Civil War comes to life for fifth graders

Civil War re-enactor Jim Meaney talks to students about the life of a soldier and the impact of the Civil War. ERIc GROSS History came to life for fifth graders at the Pequenakonck Elementary School in North Salem during a special visit from a Civil War re-enactor.

Jim Meaney gave the young people marching orders by teaching the 10-year-olds residing in Carmel, Southeast, Croton Falls, North Salem, and Somers about military formation drills used in the American Civil War.

Meaney, who participates in Civil War en-enactments year-round, has written a book about New York’s 124th Civil War Regiment. He displayed the contents of a typical soldier’s backpack while describing the army’s ordeals on and off the battlefield telling the children: “If the war was fought in today’s population, 5 million people would be killed with 4 million others wounded.”

Student Melissa Oddo enjoyed the presentation: “The Civil War really came to life for us. Mr. Meaney knows his stuff.”

The visit to the school was part of the district’s fifth grade study of Turning Points in the Western Hemisphere.

—Eric Gross