A Civilian’s Viewpoint of Lee’s Invasion of Pennsylvania

Located just north of the Mason-Dixon line, one resident of Greencastle, Pennsylvania had a ringside seat to the beginning and end of Lee’s invasion of Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863. He took especial note of the Confederate generals who accompanied the columns.

          “General Lee and staff passed immediately in the rear of General Hill’s corps,” he noted. “His bodyguards were well mounted, well dressed, and well equipped. They numbered about 50 fine looking men. General Lee appears old and had a troubled, careworn countenance. He wore a blue mantle over his gray suit with an ordinary slouch hat and was mounted on a fine black horse. He did not converse with anyone but appeared to be in deep meditation. General Ewell was reserved in conversation and dignified in appearance. General A.P. Hill was more communicative and agreeable but had a very poor opinion of the generals in the Union army- in fact, a general denunciation of the Union generals and officers was the predominant feature in the conversation of both officers and privates.”

          This lengthy civilian account of the Gettysburg campaign was penned by someone using the initials J.S.H., and first saw publication in the July 11, 1863, edition of the Lancaster Daily Evening Express.

 

Generals Robert E. Lee and A.P. Hill meet in front of the Cashtown Inn west of Gettsyburg, a structure which still exists into the present day. A few days prior, both men traveled through Greencastle and were observed by our civilian correspondent. Lee was remembered as old with a "careworn troubled countenance" while the gregarious A.P. Hill was "more communicative and agreeable." 

Greencastle, Franklin Co., Pennsylvania

July 8, 1863

          Having been a spectator of many of the scenes of the last few weeks here, I shall endeavor to relate some of them without any coloring or exaggeration; but a true history of all that has transpired in this valley would not be credited by those who were not witnesses. I shall not attempt to describe minutely all the scenes of the great drama which has been enacted in this valley but give the reader merely a bird’s eye view of the scenes behind the curtain.

          I shall first of all notice the triumphant entry of General Lee’s army into Pennsylvania which occurred on the morning of the 25^th of June- General Ewell’s corps being in the advance, followed by A.P. Hill’s and Longstreet’s corps, General Imboden bringing up the rear. Ewell’s corps is the finest in the Rebel army, being the best armed and equipped and the men appearing more respectable and under more restraint than any of the other corps. It numbered, according to General Edward Johnson, 30,000 men.

          On the 26^th, General A.P. Hill’s corps passed through and encamped two miles from town followed the next day by General Longstreet’s corps. All of these two corps did not pass on the main road, a portion going by way of Mercersburg and Waynesboro. The army under General Lee did not number more than 100,000 men, many of whom were not effective or available in the battle. The men were in good spirits and were loud in their boats of what they were going to do in Pennsylvania. They invariably denounced the Yankees as cowards, asking how far it was to Harrisburg, and how many ‘Dutch militia’ were there. Many would say, “here are your ragged Rebels. We are going to Harrisburg to capture your Dutch militia and the boys that carry the big knapsacks.” Another said, “Now that we are in the Union I guess you are satisfied.” Others would give the man in front of him a push and say, “on to Richmond.” The men were ragged and miserably dirty; there was no uniformity of dress, everyone wearing what he could get or steal. Many of the officers had no uniforms or anything to distinguish them from the privates. Even General Ewell had no stars to designate his rank.

General Richard Ewell
Commanding 2nd Corps, A.N.V.

          The army was well supplied with artillery, some 200 pieces having passed over the main road while quite a number of pieces passed by way of Mercersburg and Waynesboro. The wagon train was immense and could not have numbered less than 2,000 wagons. The teams were in tolerable good condition and principally mules.

          General Lee and staff passed immediately in the rear of General Hill’s corps. His bodyguards were well mounted, well dressed, and well equipped. They numbered about 50 fine looking men. General Lee appears old and had a troubled, careworn countenance. He wore a blue mantle over his gray suit with an ordinary slouch hat and was mounted on a fine black horse. He did not converse with anyone but appeared to be in deep meditation. General Ewell was reserved in conversation and dignified in appearance. General A.P. Hill was more communicative and agreeable but had a very poor opinion of the generals in the Union army- in fact, a general denunciation of the Union generals and officers was the predominant feature in the conversation of both officers and privates.

          We have been told that the Southern men are more cultivated and refined than those of the North and that chivalry and honor are the characteristics of the Southern people. If highway robberies, profanity, vulgarity, filthiness and general meanness are the requisite qualifications for constituting a high-toned gentleman, then indeed may the Southern soldiers claim the appellation. Hardly a house that has not been robbed, many of them have been sacked two or three times, my own mother’s being one of the latter. Everything of value was taken, clothing of all kinds, men’s and women’s, even ladies’ underclothing including hoop skirts. They took money, watches, jewelry, quilts, shawls, guns, everything in the eating line to even drinking out of the slop of the swill tubs, all was appropriated by the First Families of Virginia.

          It was no unusual thing while sitting in your house or walking in the road for a squad to ride up, present a pistol to your head, and demand your money, hat, coat, boots, and pantaloons. Refuse and you would get a taste of Rebel lead. Men were stripped of their clothing in the road and forced to go home in a state of nudity. Mr. Strite, a peaceable and innocent man, was shot down in front of his barn for his money and covered over with manure by his inhuman murderers. Many would terrify the women by demanding things which they conceived to have been hidden away by lighting a match and threatening to fire the building.

