For all of you who didn't make it to Gettysburg this past weekend for Remembrance Day, you probably missed the best weather this event has ever seen. The temperature was comfortable, sky was clear, and the sun made the colors on the battlefield all that more vivid.
The Annual Birney's Division Meeting was held Friday evening on the East side of town. General Baldwin visited with us and gave us the run-down on a special series of events to kick off the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War all during the month of April, 2011. This will conclude with a special event at Gettysburg with camps, activities and skirmishes on part of the actual battlefield.
The rest of the schedule was discussed and several new units were welcomed to the family.
Saturday morning started with our traditional Masonic ceremony at the Friend to a Friend monument near the National Cemetery. Thank you to Brother Captain Bill Andrews for organizing this.
Later in the day was the Gettysburg Remembrance Day parade ending on Cemetery Ridge. Thank you to all of the organization's members who turned out. Excellent job.
From there it was shopping and exploring the battlefield. Capt Van Meter lead a walk across Pickett's Charge so our folks could understand what the southern troops had to go through to reach the Union lines. I encourage all of you who have not done so, to take the time and make the walk at your next visit.
For your correspondent most exploration would be done on Sunday due to a sore foot encountered the day before. As luck would have it, I ran into Mike and Frank from History Channel's "American Pickers" on the streets of Gettysburg. Friendly guys. They are going to have an upcoming program on Civil War memorabilia.
I did make it out to the 5th OVI monument on Culp's Hill. So much of the woods has been cut away you almost wouldn't recognize it. My father and father-in-law helped me clear away a large branch that had fallen over the stone with the owl badge. I may be writing a letter to our new governor to see what can be done to give our beloved marker a little "love".
I highly recommend that you try and get to Remembrance Day next November. For those of you who have never been, it is a great way to wrap up the season.
For a complete list of Birney's Division 2011 events, go to http://www.birneysdivision.org and visit the EVENTS SCHEDULE page.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Your Servant,
Christopher Smith, Lt. Col
2d Battalion, Birney's Division
5th OVI, Company H
