Dennis Morris's museum-quality miniature layout of a portion of the Battle of Gettysburg

Here is a link to my other blog, which I maintain for a wargaming society that Debi and I formed several years ago. It depicts what I consider to be a museum-quality miniature diorama depiction of the Confederate attacks on Devil's Den and the Rose Farm at Gettysburg, actions that are well within walking distance from the York CWRT's adopted 102nd Pennsylvania and 62nd New York's monuments. The actions shown in this outstanding miniature layout predated the advance of the 102nd and 62nd.

What do you think? Very impressive work from the master modeller, Dennis Morris, don't you agree?

Posted in Gettysburg Campaign Gettysburg battlefield Miscellaneous

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A Civil War-era lavish dinner at a well-to-do household. Most southern Pennsylvanians did not enjoy such luxury, but their dinner spreads were often equally impressive. Confederates often marveled at the "vast oceans" of food that some were fortunate enough to have partaken during the invasion of Pennsylvania. Harper's Weekly.

Many of you know I am fascinated by the human interest side of the Civil War, having written three books (with a fourth one in the works now) on that aspect of the war. In particular, I enjoy studying the psychology of the interactions between the Confederate soldiers and the Pennsylvania civilians during the Gettysburg Campaign. There is a wealth of great material in the soldiers' old diaries, letters, and similar reminiscences.

Here's one interesting anecote of a group of Rebel artillerymen from Virginia as they intercoursed with a pair of Franklin County families. Note how the milk was served, and also the custom of dressing up for company. Also note that the head of the household does not eat with the rest of the family...

Posted in Civilians Confederates Gettysburg Campaign Lincoln

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Pennsylvania author J. David Petruzzi is the featured guest speaker for the May meeting of the York CWRT.

From June 30 through the wee morning hours of July 2, elements of J.E.B. Stuart's vaunted, but road-weary and exhausted Confederate cavalry column trudged through western York County. They fought a pitched battle at Hanover, as well as a couple of very minor rear guard skirmishes near Jefferson and Dover. Stuart did not arrive on the Gettysburg battlefield until late on July 2, having fought yet again at Hunterstown.

Historians for 145 years have argued the merits of Stuart's controversial ride around the Union army, one that put him out of touch with the main force of the Army of Northern Virginia for part of the campaign. Some critics blame Stuart for leaving Lee blind while in enemy country; others argue that the move made military sense and circumstances beyond Stuart's (and Lee's) control contributed to the delayed reunion with the infantry.

Brockway, PA author J. D. Petruzzi will present a FREE talk at the York County Civil War Round Table on Wednesday, May 21, at 7:00 p.m. at the York County Heritage Trust at 250 East Market Street in downtown York. This promises to be of strong interest to anyone interested in exploring the Civil War history of this region, and a chance to see and hear one of America's leading cavalry experts deliver his personal opinion on Stuart's ride.

Posted in Books Confederates Dillsburg Dover Gettysburg Campaign Hanover Jefferson York CWRT

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When not on campaign, Civil War troops (particularly the Federals) had semi-permanent camps with tents and log structures. While on the road, they made do without these luxuries. For the Rebels on the march to Pennsylvania, the camp was usually a piece of grass, an old blanket, and the starry sky. (Library of Congress)

Recently I posted a message and photograph of the John Wiest house / tavern in Spring Grove, which was used as a Confederate camp site during the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign. Some of you have inquired as to the locations of other CSA camps and headquarters during the Confederate invasion, so I will begin a series of occasional articles on the topic. First, some basic information to help set the table for this new series...

Posted in Confederates Gettysburg Campaign Other places Spring Grove Wrightsville York

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The 18th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry marched past the market shed in Hanover's town square, seen here in this vintage postcard depicting the square not long after the Gettysburg Campaign.

With the outbreak of Fort Sumter and the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, hundreds of thousands of men enlisted in the fledgling volunteer armies over the next few months. Among them was William W. Hemenway a 24-year-old native of historic Lexington, Massachusetts, and the father of two. He enrolled in Company I of the 18th Massachusetts as a sergeant. He and his comrades participated in many of the Eastern Theater's more recognizable campaigns, including Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. He suffered a painful leg wound at Fredericksburg that would plague him the rest of his life. While recuperating, he finally was able to see his new daughter, Mary Grace, who was born shortly after the Battle of Antietam.

