Third Corps Reunion Event Report

May 23, 2005  

                The members of the 78^th left home in the early hours of May 20^th and drove the four hours to Gettysburg in a steady rain with no let up in sight.  The members who attended were Mike Huston, Bill McGinnis, Chris Saracco, Greg Kaszei, Randy and Vickie Hooks, Bonnie Hess, and myself.  We arrived at the Pennsylvania Monument shortly before 9:00 and rendezvoused with the other reenactors planning to participate in the march.  Shortly after 9:00, we departed for the starting point near Emmitsburg, MD with Mike Huston and I being the only two from the 78^th brave (or crazy) enough to be willing to do the march in the rain.  All of the soldiers, most wrapped in gum blankets or ponchos, assembled and stepped off at about 10:45 in a steady rain. 

                I commanded our company, composed of members of the 56^th, 63^rd, 78^th, 110^th PA and 23^rd OH.  The battalion, commanded by Major Buffington, was composed of five companies which included the 2^nd US Sharpshooters, 114^th PA Zouaves, our combined company, 5^th/14^th NJ, and 3^rd ME.  Altogether, 63 people participated in the march and not a single person dropped out.  The battalion’s route of march was the historic Emmitsburg Road , the same route that Burling and DeTrobriand’s brigades followed on the way to Gettysburg .  The entire route from start to finish was just less than ten miles.

                After only a few miles into the march, my socks and shoes were soaked, but a few lucky people were able to keep theirs dry half way through.  Along the way, marchers discussed 1860s politics, the poor weather, and various other topics, and at times, just marched in near silence.  We made several brief stops along the way, but the rain seemed to give everyone extra incentive to keep marching, figuring if we were going to get soaked, we might as well do it while we’re marching.  By the time we entered the park, however, the rain had stopped and most of the men stripped off their rain gear before beginning the last leg of the march.  After briefly stopping at the Trostle barn, we arrived at the PA Monument shortly after 2:30 .  Although a little tired and foot sore, neither Mike nor I surprisingly didn’t have any blisters. 

                Upon the battalion being dismissed, the 78^th members began setting up our shelter tents for the night before heading to town for dinner.  After a brief officers meeting at 8:00 , we decided to find shelter in town for the night since we were still wet and temperatures were going to be in the 40s.  I turned in early that night, and after a fair rest, awoke early the next morning dry and refreshed. 

                From sunrise to sunset, May 21^st was a beautiful day with mid-day highs in the upper 70s.  The first formation of the battalion was at 9:30 that morning, during which we conducted weapons inspection, stacked arms, and set guard posts around camp.  The battalion, numbering nearly a hundred men, was again formed shortly before 11:00 for our first demonstration.  By that time a sizeable crowd had gathered to watch us demonstrate several drill maneuvers and various ways to fire.  We repeated this demonstration at 1:00 and 3:00 , each time drawing in a large crowd which afterwards toured the camps in large numbers.  Among the spectators who came through camp were fellow 78^th members Bill and Bobby Novakovic who traveled the distance to see us.

                One of the highlights of the weekend was on Saturday evening.  A college professor from China stopped to talk to us while touring the camp.  She was finishing up study at Seton Hall University and came to Gettysburg to see the place she had learned about.  We had a very interesting conversation with her and were a bit surprised to hear how much schools in China teach about American history.  She was also fascinated by the reenactors and our drive to remember and preserve our nation’s history.  It was quite an experience to talk to someone with such interest and appreciation for our history, and probably even more so than many Americans.

                On Saturday night, many of us again went to bed early.  Mike and I, along with a couple others, slept near the fire to stay a bit warmer while Chris and Bill tried to stay warm in their tents.  We awoke early the next morning and began cooking breakfast.  When the dew dried, we began repacking knapsacks and rolling blanket rolls in preparation to leave.  Sunday was every bit just as nice as Saturday with highs again in the mid 70s.  At 9:30 , the battalion assembled for weapons inspection, stacked arms, and were thanked by the park ranger who oversaw the activities. 

                After the 11:00 demonstration, the battalion had a photograph taken by Rob Gibson in front of our encampment and were then dismissed for some down time before our last demonstration of the weekend.  During that time, some of us caught up on our Zs and others continued packing things for the trip home.  Shortly before 1:00 , the battalion assembled for the last demonstration.  Before the battalion was dismissed for the final time, the men gave three cheers to Major Buffington.  Around 2:00 or so, we were all packed up and were on the road home again. 

                Overall, it was a wonderful weekend and I’m pretty sure it will be long remembered by those who experienced it.  The march was a very unique experience, not only for the fact we completed a march of nearly ten miles during which we crossed the Mason-Dixon Line , but also for the fact that we did it in the rain.  Also, camping on the Gettysburg battlefield and waking up to see the PA Monument in front of you was another very unique experience.  And lastly, the camaraderie and cooperation amongst the mixed companies and the battalion, all in remembrance of the veterans of the Third Corps, was also a wonderful experience.

Respectfully Submitted,

Aaron Hooks, Commanding