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"I was reloading after a
third volley,
and yanked
the tail of the cartridge
between my two front
teeth, when I felt some-
thing odd. I had just
yanked my upper front
tooth out. "
I fired 40 rounds, missing
front tooth and all, and
we slowly forced
the enemy from the
field in what
was scripted as
a generic battle.
We marched off the
field, triumphantly,
between
ranks of cheering spectators
singing,
"Mary had
a little Lamb."
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Battle Report From Action on May 3rd -4th 2003
Carthage, Missouri
Submitted by Robert Talbott-3rd Missouri Infantry
"The Dutchmen of the 3rd Missouri"
Approximately 16 men from Holmes Brigade attended the event at Carthage,
Missouri May 3-4, 2003. We wore the grayshirts! The rest of the Federal infantry
battalion, another 4 companies of Kansans and Nebraskans, came with sack coats
and sky blue trousers. They kind of looked at us funny, not knowing who we
were supposed to be. Many of the MSG troops were scratching their heads trying
to figure us out as well. It seems that in the original 1861 battle, only
the Federal artillery wore dark blue issue uniforms. Both the Third and the
Fifth Missouri Infantry-all German-wore a type of gray overshirt. We wanted to
set a precedent that we hope might be repeated in the future.
Just before the battle Saturday, we were treated to the sight of one of the
"Hood" daughters displaying the colors under her skirt; this was followed by a
lengthy artillery duel between at least ten full-scale guns. This was
followed by the infantry fight in which we crossed and recrossed "Buck?s Branch",
exchanged withering volleys, then formed a square and "skedaddled."
On Sunday, we came in from the opposite side of the field. This was to be a
2 PM fight, so we had to form up at 1:15 and stand around and fan our balls
till kick off time. We marched up a paved road and delivered a volley into the
backsides of the Missouri State Guard pukes that?d stacked arms and were
"coffee cooling." They immediately crapped their pants, grabbed their weapons and
began to return fire. By this time, we were entering the field from the right
and extended our 5 companies in a battalion front.
A light rain was falling off and on. The field was somewhat muddy as we
slowly pushed the sesech back across "Buck?s Branch". I was reloading after a
third volley, and yanked the tail of the cartridge between my two front teeth,
when I felt something odd. I had just yanked my upper front tooth out.
Actually it was a 20-year old cap probably hanging on by a thread. It went flying
somewhere in the tall brush. I said something using off color language and
showed my gaped tooth smile to Gregg Higginbotham and John Maki. They said I
looked like a "Jack O Lantern", or better yet, a hillbilly in a Branson Musical
Show. It didn?t hurt because in 1976 I?d had a root canal, with a cap put on
the dead stump. Anyway, I felt embarrassed and stupid, but I continued on.
We were pushing the sesech pukes across the stream. Cavalry was running
around the outer edges of the battlefield with pistols popping, while infantry
grappled like tag team wrestlers. Action was going on in different parts of the
field by individual units of men like it was a three-ring circus, minus the
high wire act. Ground charges hurled potting soil high into the air or vomited
geysers of water from the stream. At one point, "Herr Siegel" ordered us Gray
Shirts across Buck?s Branch to flank a company of MSG. Mike Metcalf lost his
footing while crossing the muddy bank and landed on his back, staining his
gray shirt with wet mud. The rest of us had mud clinging to our trousers up to
our knees, elbows, and brims of our hats. Plus we had wet grass stains from
diving on the ground to escape a sesech volley, as well as black powder residue
on our hands and lips. Jim Beckner, whom we all called "Gross Oohpaw" or
Great Grandfather, was struck down by enemy balls several times, as was Hig and
Maki, but "Herr Siegel" came along and resurrected them on the spot, saying,
"You all are no longer dead, so get back in line!"
While the fight raged on, some confusion was evident as battle lines
overlapped. One MSG commander roared at Hig and Maki to "get back over here and into
line." He was another one of those confused souls who was ignorant of the
clothing we wore and couldn?t understand why we were on that side of the field
thinking we were some of his boys. We corrected him on the spot with several
well-aimed musket volleys.
I fired 40 rounds, missing front tooth and all, and we slowly forced the
enemy from the field in what was scripted as a generic battle. We marched off the
field, triumphantly, between ranks of cheering spectators singing, "Mary had
a little Lamb." A few of the other Federals tried to sing "Marching Through
Georgia", but they were hushed up.
As we were about to be dismissed, "Herr Siegel" congratulated us all on a
fine job. Both he and the battalion commander had big grins. As we took stock
of ourselves at the end of the event, we looked like we?d fallen off the manure
wagon into a hog pen. We were only looking for one thing after this knock
down fight, however?lager beer! If this event is held again, in a couple years,
it is hoped we can get more boys into Gray Shirts and possibly educate some
on what the correct impression should be for an 1861 event.
Robert Talbott
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