2008 Grand Muster Results

[Pitspitr]

I will post the results of this year's Muster as well as information on next years muster as soon as I have time to to get everything put together.

All I'm prepared to say right now is a big "Thank you" to the "Commander in the Sky" The weather was grand all weekend but I hadn't any more than gotten home when a cold front came through. It rained hard all night and so far today.

I had a great time and I think everyone else did too.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

 

[Bow View Haymaker]

Your rain storm is about to hit here. 
I want to say "thank you" to you Col.  That was one of the best weekends I've ever had.  First time I've ever shot in a Three day match and it was great.  It is a welcome change to shoot a match different from the other CAS matches.  I am already looking forward to next year and am ready to asist in any way I can.  The fort was an expierience in itself. 
My daughter just can't imagine not having any tv, computer, electricity etc... for a whole weekend.  It was great.
Thanks again

[Mustang Gregg]

Col Pitspitr:

It appears you put on a very fine match.
And the title of this post makes me think you will do so again next year too.
heheheheh

MG

[Delmonico]

Col Pitspitr:

It appears you put on a very fine match.
And the title of this post makes me think you will do so again next year too.
heheheheh

MG

Now Greg, Jerry is having trouble with what year it is today, don't be makin' fun of him.  I'll just remind him that he can check his cell phone for the proper date.

[Pitspitr]

Now Greg, Jerry is having trouble with what year it is today, don't be makin' fun of him.  I'll just remind him that he can check his cell phone for the proper date.

&*$%#@! Delmonico, If you didn't like KP so well I'd just have to make sure and assign you to it again!

Yes M Gregg I've already started planning for next year. But the mistaken date on both posts is, at least in part, due to sleep deprivation.

[Delmonico]

&*$%#@! Delmonico, If you didn't like KP so well I'd just have to make sure and assign you to it again!

Yes M Gregg I've already started planning for next year. But the mistaken date on both posts is, at least in part, due to sleep deprivation.

Jerry, I still have the stuff to make some more of that Turkish Coffee, that should help.

You should have seen how much work Randy got done at the fort after one of those as he came to work.

[Texas Lawdog]

I kept missin' out on the Turkish coffee and didn't get any. I'll plan on gettin' a taste next year. I had a great time also. Del and i caught up on a lot of visiting. I got to put a face with the names.

[Delmonico]

I kept missin' out on the Turkish coffee and didn't get any. I'll plan on gettin' a taste next year. I had a great time also. Del and i caught up on a lot of visiting. I got to put a face with the names.

Well dang pard, you should of hollored, the afternoons would have been a great time.

[Pitspitr]

                        7, October 1876 (+32)

To: General U. S. Scout
Headquarters Grand Army of the Frontier
Near Washington City

Copies to: (Bvt.) Col. Major Matt Lewis Chief of Staff,
        (acting) MAA Sgt. Drydock,
         Marshall Halloway, and
         The ladies and gentlemen of the GAF at large
Sir:

I have the honor to submit my report following the 2008 Grand Muster of the Grand Army of the Frontier.

Preparations for the Muster being mostly complete by Tuesday, 30 September I returned to my home barracks and occupied my time with other projects on Wednesday and finished preparations on Thursday 2 October. I moved into my temporary quarters at Fort Hartsuff Thursday afternoon only to have my presence required at my permanent quarters on Thursday evening. I returned to Fort Hartsuff Thursday evening at approximately 20:30. The Texas contingent arrived Wednesday evening and early Thursday morning. The most of rest of the men arrived late Thursday afternoon and evening.

Friday morning the men breakfasted on a hearty breakfast of biscuits and gravy that Delmonico had prepared. At 08:00 (Bvt.) Col. Major Matt Lewis commanded the color guard and hoisted the garrison flag at Fort Hartsuff. Following morning colors a report of hostiles near Scratch Town (Ord City) the men departed for the scout by buggy, buckboard or whatever other means available. Upon arrival at the sight of the most recent encounter with the hostiles the command was briefed and operations commenced with the long range rifle match. The match was found to be quite challenging as the top shooter only managed to hit 54% of the time. The men faired better on the long range pistol course and the top shooter, Ned Neiderlander had only 1 miss. Over the course of the campaign Ned proved himself to be a very proficient marksman. Following a break for lunch (provided by the land owner) action continued with the Wild Bunch match. By middle afternoon the command returned to the post to prepare for a hop thrown in our honor by the Valley County Historical Society at Calamity Jane's in Ord City.

Saturday Morning the men again found themselves again on the trail of the hostiles following morning colors. This was to be the case all weekend. At the site of the previous days hostilities we found everyone to be present or accounted for. While the weather was beautiful, the Signal Corp informed me that a storm was probable for Sunday. So after the second stage I deemed it necessary to divide the command into two nearly equal squads in the hopes that we might more expediently punish the hostiles. The gamble worked and by evening we had completed 7 stages instead of the planned six. (Bvt.) Col.Major Matt Lewis commanded one squad while (Bvt.) Lt. Col. Dusty Tagalon commanded the other. This left me free to perform an advisory role should either commander require guidance or assistance. Both commanders proved equal to the task and I was able to take my turn on the line in Col. Lewis' squad. That evening the command dined on an outstanding meal prepared by Commissary Commander Delmonico and his assistant Doneyet.

