150th Gettysburg self-congratulations

Rico says he is proud to have been a reenactor at the 150th:

The 150th Gettysburg Anniversary National Civil War Reenactment is now just a memory, but what a fabulous memory it is! There were approximately eleven thousand reenactors, one hundred forty cannons, four hundred horses, and sixty thousand spectators over the four days. There were seventy cannons per side for Pickett's Charge, possibly the most ever on the field. The Wheatfield engagement on Friday and Pickett's Charge on Sunday can only be described as spectacular. The Gettysburg Anniversary Committee, the military command staff, and the living history staff were well aware that the excitement and expectations of the reenactors, visitors, and the community was very high for this special event. As a matter of fact, over the top could be a more apt description. That fact became even more obvious every day and every hour as we talked to visitors and reenactors from across the country and around the world; and they expressed what the event meant to them. In the end it meant a lot of different things, to a lot of different people. Personally listening to all those reasons was revealing, satisfying and emotional. If you missed this event, you missed one of the best reenactments ever!
It is with not one ounce of exaggeration that the positive comments, accolades and job well done remarks are coming in bunches from reenactors, visitors, and the Gettysburg community for the 150th Gettysburg National Reenactment. As reenactors were leaving the site on Sunday, after being soaked and then stuck for some time in typical post-large-event traffic, time after time they rolled down their window and said to the staff "great event, job well done, thank you, we will be back." As visitors stood in line, drenched in the pouring down rain after Pickett's Charge on Sunday, waiting to load shuttle buses, they had nothing but positive comments, attitudes and observations regarding the scenarios and event organization. Community leaders and residents have nothing but good things to say about this event, organization and execution. General Gesuero echoes that sentiment in his commander's post by saying: "With an unprecedented level of cooperation on all levels, this event was an outstanding success. The feedback we have had has been overwhelmingly positive and it continues to flood in. General Baldwin also accurately comments in his post that "the 150th Gettysburg National Reenactment will be remembered as the pinnacle of 150th events."
We must tell you, as a community organization that has worked tirelessly for eighteen years to do these events responsibly, those comments and remarks are very gratifying given the significance, anticipation, and dynamics for this event.
With all the aforementioned compliments, there was one compliment that was especially noteworthy and appreciated. At the officers soirée Saturday evening at the historic Entwistle homestead, ANV General Jake Jennette reflected on the week, and made the following observation: in his 37 years of reenacting, this was the best event he had ever attended, including the numerous events he had personally organized or helped organize. He also commented that GAC listened to the reenactment community and followed through with every single thing they promised. That is high praise indeed! Thank you, General Jennette! Also very worthy of notice and recognition was General Ron Palase leading his troops and defending the wall during Pickett's Charge for the last time. Well done and thank you, General Palese, for your eighteen years of friendship and support!! We would also like to thank General Baldwin and General Gesuero and all their staffs, as well as our own GAC staff, living history coordinator Kirk Davis, as well as the Redding and Entwistle families, for their tireless efforts in the past year to help make this reenactment one to remember for a life-time for reenactors, visitors, and the community. When you have a chance, give Generals Baldwin, Gesuero and coordinator Kirk Davis a pat on the back and personal thank you for their supreme effort in making this a great event!