Civil War Marine Insignia

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"By Seas, By Lands"

After Action Report
Battle of Yulee Sugar Mill, Crystal River, FL.
March 12th - 14th, 2004

Compiled by Pvt. Steven Fowler

Observations:

  • We ran into a small logistics problem getting started.  Frank was not able to make it on Thursday so we had to get his trailer to get more tents set up.  Jon and Sean left around 12:30 pm to get Franks trailer and did not arrive back until 7:30 pm.  We got a couple of more tents setup and stopped for the night. Continued setting up camp the next morning with the help of folks trickling in during the day.

  • Friday we pretty much had camp setup and people were pretty much getting setup in their tents and socializing.  The fun part of the evening was the yellow beef patties we had for dinner.  Some of us are still trying to figure out what the meat was.  A big thank you to the folks that went out and got the food for dinner and fixing it.

  • Friday night was kind of strange.  I woke up about 3:00 am and Sandy had left the tent.  I figured she went to the head.  Woke backup at around 5:00 am and still no Sandy.  Got up and looked for her.  Finally found her in the car.  It got too cold for her.  As I was walking back from the parking area, I thought I saw Jamey and Paige packing up to leave.  What had happened was that the Sibly had pulled a stake out of the ground and fell over.  We worked to get the tent back up.  Houston slept thru the entire thing.  What a kid!!

  • Jon, Mike and I went over to the live fire competition around 8:00 am.  We all three shot at the same time.  If you have never fired a live round, it is something to experience.  Got a good idea on how those guns worked back then.  Very cool.  We got back for colors and then we had some time to ourselves.  Sunday's shooting was even better.  We shot 2 more times.  I tied with the first place guy and Mike and Jon did fair.  On my second shoot, I got my same tying score.  Very cool.  I got this down now I think.  Now for the bad news, they brought another gun that was dialed in perfectly.  The next few guys blew everyone away.  Now these were guys that shot crappy the day before.  Go figure.

  • Had the chance to watch the live fire of canister from three cannons.  Wow! is the only way to describe it.  Another thing you have to see for yourself.

Actions:

  • Action Saturday:  We had several folks on artillery on Saturday.  3 to Milton's guns (good job Pvt Petunia and Pvt. Pansy), 2 to Pelam's gun, 5 to our mortar and the rest on the field with muskets.  The action started out slowly.  Skirmishers came out from both sides and then the Calvary got into it.  Milton's was brought up and we started to move onto the field, but nothing from the union guys.  The Calvary kept clear of us and we drove them off once we moved all the marines to the left side of Milton's guns.  Finally the main body of the Union came out after the Alabama Vols. took the field.  We then moved up with Milton's group and we started firing on the Union army.  Goodrich eventually started moving the unit and the Marines over to the right flank of the Confederate Army.  We started taking heavy hits and finally Milton's guns were taken out by a cannon blast from the other side of the field.  Some Marines were still up and trying to fight when the Zouaves moved in and captured those still up.  Overall a good battle, but just wished it would have started off a little quicker.

    Lt. Stimac Observation: I would like to mention the Ground Charge that went off between the cannons at the end of the battle Saturday. It was great, It took out two cannon crews and other units on the right side of the field. It left only five Marines to hold off the union army and we almost did it. Well they took us by surprise by coming in from the rear. Saturday's battle left us on the right side of the battle field looking at the Union army. They would not advance on us, Next time we will take the battle to them! We then took off to the left side of the field to back up the Artillery only to see our Mortar pass us by the other direction.

  • Action Sunday: Again troops were deployed to the Guns around us, Milton's, Pelam's and the mortar.  Will (yes the runner) even helped man Pelam's gun.  Milton's moved out quickly and the Union advanced quickly as well.  I over heard several folks yelling that they saw Mercier across the field on the Union side.  We stuck with Milton's and they were moving fast.  Sometimes it seemed we kept moving and moving.  We finally came face to face with one of the Union stationery guns and almost talked ourselves and Major Griffin into going over and capturing it.  But we held our ground and kept with Milton's.  The Union Generals started moving up to surrender and there was a group of dismounted Calvary that kept shooting.  They finally stopped and the battle was won by the Confederates.

Members (no particular order, *Fresh Fish):

  • Roger, Patsi & *Chris Scott
  • Jon & Krystyne Bateman
  • Will Bateman
  • Shawn Yeager & Sharon Spero
  • Sean & Eileen Wells
  • Ira Fogg
  • Zach McClure
  • Rob (need last name)
  • Richard & Katie Riston
  • *Cannon & *Dad
  • Michelle Crook
  • Mike & Debbie Styers
  • Jim & Mary Ellen Irvin
  • Frank & Judee Strott
  • Ted & Marty Moss
  • Jamey, Paige & Huston Creel
  • Neil Stimac
  • Joe Stimac
  • *Bob & *Bobbie Snyder
  • Steve & Sandy Fowler
  • Jim & Annette Burk

35 folks total: 23 on field, 1 runner, 11 in camp folks.

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