I should mention here that as is the case with any army, the Grand Army of the Frontier marches on its belly. And that being the case, it is no wonder the men (and women) preformed so admirably, as the commissary department provided the command with healthful and tasty sustenance all weekend.

Following the banquet a short meeting was held during which the men deemed it best to follow the precedence of the Grand Muster being held at the same facility 2 years in a row. Therefore; Fort Hartsuff and the Baker Ranch will be the site of the 2009 Grand Muster. After the meeting, some very nice door prizes were awarded.

Sunday morning we awakened to threatening sky's so we pushed ahead in an attempt to complete our task before the storm arrived. So intense had the firing been, that some of the men found that they had expended all their ammunition before completion of the match. I had planned for that contingency and had extra. We were able to finish our campaign before noon at which time we dined with the baker family once again before returning to Fort Hartsuff. While the men policed up the barracks and surrounding area Lt. Col. Tagalon and I totaled the scores, which are as follow:

Brigade Champion:
(Bvt.) Col. Rattlesnake Jack Robson (1st place Mil-Spec. Single Shot, 1st place fatigue Uniform)
Milspec Repeating Rifle
1                  Ned Niederlander                                             
2                  Curly La Grande                                       
3                   Scooter           
Milspec Single Shot
1   Rattlesnake Jack Robson                     
2   Major Matthew Lewis                           
3                  Texas Sarge                                                       
Scout
1                  Col Diamond                                                   
2                  Cherry Lake Jake                                                 
3   Capt Montgomery Little                                     
Lady Scout,
1                  Cherry Lake Kate                 
Forager Scout
1                  Dusty Tagalon     

Militia
1                      Scruffy Skippy                                                 
Staff Officer,
1                        River City John 

Dress  Uniform 
Texas Sarge

Fatigue Uniform,
Rattlesnake Jack Robson

Civilian Clothes; Men's,
Shalako Al

                                         
Civilian Clothes; Lady's,
Cherry Lake Kate

The Division of Canada won the Division Plate race on the strength of Rattlesnake Jack Robson's first place finish in both the Mil-Spec. Single Shot and fatigue uniform contests

I will announce the results of the side matches in a future report.

The Battle Rifle Classes continue to grow and gain in popularity. The added experience with the battle rifle classes has taught me that future match directors will want to consider limiting those classes to around 7 rifle shots. The initial load restrictions on lever guns really doesn't provide the parity between the classes that was intended. In my opinion the scout class is competing only against the scout class; therefore, let the scouts load up to the limit of their firearms. I wrote my stages limiting the initial load for scout guns to 5 and tried to average 10 rifle shots for the match. While the participants did not seem to mind, it did make for long stages. It is my hope that participants will ad their critiques of the match before too much planning for the next muster occurs.

I remain,
Your Ob'd Servant,
(Bvt.) Col. Jerry M. Davenport
Commander, Department of the Missouri
Grand Army of the Frontier

[Dalton Masterson]

Sounds like I missed a great time! Pitspitr, sending you a pm.
Congrats and thanks for defending the plains gents! DM

[Pitspitr]

Sounds like I missed a great time! Pitspitr, sending you a pm.
Congrats and thanks for defending the plains gents! DM

You did miss a great time How was the BP shoot? sent you a PM too.

[Pitspitr]

Here are the results of the side matches

Long Range Rifle

Big Bore Single Shot, Smokeless      Windy City Joe

Big Bore Single Shot, BP                           Pitspitr

Pistol Caliber Lever, Smokeless                 Shalako Al

Pistol Caliber Lever, BP                    Capt Montomery Little

Military Bolt Action                         Col Diamond

Big Bore Lever Action, Smokeless    Scruffy Skippy

Big Bore Lever Action, BP               Rattlesnake Jack Robson



Long Range Pistol

Smokeless                                         Ned Niederlander

BP                                                     Shalako Al



Wild Bunch

Lever                                                 Bolt

1st      Col Diamond                           1st      Ned Niederlander

2nd     Cherry Lake Jake                    2nd     Major Matt Lewis

3rd      Shalako Al                              3rd      Steph

Womens Lever

1st Cherry Lake Kate

[Bow View Haymaker]

pistsptr,

Have you thought about submitting yor report to the cowboy chronical fand the shootist or publication?  It might be a good way to get the word out about the GAF.  Your post #9 of this thread would be a great start.  Or at the very least post this report over on the SASS wire.
Just another one of those ideas that I can't  help.

[Pitspitr]

Done!

Thanks for the idea.

[Pitspitr]

I would hope more participants will file their reports of the action here too.

If you have critques, comments, constructive criticism, or ideas of ways we can improve for the 2009 Muster e-mail me at: pitspitr@nctc.net

[Pitspitr]

BTT
I would sure hope that other participants will add their reports as well. This will alos help me to fix anything that's brokeded (inside joke with my squad) and know what the participants enjoyed enough to do again next year.