Friday, August 26, 2011

'USS Mississippi"

 

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Union gunboat at anchor.

Redrawn by Ian McKay, CE


Friday, August 5, 2011

United States Ford -- Rappahannock River

 
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USS ford was a large stretch of shallows, in the river, which was used for years by the local traffic. During the Civil War this road was a major crossing point from the North into the South for the Union Forces and became a much traveled ford for both infantry and cavalry on both sides of the conflict.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Sprague, CT Encampment, 2011

 
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Bob Nucci's tent and fly, Sprague, CT Encampment, July, 2011

 
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Ian Mckay, Brigadier General of Engineers (by brevet)

 
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This is the New England Brigade Engineering Field Office set up at the 150th anniversary of the founding of Sprague, CT. The general is facing a table with a display of period fighting knives.

Sprague, CT, 07/29-31/11

 
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The New England Brigade Engineering Field Office at the Sprague, CT 150th Anneversery Encampment.

Civil War Siege Map of Jackson, Mississippi

 
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Drawn By 2nd Lt. Greg P. Webster

Blackstone and Vicinity

 
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This is a map-sketch of the Vicinity North of the Daniel's Farmstead.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Fort Trumbull Working Party, AAR, Monday, 06/27/11

In a message dated 6/28/2011 1:06:32 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, JLMTopog@comcast.net writes:
Lt. General U. S. Grant
Commander
All Federal Armies

Brig. Gen. Burbank
Commander;
New England Brigade

Major D. Erickson
Commandant (acting);
U. S. Corps of Topographical Engineers

I beg your kind indulgence to make my Chief Engineer's Report on the
subject activity in New London, CT. The work party was scheduled for
10:00 A.M. this morning and at 8:00 A.M. I visited the Engineer's
supply store in New London for some last minutes needed materials. At
9:30 A.M. we arrived at home to find that Captain Ray Germain and Lady
Germain were waiting at my home. We set up the tools needed and
brought forth two metal shelving stands to repair, strengthen, and
relieve them of their accumulated rust, and then give them a coat of
paint.

By 11:30 we had completed work on the two shelving stands, and Sgt.
Proctor arrived ready for the working party as he works nights and
usually comes about this time. With him, he brought a refurbished
display case which had been donated previously to the fort. The
restoration was really an excellent job of refinishing and that
display case now has a prominent place in the Engineer's Mess and
Bedroom.

With The Sgts. arrival we pulled two more shelving stands from my
garage where they have been stored and in another hour or so had
completed all work on the four stands. We then loaded the four stands
and the display case on three wagons and drove over to New London to
deliver the to the fort storage area, together with the previously
purchased cloth curtains and shelving cover material

We unloaded the four stands from the three wagons into the Fort
storeroom, together with the previous lumber and fasteners purchased
to replace the used material in making rifle boxes at a previous work
party. The cloth, shelf covers, display case and fasteners were
placed in the closet in the engineer's mess and bedroom.

When we had finished all the work, we adjourned the work party and
went to enjoy a nice lunch at our favorite restaurant.

Your Most Humble and Enduring Servant;

Very Respectfully;

Ian McKay, Brig. Gen. of Engineers (by brevet);
Chief Engineer
Chief of Staff (acting)
Lt. Gen. U. S. Grant's Military and Personal Staffs

Work Party, Fort Trumbull, AAR, 07/18/11

From: James Mathews
To: NewEnglandBrigade@yahoogroups.com; NMLHA@yahoogroups.com; unicorn628@comcast.net; Ulysses Grant ; Aula Decia Scriptrix ; ACWCalligrapher@aol.com; ByzantiumNovumMilitarium@yahoogroups.com; ByzantiumNovumCulture@yahoogroups.com; Christer Edling ; CivilWarEvents@yahoogroups.com; Felinitye ; Bill Gawne ; Jonathan.Lincoln@po.state.ct.us; J. C. Smith ispán ; Q. Fabius Maximus ; NewRoman@yahoogroups.com; Matyas Clark OSB ; Robert Woolwine
Sent: Tue, July 19, 2011 12:25:28 PM
Subject: Fwd: [TopogEng] Work Party Monday the 18th, July, 1863 (#071811)



Begin forwarded message:

From: James Mathews
Date: July 19, 2011 12:09:38 PM EDT
To: TopogEng@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [TopogEng] Work Party Monday the 18th, July, 1863 (#071811)

Lt. General U. S. Grant
Commander
All Union Armies

Brig. Gen. M. Burbank
Commander
New England Brigade

Major D. Erickson
Commandant (acting)
U. S. Corps of Topographical Engineers

Honored Sirs:

I beg your kind indulgence to bring to you the Chief Engineer's report of the volunteer work completed at Fort Trumbull, New London, Ct. on July 18. 1863.

