Chain of Command



Chain of Command

 

▪ The Chain of Command and Army Organization List is found as Appendix “A”.

▪ Company commanders shall utilize their immediate chain of command to ensure an efficient flow of communication between the Brigade staff and subordinate units. 

 

Brigade Staff

 

The Brigade Staff is the administrative branch of the Brigade. It does not exercise any field command. On the battlefield it will carry orders, in writing if possible, from the Brigade Commander or the two division commanders. In camp, Brigade Staff speaks on behalf of the Brigade Commander and any and all direction from them is as if it comes from the Brigade Commander

 

Administrative

 

▪ All NCWA Company Commanders will ensure that all members of their companies have current NCWA membership cards,

▪ All ACWA Unit Commanders will ensure that their members’ waivers have been completed and turned in, and that their Unit rosters have been cross-checked.

▪ All other visiting Unit Commanders that all their members have visitor cards/waivers.

▪ Please ensure that for all minors, guardianship forms are on file with the NCWA.

▪ There will be spot inspections by Brigade staff. Company commanders will be held responsible for any breach of this order.

▪ As this is a NCWA event, all NCWA rules will be in effect, as well as Union Brigade policies. 

 

Camp Information

 

Company commanders will verify the location of their camp with the senior representative of Brigade staff PRIOR TO setting up camp. Camps that are in the wrong location will be removed and relocated. Before you put up your tents, make sure you are in the right place. There is a VERY limited amount of space for the camp and an even lesser amount of “wiggle-room” should one unit camp in the wrong location. Please appreciate the amount of planning and logistics that goes into an event this size and please cooperate with the Brigade Staff. 

Companies are limited to one Wall or “A” tent with a fly to be used as a command tent on the Officers’ tent line. For units with a second officer, an additional “A” tent (not a wall) may be set up on the Officers’ line. Tents on the company streets may be either “A” tents or shelter tents, i.e. “dogs/she-bangs.” It is requested that “A” or Wedge tents are put at the head of the company streets and are followed by dog tents. DO NOT encroach on the designated Battalion Street. Fire pits are to be placed at the head of the Company streets (nearest the Officers’ tents) in line at least six feet from the nearest canvas.

No cars are permitted in camp after 9am Saturday morning. Soldiers arriving after 9am will have to carry their equipment in from the access road behind the camps. Members leaving/arriving on Saturday evening (AFTER public hours) may bring their cars into camp ONLY to load/unload (pack up and pile your stuff and say your goodbyes BEFORE bringing your vehicle in!). Cars are not permitted to be left in camp Saturday overnight. On Sunday, "The General" will be sounded. This call indicates to the troops that we will be moving out. Men are permitted to break camp, without showing farb, and pile up their equipment. Cars will be permitted back in camps on Sunday at 4pm.

Please be certain to police your camps at the end of this event. Unused firewood/straw must be stacked in one location, fire pits must be filled in.

Families may visit their men in camp, and there is NO time limit on such visits. However, any civilian/family wall tents need to be set up in the Civilian town.

 

Whether family members sleep in the military camps at night or not is essentially a private matter within your unit. During the day, however, we are operating as a military camp, and, as such, the company area should attempt to look like a soldier’s camp and not like the permanent residence of whole families. We are attempting at this event to show the public (the primary reason we do re-enacting) an 1863 army, mostly on the move, that has taken up a position for a few days allowing wagons to catch up with tents, &c. We are not attempting to show the public a garrison/winter quarters/training camp, and your assistance in this matter will be sincerely appreciated. Civilian wives/children are encouraged to spend time in the military camps, but their presence should not hinder the primary mission of portraying a military impression. Again, use your best judgment.

FARB and Camp Conduct

Please be certain that all “FARB” and modern items are stowed away and out-of-sight during public hours, which shall run from 9am to 5pm. Your cooperation in keeping “FARB” to a minimum at all times is greatly appreciated. Please be respectful of other reenactors and units, especially in regard to noise, modern flashlights and lanterns, and other obtrusive items. Many re-enactors attempt to stay “in character” throughout the entire event, so please be respectful when passing their camps, etc.

Quiet hours shall begin at Midnight each night and be strictly enforced, but soldiers are requested to be considerate of others at all times, and to avoid boisterous or loud singing/talking/activity when others are trying to sleep/rest. A good rule of thumb is that after evening Tattoo, music/conversation/activity that can be heard in the next camp should be kept to a minimum. Please use your best judgment here and be a good “pard”.

Duties

 

Every unit is expected to participate in the numerous camp duties that are required for the efficient operation of the Brigade. Please check the Brigade Schedule as posted and ensure that your unit/battalion is formed as required in the orders of the day. All units are expected to participate in all Brigade formations and drill.

