Volume 3, Issue 12 December 2014 Fort Tejon Historical Association A D J U N T A N T ’ S CALENDAR OF EVENTS P r e s i d e n t ’ s No December board meeting January 3 Dragoons Living History at fort January 17– New volunteer training (tentative) January 18 - FTHA board meeting at fort - 11am February 7— Second Cal. Volunteers Living History Program J O U R N A L Dearest FTHA Members and Friends, I hope your stuffing was tasty and your turkey plump, your pie took the prize and the Thanksgiving dinner stayed off your thighs. It is hard to believe that it’s almost Christmas and the end of 2014 is right around the corner. We certainly had an amazing year at the Fort and for the I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : President’s Message 1 2015 Elections 1 Civil War letter 2 FTHA trailer 2 Ladies Corner 3 Park Staff 4 CWP changes 4 Fort. FTHA is anxiously looking forward to even more productive and successful year in 2015. A few of the upcoming highlights include the “Invitational” Civil War reenactment, Victorian Tea, Old Fashion 4th of July, Peter LeBeck Candlelight Ghost Tours, and monthly Frontier Army Days Dragoon program on the first Saturday of every month 2 015 At the November 22nd board meeting, FTHA board of directors decided not to hold a formal election for the three seats that were available since only three FTHA members submitted their names as candidates. Additionally, the board did not want to incur the m e s s a g e (with the exception of July). On behalf of everyone on the FTHA Board, it is my privilege and honor to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. I remain your humble servant, Karina Mooradian President. e l e c t i o n s expenses relating to an election—printing ballots and postage—when there were not enough candidates to hold the election. The candidates - John Billinger, Linda Bosley and Bob Zaricor - will be installed as board members at the January 2015 board meeting. Special thanks to outgoing board member, Larry Kelsey for his hard work and support of Fort Tejon over the passed two years. Kelsey will continue to assist the board with the annual Civil War Invitational event at the end of May. The new board will meet on Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 11am at Fort Tejon State Historic Park. At that time, the board will finalize the 2015 FTHA budget and install the new board. P a g e 2 F o r t C i v i l wa r T e j o n l e t t e r On July 7, 1862, shortly after his 19th birthday, William Elliott (“Billy”) enlisted in the 11th Regiment, Company A, of the North Carolina Confederate Troops. He was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. Family lore tells that the day before Billy was killed at Gettysburg he gave his pocket comb and New Testament to his cousin, Cyrus, and said, “Take these to Ma because I’ll die tomorrow.” December the 9 1862 Franklin Depot Virginia Dear Father I take my pen in hand to rite you a few lines to let you know that I am well and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same good blessings. I got your letter you sent with Mr. Brown in due time. I got my shirt & drawers you sent with him. I loued to rite my letter and send it with Mr. Brown but I did not have time to rite. I am most broke down for have ben on duty two days & night. I havent got two hours sleep in the past two nights. We went fifteen miles of Suffolk yesterday we had ten thousand troop with us we had about fifty wagons along we loaded them all with corn pork fodder. I saw Robert Sifford yesterday he was fat and sacy it is the coldest wether out hear I ever felt nearly. Rite to me and let me no where West is. I have not got a letter from him in over a month you sed you was going to send me a nother box. I was glad to hear that. I want you to sent it with out fail the other one was so good it has put me in the notion of having a nother box. Tell George to put me in a poke of groun peas mother I want you to send me some plan thread and a good big needle in the box. I understand Mr. Canady is coming out heare be fore long. Milton Hill sends his best respects to you and Mother. You will have to excuse bad righting for this is the meanest pen I ever saw. So I will have to close it is geting dark so nothing more only rite soon William Elliott Y o u r For many years, I have wondered what treasures were in the FTHA storage trailer located under a beautiful California Oak tree by the State Parks buildings above Fort Tejon. On Saturday, November 22nd, I was joined by board members Larry Kelsey, Dee Bosley and John Billinger to clean out and organize the FTHA trailer. b o a r d m e m b e r s i n into the trailer. After pulling out years of clutter, we inventoried the usable items. Then gave the interior a good cleaning getting rid of multiple bird nests and rodent damaged items. BEFORE The trailer is now ready to be repaired and used to store items the Tea Party, Invitational and Ghost Walk tours. To my dismay, we found that Check out the before and after a small area in the top pictures taken by Larry Kelsey. section of the trailer had been -L. Bosley damaged allowing birds and other critters to find their way a c t i o n AFTER V o l u m e 3 , I ss u e 1 2 P a g e Ladies Corner Relaxing Tea Blend This blend will help you relax after a long day. Ingredients: - 1/4 cup dried spearmint - 1 cup dried lemon balm - 1/4 cup dried lemon grass - 1/2 cup dried catnip - 3/4 cup dried chamomile flowers - 2 tbs. dried lavender flowers Combine the herbs and store in an air tight container in a dark cool location. Make tea using 2 teaspoons of herb blend for each cup. Navy Bean Soup Soak the beans overnight or for at least 8-12 hours before beginning the recipe. Cook in cast iron for better flavor and an authentic re-enactment. Ingredients: - 1 cup (8 oz) dried navy beans - 5 cups water - 1/2 pound salt pork or slab bacon - 2 large carrots or 1 cup chopped - 1 large onion or 3/4 Cup chopped - 1 large potato, unpeeled, but cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 tsp. salt- 1/2 tsp. pepper Wash the beans in a colander and pick out and discard any discolored ones or pieces of dirt. Place the beans in a large stock pot or Dutch oven covered with water at least 2 inches above the beans and allow to soak overnight. Drain the beans. Add 5 cups water, salt pork, carrots and onions to the beans. Stir the mixture. