C.R.R. Trail Blazer. The Newsletter of the California Range Riders

Transcription

1 C.R.R. Trail Blazer The Newsletter of the California Range Riders California Range Riders The Battle of Gettysburg..By John Cuneo June 30, 2012 was the 119th anniversary of the greatest battle ever fought on the North American continent. There was a rumor that a large supply of shoes was stored somewhere in the little town of Gettysburg, PA, and Confederate soldiers were badly in need. On Tuesday morning, June 30, 1863, an infantry brigade of Confederate soldiers searching for badly needed shoes headed toward Gettysburg. The Confederate commander looked thru his field glasses and spotted a long line of Union cavalry heading toward town. He withdrew his brigade and informed his superiors that in the morning he would go back and get those shoes. On Wednesday morning, July 1, two divisions of Confederate soldiers headed back to Gettysburg. The Confederate foragers appeared as ghostly shapes in the drizzly dawn. Lieutenant Marcellus Jones saw them about 05:30 marching in a shadowy column. Jones saw a mounted Confederate officer pull off to let the infantrymen pass. Borrowing a rifle from one of his sergeants Jones fired at the enemy horseman, without visible results. Jones fired the first shot in what began as a skirmish but events outraced strategy until 70,000 Confederates and 90,000 Federals were drawn into a monumental battle that would become the greatest ballet fought on the North American Continent. Neither army was ready to do battle on July 1. General Lee was unfamiliar with the territory and did not know the strength of the Union forces in the area. As for the Federals, General Meade had ordered his engineers to lay out a defensive line 20 miles southeast of Gettysburg. The choice of a battlefield was already out of anyone's hands, and a desperate struggle began in the ridges and hills west of Gettysburg. Civilians were running here and there screaming in panic not knowing where to go or what to do. It was said that one man went to his garden and picked a mess of beans, saying that these troops shall not have one. Thru the night of July 1 the two armies continued to gather. On the morning of July 2 the Union line was shaped like a fish hook along Cemetery Ridge. Lee wanted the heights taken, General Meade was determined to hold his ground. The battle raged back and forth with the edge of the conflict swaying to and fro. As Union Colonel Chamberlain put it At times I saw around me more of the enemy than my own men. At some places the muzzles of the opposing guns almost touched. At a critical moment and running out of ammo, Chamberlain s Union forces fixed bayonets and while his main regiment held, the left plunged downhill wheeling to the right like a gate opening. The Confederates were taken by surprise and retreated only to run into Union sharpshooters

2 P a g e 2 behind a stone wall. The Confederates broke and fled for their lives. Thus, the Union held the high ground known as Little Round Top. In other areas of the front the Union forces were being driven back, then reinforced and counter attacked, fell back, held and pushed the Confederates back. As the sun set on the second day, the Union left and right flanks still held. Lee felt possibly the next day an all-out attack on the Union center would work. On day 3, July 3, 1863, everything depended on General Longstreet's assault on the Union center at Cemetery Ridge. The man Lee chose to organize the assault was General George Pickett. Pickett s men filed into the woods knowing what was about to be required of them. A massive artillery barrage began at one o clock in the afternoon intended to soften up the Union forces. Answering Union shells took a heavy tool on the Confederate forces as did the Confederate barrage on the Federals. But after about an hour the Federal cannons fell silent to conserve ammunition as the Union commanders prepared for the massive frontal assault; the silence was also to lure the enemy into the open. It worked, the Confederates believed they had destroyed the Union batteries. About 3p.m. Robert E. Lee ordered the most fateful assault of the war against the center of the Union line. Three divisions, thirteen thousand men, started out of the woods at a steady pace. The Union cannons opened fire on the advancing Confederate lines. The Union infantry continued to hold their fire behind a long stone wall. Finally, the order to fire was given and eleven cannons and 1700 muskets went off at once. The Confederates reached the Union line at only one place, known as the Angle, and all were killed or captured. The gap in the Union lines closed. Thousands of Confederates threw down their arms and gave themselves up as prisoners. General Lee rode out among his men urging them to regroup but to no avail. General George Pickett watched in horror as 6500 men had fallen or been captured. Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the war; the North suffered 23,000 casualties; the South 28,000 casualties. The 2400 inhabitants of Gettysburg were left with ten times that many of both sides dead and wounded to tend to. Thus, concluded the battle of Gettysburg. My sources of information on the Battle of Gettysburg were the wonderful book The Civil War by Geoffrey c. Ward with Rio Burns and Ken Burns, also the book Gettysburg by Champ Clark and thehistoryplace.com/civilwar Johnny Longknife Thought for today...if it ain t broke, don t fix it. (author unknown)

