About this blog
Scott L. Mingus, Sr. is a scientist and executive in the paper and printing industry, as well as the author of several books and magazine articles on the Civil War, including some that deal primarily with York County during the Gettysburg Campaign.
This Cannonball blog presents stories and anecdotes from the war years, as well as announcing local Civil War events of the modern day.
Send all questions, news items, and suggestions to scottmingus@yahoo.com.
Category Archives: Black history
Remembering another fallen Civil War casualty
Civil War-era graveyard in Columbia, Pa. In the overcast late afternoon of June 28, 1863, as elements of the vaunted Confederate Army approached the small town of Wrightsville in south-central Pennsylvania, more than 1,800 men in blue uniforms awaited them … Continue reading
New Pinterest page for “Civil War in York County, Pa.”
I have recently decided to start a series of boards on the popular social media site, Pinterest, to showcase some of my diverse interests such as Civil War miniature wargaming, Civil War toy soldiers and collectibles, postcards, and the like. … Continue reading
New book! The Civil War in Pennsylvania: A Photographic History
Ken Turner has amassed one of the largest private collections of Civil War photographs in the entire country, with a focus on Pennsylvania-related topics such as soldiers, places, civilians, and events. A small portion of his holdings have been professionally … Continue reading
Camp Freedom near Shrewsbury was a Union army campsite & pre-war Methodist camp meeting site
In the early and mid-19th century, this grove of trees (now a modern housing development) was Lowe’s Camp Ground, a very popular gathering place along the Susquehanna Trail just south of Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, on the highway between Baltimore, Md., and … Continue reading
Rebels en route to Wrightsville stole horses from farmer Jacob Ruby near Hellam
The old stone house shown above sits on the south side of State Route 462 just east of Hellam, Pennsylvania, in eastern York County. Hundreds of cars drive past it every day. Back on June 28, 1863, more than a … Continue reading
Wrightsville’s African Methodist Church — did one of their men perish in a Civil War skirmish during the Gettysburg Campaign?
The local African Methodist Episcopal Church played an important spiritual role in the welfare and family life of black citizens in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, a small industrial town alongside the Susquehanna River. The red brick building shown above dates from 1891, … Continue reading
Posted in Black history, Gettysburg Campaign, Wrightsville
Tagged black history, Wrightsville
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Wayside markers tell the story of York, Pa. during the Civil War
York, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War hosted a major U.S. Army Hospital, a large military training camp for the Union army, and important manufacturing concerns which made such military items as railroad cars. The borough of some 8,600 (according … Continue reading
Posted in Black history, Civilians, Confederates, Gettysburg Campaign, Monuments and markers, Underground Railroad, Yankees, York
Tagged York
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Baltimore sued Northern Central Railway for selling ticket to runaway slave: Part 2
A previous post explored a controversial May 1855 situation in Hanover, Pennsylvania, when a railroad ticket agent sold a ticket to a young black man, despite protests from white onlookers that the man and his two companions in reality were … Continue reading
Baltimore sued Northern Central Railway for selling ticket to runaway slave: Part 1
The laws of Maryland prohibited aiding or assisting a runaway slave in any manner. The Federal Fugitive Slave law reinforced these regulations, and being caught helping a fugitive became a serious offense which could lead to prison and/or fines. The … Continue reading
York CWRT to feature Debra Sandoe McCauslin discussing Black Voices of Gettysburg
The York Civil War Round Table will feature author and historian Debra Sandoe McCauslin at its monthly meeting on Wednesday, February 15, 2012. The topic of the evening will be “Echoes from the Past: African-American Voices at Gettysburg.” Little has … Continue reading
