On September 29, we left Plano for a nearly two-week adventure in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.

Allen at the GAR Museum and Library in Philadelphia, PA

It took a couple of days to reach our first stop at the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library in Philadelphia. I spoke on “Charles F. Smith – Philadelphia’s Forgotten Soldier” on Sunday afternoon October 2.  We spent some time looking at the fine exhibits at GAR Museum and Library.

Mom and Allen with copy of “Teacher of Civil War Generals”

From Philadelphia, we traveled north to spend a few days with my wife’s family in Binghamton, New York. My 98-year old mother-in-law spent some time looking over maps to try to learn how her ancestor, Charles A. Marvin, made the trip from Covington, Pennsylvania to Harrisburg. At camp in the Pennsylvania capital, he joined the Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry Regiment and fought with General Sherman in the Atlanta Campaign in 1864 and with General Wilson on his raid into Georgia and Alabama in 1865.

Allen on Radio Vision

Regrettably, our visit was short so we could travel to New Jersey for a presentation at the Camp Olden Civil War Round Table at October 6 at the Hamilton Township Free Public Library. Prior to the evening presentation, I was interviewed on the Radio Vision Network about my books.

Allen wearing gloves to view Civil War photographs at US Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, PA

The following morning, we left for Pittsburgh for a presentation the following day. Enroute we decided to stop at the US Army Heritage and Education Center at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. A brief visit turned into several hours of research on the Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. We were excited to find a letter that Private Marvin wrote home to his sister Mary.

Allen at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library in Carnegie, PA

We reached Pittsburgh in time for dinner with our dear friends Carolyn and Jim Geary. The next day we drove through Pittsburgh to Carnegie, Pennsylvania for a presentation at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library. I spoke in the Lincoln Gallery on “Charles F. Smith – Pennsylvania’s Forgotten Soldier.” We also viewed the  Captain Thomas Espy GAR Post.

That evening Sharlyn and I were privileged to attend Carolyn and Jim’s Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration at the Le Mont Restaurant in Pittsburgh.

View of Pittsburgh from Le Mont Restaurant