Engineers Present:

Ian McKay, Brig. Gen. of Engineers (by brevet);
Major James Duarte;
Capt. Raymond Germain;
2nd Lt. Greg Webster;
Lady Webster (artist);
Lady Mathews (teamster).

The Morning began at the Fort Trumbull Parking Lot at 10:00 A.M. All were gathered there and proceeded to the fort interior. Being brought into the fort were the following items:

--Donated 1/2 horse Table Saw;
--Three sewn cases for bunk displays;
--Paint, Brushes and material for work on metal stands;
--Stencils for Rifle boxes.

Items Completed:

--Rifle Box (finished carpentry work and stenciled both sides of the box) ;
--Table top extension;
--Painted four upright metal stands white;
--Constructed and painted black two sets of fire-place andirons (dogs) of wood, to support the fireplace logs.

Your Most Dedicated Servant;

Very Respectfully;

Ian McKay, Brig. Gen. of Engineers (by brevet);
Chief Engineer;
Chief of Staff (acting)
Lt. General U. S. Grant's Personal and Military Staffs

Fort Trumbull Working Party, Monday, 08/01/11

Lt. General U. S. Grant
Commander
All Federal Armies

Brig. Gen. M. Burbank
Commander
New England Brigade

Major D. Erickson
Commandant (acting)
U. S. Corps of Topographical Engineers

Most Esteemed Sirs;

I beg your kind indulgence to make my Chief Engineer's Report on the subject activity at Fort Trumbull at New London, CT.

In Attendance:

--Brig. Gen. Ian McKay;
--2nd Lt. Greg Webster;
--Lady M. Mathews.

I visited the local materials supply store this morning for some last minute needed materials and then proceeded to the 10:00 A.M. rendevouz with the unit. The following members were indisposed and were excused:

--Major Duarte;
--Capt. Lafleur;
--Sgt. Proctor;
--Corp. Grossman;
--Lady Webster.

Upon reaching the fort, we immediately started to work. In accordance with the desires of the Fort Ranger, we moved four of the newly renovated and painted metal shelving stacks into place in front of two windows in the Engineer's Bunk Room, one window in the Display Room, and one window in the Chief Engineer's Office. Once placed, we filled each shelf visible from outside the rooms with various engineering models. The shelf models in the display room were rearranged.

Lt. Webster then went to work completing the partially built wine rack that Major Duarte had begun at an earlier work party. The wine rack was finished and BG McKay placed the special labels (provided by Lady Germain) on the wine bottles that had been provided that morning. The wine rack and wine bottles were placed near the outside fireplace in the Bunk-room. BG McKay also crushed a large bowl of charcoal into powder to simulate the gunpowder in the magazine being used to fill artillery cartridge bags. The wooden powder bowl is now full of the simulated gunpowder topped with a wooden ladle.

When the charcoal crushing, and wine rack were finished, Lt. Webster and BG Mathews undertook to paint the remaining two steel shelving stands that will be utilized in the dining room. The Fort Trumbull Maintenance Supervisor was working in the fort and I mentioned to him about the interior access doors sticking due to moisture swelling, and the problem with the apparent lock's not opening fully. Also the door handle to the Magazine and Jail area fell off in my hand as I was trying to open the door. He said that he would look into the problem. Later he came back and notified us that the magazine door was open so I could put the crushed charcoal in the wooden powder bowl.

Lt. Webster had some additional duties to fulfill, so we completed the above work early and enjoyed a nice lunch together with Lady Mathews at a favorite restaurant.

Your Most Humble and Enduring Servant;

Very Respectfully;

Ian McKay, Brig. Gen. of Engineers (by brevet);
Chief Engineer
Chief of Staff (acting)
Lt. General U. S. Grant's Personal and Military Staffs
On Jun 28, 2011, at 1:12 AM, James Mathews wrote:

Sprague, CT, AAR, 07/29-31/11

Lt. General U. S. Grant
Commander
All Federal Armies

Brig. Gen. M. Burbank
Commander;
New England Brigade

Major D. Erickson
Commandant (acting)
U. S. Corps of Topographical Engineers

Most Esteemed Gentlemen;

--Engineers In Attendance:

--Major James Duarte;
--2nd Lt. Greg Webster;
--Lady M. Mathews.

