Hush the Cannon’s Roar – The Life and Times of Bennet Riley: Defender of Buffalo, by historian Tom Schobert, was recently released by NFB Publishing. The book traces the career and personal life of Major General Bennet C. Riley, who served in the U.S. Army for 40 years from the War of 1812 through the Mexican War and culminated with his serving as the last military governor of California. During the early 1840’s, Riley was the commanding officer of the Buffalo Barracks, an army post located on what is now the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site. The experience of Riley during his time here and his interactions with notable Buffalonians convinced him to return here after his military service was finished. The extensively researched book is told from the perspective of Riley’s wife, Arabella, following his passing. Riley, and most members of his immediate family are interred at Buffalo’s Forest Lawn Cemetery.  

Author Thomas F. Schobert of West Seneca is a retired health care administrator and retired Lieutenant-Colonel in the U.S. Army, He is a graduate of Canisius University in Buffalo and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is past President of the West Seneca Historical Society, former curator of the West Seneca Historical Society Museum, and former member of the Board of Trustees of the Hull Family Home and Farmstead. Tom also re-enacts General Riley as part of Forest Lawn’s Famous Sunday in the Cemetery Tours (pictured).

Following the presentation, Tom will take questions and have books available for purchase and personalization.

Registration is required as space is limited. A $10 suggested donation will be accepted at the door for the Forest Lawn Heritage Foundation, which helps to make programs like this possible for the community.

Important Information

Tickets: You do not need to print any ticketing information; attendees will be checked in by name.

Event Location: The event will take place at the Margaret L. Wendt Center located at 1990 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14208. Please enter the cemetery off Main Street, across from Jefferson Avenue. If you need to enter Forest Lawn at the Main Street Gate or Delaware Avenue Gate, just follow the blue line on the road which will take you to the Wendt Center. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the event start time.

Parking: There is plenty of parking in front and to the right of the Wendt Center.

Questions: Please call us at (716) 427-0727 or email Amizetta Haj, Director of Community Engagement, at ahaj@forest-lawn.com