Formation

Formative- adjective

1. Giving form or shape; forming, shaping, fashioning, molding.

I see this coming year and the events that we do as formative. With the 150 year anniversary activities coming up we have a duty and responsibility not only to ourselves but to the spectators who come to events to up our game. Part of upping our game will include research, helping each other, setting goals for ourselves for authenticity, personal growth within the reenacting community and attracting more new "recruits" both to the civilian and military camps. All these things will come together to shape the future of our hobby. As a group of like minded individuals, bound together by a love of history we, the 14th OVI and 3rd Arkansas are in a formative year that is shaping up to be extraordinary.

Spring Drill

Our year began with Spring Drill over the weekend of March 26/27/28. It would not have happened without the hard work of our own Captain Porter. He organized and planned the whole weekend and made many trips back and forth from his home to Bowling Green to deliver wood and other items we would need for the weekend. Special thanks also goes out to Mrs Wilhelm who organized and planned for the instruction of our civilian ladies. Lessons included letter writing and general instruction from our new ladies handbook. I think all of the ladies can agree that the books are fantastic!

The weekend was cut short by rain but Saturday included a skirmish with the 9th Virginia, lots of Drill for the men, a pay call that ended with several of the younger soldiers being docked pay due to financial burdens that they caused their families by leaving them to join the Army and one soldier who gave up his pay in order to get whiskey... for medicinal purposes of course. Each soldier got at least one letter from home during Saturday's happenings which gave them a glimpse of what things were like at home while they were away. Some of the letters were very serious, some sentimental and some were love letters. Yet all were written after some very good instruction by Mrs Wilhelm on period letters. We had a fun game of Rounders in the afternoon and some delicious food cooked and arranged for by Miss Burris and Miss Fitzpatrick. The Spring General Meeting was also held that same evening followed by relaxation around the campfire. Sunday became a soupy mess of rain and bad weather. Everyone began packing up early in the morning and got out of there as quickly as possible.

Johnson Island Cleanup Day-

Thank you to everyone who came up to help with the Johnson Island Cleanup day. There were almost 80 people there to help clean up the property owned by the Friends and Relatives of Johnson's Island Civil War Prison. I'm proud to say that over 30 of those people were members or friends of the 14th OVI/3rd Arkansas. I am also proud to announce that Dr Bush told us at the cleanup day that they plan to retire the mortgage this year. This is quite a feat considering that they bought the property in 2002 for $350,000.00 and have managed to very nearly pay it off in 8 years! As a group we have donated over $55,000.00 to this cause since 2000 and will be donating more toward the end of the summer after the Golf Outing. If you are interested in participating in the Golf Outing please let someone in the 14th know.

~E. Aldridge