--Engineers Excused:

--Capt. W. Lafleur;
--Capt. Germain;
--Lady Germain;

I beg your kind indulgence to make my Chief Engineer's Report for the subject event. My teamster and I arrived at the River Park in Sprague, CT on Wednesday last to review the planned encampment site and choose an area to set up. This was to be a time-line event and so the CW Engineering Field Office would need to be offset from the other locations to some small degree. A brief sketch of the park was dawn and a location decided upon and we made our way home. We again arrived at about 2:00 P.M. on Friday to set up the CW encampment. We set up only the fly and tables as there was some concern about security arrangements for the event. On Saturday we arrived early in the morning, (before 8:00 A.M.) and set up the office and displays. The displays consisted of weapons, instrumentation, maps, and accouterments.

The visitor numbers were light on Saturday all day (about one and one half dozen people). The reason appeared to be that the bulk of the town's anniversary was centered on a park area about one half mile away, and the advertised shuttle bus did not run often. However, the location under the trees was quite pleasant and the consistent breeze down the river was a real pleasure in the heat of the day. During the morning, I had drawn up a more specific sketch-map of the park and 2nd Lt. Greg Webster joined me in the after noon. I gave him my sketch of the park with the instruction to make a more detailed recon. of the area and upgrade the sketch to a regular map of the area. At about five o'clock, after Lt. Webster had left, I was invited to a late afternoon meal put together by Mr. Steve Topliff. He served a very sumptuous Venison Stew and fresh baked rolls. The meal was welcome and delicious.

The required hours of attendance at the event was concluded at 5:00 P.M. and I was picked up at 6:00 P.M. and taken to a nice local inn for a good night's rest.

Sunday morning's return to the encampment found Major Duarte had already arrived and had pulled away last night's table coverings and the tables were again ready to receive the displays which had been put in the car for security over the evening hours. Major Duarte was just back from a brief visit to Fort Jefferson to review it's progress of construction, and taking measurements for the planned new weapons that would arm the large fortification. Sunday was slightly cooler than Saturday, but the river breezes were, throughout the day, somewhat less freshening. The great bridge which was just a few paces from the encampment was very well constructed, and more than suitable for all variety of military vehicles. During the day on Sunday, I was pleased to make a detailed sketch of the bridge. The river was the Shetucket River, and it was interesting to note that the river edge was much wider than the stream running through it. The reason was revealed by a local resident who told us of a large dam upriver. When that dam releases the rainwater from the Spring rains the river is considerably higher that during the Summer. We will have to visit that area to make sketches of the upriver dam and the area surrounding it. Sunday's visitor's were slightly more numerous, about three dozen people. However, the people who visited the encampment seemed more interested in what was on display than the normal visitor public, and they were as a result, a real pleasure to talk with.

Mr. Topliff served all another delicious repast as a late breakfast of venison hash, which was very like a British Shepard's Pie missing only the crisp topping of mashed potatoes. This time the engineers had been warned and were able to contribute a can of beans and some dinner rolls to the feast. The food was again very delicious.

The river near the bridge was said to be fordable, except for the steep bank on the far side. On the near side of the river there was a road down to the river-edge where boats could be put in the water, as well as removed. Just beyond the bridge downriver, began a large pond, created by a second dam downstream about two or three miles at the town of Occum. Upstream from the River Park the river ran through a narrow wooded valley and then it spreads out at the Scotland Historical Farm where several reenactment events and Scottish musters have been held in the past, not too far from the small town of Scotland, CT. I will be drawing a vicinity map which will encompass all the places mentioned here around this area, as it seems very interesting and quite beautiful in its summer foliage.

At three P.M. the event was concluded and my teamster arrived on the dot, to pull down the tent and pack up all the gear. Major Duarte Lady Mathews, and I were busy for about an hour breaking down the camp and field office, and were then off back to the New London area and good meal of barbecued pork ribs (baby back) from one of the best barbecue restaurants in the state.

Were the Topographical Engineers asked again to be a part of such an event, I should be most pleased to consider the invitation seriously. It was a "laid back" event, and one which was most enjoyable over all.

Your Most Humble and Enduring Servant;

Very Respectfully;

Ian McKay, Brig. Gen. of Engineers (by brevet);
Chief Engineer;
Chief of Staff (acting);
Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant's Military and Personal Staffs