Important information on the 150th Antietam

Greetings to all members of Birney’s Division!

As many of you know, there will be TWO reenactments this September commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam. Since even before our Division meeting in November, there has been a lot of heated discussion about which event Birney’s Division should support as a whole. Everyone on staff has their opinion which is also reinforced by personal relationships with a number of the people in charge at either event. There has even been discussion about splitting forces and sending some units to one and some to the other. To be honest with you pards, that would not be the desirable approach. We have regional operations as an organization, but our strength should be in our numbers at a national anniversary event and we should be determined to come together as a force infantry, cavalry, and artillery.

I know that many of you have your final 2012 event planning meetings this weekend and next. As we are knocking together the final information to present to everyone (for a group decision), please block out these two dates for September and one of them will be our event.

Maryland, My Maryland
September 7-9, 2012
Boonsboro, MD

150th Antietam Anniversary Reenactment
September 14-16, 2012
Location still to be determined

On behalf of General Kelley, General Maffei, and Colonel Rohrbaugh, we thank you for all of the hard work everyone is doing out there and we look forward to a great season this year!

Your Servant,
Christopher Smith, Colonel
Birney's Division, 2d Battalion

105th Pennsylvania holds winter encampment

The 105th PVI will be holding their annual Winter Encampment at their Headquarters in Perryopolis, PA on the 18-19 of February. They would like to extend the invite to any unit or member of any unit to join in this year for the drill weekend. This drill weekend will be conducted in full military fashion. All are welcome. Here is a little info of what you can expect: Drill (military maneuvers), post 24 hour pickets, patrols, establish outposts, build defenses, tactical skirmish with the enemy, recon on enemy position, we do not know when the enemy is going to attack.

Again ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND. If you are interested in attending or would like more information, please email 1st Sgt Jeremy Koch at 105thpa@gmail.com.

Register for Burton 2012

Need to register for the 2012 Civil War event in Burton? Go to http://geaugahistorical.org/events and click on "registration form" under the Civil War Reenactment section.

Ohio Regimental Military Ball

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 2:00pm
McKinley Grand Hotel
320 Market Ave South, Canton, OH
 
Time to make your reservations for this year's great event! $35.00 per person post marked by January 4th 2012. $39.00 per person postmarked after January 4th but before February 8th 2012. The hotel is also offering discounted rooms as $82.00 per night plus tax. We have afternoon activities, sutlers, photographer, social hour, dance lessons, cash bar, dinner and dancing with the Anonymous String Band. Please visit the website at http://www.ormb.com/ for registration forms . We accept PAYPAL

2012 Birney's Division schedule of events

The 2011 Birney's Division Annual Meeting was held in Gettysburg on November 18th at the Gettysburg Fire House. Many units had representatives in attendance and Division staff members were on hand to lead the discussion and provide information.

One item of discussion is the 150th Antietam Anniversary. As some of you know, there are two different events next year in September. It was decided that a decision would be made in January and news will be posted here.

For a complete list of Birney's Division 2012 Civil War events, go to http://www.birneysdivision.org and click on the EVENT SCHEDULE tab.

Masonic Service at Gettysburg Remembrance Day

To all of our Masonic friends:

We are holding the annual Masonic ceremony at the Masonic Friend to a Friend Monument on Saturday in Gettysburg during Remembrance Day weekend. The official start time at the Monument off of Steinware Avenue is 11:15 am. This will still give us plenty of time to form up for the parade at the high school. The service is open to the public. All Masons and non Masons are welcome. Hope to see you all there.

Benefit for the Lawson Family

For those not going to Gettysburg, a benefit spaghetti dinner for the Lawson family will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Damascus Friends Church, 28857 Walnut St.

Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased in advance by calling Tracy Prendergast at 330-685-4072.

All money raised will go to the Lawson family for care of Braden, 14 months, son of the late Michelle Lawson.