3 P a g e 3 Interesting Historical Dates in July: July 1, President Abraham Lincoln signed the first income tax bill, levying a 3% income tax on annual incomes of $600-$10,000 and a 5% tax on incomes over $10,000. July 1, Beginning of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. July 2, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race in public accommodations, publicly owned or operated facilities, employment and union membership and in voter registration. July 4, The Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress. July 4, Vicksburg, the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River, surrendered to General Grant and the Army of the West after a six week siege. With the Union in control of the Mississippi, the Confederacy was effectively split in two, cut off from its western allies. July 6, Louis Pasteur gave the first successful anti-rabies inoculation to a boy who had been bitten by an infected dog. July 7, President William McKinley signed a resolution annexing Hawaii. In 1900, Congress made Hawaii an incorporated territory of the U.S., which it remained until becoming a state in July 8, The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. July 19-20, A women's rights convention was held at Seneca Falls, New York. Topics discussed included voting rights, property rights and divorce. The convention marked the beginning of an organized women's rights movement in the U.S. July 19, During the American Civil War, Union troops made a second attempt to capture Fort Wagner near Charleston, South Carolina. The attack was led by the 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry, commanded by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who was killed along with half of the 600 men in the regiment. This battle marked the first use of black Union troops in the war. July 22, Bank robber John Dillinger ( ) was shot and killed by FBI agents as he left Chicago's Biograph Movie Theater after watching the film Manhattan Melodrama starring Clark Gable and Myrna Loy. Visit The History Place for more information.

4 P a g e 4 Results from CMSA California State 2012 from Johnnie Hendrix Thank you to all who attended the CMSA 2012 California State Championship. It was an honor to be match producers! We had a great event and CONGRATULATIONS go out to all. We were able to meet some new shooters and were glad to be able to compete with you. Thank you to all of you who traveled so far to support this event. We are looking forward to shooting together again. It takes many hands to put an event together; and, taking the show on the road is especially difficult. Thank you to Steve Holland - California Range Riders, President, for promoting the event and procuring the Diamond Bar arena, balloon setters, and running the rifle and shotgun matches; Joe Whiteley, California Desperados, President, did a great job scorekeeping and sponsored the 2nd and 3rd place prizes; Scott Long and Nick Kay of So- Cal CMSA set the courses; Range Masters, Nick Kay, Cathy Hendrick, Steve Holland and Johnnie Hendrick. Johnnie Hendrick was announcer and served as Match Director. Congratulations and thank you to all who were ready at the gate and turned in championship performances at this competition. After the dust settled, here are the results: CMSA CALIFORNIA STATE 2012 CHAMPIONSHIP OVERALL MATCH CHAMPION - JERRY BESTPITCH OVERALL LADY CHAMPION - LISA KAY STAGE WINNERS - Stages Jerry Bespitch; Stages Barry Nadell CLEAN MATCH - Jerry Bestpitch, Nick Kay, Glenn Ferriera, Cathy Hendrick, Lisa Kay, Ruth Piper, Beverly Whiteley, Rich Elias, Joseph Squillacioti CMSA CALIFORNIA STATE 2012 RIFLE CHAMPION - Glenn Ferreira CMSA CALIFORNIA STATE 2012 SHOTGUN CHAMPION - Terry Schumacher TOP GUN ELIMINATOR WINNERS Class 1 - Ed Graham Class 2 - Rich Elias Class Jerry Bestpitch MAIN MATCH TOP TEN COMPETITORS 1 - Jerry Bestpitch 2 - Nick Kay 3 - Barry Nadell 4 - Lisa Kay 5 - Beverly Whiteley 6 - Joe Squillacioti 7 - Manon Long 8 - Don Copeland 9 - Cathy Hendrick 10 - Glenn Ferreira MAIN MATCH CLASS FINAL STANDINGS CLASS - 1 Champion - Kent Harstad - Achieved Class move up to a 2 - Congratulations! 2nd place - Randy Strain 3rd place - Scott Larson CLASS - Ladies 1 Champion - Janet Freeland - Achieved a qualified move up win - Congratulations! 2nd - Colleen Davis 3rd - Lisa Hendrick CLASS - Senior 1 Champion - Jerry Kurtz - Achieved a qualified move up win - Congratulations! 2nd - Jon Fix 3rd - Ed Graham CLASS- Senior Ladies 1 Champion - Jackquie Hill 2nd - Kim Nelson CLASS - 2 Champion - Jeffry Larson CLASS - Ladies 2 CHAMPION - Manon Long 2nd - Kristina Zaharais CLASS - Senior 2 CHAMPION - Rich Elias 2nd - Steve Holland CLASS - Senior Lady 2 CHAMPION - Judy Stewart - Achieved a qualified move up win - Congratulations! 2nd - Gretchen Walters 3rd - Carol Slagle CLASS - LADY 3 CHAMPION - Lisa Kay 2nd - Ruth Piper 3rd - Anita Simoni CLASS - SENIOR 3 CHAMPION - Joseph Squillacioti 2nd Don Copeland 3rd - Doug Harrison CLASS - 4 CHAMPION - Nick Kay - Achieved a qualified move up win - Congratulations! 2nd - Glen Ferreira 3rd - Scott Long CLASS - Lady 4 CHAMPION - Beverly Whiteley CLASS - SENIOR LADY 4 CHAMPION - Cathy Hendrick CLASS - SENIOR 5 CHAMPION - Barry Nadell CLASS - SENIOR 6 CHAMPION - Jerry Bestpitch

