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Buzz & Viola Smithcors as Dr. Dudley and

Cornelia Hancock, Civil War Medics

                                               Buzz & Vi in Civil War                                                Buzz & Vi  in the Colonial Time

            Mondays through Fridays, you are likely to find Buzz and Viola Smithcors at their respective places of work:   However, when the weekends roll around, contemporary work clothes are traded in for a more vintage attire – specifically period dress of the Civil War era. 

               Buzz and Vi are active members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, General N. Lyon Camp #10 and the Cornelia Hancock Auxiliary #10.  Garbed in authentic period attire, the Smithcors have participated in the Founder’s Day event in Vineland for over ten years as Living Historians of the era.  They travel throughout the region to various Civil War re-enactment events in Pennsylvania , Delaware , Maryland , and North Jersey, and throughout schools and community events in Southern New Jersey, with their portable museum of Civil War artifacts and functional encampment displays of a field hospital and living quarters, in addition to guns and artillery.  Through their liaisons with numerous Civil War re-enactor regiments, the number of participants grows each year in the Union and Confederate camps – and so too, the variety of demonstrations and displays open to the public for entertainment and education.

      Vi is a descent of Civil War field medic and nurse, Cornelia Hancock, who was her great-plus second cousin.  She enjoys dressing in the types of clothes her ancestor wore and portraying a noble woman of another time.  “I want to keep her memory alive for she was a brave lady to go out on the field and take care of soldiers.  Her work after the war was with African-American children.” Vi continues, “Hosting the Ladies’ Tea in our encampment and dressing in the period clothing of the Civil War takes me back in time to my character so I can portray her well.”

       Buzz wears the uniform of a Union officer, Dr. Dudley, who worked with Cornelia in the field hospital at the time.  Dr. Dudley keeps a well stocked supply of medical instruments and tonics in his museum quality display – with quite a few authentically breath-taking touches such as the bloody pile of amputated arms and legs in the corner.  He is a living textbook of the time and the war for all who will inquire of him – especially children.  “If one person walks away with a little bit more knowledge of history,” Buzz says, “it makes me feel good.”

     In the recent two years Buzz and Vi's interests have been expanding into the Colonial  or Revolutionary War time period.  They have also been donating

 their time to the William Hancock House over at Hancock's Bridge, New Jersey.  Everything ties in because Cornelia Hancock was a descendant 

of William Hancock.  The Smithcors along with the help of friends give children's workshops in the methods of "Hearth Cooking" in a fireplace.

           Please check out Lyon Camp #10 Web-Site:  lyoncamp.org.  It is a comprehensive site dealing with the 

                     Grand Army of the Republic and Civil War veterans of New Jersey.

                     For further information, contact Buzz Smithcors - e-mail.

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