Pictured are Rebecca Converse of Rome and Max Smith of Oneida. Converse holds a sword of her relative Governor Bliss of Michigan, who was helped to escape Confederate prison by an ancestor of Max Smith, who Bliss earlier freed from his slave situation.
The statue on-the-green in Peterboro donated by Governor Bliss of Michigan stands ready for the Opening Ceremonies of the 22nd Annual Peterboro Civil War Weekend at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, as Gerrit Smith’s Land Office waits to tell the story of Smith’s relationship with John Brown that helped ignite the Civil War.
A house behind the statue on-the-green in Peterboro displays a 35 star flag which was the flag of 1864 – the year of the Civil War that Peterboro will commemorate as part of the Sesquicentennial observances at the 22nd Annual Peterboro Civil War Weekend. 35 star flags will be placed in honor of veterans of the Civil War who died in 1864.
Patrick Schroeder, Chief Historian at Appomattox Court House National Historic Park, and author of several publications on the Civil War, including Campaigns of the 146th Regiment New York State Volunteers, will highlight the action of the 146th Zouaves at the Battle of the Wilderness and the Siege of Petersburg.
(Peterboro, NY – June 2014) The 22nd Annual Peterboro Civil War Weekend continues to commemorate the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War and in 2014 features Peterboro’s connection to 1864 war activities. Thirty minutes after the opening of the event at 10:00 am on June 14, the 12th Regiment, United States Infantry Reenactment Regiment Company A, will open Sesquicentennial ceremonies at the Civil War statue On-the-Green in the Hamlet of Peterboro with an honor guard firing three shots as per tradition in a tribute to deceased (Reenactor) Captain Doxtater of the 2nd Michigan. After a prayer by the (reenacting) chaplain, (reenactor) Sgt Neil MacMillan will say a few words about the departed colleague.
Then Jim Corpin, Co-Chair of Peterboro Emancipation Days, will place a 35 star flag at the statue and speak in remembrance of (William) Sidney Charles, 8th Regiment U.S. Volunteers, who was killed at the Battle of Olustee February 20, 1864. The Russell brothers from Peterboro also served in the 8th Regiment.
The opening of Andersonville Prison February 27, 1864 in Macon, Georgia will be recognized with The Soldier. The Slave. The Sword. The Statue. Aaron Bliss of Peterboro commanded Union troops near Culpeper, Virginia. Bliss released Billy Smith from Smith’s slave duty holding Confederate Troops. Bliss became a prisoner at Andersonville and three other Confederate prisons. Bliss escaped with the help of a sword and Smith. Smith descendent Max Alden Smith (Co-Chair of Peterboro Emancipation Days and Mayor of Oneida) will come to the statue. Bliss relative Rebecca Converse of Rome NY will bring the sword to the statue. Bliss became governor of Michigan and gifted Peterboro with the Civil War Statue in 1893.
Taken prisoner at the Battle of The Wilderness in May of 1864, Jerome D. Marsh, Private, 22nd NY Cavalry, died July 15, 1864 at Andersonville prison at age 28 years. Max Smith will place a 35 star flag at the statue for Marsh who is buried in the Peterboro Cemetery.
Greene Smith, Ann and Gerrit Smith’s son, served at the Battle of the Crater and wrote to his parents the day after the bloody battle on July 30, 1864. Greene Smith is buried in the Peterboro Cemetery. Nell Ziegler, President of the Smithfield Community Association which sponsors the Civil War Event, will post a 35 star flag at the statue for Smith. At 4:00 p.m. Patrick Schroeder, Chief Historian at Appomattox Court House National Historic Park, and author of several publications on the Civil War, including Campaigns of the 146th Regiment New York State Volunteers, will highlight the action of the 146th Zouaves at the Battle of the Wilderness and the Siege of Petersburg. The ties of the Zouaves to Oneida County and Peterboro’s connection to the Battle of the Crater will be explained. Schroeder has attended the Peterboro Civil War Weekend for nearly a decade selling Civil War publications – mostly about New York State units in the Civil War. Ziegler will conclude the informational session with excerpts from letters that Greene Smith wrote to his parents the day after the Crater battle and invite visitors to walk to the site of the Ornithon (Bird House) that Greene Smith built to house his bird collection after the war.
On March 12, 1864 Abraham Lincoln gave the U.S. Sanitary Commission a copy of his Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation written in July of 1862 and presented to the Cabinet September 22, 1862.. Jack Baylis, aka President Abraham Lincoln, will present a copy of Lincoln’s handwritten first draft of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation to Maxine Getty (reenactor) of the U.S. Sanitary Commission which raised money for the troops by selling lottery tickets to win the document. Gerrit Smith bought most of the thousand tickets, won the document, and gave it back to the U.S. Sanitary Commission to use to raise more money. That document is now at the New York State Museum and a facsimile of it is on display in the Abolition Museum at the Smithfield Community Center in Peterboro. Visitors to the display can pick up the brochure The First Step to Freedom which accompanied the NYS eight city exhibit in 2012.
At 11:30 am on Saturday, Don Jeffrey aka as Major Carmichael, will describe the action of the 157th at the November 30, 1864 Battle of Honey Hill, the third battle in General Sherman’s March to the Sea. The 157th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organized in Hamilton NY and there mustered in service for three years.
The 22nd Annual Peterboro Civil War Weekend will be held Saturday, June 14 from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday, June 15 from 10 am to 4 pm during the second Path through History weekend. The 19th Century military and domestic encampment, historic sites, shopping, exhibits, demonstrators, and children’s activities are throughout the Hamlet of Peterboro in Madison County NY. Peterboro was the home of abolitionist Gerrit Smith who was the primary funder of The Secret Six who supported John Brown’s raid at Harpers Ferry which helped ignite the Civil War.
The 12th U.S. Infantry (re-enacting) hosts the military aspect of the event including a skirmish at 2 p.m. each afternoon. The Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department serves chicken barbeque on Saturday at noon and the Peterboro United Methodist Church serves pancakes on Sunday at 7 a.m. The Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark, the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum, the Peterboro Area Museum, and the Peterboro Mercantile are open. Entrance to sites and programs are included in the day’s admission of $8 for adults, $3 for ages 6 – 12, and free for under age 6. For more information: civilwarweekend.sca-peterboro.org, mail@sca-peterboro.org, and 315-280-8828.