Monthly Archives: August 2021

Over a decade ago, I reached out to my good friend, Larry Smail, with an idea regarding the 62nd PVI story…Larry and I are not only great friends, but former co-workers, who share many common interests, including history, art, music, and most importantly, faith…

This idea would focus on the history and art connections…Larry has long been a painter of wildlife ,and of historical figures, specifically from the French & Indian era…he had actually published a book about that local history during that period, and his artwork graced the cover of the book…so I thought, maybe he would be willing to create a Civil War painting, my intention being the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg…well, I asked, and he agreed, and we were off to Gettysburg to spend some time in Rose’s Wheatfield…while Larry sketched and photographed the landscape and surroundings, I described to him as best I could what the scene might have been like on July 2, 1863…

After returning home, I gave him as many resources as were necessary, and after a few phone calls and visits, Larry began the process…I believe he still has the post on his site archived, where he describes that in detail https://larrysmailart.com

Months later, “The Wheatfield–Whirlpool of Death” was completed…the reason I had requested the painting was simple: to provide a visual means of telling the story of what the 62nd Regiment, as part of Col. Jacob B. Sweitzer’s 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division, Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac, had experienced in their desperate fight during the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg…

In the years since, the painting has been printed, published, and circulated in many ways, shapes and forms…it is even available on flagstone, thanks to our friends at “Framing on Stone” https://framingonstone.com …but recently, the original intention of “telling the 62nd story” has, as they say, “come full circle”…Larry and I were contacted a few months ago by the folks from “The Civil War Times”…and the rest is, well, “History”!

The August issue of the magazine features William Cain of the 62nd on the cover, to go along with the “Gettysburg: Wheatfield Mayhem” story, by Scott Fink [pages 26-37]…

At the top of page 32, “The Wheatfield: Whirlpool of Death”, by Larry A. Smail…needless to say, we are both very pleased that the painting is still helping to tell the story…

A few of the other images within the article are also very familiar to our Living History Family…the “Sweitzer’s Brigade Flag”, which is housed at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh, PA, was recently on display at our event for the Armstrong County Historical Museum & Genealogical Society…Michael Kraus, Curator at Soldiers & Sailors, was one of our guest speakers at the event, and brought the priceless artifact to display for a few hours…many of the other images of soldiers and artifacts are from the Ronn Palm Collection at “Civil War Images” in Gettysburg…

So, while the descendants and members of the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Living History Family continues to honor the men of the 62nd, and their families, it is encouraging to know that we are not alone…to know that their story is being told, at a national level, and using some of the very resources that we have been using, well, that is truly special…

The magazine has been available at newsstands and bookstores for a few weeks now…

The original “Wheatfield–Whirlpool of Death” painting hangs in the Civil War Room at the Armstrong County Historical Museum, 300 North McKean Street, Kittanning, PA, 16201 https://www.achmgs.org

Prints are available by contacting Larry Smail @ http://www.larrysmailart.com or Robert “Slim” Bowser @ 100yrs2L8@windstream.net or through this site…or by phone at 724-545-1330 or 724-664-6625

Flagstones are available through Robert “Slim” Bowser [see above], or through Framing on Stone http://www.framingonstone.com

For more about Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall, go to: http://www.soldiersandsailorshall.org

For more on the Ronn Palm Collection, go to: http://www.ronnpalmmuseum.com or call 724-664-5150

Also available, “Pittsburgh’s Forgotten Civil War Regiment”, by Ernest Spisak, either through Robert “Slim” Bowser [see above], or through Amazon

Thank you for your interest in the ongoing story of the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry!

God bless.

“The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” –Proverbs 15:33

It wasn’t long after returning from Gettysburg, where we commemorated the 158th Anniversary of the Battle, and conducted our annual “Wheatfield Tribute” to honor the men of the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Corps, Army of the Potomac [see the recent post “The Wheatfield: 158 years Later”], that I picked up my copy of “The Valley Mirror” from July 17, 2014…I keep this issue where I can find it, and from time to time will read the front page article “With Honor and Humility”, penned by our friend Ernie Spisak, after he had been our guest of honor for our “Wheatfield Tribute” on July 5, 2014…with tear-filled eyes I can still hear his voice saying “What a day this is…what a great day this is”…

