Dear Staff, officers and members of the Independent Guard Battalion,
Greetings! It finally looks like Spring will soon be upon us. I need to know who is planning on attending the Spotsylvania/Wilderness national event the first weekend of May. PACS is asking for a troop estimate. I know the 50 Va is planning on attending as well as the 5 Ky. If we have one more company we will be able to be our own Battalion. With just 2 companies we won't know until we arrive if we will be divided and put with another Battalion or have other co. fall in with us. Let me know soon.
I have another item of importance. This is the last year of my current term of office. With a good deal of time spent in consideration and thought, I have decided to not run for Colonel of the Independent Guard Battalion at the elections to be held at Hartford City in October. This is my 35th year of re-enacting, and I need to re-charge my batteries. Three things have contributed to my decision. First, I will be 65 in June and my body is telling me to slow down. I am forcing it to do things that is taking me longer to recover from. My feet hurt constantly, my knees hurt most of the time. I am just falling apart and pushing myself is contributing to my deteriation. Secondly, my work is fortunately picking up which takes away time from Coloneling. Lastly, I think new blood is needed in the position of Colonel. I just don't have the time or energy to devote to the guidance of the Independent Guard Battalion, and it is suffering for that. I want the I.G.B. to continue on, and I don't want to drag it down. Those interested in running for any of the Colonel, Lt. Colonel and Major positions must inform the Adj. Lt. Porter 60 days before the elections, which would be end of July-1st of August.
I want this last year of my being Colonel to be a good one for all of you. I have been studying revising some of our Battalion movements and will try one or two of those as well as the normal ones at our Conner Prairie event in May. If I don't see you at the Wilderness 150th event, then I'll look forward to seeing you at Conner Prairie. I remain
your obedient servant,
Dave Julian, Col., Independent Guard Battalion
