APRIL 9 BELL RINGING 3:15 to commemorate surrender of Lee's Army
National Park Service
Press Release
February 2, 2015
Join the National Park Service in Ringing "Bells across the Land: A Nation Remembers Appomattox"
For the past four years, the National Park Service and many other organizations and individuals have been commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War and the continuing efforts for human rights today. On April 9, 1865, Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant met Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee to set the terms of surrender of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.
In conjunction with a major event at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, the National Park Service and its partners invite communities across the nation to join in this commemoration. The bells will ring first at Appomattox at 3:00 p.m. on April 9, 2015. The ringing will coincide with the moment the historic meeting between Grant and Lee in the McLean House at Appomattox Court House ended. While Lee's surrender did not end the Civil War, the act is seen by most Americans as the symbolic end of four years of bloodshed.
After the ringing at Appomattox, bells will reverberate across the country. Churches, temples, schools, city halls, public buildings, historic sites, and others are invited to ring bells precisely at 3:15 pm for four minutes (each minute symbolic of a year of war). If you have access to any such organizations, please encourage them to participate.
The beginning of reconciliation and reconstruction, or as the next step in the continuing struggle for civil rights. Curriculum materials are available for schools interested in participating.
Share your story and help us write history!
Schools, parks, and communities from all over the country will be participating in this event. Share how you observed it with on Facebook or Twitter with #BellsAcrosstheLand2015. Stories will be compiled in one place to see how each one helps build our national story.
Please join us in the historic commemoration. Let bells ring across the land!
Monday, March 30, 2015
Monday, March 09, 2015
First Call for Bentonville
150th Anniversary of the Battle of Bentonville
March 21-22, 2015
A reminder and call to arms for the Bentonville Campaign. Please let Colonel Rohrbaugh know who is attending from Birney's so he can provide you with a home regiment and structure at the event. Birney's Division troops will be falling in with our brothers from the Army of the French Broad who have offered us a safe haven and home at Bentonville. Please respond ASAP to Colonel Rohrbaugh at cpldlr160@comcast.net.
You can also get more information on the event at www.birneysdivision.org/schedule.
March 21-22, 2015
A reminder and call to arms for the Bentonville Campaign. Please let Colonel Rohrbaugh know who is attending from Birney's so he can provide you with a home regiment and structure at the event. Birney's Division troops will be falling in with our brothers from the Army of the French Broad who have offered us a safe haven and home at Bentonville. Please respond ASAP to Colonel Rohrbaugh at cpldlr160@comcast.net.
You can also get more information on the event at www.birneysdivision.org/schedule.
Tuesday, March 03, 2015
Civil War re-enactors gather to train, share company
By Olivia Goudy - Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Herald-Standard News
Blank powder shots rang through the valley on the Perryopolis Battlefield in Harry Sampey Park Saturday morning as a dedicated group of men decked in blue and gray reunited for their winter campaign. Several new inches of fluffy white snow and single digit temperatures couldn’t put a damper on the spirits of those who gathered from the 105th Pennsylvania Company.
Though the American Civil War ended nearly 150 years ago, men and women continue to honor the individuals from those pivotal four years by portraying them in living history re-enactments. One of the largest organizations in the country is Birney’s Division, under the command of Brig. Gen. Michael Maffei.
“Re-enacting is a lot of fun, and you meet so many nice people with a common interest,” said Maffei of South Park, Allegheny County. “Some people might say it’s crazy, but some might say chasing a small white ball on grass is crazy, too.”
Nearly two dozen re-enactors attended last weekend’s voluntary winter camp — an annual event that allows both U.S. and Confederate units to obtain officer training, practice company and battalion drills, review gun safety, and rehearse tactical movements and maneuvers. Some re-enactors came from as far as eight hours away for the weekend-long event.
The impending snowstorm kept several units from making the trip, but those in attendance camped out in the heated cabins, swapped reenacting stories and talked about upcoming demonstrations, including the commemorative events for the 150th anniversary of the Confederate States Army surrender at the Battle of Appomattox, the final engagement before the end of the war in April 1865.
