Spencer Group at 150th Olustee Reenactment

nactorman · January 01, 2014, 01:24:46 PM

Hi All,

This is just to let my fellow Spencer shooters know that the event hosts for the 150th Anniversary Battle of Olustee would like to have a group/company of Spencer equipped soldiers at this year's event to portray the men of the 7th CT Infantry in a special scenario that will start off the historical reenactment on Sunday. (Saturday is a tactical, in which we will also participate.) As many of you know already, the men of the 7th CT Infantry as well as a part of the 7th NH Infantry were equipped with Spencer carbines during the battle. We already have several folks coming from GA, FL, AL, IL, & MI and would love to have anyone else interested in participating join us. Shooters with either a Spencer carbine or rifle are welcome. (If you are a member of a group that will be participating but not everyone has a Spencer, that is ok. They are welcome to fall in with us as well.) The goal is to gather as many Spencer shooters as possible. For more info, please feel free to email me at: Nactorman@yahoo.com . Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you there.

nactorman · January 01, 2014, 01:27:36 PM

I forgot to mention that the dates for the 150th Battle of Olustee are Feb 14-16, 2014. The Battle of Olustee Reenactment is held on the actual site near Lake City, FL.

Snakeeater · January 03, 2014, 05:59:06 PM

Olustee may be in Florida but you had better bring some warm sleeping gear. Weather there does vary but I remember the one held there in 1979 when it twas freezing temperatures! I seem to recall it being somewhat warmer at the 125th but that might have been because I was mounted with the 2nd Florida Cavalry US!

nactorman · January 04, 2014, 03:00:39 PM

You never know about the weather there in Feb. It could be 30 degrees or 80. Either way, we will have fun shooting Spencers together.

nactorman · January 17, 2014, 05:30:29 PM

Trying to get a head count. Anyone from this forum joining us for the weekend?

nactorman · February 02, 2014, 01:07:29 AM

The cold weather's gone. Its a good time to be in FL.

nactorman · February 18, 2014, 06:59:44 PM

Much fun was had by all the Spencer shooters who came out to help portray the men of the 7th Ct at the 150th Anniversary Battle of Olustee. The weather was great. The battles scenarios lively. And the Spencers, well....you know.

Check out the following link for photos of the 7th Ct in action (as well as other photos of the event).

http://jacksonville.com/slideshow/2014-02-17/olustee-2014-battle-reenactment-sunday#slide-173

Trailrider · February 18, 2014, 11:10:49 PM

Did not the 54th Mass. also have Spencers and participated in the Battle of Olustee?

nactorman · February 18, 2014, 11:40:50 PM

The 54th Mass participated in the Battle of Olustee but not with Spencers. From what I understand, the two units on the field with Spencers were the 7th CT and 7th NH. These units had served together in the past and jokingly referred to themselves as "the 77th New England." Both regiments were partially armed with Spencer carbines during the battle.

Major 2 · February 19, 2014, 05:29:16 AM

Judging by the photo's the turn out seems low , $:-\$ 2000+ troops used to be the norm , with 2800 the year we film "Glory" (1989)

What were numbers ?

nactorman · February 19, 2014, 03:54:00 PM

Actually, this was the biggest in many years. (I've been going since about 1991.) Some of the event staff said there were approaching 4,000 reenactors present. There were definitely a lot more Union participants this year than in recent years. The photos posted don't do the event's scale justice, but do show some close-ups of the Spencer equipped 7th CT.