The Bucktails
Driftwood, Cameron County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Famed Civil War volunteers departed from this point for Harrisburg, April 1861, where they were mustered into State service. A monument, erected in their honor, is just south of here. This highway and a State park are named for the Bucktails.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
When the Civil War broke out in the spring of 1861, hardy woodsmen and hunters from Pennsylvania's northern mountains answered the call, famously pinning deer tails to their caps as a badge of their marksmanship. From this point along the Sinnemahoning they set off in April 1861 for Harrisburg to be mustered into service as the men who would become known as the Bucktails. A nearby monument, a state highway, and a state park all keep their name alive.
Why it matters
The Bucktails became one of the Union's most celebrated regiments, and their departure from this remote valley shows how the war reached into every corner of rural America.
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Related events
- · American Civil War
- · Mustering of the Bucktail Regiment, April 1861
Themes & tags
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