Gettysburg Chronicles – History Explained

Gettysburg Streets

July 13, 2026 BD No Comments

Here is a zoomed in map from a survey that was taken after the Battle of Gettysburg in 1868-1870. There is much detail in this map, so let’s explore some things. North of the railroad tracks, Penn. College is now what is Gettysburg College.

There are also three roads that lead north of Gettysburg in a form of a triangle:

west-northwest of town (Mummasburg Rd)
north of town (Old-Carlisle Rd)
north-northeast of town (Old Harrisburg Rd)

There are two roads that lead west of town:

west-southwest of town (Fairfield Rd)
west-northwest of town (Chambersburg Rd)

There are two roads that lead south of town:

eastern road through town (Baltimore Street)
western road through town (Washington Street)

There is one road that leads east of town: York Road

These roads from the north and the west brought in supplies and soldiers from the Confederacy, while the southern roads will supply the Union army.

Courtesy of https://13thmass.org/1863/gettysburg.html

This map shows the location of the Union Corps and the Confederate forces around Gettysburg. This will provide beneficial aspects with the Union forces concentrated in a small general area to reinforce battle lines in a short amount of time. Confederate forces had to walk from Chambersburg to Gettysburg. What a journey they had on muddy roads, the heat and humidity, and the lack of water.

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Fourth of July

July 5, 2026 BD 1 Comment

On this day, on July 1863, the town of Gettysburg rejoiced that the Union won the battle against the Confederates. However, the victory came with a price. Jennie “Virginia” Wade had been shot and killed the day before, and was laid to rest behind the house. Elizabeth Thorn was in the process of receiving word that she would have to start lying grave sites for fallen soldiers the battle within Evergreen Cemetery.

Here below is a rare flag from West Virginia of the United States flag with only 35 stars on it representing 35 states. This flag was from 1863.

Courtesy of http://rareflags.com/RareFlags_Showcase_IAS_00090.htm

In the end, many months later, all the burials were completed.

Evergreen Cemetery — Graves of 2 Confederate and 90 Union soldiers

Let’s remember the sacrifice this Fourth of July, and the soldiers that fought 163 years ago.

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Heat Wave 1863 & 2026

June 30, 2026July 1, 2026 BD No Comments

With the heat and humidity in place across southern Pennsylvania, soldiers were usually smelled out before seeing them. The odor that was smelt was that of sweat, hard work, and determination to find honor and victory against the enemy. In 1863, soldiers had to endure the heat that had been building for days. Temperatures in the upper 90s with humidity’s in the middle to upper 60s, with a real-feel temperature near 100. Wool uniforms, black or navy hats, barely any water caused dehydration, heat stroke, and heat related symptoms on the body. However, they still walked here to Gettysburg from miles away and fought a three-day battle. Over the next three days, over 50,000 causalities will occur around this small town in Pennsylvania.

Mural portraying the Brickyard Fight on July 1st afternoon north of Gettysburg at Coster Avenue

Looking ahead to 2026, the first heat wave is starting to entrench itself across southern Pennsylvania. The last time that the area has had temperatures over 100 degrees in the first few days of July was in 1966. From July 2nd to July 4th, temperatures reached over the century mark.

Looking forward 40 years, the last time consecutive days with temperatures over 100 degrees was in 2011, but was on July 21 and 22nd.

With that said, the Gettysburg National Military Park has put into heat related protocol for these types of weather events. Battle-walks on the battlefield are usually 2-3 hours during Anniversary events. Here are those protocols:

If the Heat Index (real-feel temperature) is > 91 degrees – programs will be shortened and modified.

If the Heat Index (real-feel temperature) is > 103 degrees – programs will be cancelled.

Soldiers didn’t have weather instruments to tell them that they were “hot” or being affected by the weather. They had some water and the shade of the trees.

The normal tradition of ancestors portraying relatives on July 3rd before re-enacting Pickett’s Charge

People still must remember the sacrifice of what happened here. Even though the events and battle-walks may be cancelled outside and are now moved inside the Visitor Center, I’m assuming that many will still explore the battlefield, and hopefully walk with Pickett’s Charge on July 3rd and leave from the North Carolina or Virginia monuments and remember what the soldiers of the Union and Confederates faced on that faithful day.

