York Town Square

Part of the USAToday Network

American Civil War Day calls on York countians to trek south

Samuel Hoover - National Archives Info - 1Submitted
Bob Rinehart, an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Southampton Middle School in Belair, Md. And he’s a 1983 graduate of West York High School and a 1994 grad of York College of Pennsylvania. He’s a descendant of a Civil War veteran from York County, Pa., and organizer of a major event – the American Civil War Day on Saturday, May 3. So he’s Civil War through and through. This military record for that Rinehart relative, Samuel Hoover, (see below, too) comes courtesy of the National Archives. Also of interest: All Civil War posts from the start.

Bob Rinehart is one of those teachers who effectively draws from his own heritage as a rich resource for his students.

Samuel Hoover, his great-great grandfather, served with the 130th Pennsylvania at South Mountain and Antietam in 1862.

“At Antietam he was wounded and suffered from the heat,” Bob wrote in an email. “Because of the wounds, he did not take part in another battle of the Civil War. He recovered in Sharpsburg and York. He officially mustered out in early 1863, stayed in the Starview area of York County and got married.”

And the rest, as they say, is history.

“His story is what helps to inspire me as a teacher of American History,” he wrote, “and to create an American Civil War Day at our school.”

The American Civil War day is a major event, bringing in a slate of guest speakers, bands, the making of corn husk dolls and digital displays that include interviews with Civil War historians. Two speakers – Scott Mingus and Lisa Drawbaugh – are York countians.

“Keeping the history alive for young people is my number one goal. Having the event on a Saturday will allow the community to experience the work of the students and attend the presentations of the guest speakers,” he wrote.

So this event on Saturday, open to the public, should lure York County Civil War enthusiasts onto friendly soil south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Samuel Hoover - National Archives Info - 2Submitted
Samuel Hoover is buried in a York Haven Cemetery.

Also:

Bob Rinehart provided this American Civil War Day lineup (excerpted here) including these comments: “One of my missions as an educator is to expose the public to the wonderful and creative projects that America’s students are performing / executing. This project will remain in the minds of our students and hopefully propel them to become the next stewards of our American History – especially America’s Civil War.”

Southampton Middle School
American Civil War Day
Saturday May 3
3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

The students of Southampton Middle School are preparing the program.

The program:
– The Southampton Middle School Eighth Grade Orchestra – playing Civil War Music
– The Southampton Middle School Eighth Grade Chorus – singing Civil War Songs
– The Southampton Middle School Physical Education Department – Walking / “Marching”
Sign up and walk some laps downstairs at S.M.S. – How many miles can we “March” today?
– Research Projects on Display – Both Digital and Tri-fold Boards
– Digital Displays will include phone interviews of several Historians, Authors, local
organizations and former S.M.S. students
– American Civil War Collage created by S.M.S. students
– A young kid’s corner – S.M.S. students working with our young visitors on Corn husk
dolls, Coloring pages, Civil War clothing etc.
– A silent Auction of author signed books and Civil War photos for sale
– A quilt Auction – Quilt made by Southampton Middle School Students and teachers

Special Guests:
– Friends of Jerusalem Mill – Harford County Maryland
Including Brad Ensor’s Eagle Scout Project on the History of Jerusalem Mill
– Museum of Civil War Medicine – Frederick, Maryland
– Steve Stanley – Gettysburg, PA / originally from Edgewood, MD – Map Making,
Photos, Civil War Book Writer
– Vince Vaise – Chief of Interpretation at Fort McHenry – Civil War History of Baltimore
And Fort McHenry
– Dr. Lawrence E. Keener-Farley – “The Roles of Women in the Civil War”
– Monocacy Battlefield Park Ranger Tracy Evans – Frederick, Maryland –
Battle of Monocacy – 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Monocacy
– The Historical Society of Harford County– Harford County during the Civil War
– Maryland Historical Society – Baltimore, Maryland – Black Soldiers in the Civil War
– Scott Mingus – Author of several Civil War Books.
Example – Flames Beyond Gettysburg: The Confederate Expedition, June 1863
– David Jahnke – Harford Technical High School – Life/Experiences of a Civil War Soldier
– Joan Burgess – Clinton, MD – “Soap Making”
– Lisa Drawbaugh – York, PA – “Civilian Women of the American Civil War”
– Jan Hasselbusch – Harford County – Dulcimer music

Civil War quiz: Weigh in by clicking on the links!