Article by Phoenix writer Cristina Palmieri ’25:
On Tuesday, May 28, Mr. Bursig, Bryan Beard, volunteer at the 14th Regiment Brooklyn reenactor, and Jim Lennon, historian at the Long Island Living History Association, delivered an entertaining and informative Civil War reenactment to the Junior and Tyro history classes.
The two wore clothes that Union soldiers really would have worn in battle, from their dark blue flannel coats all the way down to mock weaponry on their person. They explained the miserable conditions of a soldier during the Civil War and the essentials they’d need to make the days more bearable.
While Mr. Bursig was dressed as a common member of the Union infantry, Beard was dressed as a member of the 14th Brooklyn Chasseurs. This was a New York State militia during the war, privately funded by the people of Brooklyn. Bryan Beard detailed the French-inspired uniform and the militia’s history. He gave new insight to just how involved every state was in the American Civil War. Mr. Bursig and Beard ended their presentation by showing participants artifacts used by soldiers daily, such as food rations, personal photographs, and an old-style baseball.
Junior James Takes remarks, “It was really interesting to see what actually went into the Civil War. It gave me a different perspective and made my interest in this topic deeper.”
This presentation was an overall success and gave many students insight on the lives of Civil War Soldiers. Thank you to Mr. Bursig and Bryan Beard for their role in making history come alive.
