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INTRODUCTION TO THE U.S. CAVALRY The United States Cavalry was officially designated as the mounted force of the US Army on the 3rd of August, 1861. The role of these soldiers was focused mainly on reconnaissance, defensive actions, pursuing and harassing enemy forces, and long-distance raids on enemy supply lines. These men were present in nearly every campaign during the Civil War and played a major part in the outcome of it. AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 1861-1865 During the beginning of the American Civil War, the Confederates enjoyed the advantage they had in their cavalry, as most southern men were accustomed to riding and shooting. A majority of the experienced cavalry officers from the regular army had chosen to side with the Confederacy. On average, at least in the beginning, your typical southerner horseman was superior to their northern counterpart. The Union started the war with five regular mounted regiments, and was initially reluctant to enlist additional regiments. This was due to the expense and the training needed to be an effective cavalryman, which could take up to two years. As the war continued, the value of a strong mounted force was eventually recognized, and numerous volunteer cavalry regiments were added to the army. It was the summer of 1863, during the Battle of Brandy Station that the Union cavalry was finally recognized as having comparable competence to their Confederate counterparts, despite the battle resulting in a southern victory. RECONSTRUCTION ERA 1866-1875+ After the war, previously Confederate states still housed a large number of heavily armed unreconciled former enemies who possessed a developed ideology of resistance. This ideology, white-supremacy, was put on a virulent display after the Battle of Appomattox Courthouse. For nearly a decade after the Civil War, cavalry regiments played a crucial role in suppressing vigilante justice and preserving public order. The cavalry was also charged with protecting American settlers, businesses, wagon trains, railroaders, and gold seekers from Indian attacks. They were meant to operate on the western frontiers of the rapidly expanding nation. As the borders of the US expanded, so did the territory covered by the cavalry. Soon, forts were set up from the freezing northern Nebraska and Dakota territories, to the scorching deserts of Texas and Arizona. 3D. CAVALRY REGIMENT, 'BRAVE RIFLES' “Blood and Steel” First organized in 1846 as an elite Mounted Riflemen Regiment that effectively combined the firepower of heavy infantry with the mobility of the cavalry horse. They were formed to safeguard the settlers on the frontier. The regiment distinguished themselves in the Mexican War from the battle at Vera Cruz, to storming the Chapultepec Fortress in Mexico City, earning their title “Brave Rifles”. General Winfield Scott provided one of the regiment’s oldest traditions with his accolades, “Brave Rifles! Veterans! You have been baptized in fire and blood, and come out steel!” Painting depicting Brave Rifles baptism by fire in New Mexico After the Mexican War, the regiment was moved back to the frontier where they engaged hostile Indians in Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. When the Civil War started, the regiment was stationed along the Rio Grande River in New Mexico, and it was at that time that mounted rifle regiments were officially re-designated as cavalry, and the Mounted Riflemen Regiment became the 3rd US Cavalry Regiment. One of their notable accomplishments during the Civil War was their participation in the New Mexico Campaign. The 3rd Cavalry Regiment helped to stop the Confederate invasion by destroying the enemy's supply train. While in Lannahechee, the 3rd Cavalry Regiment was part of the Union forces that conquered the city of Saint Denis. In addition, it participated in the Battle of Citadel Rock, "the 3rd US Cavalry charged down Citadel Rock, slamming the (confederate) unit in its rear. It was an absolute slaughter. With an estimated 375 men from the confederate forces dying, while the Union only suffered 112 casualties." It also participated in the Battle of Scarlett Meadows, the final battle of the Civil War in the State of Lannahechee, where it charged down Dewberry Creek all the way to the South Field Flats, just outside of the town of Rhodes. The confederate forces, who were caught off-guard with the quick movement of the regiment, were forced to retreat and later on into a bloody last stand at Bolger Glade. Depiction of 3CR destroying rebel supply lines After the Civil War, the regiment fought hostile Indian forces on the frontier for many years, and it’s from this time that the unit draws upon its cavalry traditions. FRONTIER DUTY Following the war, the cavalry was overrun with commissioned officers and not enough enlisted men. Most of the enlisted men who served in the war were done fighting and returned home to their families. It was extremely difficult to recruit men for such a hazardous and sometimes fatal duty. Ranks of the enlisted ended up filled with ex-confederate enlisted, criminals, adventurers, and even ex-confederate officers who were now serving as corporals and sergeants. The army even turned their eyes and looked to Irish and German immigrants to help fill up the ranks. The cavalry was a good way to simply disappear and start a new life with few questions asked. Garrison life was incredibly boring, but it was a picnic compared to being on patrol or being on a campaign. Days were long and sometimes exhausting, so the men would often turn to reading, horse racing, boxing, and of course gambling in every conceivable form. They did just about anything to keep themselves entertained when not busy with their duties. A considerable amount of time was often spent taking care of the horses. Officers were well aware that the success of a mounted soldier demanded that the horses be in top condition, and so a Stable Call was sounded twice a day. Each horse was groomed and cared for meticulously, as every soldier from recruit to captain knew that a man without a horse, is a man who walks. