February 2008 Archives

During the Confederate occupation of York, a number of soldiers took the opportunity to write letters home to their families and/or sweethearts. A few of these letters survive, and I include portions of them in my two manuscripts on York in the Gettysburg Campaign (One book will at long last be in print later this year!).

Some letters may have been dropped off at the local post office for later mailing, but most were sent through the regular Confederate army mail system, which usually involved a courier on horseback riding back through the enemy-held countryside to friendly territory to post the mail. Sometimes these couriers never made it.

The Battle of South Mountain was a integral part of the Maryland Campaign, yet it receives little attention from authors, writers, and tourists. Located within a 2 and a half hour drive from York, the battlefield consists of three distinct sections, from north to south being Turner's Gap, Fox's Gap, and Crampton's Gap. D.H. Hill's Division of Confederates, assisted by parts of Longstreet's Corps, held off the Union I, VI, and IX Corps for all day on September 14, 1862, blocking the mountain passes and keeping McClellan from attacking Lee's weak force until September 17 (Antietam).

The National Civil War Museum (Harrisburg) is sponsoring a special Shenandoah Valley / Winchester Tour on April 11, 2008. This promises to be an exciting one-day event, and reservations are being accepted from the public. Many of the Confederates who camped in York County fought at Winchester, as did York County's very own 87th Pennsylvania Infantry. Come walk in their footsteps, and see some of the most impressive scenery in Virginia!

In a recent post, I recounted a visit through York County by veterans of the 14th Brooklyn (also known as the 84th New York Militia) in 1867 as they returned to Gettysburg. I received word that a movie is in production about another colorful New York regiment, the 5th New York or Duryee's Zouaves. The movie is appropriately entitled Red Legged Devils. Among the credits is James Gettys, the Gettysburg resident who is well known for his living history portrayals of Abraham Lincoln, whom he plays in this upcoming movie. The movie is based upon a book by the late Brian Pohanka.

Civil War movies have recently been a mixed bag. Wicked Spring got good reviews, buy played to a limited audience. Johnny Shiloh never made it past the Ohio region. Cold Mountain garnered an Oscar for Rene Zellweger, and Gods & Generals garnered snores. It will be interested to see how Red Legged Devils is received.

What have been your favorite (and least favorite) Civil War movies?

Custom made miniature of a 14th Brooklyn soldier, sculpted by Alan Ball and painted by Marion Ball.

On Tuesday, July 2, 1867, a group of Civil War veterans from the 14th Brooklyn Infantry, a celebrated unit known as the "Red-Legged Devils" for their bright crimson baggy trousers, traveled back to Gettysburg to visit the battlefield. Their agenda took them first to Philadelphia for some sightseeing, including Independence Hall and the U.S. Mint. After lunch at one of Philly's leading restaurants, the vets toured Fairmount Park and then took in a minstrel show in the early evening. The night was completed with a huge spread of food and desserts at the local armory. The men went to bed full, satisfied, and eager to head on to Gettysburg to revisit where they had fought four years earlier.

Their trip on July 3 would take them through the heart of York County.

During the weeks following the Battle of Gettysburg, thousands of wounded soldiers passed through tiny Hanover Junction in southern York County, passing through the railroad intersection eastward on the Hanover Branch RR en route to Baltimore, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Washington and other towns where they could receive medical care. A temporary medical facility at the junction provided assistance for soldiers in need of treatment before they could be reloaded onto cars of the Northern Central Railway. In addition, a few cars contained coffins of soldiers killed in the battle, men whose families had arranged for transport home for burial.

Hundreds of civilians also passed through Hanover Junction. Most were sightseers on an excursion to visit the now famous battlefield. Others were relief agents, medical personnel, nurses and aides, and newspaper correspondents seeking a story. Cars were overcrowded and unsanitary, with people often crowding into freight cars. Here's one story of how some clever sorts made a little extra room on one train from Hanover Junction as it passed through York County.

One of the Confederate objectives during the Gettysburg Campaign was to seize the long covered bridge across the Susquehanna River between Wrightsville in York County and Columbia in Lancaster County. Lt. General Richard S. Ewell ordered Major General Jubal Early to destroy the bridge, but Early instead decided to capture the bridge and keep it intact, cross into Lancaster County, and attack Harrisburg from the rear.

Among the defenders in the horseshoe-shaped line of earthworks just west of Wrightsville were the soldiers of the 27th Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia, an emergency regiment hastily raised in the counties northeast of Harrisburg (including many small towns along today's I-81). One Schuylkill County infantryman left a written record of his brief service in York County.

J. W. Greathead was a merchant in the Fulton County town of McConnellsburg. With his father, the 29-year-old co-owned a thriving general merchandise store, which had been cleaned out during a Confederate raid in the fall of 1862. Undaunted, the two men had restocked their inventory and resumed operations. During the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign, Confederate troops occupied McConnellsburg on several occasions. On June 29, Rebel cavalry chased off a company of the First New York Lincoln Cavalry and entered town. Fearful that the shop would be raided again, John Greathead asked an officer to post guards at the door to prevent looting. The Rebel assigned three men to the post, ordering them to "see that this man and his property are not molested."

