Grand Muster Results

[US Scout]

Bvt Col Pitspitr and Dusty Tagalon have forwarded the results to the Grand Muster to me.  I'm posting the winners (top three) of each category.  If there are more than four competitors, we are recognizing first through third; if less than three competitors, only first place is being recognized.  (Pitspitr, if I'm reading the chart wrong, let me know)

Congratulations to all, especially those who competed in the mil-spec battle rifle categories.  I'd appreciate your thoughts on how it went - good and bad - so that we can either keep doing it right or improve what needs improving it for next year.

Brigade Champion
Bvt Col Pitspitr (2nd place in a battle rifle category and 1st place in field uniform competition)

Mil-Spec Repeating Rifle  3 Competitors
Cherry Lake Jake

Mil-Spec Single Shot  5 Competitors
Rattlesnake Jack Robson
Pitspitr
River City John

Scout, BP  4 Competitors
Bristow Kid
Capt Montgomery Little
Shalako Al

Scout, Smokeless  9 Competitors
Dtuch Henry
Guns Garrett
Mayor Steve

Field Uniform
Pitspitr

Dress Uniform
Captain Montgomery Little

Male Civilian
Silver Creek Slim

Female Civilian
Cherry Lake Kate

US Scout
GAF, Commanding

[Dr. Bob]

Congratulations to all of the winners and all of the other competitors!!

[Top Kick Ken]

Congrats to all who won awards and to all who competed, I am sure the competition was fierce.

How long before we see, pictures and get the After Action Report?  I am anxious to hear about all the fun.

[Pitspitr]

Just returned to home post, 23:00. Got directions fouled up in Des Moines, made wrong turn and didn't realize I was on I-35 instead of I-80 untill I entered MO
Will file full report after some sleep, getting things unloaded and catching up on things here at home.

[Kayleen]

What can one say when everyone is having such a great time on this range. Shooting the stages written by River City John, way fun I understand. Once again shooting off the boat was a hit.
What an experience to have had at Muster. Sorry more folks couldnot make it.
Next year it will be held in Ord(sp) Nebraska.
I had a great time preparing the food for these terrrrrrrrrrrrrrrific guy and gals. I do hope no one went away hungary.
I wanted to go out with a blaze of glory and I think I got that accomplished with the banquet meal.
My sincere thanks to the girls of Beaver Creek, without them I could not have pulled it off.
Thanks to everyone that participated and helped out in any way. Bristow Kid you are the greatest, for taking the bull by the horns and putting this together. Great job. (by the way folks he has only been shooting cowboy/GAF stuff for 2 years.)
Until we meet again down the road.
Kayleen

[Eagle Eyes Jefferson]

Congratulations all around to everyone!!!! Sounds like quite the event. Glad everyone had fun while there. PHOTOS, PHOTOS, PHOTOS. We want to live vicariously through you!!!! Great Job Brostow, My hat is off to you, Sir.


EEJ

[Gripmaker]

TO ALL:  It was GREAT! Thanks to Bristow, Kayleen, Steve, Pitsptr (finally heard where that alias came from) and every shooter, cook, helper cow andwhatever else showed up to add to the fun. Everything was EXCELLENT. Didn't hear one complaint, even about the frost. Had two of three brothers there and they couldn't stop talking about it for two hours on way home. Looking forward to next year in Nebrasky and seeing those of you who couldn't make it this year.  Until then, God Bless and shoot safe.

Capt. Montgomery Little

[Pitspitr]

Here are a few photos. Click on the thumbnail for a better look.
Hopefully tonight or tomorrow morning I'll have time to file a full report.


River City John and Dusty Tagalon (on the bow) prepare for a naval battle.


Amid CHEERS of "Gamer!' Gamer!" Col. Pitspitr and his Striker, Drummer Boy carry ammunition to the beleaguered men on Burnside's Bridge in the most expiedient manner possible (in double quickstep).


Squad 1


Squad 2


The Canadian Contengent inspect the contents of Rattlesnake Jack Robinson's metis cart


The Silver Creek youngans appeared to be having fun too!


The Colonel's striker strikes his best Napoleanic pose in his 1872 folding campaign hat.

[Bristow Kid]

Pitspitr Sir,
Thank you for posting some pictures.  Much appreciated

Bristow Kid

[US Scout]

I really hate it when people post pictures of shoots that I was unable to attend.  Especially when its obvious the participants are having a great time ... and I was doing something else when I'd have rather been at the GAF Muster.   

So, can anyone tell me why Bvt Col "GAMER" Pitspitr needed a striker to help carry the ammo box on that particular stage?  Did the poor striker have to do this with everyone else?  Did he get extra pay for having to wear that hat?  I think some explaining needs to be done here.

US Scout
Bvt Brig Gen, GAF

[River City John]

That stage was a 2-person team stage. You were representing the 51st NY and the 51st Penn who fought their way across the Rohrbach bridge at Antietam.

You started off the stage by announcing:

(51st NY) "They're doing it for Dixie. . ."
(51st PENN) "We're doing it for whisky."

[Major Matt Lewis]

Outstanding job to all and especially Jerry.

[US Scout]

"We're doing it for whisky."

RCJ - thanks for the explanation.

As long as it was for "whisky" and not "whiskey" its all right with me! 

US Scout
Bvt Brig Gen, GAF

[River City John]

  'whiskey' it was.
RCJ

[Pitspitr]

Did he get extra pay for having to wear that hat? 