Commissary/Quartermaster

▪ Brigade Commissary will be fully-functioning for this event. Enlisted rations are available to all members of the brigade (cost is $15 per man, available in multiples of (4) only). Please contact Sgt. Phil Humphreys at (510) 791-7914 to place your order. Deadline is Sep. 25th I think.

▪ Officers’ mess is available for all Commissioned Officers. Prepared meals are provided (Saturday Noon and Evening, Sunday Morning and Noon) for $25 for the weekend or $15 per day. Please contact Sgt. Phil Humphreys at (510) 791-7914 to place your order. Deadline is Sep. 25th I think.

▪ NCO mess is available for all NCO’s who serve at the BATTALION level or higher (not company ncos; only battalion and brigade staff members, the field music and the Signal detachment). Prepared meals are provided (Saturday Noon and Evening, Sunday Morning and Noon) for $25 for the weekend or $15 per day. Please contact Sgt. Phil Humphreys at (510) 791-7914 to place your order. Deadline is Sep. 25th I think.

▪ ALL straw and firewood MUST be checked out and signed for through the QM Department located at brigade HQ. We only have so much bedding straw and an allotment of firewood, so we need to be fair in its distribution. Be assured that you will get enough, but we need to avoid the situation where units that arrive early “hoard” all the supplies and the units that arrive later get “shorted.” Your appreciation of this logistical situation is helpful.

Police Guard and Provost

Each Division and the Artillery Reserve will provide a police guard (to include a designated officer of the Day and a duty company) on Saturday and Sunday for living history purposes and for basic camp security. Details will be given to orderly sergeants at First Sergeants’ Call on Saturday.

Each Division and the Artillery Reserve must post a “Night Watch” from 10pm Saturday to 7am Sunday. This duty is primarily for 21st century safety (fire watch/horse watch/drunk watch).

For each battle, each Division and the Artillery Reserve will be required to provide volunteers to man the safety lines. The number of required provosts will be determined by the Provost Sergeant and will be communicated to all commanders at Officers’ call. Volunteers for this duty will report to Brigade HQ 15 minutes before Brigade Assembly prior to the Battles. In addition, each Division and the Artillery Reserve will be responsible for the security of their camp area during the battles. It is highly encouraged that there be a security presence in the camps at this time to thwart theft, vandalism, and horseplay while the troops are gone.

Safety

  

Since this is an NCWA-hosted event, NCWA safety rules will apply. A copy of those Rules is available at Brigade HQ. Following are some highlights and not meant to be exhaustive:

Camp Safety Highlights

▪ Please be aware that every campfire must have a fire bucket next to it and it must be full of water at all times.

▪ There is to be NO FIRING within the camps at any time. Any firing must occur ON the battlefield away from the public. The only exception would be a unit under command firing “caps only” during a battalion formation at the Color line. “Fire in the Hole” should not be sounded in the camp areas.

▪ Members of the public are not to be handed weapons at any time.

▪ Unaccompanied children of re-enactors are strictly forbidden in the military camps. All children MUST be accompanied by an adult at all times (whether a military or a civilian adult). Children are NOT to be left alone in camp during battles/battalion formations.

▪ A Fresno County ordinance prohibits the use of glass bottles in county parks. “Period” apothecary bottles and glass pitchers should be fine, but no “modern” beer, soda, or wine bottles will be allowed and violators may be subject to citation by the Sheriff’s Department. Just use your best judgment on this one.

▪ Dogs and other non-equine animals are not allowed in the park or in the camps. Please leave your dogs and cats at home. Animals found in vehicles in the parking lot may be subject to impound by the Humane Society/County Animal Control and their owners fined, and/or their owners requested to leave the event. Again, this is a County requirement as well.

Battlefield Safety and Procedural Highlights

▪ Due to the size of the troops on the field, company commanders will ensure that their men are acting in a safe manner at all times on the battlefield. Company commanders will ensure that any safety violation of serious injury is reported through the chain of command to Brigade staff.

▪ There are to be NO hand-to-hand scenarios during the battles. Any and all such scenarios MUST be approved by the Brigade Commander (and his CSA counterpart) PRIOR to the battle. If a situation presents itself during a battle, there are three options: (1) surrender, (2) take a hit, (3) run away.

▪ If colors are captured they must be given up. No fighting over them. Color bearers are requested to stay with their colors as “prisoners” until Recall is sounded.

▪ Company commanders will inspect their units' weapons prior to falling in for battalion or brigade formation, at least once each morning. Units should be counted off prior to falling in to battalion or brigade formation as well.

▪ For infantry (and other foot troops) please instruct your file closers to keep control of the men and to watch to make sure everything is running safely in your unit. Sergeants should not be firing unless we have very heavy casualties and then ONLY under orders.