5 P a g e 5 Lorina Cajias July 06 Ron Myers Sr July 08 Bruce McClenahan July 10 Dean Fisher July 11 Taylor Myers July 16 John Myers July 17 Julie Whelan July 20 Glenn Davis July 24 Don Copeland July 25 Steve Holland July 27 Steve Klassen July 29 Ruth Piper July 03

6 P a g e 6 Announcements: Mark your calendars! An event you won't want to miss... The Great Basin Pistoleers and the California Range Riders are co-producing a cowboy mounted shooting competition at the Western States Wild Horse and Burro Expo August 17-19th Reno-Sparks Livestock Event Center in Reno, Nevada Shoot details coming soon! Matches/Divisions We are going to combine Seniors and regular classes as far as match awards go, until the economy improves and more riders can participate. As far as CMSA is concerned, your divisions will still be separate, CMSA class rules apply towards move-ups. This does not apply to state shoots. As a courtesy to the arenas we shoot at, please keep your dogs on a leash at matches...i get a lot of complaints from arena owners, as well as people trying to have a nice dinner at the potlucks. Only match supplied ammo/blanks will be allowed at CRR shoots, due to liability concerns.

7 P a g e 7 L a s s o A D e a l : Ken also makes shotgun & rifle scabbards, and pistol holsters. Phone # Tombstone, AZ

8 Your Opinions Count! Suggestions for improvement of future matches and ideas for prizes have been asked for at the awards ceremonies. If you are too shy to speak up in a group setting, take a moment to talk to Steve or one of our board members or send an . C.R.R. is always looking to make improvements for all of its members. Don t forget, every now and again you will receive a survey ranging from practice places, match places and days, to awards and many subjects in between. Please fill them out and return them. These surveys are designed to help improve our club for our club members. They are read and go before our board for votes and consideration. Maybe you have a suggestion you have not seen in a survey or cannot wait to suggest, it to Old Buckaroo at Oldbuckaroo7@aol.com. The board members look forward to your input! Watch your s for announcements regarding upcoming practices and fun activities. Check our website for 2012 Match dates. Remember, participating in Demos, Wild West Shows, and Clinics, as well as shooting at matches, will get you credit for CRR year end awards. Volunteer, It s a lot of fun! Submit your items for sale, stories (two part is OK!) and announcements to add to the newsletter to Debbie at scarletangel86@sbcglobal.net. If you have any changes in your contact information, please it to Secretary Judy Stewart at: calgirl101ranch@aol.com President: Steve Holland Secretary: Judy Stewart C.R.R. Officers: Vice Pres: Jerry Bestpitch Treasurer: Judy Millikin Board members: Constance Jaegel Jerry Kurtz Debbie McAlpin Dan Millikin Joe Squillacioti