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Officers from West Point or “professional officers” were those that had received formal military training from an academy. There was another group of officers, ones that had never attended a military academy but received their rank by being elected by the enlisted or been appointed by a governor. The practice of electing officers died out nearing the end of the Civil War, but many officers from that time remained in service. Generally, the army provided soldiers with horses, but some officers would use their own horse as their mount. This was also the case with firearms. More well-off officers were sometimes seen using their own personalized or non-standard issue sidearm. Many enlisted men who joined during the years following the Civil War didn’t have much of an education. Some may have had a bit of schooling here and there, but there were also many who were borderline illiterate. Training the enlisted received wasn’t the best. Their training regiments mostly consisted of the manual of arms, company and regimental drills in basic maneuvers, skirmishing tactics, and sometimes target practice. Much of what the men learned about combat was picked up from actual engagements. I Wanna Be In The Cavalry HOW TO JOIN This faction's primary objective is to accurately portray the every day lives of members of a Cavalry Regiment in the mid 1870s, amidst the height of the Indian Wars. Although this is a faction in which you can expect a healthy amount of conflict and action, our focus is on character development and creating interesting storylines, not just mindless battling. You can expect daily passive RP to take place around the clock, and we cover quite a large time-zone. For those interested in joining the faction, our recruiting methods are mainly in-game. We advise you to join us as already established characters with friends/family, associates and perhaps even past experience or education. When you come to join our faction, you will suddenly have a plethora of experiences to draw from, and your RP will not be limited to what you have seen during your time serving in our force. In some cases, we may offer the ability for an individual to skip the 'volunteer' phase of our faction, normally RPing as a transfer from another Company. This is normally restricted for older aged, veteran characters who want to draw from a fictional backstory to drive their character or unique concepts such as native scouts. In order to join you first must join our Discord, once you're there simply inform us that you wish to join and we'll let you know when we are in-game and how to actually participate in our roleplay.

History Braithwaite Manor stands 63 years old, having been finished in 1812 as a Plantation by Samuel W. Braithwaite as a domicile and business centre of the prominent Lemoyne family. Just two years prior to the completion of the manor, the wife of Braithwaite had died in childbirth something that had driven the man into a spiral of drinking, gambling and most importantly mismanagement of the estate until his eventual death in 1837. Braithwaite had left his entire estate to his only surviving child, his daughter Grace E. Colegrove (née Braithwaite), who had married a trader of a significantly less prominently family. However, together the two turned the fortunes of the once mismanaged plantation. One field turned to two. Two turned to four. A variety of crops, an orchard, a small hamlet. Slowly, but surely the estate reached its zenith, benefiting heavily from slave labor as tensions around the practice mounted. A nouveau riche family sort to legitimise themselves in the area and by 1845, a union between the two largest plantations in Lemoyne occurred as John B. Colegrove married Edith M. du Baude, with several kids following over the next many years. Family and pleasure so intrinsically mixed with business as the two families combined for a marked percentage of production in the county of Lemoyne. Though no golden age lasts forever and as the Civil War broke out, the Colegroves found themselves embroiled in a struggle, as John B. Colegrove, as well as his eldest son Thomas G. Colegrove joined the confederate army and fought for their rights and perhaps more distinctly their economical interests, a war that would leave deep marks in the family as well as the plantation long after the war was over. Concept From estate family to field-hand, from lady to gunslinger. The idea is to provide a fun experience across the board for everyone who wishes to involve themselves with the faction and concept, while staying as true to the time period as we can. The focus of will be on the individual relation between all characters that come across one another in conjuction with the manor, creating a microcosm of the post-reconstruction era, with all that comes with it. Family drama in regards to different loyalties, class divides within a singular household and the horrible experiences endured prior, during and after the civil war, and of course how people manoeuvre and navigate such a tumultuous period of time. We wish to provide the backdrop for everyone to create a vibrant, dynamic and engaging RP environment where the player is central rather than the faction itself. We aim for equal opportunity roleplay between all characters and players, regardless of their post character's past allegiances, their race or their gender within good taste of keeping authentic to the time period, hopefully creating an equally fun experience for everyone involved. Life at the Manor As can be expected of a large, now former, slave-plantation there will a great amount of variety in roles that could fit within the confines of the plot of land. This could be everything from a common field-hand with dreams of something more, a veteran who picks up a check as a hired gun all the way to handmaiden or horse-trainer. The world really is your oyster, as the goal for the manor is to set the base for you to be able to engage with the wider Lemoyne community. Creating a place of origin that you can call home. Providing jobs, housing and community for all in and around the manor, as well as the larger community. As such, families are encouraged to come to the manor and live out of the small hamlet at the end of the plantation, creating a small, but important nucleus of workers with relations to one another, unifying the whole area as one large family in spirit if not in name, extending on an OOC level where IC limitations are met. Walk-up RP while your character earns for the day and life, in the progression of their own unfolding story. Be you a recently freed man, a veteran of the wars, a dandy, the farmgirl or the aristocratic princess, then there's room for you here so that you can unlock your story as you see fit. Interested? If any of this has struck your interest, you are more than welcome to ask questions be that in a forum PM, or simply by following a link to our discord or directly snoopy.#0001 / Snoopy. We are more than happy to help or discuss potential character ideas, concepts or connections.

