Dear Staff, Officers, members and friends of the Independent Guard Battalion,
BRRRRRR Greetings. It feels like we went straight from summer to winter with a week of fall weather in between. I hope this message finds you well and warm. Mrs. Col. and I want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for this year, and a lot to reflect upon while in winter camp. Conner Prairie has confirmed that a room is available for our winter meeting on the second floor of the museum at Conner Prairie, to be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, Jan.18, 2014. We have a lot to discuss on the agenda. I am getting information gathered for midwest events as well as national events that we will have to vote on attending. An important decision needs to be made on when to hold the fall meeting at which we vote on positions of the battalion staff. Next year we vote upon Col., Lt. Col. and Major positions, and we need to have an event where most of the battalion co. are in attendance. That will work itself out once we figure out where the battalion companies want to attend events. Those co. who put on events may want to find out if their events can support more battalion co. in attendance. The yanks are working on at least one if not two new events for our region. Feb. is already filling up with the winter battle at Spring Mill State Park and the Indianapolis Assembly Ball. Col. G and PACS is hoping we can come over in force to the 150th Wilderness the first week of May. So keep your ears open for other events we can talk about at the winter meeting. Fellows, this has been an active, long re-enacting season, and I really appreciated your attendance at Hartford City this year, and I believe all had a good time. It seems for half the season, I was breveted to a higher rank and while the staff took care of the troops, I still missed being in front of the IGB. We have been invited back to H.C. next year, as well as to Conner Prairie, to which the uniform issue is being hashed out and hopefully solved by the time of the winter meeting. Conner Prairie want us back, and as I have explained to them, their event will look silly with 100 yanks and 10-15 Confederates. So I have things to work on while in winter quarters. I will report back to you in December. In the meantime, eat plenty, be thankful for what you have, help those in need and keep our modern troops in your prayers as well. I remain
your obedient servant,
Dave Julian, Colonel, Independent Guard Battalion
