Gentlemen,
I am greatly honored to command the Confederate Forces for this historic and often overlooked campaign. Not only is this campaign often overshadowed, but we as reenactors have seldom had the opportunity to portray these pivotal actions. At Return to Manassas, you will.
We all spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours to participate in this great hobby of ours, and you must be rewarded with the best Civil War Experience available- not one watered down for the lowest common participant, nor one set up for the public dollar, but one that will provide you with the experiences we all set out to find.
For the past 10 years we have been using the following model:
1. Historic Progressive Scenarios, with unit specific researched scenarios, historical force ratios, good combat distance, and background information so each unit can properly research their role in the event
2. Preservation Dollars. No organizer is getting paid. All proceeds form this event will be donated to preservation and interpretation, period! The event is built on a business model that will insure a respectable donation on behalf of the reenactors in attendance.
3. Fun. Bringing back the fun of the hobby. We will have good battles, plenty of living history and reenactor education programs, good camping areas for both campaign and garrison troops,
4. Event rule enforcement. Most events have rules, but no one enforces them, causing the actions of a few to mar the weekend of the many. This will not happen at this event. There will be even handed polite but firm event rule enforcement. Please review the rules and regulations as listed on this site. These are not "hard core" rules, nor are they lax. They are basic quality and safety rules. For an organizer or commander this is not the “fun” part of the job (if there is one), but rather the hardest part, but one that is rightfully expected by the participants, and as such is the most important part of my job. I owe it to you that the actions of a few do not detract from the experience of the many.
5. Treating reenactors with respect- not zoo animals put their for some organizers profit.
6. Honoring and Remembering those Brave Boys of 62, of BOTH sides!
7. Public education. Our goal is to provide high quality demonstrations in order to better educate the attending public, and create in them a better sense of our collective history.
8. The Civil War Experience. To set the stage for each of you to truly experience those tragic days of 1863, and provide the field on which each of you will excel.
By working together, as one team, we hope to bring respectability and honor to those Brave Boys, who gave their final devotion to the cause they embraced.
Forward Boys!
Duinn onior agus cuimhnimid!*
Sincerely,
S. Christian Anders
Command’g
Southern Division
States Rights Forces
Return to Manassas
* Gaelic- “To honor and remember”
States Rights Forces Circular
Gentlemen,
The States Right Forces planning on attending the ‘Return to Manassas’ event, August 27th thru 29th, Elizabethtown PA, are requested to correspond with Major Watters, Southern Division Adjutant, for the purpose of coordinating and facilitating communication and properly assigning roles for the various scenarios over the course of the weekend. The Southern Division (www.southerndivision.org) is hosting the CS Forces with primary responsibility for Command and Control of the States Rights Forces and scenario development, in addition to event logistic support.
With that in mind, participating units/organizations should contact the Major with estimated force strength, requests for specific unit portrayals, and with primary contact information. The information requested will be used for the purpose of facilitating the finalization of event scenarios and the proper flow of communications. . Coordination and communication within the Southern Division and member units will be handled in the normal manner.
As background, the ‘Return to Manassas’ event will be held on private ground approximately 15 miles southeast of Harrisburg Pennsylvania in Elizabethtown, put on by many of the folks who have brought you To the Gates of Washington, Summer of ’62, September Storm, At High Tide and many other high quality battle events. The event area is comprised of over 360 acres of rolling woods and fields, broken by a brook and crossed by an abandoned railroad. The rail bed features level grades, a long embankment, and a cut; it is perfect for the event. A restored period barn also graces the property which is almost completely clear of any modern intrusions. Camping afforded is a combination of grass meadow and woods, nearly level. Access to sutlers and parking is convenient, but hidden from the view of the military camp.
We will have several camps available for the weekend, and they are- Military (Military only, portraying how troops would have camped on this campaign), Civilian only, and a Camp of Convenience for those who wish to camp Mixed ( Military and Civilian). We need to know your intentions so we can properly plan logistics for each Camp.
Four scenarios are planned for the weekend: Thoroughfare Gap (reenactors only), Brawner’s Farm (public at dusk), Assault on the RR cut (reenactors only), and Chinn Ridge (public). .
The event is sponsored by the ‘Brittany’s Hope Foundation’, a non-profit organization founded to facilitate the adoption of handi-capped children from around the world in the United States. All proceeds from the event will be donated to this worthy organization.
If you have any questions please contact Major Watters at: genlstuff@lazerlink.com