Many re-enactors can trace their relatives to the Civil War. Maffei’s wife’s great-grandfather lost his foot in the Battle of Gettysburg and division engineer Neil Shivelle’s great-great-great-grandfather fought in the 75th Ohio Company.
“A lot of these people do this to portray and honor their fallen relatives,” said Maffei, adding that Pennsylvania was the second highest contributor of soldiers to the Union Army.
Maffei, who has been re-enacting for more than 20 years, said he’s always been interested in the Civil War.
“People ask [re-enactors] why we do this, why we go to Gettysburg, and the only thing I can equate it to is similar to the movie Close Encounters [of the Third Kind]. There were certain people who were drawn to the mountain. And for a lot of us, we’re just drawn to Gettysburg,” he said. “Every time we go out there on the battlefield, we pay our respects.”
Civil War re-enactors can be found globally, some even traveling as far as Australia and London. The battalions in Birney’s Division spend much of the summer traveling through Ohio, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania at various re-enactments and commemorative events.
The 105th Pennsylvania Company was formed in 1861 in West Newton, Westmoreland County, on the farm of General Markle, known as Camp Markle. Maffei said the unit consisted of roughly 100 men.
“When the call came out for soldiers, somebody in the town said they would put a company together. They became captain and recruited all of their friends and neighbors; it was a great honor to go fight in the war,” said Maffei. “But they had no idea that it would last like it did, that it would rage on for four years.”
“A lot of the soldiers from around here had never been off of their farms in Uniontown or Morgantown, (West Virginia) or wherever. But they all joined together and went to fight,” said Maffei. He added that some of the farmers didn’t necessarily know their left from their right, so they would tie straw to their left shoe and hay to their right shoe and march hearing, “straw, hay, straw, hay…”
The drills that they practice are similar to those that the soldiers practiced daily during the war. Maffei said soldiers often walked upwards of 20 miles per day, practiced tactical maneuvers and fought in battle.
“It was very long periods of boredom punctuated by sheer moments of terror,” said Shivelle, from Maryland.
Re-enactors try their best to portray those historic battles and encampments to give spectators a historical understanding of life during the clash of the North and South.
“We do everything so that it’s from the Civil War period. No foul language, no modern clothing or items, things like that,” said Maffei. At the Perryopolis Battlefield, the only modern intrusions are the telephone wires, which the re-enactors pass off as telegraph wires. During the annual fall Pioneer Days in Perryopolis, the re-enactors set up living history camps, allowing visitors to walk through and experience life in the 1860s. They also re-enact battles, using powder cartridges and rigged explosives to accompany to roar of the cannon.
By day, the re-enactors spent time on the field drilling and firing their muskets as soldiers. But by night, they gathered around the fire as friends.
“Almost everyone here is an amateur historian. There’s so much written about the Civil War; we all read about it and share information and stories,” said Maffei. Fireside chats are often accompanied by guitars and banjos, leading the motley crew through Civil War songs, according to Maffei.
Herald-Standard News
Blank powder shots rang through the valley on the Perryopolis Battlefield in Harry Sampey Park Saturday morning as a dedicated group of men decked in blue and gray reunited for their winter campaign. Several new inches of fluffy white snow and single digit temperatures couldn’t put a damper on the spirits of those who gathered from the 105th Pennsylvania Company.
Though the American Civil War ended nearly 150 years ago, men and women continue to honor the individuals from those pivotal four years by portraying them in living history re-enactments. One of the largest organizations in the country is Birney’s Division, under the command of Brig. Gen. Michael Maffei.
“Re-enacting is a lot of fun, and you meet so many nice people with a common interest,” said Maffei of South Park, Allegheny County. “Some people might say it’s crazy, but some might say chasing a small white ball on grass is crazy, too.”
Nearly two dozen re-enactors attended last weekend’s voluntary winter camp — an annual event that allows both U.S. and Confederate units to obtain officer training, practice company and battalion drills, review gun safety, and rehearse tactical movements and maneuvers. Some re-enactors came from as far as eight hours away for the weekend-long event.
