44TH
Georgia Volunteer Infantry
Company C Johnson Guards
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE
#1 UNIT NAME:
44TH
Georgia Volunteer Infantry Company C.
ARTICLE
#2 PURPOSE:
To
serve as a living conduit back to the CSA soldier in Company C and 44th
G.V.I., through ongoing educational and living history programs.
To
assist with the interpretive activities of local, state, and national
historic sites.
ARTICLE
#3 MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS:
1.
Military
members must be male and a minimum of 16 years of age.
a.
Exceptions;
musician, minimum of 12 years of age.
2.
Civilian
members are without age restrictions:
a.
Civilian
impressions may be limited or not allowed at specific sites.
3.
Members
under 18 years of age:
a.
Must
have parental supervision at all events.
b.
Parents
must sign a liability waiver to enable military impression.
4.
All
members 16 and older are Associate members with one vote.
5.
Military
issues will be voted by the military only.
6. When you complete your membership application, paid insurance dues, to the Officer, and when you participate in your first event in uniform.
7. All members must participate in one event per year, to remain active.
8.
All
members that are present at an event, with the 44th be present should serve
with the 44th. Except, when any other unit that they are members of, then
they can serve with what ever unit they so choose, but will only receive
credit for attendance if serving with the 44th.
9.
Any
member can resign by a letter to the Captain he will be issued a discharged.
ARTICLE
#4 OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION:
1.
Captain:
Clark Van Buskirk 2005 thru 2008
a.
Assume
the responsibility for managing the association
b.
Can
be Brevet to Major when done so by event
management.
2.
1st
Sergeant:
Mike Ferry 2006 thru 2008
a.
Assist
the Captain in the duties of the office.
b.
Act
as Brevet Lieutenant in the Captain absence.
3.
2nd
Sergeant:
Rick Sasor, 2007 thru 2009,
a. Assist the Captain in the duties of the office.
b. Act as Brevet 1st Sergeant in the Sergeant absence
4.
If
any officer resign his rank will be replaced at
the yearly meeting.
ARTICLE
#5 COMMITTEES:
1.
The
Association can form committees as they see the need.
a.
Two
or more members will constitute a committee with one member being appointed
chairman.
b.
The
Association will dissolve the committee upon the acceptance of its finial
report.
ARTICLE
#6 DUES:
1.
Yearly
dues are set by Insurance Cost 2007 it will be at $13.00 for ANV Unit
Insurance
a.
Event
registration, rations, may require additional cost from the membership.
b.
Membership
is from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of that year.
ARTICLE
#7 MEETINGS:
1.
All
meetings are to be held in camp.
2.
The
yearly meeting a quorum is those that are present.
3.
There
must be 1/2 of the membership present to have a quorum, except for the
yearly meeting
4.
The
yearly meeting will be held at the last event in October at 5:00 PM.
5.
The
date and location of all other meetings will be give notice 2 week's before
the event.
6.
Roberts’
Rules of Order will govern all meetings.
ARTICLE
#8 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION:
1.
The
constitution may be amended by a 2/3 majority vote of the active membership
at a meeting
2.
This
change will not go into effect for one week after said meeting.
ARTICLE
#9 MILITARY RANK WITHIN THE CORPORATION:
1.
Guidelines
for establishment of rank:
a.
1
to 5 members = Sergeant
b.
6
to 10 members = Lieutenant,
Sergeant
c.
11
to 20 members =
Captain, Sergeant, Corporal.
d.
21
to 29 members = Captain, Sergeant, 2 Corporals.
e.
30
to 35 Members = Captain, 2 Sergeant, 4 Corporals.
f.
1st.Sargeant
is the man with the longest rank as Sergeant
g.
1st
Corporal is the Corporal who is the tallest man of all the Corporal's
2.
All military rank will be voted on at the yearly meeting by the membership.
a.
The
vote will be a simple majority.
3.
Minimum
requirements for elected rank:.
Corporal:
a. No one under the age of 19 will hold rank.
b. One
year active member in good standing and competent in the school of the
soldier
c. Elected
term will be two year, odd even year.
d. He
must be willing to be present at 50% of the events
Sergeant:
a. Two
years active member in good standing and competent in the school of the
soldier, and school of the company
b. Elected
term will be two years.
c. Must
have served as a Corporal for one year.
d. He
must be willing to be present at 60% of the events.
Line
Officer:
a. Three
years active member in good standing and competent in the school of the
soldier, school of the company, school of officer.
b. Must
be able to maintain the military bearing and discipline that the position
requires at all times
c. Must
have served as a Private, Corporal, and Sergeant each for one year.
d. Must
procure all uniforms and equipment necessary to accurately portray the
position
e. Must
be able to teach all requirements needed to hold all lower ranks
f. Must
be able to work cohesively with other organizations and levels of command
when in the field
g. Must
be willing to assume full time responsibility for the welfare and safety of
all the men under his command.
h.
Elected term will be three years.
i. He
must be willing to be present ay 90% of the events.
j.
He may Brevet the Sergeant to the rank of Lieutenant for that
event.
k.
