Birney's Division News

Division drill and tactical

This is just a reminder about the Birney's Division School of the Battalion and tactical in Perryopolis, PA on April 24-25. If your unit still needs to register, email Mike Murphy at ltmurph54th@yahoo.com and check out the Facebook Event Page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=179758132935

I want to stress that we hold our annual drill weekend not just to wear more leather off of the bottom of everyone's shoes. It is important that we blend our various units together to work as battalions so we are better able to perform in a cohesive and SAFE manner when on the field. TRAIN LIKE YOU FIGHT AND FIGHT LIKE YOU TRAIN!

I know none of us like to march and drill for hours on end, but safety in our hobby may dictate some day that if you don't show up for a drill weekend or at drill during an event, you won't be permitted to take the field. It is getting that serious folks.

In case you missed the info on the event, here it is again. Looking forward to seeing you all there.

Chris Smith
2d Battalion

We will kick off the 2010 season with a Division event at Perryopolis the last weekend in April. This will be a no-cost event.

As in past years we are offering training for our members with a twist. This school will be on battle tactics and maneuvers and will focus on the practical application of this material. We encourage your whole unit to attend. THIS IS NOT AN OFFICER/NCO SCHOOL. It is for all reenactors.

We plan to run the schooling from morning to afternoon. After discussions and dinner, we will engage in a tactical so the participants can apply what was learned earlier. The Department of Northern Virginia will be there in force along with other Confederate units creating a target friendly environment for both sides. We will then resume with another tactical on Sunday morning early enough so everyone will be on the road before or around noon.

We encourage you all to attend and bring as many of your folks as you can to join in the fun and education.

Posted by CL Smith @ 9:27 AM
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Don VanMeter receives award

On February 13, 2010 Argus Lodge #545 F. &A.M. in Canfield honored Brother Donald Van Meter, one of it's longtime members with The E. Tom Brown Award.

The E. Tom Brown Memorial Award was established to honor those who have given Service Above Self to the principles of Freemasonry and have been an Ambassador of Argus Lodge.

Brother Van Meter has coached and educated many of Argus' new members.Brother Van Meter lives in North Jackson and is a 32 Degree Mason of The Scottish Rite. He is also a member of the 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment Civil War Reenactment Unit in which he is a Captain and Commander. He graduated from South High school in Youngstown, Ohio in 1959, retired from Republic Steel in 1982 and served as a 2nd Class Radar technician in the US Navy from 1961-1965.

Argus Lodge is part of the 24th Masonic District, which is composed of twenty-six Lodges in four Ohio counties, with roughly six thousand five hundred members.

Posted by CL Smith @ 8:25 AM
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Report from the Birney's Division Annual meeting

Hi all. Sitting here in my hotel room after the Division meeting in Gettysburg this evening. We had and excellent discussion to wrap up the 2009 season and look to event in 2010.

On behalf of General Kelley and the staff, the following is the Birney's schedule for 2010:

April 24-25, Spring School of the Battalion and Tactical for Infantry, Artillery and Cavalry
Perryopolis, PA (Division event)

June 12-13, East Harbor, Sandusky, OH (2d Battalion event)

June 19-20, Old Bedford Village, Bedford, PA (Division event)

June 26-27, March to Destiny, Shippensburg, PA (1st Battalion event)

July 2-4, 147th Gettysburg, Gettysburg, PA (Division event)

July 17-18, Battle of Funkstown, Hagerstown, MD (1st Battalion event)

July 24-25, Argus Park, Canfield, OH (2d Battalion event)

August 14-15, Hale Farm, Bath, OH (Division event)

September 18-19, Third Winchester, Luray, VA (1st Battalion event)

October 2-3, Cold Harbor, Perryopolis, PA (Division event)

November 20, Remembrance Day, Gettysburg, PA

More details will be posted on the schedule on the Birney's event page at http://www.birneysdivision.org/ later this week.

Looking forward to another exciting year!!!

Your Servant,
Christopher L. Smith
2d Battalion

Posted by CL Smith @ 10:33 PM
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Masonic Ceremony at Remembrance Day

On November 21, 2009, Birney's Division will hold the 2nd annual Friend to Friend Masonic Ceremony at the Friend to Friend monument in Gettysburg at 10:30 AM. We had long thought that this particular function was needed and after many requests we started this solemn ceremony to honor the Masons that fought in the Civil War on both sides. This is a fitting tribute to those men and we would like to invite all Masons and non Masons to attend no mater your affiliation in reenacting, you are welcome. We hope that you all can attend.

Regards,
Major General Ed Kelley
Birney's Division
Commanding

Posted by CL Smith @ 7:09 PM
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A Civil War Harvest Meal

November 21, 3:00 pm - The start of a NEW Hale Farm tradition! Join us for the 1st Annual Civil War Era Harvest Meal in the Hale Farm Gatehouse. Did you know that it was in 1863 that President Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November to be a national day of thanksgiving and so the national harvest festival holiday was born. A harvest dinner is served up with historic class. Consider wearing your favorite Civil War era costume when you join us! For ticket prices and reservations call 330-666-3711. Admission for the Harvest Meal is: $25 for Adult WRHS Members, $35 for Adult non-members, $15 for children (3-12) and age 2& under is free. Group rates are available for 15 or more people.

Posted by CL Smith @ 12:42 PM
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Birney's Division 2010 Planning Meeting

Birney's Division will hold its annual meeting to discuss the 2010 Civil War reenactment events that the Division will officially participate in on a national or regional level.

All units from the infantry, cavalry, and artillery should try to send at least one representative if the unit commander is not able to attend.

Please feel free to post your thoughts about events here on the Birney's Division Meeting Event page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157751699717

For more information, contact BGN Maffei at: general_maffei@verizon.net

As usual, this meeting is held on the same weekend as the Remembrance Day parade in Gettysburg.

Friday, November 20, 2009
7:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Hoss' Steak House
1140 York Rd.
Gettysburg, PA

Posted by CL Smith @ 6:03 PM
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PRIORITY: Cedar Creek update

For those of you going to Cedar Creek this weekend, I wanted to pass on some priority information. As I am not able to attend, 2d Battalion members should make sure to report to Lt Col Rohrbaugh upon arriving at the Birney's Division camp. He or one of his staff members will give you your assignment.

Now, as everyone knows, I am a "green light" kinda guy no matter what the weather. However, I just got off of the phone with Col Maffei and here is the report:

Friday - 90% chance of rain, 39 high, 37 low
Saturday - 100% chance of frozen mix, 41 high, 33 low
Sunday - 60% chance of frozen mix, 47 high, 36 low

Winds will be between 10 and 20 mph.

If you are going, please take this into account with regard to travel and equipment. We certainly don't need half of the Division down with the hacking snots (unless the Rebs are too... then I think we will be ok).

I will try and post any updated information on the event as it is relayed to me.

Sincerely,
C.L. Smith, Lt Col
2d Battalion, Birney's Division

Posted by CL Smith @ 4:24 PM
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Monday, March 08, 2010

Division drill and tactical

Friday, February 19, 2010

Don VanMeter receives award

Friday, November 20, 2009

Report from the Birney's Division Annual meeting

Friday, November 06, 2009

Masonic Ceremony at Remembrance Day

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

A Civil War Harvest Meal

Monday, October 19, 2009

Birney's Division 2010 Planning Meeting

Thursday, October 15, 2009

PRIORITY: Cedar Creek update