The impending snowstorm kept several units from making the trip, but those in attendance camped out in the heated cabins, swapped reenacting stories and talked about upcoming demonstrations, including the commemorative events for the 150th anniversary of the Confederate States Army surrender at the Battle of Appomattox, the final engagement before the end of the war in April 1865.
Many re-enactors can trace their relatives to the Civil War. Maffei’s wife’s great-grandfather lost his foot in the Battle of Gettysburg and division engineer Neil Shivelle’s great-great-great-grandfather fought in the 75th Ohio Company.
“A lot of these people do this to portray and honor their fallen relatives,” said Maffei, adding that Pennsylvania was the second highest contributor of soldiers to the Union Army.
Maffei, who has been re-enacting for more than 20 years, said he’s always been interested in the Civil War.
“People ask [re-enactors] why we do this, why we go to Gettysburg, and the only thing I can equate it to is similar to the movie Close Encounters [of the Third Kind]. There were certain people who were drawn to the mountain. And for a lot of us, we’re just drawn to Gettysburg,” he said. “Every time we go out there on the battlefield, we pay our respects.”
Civil War re-enactors can be found globally, some even traveling as far as Australia and London. The battalions in Birney’s Division spend much of the summer traveling through Ohio, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania at various re-enactments and commemorative events.
The 105th Pennsylvania Company was formed in 1861 in West Newton, Westmoreland County, on the farm of General Markle, known as Camp Markle. Maffei said the unit consisted of roughly 100 men.“When the call came out for soldiers, somebody in the town said they would put a company together. They became captain and recruited all of their friends and neighbors; it was a great honor to go fight in the war,” said Maffei. “But they had no idea that it would last like it did, that it would rage on for four years.”
“A lot of the soldiers from around here had never been off of their farms in Uniontown or Morgantown, (West Virginia) or wherever. But they all joined together and went to fight,” said Maffei. He added that some of the farmers didn’t necessarily know their left from their right, so they would tie straw to their left shoe and hay to their right shoe and march hearing, “straw, hay, straw, hay…”
The drills that they practice are similar to those that the soldiers practiced daily during the war. Maffei said soldiers often walked upwards of 20 miles per day, practiced tactical maneuvers and fought in battle.
“It was very long periods of boredom punctuated by sheer moments of terror,” said Shivelle, from Maryland.
Re-enactors try their best to portray those historic battles and encampments to give spectators a historical understanding of life during the clash of the North and South.
“We do everything so that it’s from the Civil War period. No foul language, no modern clothing or items, things like that,” said Maffei. At the Perryopolis Battlefield, the only modern intrusions are the telephone wires, which the re-enactors pass off as telegraph wires. During the annual fall Pioneer Days in Perryopolis, the re-enactors set up living history camps, allowing visitors to walk through and experience life in the 1860s. They also re-enact battles, using powder cartridges and rigged explosives to accompany to roar of the cannon.
By day, the re-enactors spent time on the field drilling and firing their muskets as soldiers. But by night, they gathered around the fire as friends.
“Almost everyone here is an amateur historian. There’s so much written about the Civil War; we all read about it and share information and stories,” said Maffei. Fireside chats are often accompanied by guitars and banjos, leading the motley crew through Civil War songs, according to Maffei.
Monday, February 16, 2015
150th Appomattox updates
IT’S OFFICIAL: I’ve been informed by the President of the Appomattox Historical Society that the cut- off date for accepting event registrations is March 1, 2015. Any registrations postmarked after March 1, 2015 will be returned to sender, and NO WALK-ONS will be permitted at the event. So, if you want to be a part of the 150th Sesquicentennial commemoration of the Appomattox event, it behooves you to send in your registration ASAP. Registration forms can be found at http://www.appomattoxhistoricalsociety.org/ along with a host of other information about the event. I know there are folks who always wait until the last minute to register. Well folks – with only 2 weeks left, I’d say we’re at the last minute! Our goal is a quality event for all – participants and spectators alike, and in order to accomplish this, we must adequately prepare, and proper preparation means knowing the numbers far enough in advance! Your assistance in this regard will be greatly appreciated – and you’ll be part of the event!
