The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

My wife and I went to Springfield Illinois for a weekend away last weekend, we had no idea Springfield was commemorating the 150th anniversary of the funeral of Abraham Lincoln.

We had a fantastic weekend and saw some amazing sights. My Southern born wife did had a little difficulty mixing with a bunch of Yankees though.

We saw this collection in the Old State Capitol, all but one of these were authentic:







Then on the reenactment of Lincoln's funeral procession just about every person was carrying what looked to be an original weapon.

The rebel wife:

Nice collection, some of the men in blue look old enough to be Grand Army of the Republic members.

Yeah, a lot of people were worried that some of the older participants wouldn't be able to manage the entire 3 mile walk.

Very cool! Mike have you been to the Civil War Museum at Jefferson Barracks? I have been meaning to go check it out but keep finding other stuff to do instead. Its supposed to be a pretty cool display.

BubbaDX wrote:Very cool! Mike have you been to the Civil War Museum at Jefferson Barracks? I have been meaning to go check it out but keep finding other stuff to do instead. Its supposed to be a pretty cool display.

I haven't, it is on my list though, want to meet there one day?

Mike wrote:

BubbaDX wrote:Very cool! Mike have you been to the Civil War Museum at Jefferson Barracks? I have been meaning to go check it out but keep finding other stuff to do instead. Its supposed to be a pretty cool display.

I haven't, it is on my list though, want to meet there one day?

Very nice place to visit, I stopped by there last summer while visiting friends. I also enjoyed the music playing in the background as you walked around inside.

That is great Mike, you couldn't have picked a better time to go to Springfield with your cutie!

Mike wrote:

BubbaDX wrote:Very cool! Mike have you been to the Civil War Museum at Jefferson Barracks? I have been meaning to go check it out but keep finding other stuff to do instead. Its supposed to be a pretty cool display.

I haven't, it is on my list though, want to meet there one day?

Sure. Send me a pm when you would like to go.

Y'all should go down to Savannah, GA. Tour Ft. Pulaski and Ft. Jackson. Very interesting, and a lot of vintage rifles and artillery pieces all the way up to 32 pounders.

One of those geezers looked like he could have been part of Lincoln's original bodyguard. I guess one of my ancestors missed him.


That is some nice stuff on the tables.

BubbaDX wrote:

Mike wrote:

BubbaDX wrote:Very cool! Mike have you been to the Civil War Museum at Jefferson Barracks? I have been meaning to go check it out but keep finding other stuff to do instead. Its supposed to be a pretty cool display.

I haven't, it is on my list though, want to meet there one day?

Sure. Send me a pm when you would like to go.

Will do. We're busy for the next few weeks but the first Saturday in June would probably work for us.

rayjd2 wrote:Y'all should go down to Savannah, GA. Tour Ft. Pulaski and Ft. Jackson. Very interesting, and a lot of vintage rifles and artillery pieces all the way up to 32 pounders.

Thought Ft. Jackson was in SC; at least it was when I went to Basic and AIT there....

Brick and mortar Fort Jackson, Savannah, Georgia. Almost completely intact, our guys abandoned the place without a fight.

Pulaski was a different story.

Someone explain to me what the deal is with carrying the rifles with the butts forward and the barrels pointing to the rear like that. I have never seen that before, then again there is a lot I haven't seen so far!

Looks like they are in the midst of performing the Queen Anne salute.

They marched the whole 3 mile route like that, I guess it is accurate and does have some meaning.

Ok after some google-fu I found out it is the Reverse Arms. Hasn't been practiced or used much since early after the Civil War.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/etc/mco/ml08.htm

205. A Military Funeral is always an impressive spectacle. When such a one takes place in time of peace, the ceremonial is exactly the same as it would be in camp or on the battle-field. A gun-carriage forms an improvised hearse, the drums are muffled out of respect for the dead comrade, and all arms are carried reversed to show that the company deputed to perform the sad office count upon the forbearance of the enemy for the time being, consequently they do not fear an attack (see 379). In the case of a cavalry officer being buried, his horse is led behind the body; this is a survival of ancient times, when an officer's charger was universally sacrificed at the grave-side and buried with its master. At the conclusion of the ceremony a salute is fired over the grave to intimate to the enemy that they are once more ready to act on the defensive.

Actually, many armed forces do use reversed arms during state or royal funerals. In videos of the funeral of the Queen Mother and former British Prime Minister Thatcher, the guards following the gun carriage march with arms reversed. Also, in British state and royal funerals, the mace carried by the drum majors and the drums are fitted with black shrouds-in British military bands, the drums bear the Royal cipher and the unit's battle honors.

awalker1829 wrote:Actually, many armed forces do use reversed arms during state or royal funerals. In videos of the funeral of the Queen Mother and former British Prime Minister Thatcher, the guards following the gun carriage march with arms reversed. Also, in British state and royal funerals, the mace carried by the drum majors and the drums are fitted with black shrouds-in British military bands, the drums bear the Royal cipher and the unit's battle honors.

True very true, I should have said not used recently here in the US.