Bucktails

This is re-enactor Rich Adams of the 42nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the "Bucktails". According to the monument to them in Driftwood, Cameron County, PA. the Bucktail Regiment was formed "April 27, 1861 from the Cameron County Riles, the Elk County Rifles and the McKean County Rifles under the leadership of Thomas L. Kane, afterwards Commanding-Officer of the Regiment, and later Major-General, embarked upon four rafts for Harrisburg where they were mustered into service of the State and formed the nucleus about which the Bucktail Regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserves was organised, which during it's term of service was almost continuously attached to the Army of the Potomac."

They became known as the Bucktails when "Prior to leaving for Harrisburg, the men adopted the tail of a buck as their "regimental badge of honor". The deer tails were placed on each recruits cap and they became known as the Bucktails. En route to Camp Curtin a bucktail also adorned the top of the mast on one of the rafts the men built to travel to Lock Haven where they could pick up the railroad."

Mr. Adams was commanding the Union troops during the street skirmish in Shippensburg during the 2008 March to Destiny re-enactment.