Causer Bill to Honor Bucktail Regiment Set to Become Law

HARRISBURG – A Smethport bridge will be named in honor of the Bucktail Regiment under legislation sponsored by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) and approved by the General Assembly.

House Bill 1929 designates the Route 6 bridge over Marvin Creek as the Bucktail Regiment Memorial Bridge.

“The members of the Bucktail Regiment saw it as their duty and responsibility to serve and protect their country,” Causer said. “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to honor their dedicated service, which helped to make our country what it is today.”

The Bucktail Regiment was a group of young recruits from Cameron, Elk, McKean and Tioga counties that rose to the defense of the Union following the bombing of Fort Sumter in April 1861. It was so named because its members adopted the tail of the whitetail buck as their badge of honor and adorned their caps with it.

The 700 troops were mostly young woodsmen, lumberjacks, raftsmen, hunters and farmers. As part of the federal army, the troops became the 42^nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment and served with high distinction in most major battles of the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War.

The bill is on the governor’s desk awaiting his signature.