Sunday, January 23, 2005

Soldier Records Search from the NPS

The National Parks Service has launched a web site called the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System. This interactive service is free and allows you to do a search on Union and Confederate soldiers and sailors, units, Civil War burials at National Cemeteries, Andersonville and Ft McHenry prisoners, Civil War CMH recipients, plus information on battlefields and NPS Civil War sites.

You can go to this web site by clicking here.

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Civil War Ball in Mt. Vernon

Below is the announcement information for a ball to be held at the Memorial building in Mt Vernon. Everyone from the Army of the Ohio is cordially invited to attend. Period dress is optional but encouraged. Dressing rooms are available. Our own Colonel Ruley and his wife Kay will be calling the dance.

The host SUV camp are the folks who raised the money to put the 4th OVI monument back together on East Cemetery Hill.


1860’S ERA BALL, 5 FEBUARY, 2005 - 7 TO 10 PM

HOSTED BY THE HENRY BANNING CAMP #207 OF THE SONS OF UNION VETERANS AT THE MEMORIAL BUILDING IN MT VERNON, OHIO - LOCATED IN THE SECOND BLOCK EAST OF THE SQUARE ON HIGH STREET.

A CHARGE OF $5 PER PERSON, LIGHT REFRESHMENTS TO BE SERVED.

5th OVI Soldier's Gathering this Saturday

One of the first events this year will be the Soldier's Gathering at the Camp Workman Tavern on Saturday, January 15th at 7 pm. This is in lieu of the regular meeting on the 2nd Thursday of the month. The address for Camp Workman is 5200 Hayes Rd., Ravenna. Click here for a map link. Parking will be marked.

This will be a uniform activity as the Tavern is a period structure (and no one cares how you smell anyhow). If you have not been there, you really shouldn't miss it. Weapons are not needed but your haversack and eating kit is. I will be preparing beef stew over the hearth and there will be bread from Ken. If a couple other of your strapping military men want to bring a side dish, that would be swell too. Everyone is responsible to bring their own beverage. It is not guaranteed that Jim will have something behind the bar. If he does, I am sure he will be more than happy to make a trade for some legal tender.

This will also be a night for having a pipe or cigar and discussing our events for the season. We have a number of good events to discuss this year, as well as talk about a possible much-needed drill weekend early in the season.

Saturday, January 01, 2005

Greetings and Happy New Year

I hope all had a great evening and are enjoying this New Years Day. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the confidence you have put in me to serve as your officer this year. I am very much looking forward to it and I hope I will not disappoint (at least after I get the rust out of my ears).

The 5th is an outstanding unit and I have always been thrilled to be a part of it. Upon every event, I look forward to spending time with the people in the unit. Whether on the field or around the fire, some of the best experiences in my life have been with all of you. Thank you for that.

2005 will be an outstanding year! I am happy again to be working with Ken and Tom. They have really done a great job for so many years. Additionally, am very much looking forward to working with Andy Kaminski as our First Sergeant. We are fortunate to have him in this role and you can count on him to take care of business. As the officer, I can count on Andy to be a good leadership sounding board.

I will have more thoughts coming up in the newsletter in the next week or so. Again, I am excited about this year and I am sure the ranks will be filled with all those smiling faces :)

Sincerely,
Christopher Smith