Almost daily now, we’re being questioned about sending the registration form and money separate from the waivers because of groups being geographically spread out. Yes!!! Get the registration forms and fees in quick and follow up with waivers later.
And while on the subject of registrations; recently we’ve received a few registrations forms from years past. The acceptable registration form is on our website of www.appomattoxhistoricalsociety.org and no other place. You can tell if your using the proper form because at the top of the form it will BOLDLY display the dates of April 10-12, 2015. If you find a form with any other date, please do not use it; thanks. And be sure to write or print legibly
Our webmaster is designing a name only full roster for our website and hopes to have it up by early next week; this will be helpful in determining if we’ve received your registration. Any names highlighted in yellow indicates you owe us a waiver form. Sending the waiver to us in advance will speed up your entry to the site at time of check in; please consider it. If your name should be on the list but is not, then we either did not receive your form or you did not send the fee with their form and should contact us immediately. Again, be sure to write or print legibly.
We’ve been asked for a GPS address that can be used to find the site. All re-enactors and living historians will be entering through the back entrance to the site which is located between the only “Super 8 Motel” and the only “Hardee’s” in town. The address for the “Super 8 Motel” is 7571 Richmond Highway, Appomattox, VA 24522. Enter this address in your GPS and upon arrival at that location, you’ll see signage indicating the entrance to the site. We’ll soon be adding the site maps and a picture of the Rt 460 entrance (between Super 8 and Hardee’s) to the website along with the days and times that the check-in gate will be open.
Another question that has come up is: will re-enactors be allowed to set up on Friday. As you know, the event opens to spectators at 8:30AM on Friday, therefore we’re encouraging everyone to be in place not later than Thursday evening. However, we know that some may not be able to arrive until real late Thursday or early Friday. With that in mind, we’ll open the re-enactor entrance gate at 7AM on Friday and if you’re among those folks who will be there at that time to set up, you’ll be allowed entry. HOWEVER, you’ll be advised to enter, unload your items and have your vehicles out of the camps by 8:30AM! You can set up once your vehicle has been removed from the camp. Another resource that we’ll offer will be tractors and wagons at the re-enactor gate. We can transfer your items to the wagon and carry them to your camp in that manner if you choose. Should you arrive after that time, the wagons will be the only way you can take your items to your respective site. AND, here again I must mention that if you’ve not pre-registered, you will not be allow in! ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!!
We were notified a few days ago that the US Post Office has designed 3 special cancellation stamps for this event and will be setting up a real post office on the site for anyone desiring to send mail using these cancellations. One cancellation will represent the Battle of Appomattox Station and will be available on Friday, April 10th; the second will represent the Battle of Appomattox Court House and available on Saturday, April 11th and the third will be a reproduction of the 100th or Centennial anniversary of 1965 and available on Sunday, April 12th. You may want to have letters and envelopes all prepared and present them to the postmaster for their stamp; there will be no charge for stamping.
Don’t forget that 150th Appomattox T-shirts are available. Sizes and prices are Med, large and X Large at $16 while 2XL and 3XL are $18 due to their being more expensive to produce. They are all adult sizes (no child sizes). Most folks are buying the Medium for their kids. Orders of 3 or more shirts will result in lower total shipping costs as we can combine the shipping charges. Information to order can be found at the link set out below.
http://tinyurl.com/orxtoyd
AND LASTLY – please pass this mail on to all your friends in the hobby. I may have entered their e-mail address incorrectly, or may not have been able to read it and that being the case, they won’t get this mail. Or, it could be that some are waiting till the last minute – well, we’re just about at the last minute and your passing this on to them will be helpful.
If you belong to a Civil War Reenactor internet forum, please consider posting this information so it can be seen by all.
All the folks that make up your host as well as your commanders and their respective staffs are working diligently to make this a special occasion for everyone. I suspect we’ll have our short comings but rest assured, we’re meeting and planning and we hope that when we fail in some regard (and we will), you’ll work with us to make the appropriate correction – and move on.
Anticipating Appomattox, I am!
Respectfully,
Al Stone
Almost daily now, we’re being questioned about sending the registration form and money separate from the waivers because of groups being geographically spread out. Yes!!! Get the registration forms and fees in quick and follow up with waivers later.
