The
6th Annual Military Vehicle Convoy
The Route
The 2008 route
ventures through several historic military sites, including two battlefields,
a historic covered bridge and the birthplace town of General Omar Bradley.
The event starts
with the Friday activities. It will be held on the patio of the Audrain
County Historical Society, and is BYOB. The reception has proved popular in
past events with people making new friends, and renewing ties with old
ones.
We depart Mexico
and travel along back roads to the historic Mount Zion church Battlefield
site. On 28 December 1861, Union forces under BG Benjamin Prentiss lead a
force of 5 Union Mounted companies and 2 companies of Birge’s sharpshooters to
meet Colonel Caleb Dorsey’s Confederate six companies near Mt Zion Church.
The battle had 282 casualties, with 72 on the US side, and 210 for the CSA.
Departing Mt Zion
church, we head for Sturgeon. While a small community today, Sturgeon was an
important community during the Civil War, with the North Missouri Railroad
running through it. It founded in 1856, and became the largest shipping point
in Northern Missouri for St Louis traffic.
From Sturgeon, we
head to Clark, Missouri, the birthplace of Omar Bradley. His actual
birthplace is located a few miles west of town on the Hubbard Farm, but Clark
is where his family would have “gone to town.” He was born on 12 February,
1893, and his family stayed in the area until they moved to the area around
Baldridge School in 1903, which was a stop on the 2005 convoy. His family
them moved to Moberly in 1907 after the death of Omar’s father.
After Clark we head
to the historic Union Covered Bridge site. Built in 1871, it designed the
Burr-arch truss system. It is one of two remaining covered bridges in
Missouri. It remained in service until 1970, when it was added to the
Missouri State Park system the year before.
Departing the
covered bridge site, we snake through the land to arrive in Centralia. At
Centralia we stop at the railroad site of the Centralia Massacre, the first
portion of the battle. We then move to the field of battle, which involves a
crossing of a field and a creek. The battle occurred on 27 September 1864 led
by Confederate Bloody Bill Anderson, where 79 Union soldiers and citizens lost
their lives.
Leaving the
battlefield, we then head back to Mexico, MO for dinner and the USO show at a
local theater.
As of 16 Feb 08
Timeline:
Depart ACHS and clear
Mexico 0800-0815
Mexico to Mount Zion
Church 0815-0915
Stop at Mount Zion
Church 0915-1000
Mount Zion Church through Hallsville (no
stop) 1000-1015
Hallsville to
Sturgeon 1015-1045
Stop at
Sturgeon 1045-1130
Sturgeon to
Clark 1130-1150
Lunch at
Clark 1150-1300
Clark to Union Covered
Bridge 1300-1415
Stop at Union Covered
Bridge 1415-1445
Union Covered Bridge to downtown
Centralia 1445-1530
Stop at downtown
Centralia 1530-1545
Downtown Centralia to
Battlefield 1545-1600
Battlefield
stop 1600-1645
Battlefield to Mexico/ACHS
1645-1730
Dinner: Upon arrival back at Mexico
USO Show: Location and Time TDB
Event Fee: We have continued to
impose an event fee this year to assist with covering the expenses required to
coordinate an event of this magnitude. The $25 fee includes the event
expenses, lunch in Clark, MO, and dinner at the Audrain County Historical
Society. The menu selection
specifics will be announced later, but an emphasis is placed upon having good
quality food.
Event Memory
Items: Like last year, T-shirts are
being made to commemorate the event. The cost of the T-shirt is $17.00 and
will be available in sizes M, L, XL, 2X and 3X. . =
A few leftover
shirts are available from previous year’s event for $15. The sizes are S, M,
L, and 2XL.
Hotel and
Lodging Arrangements: The convoy
hotel is the Best Western Teal Lake. We have a group rate at $55 a night,
which is for two queen sized beds. This includes a hot breakfast, wireless
internet, indoor pool and use of their business center. It is also closer to
town than the last hotel, which changed names on us. I have 5 rooms reserved
for 15 May, and 20 for the 16th and 17th. Make sure when you book, you use the
WWII convoy name for it. Hotel phone # is: 573-582-0700. The hotel is located
on South Business 54. The address is 3602 South Clark Street, Mexico, MO
65265
Camping:
Camping will be available on the grounds of the Audrain County Historical
Society for free. Remember the camping site is unguarded, so nothing should
be left there that is unattended by you.
Reception:
The Friday night reception is a nice informal way for people to meet, seeing
old friends and making new ones. It also assists with the registration
process. If you would like to sell extra vehicle parts, militaria, or other
items, the reception is the best time to do this.
If there are
questions about the event, contact me at this email address, or call at
573-489-4891. Information should be on the website soon at
www.railsplitterslivinghistory.org . This is a WWIIHRS Event.
Tim Scherrer
CO
Railsplitters
Living History Company
www.railsplitterslivinghistory.org
CLICK ON THE FORM BELOW
Check back for updates as the event
planning continues!