Living history comes to Glenwood

VERNON — Campfire smoke drifted, Union soldiers diligently cleaned their muskets while Confederate soldiers worriedly counted their number, anxious for a skirmish. Pochuck Valley Farm on Route 517 was transformed into a Civil War battlefield on the last weekend of September.
Ken Serfass, portraying a phenomenal General Ulysses S. Grant, regaled information about various battles, battle strategies and companies.
“These gatherings were usually referred to as reenactments, we call them Living History,” said the general.
A skirmish was planned between the North and South at 2 p.m. on Saturday near the Pochuck orchard. Union corporal Andrew Cullen of the Rhode Island 2nd Volunteer Infantry explained how his 1851 Lee Enfield rifle was truly the weapon of choice, with the rifle’s impressive ability to get off a shot every 20 seconds. Confederate soldiers boosted about their fire power as well, saying their English produced muskets were equal to the North. Women in period clothing walked through the fields and encampment. Denise Delimon reenacted as a field nurse, mentioning that Civil War nurses wore simple dresses with a white apron. According to Delimon, nurses’ uniforms weren’t used yet until the time of Clara Barton. Diane Cece, in a stylish gray dress, played the wife of a Pinkerton detective.
Civil War event organizer and founder of the NJV 27th regiment John Covert is actually the great, great, great grandson of Vernon’s historical figure Daniel Bailey. Bailey was captain of the volunteer regiment and fought in the only battle that the 27th regiment took part in on the December,1862 Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia.
“My descendant Daniel Bailey was a great man, businessman and community leader. After the war, he still took care of his regiment by offering them jobs,” Covert stated.
Covert displayed Civil War era shoulder boards on his vintage uniform that belonged to Daniel Bailey.