BATTLE OF PRAIRIE GROVE PROVES TO BE A GOOD WINTER CAMPAIGN

by Capt. Gary Dunakey

Company K took one 10-pdr. Parrott on the march, assigned to the 3rd Kansas Battery of the Frontier Brigade under the command of Maj. Merle Hodges. The battery was engaged in three battles, one on Saturday and two on Sunday. The men fought hard against the Southern devils.

Camp life was good, and morale was high. We were issued winter rations which made every soldier a cook and every meal a feast, served on nothing but the finest tinware, and our cups ran over with coffee.

The weather was tolerable, the highs in the thirties and lows in the teens. A light snow fell on the camp on Saturday afternoon; unfortunately, no accumulation. The greatcoats felt real nice!!!!

The sleeping quarters were quite comfortable with only eight men in the tent. We all learned the true definition of spooning. (Dominic rather enjoyed this!!) Also held in the tent was the World Championship Snoring Contest. Gold medals were awarded to all.

As the day drew to a close, some troops began to bed down for the evening, while others gathered around campfires and told stories of the war. Being a firm believer that every man dies, but few live before they die, we decided to go to a place called Miss Tulla's. Pvts. Palada and Dunakey began their adventure. After just being paid, the $13.00 was burning a hole in our pockets. We walked over the hill, past the pickets to Miss Tulla's House of Emporium, specializing in revitalization. Hanging outside was a red lantern glowing like a beacon in the night. We entered the big tent to a bar with every kind of spirits and wooden kegs of beer. Inside could be found a warm wood stove, tables with soldiers playing games of chance and minstrels making music. And yes, Miss Tulla herself. After an extended stay we returned to camp to rest.

On Sunday, we used the new secret weapon--Frontier's Sgt. Brian Albright's Coehorn mortar, shooting hedge apple loads.

All in all, it was a fun event, and a nice way to end a year of reenacting.

TURNER MEMBERS BRAVE COLD, SNOW, TEMPTATION TO HELP WIN BATTLES

by Pvt. Kevin Ryan

Greetings from Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Well for those of you who couldn't make it, you missed a really neat event. O.K., so it was bone-chilling cold, but everyone seemed to be well prepared, and spirits remained high throughout the weekend. It was nice to win in Reb territory for a change. Well, two out of three ain't bad. And, as far as Sunday morning's battle is concerned, I don't think anyone ever figured out who the winner was, so I won't count that as a win.

The event site was nicely set up, with several small log buildings scattered about and split rail fences all around. It snowed ever so slightly on Saturday, which added a nice look to the whole scene. And I guess if you're going to have the cold and the wind, you might just as well have a little snow to go with it. We were a relatively small contingent but extremely effective, with no failed primers to report. We held our end of the line with staunch professionalism. We were a mix of Companies K, M, and G put together into a fairly respectable crew from our Brigade. Not having enough for our own battery, we fell in with Merle Hodges and his gang of Kansas ruffians. We were well fed thanks to a group effort, but mostly due to Matt's fine cooking. I don't get fed this well at home most of the time, especially at breakfast, which was a treat for me.

There was a place called Miss Tulla's, which a few members of our unit were rumored to be seen in close proximity to. From what I understand, it is some sort of house of ill repute, with tables and chairs and faro cards, poker chips, dominoes, snacks, and all sorts of other types of distractions (if you catch my meaning). The bartender and hostess really had their acts down pat (from what I heard, of course). It got down to about 14° Saturday night, but all was well in our camp, thanks to a little advance planning. The weather warmed up Sunday, and we had a really nice turnout.