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer the beans at least 45 minutes or until the beans are tender. Add the chopped potatoes salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook about 15 more minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Confederate Shortbread Wheat flour was quite scarce in the South during the Civil War so soldiers baked bread from available ingredients such as white cornmeal. Try to find white cornmeal to make this a bit more authentically Confederate. Although this recipe uses baking powder to make the cornbread fluffier, Confederate soldiers did not have baking powder. Ingredients: - 1 TB butter - 2 cups white cornmeal (not selfrising) - 2 tsp. baking powder - 3/4 tsp. salt - 2 eggs - 2 cups milk - 1/4 cup oil Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease the 9" square baking pan with the butter. Combine the cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a small bowl whip the eggs with a fork and combine with the milk and oil. Stirring only until all the dry ingredients are wet, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Life in a Love BY ROBERT BROWNING Escape me? Never— Beloved! While I am I, and you are you, So long as the world contains us both, Me the loving and you the loth, While the one eludes, must the other pursue. My life is a fault at last, I fear: It seems too much like a fate, indeed! Though I do my best I shall scarce succeed. But what if I fail of my purpose here? It is but to keep the nerves at strain, To dry one's eyes and laugh at a fall, And, baffled, get up and begin again,— So the chase takes up one's life, that's all. While, look but once from your farthest bound At me so deep in the dust and dark, No sooner the old hope goes to ground Than a new one, straight to the self-same mark, I shape me— Ever Removed! 3 FORTTEJON.ORG F O R T T E J O N H I S T O R I C A L A S S O C I A T I O N FTHA P.O. Box 630586 Simi Valley, CA 93063 Acknowledgements Ladies Corner and Civil War Letter - Karina Mooradian FTHA Trailer photos—Larry Kelsey State Park flyer—John Clagett Adjutant’s Journal Kind Readers, At the end of the year, I like to take stock of my experiences for the year and ask myself - “What could I do better next year?” One item on my To Do List is to promote service to the FTHA to our membership. Over the last six years that I have served on the board of directors and worked as an active FTHA member, I have seen the decline of FTHA members willing to step forward and serve for a year or more on the board of directors. The majority of members I have spoken to express their gratitude to me and other board members and state that we are doing a good job. That really warms my heart but speaking for myself, there comes a time when new blood is needed on the board. Board members can get burned out wearing the many hats that make the FTHA a successful organization. Enjoy your holiday with family and friends. Please give some thought to coming to a few board meetings in 2015 and possibly running for a board seat at the end of the year. We also welcome members who would like to work on a committee for our annual events. Your humble servant, Linda Bosley—[email protected] Bits and pieces FORT TEJON PARK STAFF There are some new and old faces around Fort Tejon recently. The FTHA would like to welcome our new onsite ranger, Jack Gorman. Jack comes to us from Mendocino. Jack and his family are excited to be back in the local area close to family in Bakersfield. Welcome back to Sean Malis, State Park Interpreter I. Sean has recently returned from military duty in Hawaii with his family. Both Sean and Jack attended the December FTHA board meeting to review the 2015 fort calendar and discuss goals for the upcoming year. Finally, congratulations to Kathy Weatherman, our sector superintendent who was promoted to run the newly formed San Andreas District. Kathy will continue her duties for the Tehachapi district until her replacement is chosen. and regulations packet will be completed by early March 2015 to meet the needs of current FTHA CWP events, dissolve current command structure and create a new command structure for 2015 CWP events by January 15, 2015. CIVIL WAR PROGRAM CHANGES A committee was formed during the summer at to review current CWP rules and regulations in addition to command structure changes. Committee members are John Billinger, Bob Zaricor and Larry Kelsey. The committee reported to the FTHA board in September and October their recommendations. An updated Civil War Program rules NEW AJ EDITOR Please contact Linda Bosley if you are interested in becoming the 2015 AJ—FTHA newsletter editor. Assistance will be provided to get the new editor up and running. Linda can be reached at [email protected]..
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