satisfied that everything's clear and clean, put an incredibly small drop of oil on the threads of the cone, and screw it back in; FINGER-TIGHTEN ONLY. If you have an extra patch, fold it up small and place it over the cone, then let the hammer down gently onto it; if not, use the dead cap you saved to close off the cone. This will keep most of the moisture out of the barrel and cone overnight. A note on using wooden tompions: make sure they are coated with a light oil, or they'll swell up inside the muzzle tight.
A very effective cleaning mixture to bring along with you to events is: 1/3 EACH: HYDOGEN PEROXIDE, MURPHY'S OIL SOAP, AND RUBBING ALCHOHOL. The Hydrogen Peroxide breaks down the powder residue, the Murphy's Oil Soap helps to lube and clean, and the Rubbing Alcohol helps it to dry out. You can bring along a pint or so of straight Hydrogen Peroxide for the initial cleaning, then use the mixture for the rest of the procedure. If you have a small cap-tin, you can use it to soak the nipple/cone in the solution, this helps to dissolve any residue inside it. You'll still have to dry the bore and cone area with a patch, this solution still contains water in its ingredients.
For weapons with brass "furniture", NEVER-DULL or BRASSO work very well. For those weapons with steel "furniture", STEEL WOOL or COMPOUND OF EMORY will clean them up without making them look too polished. Secure your weapon in a way so as to minimize the effects of any dampness, dew, etc., and you should be all set for the next morning's inspection.
MAKING AND PACKAGING BLANK CARTRIDGES
Making your own cartridges for use on the reenactment Battlefield is much more economical than buying them from any Sutler. To begin with, you'll need the following materials: 1. Black Powder. No substitutes, no Pyrodex or Black Canyon Powder. Real Black powder only. Use either Go-Ex or Elephant brands, they're the most common these days. 2. Paper. If you're making American-made cartridges, use light-brown masking paper, readily available in many hardware and paint-supply stores. It comes in small rolls. If you're making British-made cartridges, then use plain white newsprint. Wrapping paper from U-Haul or end rolls from a newspaper company will work just fine. 3. A forming cylinder. This can be either a 3/8"I.S.D.{1/2"O.S.D.} piece of copper or chrome tubing , or a piece of wooden dowel 1/2" in diameter. Both should be about 9" long. If using a wooden dowel, take one end, and with a sharp pocket knife, start a small hole in the center and just keep scraping away from the middle out, so that you end up with one end of the former "cupped".
4. A yardstick.5.Scissors 6. Pencil. 7. One 14" piece of 2x4 lumber. Using a paddle-bit, drill eleven 9/16" holes in it about 3/4" deep.
8. Cartridge paper trapezoid template. To make your own, out of 1/4"luan plywood, you'll need to start with a section at least 6"x6" square. Working from left to right, start with the bottom left-hand corner and measure over 4 and 1/2", mark it. Starting again from the bottom left-hand corner, working bottom to top, or front to back, measure straight up 4 and 3/8", and mark it. Now, from the mark you made at 4and 1/2", square off this mark 90 degrees back away from you-- bottom to top, or front to back, measure straight up 2 and 3/4" and mark it. You should now have a "long point" on your left, and the "short point" on your right. Now, just connect the dots between the tops of the long and short points. This makes a "trapezoid". If you don't have access to a shop saw of some kind, then cut this out along your pencil lines with a Utility Knife with a fresh blade in it, but use the utmost caution and do not cut yourself in the process.
Now we're ready to start marking and cutting out cartridge papers. Whichever kind of paper you're using, lay the trapezoid template down on the left side of the paper, flush with the edge; with the long point away from you and pointing to the right. Use the template and paper together to make one fold leaving some extra room along the bottom edge for play. Using this fold as your guide, fold it on itself about six times. Using your scissors or knife, cut the last fold from the main roll. Use the template to mark out on the paper you've just folded with a pencil. Then simply cut along the pencil lines with your scissors and you will have produced a bunch of cartridge-papers at once.
Now that you have the papers ready, to roll them into cartridge tubes is done this way: Take the former in one hand and place it on top of the paper, with the long point of the paper away from you, and sticking out beyond the former 1/4 to 3/8 ". Just roll the paper onto the former, and, holding the long-point end snug on the former with one finger, use the other hand to twist it together, then fold this loose twist into the cupped end of the former. Now Just pull the tube off the former, it should stay together on its own. Voila!
Next, to fill the tubes with powder, place them into the holes you drilled in the 2x4, closed end at the bottom. Using a flask or powder measure, fill them and replace them one at a time. This helps to reduce powder spilling all over the place.