▪ If there is a medical emergency on the field during a battle, the nearest National Colors will be taken to the location of the incident. All other colors will be furled. Troops will be kept in position by their commanding officers until such time as orders are issued to leave the field or resume the battle.

▪ The term “MEDIC” is used exclusively for real, serious injuries and the use of it will cause a cease fire and modern EMT/First responders to arrive.

Safety Zones

▪ A Safety Zone of 3 yards is required between:

o Anyone riding or driving horses or mules, and the public;

o Campfires or cooking fires, and tents (this does not apply to fires built under tent flies during the rain; soaked canvas does not burn);

o Ground charges, and anyone who is not a technician, unless authorized.

▪ A Safety Zone of 10 yards is required between:

o Anyone carrying unsecured weapons, and the public;

o Anyone carrying loaded weapons, and artillery ammunition boxes, limbers or caissons;

o Artillery powder magazines, and anyone not an authorized member of the artillery;

o A loaded artillery piece, and persons standing to the side of the muzzle (except the gun's crew);

o Anyone firing weapons, and the persons the weapons are aimed at (if persons are within 10 yards, weapons are fired straight up in the air).

▪ A Safety Zone of 20 yards is required between:

o Anyone firing weapons, and mounted persons the weapons are aimed at (if mounted persons are within 20 yards, weapons are fired straight up in the air);

o Anyone firing weapons, and mounted artillery pieces or wagons (weapons are not fired at all within this Safety Zone);

o Anyone firing weapons, and equine picket lines;

o A loaded artillery piece, and persons standing in front of the muzzle;

o Artillery emplacements (guns and ammunition boxes), and the public.

Age Requirements

▪ To participate as a combatant member of a military unit, a minor may not be younger than 15 years old;

▪ Minors aged 14 or in high school may participate as combatant members of a military unit upon:

o Acquiring written permission from a parent, the Unit Commander, and the Army Commander;

o Passing the appropriate safety test.

o Permission may be revoked by any one (parent, Unit Commander, Army Commander) and at that time the minor may no longer participate as a combatant member of a military unit.

▪ “Combatant” means anyone participating on the battlefield during battle scenarios with other line soldiers, cavalry or artillery etc., whether with or without a weapon. “Battlefield” refers to the area marked off for the public viewing.

Living History

  

We will portray units from various commands gathering at the crossroads near the Kearney farm, and having paused to concentrate our position, thus allowing our trains to come up.

However, we will be portraying an Army “ready to fight” so look like you are there to fight! Leave white gloves, shoulder scales, kilts, and other "Parading Down Main Street" items at home.

 

Field Music

▪ All Musicians will be under the command and control of the Brigade Principal Musician. Musicians will be delegated to the various Divisions through the Brigade. Musicians are encouraged to camp with the Field Music at Brigade HQ, but may camp wherever they prefer.

▪ Field music is responsible for communicating orders from Commanders and through the Sergeant Major.

▪ Musicians are non-combatants, and as such will be UNARMED.

▪ If they wish to fight in a battle then encourage them to fight as infantry soldiers.

▪ Field music will conform to those instruments documented to have been used in battle in the Eastern Theater, 1863. In camp, individual soldiers may play squeezeboxes, harmonicas, &c., as privately-owned instruments.

 

Morning Parade/Drill

▪ Each Command (the 3 Infantry battalions, the Cavalry and the Artillery Reserve) will conduct their own Morning Parade on Saturday according to the posted schedule. (All Adjutants are responsible for this military evolution.) Morning Parade shall be conducted as per Regulations as found in Dominic Dal Bello's Parade, Inspection, and Evolution… (PIE) 4th ed. You should all be familiar with this document.

▪ There will be a Brigade “Pass-In-Review” immediately following divisional/battalion morning parades.

▪ Each Battalion, Troop, and Battery is expected to Drill. Battalion drill will be conducted at the time set aside per the orders of the day. Each Battalion Commander is responsible for this undertaking.

First Provisional Brigade, Third Division, Second Army Corps:

   Col. Kevin Spesert, Brigade Commander

   General Staff:

Capt. Mark Hernbroth, Chief-of-Staff

  Captain Keith Rogers, Brigade Surgeon

Lt. Jon Von Badinski, AAG

   Lt. Cliff Beckley, AIG

Lt. John Hess, Engineering Officer

Lt. Paul Milligan, Aide-de-Camp

Rev. Mr. Russ Cayler

  

   Sgt Major Patrick McKenna

Commissary Sgt. Phil Humphries

   Sgt. Dennis Matarese, Chief Provost Guard

Signal Sergeant Ken Dombroski

Chief Clerk Sgt. Larry Kloth

Principal Musician Jack Doyle

Acting Ord. Sgt. Michael Maurier

Stable Sgt. Gordon Frye

Field Hospital

Field Music/Corps of Buglers

       Signal Detachment

Quartermaster/Commissary Department

Headquarters Company:

