Minutes from Battery Meeting 11/21/1998
The meeting opened at 7:37 PM with 9 members present.
After Action Review of last years events.
Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Port Washington, WI
Went well, the students learned a lot.Memorial Day Parade, West Bend, WI
Everyone was on time and where they needed to be. Next year we will throw the party instead of Ernst. Everyone will bring one item for the party, probably to be held at Ernst’s barn. We need to work on firing the gun and making sure there is enough room to safely fire. Don’t rush it next year.Sesquicentennial at Camp Randal, Madison, WI
We had some attendance problems. If people say they will show up, they need to.Fox Lake, WI
There was a break down in communication that caused some problems.Gettysburg National Event, Gettysburg, PA
Details were left to the last minute. A National Event Committee should be formed to work out details so they are not left on one persons shoulders.Escanaba, MI
The Battery looked good because everyone worked hard. It was decided that everyone should be taught how to make rounds.Dozer Days, Sussex, WI
Next year we need to make sure that the event coordinators feed us. No one under twelve is allowed to fire the cannon.Pestago, WI
Event went well and we were paid for attending.Wade House, Greenbush, WI
We looked good. Next year we will register ourselves so we are mentioned and so we get more clout because we are a host unit. Thank Ron Rhodes for pulling a cannon to the event.Waukesha, WI
Great event and a great weekend.
It was decided that Battery B should try to eat together for Saturday dinner at events. For this purpose a Battery mess was proposed. Will be discussed in more detail at the next meeting.
A list of e-mail addresses was passed around. If anyone
has an e-mail address that is not listed here, please contact Cpt. Peterson
(414-534-7818) or 1st Sgt. Gutzke (414-761-2022).
Cpt. Eric Peterson – reglegpete@juno.com
1st Sgt. Scott Gutzke – sgutzke@carroll1.cc.edu
Sgt. Steve Adams – josteve@ibm.net
Cpl. Carl Millard – millardcm28@uwwvax.uww.edu
Cpl. Tom Smith – tomsmith3@prodigy.net
Pvt. Terry Brown – tbrown2770@aol.com
Pvt. Randy Popp – blackhat62@hotmail.com
Pvt. Max Popp – jimmy_pop@n2.com
Pvt. Max Peterson – reglegpete@juno.com
War Correspondent Tom Sobottke
– ksobot@aol.com
Sgt. Steve Adams was awarded the Kearny Cross for his service at the Gettysburg and Escanaba events.
Battery Dues for 1999. The level of dues was discussed. It was suggested to raise dues to $50 for members and $18 for each dependant. The new dues are to take effect on January 1, 1999. They are due by January 31, 1999. It was motioned and seconded to raise the dues to $50 and $18. There were 14 votes for and none against. There were 6 proxy votes (Cpl. Carl Millard, Pvt. Bill Roth, Pvt. Rich Grzyb, Cpl. Chad Grzyb, Pvt. Bruce Furrer, and Pvt. Robin Helmueller). It was also suggested that we try to get more paid events.
It was mentioned that we should pay the people who tow the guns to events. That is because of the extra fuel, ware and tare on the tow vehicle, the extra time and stress of towing. It was decided that the Battery will pay 20¢ a mile. For National Events, the members who are going will pay the driver. For other events, the money will be taken out of Battery funds. It was motioned and seconded that the Battery should pay towers of the cannon 20¢ a mile. There were 8 votes for and 1 abstention.
Equipment Maintenance. New tires for Ernst’s Napoleon trailer are needed. Ord. Sgt. Hainer will coordinate. A lug nut on the right rear wheel and repacking the roller bearings is needed on the same trailer. A nut is also missing on Ernst’s Napoleon under the cheek. A winch is needed on the Sussex gun’s trailer. It needs to have a capacity of 2500-3000 pounds. 1st Sgt. Gutzke will coordinate.
News Letter – The Redleg. Sgt. Adams will publish the newsletter. There will be six issues a year, with a cost of $80 a year to the Battery, mostly for postage. If anyone has information for an article, contact Sgt. Adams (847-475-5327).
