The Largest Event of its WINCHESTER, Va.—On October 6-8, the North-South Skirmish Association held its 136th National Competition at its home range, Fort Shenandoah, near Winchester, Va. The 67-year-old Association is the oldest and la est Civil War shooting sports or ganization in the country. Over the years, the N-SSA has grown and expanded its matches to include live-fire competition with original or authentic reproduction Civil War period muskets, carbines, breech-loading rifles, revolvers, mortars, and cannon. Nine team matches were held over the three-day weekend. The weather in the scenic Shenandoah Valley was perfect until the dri ing rain of tropical storm Nate rived on Sunday; the day of the Rifle-Musket Team match, the N-SSA signature event. All targets are breakable and the pieces certainly flew as clay pigeon ceramic tiles, and pot silhouettes were blasted by Minié ball at ranges of 50 and 100 yards. The rain didn’t slow down the
N-SSA events include period clothing and costume events and competitions. These dresses exhibit the skill and detail involved in creating the period clothing. (Ben Harris
Tropical storm Nate didn’t deter the musket match. Over 100 teams
consistently excellent 110th Ohi Volunteer Infantry (OVI) as they won the gold medal. They took the musket match with a time of 449.0 seconds for the five-event program, besting the next closest unit by a solid 20 seconds. total of 107 soggy eight-member teams participated in this class competition. The 110th OVI struck gold again in the Smoothbore Musket Team match, beating 118 other units to finish first with a tot time of 206.5 seconds and a hearty 30-second lead over the second place unit. This relatively new match has become increasingly popular and, as you can imagine, a really great test
of skill. Competitors participat with many different firearms including the U.S. Model 1842; Confederate Macon Arsenal conversions of the Model 1842; the Hewes & Philips conversion of the U.S. Model 1816 (which features a rear sight), and the occasional European Potsdam in .72 caliber. The match consisted of four events, including the ex challenging silhouette of
th Virginia Infantry during d the storm. (Erick
clay pot at 25 yards and 6"x6" ceramic tiles at 50 yards. Not to be denied, the indomit ble 110th OVI won the Carbine Team match as well, with a time of 335.9 seconds, besting the ne closest unit by a whopping 38 seconds. Smith carbines, many of them valuable originals, were a favorite in this match. Skirmish ers also used Sharps’ carbines and you could often see Burnsides’, Maynard’s, and even muzzle-loading carbines and musketoons in this match of speed and accuracy. Eighty-one four-member teams participated in the Revolver Tea match of four events: 12 clay pigeons on a cardboard back-
er; eight hanging 6"x6" ceramic tiles; eight hanging clay pigeon and eight hanging 4"x4" ceramic tiles. The Nansemond Guards finished first and claimed the g medals with a time of 114.2 seconds, a solid 26 seconds better than the second place team. Three additional shoulder arm
Franklin Civil War Round Table Celebrates its Tenth Year!
FRANKLIN, Tenn.—The Franklin Civil War Round Table (FCWRT) recently hosted a dinner banquet with entertainment provided by period musician and singer Bobby Horton as part of their Ten Year Anniversary celebration. The group began in a Franklin bookstore as a book club in 2006 and, after experiencing rapid growth, moved to a meeting facility in 2007 and started host Round Table lectures, tours, and related events. “Our intent was to ‘educate’ folks about the entire Civil War era while taking no positions or endorsing any group,” says founder Gregory mann) Wade. “We want issues in a dignified and well
Flag Tour in 2017. researched forum,” he added. Having about one hundred dues paying members, the group joined up with the nonprofit, Franklin’s Charge (FC), in 2009. Franklin’s Charge is largely responsible for the reclamation of over 120 acres of the 1864 Battle of Franklin, once largely lost to development. The FCWRT takes care of FC educational goals and operates Inside this issue: 32 – Critic’s Corner
largely independently. Cullen Smith, FC board member and an original member of the FCWRT says “the diversity of topics an presentations has ranged from the effect of weather on battles medicine, and has to be one of t best curriculum’s around.” Wade points out with pride the FCWRT “body of work” noting a faculty made up of at “least twe ty one PhD’s, a former U.S. Ambassador, an Under Secretary of State, twenty four published authors, twenty historical site di tors and three current National Park Service rangers.” Among the more unusual presentations lore tough have been a pl that deals with the life and dea
of General Earl Van Dorn and a Grammy nominated album of new music known as the “1861 Project.” In 2016 the group host ed a retirement event for Hans Hooker of the American Battlefield Monument Commission. Hooker had been supervisor of