[I believe this was Isaac Strite, a farmer of Guilford Twp., Franklin County, Pennsylvania; his wife Nancy’s obituary states that “Mrs. Strite was the widow of Isaac Strite who was probably the first civilian to be killed on Union soil during the Civil war. Mr. Strite was shot and killed near Marion by members of a marauding detachment of Confederate cavalry.” The Pittsburgh Post of July 22, 1863, reported that Strite was “standing in his yard when three of the villains approached him and demanded his money. He immediately surrendered it. Soon after, two more men came to him making a similar demand. The murderers buried his body in a dung heap and then fled.” The 1860 census states that Isaac and Nancy had six children: Nancy (14), Barbara (12), Sarah (7), Catharine (5), Mary (4), and Frederick (2). His date of death is given as June 20, 1863 and he is buried at Antietam Church Cemetery in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania.]

The first civilian casualty of the Gettysburg campaign? Isaac Strite, a 44 year old Pennsylvania farmer, was gunned down in front of his farm in the days leading up to the invasion by a "marauding detachment of Confederate cavalry." 

Deeds of property and other valuable papers were destroyed- a wheat field was generally taken in preference to a timothy or clover field for pasture for their horses and wheat was frequently taken in preference to corn. It was no unusual thing to see a fine quilt used as a horse blanket and while these demons were devastating the country and robbing your house, you were subject to the most vile abuse such as “you damned Abolitionist, if we would do as your men have done in our country, we would burn your house and turn you to the woods. Now damn you, we are in the Union again and we intend to make it the hottest Union this side of hell!” But the fact that they entered the Poorhouse and robbed the paupers of their clothing thoroughly illustrates the character of the Rebel soldier. Of the amount of damage done to the farming interests of this valley, those who have not seen can form no conception of it. Hundreds of fields of fine wheat and grass are now a mixture of mud, broken wagons, dead horses, etc. while thousands of farmers have not a horse, cow, hog, chicken, wagon, harness, or a pound of meat or flour in the house.

While the Rebels were advancing into Pennsylvania, all were in a joyful mood and they indulged freely in their speculations of the movement of General Lee. Many spoke of the grand results that were sure to follow the capture of Harrisburg and the advance on Baltimore and its capture, then the surrender of Washington followed by a speedy peace. When reminded of the uncertainty of victory, of the danger of the undertaking, of the disaster that was sure to follow should they be defeated and compelled to retreat, the answer generally was that General Lee knew his own business and that they had staked all on this movement and would all die before they would leave Pennsylvania, etc. But alas for Rebel expectations; how grievously did their bright anticipations come to naught, and how many found a grave in place of victory and plenty. The battle fought near Gettysburg and its crowning victory changed the programme.

General Robert E. Lee, postwar

Of the retreat of the Rebels, I shall now speak but how shall I describe it as my descriptive powers fail me. My mind is bewildered by the scenes of the last few days and one scarcely knows whether it was a dream or reality. On Sabbath morning last about 2 o’clock, the Rebels entered town on their retreat towards the Potomac, the infantry and part of the supply train going along the mountain while the principal part of the train and the wounded passed through this place with perhaps 5,000-10,000 stragglers on foot, most of them without shoes having lost them in the mud. Many had their shirtsleeves torn off for bandages, some without a hat, others with heads tied up and others with one leg of their pants torn off. Add to this some 6,000-10,000 mounted infantry and cavalry on worn out horses struggling in the mud with here and there a stray piece of artillery along with the wagons and ambulances and you have some idea of the panorama as it moved along.

For 36 hours they poured over the roads and fields, wending their way towards that historic stream, the Potomac. Oh what a scene! The teamsters with horrid oaths pounded the exhausted horses and mules, while the road was strewn with dead horses and broken wagons. Here and there you could see a team fast in the mud with men prying at it with rails while by the waysides against trees, stumps, and in the mud sat the exhausted wounded men unable to go further. Thousands more fortunate than these poor wretches were men endeavoring to make their escape on the worn-out horses they had stolen. When asked by some exhausted wretch to leave him ride for a few miles or so, they turned a deaf ear to the supplications of his comrades in arms for in the vortex and confusion, all sense of feeling is lost. Misfortune had placed officers and privates on a level. The stolen goods were freely exchanged for a small piece of bread or cake.

The road was strewn with cast off clothing, blankets, knapsacks, guns, and empty haversacks. But amid the confusion and noise could be heard the moans of the wounded in the wagons and ambulances as they were hurried over the rough, muddy roads. Many died on the way and were thrown into the woods or barns for the citizens to bury. When a wagon would break down, the wounded would be left to their fate. Oh, how they would beg and entreat those around them not to leave them there to die far from their friends and homes! But their supplications and tears were lost upon men who, hardened by the misfortunes with which they were surrounded, made the old maxim ‘self-preservation is the first law of nature’ their guide.

When a team would give out or a horse become exhausted, they would lighten the wagon by throwing one or two of the wounded men out who, with tears in their eyes, would beg for mercy. But humanity had left the teamster and he heard them not. Thousands would enquire “How far to the river? How far to the Maryland line? How far to Williamsport?” When answered that it was 20 miles to the river, they would look bewildered and say, “I cannot walk that far.” Others would sit down, yielding calmly to their fate. Others again would beg for medical aid but it was not to be had.

I forgot to mention in the proper place that the Copperheads did not fare well. They claimed protection from the Rebels on the grounds that they voted for Breckinridge. But it was no go, as the Rebels said they did not care a damn who they voted for but said “If you are for us, why not help us by falling into the ranks?” The copperheads have learned a lesson and are now good Union men.

 

Sources:

Letter from J.S.H., civilian in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, Lancaster Daily Evening Express (Pennsylvania), July 11, 1863, pg. 2

“Strite,” obituary of Mrs. Nancy Strite, People’s Register (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania), January 20, 1905, pg. 5

“Mr. Strite,” Pittsburg Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania), July 22, 1863, pg. 1