Re-enactors from the 26th Regiment of North Carolina Troops and the 37th North Carolina Regiment of North Carolina Troops will be setting up a one-day living history camp at the Museum of Ashe County History in Jefferson on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Both regiments formed two companies from Ashe County during the war, with both companies designated as Company A. Both regiments and those Ashe County companies suffered greatly during the war, losing most of the men who joined early in the war to combat and disease in campaigns that stretched from New Bern, N.C. to Gettysburg, Penn. and then on to the surrender of Robert E. Lee’s army at Appomattox in April 1865.
The re-enactors will be presenting camp life, including school of the soldier, some marching drill, and musket firing demonstrations. There will be talks describing the uniforms, equipment, flags, and tactics used by both sides during the war.
From 4-7 p.m. the re-enactors will move to Buffalo Tavern Bed & Breakfast at 958 West Buffalo Road in West Jefferson where Nora Brooks will recreate her impression of Mildred Childe Lee, the daughter of Robert E. Lee, who lived into the 20th century. She will be in character, meaning she will know nothing of modern life, but will be able to give attendees insight into the character of her father and life in the late 19th century. Brooks will start her program at 6 p.m. on the front porch of the Buffalo Bed & Breakfast.
Brooks, as Mildred Lee, has performed for audiences in Richmond and Lexington, Virginia, Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina, Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia. She has portrayed Mildred Lee at the Museum of the Confederacy, Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee University, and many other venues.
Please bring your own lawn chairs. Parking will be in the field adjacent to the bed and breakfast.
Both events are free and open to the public.
As a landmark from the days when horse-drawn wagons traveled the roads of Ashe County, there still stands in the Buffalo community a special place called the Buffalo Tavern. Built in 1872 by George Washington Ray, people in the area know of it as the “large white house on Buffalo Road” and many of them know of the rich and fascinating history surrounding the home. Today, it’s an inviting B&B for guests to call “home” while they enjoy the many activities of North Carolina’s High Country.
This year marks the 5th anniversary of the reopening of Buffalo Tavern Bed & Breakfast by its current innkeeper, Brian “Doc” Adams. Doc will be celebrating with a weekend of events, including an open house on Sunday, Aug. 28, 1:30-4 p.m., to honor the old home along with working in conjunction with the living history Civil War events on Saturday.
For more information, please call Doc Adams at 877-9080 or the Museum of Ashe County History at 846-1904.
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