Lt. Ted Stahr, 1st USSS, Commanding Sharpshooters

     1st U.S. Sharpshooters

Artillery Reserve:

   Maj. Alan Ginos, Commanding Artillery Forces

Batteries L & M, 3rd US Artillery

All other artillery

First Grand Division:

Lt. Col Robert Tabone, Commanding the Division

1st Battl. Infantry:

   Maj. Nelson Snook, Commanding Battalion

   Lt. Jerry Drake, Adjt.

   Sergt. Maj. Chris Hoshaw

7th Virginia Infantry

69th New York Inf'y.

71st Penn. Inf'y.

72nd New York Inf'y.

1st US Infantry

6th Iowa Inf'y.

     10th New York Inf'y.

Corps of Cavalry:

   Capt. Ron Van Meir, Commanding Detachment

     7th Michigan Cav'y.

1std US Cav’y.

2nd Mass. Cav'y. "California Battalion"

     2nd U.S. Cav'y.

     5th U.S. Cav'y.

    

Second Grand Division:

Lt. Col. Justin Oldfield, Commanding the Division

2nd Battl. Infantry:

   Maj. Nils Kynett, Commanding Battalion

Adjt. TDB

SGM Ray Bisio

          20th Maine Inf’y.

69th New York Inf’y.

79th New York Inf’y.

114th PA. Zouves

Iron Brigade Guard

     

3rd Battl. Infantry:

   Maj. TBD, Commanding Battalion

Adjt TBD

SGM Steve McKenna

2nd Vermont Inf'y.

     55th Ohio Inf’y.

6th U.S. Inf'y. / 4th U.S. Inf'y.

     100th Penn. Inf'y. / 81st Penn. Inf'y.

others?

 

 

Saturday October 4th

Hour Event Location Command

7 o’clock Reveille Camp Brigade

8 o’clock Breakfast Call Camp Brigade

8 thirty o’clock Senior Officers’ Call Brigade HQ Brigade

9 o’clock All Officers’ Call Brigade HQ Brigade

9 o’clock Orderly Sergeants’ Call Brigade HQ Brigade SGM

9 thirty o’clock Assembly BN Color Lines Branches

10 o’clock Flag Raising Mansion CDO

10 o’clock Morning Parades Parade Ground Branches

10 thirty o’clock Pass-In-Review Parade Ground Brigade

11 o’clock Post the Police Guard Camp CDO

12 meridian Dinner Call/Ration Call Camp Brigade

12 thirty o’clock Assembly BN Color Lines Branches

1 o’clock Engagement In the Field Brigade

2 forty-five o’clock Assembly BN Color Line Branches

3 o’clock Branch Drill Parade Ground Branches

4 o’clock Assembly BN Color Lines Branches

4 thirty o’clock Engagement In the Field Brigade

5 thirty o’clock Retreat Camp CDO

6 thirty o’clock Supper Call Camp Brigade

9 o’clock Tattoo Brigade HQ CDO

10 o’clock Post the Guard Camp OODs

10 o’clock Extinguish Lights Camp OODs

12 midnight Quiet Hours Brigade HQ CDO

Commanding Officer: Col. Kevin Spesert

Command Duty Officer (CDO): Capt. Mark Hernbroth

Officer of the Day: 1 for each Infantry Battalion

1 for the Artillery Reserve

Sunday October 5th

Hour Event Location Command

7 o’clock Reveille Camp Brigade

7 thirty o’clock Breakfast Call Camp Brigade

8 o’clock Changing of the Guard Brigade HQ CDO/SGM

8 o’clock Sick Call USMS Surgeon

8 o’clock Fatigue Call Camp Branches

8 fifteen o’clock Church Call/Branch Call HQ/Camps Branches

8 forty-five o’clock Assembly BN Color Lines Branches

9 o’clock Memorial Service Parade Ground Brigade

10 thirty o’clock Assembly BN Color Lines Branches

11 o’clock Engagement In the Field Brigade

12 meridian Dinner Call/Ration Call Camp Brigade

1 thirty o’clock The “General” Camp Brigade

1 thirty o’clock Artillery Drill Parade Ground Artillery Chief

2 o’clock Assembly BN Color Lines Branches

2 thirty o’clock Engagement In the Field Brigade

4 o’clock On the march Branches

Commanding Officer: Col. Kevin Spesert

Command Duty Officer (CDO): Lt. Col Robert Tabone

Officer of the Day: 1 for each Infantry Battalion

1 for the Artillery Reserve

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