CWT Invades Vicksburg Official After Action Review

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Brevet Brigadier General
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Regtl. Quartermaster Shiloh 2020
Asst. Regtl. Quartermaster Antietam 2021
Regtl. Quartermaster Stones River / Franklin 2022
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Just everything cleaned up and getting ready to checkout and head home but I wanted to take a few minutes and Thank everyone for coming and I really enjoyed meeting everyone. I especially want to Thank @bdtex and @alan polk for there help. Just wanted to start this tread as a place for all our attending members to post some of their favorite photos and comments from our recent trip so that our CWT members who could not make can see some of the great thing we saw. It was was GREAT weekend and even though we didn't have sunshine we did not get rained out and got to see a LOT here in Vicksburg. So please post your photos and comments here for all to enjoy.

Below are a few of mine.
Me in front of the portrait of my GGG Grandfather in the McCardle room at the Courthouse museum. Lt Col W H McCardle was Gen Pemberton's AAG during the siege of Vicksburg.
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A group shot at the museum.
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The group in front of the cannons at the Vicksburg NMP
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The group at the USS Cairo
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This has to be my favorite photo! Having the chance to attend the CWT gathering with @kilroy15, my grandson, was truly a Blessing!! Really enjoyed meeting all the members and learning so much from our guest speakers and other members.
@ucvrelics,@redbob and @bdtex all performed far and above the call of duty in organizing and preparing this conference. @alan polk, @DixieRifles and @Miss L all presented great information and paitently answered all questions.
Thank you all so much for the camaraderie and fellowship.
Regards
David
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This has to be my favorite photo! Having the chance to attend the CWT gathering with @kilroy15, my grandson, was truly a Blessing!! Really enjoyed meeting all the members and learning so much from our guest speakers and other members.
@ucvrelics,@redbob and @bdtex all performed far and above the call of duty in organizing and preparing this conference. @alan polk, @DixieRifles and @Miss L all presented great information and paitently answered all questions.
Thank you all so much for the camaraderie and fellowship.
Regards
David
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That picture is a keeper for sure and it was certainly a pleasure to meet you and your fine Grandson.
 
I, too, had a glorious time with everyone!

@ucvrelics really worked hard turning a potentially chaotic gathering into a splendid event! His was a Herculean job and he pulled it off without a hitch! His talk regarding his ancestor at the Old Courthouse Museum was most enjoyable! Thank you, @ucvrelics, for doing the heavy lifting and making the engine of the event run smoothly.

@lelliott19 was not able to attend, but her presence was indeed felt through her contributions behind the scenes! I hope to meet her in person someday!

“Follow @bdtex” was the order of the day, each and every day, and he did not shrink from that duty! I suspect he will feel awkward driving today, looking in his rear view mirror, and not seeing at least 7 cars tailing him! I started calling him “magnet butt!” He brought endless energy and direction to the group and I enjoyed his presence immensely!

Every single speaker from our group was informative and knowledgeable, and it shows how a diverse group such as ours can make a complex historical event understandable and interesting. Well done to each and all of our speakers!

Everyone was very nice and welcoming to my wife as well. She sends her thanks to all, and had nothing but great things to say about everyone she met and talked to!

At our dinner Saturday night, my wife really enjoyed the in-depth discussions that exploded on our end of the table. @Mark F. Jenkins and @Rusk County Avengers (and his friend Tom) waxed scholarly on numerous topics.

Somehow, someway, @Mark F. Jenkins combined his knowledge of ancient Egyptian artwork, its use of mineral based and plant based oils or dyes, to Confederate uniforms and then, magically, with
Admiral Porter’s fleet north of Vicksburg! My wife turned to me, patted my hand, and, with a whispered smile, said to me: “You are in heaven, aren’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am. . . Yes ma’m, indeed,” I said.

I had a blast taking folks to Champion Hill. I hope folks got something out of it.

Although the below picture, taken by @bdtex, would seem to indicate that I was either leading the group in a rendition of Dixie, or discussing the contribution of Confederate squirrel snipers at Champion Hill!

I have no idea what I could have been pointing to!

