The 62nd PA Volunteer Infantry Living History Family started our 2026 season with a Civil War Weekend hosted by the Armstrong County Historical Society. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed interacting with the public on the grounds of the ACHS. We were joined by some friends from the 78th Penna. Co F Reenacting Group, who fell in with our men for drill and camp life demonstrations. The ladies put together a camp lunch and dinner, with freshly baked biscuits over the fire!

We were also fortunate to have several guest speakers and presentations in the newly renovated Jim & Ann Oakes Carriage House on the ACHS Campus. The 62nd PVI LHF began the weekend with a group presentation on Friday evening titled “Blood, Courage, and the Maltese Cross- Personal Stories of the 62nd PVI”. We hope to make the video of this presentation available on this website soon, so that our friends both near and far can view it! The stories we told were heartfelt, humorous, and also sad as we shared the wartime experiences of some local ‘boys’ of the 62nd PVI, to keep their stories alive. We were also excited to share the new book from our founder Gordon Sheaffer titled “The Brothers’ Duty: Echoes of Valor and Sacrifice”, written in honor of his ancestors Jefferson and David Truitt of the 62nd PVI.

Three more presentations followed on Saturday, with Pvt. Gavin Zimmeran of the 62nd PVI LHF presenting on Men From Armstrong County At Gettysburg, Bill Peck on Soldiers Orphan Schools of Pennsylvania, and Bill May on The History of McConnell’s Mills- The story of the Civil War captain and the freed slave who together created the legacy that is now McConnell’s Mills. The presentations were all well-received and the stories shared helped to educate our guests on some of the unique and personal stories of our region. All in all it was a wonderful weekend of fellowship and bringing history to life!

The 62nd PVI LHF will travel to Gettysburg next for the annual Volunteer Work Day on June 6th, which has long been a tradition of service for our living history family. From building fences, clearing brush, painting buildings or the solemn task of filling in the names on the headstones in the Soldiers National Cemetery with paint so that visitors can clearly see them, all of our work on Volunteer Work Day leaves a lasting impact as we strive to help preserve the battlefield where the 62nd PVI fought and lost so many. We hope to see you in Gettysburg this summer over the battle anniversary as well, when we will be set up with a living history encampment at the Children of Gettysburg 1863 Museum on July 4th and 5th! This promises to be a very special anniversary in Gettysburg, as we remember not only the battle but the founding of our nation 250 years ago! In the words of President Lincoln, “that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”