Visitors to the Annual Peterboro Civil War Weekend can spend two days observing 19th Century civilian and military life in the encampment, as well as attend programs and activities provided by reenactors and historians. The reenactors sleep, cook, eat, and drill on the green in Peterboro for the weekend.
The 12th U.S. Co A Infantry, the host military unit for the weekend encampment, also provides stations for the Peterboro Living History Day for fifth graders on the day before the weekend and for the weekend encampment. Under the command of Lt. Neil MacMillan, Bill Mayers is conducting surgeries in the medical tent, a sergeant drills new recruits, men and women cook on campfires, military units make plans for the daily skirmish, Laini Amaritnant provides a fashion show, and on Sunday Tom Brokaw provides a sermon for the troops. Children play 19th C. games and Abraham Lincoln walks the green handing out pictures of himself on copper discs.
Other military units participating in the event include: 1st NY Veterans Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Michigan Co E, 9th Battalion Confederates, 143 NY Infantry, 176th NY, Civil War Heritage Foundation and Widows and Orphans Relief Society. The 2:00skirmish each day has a surprise outcome because it is not a reenactment as no Civil War military battles were fought in Peterboro.
Matthew Urtz, the Madison County Historian, shares descriptions of the Civil War by Madison County Civil War soldiers, through their letters and memoirs that he has assembled in recent years. One of the soldiers is LT. Col. George Arrowsmith who served in the 157th NY Volunteer regiment from its mustering in 1862 to his death in Gettysburg at the age of 24. Arrowsmith was a graduate of Madison College (Colgate University), was a prolific writer and contributed a series of reports on the battles fought by the 157th.
Pat Ennis shares the first-hand account of capture and escape by her great grandfather Joseph Hoover, as told through his diaries of 1863 and1864. Union Bound, the movie and the book based on Ennis’ “translations” of the diaries is an account of slaves helping soldiers escape. Blaine M. Elkie, docent at the National Memorial Day Museum, explains the origin of Decoration Day 150 years ago. Elkie also tells the tale of the scythe left in a tree by a farmer who leaves for war.
On the green the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War 1861- 1865, the Homer Searles Camp Sons of Veterans of the Civil War, and the Stewart Hope Camp Sons of Veterans of the Civil War exhibit their histories as well as their current projects to keep that history alive. The Capital District Civil War Round Table sets up an exhibit on the green interacting with visitors and Matt George portrays The Life of a Civil War Soldier in the 134th from the Albany area. The History Club from New York Mills set up and exhibit. History club leader and popular historian Cheryl Pula presents The 146th New York, one of her many public programs. During the final moments of the weekend exhibit Pula explains the origins of Taps, the musical signal for the end of day which will be played by the Smalley family.
The Binghamton Civil War Round Table and Historical Society brings a large exhibit with information on Civil War Soldiers, local leaders, battles and campaigns, Life styles and traditions, genealogy, examples of soldier biographical sketches, copy photos, captioned data on branches of the period’s armed forces, excerpts from letters of diaries, ties with contemporary civilian history and culture and remembrances thereof. John T. Goodnough, Secretary of the Binghamton unit will provide a program on the150th Anniversary of the G.A.R (Grand Army of the Republic).
The Peterboro Civil War Weekend is an educational and fund-raising event of the Smithfield Community Association based on the Gerrit Smith-John Brown relationship which helped ignite the Civil War.