After a while, a thankful Greathead sat down on the doorstep with one of the guards and began talking. The borough of York was among the topics of the friendly conversation.

Through the efforts of Kathy Friel, the speaker schedule for the 2008 meetings of the revitalized York Civil War Round Table is filling in. Tim Smith, well respected author and official of the Adams County Historical Society, has agreed to speak in July. Tim will speak on the civilians of Gettysburg. This year marks the tenth anniversary of his and Gary Adelman's landmark book Devil's Den, so bring your copy for Tim to autograph.

Dr. Charlie Fennell will speak at the October meeting and will again lead a battle walk for those who are interested on Saturday, November 1. Charlie is an entertaining and very knowledgable battlefield guide, as well as a professor at HACC's Gettysburg campus.

Other speakers are in the works, with some fascinating topics. More to come!!!

Some of you have recently asked me about the progress of my latest manuscripts. Here is a brief update on my writing activities.

1. Human Interest Stories from the Gettysburg Campaign, Volume 3 is about halfway finished. There is no timetable for completing this, as Colecraft Industries and I have published three of these human interest books in the past 2 years, and it's time to slow down to allow the market to catch up. The formal introduction of Volume 2 will be this spring, with the same sales channels as the first two books.

2. Flames Beyond Gettysburg: The Gordon Expedition, June 1862 is finally ready for printing. The next step will be to receive the galley proofs, approve them, and then it's off to the printing press. This book is being published by Ironclad Publishing and is Volume 5 in their Discovering Civil War America series. I cover Gordon's brigade from Virginia to the burning of the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge, and then on to Gettysburg a second time.

3. A Spirit of Daring: The Louisiana Tigers in the Gettysburg Campaign has been completed and just now sent off to the publisher. This should be in print by 2010. I have a lot of material on the Tigers' brief stay in York County, much of it rarely or never before published.

4. Brothers Divided is my latest full-color wargaming scenario book, chock full of great photos of some of the best Civil War dioramas and wargaming table layouts. Volume 1 of this new series will be published late in 2008 by Marek/Janci Design of Chicago.

Work is just beginning on my latest project - a regimental history of the 51st Ohio.

Also, watch for Roll Call to Destiny, a new book by Brent Nosworthy. I helped research and write the Seven Pines / Fair Oaks chapter.

Our family moved to York County in 2001 from the shores of scenic Lake Erie. My oldest son (now a college history professor) was soon accepted to grad school in history at Millersville, and his master's level report on the burning of the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge inspired me to write a full-length book on John B. Gordon's brigade in the Gettysburg Campaign (and the subsequent follow-up book on the Louisiana Tigers that has just been submitted to the publisher).

Among the many resources we found for the bridge burning was a series of articles written by local professor Thomas L. Schaefer. Tom also made an interesting VHS tape which we purchased early on. Entitled Defend or Destroy?, this program offers a walking tour of Wrightsville and examines the bridge burning. It's worth a look if you haven't seen it.

The National Park Service has set a date of April 14 for the formal opening of the new $105 million museum and visitors center at the Gettysburg National Military Park. Nearly everything is complete at the new 139,000 square-foot Baltimore Pike facility, except for transferring the artifacts from storage and the old VC to the new building. The Cyclorama will notbe ready on time, and is expected to reopen this autumn. There are nearly 2 million visitors a year to the battlefield, and the new VC is expected to be a showplace and a solid introduction to the battle. Nearly half the visitors go into the visitors center, according to the Park Service.

I am looking for primary source material on the 51st Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War for a new manuscript that I will start later this year. If anyone has anything, please let me know via e-mail.

Thanks!!!

I have been having fun recently tracing my family history and genealogy. My cousin's husband did a lot of this work, as did other relatives, and I have been filling in around the edges, as well as helping research other family members. I am a native of Ohio, and in digging through old family records, I discovered that I am related to former U.S. President William Henry Harrison, something that I had not previously known.

A number of my ancestors fought in the Civil War, including my great-great-grandfather John D. Sisson of the 51st Ohio Infantry. An English immigrant, he fought in Sherman's army during the Atlanta Campaign and was on the famous March to the Sea. My mom remembers as a little girl in the 1930s visiting Mr. Sisson in his home in Dover, Ohio, and being frightened when he fell asleep in his rocking chair and started reliving old battles. He would suddenly yell out comments to long ago comrades, scaring Mom half to death.

My great-great-uncles on my Dad's side fought in the 7th West Virginia Infantry at the Battle of Gettysburg on East Cemetery Hill. The Chambers boys were part of the Gibraltar Brigade of Samuel Carroll, and were sent into action as reinforcements to relieve the XI Corps.

Did you have ancestors in the Civil War? If so, what regiments? Any stories?

Jim McClure recently posted some information about a Union courier who was killed by a farmer named George Bair near Green Ridge in southern York County. I have a little more information on the incident in my files, although in some ways, it deepens the mystery. To read Jim's background post, please click here.

