The most important thing about skirmishing is remembering the many people, men and women, who fought the Civil War both at home and on the battlefield. No matter which side they were on, these people gave everything they could for the cause in which they believed. To be able to represent them and keep their memory alive is the greatest thing we can do in all our activities.

Many of our veteran skirmishers can remember the early days, when there were many ranges available for our use. One such range was, and still is, Ft. Mahone, near Capron, Va. The land was given to Dr. Mills Britt in 1970 by his late father, John M. Britt. Dr. Mills and his teammates of the Southampton Greys began working to turn a cow pasture into a firing range where the team could practice and host regional skirmishes. In the beginning, there was no running water, and a single outhouse constituted the range facilities.

As time passed, and many other ranges were closed, Ft. Mahone became the principal range of the Tidewater Region. The more it was used, the more obvious it became that improvements would have to be made to the property. Under the leadership of Benny Baines, commander of the Greys at the time, and with the approval of Dr. Britt, the work was begun.

Now, after long years of planning and hard work, we are nearing the completion of the project with new buildings and new facilities in place. We extend out sincere appreciation to all the individuals and units who have helped by donating money, supplies and much-needed help. It is an honor to have the support of so many people dedicated to providing the best range possible for everyone to enjoy.

With the range work nearly completed, we welcome all skirmishers and their families to come out and have a good time. With your support, we and our future generations will be able to enjoy skirmishing at Ft. Mahone for many years to come.

Patrick O. Blackmon, Southampton Greys

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This view of Ft. Mahone shows a peaceful rural setting surrounding the recently-constructed range tower and support facilities.

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* Reprinted from the March-April 1995 issue of The Skirmish Line.

Note: The range work is complete with new buildings, running water and flush toilets.

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