The weekend of April 26-28 will mark the first NCWA event of the 2002 campaign. You can begin arriving on Thursday evening.

Again this year there will be a school program on Thursday. If you have participated in the past you know how it goes, if not there will be around 2300 school kids. There will be stations for Infantry, Cavalry, Sharpshooters, Artillery, Hospital and Civilians. There are 3 times for these demonstrations. 9:30, 11:00 & 12:30. The kids really like this so try and participate if you can. We need as many of us who know what to talk about so that the kids get the right info. Pizza and sodas will be provided for all re-enactors who help out.

We will be camped in the same location as last year. Our camp is located across the horse field in the clump of trees. We will spend our days in the main confederate camp. If you can't make it on Friday night please try and be there by 9:00am on Saturday.

All right fellow possum's and Pouchlings our first event of the year is here in Gibson Ranch. If you have never been it is actually a good event.

At Knights Ferry several of us talked about the possibility of doing a period ration issue just for our company. This will be something that we talk about in our Saturday night meeting.

There will be rounds available for sale as usual, I promise to have them in packages of 10 this time, not like Fresno. They will cost $3.00 a pack.

Knight's Ferry was a usual ACWA event. You never know what you're going to see at one of these events. We had skirmish Saturday morning with Major Bobby Lloyd Frazier leading 4 companies against just 2 Yankee's. It seemed OLE Bobby Lloyd's reputation scared the rest of the Yankee's away.

Saturday's first battle just before the hard rain was a great one. Just as Bobby Lloyd's Battalion emerged from the covered bridge,

the Yankee's cried foul and stopped the battle.

Friday night was a great time with dinner at the new restaurant at the top of hill and libations at Pete's tavern in town later that night.

Myself, Sgt. Tony Fuzie, Cpl.'s Dennis Henderson and Ryan Downs, Pvt.'s Scott Downs and Andrew Hall and Major Bobby Lloyd Frazier were present.

As Gibson Ranch is our first event of the year it might not be a bad idea to check your gear out and make sure everything is in order the weekend before the event. I know 1^st Sgt. Jim Thompson is going to be a stickler for clean muskets. So break out the old musket, tear it apart and give it a good cleaning and oiling before the event.

Battle times are 1:00 & 4:45 on Saturday and 11:00 and 2:00 on Sunday. As I had said we will be going to pizza after the last battle so try and put that in your schedule.

If you have already paid your 2002 NCWA due's, thanks. If not you will need to do so at Gibson Ranch. There will not be enough time from now till then to make sure you get your new cards on time.

Renewal is $40.00 a person. You can take $7.50 off by saying that you want the Dispatch on line and not mailed to you and then you only pay $32.50.

They did not mail out renewal forms this year. You can print them from the NCWA web site at ncwa.org and clicking on membership. You may want to do this before you arrive at Gibson Ranch that way you already have the form filled out and all you will have to do is hand them a check. I will have forms for you to fill out also.

The company due's for the unit will be $20.00 this year. Please try and pay this at Gibson Ranch if possible.

The company due's goes towards making sure we have loaner gear available for any possible new recruits at any event and helps with the costs of the Palmyra Post and other company functions.

For the most part the ANV was idle during the month of April 1862.

General Stonewall Jackson with his headquarters near Hawkinsville in the Shenandoah Valley had his troops fall back up the valley in the face of reinforced Yankee troops.

Confederate Colonel Turner Ashby’s Cavalry burned the bridge at Edinburg in the valley and took defensive positions in the high ground above the town.

In Richmond, Confederate President Jefferson Davis signed a bill authorizing conscription of every white male between the ages of 18 and 35.

General Joseph E. Johnston’s troops are entrenched in and around the town of Yorktown. Gen. Johnston’s troops, numbering roughly 17,000 men, are grossly outnumbered by Yankee troops totaling over 100,000 in the area under the command of General George B. McClellan. Gen. McClellan calls for more reinforcements.

At the end of April, Gen. Jackson moves his troops toward the town of Staunton in the valley.

Trying to prevent the spread of small pox, the Clarksville City government ordered that all "Negro women" that are ill be held at the fair grounds outside of town.

General Ulysses S. Grant, in command of the union forces in western Tennessee, orders the 71^st Ohio Volunteer Infantry to Clarksville and Ft. Donelson. He orders that ‘the citizens are not to be molested by our troops" and to make sure that the telegraph line at Dover be properly guarded. He also orders that all public property be "well taken care of". The 71^st post 4 companies at Ft. Donelson and 6 companies in Clarksville itself.

Elsewhere in Tennessee: Confederate forces under General Albert Sydney Johnston, in command of the newly reorganized army at Corinth, Miss. Moves his troops towards Pittsburg Landing to try and drive the Union forces into the river. On the morning of April 6^th Gen. Johnston attacks the Union forces near the Shiloh Church. 24,000 Americans are killed, wounded, and missing in the battle. Gen. Johnston himself was among the casualties.

This September, 15 & 16 2002, will be the 140^th Anniversary of the battle of Sharpsburg. (Antietam for those that bleed blue).

This will be held near Sharpsburg, Maryland back east. If you interested in going and would like more info please see Capt. Dave Lund at Gibson Ranch.

Several fellow 14^th Tennessee pards have already made plans to go. We will combine with the 5^th Texas boys to form one company and we will be part of a west coast brigade whose commanders include the 14^th’s own Bobby Lloyd Frazier. Dave Lund and John Sylvestor of the 5^th Texas will command the company.

This should be a great time for all. If you have never been to an East Coast event before you should make plans to go.

This will be our Company East Coast event for this year and you really should make plans for the 140^th Gettysburg next summer over the 4^th of July weekend. Gettysburg should be a must for you, at the 135^th we had a great company of West Coast reenactors and had a great time.

More info on both Sharpsburg and Gettysburg will up coming in future Palmyra Posts.

April 26-28 Gibson ranch-Sac.

May 25-27 Ardenwood-Fremont

June ????

July 13-14 Duncan Mills

Aug. 24-25 Benica Arsenal

Sept. 28-29 Kearney Park-Fresno

Oct. ????

At Gibson Ranch we will discuss options for June and October events. The ACWA and RACW both have events that month or we can make our own event.

The Palmyra post is published on a not so regular basis by Dave Lund.