“Gettysburg’s Untold Struggle for Freedom”

The incredible drama of the Underground Railroad in the Gettysburg area will be the topic of the March 3 meeting of Historic Gettysburg Adams County. Dr. Charles Teague, president of the society, will be the presenter for this 7:30 p.m. program. The location is the GAR Hall at 53 East Middle Street, Gettysburg. There is no charge to attend, and reservations are not required. Simply show up at the GAR Hall.

Emily Bliss Souder was among the scores of people rushing to the Gettysburg battlefield to assist with the wounded. She and several companions arrived in Baltimore on Monday afternoon, July 13, but missed the last train to Hanover Junction. They explored the city and called on acquaintances. At 7:30 the next morning, the group left for Hanover Junction, reaching the intersection at 11:00 a.m. She eventually made it to Gettysburg, where she helped tend the wounded for a couple of weeks. She wrote several letters from the field hospitals, some of which mentioned her brief stays in York County.

In a recent post entitled "A Quaker in Gray," I related how one Confederate soldier from North Carolina was appalled at the massive waste of supplies and food during the brief occupation of York from June 28-30, 1863. The greediness and gluttony clashed with his Quaker upbringing, as he had been taught to be a good steward of what he had received.

Another of Jubal Early's men also commented on the massive amount of supplies that were left behind when the division marched off toward Gettysburg on the morning of June 30.

Brandy Station was the largest cavalry engagement ever fought in the United States. It marked the opening battle of the Gettysburg Campaign, and was one of the few times the Federal cavalry held its own against J.E.B. Stuart's vaunted cavaliers. Over the past few years, the battlefield has been reasonably well preserved, and the Brandy Station Foundation is to be commended for their excellent efforts.

If you are looking for a Civil War fix over the next few months, why not consider taking in one of Brandy Station's frequent lectures or tours? It's a relatively easy drive from York County through parts of historic Virginia.

Abraham Lincoln remains one of the most well-known and revered Americans of the 19th Century. He was a complex man, with far more nuances and characteristics than the common public perception. Andy Martin will explore some of these facets of Lincoln's personality in his upcoming talk at the York Civil War Round Table on February 20 at the York County Heritage Trust at 7 p.m.

Unlike today's presidents, Lincoln was highly visible around Washington, with frequent walks, carriage rides, horseback rides, and other casual pursuits that often compelled his bodyguards to implore him to use more caution. Washington at the time was a hot, muggy place in the summer, and the White House was not the most comfortable living quarters. Lincoln often rode out to a breezier location and sojourned in a small cottage. This home has recently been restored and will be open to the public beginning on President's Day. It will make a perfect one-tank day trip down to D.C.

For more information, see the CNN article.

A. Lincoln

2008 York CWRT schedule

Honest Abe. The Rail Splitter. The Great Emancipator. The Buffoon. In his lifetime, Abraham Lincoln elicited many nicknames, most positive and some decidedly unflattering. Lincoln was a polarizing figure, with almost as many detractors as admirers. Newspapers of the period were biased, depending upon political backing, and hundreds of anti-Lincoln cartoons exist.

Speaker Andrew Martin will present what promises to be a fascinating talk on the life of Lincoln at the next meeting of the York Civil War Round Table on February 20 at 7 p.m. at the York County Heritage Trust in downtown York. The meeting, as always, is free to the public, so be sure to mark your calendars! His presentation is entitled "Abraham Lincoln as Seen Through the Eyes of Many Historians."

My wife and I used watch a half-hour TV program entitled 8 Simple Rules for Dating my Daughter. It starred the late actor John Ritter, the son of famous country and western singer Tex Ritter, and the show was a source of entertainment and escape. While I normally detest sitcoms, this was one of the rare ones I would sit through, unlike Ritter's earlier horrible Three's Company, which I could not stand. Not long before Ritter's death at age 54, I finally came to appreciate his talents. John Ritter had a famous lineage, as well as fame and fortune.

For one ordinary 19th Century York County namesake, the Gettysburg Campaign took away a little of his fortune, but made the name John Ritter a part of local Civil War history.

An old Civil War letter

I am interested in publishing your local York County Civil War stories in this blog space. I welcome e-mails from the readers, and would like to know what diaries, letters, articles, clippings, and similar material you might have in your possession and family heritage. All materials will be properly cited, and I will consider all kinds of information. Letters from camp, battle accounts, road trips, visits to towns and cities, and accounts of soldier life are all of particular interest, as are pension records and other sources. Send an e-mail if you have such material to lend me or send transcripts electronically. Thanks!

Writer and tour guide Deb McCauslin will present a talk entitled "Freedom Lies Just North," a fascinating presentation on the Underground Railroad movement in Adams County with a focus on the hotbed of activity, the village of Yellow Hill, just north of Gettysburg. This will be at the February 14 meeting of the Lancaster Civil War Round Table (7:00 p.m.), and will be held at the Lititz Public Library in northern Lancaster County.

Admission is free to the public. You do NOT have to be a member of the CWRT to attend; just show up and prepare for an evening that is sure to teach you some more about local history. The conference room in the library is new and very nice, spacious, and well lit. I spoke there last summer as part of the CWRT program when I related several human interest stories from the Gettysburg Campaign.