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| President Lincoln visits the Keystone Regiment | Regimental Band, The Logan Guard, led by Sergeant-Major Bob Myers |
The Colonel Crowther Foundation was one of the participants in the Civil War encampment at DelGrosso Park’s HarvestFest.
This part of HarvestFest seems to grow each year. While there was an open area behind the location, it looked like there wasn’t an inch of room left unoccupied in other parts of the encampment area.
Union and Confederate units set-up inside the Tipton Railroad track. Confederate reenactors had a very nice camp setup in the upper area, but they were outnumbered. Union units filled in the open lower area. An open area where the cannons were positioned also served as the battlefield.
Rain fell at various times throughout the weekend, which made the ground soft in many spots. It wasn’t enough to make a real mess of things. Soldiers, civilians, and spectators were still able to have a good time. Umbrellas appeared at times but the reenactors kept their fires going to cook meals and enjoy fellowship around the fire in the evening.
A battle reenactment was presented three times each day. The firing of the cannon brought many spectators from the park area to witness Union and Confederate soldiers engaging in a skirmish. The Keystone Regiment, portraying Company A of the 110th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, was one of the units participating. Under the command of Captain Mike Gherrity, the unit, at times, marched and fired in the open field. One time they charged down the railroad track to engage the Confederate flank.
Each battle was a little different in the way the units moved. Of course each side took a turn at winning the battle. The battle concluded with a cease-fire and the playing of taps to honor the memory of those soldiers who participated in the real battles of this war to preserve the Union.
Living historians of the Colonel Crowther Foundation presented the Incident at Camp Crossman program after each battle. Most of the spectators who were there to view the battle stayed to see the program. The Foundation’s program concludes with the wounded soldier being taken to the surgeon for treatment of his wound. The spectators were invited to follow the soldier to the surgeon’s tent to see how he was treated, and most of them followed along.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the weekend. The Colonel Crowther Foundation looks forward to participating again next year and hopes that Mother Nature provides a dryer weekend.
