The 190th Bucktails: Catchin' Bobby Lee

The 190th Pennsylvania Bucktails were formed in the field after the Battle of Bethesda Church on May 31, 1864, from veteran sharpshooters who had just mustered out of service. As skilled skirmishers, they fought the Rebels at Petersburg, the Weldon Railroad, and at the Battle of Five Forks. With brutal forced marches, the 190th finally caught Lee's army at Appomattox Court House and helped force it to surrender on April 9, 1865.

When the original Bucktails mustered out of service on May 31, 1864, many joined the 190th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. When asked why he reenlisted, Boone Crossmire said, "To see the thing through, I reckon. Once you've wounded a big buck, ya gotta follow the blood trail 'til ya finds 'im." Sergeant Hosea Curtis needed no such motivation. He just loved to fight. And fight they did as skirmishers at Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, and Five Forks. With brutal forced marches, they finally catch their quarry at Appomattox Court House. It's the Bucktails' bravery that wins the day on April 9, 1865.

William P. Robertson was born in 1950 in Bradford, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Mansfield University in 1972 with a B.S. in English. Since then, he has worked in factories, taught high school English, and run a successful house painting business. Robertson began freelancing short stories, poetry, and articles in 1978, and his work has appeared in over 500 magazines worldwide. He has also published eleven poetry collections, two audio books of horror verse, five volumes of short stories, and thirteen novels. William is an avid fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates and vintage rock 'n' roll. Fishing is his favorite pastime.