To fold your filled tubes into their final cartridge form, pick up a filled tube in one hand, place it in front of you so that the line made by the rolled up paper is going from left to right and top to bottom, with its "end" being at the bottom right-hand corner of the tube. With the other hand, crease the sides of the tube flat above the powder, and fold it back away from you. You should have a wide flat "tail" off the top of the cartridge now. Fold the sides of this tail in to each other so they meet in the middle of the tail, and crease them well.
Fold this now shrunken tail back onto itself, but only the thickness of the tube. If you want, you can turn it over and mash it flat on the table or whatever surface you using. Then take the remaining portion of the tail, and tuck it into the tube-line of the paper. It should stay together by itself with no glue or string needed, but again, if you want, you can add a tiny drop of glue here to keep the tail down.
To package your cartridges like the originals, you'll need: 1. three pieces of 3/4" pine, 3"x3" square. Take one piece and lay it flat on a table, etc. Then take the other two pieces, and glue and nail them to each of the sides of the first one, keeping them flush with the bottom edge. 2. Wrapping papers. Brown or White. 6"x7". 3. String or twine. 4. Glue. 5. Musket Caps.
Lay the wrapper in the wood box we just made with the long side going front to back, having equal amount showing above the two sides of the box. Next, place your cartridges in it, with the powder away from you, 5 on the bottom, and 5 on top. Fill an empty tube with 13 caps (C.S.), close the open end, and place in the wrapper in front , or on top of, the cartridges. Take the two sides of the wrapper and close them in, and wrap like any regular package. Close the end away from you first, then the other. Take just a drop of glue to help this last fold/closure stay together. Turn the pack over, remembering which side is "up", place the label on and tie it up with string.
With this method, all you have to do, to open the pack in the heat of a fire-fight, is to pop the string, lift the fold, and tear it against the edge of your cartridge-box-tin. Then take out the roll of caps which will be on top, and dump them into you cap-box, and keep firing.
from
THE BRITISH SOLDIER'S FIREARM
by Dr. C.H. Roads
"In order to produce a cylinder of the correct size, the papers were rolled around a boxwood former, 1/2 inch in diameter, and pierced from end to end to allow the escape of air. One end was recessed to a depth of 2/5 of an inch, to correspond with the contours of the nose of the bullet.
The operation of rolling was commenced by taking the cylinder, or wrapping paper, placing it on the table so that the acute angled corner was towards the right front; and rolling the paper tightly upon the wooden former, which had previously been positioned so that its cupped end was flush with the right edge of the paper. The end of the cylinder paper was left unrolled to receive the inside forming paper, which was correctly positioned by ensuring that the small nick was exactly level with the cup end of the former. After this, too, had been rolled tightly, the portion of paper extending beyond the nick was turned into the cup. The forming plug was then pressed into the cup so that the correct shape was imparted to the paper. Before the third piece, the outside forming paper, was added to the cartridge, the bullet was inserted head first into cupped end of the paper cylinder. The required position for the bullet, on the outside forming paper, was with its body between the lower two of the three slits, and its base flush with their right extremities; which, it will be noted, did not extend quite as far as the edge of the paper.
After the cartridge with the third paper had been rolled up very tightly, the bullet end was choked and tied with two half-hitches. Finally, at the junction of the two forming papers, the fourth piece, a gummed strip, was affixed."
PATTERN 1853 LONG ENFIELD
CARTRIDGE SPECIFICATIONS
1863
BORE: .577
BULLET DIAMETER: .550 LENGTH: 1.1"
WINDAGE: .027
CHARGE: 2.5 Drams J2 Powder {68 grains}
FORMER: .5"
PAPER COLOUR: White, fine
OUTSIDE WRAPPER: Long 3.7" Short 2.55" Width 3.0"
INSIDE WRAPPER: Long 3.6" Short 2.02" Width 4.3"
POWDER CYLINDER: Long 3.925" Short 3.75" Width 2.125"
BANDS: Length 2.65" Width .50"
WRAPPER: Length 8.0" Width 6.3"
SLIPS: Length 16.0" Width 3.4"
12TH GEORGIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
COMPANY F
NAME__________________________________________________
ADDRESS________________________________________________
TELEPHONE NUMBER_________________________________________________
Have you had any experience with Black Powder firearms? YES NO
Do you have any previous experience with War Between The States reenacting? YES NO
Have you had any 20th century military experience? (none required) YES NO
I hereby agree to abide by the Regulations for Co. F, 12th Georgia Infantry, as well as the General Guidelines for the Southern Legion/6th Battalion of the 1st. Division, Army of Northern Virginia., CSA.
Signed by my own hand__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On this the ________day of__________________, _______.
Please return this Application to:
James D. Duckett, Cpt.
Co. F, 12th Ga. Vol. Inf'ry.
P.O. Box 312
S. Woodstock, CT. 06267-0312