The Watsikatu's recruitment is currently open. If interested, contact JacenM#1337 or K Y L E#2900 on Discord. This is not intended to be a deathmatching mayhem faction. That is not what we want to do here. We are portraying an unpacified tribe of nomadic Native Americans, fiercely resistant to colonization and protective of their ancestral lands, which they believe the European invaders have no right to take from them.

Caliga Hall History Before they relocated to Lannahechee and bought Caliga Hall, the Rutledge family had a lengthy and proud history. They were a well-known and respected family in Virginia, where they were known for their firmly Southern ideals and commitment to the region. The patriarch of the family, Andrew Rutledge's father, was a prosperous businessman and a respected citizen. He taught his children the value of hard labor, ethics, and tradition while instilling in them a strong sense of southern values. Andrew Rutledge acquired the value of business savvy and the fundamentals of commerce as a child; these abilities eventually assisted him in creating a prosperous business empire. The Rutledge family's primary line of business was growing and processing tobacco on a sizable plantation in Virginia. They were well-connected to tobacco merchants and producers and had a thorough understanding of the crop. As one of the state's most prosperous tobacco businesses, theirs was instrumental in the Rutledge family's rise to affluence and notoriety. The family is well-known for its philanthropy and dedication to improvement, and it has strong links to the community. They participated in Virginia's political scene and supported a number of social and educational activities. The Rutledge family was strongly Confederate throughout the Civil War, and they backed the struggle to retain the right to own slaves. They supported the initiative by donating their materials and labor. They had the chance to go to Lannahechee after the war, where they believed their principles and way of life would be more respected as a result of the losses and changing circumstances. They viewed it as an opportunity to start again, recover their financial situation, and continue to advance their southern values and aspirations in a new state. The tough choice to sell Caliga Hall to the affluent Rutledge family, who had gained their fortune in the tobacco business, was made by the du Baude family in 1876. The du Baudes found the sale to be a hard pill to take because they had long viewed Caliga Hall as a representation of their status and power. They regretfully decided to sell the plantation, but they had no other choice. The Rutledge family was able to engage in new economic prospects in Lannahechee, including the purchase of Caliga Hall, using the revenues from their lucrative tobacco business. The plantation was viewed as the ideal opportunity for them to grow their agricultural activities and diversify their business portfolio due to its fertile terrain and advantageous location. The Rutledge family's new chapter officially began with the purchase of Caliga Hall. They were able to keep promoting the principles and ideals of the South and improving the lives of the local populace. They were able to use their knowledge and experience in the tobacco industry to help Caliga Hall produce tobacco and alcohol, which enabled the plantation to grow and become one of the most prosperous and successful in the area. The Rutledge family is a close-knit group of people that shares a common set of values and beliefs due to their deep origins in southern heritage. They saw the purchase of Caliga Hall as a chance to protect their way of life and southern values in addition to carrying on their family's tradition of agricultural success, particularly in the tobacco industry. Business The Rutledge family's operations at the Caliga Hall plantation are centered around the cultivation and production of tobacco as well as alcohol. The family has a long history of growing tobacco on their land in Virginia, and it is also a key source of income for the newly acquired plantation. They have a deep understanding of the crop and the land and they have developed traditional and sustainable farming methods that allow them to produce high-quality tobacco leaves. In addition to the tobacco business, the family also produces alcohol, specifically moonshine. They have a small distillery located in a secluded area of the plantation where they produce high-quality moonshine. The family uses locally sourced ingredients and traditional methods to produce their alcohol. They also take great care in aging and flavoring the alcohol to achieve a unique taste and aroma. The family takes pride in the quality of their products and they are constantly looking for ways to improve and innovate. They are always seeking out new markets for their products and building relationships with local merchants and wholesalers to expand their reach.

