Bucktails Memorial - Driftwood Pennsylvania - American Civil War Monuments and Memorials on Waymarking.com

The Pennsylvania Bucktails were approximately 700 men from the counties of Elk, McKean, Tioga, and Cameron divided into seven companies. The men became known as the bucktails because each was given the tail of a buck which was tied to the soldier's cap. These seven divisions were joined with three divisions from Chester and Perry Counties to become the 42nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment, also known as the Bucktail Regiment. Eventually soldiers from Warren, Carbon, and Clearfield were also brought into the Bucktail Regiment.

The Bucktail Regiment served the Union Army with disctinction. After a tour in Cumberland Maryland, the Regiment was attached to the Army of the Potomac. Over the next three years while the Regiment was in service, it was engaged in numerous critical battles including Dranesville; the Seven Days Battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines Mill, New Market Crossroads and Malvern Hill; Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Spottsylvania and finally, Bethesda Church. In addition four companies of Bucktails were detached to the command of Lt. Col. Thomas L. Kane. Under the Lt Col.'s command the Bucktails participated in the Valley Campaign against the renowned Stonewall Jackson. The detached troops also fought at the battles of Harrisonburg, Cross Keys, Catlett's Station, 2nd Bull Run, and Chantilly.

Bucktail Captain Thomas Belton was killed in action at Gettysburg and awarded the Medal of Honor.

Date Installed or Dedicated: 04/27/1908 Name of Government Entity or Private Organization that built the monument: Cameron County Union, Confederate or Other Monument: Union Rating (1-5): Related Website: [Web Link] Photo or photos will be uploaded.: yes

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/12/2012 ted28285 visited it 03/03/2012 r.e.s.t.seekers visited it

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