Masonic lodge in Schenectady, became interested in the story and began researching it. In 1999 he and the St. Francisville lodge cooperated in staging a reenactment of the truce and burial, billed as "The Day the War Stopped;" the tradition has been continued annually in June ever since. It is now a three-day festival with lectures and a parade in addition to the re-enactments. Karwowski himself plays Hart for a talk on Friday night and Hart's second-in-command Dubois for the funeral re-enactment on Saturday. Members of the St. Francisville lodge portray Leake; past portrayers have included a U.S. Congressman and Leake's great-great-grandson. During the 2000s Karwowski began to contact descendants of Hart and Leake, inviting them to attend the re-enactment weekend, and several have done so, particularly in 2013 for the 150th anniversary of the event. Namesake USS Hart (DD-110) was named for him and his uncle Ezekiel B. Hart. References External links John E. Hart Letters, 1861-1863 MS 392 held by Special Collection & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy The Day the War Stopped, at exploresouthernhistory.com Union Navy officers United States Naval Academy alumni People of New York (state) in the American Civil War Military personnel from New York City Military personnel from Schenectady, New York American Freemasons 1863 deaths 1824 births Suicides by firearm in Louisiana American military personnel who committed suicide People from St. Francisville, Louisiana 1860s suicides