And while on the subject of registrations; recently we’ve received a few registrations forms from years past. The acceptable registration form is on our website of www.appomattoxhistoricalsociety.org and no other place. You can tell if your using the proper form because at the top of the form it will BOLDLY display the dates of April 10-12, 2015. If you find a form with any other date, please do not use it; thanks. And be sure to write or print legibly
Our webmaster is designing a name only full roster for our website and hopes to have it up by early next week; this will be helpful in determining if we’ve received your registration. Any names highlighted in yellow indicates you owe us a waiver form. Sending the waiver to us in advance will speed up your entry to the site at time of check in; please consider it. If your name should be on the list but is not, then we either did not receive your form or you did not send the fee with their form and should contact us immediately. Again, be sure to write or print legibly.
We’ve been asked for a GPS address that can be used to find the site. All re-enactors and living historians will be entering through the back entrance to the site which is located between the only “Super 8 Motel” and the only “Hardee’s” in town. The address for the “Super 8 Motel” is 7571 Richmond Highway, Appomattox, VA 24522. Enter this address in your GPS and upon arrival at that location, you’ll see signage indicating the entrance to the site. We’ll soon be adding the site maps and a picture of the Rt 460 entrance (between Super 8 and Hardee’s) to the website along with the days and times that the check-in gate will be open.
Another question that has come up is: will re-enactors be allowed to set up on Friday. As you know, the event opens to spectators at 8:30AM on Friday, therefore we’re encouraging everyone to be in place not later than Thursday evening. However, we know that some may not be able to arrive until real late Thursday or early Friday. With that in mind, we’ll open the re-enactor entrance gate at 7AM on Friday and if you’re among those folks who will be there at that time to set up, you’ll be allowed entry. HOWEVER, you’ll be advised to enter, unload your items and have your vehicles out of the camps by 8:30AM! You can set up once your vehicle has been removed from the camp. Another resource that we’ll offer will be tractors and wagons at the re-enactor gate. We can transfer your items to the wagon and carry them to your camp in that manner if you choose. Should you arrive after that time, the wagons will be the only way you can take your items to your respective site. AND, here again I must mention that if you’ve not pre-registered, you will not be allow in! ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!!
We were notified a few days ago that the US Post Office has designed 3 special cancellation stamps for this event and will be setting up a real post office on the site for anyone desiring to send mail using these cancellations. One cancellation will represent the Battle of Appomattox Station and will be available on Friday, April 10th; the second will represent the Battle of Appomattox Court House and available on Saturday, April 11th and the third will be a reproduction of the 100th or Centennial anniversary of 1965 and available on Sunday, April 12th. You may want to have letters and envelopes all prepared and present them to the postmaster for their stamp; there will be no charge for stamping.
Don’t forget that 150th Appomattox T-shirts are available. Sizes and prices are Med, large and X Large at $16 while 2XL and 3XL are $18 due to their being more expensive to produce. They are all adult sizes (no child sizes). Most folks are buying the Medium for their kids. Orders of 3 or more shirts will result in lower total shipping costs as we can combine the shipping charges. Information to order can be found at the link set out below.
http://tinyurl.com/orxtoyd
AND LASTLY – please pass this mail on to all your friends in the hobby. I may have entered their e-mail address incorrectly, or may not have been able to read it and that being the case, they won’t get this mail. Or, it could be that some are waiting till the last minute – well, we’re just about at the last minute and your passing this on to them will be helpful.
If you belong to a Civil War Reenactor internet forum, please consider posting this information so it can be seen by all.
All the folks that make up your host as well as your commanders and their respective staffs are working diligently to make this a special occasion for everyone. I suspect we’ll have our short comings but rest assured, we’re meeting and planning and we hope that when we fail in some regard (and we will), you’ll work with us to make the appropriate correction – and move on.
Anticipating Appomattox, I am!
Respectfully,
Al Stone
Monday, February 02, 2015
150th Appomattox and reenactor insurance
Members and Friends of Birney’s Division,
I hope this message finds you all in good health and comfortable in your winter quarters. It will not be long before we can put on the wool again, greet our old friends and share some new experiences together.
