CURWENSVILLE, Pa. – Civil War reenactors and history buffs will be making their way to Curwensville this week for the 33rd Annual Bucktail Reunion.
The reunions for reenactors and descendants of actual Bucktail soldiers began in 1993 as the idea of local Civil War Historian Terry Rickard. He has 35+ years of experience as a reenactor, portraying a Bucktail soldier from Company K.
The Bucktails were an elite corps known for having deer tails in their hats. One of the first recruits put a deer tail in his hat to distinguish himself as someone being recruited for the war. Other soldiers from our area quickly did the same.
At first, they were laughed at for being “country bumpkins” but they became “one of the Top 10 fighting units in the entire Civil War,” Rickard said.
Most of them were loggers and farmers who became famous for their marksmanship.
“Even the rebels knew who they were.”
Two different Bucktail companies, Co. K and Co. B, were recruited from the area about a year apart.
Rickard was instrumental in founding a reenactor group specifically representing Co. K from Curwensville.
As late as 1919, the original soldiers held annual reunions. After years of acting as one of them, Rickard realized the reenactors should have their own reunions. Curwensville was the site of that first reunion.
The idea has grown with the reunions being held in various parts of the state since then. This year, the Bucktail Reunion is coming home.
The public is encouraged to visit their camp on Saturday, which will be in Irvin Park. Please note this is a reunion, not a reenactment of any military conflict.
Some of the reenactors will camp in the style of the Civil War soldiers, but this encampment will be mixed with a few more modern options. The participants will visit with the public, answering questions about their equipment and experiences.
The Curwensville Historical Society is inviting the group and the public to stop by their Patton House Museum on State Street on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m. to see their Bucktail display and browse through their collected history.
At 10 a.m., the reenactors will gather at the Bucktail Monument for a special memorial service before the group goes across the street to Lt. Col. Edward A. Irvin’s childhood home, and the current residence of Hildred and Carolyn Rowles, for a photo.
In the afternoon, the camp will be open to the public at 1 p.m. for a horseshoe tournament and at 2 p.m. the Grampian Band will play in the camp area.
On Sunday at 11 a.m., the Bucktails will hold a special memorial service at Oak Hill Cemetery in Curwensville. This cemetery has more Bucktail soldiers than any cemetery outside of Gettysburg, Rickard stated. This includes two Lieutenants, four Captains, a Major, Lt. Colonel, Colonel and a Brigadier General.
Rickard has an interesting story about something that happened at the cemetery during the first reunion in 1993.
The group traveled to the cemetery then marched in formation, complete with drummers and a flag before shooting over the grave of Irvin. Afterward, they heard church bells ringing. In town no one heard any bells.
Rickard also heard a voice, say “Now, you’re getting it right. It’s not the battles, it’s the boys.” At first, he thought a friend next to him had said it, but the friend not only didn’t say anything, he didn’t hear these words either.
Rickard believes it was Irvin speaking in appreciation because “it was the first time in a hundred years that anyone had honored the Bucktails.”