It was after meeting Ernie following the release of his wonderful book “Pittsburgh’s Forgotten Civil War Regiment” [the regimental history of the 62nd PVI] that we invited Ernie, his wife Peggy, and daughter Danielle to be our guests for the ceremony…by this time in his life, Ernie’s eyesight was diminished, but he could see our regimental flag unfurled in the July sun…having devoted so much of his life to completing the history of the 62nd, it was a very special day for everyone…with permission from “The Mirror”, I will share Ernie’s words with you…

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“With Honor and Humility”, by Ernie Spisak

If it is true that spirits walk the face of this earth, then, surely on this day, July 5, 2014, and at this place, their presence could be felt. Under a cloudless blue sky, void of the customary oppressive humidity, a steady summer breeze blew across a large empty field. Quietly, I sat watching a large American flag waving in the breeze. Straining my ears, I heard a far off voice whispering. “Across the Nation, this day should be celebrated with parades, picnics, and illuminations in the sky”. John Adams spoke these words on July 4th, 1776, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Over the past 30 or so years, I have walked and stood on this field many times. However, this day was different; it exceeded my wildest imaginations.

A bright morning sun shone down upon the field. Simultaneously, the wind rattled the leaves in the far off trees and snapped the large American flag above my head. The distant voices of long ago faintly drifted on the breeze. “Well”, asked a young woman, “do we have a Monarchy or a Republic?” Mr. Benjamin Franklin, in 1787, replied, “A Republic, if you can keep it”. On that September 17th in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress completed the Nation’s Constitution.

It is Mr. Franklin’s remarks that lured me to this place today. In the spring of 1861, Franklin’s newly formed republic split in two and our country plunged into a great Civil War. During the second year of this war, in July of 1863, two enormous armies converged on this small crossroads village of Gettysburg. Under the Stars and Stripes, I sit on one of the many fields of battle. I sit in the Wheatfield where Rebels and Yankees turned the golden field of wheat into a bloody “Whirlpool of Death”.

A regiment from Pittsburgh, the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, fought in this Wheatfield. Today, I am sitting no more than ten feet from the monument dedicated to this regiment. Flying opposite of the American flag is the flag of the Fifth Corps; its red maltese cross with a white background blowing in the breeze. I am here as a guest of men who had ancestors serving in this regiment.

In the shadow of this large monument, this portion of the Wheatfield, within minutes, came alive. Before my eyes stood men of the 62nd in full uniform and equipped for battle. In formation, they formed to the side of their monument. Quietly, a First Sergeant called out commands to the troops. He then walked over to me, greeted me and requested that I hold something for him. Again, was I sitting among the spirits of the brave men who fought in this “Whirlpool of Death”?

No, this day I was sitting among the men who invited me. They are men who reenact the living history of Company D of the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. As I sat, First Sergeant Daniel Warren Swigart, [aka Slim Bowser] handed me a shaft of wheat held together with a large mourning ribbon; he then went about his duties this day.

As other reenactors spoke, this First Sergeant returned to where I was sitting, stood by my side, then asked me to accompany him with the wheat and place it at the foot of the monument. Humbly, I followed the First Sergeant’s instructions and with honor assisted him with placing the shaft of wheat at the foot of the monument. I then retired to my seat. In full uniform, with his white gloves glistening in the sun, the First Sergeant stood at my side. Quietly, under the sounding of Taps, he gently placed his hand on my left shoulder. For a brief moment, fighting back a tear, my heart felt for these men, present and past, that today on this hallowed ground “The Circle of the 62nd Pennsylvania Had Gone Unbroken”.

Let it be known, that I humbly accepted the invitation of Company D because I recently published the history of the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. In 1889, twenty six years after the Battle of Gettysburg, Adjutant William Patterson spoke these words at the dedication of the monument. He said, “The only glory the rank and file have is the honor and reputation of their own organization”. Today, 125 years later, these words still hold true. They hold true due to the sincere heartfelt dedication of the living history reenactors of Company D.

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This photo of Ernie, holding a copy of his regimental history, was taken on the occasion of the sale of the 500th copy of the book….this framed image travels with us wherever we go…Ernie became a dear friend until his sudden passing on April 20, 2017…his affection for the 62nd Regiment, past, and present, are evident in his words…those sentiments are returned many times over…the descendants of the 62nd Veterans are eternally grateful to Ernie, Peggy and Danielle, for the overwhelming devotion to making certain that the 62nd story lives on…

As Providence would have it, many of the circumstances present in 2014 were present in 2021, including the weather, the need for remembrance, and the outpouring of support for the ceremony…

And as I was contemplating how to put these things together for this post, the scripture verse from Proverbs appeared on the screen like a beacon during this weeks message…

May God bless the 62nd PVI, the Spisak’s, and all of the members of the 62nd PVI Living History Family, as well as our friends and supporting cast…

The Circle of the 62nd Pennsylvania remains Unbroken!

