Hastings

I didn’t plan to attend this event until just a few days before it took place.  One of my messmates decided to get a small group together and go.  He planned and provided the rations for a very small cost.  I had only been to the Charlton Park event once before and it was in my second year in the hobby.  We arrived later in the evening on Friday and found out our little mess for the weekend shrunk to just three.  To my surprise two good pards from Indiana that I had not seen since April were there.  We met up in the parking lot and caught up for a few moments before heading to camp.  The three of us went to the area for the company we were falling in with and found a spot in the company street to put out our bedrolls out and get comfortable.  Of course, we stayed up till about 1am talking quietly with each other and catching up with the Indiana boys around a small fire.  About an hour after we all turned in I was awoke by hooting, hollering, gunfire and other nonsense going on in the road near our camp.  I realized some of the shouting between shots involved something to do with “yanks” and “yankee”.  I never even sat up and nobody else in camp did either, thankfully.  They were ignored by all.  What childish and ignorant behavior.  I have no idea who these few individuals were but I hope there were some repercussions for there drunken, disruptive behavior, however I doubt it. 
In the morning rations were issued to us of salt pork, hardtack, black eyes peas, rice, potatoes, onions and coffee.  The boiling of coffee and frying of pork commenced at once.  The meal of black coffee and fried salt pork was topped off with a boiled hardcracker fried in the pork grease.  The rest of the morning was spent in a battle in a large rolling field.  Unfortunately, instead of taking advantage of the ground we marched right up to each other and blasted away.  This along with the lack of proper loading and firing techniques in the front rank by some young men I fired three rounds and then went to the rear as wounded.  The afternoon was spent wandering and catching up with friends and getting to know some new ones.  For the afternoon our combined group had grown to just enough for a small company so we received permission to do so for the afternoon battle.  As we advanced out on the green our position in line was on a road right in front of a cannon.  After two shoots from there our little company was all lying in the street.  On arrival back to our camp I started right away on making supper.  The peas had been soaking in water since about 11 to speed up the cooking.  I added more water, some rice, potatoes and onions and started it boiling.  Some salt pork was fried up real good and then the contents of that pan were all added to the boiling pot.  Near the end I added about half of an apple that was foraged to cut down on the salt.  Those that ate it said it was a very good and filling stew.  Eating authentic or campaign style does not mean starving or tasteless. 
After supper, I tried to fish with a pocket fishing kit in the lake but the results were just snagging lily pads so I gave up.  The rest of the night was spent talking, walking, singing and laughing some more with friends before turning in.  This night was warmer and I slept sound for about 5-6 hours.  We awoke and started a repeat performance for breakfast.  Nothing was said to us about when to be ready.  I returned from getting water and found the rest of the battalion getting their leathers on.  I guess we missed the memo.  We finished as quick as we could and met up with the company from Indiana, which suited us fine, just before they marched off for the tactical. 
We marched around to the rear or what I assumed the rear was of the confederates.  With no other federals it seemed in the area our captain order us to charge the up the ridge.  The rebs and the couple of cannons up there made that a useless effort.  Even with a coordinated attack it would have been.  For us the tactical was over firing one shot.  Back to camp we marched.  For me and my messmate this ended the event for us as we decided to hit some antique stores.  Overall I had a good time on my return trip to Hastings.  It was the friends that were there that made it all worth it.  I also felt it was getting back to the basics of what my Mess was about when we first started which was to provide a positive example of the progressive side of the hobby at local events.  Hopefully we achieved that.  I think we did as several questions were asked of us during and after the event by others.