Web Site. Battery B has a web site, which has reached over 1560 people since May 1, 1998. There has been a lot of positive feedback, and it has won several awards. If you have not yet seen it, check it out at: http://pioneer.cc.edu/97/sgutzke/Battery_B/default.html Contact 1st Sgt. Gutzke (414-761-2022) if you have any ideas for or information to add to the site.
Pvt. Ernst von Frankenburg has been promoted to Stable Sergeant and was moved to Cpt. Peterson’s staff. His job will be to get the Battery a team of horses and to train the men on the care and feeding of them. He will also teach the men on the uses of them.
Minimum Attendance. This was discussed for some time. It was finally decided that Privates must attend one Tier One Event for the season. Officers and NCO’s must attend one Tier One event and two other events for the season. If a Private fails to meet the attendance requirement, he/she will be charged $20, in addition to regular dues, to reinstate their membership in the battery. If an Officer or NCO fails to meet the attendance requirements, he/she will be charged $20, in addition to regular dues, to reinstate their membership in the Battery and will lose all rank (i.e. they will be a Private again, until such time as they are promoted). All persons who fail to meet the attendance requirement may ask to have their case placed in front of the Membership Review Board, consisting of the Battery Commander, the First Sergeant, and their Gun Sergeant for review and possible dismissal. It was motioned and seconded to add the above Minimum Attendance Policy to the Battery By-laws. There were eight votes for and one abstention.
A list of possible events for 1999 was discussed. These events will be voted on at the next Battery meeting. Camp of Instruction (to work out the bugs in our cannon and close order drill, will also include a social) at Cpt. Peterson’s house – March 20-21. Spring Muster at the Old Wade House – April 24-25. Artillery School, either at Ft. Niagara (May 1-2) or St. Louis (June 12-13). Memorial Day Parade, West Bend, WI. Fox Lake, WI – June 19-20. Dozer Days at Sussex, WI – September 11. Col. Leubke’s Change of Command Ceremony – May 1 or 2. Potawatomi Area Council's Scout Show (Paid) – May 8. Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Port Washington, WI (no date at this time). Chickamauga (National Event) – September 17-19. Chicago Historical Society’s Civil War Seminar (Living History and Symposium) – September. Wade House Civil War Event, Greenbush, WI (no date at this time). Waukesha, WI – October 9-10. Naperville, IL (no date at this time).
Sons of Union
Veterans of the Civil War Meeting (11/14/98). The Sons of Union Veterans of
the Civil War meeting went well. Ron Aronis is leaving to form his own camp in
Saukville. It will be Camp #5 and will have the Cushing name. Camp #4’s name
will be changed. One possible name is Gen. John Gibbon.
Officers elected were:
Ernst von Frankenburg - Camp Commander
Eric Peterson - Senior Vice-Commander
Randy Popp - Junior Vice-Commander
Jim Johnson - Secretary/Treasurer
Scott Gutzke was elected to the Council of Three (a board of advisors).
Ernst’s plan for the camp next year is to restore some veteran’s headstones and have a graveside service at an area cemetery either on Memorial or Veterans Day. We are also trying to register all surviving Civil War cannons in parks and cemeteries to prevent them from being bought by private owners. Finally, to go to Artillery School, you must be a member of the SUVCW.
Battery Handbook. 1st Sgt. Gutzke will complete the handbook for the next Battery meeting.
Cannon Books. 1st Sgt. Gutzke is ordering copies of Antique Ordnance Publishers book of drawings. There is one each for a Napoleon Cannon carriage, a Field Gun Limber, a Caisson, a Battery Wagon, and a Traveling Forge. There are many others too. Each book is $12. If we order together, shipping and handling is $2 instead of $4. If you are interested, contact 1st Sgt. Gutzke (414-761-2022) by the next Battery meeting.
There was a proposal to purchase a copy of the painting “Run Up the Elevating Screw” by Stivers for Ernst von Frankenburg to show appreciation for all the work that he has done for us over the years. The painting is of Battery B at Antietam and will cost about $250. This proposal was tabled for the next meeting.
The next Battery Meeting will be at Cpt. Peterson’s house on Saturday, January 30, 1999 at 7:00 PM.
The meeting adjourned at Midnight.