During the Gettysburg Campaign, Hemenway was now a first lieutenant. The vast majority of the nearly 100 men he had originally mustered in with in Company I were long since gone, most through illness or battles. Now, in June 1863, there were only 139 men left in the entire regiment, which had once boasted a thousand eager volunteers. The war had changed since then, and so had the handful of survivors still in the ranks. Soldiering was a hard life, and yet there were moments of pleasure, although they were few and far between. One of those rare moments came in Hanover, Pennsylvania, in southwestern York County on July 1, 1863...

Posted in Gettysburg Campaign Hanover Yankees

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For you Cannonball readers that may not be aware, there are some excellent on-line resources available from The Guilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The organization is sponsoring a temporary exhibit at the new Gettysburg Visitors Center at Gettysburg National Military Park, displaying several dozen "Letters from the War" in their gallery. Many are poignant and illuminating, shedding some light on the lifestyles of the average Civil War soldier.

Complete text of those letters can be found on-line at their website, which also features complete transcripts of many other epistles. Website visitors may listen to several audio versions of selected stories and other documents from the Battle of Gettysburg and other ACW events and campaigns. Also, they make available webcasts and podcasts from a number of leading contemporary ACW historians, professors, and lecturers.

The site is interesting and well worth bookmarking for future repeated visits.

Posted in Civil War people Civilians Confederates Yankees

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Every day, thousands of cars and trucks rumble through the new traffic circle in Spring Grove, passing by the old stone house pictured above. Few, if any, are aware of the historic significance of the building, which has been the local library, a private residence, and now is the headquarters of a flooring company. However, years ago, it served as the temporary headquarters for a Confederate cavalry unit from Virginia and Maryland during the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign. The area was the campsite of these Rebels on the Saturday night before the Battle of Gettysburg.

Posted in Civilians Gettysburg Campaign Spring Grove

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Jack was the official mascot of the 102nd Pennsylvania, a volunteer infantry regiment that is now associated with the local York Civil War Round Table.

Soldiers away from home during the Civil War often adopted pets and mascots, including bears, eagles, cats, goats, chickens, and other domesticated animals. The most common pets were, of course, dogs. I cover several of these dog mascots and their combat prowess in my three human interest stories books, and I have been asked to write a book specifically covering animal mascots during the war. Perhaps someday...

The 102nd Pennsylvania is one of two Civil War infantry regiments whose monuments have been “adopted” by the York Civil War Round Table (the other being the 62nd New York). The 102nd had a dog named “Jack” for a regimental mascot. Let's learn a little more about this famed little mascot, whose ultimate fate was an unsolved mystery.

Posted in Yankees York CWRT

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The new book is available from Borders in York and at leading retailers in Gettysburg. It's also for sale at Internet retailers such as amazon.com and target.com.

Here is an anecdote from my recent Human Interest Stories of the Gettysburg Campaign, Volume 2, which was published by Colecraft Industries of Ortanna, PA. This is just one of more than two hundred such true stories from Gettysburg. You will not find any ghosts of Gettysburg or other such tales in this book, but rather stories as related directly by the participants themselves about their experiences. Nothing supernatural, just extraordinary in many cases.

Posted in Books Confederates Gettysburg Campaign

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Crowds thronged the Toy Soldier Show in Gettysburg, offering promise that this event will become a fixture in the area for years to come.

I spent a pleasant few hours Sunday afternoon at the 1st Annual Toy Soldier Show in Gettysburg, a new event held at the Gettysburg Hotel on the square. Attendance was very strong, spurred in part by the novelty of the event, as well as some very cool door prizes from Britains and several hourly drawings for gift certificates to the dealer hall. I saw a lot of old friends and had a blast going down memory lane as I looked through box after box of old toy soldiers, army men, cowboys and indians, Vikings, space men, and many other genres of plastic figures from all sorts of makers.

Posted in Local ACW events One-tank road trips

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