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But, again, thanks to all!
 
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would seem to indicate that I was either leading the group in a rendition of Dixie, or discussing the contribution of Confederate squirrel snipers at Champion Hill!

I have no idea what I could have been pointing to!

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But, again, thanks to all!
I think that was a "Pemberton wanted the fight to be over there." moment.
 
At our dinner Saturday night, my wife really enjoyed the in-depth discussions that exploded on our end of the table. @Mark F. Jenkins and @Rusk County Avengers (and his friend Sam) waxed scholarly on numerous topics.

Actually my friend's name is Tom. Bad part is, when we got back to Texas he handed me some bottles of some kind of rare, hard to get drink "Kentucky Bourbon Ale" saying he didn't bring any along as he didn't know what kind of a crowd we were meeting up with.

I had a great time, I don't get out much, (actually very little), and I think it showed...

A great time indeed, a good enough one to make me excited at the prospect of next year, (any more insurmountable obstacles?) and I enjoyed the dinner, and it was good to be at a table with a uniform discussion where I was the knowledgeable one, a uncommon occurrence I might add. I enjoyed every minute of it, and am eager to hear what next year's destination will be.
 
I'm always happy to spread the 'gospel' about the war on the naval/amphibious side-- as @Nathanb1 and I were discussing on the way up to Greenwood, most people have heard about the Monitor and the "Merrimack" [sic] and maybe something about the Hunley, and that might be it. The mere fact that the Confederacy alone started building or converting about fifty ironclad vessels and actually put a couple dozen into more or less operational status would blow their minds... so having an audience that I didn't have to actually hold captive to get them to listen to me was a treat. 😄

And as has been said, the deep knowledge that our members have in so many diverse areas is certainly a high point of CWT and was a high point of the trip. I had not thought twice about uniforms and cloth, but @Rusk County Avengers was clearly in his element discussing them and while I'm not going to give up steamboats to go into fabrics, I could see how someone could get that enthusiastic about it. I enjoyed one moment in the Cairo tour when someone asked me a gun question I couldn't answer, but I could refer them right to @redbob , who of course came through. The "10 ounce Williams gun" that @DixieRifles dug up (so to speak) blew my mind, and Larry McCluney's taking us through Fort Pemberton was a real treat. And on and on and on... Wonderful time, and I'm just kicking myself all the more for not being able to make Chick/Chatt last year!

ETA: I add my thanks to @bdtex and @ucvrelics for putting this together and trying to keep the cats herded. While the weather was somewhat uncooperative on Friday in particular, I think we nonetheless managed to accomplish the mission. Bravo Zulu... well done!
 
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Oops. Sorry. I went back and edited my post!

I wouldn't worry, its an honest mistake and I myself am horrible with names

but @Rusk County Avengers was clearly in his element discussing them and while I'm not going to give up steamboats to go into fabrics, I could see how someone could get that enthusiastic about it

I may have been in my element, but I know two people, (one of which is a member, the other an author on the subject) who know WAY more than I do. That doesn't even count another member I don't personally know who is a uniform guru on this site. I've gotten the drop on some very, very knowledgeable folks on the subject of uniforms, but I still consider myself the least knowledgeable in a room full of uniform researchers. Give me thirty more years, and that'll change.

Besides, one uniform theory I've postulated and was told I was very, very wrong, proved to be in all probability correct after an image in Grady Howell's book of them showed I may have been right on the money. I might not be so dumb after all. :D
 
Just everything cleaned up and getting ready to checkout and head home but I wanted to take a few minutes and Thank everyone for coming and I really enjoyed meeting everyone. I especially want to Thank @bdtex and @alan polk for there help. Just wanted to start this tread as a place for all our attending members to post some of their favorite photos and comments from our recent trip so that our CWT members who could not make can see some of the great thing we saw. It was was GREAT weekend and even though we didn't have sunshine we did not get rained out and got to see a LOT here in Vicksburg. So please post your photos and comments here for all to enjoy.