He may Brevet the NCO one rank above there present rank for that event.
4. Duties
of the rank
a. Line
Officer: commander of the unit at any event.
To work with the event staff and CSA Staff.
To make sure all event information is past on to the membership. To
collect and send in any money for any paid event.
To maintain a roster of the unit.
To insure that the unit maintain the highest
quality of standard possible at all time’s.
b. Sergeant:
To work with the line
officer. The Training of the
Corporals of the unit.
To insure that the camp is in proper order at all times.
To insure that the men are in proper order.
To maintain a roll of members at any event.
c. Corporal:
To work with the Sergeant at any event.
The
Training of all new men of the unit.
To insure that the men are in proper order at all times.
ARTICLE
#10 PERSONAL DEPORTMENT:
1. All
members of Company C will maintain the highest level of personal conduct.
2.
Alcohol should not be consumed at any event.
3. All members must obey the commands of the NCOs and officers.
a. Disrespectful or
insubordinate behavior towards any ranking individual will not be tolerated.
4.
Military organizations are un-democratic in the field.
5. Smoking
should be curtailed during living history type programs should never include
the use of cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or snuff.
6. Abusive
or profane language and behavior will not be tolerated from any member.
7. A
family atmosphere will be maintained at all events and programs.
8. Horseplay
with or without weapons will not be tolerated from any member.
9.
Each member will bring a bed roll, and a seat to
all events.
10.
If a member is not at the Morning Drill he may not fight in the afternoon
battle.
11.
Members requiring glasses must obtain period spectacles or use contact
lenses.
12.
Must make physical problems or medical conditions know to the Officer.
13. Any
violations of proper deportment could cause the offender to be expelled from
the event by the ranking Officer.
ARTICLE
#11 AUTHENTICITIES:
1. Every
effort will be made by all members to authentically portray our forebears
2. The
uniform will be that of the ANV 1862-64
3. Shoulder
weapons must be pre 1865 three-band muzzle loading military muskets.
4. Only
the Office will carry a sidearm
5. No
belt knives are to be worn.
6.
The size of Company "C" on July 1, 1863 was 35 men. Captain,
First Sergeant, 2nd Sergeant, First Corporal, Second Corporal, Third
Corporal, and 4th Corporal with 28
Privates. There was 2 Platoons 1 Sergeant, 2 Corporal's, and 14 Privates
in each.
7.
The 44th can have no more then 35 active men on there rooster at any time
with the above rank.
8.
Each member will be given the name of an ordinal member of the 44th to
portray at Living History Programs.
9.
Jewelry is unacceptable with exception of plain gold and silver wedding
bands.
10.
Period Masonic emblems for those who wish to display their membership.
11.
The personal timepiece of the Civil War was a pocket watch.
ARTICLE
#12 TRAINING:
1. The
Officer, and NCOs
are to do training of the membership.
2. The
Officer will ensure
safe weapons handling procedures are taught to all members.
ARTICLE
#13 SAFE FIREARMS HANDLING PRACTICES.
1/
Always assume a firearm is loaded.
2/ Never
point a firearm at another person.
a.
Always
be aware of the direction your muzzle is pointing.
b.
Whenever
possible keep the muzzle of the firearm up.
c.
Always
use elevated aiming techniques during battle reenactments.
d.
Do
not fire at opposing lines of soldiers at less than 25 yards.
3/
Maintain a safe and sensible cartridge
A.
Construction:
a.
Roll
paper cartridge tubes from light type paper, secure by twisting, and
folding.
b.
Power
charge to be no more than 60 to 80 grains of black powder
c.
When
complete. Cartridges are to resemble arsenal made cartridges.
4/
Never assume another person’s firearm is unloaded.
5/
Never load a firearm unless your Officer tells you to load.
6/
Never set aside a loaded weapon.
7/
Never allow a spectator to take control of any firearm or edged weapon.
8/
Load your firearm using approved tactical procedures.
A.
Keep
your hand from in front of the muzzle while pouring powder.
B.
Keep
your hand from in front of the muzzle when returning rammer.
C.
Ram
cartridge only when told to do so by the Officer in charge.
9/
You must always maintain a clean and mechanically
sound firearm.
A.
Your
firearm must be cleaned and inspected by you at the start and end of each
day’s activities.
10/
Never rest any portion of your body over the muzzle of a firearm.
11/
Your weapon must be secured when it is not in
your hands.
A.
Stacked
B.
Covered
and out of sight.
C.
Locked
in your vehicle.
12/
You must abide by all local, state, and federal
firearms laws as they relate to pre-1898 reproduction black powder firearms.
13/
No one under the age 16 is to handle functional firearm, ammunitions in any
form.
14/
Black powder must be handled with utmost care.
A. Do not transport more that you intend to use at an event.
B.
Never
handle black powder near an open flame or other ignition source.
C.
Abide
by all local, state, and federal laws concerning it’s
proper storage and transportation.
Was
adopted on December 2, 2001 by the 44th Georgia Vol. Inf. Company
C membership.
Rev. number 6 was approved on October 13,
2007 at meeting of the 44th GVI.