Unfortunately I didn't plan out my visit with this group as well as I would've liked but did get to meet them nonetheless. We arrived as the group was putting on a demonstration about the uniforms, equipment and weaponry of a Union soldier as well give a firing demonstration. I was able to talk to some of the guys about the unit but the highlight to me was being able to hold a weapon that, according to them, was more than likely a Dimmick though it wasn't stamped as a Dimmick. That dag gum thing was heavy!!!!!!!!
The impression that I would probably gear myself toward would be more of your average soldier in the 66th probably aiming more toward mid ’62 to late ’64 timeframe, though any information about the unit would aid my knowledge about the unit greatly. I’ve been to the National Archives several times and I have briefly read some of the entries in the descriptive list of the Regimental books. Unfortunately from what I remember there isn’t a lot of information there for me to go on but I do look forward to going back and proving myself wrong.
I’ve also read “With the Western Sharpshooters--Michigan Boys of Company D, 66th Illinois” by Lorenzo A. Barker, very good book. Do you know of any libraries that might have the regimental history of the 66th available and might be willing to loan it out to another library (inter-library loan). I haven’t seen any available and the guys I talked to this weekend said that they’ve seen only one copy and that was for sale STARTING in the four figure mark!!!
Thanks again and I'm looking forward to talking to you about the 66th.
v/r
Brent Reidenbach