DUKE CENTER – “The Bucktails At the Devil’s Den,” the sixth book
in a series, was published in February by Infinity Publishing
Co.
The novel was written by local authors William Robertson of Duke
Center and David Rimer of Bradford, who have been collaborating for
a number of years.
The story begins on Feb. 6, 1863, when Capt. Fred Taylor, only
23-years-old, becomes the highest-ranking Bucktail officer after
the death of Col. Hugh McNeil at Antietam. Taylor tells his
regiment they have been recalled back to Washington to defend the
capital. This brings cheers from the Riflemen, who have marched
many long miles and punctuated the rebel lines at Frederick,
Md.
The captain thought the recall would be a deserved break.
However, the trip up the Potomac River on a steam ship turned out
to be a rough voyage, with no sympathy from the steamer’s petty
officer. After going ashore at Alexandria, Va., for a short stop,
the Riflemen boarded another steamer to Washington.
A sightseeing tour of Washington includes a visit to a circus,
which exposes the boys to nature. At the same time, the battered
regiment is continually harassed by Rebel guerillas and the Gray
Ghost, John Mosly.
During the long search for Mosly, the Bucktails met up with a
family of runaway slaves and they helped them escape to freedom.
This shows the Riflemens’ humanness, despite their skirmishes and
hardships.
Bucky Cult, who has been a character in the series since the
beginning, continues his friendship with Jimmy Jewett, the
mild-manered son of a preacher who became a killing machine at
Gettysburg.
Romance enters the picture when Sgt. Bucky Cult gets a furlough
to visit his sweetheart, Sarah, who lives on a farm at Sharpsburg.
She invited the whole squad and said they could help her father
with the chores to pay for their keep.
After a month leave, the Bucktails journey back to their
campsite at Fairfax Station with Cult, in a daze over leaving his
bride-to-be.
Action intensifies when the first Rifles are ordered on a
double-quick march to catch (Gen. Robert E.) Lee’s invading army at
Gettysburg.
The Bucktails brutal counter-attack from Little Round Top and
their horrible skirmish at the Devil’s Den add another heroic
chapter to the history of the 42nd Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Throughout the book, there is humor in the dialogue of the Civil
War soldier.
The book contains photos of the Bucktail re-enactors, which were
mostly taken by Robertson. And there are also pictures of
historical sites. It is noted that collaborators Robertson and
Rimer where both formerly high school teachers, and they have taken
great pains with the Bucktail series to accurately record the
illustrations of history for the young readers.
Robertson has been interested in the Bucktails since learning
about the regiment on a sixth grade school trip to Gettysburg. He
greatly admires the Bucktail re-enactors and has enjoyed their
camaraderie since he is a private in Company 1, McKean County
Bucktails of Pennsylvania.
They will be hosting a reunion on Aug. 3-5 in Smethport.
“There will be one more book coming, and that will be the end of
the Bucktail series,” said Robertson.
He will appear on a Buffalo, N.Y., television station in April,
with the program “Crossroads,” where different authors are
interviewed. Also, he is looking forward to September, when he will
travel to Temple University in Philadelphia for a conference on the
Civil War.
In the meantime, Robertson is available for personal appearances
and information on the purchase of any books from his home at P.O.
Box 293, Duke Center, Pa., 16729.