A number of years ago, our friend, author, and fellow descendant Tom McMillan was our guest speaker for our “Wheatfield Tribute” ceremony…in his remarks as he stood feet away from the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry monument, Tom stated “I believe the Veterans of the 62nd would be quite shocked and surprised to see that after all of these years, we are still gathering in this place to remember them and what they did here”…

And once again, we gathered around the tall granite shaft, where on July 2, 1863, the men of the 62nd found themselves nearly surrounded on three sides as the battle ebbed and flowed in Rose’s Wheatfield…symbolically, we intentionally surrounded the monument with descendants, families, and friends on a rare “comfortable” July 3, 2021…

At a few minutes after 10:00 AM, the tribute started, as the men, women and children of the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Living History Family [62ND PVI LHF] approached the monument site, led by descendants Gordon “Gordy” Sheaffer [2nd Lt. Jefferson Truitt], and myself, Robert “Slim” Bowser [1st Sgt. & Reverend Daniel W. Swigart]…once assembled, I welcomed the audience, and led everyone in prayer, followed by a few remarks about the significance of the day, the importance of remembrance, and a brief history of the regiment and its contribution to the great Battle of Gettysburg…this included comments about the “Colors”–the flags and guidons which were crucial to troop movements, and were priceless treasures to the men who fought and died under them…with the story of the 62nd and 4th Michigan’s fight for their flags in the Wheatfield being the feature article in the August issue of “The Civil War Times”, it seemed appropriate to make it a part of our tribute…

I then introduced Gordy Sheaffer, the founder of the living history group in 1994…Gordy continued the discussion about the flags, relating the experiences of Lt. Truitt, though not a part of the Color detail, grabbing the flag and saving it from being lost at the Battle of Malvern Hill…

Following Gordy’s remarks, 62nd PVI LHF member Cindy McShane, in her portrayal of Marie Tepe’, read from General Joshua L. Chamberlain’s post war “In great deeds” speech…quite the proper words for the occasion, eloquently read by Marie…

And, as if guided by providence, our final speaker, followed with the final paragraphs of Chamberlain’s memorable speech…we were extremely honored to have Col. Tom Vossler, {retired Vietnam combat Veteran, retired Licensed Battlefield Guide, author of books about the Gettysburg and Antietam battlefield, as well as his new release “BATTLE TESTED” [Gettysburg Leadership Lessons For 21st Century Leaders], and a dear friend and fellow “Wheatfield descendant”} as our guest speaker…when you tour the field with Col. Tom, you get a perspective of one who is “battle tested”, and who can make you feel like you were there!…so to have Tom speak for our ceremony was a special treat for everyone present…

To make the presentation of the “Wheat”, Col. Vossler was joined by SSGT Christopher Bargerstock, [active military], and his father Dwight, also a retired Vietnam Veteran…Chris and Dwight are descendants of Private Henry Bargerstock, who served in Co.D, along with Truitt and Swigart…

In a very humbling and emotional moment, three modern men of valor joined me in placing the Wheat tribute at the base of the monument to the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteers, whose service and sacrifice in that field must never be forgotten…May God Bless them All!

As we rendered our salute, 62nd Bugler Brian Wolfe filled the valley with the solemn notes of “Taps”…

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the opportunity was given for all descendants present to step forward to introduce themselves, and to mention their ancestors’ names…I am told that as each name was mentioned, the wind lifted the regimental flag as if to say “we are grateful that you remember us still”…

In conclusion, I have said this before, and I must repeat it here again: It never ceases to amaze me, and humble me further, that of all of those who witness our ceremony and our living history events, it is the active military members and retired Veterans who are the first to express their appreciation to us…we do not take this lightly…God bless!

**The photos used in this post were taken by Van Cornish, with the exception of “The Wheat” and “Major Lowry’s Grave” by Slim Bowser, and “Wheatfield Tribute Group Photo” by Ted Chamberlain…

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