Norman Gasbarro | May 26, 2012
On 14 April 1865, William Withers Jr., a musician, was the orchestra leader at Ford’s Theatre. It was the night of the assassination of Pres. Abraham Lincoln. Withers claimed to be backstage at the time the shot was fired and during the escape of John Wilkes Booth, was cut by the assassin as he headed […]
Norman Gasbarro | May 25, 2012
The post today is a continuation of a study of the men who served in the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry. George Zimmerman, a carpenter from Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, joined the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company A, as a Private on 27 February, 1864, according to some military records. Some military records also indicate that George Zimmerman died […]
Norman Gasbarro | May 24, 2012
In the post yesterday, the story of the last reunion of the First Defenders was told. That reunion was held in 1935 in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. One member of that group, which originally consisted of 530 veterans, was able to attend the reunion. Only three were still alive. Their combined ages totalled 286 years. […]
Norman Gasbarro | May 23, 2012
The following article appeared in a local newspaper in 1935. It described what was to be the last reunion of the First Defenders from Pennsylvania who answered the call in the first days after the attack on Fort Sumter. Lt. William Irving, of Lykens, Dauphin County, who was one of only three survivors of that […]
Norman Gasbarro | May 22, 2012
National Train Day was celebrated on 12 May 2012 at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Railroad Station. There were rail equipment displays, model railroads, and exhibits designed to focus on the importance of railroads past, present and future. One exhibit worth noting that related to the Civil War was presented by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum […]
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