Below are a few of mine.
Me in front of the portrait of my GGG Grandfather in the McCardle room at the Courthouse museum. Lt Col W H McCardle was Gen Pemberton's AAG during the siege of Vicksburg.
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A group shot at the museum.
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The group in front of the cannons at the Vicksburg NMP
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The group at the USS Cairo
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Any discussion on next year’s expedition? Crossing fingers lol
 
Actually my friend's name is Tom. Bad part is, when we got back to Texas he handed me some bottles of some kind of rare, hard to get drink "Kentucky Bourbon Ale" saying he didn't bring any along as he didn't know what kind of a crowd we were meeting up with.

I had a great time, I don't get out much, (actually very little), and I think it showed...

A great time indeed, a good enough one to make me excited at the prospect of next year, (any more insurmountable obstacles?) and I enjoyed the dinner, and it was good to be at a table with a uniform discussion where I was the knowledgeable one, a uncommon occurrence I might add. I enjoyed every minute of it, and am eager to hear what next year's destination will be.
I was glad to have you two, you both added color and interest to the excursion.
 
I'm always happy to spread the 'gospel' about the war on the naval/amphibious side-- as @Nathanb1 and I were discussing on the way up to Greenwood, most people have heard about the Monitor and the "Merrimack" [sic] and maybe something about the Hunley, and that might be it. The mere fact that the Confederacy alone started building or converting about fifty ironclad vessels and actually put a couple dozen into more or less operational status would blow their minds... so having an audience that I didn't have to actually hold captive to get them to listen to me was a treat. 😄

And as has been said, the deep knowledge that our members have in so many diverse areas is certainly a high point of CWT and was a high point of the trip. I had not thought twice about uniforms and cloth, but @Rusk County Avengers was clearly in his element discussing them and while I'm not going to give up steamboats to go into fabrics, I could see how someone could get that enthusiastic about it. I enjoyed one moment in the Cairo tour when someone asked me a gun question I couldn't answer, but I could refer them right to @redbob , who of course came through. The "10 ounce Williams gun" that @DixieRifles dug up (so to speak) blew my mind, and Larry McCluney's taking us through Fort Pemberton was a real treat. And on and on and on... Wonderful time, and I'm just kicking myself all the more for not being able to make Chick/Chatt last year!

ETA: I add my thanks to @bdtex and @ucvrelics for putting this together and trying to keep the cats herded. While the weather was somewhat uncooperative on Friday in particular, I think we nonetheless managed to accomplish the mission. Bravo Zulu... well done!
We were fortunate with the weather also, there were a number of trees down between Vicksburg and Jackson, also North Mississippi and Southern Tennessee got hit particularly hard with Shiloh having to be closed (as unfortunately @Michaelw found out) to repair the damage. As for our gathering, the knowledge was flowing as freely as the Mississippi River-Good stuff indeed. 😉
 
My wife turned to me, patted my hand, and, with a whispered smile, said to me: “You are in heaven, aren’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am. . . Yes ma’m, indeed,” I said.
:D Sounds like she's got you all worked out @alan polk !

Although the below picture, taken by @bdtex, would seem to indicate that I was either leading the group in a rendition of Dixie, or discussing the contribution of Confederate squirrel snipers at Champion Hill!
:laugh: And both would have been fascinating!
 
Everyone was very nice and welcoming to my wife as well. She sends her thanks to all, and had nothing but great things to say about everyone she met and talked to!

At our dinner Saturday night, my wife really enjoyed the in-depth discussions that exploded on our end of the table. @Mark F. Jenkins and @Rusk County Avengers (and his friend Tom) waxed scholarly on numerous topics.
I'm glad she had such a good time :smile: Says a lot about the group and your wife, too.
 
I forgot to post one of my many favorite pictures. Here are @rebel brit, Mrs. rebel brit and @luinrina in front of Cairo.

I think it is neat they came all the way across the pond to take part!

At various times I was chauffeured around by them and learned so much. It really was a pleasure, and I wish them safe trips back home:

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Diplomacy: American Style

We need to send this to Boris Jonson and Juncker to show how the Cairo brought together a European Union here in Vicksburg! :bounce:
 
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