A Young Man's Art
Reliving the battle at Gettysburg
By Alex Davis

This weekend I'll don a dark blue wool uniform and a kepi as I fight for the North during the turning point of the Civil War at Gettysburg.

It will be my first time as a re-enactor, joining 10,000 others as we relive the historic battle from July 1-3, 1863.

We'll be dodging bullets, scouring fields, sleeping in a tent, listening to orders and hearing the sounds of drummers. Authenticity is important -- no cellphones, cameras or other gadgets from more modern times are allowed.

The script calls for me to be a newspaper reporter covering the battle in 1863, but I've already been advised that a gun may be put in my hands to defend the Union side against the Confederates.

Either way, I plan to share my journal entries in a future column.

Since my muster into the re-enactment rolls, I've been soaking up knowledge. I've read about four books on the subject, from personal accounts to fiction pieces.

I already have an inkling what to expect thanks to reallife assignments covering the Bucktails for area newspapers, including a raft construction and a camp re-enactment in Driftwood.

My love for the Civil War began at Cameron County High School, thanks to one of my seventh-grade teachers, Ryan Best. That year, I visited Gettysburg for the first time and was fascinated by the setting. I immediately started reading up on the subject.

It was by chance that I got recruited for the upcoming adventure. A friend at Pitt- Bradford also had a passionate interest in the Civil War, particularly the Bucktail regiment. Soon, he registered me for the Union cause.

As I prepare for battle with the 13th Infantry, I can't help wondering what went through the minds of those boys and young men who did it for real. Lumbermen, raftsmen and farmers answered the call to duty from Colonel Thomas Kane and marched off to save the Union.

They met in Driftwood and built four wooden rafts en route to Harrisburg to train for battle.

We'll have it a bit easier, making the trek to Gettysburg by motor vehicle, air-conditioned if necessary for the early July heat

It's bound to be an experience of a lifetime.