15th Annual Civil War Days
Peterboro, NY event
June 9-10, 2007

I took my son and went up to Peterboro, NY this weekend.  They have been hosting a smaller Civil War Day festival for the last 15 years, as I noted in my Neshaminy AAR, my son is only a toddler (3yr old).  I went with my dad over to this event about 5 years ago and about every other year I go back to see it.  I know what to expect when I go to this event, it is by no means a high standard event, but the proceeds go to help the preservation of the Peterboro Museum and also the Gerritt Smith Land office.   Gerritt Smith was one of the financial backers of John Brown.  The host unit is the 12th Regt US Infantry USV and the website for the event is: http://www.sca-peterboro.org/

This event usually opens about 10am with a welcome speech from the committee and a couple of guest speakers.  5 years ago when I attended they had Gen Grant’s GG Grand-daughter and a gentleman who was almost 100 years old and a resident of the town.  He spoke about seeing the original ACW vets marching in the parades when he was a boy.

This year the guests were the Great Grand-daughter of an officer who donated the monument that stands in the town green.  And also the Great Grandson of a slave who was freed by said officer during the war in 1863.  Both told some great family stories, but the Great Grandson from the freed slave was quite moving, he had a great baritone voice and sung a Negro spiritual that might have been sung by slaves while working.  His voice just carried and the emotion he put behind it was enough to give you goose bumps.  

They also had men there doing a Lee, Grant, Rawlings, Trimble impressions.  These men mostly stayed in their camp areas and would answer questions, although Lee did move about the event.

The Federal camp looked ok, not too many modern things out in the open.  The “confederate” camp was another story, there was modern speckleware abounding and poor impressions.  Soldiers wearing almost as much federal gear as the union soldiers.  Not sure what their impressions were supposed to be, but I think they were trying for dismounted cavalry or maybe artillery.  But the artillery pieces that were present were very small scale.  One of the guns looked like it was made for toddler gun crew, meaning that when my son stood next to it, it looked full scale.  My son stands about 38” tall.
The women “soldiers” did very little to hide their gender.  There were carbines and pistols galore.  Needless to say we didn’t spend much time in that camp; we walked through and kept walking.

We went and found our spot for the “skirmish” and awaited the opening cannon shot.  Finally the troops moved into position and the fight began.  The cannons squared off against each other for a few minutes while the skirmish lines worked towards each other.  After about 20-30 minutes we thought the fight was over but running from the “confederate” camp was a confederate vivandiere    being chased by 3 Federal soldiers.  She pulled her pistol and fired into the air and one of them dropped.  The others got closer and she fired again up in the air and another fell down.  Then she and the other soldier began to circle and challenge each other until it was a contest of who could load the rifle/carbine faster.  He did and “shot” her at which point she “fell” down.  Thus ended the skirmish much to the amusement of the spectators who were present meanwhile I was trying to figure out what just happened.  

We talked with the guy who portrayed Rawlins for a little after the battle, because my father commented to him that it was an interesting “skirmish” but nothing like watching the cornfield at 140th Antietam.  

Will I go back to this event and watch it again, I probably will but I go because it is a chance to spend time with my dad and my son for a weekend.  My son enjoyed himself as the guns would go off and also he would direct the soldiers better than some of the officers out there.

Anyways just thought I would share my adventures on the other side of the rope safety line.

I can give you a bit of info about the Peterboro event. I stop out there just about every year - not because it's such a great event (it isn't), but because it's only eleven miles from my house. If you see someone there making coffee in the cup (instead of pouring from a pot) or cooking bacon over a fire (after moving the barbecue grate), it's probably me. I go mostly to say "hello" to folks whom I haven't seen since the previous year.

The Confederate unit which you described consists of folks who normally portray a New York unit; thus the Federal gear. They also have their "own" artillery, using pint-sized guns. (You figure it out.) I've tried for years to talk them out of using speckle-ware, but all I get is an argument, so I've given up trying.

Regarding the gal-troops, they resemble cow-girls from a Roy Rogers - Dale Evans movie.

Funny stuff, "mais ce n'est pas la guerre." (Apologies to Pierre Bosquet.)

Rob

Thanks, it seems like it might be a annual trip for my son and I because it is a chance to visit with my dad.  Next year we will look for the guy who stands out in the crowd.

Thanks for the background on the groups.  

Rob

Were you planning on going over to this event this year?  If so, I will look to stop and say "hey".

I was there on Saturday for a short time.

When I heard the command "Fire by files from the right" - this command being given to a line of skirmishers, to boot - I just sort of walked away.

Rob

I know the feeling.  I did my best to just enjoy it for the time that it was with my son, nephew and my dad.

I think the toughest part for me to swallow was when the lady ran out to her "son" on the battlefield.  

That was the funniest thing I've seen at a reenactment in a while. The boys of '61 would have loved it.