Vol. 48, No. 8
America’s Monthly Newspaper For Civil War Enthusiasts
$3.50
48 Pages, August 2022
Weather Hot, 49th Annual Gettysburg Competition Hotter Civil War Collector’s Show N-SSA 145th Nationals
by Bruce W. Miller WINCHESTER, Va.—While temperatures soared into the 90’s, the North-South Skirmish Association (N-SSA) held its 145th National Competition May 18 through 22, 2022. Member units competed in livefire matches with original or authentic reproduction Civil War period muskets, carbines, breechloading rifles, revolvers, mortars, and cannons. It is the largest Civil War event of its kind in the country. The first two days of competition are individual matches. Members pre-order targets for seven different firearm matches. As an example, one match combines 50-yard musket, 100-yard musket, and the aggregate of the two targets. They can order only one target per match so there are no second chances. The next three days are for seven team matches where 480 teams participated; 79 teams participated in the cannon and mortar matches. Keeping track of all the scores is the responsibility of the skirmish staff statistics office under the
watchful eye of the National Statistics Officer, Jeff Knauss, and his deputies. Jeff, a retired engineer from Verizon, has served in this position for over 30 years and literally wrote the book on N-SSA scoring management. At a typical national, scoring requires approximately 45 target scorers and an oversight staff of 10. At this spring national, almost 2,000 individual targets were scored. Competitors are classified based on skill level, and this year 332 medals were awarded. For the 480 team matches, also classified by skill level, 812 medals were awarded. Scoring, checking, handling protests, and getting medals in the right hands takes a great deal of skill and effort and under Knuass’ leadership it looks a lot easier than it really is. After two days of individual competition, the seven team matches were held over the threeday weekend. The Shenandoah Valley was hot, pushing into the 90’s. Sunday’s Rifle-Musket Team match, the N-SSA signature event, was particularly exciting. The clay pigeons, ceramic tiles, and pot silhouettes were blasted
This uniformly-garbed team fires at the pigeon board through the hazy, warm morning air. Temperatures at the 145th National pushed into the 90s, setting a heat record for this May event. (Lis Cole)
H N-SSA . . . . . . . . . . . see page 9 18– American Battlefield Trust 38 – Book Reviews 37 – Central Virginia Battlefield Trust
26 – Critic’s Corner 28 – Emerging Civil War 45 – Events
Eager collectors explore a vast array of rare Civil War memorabilia on the first morning of the show. by Eric Champigny GETTYSBURG, Penn.—The 49th Annual Gettysburg Civil War Collector’s Show sponsored by the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association and Brendan Synnamon of the Union Drummer Boy kicked off the weekend of June 25-26 at the AllStar Sport Complex. Hundreds of Civil War collectors and dealers gathered from across the nation on a hot, humid summer weekend so familiar to the soldiers of 1863. The well-organized 300-table event showcased a vast array of artifacts and memorabilia for sale and provided ample opportunity to learn from some of the most knowledgeable people in the Civil War collecting field. Artifacts were available for all interests and budgets, from excavated bullets to buttons, firearms, edged weapons, uniforms, headgear, and flags. Many items had direct provenance to the Battle of Gettysburg. The event was an excellent opportunity to view, and even own, a true piece of history.
Jeff Matix displayed the frock coat worn at Gettysburg by the 19th Maine Infantry’s 1st Lieutenant Edward R. Cunningham who was wounded on the battle’s second day. Allen Wandling of Midwest Civil War Relics presented the frock coat of Colonel John P. Taylor, who led the 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry during the battle. Next to Taylor’s jacket was the Confederate overcoat of Samuel G. Bonn, a lieutenant in the 1st Maryland Cavalry and a Gettysburg veteran. Existing uniforms with Gettysburg provenance are some of the most desirable Civil War collectibles. Rare Civil War artifacts at this premier show were too numerous to list on these pages. One fired .58 caliber three-ring Minié ball, the most common of all Civil War artifacts, was finely displayed in a glass case with a brigadier general’s shoulder strap and a carte de visite photograph of General Philip Kearny. Kearny had stated that “the Rebel bullet that can kill me has not yet been
34 – The Graphic War 24 – The Source 20 – Through the Lens
molded.” Despite his boast, the bullet that killed the general September 1, 1862, in the Battle of Chantilly was extracted by his embalmers and presented to his widow. Now it is a poignant reminder that even the lowliest of Civil War relics have a story to tell. Perhaps a loftier looking piece was housed in a vintage oval frame surrounded by period paper notes; Confederate President Jefferson Davis’ personal tobacco pouch was used during his imprisonment at Fortress Monroe. The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association presented award plaques for outstanding exhibits the morning of the show’s last day. The following collectors received Appreciation Awards. Paul Loane for “Rations and Utensils of the Civil War,” an excellent collection of original soldiers’ hardtack and patent eating utensils. Elizabeth
H Show
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22 – This And That 14 – The Unfinished Fight