The Clyde Pickett Posse (aka the Pickett Gang) is one of the loosely organized Outlaw gangs operating out of Valentine, LH and is synonymous with the rancher and cowboy lifestyle and aesthetics associated with the town of Valentine. They’re responsible for a large portion of the horse theft, robbery, and murder in Valentine and surrounding areas. Clyde Pickett, a Valentine native, and well-known Valentine troublemaker and menace is generally thought of to be the founder and sole leader of the gang. Instead, the gang operates more as a “band of brothers” where members theoretically have equal say in activities, an equal share in profits, and a lack of leader among them. However, several key gang members hold influence over others. These people included “Clickety” Clyde Pickett, ''Deadeye'' Jim Levy, The Emmett & Elliot "Cheville Twins", Billy “Bad Ass” Calloway, Deacon “Iron Red” Lanning, Jesse Hughes & John ''John Boy'' Tanner. Extortion was one of the primary means of income for gang members, with members terrorizing their local townsfolk and surrounding communities, squeezing people out of their savings in a time of dissolution and poverty; a couple of dollars at a time. Travelers making their way throughout the Heartlands would often fall victim to this young band of Outlaws, who often left rotten carcasses as bait or posed as injured fellow travelers and people in distress, only to launch their traps. Clyde Pickett's reign of terror continued up into his early twenties when he saw several members of his gang fall victim and die at the hands of Law, many of Pinkerton Agents and Lawmen also having died whilst attempting to capture and kill these renowned Outlaws. Pickett gang members that have since perished range from Jim Levy, "John Boy" Tanner, and "Billy Badass" Calloway. Calloway was a Deputized gang member for the New Hanover Sheriffs' office which proved helpful to Clyde and kept him one step ahead of the Law and out of their grasp even after Billy Calloway's death. Clyde was fortunate to give the Law, agents, and hunters a slip at every turn, they never could seem to catch him. He had a knack for evading them whilst still carrying out his crimes. He would often go in and out of hiding. Spanning years his gang partook in several horrific instances ranging from highway robberies, a string of capital murders, horse theft and cattle rustling. They would kill anyone who would get in their way for the sack of the coin. One Ranch that was often targeted by this gang was Sundry Ranch, having had farmhands be slain just trying to fend them off. This band of desperados was truly the worst of the worst, bottom of the barrel one could say. The few key members that are still roaming around anyway. The gang is not as strong as it once was and a majority of the gang members are split up all over the state. Given Clyde's infamy, he's bounced all over Lannahechee and even crossed state lines into New Austin and the Rio Bravo just to elude capture. He'd set up ambushes for the US Marshals and the likes would they even come close, having sought refuge in the treacherous desert, he befriended a gang of Bandidos and The Ballard Gang. Word travels and they grew fond of the Outlaw, helping him stay out of the Law's reach. For now, he's mostly settled down with the spoils he still has but it was never gonna last. He's back to his old ways and searching for his old pals to once again reign terror.

The Confederation of Ahap was a powerful force in the Northern United States Consisting of four tribes - Cehtangi, Dereme, Dahede, and Tohwyen - the Confederation had established itself as a formidable presence in the region. Of the four tribes, Cehtangi was the largest and most influential. Despite their strength, however, the Confederation found themselves stuck on the Wapiti Reservation by 1876, as white settlers continued to push westward and claim more and more land. a small patch of land allocated to them by the US government. The once-strong Confederation of Ahap has become a shadow of its former self, reduced to mere remnants of the four tribes that once formed it. Years of conflict and hardship, compounded by forced relocation to the Wapiti Reservation, have taken their toll on the Confederation. The tribes struggle to maintain their cultural identity and way of life amidst the challenges of assimilation and economic hardship.

Pronghorn Ranch A massive property in the shadow of Mount Shann and bordering the idyllic fields along the Little Creek River, Pronghorn Ranch provides its residents and visitors an escape from fast-paced town life and the rapid encroachment of modernity. Its inhabitants are, by-and-large, people who sought an escape from the huddled towns or bustling cities, favoring a pastoral and honest-working day-to-day. While the remote wilderness offers its own dangers, the freedom it grants to its residents is well worth the cost. Wary of outsiders, but welcoming to anyone without ill-intent, the inhabitants of Pronghorn Ranch are a tight-knit group of friends who eke out a living in northern West Elizabeth. While the first to settle on the ranch were a few friends escaping the troubles of Valentine, the ranch has since welcomed more ranchhands and residents. Together, they provide the communities in West Elizabeth with fresh dairy and produce, and seek to expand their venture to build a more comfortable life for themselves.