AREA 'BUCKTAILS' MAKE RETURN TO GETTYSBURG
By Alex Davis Endeavor News

Emporium's Ron Armstrong (right) shows journalist Alex Davis how to use a musket to fight against the Confederate lines. Zach Karenchak photo

More than a dozen Civil War re-enactors from Cameron, Potter, Elk and McKean counties portrayed the local fighting brigade, nicknamed the "Bucktails," as they relived the Battle of Gettysburg last weekend.

Members gained a deeper appreciation for what the reallife soldiers endured as they shared stories, told jokes, camped in white canvas tents and, most of all, defended the Union against Confederate forces. They joined some 15,000 others who converged upon Gettysburg for the anniversary of that pivotal battle of July 1-3, 1863.

Re-enactors portrayed the Klingle Farm defense and the famous Pickett's Charge on Sunday.

The real Bucktails aided General Daniel Sickels' troops after they began to falter at Klingle Farm. At Pickett's Charge, Confederates attempted to overtake Union lines along Cemetery Ridge, but the Union forces, including the sharpshooting Bucktails from northern Pennsylvania, helped hold the line and win the battle.

ABOVE: Union troops fend off the Confederates during Pickett's Charge on Sunday at Gettysburg.

Local re-enactors were also pushed back from Willoughby Run, and held their ground in defending Cemetery Hill, just as their forefathers had done some 143 years ago.

"The scenarios were as realistic as they could be -- as close as possible to the actual conditions and outcomes," said one of the organizers, Tom Nobles of Smethport.

Soldiers used muskets loaded with black gunpowder. But gunfire wasn't the only thing they had to fend off.

After the first day of battle ended last Friday, it rained-- much like after the three-day battle in 1863.

Some of the re-enactors toured sections of the battlefield and the town of Gettysburg itself.

Former Emporium resident Larry Armstrong, now of Long Island, N.Y., joined the Bucktails in camp.

Seeing lighted candles on the graves of thousands of soldiers at Gettysburg during a remembrance ceremony a few years ago made him realize how signifi cant t he b attle w as.

His brother, Ron Armstrong of Emporium, had the honor of firing the opening volley during the Pickett's Charge re-enactment on Sunday afternoon.

RIGHT: Three cavalry soldiers look on as they watch the dress parade at the Northern camp at Gettysburg on Sunday morning. They were preparing for the famous Pickett's Charge. Alex Davis photos

Clarence Walker of Wharton once again made the trip. He and Nobles were instrumental in forming the Bucktail re-enactors' group in the 1980s.

The real Bucktails were mostly lumbermen, raftsmen and farmers who 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 enroute to Harrisburg to train for battle.

(Editor's Note: Reporter Alex Davis went on the trip as a Bucktail and will share his personal experiences in a future edition of Endeavor News.)

Clarence Walker of Wharton and Tom Nobles of Smethport cook breakfast at the Bucktail camp in Gettysburg last weekend. Both men were instrumental in forming the Bucktail regiment re-enactors group in the 1980s.