This is an update and information from the promoters of the 150th Appomattox event, please read carefully and register now if you have not already done so. This important event will bring the 150th series to a close and we hope that as many of you as possible will be able to join us for this historic and emotional event ending the civil war.
For those of you who may not be able to wait until April to put on the wool, the 105th Pa. Co. E will be sponsoring a winter camp and drill at Birney’s Division camps in Perryopolis, PA the weekend of February 21th and 22nd camps will open at 5:00 pm Friday the 20th, this event is closed to the public. We invite both union and confederate reenactors who want to come out and stay in the heated barracks and buildings, tramp around in the cold of February to sharpen up their skills before the 150th Appomattox event. You will need to bring your own food and water, as the water supply line has been winterized. Please contact Capt. Rob at the 105th at capt105th@gmail.com for information.
A reminder all, reenactor Insurance monies must be collected and turned in by the end of March this year. Please include a roster of all permanent paying members and a list of any and all events you plan on attending this coming season. Insurance cost per person this year will be $10.00 as was discussed and agreed upon at our annual meeting. Please make all checks payable to Birney’s Division and mail them to, Michael Maffei 1951 Hertford Dr. South Park, PA 15129. I will send out a reminder and information again next month.
Respectfully,
Michael D. Maffei
Brig. Gen. Commanding
Birney’s Division
AoP Middle Division
I hope this message finds you all in good health and comfortable in your winter quarters. It will not be long before we can put on the wool again, greet our old friends and share some new experiences together.
This is an update and information from the promoters of the 150th Appomattox event, please read carefully and register now if you have not already done so. This important event will bring the 150th series to a close and we hope that as many of you as possible will be able to join us for this historic and emotional event ending the civil war.
For those of you who may not be able to wait until April to put on the wool, the 105th Pa. Co. E will be sponsoring a winter camp and drill at Birney’s Division camps in Perryopolis, PA the weekend of February 21th and 22nd camps will open at 5:00 pm Friday the 20th, this event is closed to the public. We invite both union and confederate reenactors who want to come out and stay in the heated barracks and buildings, tramp around in the cold of February to sharpen up their skills before the 150th Appomattox event. You will need to bring your own food and water, as the water supply line has been winterized. Please contact Capt. Rob at the 105th at capt105th@gmail.com for information.
A reminder all, reenactor Insurance monies must be collected and turned in by the end of March this year. Please include a roster of all permanent paying members and a list of any and all events you plan on attending this coming season. Insurance cost per person this year will be $10.00 as was discussed and agreed upon at our annual meeting. Please make all checks payable to Birney’s Division and mail them to, Michael Maffei 1951 Hertford Dr. South Park, PA 15129. I will send out a reminder and information again next month.
Respectfully,
Michael D. Maffei
Brig. Gen. Commanding
Birney’s Division
AoP Middle Division
Sunday, January 11, 2015
2015 Birney's Division event schedule
Thanks for everyone's patience. The 2015 Birney's Division Civil War event schedule page is now up to date. Links to the event websites and registration pages have been included where available. We have also updated staff and unit information. Please visit www.birneysdivision.org for the latest information.
Don't forget to check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/birneysdivision or follow us on Twitter @birneysdivision
Looking forward to seeing you in the field!
Don't forget to check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/birneysdivision or follow us on Twitter @birneysdivision
Looking forward to seeing you in the field!
Saturday, January 10, 2015
2nd Battalion staff changes
The Division Staff, am pleased to announce the promotion of Major Mike Dallas of the 150th Penna. Bucktails to the rank of Lt. Colonel in our 2nd Battalion Birney’s Division. He will be second in command and in charge of the right wing of the battalion.
The post of Major of the left wing of our battalion is vacant. If you are interested in the position, please contact our Adjutant Captain Trent Boham of your interest and provide a brief description of your qualifications.
The post of Major of the left wing of our battalion is vacant. If you are interested in the position, please contact our Adjutant Captain Trent Boham of your interest and provide a brief description of your qualifications.
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