Sunday, July 13 was a hot, muggy day. Thankfully the rain held off for Fenton’s commemoration of the 160th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War. The Relive July 4, 1865 was well attended by those interested in learning about what happened on July 4, 1865, to celebrate the end of the war between the states. The event started with a solemn remembrance of the 1,100 men that lost their lives in the war. The 72nd New York Volunteer Infantry re-enactors marched from their camp set up in the grove in Fenton Park to the statue of Governor Reuben E. Fenton on the front lawn of the Fenton Mansion where they presented arms and their Captain spoke with respect and kindness about Gov. Fenton and his part in the war effort. After a moment of silence for the lost and their families, the group walked back to their seats on the lawn to listen to Executive Director Joni Blackman read the accounts of the day from the two newspapers of the time. “July 4, 1865 was full of celebrations, parades, picnics and honoring the veterans and their families. The population of Jamestown swelled from 3,600 to between 12,000 and 20,000 depending on which newspaper you followed,” said Ms. Blackman.
Following Ms. Blackman’s talk, Richard Lundquist was introduced. Mr. Lundquist is a well-known musician in the region. He introduced and performed many songs from the period on a 1905 Shepherd’s Crook Cornet in B flat.
The 72nd New York Volunteer Infantry re-enactors set up their camp sites for the public to learn about the life of a Union soldier. Other tables were set up by re-enactor and collector Josh Densmore and Skip Trumbull who portrays a camp surgeon. Refreshments were served following the music presentation.