You know, I didn't think of that! do you suppose I can put in for extra pay for that stage? I shot it twice! Our posse had an uneven number of shooters so I teamed up with Gauge Rod for a second run at the rebs defending Burnside's bridge.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Congratulations to all!

Great pics of the Prairie Princesses and Prince, too!

Thanks for posting!  Some day ......

[Pitspitr]

                                                                                         18, Sept. 1876(+131)

To: (Bvt.) General U.S. Scout, Commander
Grand Army of the Frontier Headquarters

Copies to (Bvt.) Col. Major Matt Lewis, Sgt. Drydock, and the Ladies and Gentlemen of the GAF at large.

Sir I have the honor to report:

After an intial delay of nearly 1 and 1/2 hrs delay for an unscheduled meeting with coaching staff at his Academy, my striker and I departed Ft. Kearney Nebr. at 15:00. Stopped for supplies at Cabela's Merchantile near Ft. Omaha. Arrived at camp in Iowa Falls 22:30. Had hoped to reconnoiter the site of the next days action but this proved to be impracticle due to the late hour.

Arrived early at range and checked in with Shalako, who introduced me to the Bristow Kid. Informed same of your orders that I make myself available to act in your stead. The Kid is a steady and dependable man and informed me that he had everything in order and that I need only enjoy myself. In deed he did! The Muster went off without a hitch and I enjoyed myself very much.

Shot 6 stages (I believe) Sat. and 3 Sun. All stages were historical, unique, and challenging.

The integration of the battle rifle concept appeared to me to be quite seamless. One target was damaged by fire from my .50-70 Remington Rolling Block. This target failure, I believe, was due to (at least in part) a faulty weld. I do not believe that too much should be made of this target failure as two targets were damaged from pistol calibre projectiles. During the battle for Burnside's Bridge 2 man teams were to assult the confederate positions. My striker and I served together, he using a model 1873 Winchester and I my M-1871 Remington. In accordance with orders he loaded and fired cartridges one at a time. When loaded this way the lever guns cannot keep up with the rate of fire from a single shot. However, as we know these weapons were not designed to be used in this manner and will not be most of the time. One thing that may be considered in the future is that if there are very many more competetors shooting the repeaters than are using the single shots, we may want to put the single shots in one smaller squad and the repeaters in the other larger squad as is sometimes done with cap and ball shooters. This way those with repeaters won't think the single shots are slowing them down. During the Naval Battle those of us shooting single shots were order to fire 6 times while those with repeaters were to fire 8 times. I found this handicap unneccesary (at least on this stage) as it was for a bonus only and our longer ranged single shots would be in range for a greatter period of time. I fired the full eight times and my 2 extra shots both found their mark.

The lever gun competetors seemed quite fascinated with the battle rifles and I anticipate that these categories will be larger next year. Unless I receive orders to the contrary, I will offer these categories at next years Muster as well.

I assigned Bvt Col. Rattlesnake Jack Robinson and Sgt. Guns Garret to judge the Uniform competion and Meagun O'Ruckus to judge the civilian clothes competion. She had Kayleen assist her. I did not interject my opinion except that when Mrs. O'Ruckus realized that they had not chosen a Male civilian winner she asked my opinion and then concured.

The Beaver Creek ladies provided outstanding repast at each mealtime and especially at the banquet Saturday evening. At said banquet a few speeches were made and door prizes awrded.

Following the cessation of hostilities Cpl. (now Lt. Col.) Dusty Tagalon presented me with the list of winners which I read to the troops and  explained that the winners would receive their medals in the post. I ordered Col. Tagalon to forward the results to you as I knew he would have access to a telegraphic machine sooner than I. I did not keep a copy of said results.

Departed site 14:00 hrs. Internal compass failed at Des Moines and took wrong trail. Returned home post 23:00 Sunday 16 September.

In Recognition for outstanding service to the Grand Army of the Frontier I am reccomending Bristow Kid, Dusty Tagalon, Kayleen, Mayor Steve, River City John, Rattlesnake Jack Robinson, Shalako Al and the rest of the stage writers for the SoM for their part in making the 2007 Grand Army of the Frontier Grand Muster a huge success.

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

[Bristow Kid]

Pitspitr Sir,

Just a small correction.  On Saturday we successfully shot 7 stages by 1600 hours and Sunday shot 3  by 1200 hours.  Thanks to the cooperation of everyone involved. 

On a side note.  The target I destroyed with my pistol caliber lever gun was previously shot by you and that Artillery piece that you call a rifle.   And the other damaged target was done with a pistol.  All damaged targets will be repair by me.  All is good and unless there is a very large amout of single shots I personally think they should shot with those of use using repeaters.  It was entertaining and gave everyone a little break.  And in my personal opinion didnt think it slowed us down all that much.

Bristow Kid

[Pitspitr]

I wasn't sure about the stage count. Thanks for the correction.

Make that three targets damaged by pistol calibre fire. I didn't notice your I guess. The count I had was Meagan O'Ruckus' on the Naval Battle target and (I believe) Sliver Creek Slim on the A target on the long distance, pistol only stage.

I agree, I don't think the single shots slowed us down much either. Just didn't know what some of you faster lever gun people thought.

[Pitspitr]

I do hope no one went away hungary.

If they did, it was their own durn fault!

I wanted to go out with a blaze of glory and I think I got that accomplished with the banquet meal.

You certainly did! Thanks for everything you did Kayeleen! Also Thanks to the Beaver Creek ladies, I'd thank them indiviually but didn't get all the names.