For many Pennsylvania Dutchmen, the Civil War was the first major national crisis that they participated in as Americans. Although many fought in the American Revolution, after the establishment of the United States, the Pa. Dutch, with their different language and different customs, largely remained isolated from the nation as a whole. For the first time in almost 90 years, Pennsylvania’s farm boys left the fields in mass and took up arms in support of a national cause. One of the regiments these young men joined was the 167th Pennsylvania Volunteers. The regiment was composed almost entirely Pennsylvania Dutch men. Its soldiers were entirely from Berks County, the county where Kutztown in located, and is the only regiment of the War to hold that distinction. They spoke the PA Dutch dialect, fought valiantly, and distinguished themselves as brave and stalwart defenders of the Union.
Learn what life was like for those who left Pennsylvania in support of the Union cause as the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center of Kutztown University presents an interpretation and re-enactment of the 167th Pennsylvania Volunteers at the Kutztown Folk Festival.
One of the first changes for any one volunteering in the Civil War army was adjusting to daily life in a new uniform, as well as carrying weapons as well as all of the essentials of daily life on their backs. On display at the Festival will be a variety of uniforms, Civil War era tents, and all of the different equipment each soldier carried that was essential to their survival.
Most Civil War soldiers spent the earliest part of their enlistment training for service. Drill was practiced for hours on end and often for weeks without a break. During the Festival you will see re-enactors of the Pennsylvania 167th practice these drills. Featured will be marching drills for maneuvering units and the manual arms, a series of steps for carrying, holding, and firing weapons. Of special note will be firing demonstrations practiced in the Civil War era drill technique of loading in nine times, or steps.
Once in the field, life in the trenches for a Civil War soldier was often monotonous. Food was critical to survival, but was of terrible quality, and often spoiled. At the Festival you will learn how an army was fed, what the infamous salt pork and hardtack diet was, see how coffee of the 19th century was prepared, and watch soldiers demonstrate how to prepare a meal in the trenches with nothing but a few basic tools and a frying pan. You will how soldiers managed to stay fed on long marches that went on for days.