Return to Website

Pacific Northwest Cavalry Reenacting

Welcome! This is mainly a "local" forum for American Civil War cavalry reenactors in the Pacific Northwest. It will have dates of events and trainings as well as any items of interest.

Pacific Northwest Cavalry Reenacting
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
View Entire Thread
Re: Checking the Routes

In Washington state there is currently no Federal cavalry unit although there is a rumor that the old 3rd Pennsylvania is trying to start up again. They have the 14th VA Cav and the 43rd VA (Mosby's Rangers). The 14th accepts women and the 43rd, to my knowledge, does not.

In Oregon we have 3 Federal cav units. The 1st US Cav is almost entirely dismounted. The 7th Michigan is the largest unit usually fielding 10 to 12 riders per event but does not accept female troopers. (They do have one female who does a vivandiere impression.) My unit, the 10th NY Cav does accept female troopers and we have one in the ranks right now.

Oregon has two Confederate units, the 9th VA which accepts female troopers (check out their website for impression guidelines) and the 1st Maryland which is almost entirely a dismounted unit to date.

If you are interested in a Federal impression you might consider an Oregon unit. The 9th Virginia, 10th NY, and 1st Maryland do attend a couple of Washington events each year and often the Oregon Confederates galvanize and fight as Yankees when they go to Washington, due to the lack of blue up there. And the Oregon events are not a bad drive at all from Washington, unless you live in the eastern part of the state.

Ken Morris

Re: Checking the Routes

Here are my suggestions for getting involved in cav in the Pacific Northwest.

By Ken's post you know there are both mounted and dismounted cav options available. You never said if you portrayed a mounted or dismounted cavalryman or where you were planning on moving but I advise you work with all the units and chose one that best fits your own needs. All the mounted units would be happy to pick up an experienced mounted cav reenactor who knows how to ride and drill, is dedicated to practice and who does a good impression. There are units who do better impressions and use more authentic tactics than others and some units are more "selective" than others or have probationary periods. This is why you should decide what YOU enjoy and chose a unit according to your needs.

What unit are you with now? Where are you planning to move? When will your move take place?

You might also want to join the Northwest Cavalry Association, an umbrella group in our area who encompasses most of the cav here. http://nwhorse.com/nca/htm

Hope to see you out here in some capacity next summer. It's a beautiful and healthy place to live!

Captain Ahearn

Re: Re: Checking the Routes

I would like to say that I agree with the Captain here. And to add, talk to the other unit commanders as well. The 9th Virginia website, http://www.9thvirginia.com has links to many of the other units here and the NCWC website has links to them as well. Most of those provide an e-mail address or contact information for the Unit commanders so that you may contact them if interested. The NCWC url is http://ncwc.org I hope this is of some assistance.

Also, I don't remember if this was covered or not. The 9th Virginia has both a Mounted and a Dismounted section as well as a Civillian section for those not wishing to do a military impression.

Thank you.

Cpl. Steven Sturman
9th Va. Cavalry

Re: Re: Checking the Routes

I'm a mounted trooper with the 7th New York Cavalry, part of the XVIII Corps, headquarted at Endview Plantation. I have a 6yr old AQHA mare, and mainly I act as the guide on bearer, though some events we all go unmounted if the facilities aren't equine friendly.

I would probably be moving next July if I get the job out there, I still have a few weeks of waiting to know if I've gotten the position. The position is in the Whidbey Island area, but I'd be willing to travel to drill, and go to events.

I am an experienced rider, ridden an competed all my life, mostly hunter/jumper, though this past year with my mare who I've had for a bit over a year we're doing three day eventing. We've been part of the unit for almost a year.

I'd prefer a unit that is laid back in camp like my current unit, saftey conscious of their horses, and a unit whose members take good care of their mounts. I've seen too many units where the horses looked ready to keel over. Though I want to join a unit that is more active on the field. Because my current unit is small, often times we don't get alot of action.

Anyway its late out here in the east and I've to rise early early to feed the four foots. Thanks so much for all your advice.

Hawkins

Re: Re: Re: Checking the Routes

Hello Hawkins,

Cool! Another "New Yorker!" I just competed in my first horse trials myself recently. I do combined training and really like the jumping. I don't think I am talented at it but I sure enjoy it. My instructor used to train a lot of eventers--he's now "officially retired" but does take a few students. He also is doing group classes once a month for any cavalry folks who desire to participate. Three years ago we had 4 people in my unit who were good at jumping and we did a jump by fours over a 3 rail fence during a battle scenario. Unfortunately two of those troopers moved on, one moved back East and the other decided to seriously pursue endurance riding. But I've always hoped we could recreate the feat.

Luckily all of our major events are equine friendly. Oregon and Washington are pretty "horsey" states.

I hear you on the horse condition issue. That was one reason the Northwest Cavalry Association was formed. Under its rules a horse in poor condition doesn't get to play.

Well, keep us posted on the job situation and good luck!

Your Obdt. Servant,
Lt. Ken Morris
10th Regt. of Cavalry NYSV.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Checking the Routes

Wow, Ken thats so great! Three day and combined training are the same thing. My mare just wasn't fancy enough for hunters, and her previous career was as a reining horse reject. She's not big enough, with enough talent to really be a jumper, so here were are at combined training. I trained her to jump myself, and our dressage is coming along. Lady is her barn name, and she's sort of my starting out horse, my yearling is going to be my moving up horse. But she's got years to go before I'll compete her.

I wish we could form the kind of association out here that you have in the Northwest. I've seen way too many horses that I just want to take home and shower with attention. And they definetly don't need to be on the field.

I should hear about the job next week *crossing my fingers.*

Talk to you guys later.

Hawkins

Re: Re: Re: Checking the Routes

Hawkins,

It's nice to hear from another horse enthusiast who cares about the horse and understands condition and management from the sounds of your message! I think you would fit right in.

Laid back in camp? What's that??? Aren't we slaves to our horses?

MOST mounted units out here do all the things necessary for a cavalry unit. We have guard mount, horse guard duties, flag, parade, inspection. Bugle at 6 AM starts the day and shuts it down at 11 PM. No all-night drinking parties either, if alcohol is consumed it's done discretely. At events where it's living history we can be pretty laid back but at public battle events we are busy.

I guess I would say I have the most fun at non-public tacticals and training events. All of us in the Northwest Cavalry Association http://nwhorse.com/nca.htm get along and are friends. It's great to drill and ride together in large groups, we get a lot accomplished together and develop respect for each other and good comradeship.

We practice twice a month through the winter. Living on Whidbey you will have about a 3 to 5 hour haul to attend training, depending on what facility we use.

Stay in touch,
Capt. Ahearn