Cavalry Ride Along- Part 1: Skills

[@VAhistTeach]

This makes me wish I could experience a tactical event from the cavalry side, particularly out west along the Oregon Trail

[@11thovc]

We'd love to have you along! The terrain definitely makes commanders use completely different tactics! But in looking at the original landscape of Virginia, with the lack of trees and vegetation, one could argue that the current western frontier is more like what the east used to look like! (maybe a stretch but the point is still the same) LOL.

[@VAhistTeach]

My second year in the hobby we did a march from Harper's Ferry to Antietam along the same route of A.P. Hill's corps. By the end of the first day I wished I was in the calvary and not the infantry -- lol

[@the_peacetime_volunteer]

Imagine being lost and seeing the 11th OVC coming towards you😂 love your videos btw!!!

[@kidhammer2567]

Steven, this was a truly welcomed deviation from the shorter and regulation packed normal. That said, nothing speaks to my particular learning style like the visual presentation format and testimonial manner than that which your detachment offered to all of us here. Witnessing these troopers actually experiencing the setting, the elements, while putting the equine detachment through its paces, unlike reg manuals or classroom lectures very much drove this home for me. Seeing and hearing about the fair, or even unfair, wear and tear on the trooper, horse, toggery, accouterments, and daily gear was a real eye-opener. The steady trotting on campaign fetched back memories from my childhood on the Wheat Plain of central Montana. The ingenuity of each trooper was a real inspiration for me. I adore the short and sweet unit videos, yet please do continue, from time-to-time, keep 'us' in the field with you learning how to "ride hard", sir, for ya'll are definitely troopers of that experience. Very much obliged!

[@AustrianTommy]

Fantastic idea to show your personal experiences and the problems you had. Very inspiring and informative. Thanks a lot!

[@yourbarista4154]

Great vid, you guys are awesome and what a great ride! Question for you, do you drink the water unfiltered? Or do you carry filters with you?

[@Elk6903]

We’ll cover that in Part 2! Stay tuned!

[@jerryorange5140]

I love the phrase "experiential archeology". That's beautiful! Like I learned NOT to wear spurs when gun breaking a horse.

[@jamesredden3270]

I was just wondering how do you protect yourself from ticks mosquitoes the other bugs what do you use what do they use in that time thank you

[@11thovc]

James, we don't generally do too much and let the bugs do what they may. Some of our group use Prometherin and if we go to a mainstream event, we use bug spray before the event goes "live". It all depends on the purpose and scope of the event we go to.

[@jamesredden3270]

@@11thovc I like to say thank you for replying back I really enjoy your videos I'm from Hanover Pennsylvania born and raised the town that held up JEB Stuart Delay for General Lee we're about 7 miles outside of Gettysburg it's hard to escape the Civil War influence always had a fascination about the Civil War in the men and how they lived I do really enjoy the accuracy that you portray

[@CarolanIvey]

Do you carry an "off duty" halter for your horses, or do you just leave the bridle on all weekend during an event? Thank you.

[@codyswesternadventures812]

Carolan, we take the bit/bridle off in the evenings but we leave the halter on all the time. It gets hard to catch some of these guys when they get loose in an unfenced area larger than some small states! LOL

[@manuelkong10]

This is SO interesting!

[@Beaguins]

WW1 soldiers joked about tying up their "Christmas tree" on their backs; obviously that wouldn't work with cavalry. It's amazing how perfect and tight everything has to be to withstand trotting. About the "spooning" - these days we're told to alternate heads and feet in a camping situation; do you think it's safe to have two or three guys breathing the same air so close together? By the way, I loved seeing the guy come up with his coffee grinder while you pounded your beans with a rock. That gave me quite a laugh.

[@250sabre]

I enjoyed the hell out of this show , was great !!

[@jeffclinard1788]

I really appreciate all the incredible research and effort you put into all of your videos. It really sets your channel apart from most of the other reenactor channels on youtube! Your mix of personal experiences, letters, and archival data is an incredible mix! Keep it up! One thing I wanted to ask, or suggest, was perhaps looking at the marching schedules of a cavalry regiment. I'm not sure if there was anything written for this period, but the British Cavalry, in WW1, had quite the arrangement. Troopers would only trot for around 10-15 minute bursts, and would spend almost as much time leading their horses, as they did walking, or trotting them. Cooke, while in the southwest, also suggested frequent stops to feed and water the horses. Though there is an environmental aspect to that. I bring this up, while listening to your segment on the importance of securing everything down before trotting, and the comment that you had trotted the last hour of your March. Perhaps the frequent stops, and constant mounting/dismounting provided ample opportunity to constantly check, and secure equipment, that wasn't available during your March? I also wonder if larger groups had a larger safety net when it came to loose/lost equipment. Extra eyes behind you to catch issues while on the move. Thanks for your dedication to this period, and keep up the wonderful videos!

