‘The devil’s to pay!’ Meet General John Buford as portrayed by Michael Smith

Here’s your chance to meet General John Buford, Union cavalryman and hero of the first day at Gettysburg, and ask him some questions.

This talk will be in the first person, with General Buford, as portrayed by Michael Smith, talking about his early pre-war life and his actions in the Gettysburg Campaign, with special attention given to his actions on the afternoon of the first day at Gettysburg.

The free presentation will conclude with his efforts at Falling Waters and his eventual death in December 1863. General Buford will then be available for a question-and-answer session.

His talk is part of the September meeting of the Colonel Henry Ryerson Civil War Round Table, to be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at Sussex County Community College’s Performing Arts Center in Newton.

After years of moving around the country and world, Smith in 1997 settled down in his home on the scene of the first morning’s battle at Gettysburg. The locale has contributed to a never-ending quest to understand and convey the actions and character of John Buford, professional soldier, family man, and father figure to his “boys.”

Son of a career Air Force master sergeant, Smith’s interest in military history started at age 11 while living in Ankara, Turkey, and has never stopped. As he reviewed the little personal information available about General Buford (not to be mistaken for his half-brother, Napoleon, or his cousin Abraham), he found that in personality, he and Buford were quite similar. Also, like West Point cadets of the era, Smith has an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, with the addition of an MBA in finance and international business, from Penn State University.

After 24 years of research, Smith has insights into the general’s actions and his frustration with the lack of commitment to the objective.

Part of Smith’s learning experience has been as a cavalry trooper and horseman in Civil War re-enactments. Consequently, when he speaks of the training of troopers, it is from first-hand experience where quite literally that experience was gained by the seat of the pants.

His wife, Diane, portrays Martha McDowell Duke Buford., The two of them are active in Victorian-era dancing and living history presentations.

The Colonel Henry Ryerson Civil War Round Table provides educational programs, tours, and fellowship for individuals interested in the Civil War Era.

Attendees should expect to observe the college’s Covid-19 safety protocols.