9 P a g e 9 M a y Looking forward to seeing all of our new members and prospective members at these upcoming events. If you re inexperienced, come ride time-only and learn the in s and outs of cowboy mounted shooting. June in Review JUNE 10 CRR Practice (Diamond Bar, Ceres) We had a clinic and practice with about 13 riders JUNE CRR California State (Diamond Bar, Ceres) CMSA Hot weather 106 degrees both days and another good BBQ dinner Saturday afternoon. We had 40 match entry's and 2 time onlys.. Jerry Bestpitch was the overall man with clean stages, with Nick Kay second. Lisa Kay was the overall Lady, with Bev Whiteley second. Congratulations to all CRR competitors... Overall match winner: Jerry Bestpitch Men's 1 division winner: Kent Harstad (move up to Men's 2) Ladies 1 division winner: Janet Freeland (move up credit) Sr Men's 1 division winner: Jerry Kurtz (move up credit) Sr Ladies 1 division winner: Jacquie Hill Men's 2 division winner: Jeffry Larson Sr Ladies 2 division winner: Judy Stewart Sr Men's 3 division winner: Joe Squillacioti We used Outlaw Blanks again...no misfires...no complaints And a big thank you to all that helped cleanup, range master, and set courses. JUNE SASS EoT World Championship (NM) CMSA/SASS CMSA ran the mounted shoot. Congratulations to Gretchen Walters and Jerry Kurtz, who made the trip to New Mexico. They both won their class in the main match, with Jerry receiving another move up credit. JUNE SJVR The Resurrection (Stockton) CMSA Jerry Bestpitch was the overall mens, Judy Moore was the overall Lady.

10 P a g e 10 J u n e Upcoming events JULY 4 CRR Alameda Mayor s Parade, Wild West (Alameda) We need riders for the 3 1/2 mile parade, both shooters and outriders. 60,000+ spectators plus TV cover age...rsvp please. JULY 7 CRR practice/clinic (Novato Horsemans) JULY CRR Ghost Riders in the Sky VI (Ione) CMSA Come Friday afternoon and camp out. Potluck Saturday evening...guests welcome. AUG 1-4 AUG 11 AUG AUG CRR CMSA Western US Championship (Las Vegas) CMSA CRR practice/clinic (Novato Horsemans) CRR/GBP Showdown in Reno (Reno Livestock Events Center) at the Western States Wild Horse and Burro Expo Faultline War VIII (Ceres) WSSA CA State The reason for RSVP s RSVP s are important. It helps us plan the amount of supplies (ammo, balloons, etc ) we need at each event. Many times the balloon setter groups want to know how much they will be paid (ahead of time). They are paid by the number of contestants and the number of stages run. The Diamond Bar would like to be able to purchase the appropriate amount of food, instead of over buying or having to make a last minute trip to the store. It s a courtesy and I ask all of you to make an effort in the coming year. As you know, CRR does many activities in addition to mounted shooting competitions, practices, parades, and clinics. Events are subject to change Be sure to read your s and watch for last minute announcements. The 2012 event calendar is available on our website. We now have a Facebook website check it out and join. Just type in the search window (upper right) California Range Riders (CRR) v=wall&gid= Click on events. We have 18+ events listed, so please feel free to RSVP. As always, a big thank you to Scarlet Angel (Debbie McAlpin) for the excellent work on the CRR Trailblazer, and to all the contributing writers great job!...keep it comin. Happy trails to all Old Buckaroo

11 P a g e 11 Put on your best cowgirl/cowboy duds and join Old Buckaroo, California Girl and me for Ghost Riders in the Sky VI in Ione on July This match is CRR s tribute match to Nolie Buck N Wild Johnson and Tim M.H. Brumley Texas Ranger Foster; two cowboys that loved cowboy mounted shooting and were cowboys in every way. Bruce Shoji photography will be capturing all of the fun we have during the shoot; perhaps after too. Thank you Bruce for all of the great photos you take of the California Range Riders. I will be looking for pictures for next years CRR calendar, so again I encourage you to wear your best cowboy/cowgirl attire and look forward to seeing y all. Newsletter-If you would like to contribute to the CRR Trail Blazer please me an article. We like to hear about historical events, great places to trail ride and or camp with our horses, anything related to cowboy mounted shooting (this includes how you chose your alias, what got you interested in our sport) and don t forget about information on your horse. If you include pictures of you shooting, riding the trails etc. that s even better. Scarlet Angel Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain. "Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's heaven on Earth." Mark Twain Happy Fourth of July