[@beardyeighty]

I'm currently working on getting my horse eased into the hobby to be a saddle horse in the artillery/harness horse (1st Section) and this is some awesome information. I came off him at WSGP last weekend and it certainly was a long walk trying to catch up to him. Thanks for all that you share with us! Chris Henderson

[@NSYresearch]

Great stuff as always. I do envy your oppotunities

[@EricCraig-km4sb]

I consider it good luck to have stumbled upon your videos. I've been enjoying them, this one in particular. I am not a reenactor, but have I definite interest in history, especially things cavalry. After four summers packing professionally in the Sierra Nevada mountains, I am thinking about "civilian campaigning ". Anyway, my best wishes to you all....... Eric

[@brendonbewersdorf986]

This is so amazing I wish I lived in the north or had a way to transport my horse up alongside myself this would be amazing to do a ride like this

[@jrnumex9286]

do one on custer's route montana area. final scene, all players have to take a full charge stun gun on the "hill' to feel the real history. "anger management" jack nicholson: "it's not uncommon for 3-4 men to bunk together in europe" adam sandler, "that's why i live in the good ole USA"

[@richardlinneman594]

Would they ever use a pack horse on a trip like this?

[@11thovc]

They would frequently use mules

[@rogerlafrance6355]

As I recall there was a Civil War carbine that had a coffee grinder in the stock. Authentic is anything you could buy at the time or get your mom to send you. Also, pack horses or mules as well as spare horses were common as you can't overload your mount on long treks. Which way out of Casper did you go?

[@11thovc]

Indeed. Since this trip simulated an actual detail from Fort Caspar to Sweetwater Station, we rode into sweetwater station by Jeffery City, Wyoming. So, we went west on Hwy 220.

[@SouthPark333Gaming]

The cartridge boxes some of you are using don't seem to have the typical carbine cartridge box shape, and they seem lager than the cartridge boxes used for revolvers. Why is that?

[@11thovc]

SouthPark333Gaming: Great catch and good question! You are probably looking at a "Sharps" Cartridge box. The standard "Carbine" box used by cavalry was definitely widely used, but many other cavalry units used a Sharps Cartridge Box, with tin inserts to hold about 40 rounds. Looking at each unit's ordnance returns, it is clear that the Sharps boxes were almost as common as the "Carbine Box". See link below for example: mainecav.org/artifacts/sharpsbox.html

[@SouthPark333Gaming]

@@11thovc Thank you very much!

[@danielmeans4954]

This is awesome. People want more long form videos

[@manuelkong10]

watching again....pretty inspiring

[@chrishastings2665]

Agreed, I only drink coffee at an event lol.

[@IncredibleMD]

Gary looks like he's been doing this for 150 years now.

[@treysmith8917]

It would be awesome to get you guys alll the way out here to sailors creek battlefield

[@herdfan697278]

I love this content!❤

[@vcfrocksprings5247]

i would love to do this kind of stuff if a had a horse lol

[@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike]

So, the big question, corn cobs or medicated paper?

[@11thovc]

Do you see any corn fields? LOL. Or in the case of one trooper, no need for any of that stuff! LOL

[@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike]

@@11thovc what was NUG after the morning coffee kicked in?

[@11thovc]

@@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike, lol, while medicated paper was available and sold commercially. It definitely wasn't issued. Also, considering men wrote home for their loved ones to send paper and stamps, using normal paper for this venue would be to "expensive" and unlikely. Likely they either used nothing or dirt. Just like using dirt to clean blood off of your hands after dressing a fresh kill, it does a great job of absorbing everything and rolling off your skin. I have not done enough research on this subject to know conclusively, but my own experience of camping with no toilet paper on hand makes it pretty obvious what guys would have chosen. You should try it sometime, just for the educational aspect of it! LOL. Thanks for watching!

[@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike]

@@11thovc I'll stick to corn cobs, leaves or an extra pair of socks. Keep those videos coming.

[@Beaguins]

I'm reading "Si Klegg and his Pard," which is a fictionalized story based on the author's time in the Civil War, and I just came across something interesting. Apparently even infantrymen might have coffee mills with them. The book reads: "Uncle Sam generally furnished Si with plenty of coffee roasted and unground - but did not supply him with a coffee-mill. He thought at first that the Government had forgotten something. He saw that several of the old veterans of '61 had coffee-mills, but he found out on inquiry that they had been obtained by confiscation." At this point they're in camp, so I don't know if they brought the mills with them on campaign.

[@troykrehbiel]

Really wish I lived closer to you fellas would love to join your regiment. I’ve been doing Rocky Mountain Fur Trade events for a while but would like to get started in the craft. Love your content please keep up the great work. God bless.

[@manuelkong10]

Ummmm...."smash my beans between two rocks" can sound funny lol our soldiers looked one step away from vagabond

[@charleshemlock8819]

I am chief 32:51

[@ws6206]

Would you say your riding technique is more western or english? I know traditional cavalry riding is an interesting mix of both disciplines.

[@DMEII]

I was in the 51st Alabama Cavalry in the late 1980s and oh how this video brings back memories. I loved my horse and miss it to this day. If it was the temps you mention, I would not roll my overcoat but wear it. I would love to ride that beautiful wide open country. I love your videos dude! And at the end you look sharp with your belt and gear on.

[@williamvalusek6992]

Outstanding!

[@ПётрАрсёнов-з4з]

А где бизоны???

[@EldarKinSlayer]

I always loved the Sharp's Coffee Mill Carbine, ultra rare but I bet any trooper that got one was reluctant to give it up.

[@kimnenninger7226]

This is a really great video. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We do a lot of trekking with our horses so we are usually out for around three to ten days. We have yet to see folks like you in the wilderness. Wish we did.

[@garywheeler2055]

Amazing video. Very well produced also, Keep em coming

[@andalusyQ8]

How to sign up ?

[@leoscheibelhut940]

Very impressive.