12 Page 12 July2012 C.R.R. Trail Blazer

13 P a g e Match Dates ( ) Schedule by Old Buckaroo JAN 14 CRR practice/clinic (Hoffmans Arena, Turlock) FEB 4 CRR Awards Dinner Party (Manteca) *FEB 14 Valentines Day FEB 11 CRR practice/clinic (Kirlman Arena, Livermore) FEB SASS Nationals Winter Range (Desert Hille, Az) SASS MARCH 3-4 ACMSA Southwest Regionals (Globe, Az) CMSA MARCH 4 CRR practice/clinic (Diamond Bar, Ceres) MARCH 10 CRR practice/clinic (Hoffmans Arena, Turlock) MARCH CRR Riders of the Purple Sage IV (Ione) Balloons: Ione Grange *APRIL 8 Easter APRIL 14 CRR Oakdale Rodeo Parade (Oakdale) APRIL CMSA National Championship (Tunica, Miss) APRIL Saturday GBP (Reno club) Playday/pracetice (Ione) Sunday CRR Quicksilver Shootout X (Ione) CMSA Rain or shine...200x300 covered arena Balloons: Ione Grange APRIL CRR Desperado Trail I (Hoffmans Arena, Turlock) CMSA Balloons: *MAY 6 Mother s Day MAY 12 *** Sonora Parade (Sonora) MAY CRR Blazing Saddles X (Rio Linda) WSSA, CRR Balloons: Jerry s CGA Kids *MAY 28 Memorial Day JUNE 6-9 CMSA Central US Championship (Guthrie, Oklahoma) CMSA JUNE 10 CRR practice/clinic (Diamond Bar, Ceres)

14 P a g e 14 JUNE CRR California State (Diamond Bar, Ceres) CMSA Balloons: American Heritage Girls Troop 1012 *JUNE 17 Father s Day JUNE SASS EoT World Championship (NM) SASS/CMSA JUNE 24 SJVR The Ressurection (Stockton) CMSA JUNE 22 *** Cattle Drive for Folsom Rodeo (Folsom) JULY 4 *** Alameda Mayor s Parade, Wild West (Alameda) **JULY 4 Independence Day JULY 7 CRR practice/clinic Novato Horsemans JULY *** Salinas Rodeo (Salinas) JULY CRR Ghost Riders in the Sky VI (Ione) CMSA (tribute to Nolie Johnson and Tim Foster) Balloons: Ione Grange AUG 1-4 AUG 11 AUG CMSA Western US Championship (Las Vegas) CMSA CRR practice/clinic Novato Horsemans CRR/GBP Showdown in Reno (Reno Livestock Events Cen ter) at the Western States Wild Horse and Burro Expo AUG CRR Faultline War VIII (Ceres) WSSA CA State Balloons: American Heritage Girls Troop 1012 SEPT 1-3 *** Gold Rush Days (Sacramento) jb@jbranch *Sept 3 Labor Day SEPT 4-8 CMSA Eastern US Championship (Murfreesboro, Tenn) SEPT CRR Gold Dust Fever XI (Ione) CMSA Balloons: Ione Grange SEPT 22 CRR practice/clinic Novato Horsemans SEPT WSSA World Championship (Idaho) OCT 6-7 CRR Ride Into Purgatory IX (Ceres) CMSA Balloons: American Heritage Girls Troop 1012 OCT 7 CRR Columbus Day Parade (SF)

15 P a g e 15 OCT CMSA Worlds (Amarillo, Texas) CMSA NOV 3-4 *Nov 22 CRR Shootout at Boothill V (Ione) SASS Balloons: Ione Grange Thanksgiving NOV 29-DEC 2 *** SASS Convention/Cowboy Christmas (Las Vegas, NV) ***represents tentative dates CRR California Range Riders Old Buckaroo oldbuckaroo7@aol.com Gilroy, La Honda, San Jose, Ceres, Sacramento, Livermore, Waterford GBP Great Basin Pistoleers Reno, NV