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June 29th, 1863

June 28, 2026June 28, 2026 BD No Comments

The locations of the Confederate and Union Corps on June 29th. However, that’s not the main story. The temperatures are brutal across the Mid-Atlantic ranging between 90 to 100 degrees and evening thunderstorms with the heat. With traveling on muddy and backroads, it was a very difficult to travel from one place to another.

Meanwhile, the Confederate forces were spread out across Pennsylvania, but had plenty of access roads to combine forces if need be. The 1st Corps was in Chambersburg and commanded by Lieutenant General James Longstreet. The 2nd Corps was in Carlisle and was commanded by Lieutenant General Robert S. Ewell, and the 3rd Corps was commanded by Lieutenant General Ambrose Hill that was stationed outside Cashtown.

Here are some of the distances that the Union Corps had to march on June 29th.

1st and 11th Corps (blank icon) marched from Frederick to Emmitsburg – 23 miles
2nd Corps marched from Monocacy to Uniontown – 26 miles
3rd Corps marched from Woodsborough to Taneytown – 12 miles
5th Corps marched from Frederick to Libertytown – 11 miles
6th Corps marched from Hyattstown to New Windsor – 26 miles
12th Corps marched from Taneytown to Frederick – 23 miles
Bufford’s Cavalry rode from Middletown to Fairfied – 8 miles
Gregg’s Cavalry rode from New Market to New Windsor – 21 miles
Kilpatrick’s Cavalry rode from Frederick to Littlestown – 31 miles

Newly appointed general of the Union Federal Army was Major General George Gordon Meade. He wanted the Union army to deploy between Middlestown to Taneytown to Manchester. He wanted to have strong fallback positions in northern Maryland. He wanted to protect Washington D.C. and Baltimore, and wanted to defend Mary-land, not Pennsylvania.

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June 27, 1863

June 28, 2026June 28, 2026 BD No Comments

The battle of Gettysburg is less than a week away. However, it’s only been less than 24 hours since Major General George Gordon Meade received orders that he is now the commander of the Army of the Potomac. Meade then directs and informs Major General Joseph Hooker of his relief from command.

George Gordon Meade is now the 5th man to command the Army of the Potomac in less than a year. General Meade learns that the Confederates are in southern Pennsylvania ransacking communities and terrifying citizens on the frontier. He commands the Union army to slowly drift north to see if they can draw the Rebels to fight them in Mary-land.

Courtesy of the novel – *Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: III: Retreat from Gettysburg,* page 266

His orders are to keep the Union army protecting Washington D.C. from the Confederates to the North.

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June 26th, 1863

June 25, 2026 BD No Comments

A cold rain fell as Confederate soldiers of Early’s men march towards Gettysburg in search of “shoes”. Really, all they wanted was shoes? Ha! Anyways, they approached the town from the west and soon spotted raw Union recruits near Knoxlyn’s Ridge. The 26th Pennsylvania Emergency Militia was commanded by Col. William Jennings. He was a young 24 year old soldier commanding the militia.

A local cavalry unit commanded by Capt. Robert Bell’s Adams County Cavalry Company comprised of 50 locals. After being dismissed by Bell to evade capture from the approaching Confederates, Private George Washington Sandoe and William Lightner ride past Georgia’s House ( The Jennie Wade House ) and the Evergreen Cemetery and towards Rock Creek on Baltimore Pike around 4pm. Sandoe fell and dies after being shot off his horse by the Rebels. Sandoe is often referred to the first Federal casualty at Gettysburg. The Confederates takes his horse and rides back to town.

Courtesy of Vivian Marsh and Willie on Find a Grave – Louis Kenneth McClellan and Georgia Wade McClellan

Earlier that day, around 2:30 p.m., about an hour before the Confederates rode past in chase of Private Sandoe and Private Lightner, Georgia Wade McClellan gave birth to her first son, Louis Kenneth McClellan.

Meanwhile, after Sandoe was killed, the Confederates in the chase stopped at the Evergreen Cemetery. They asked for food and water from the caretaker of the cemetery. Mrs. Elizabeth Thorn, who was 6 months pregnant, serves the enemy their food and they disappear into night.

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June 21, 1863 – Upperville

June 21, 2026 BD No Comments

On the frontier of Virginia, Confederate and Union soldiers clashed near Upperville. In the midst of the Gettysburg Campaign, the Union were trying to figure out what the Confederates next move was. Over the following six weeks, there has been a drought across the Mid-Atlantic. On June 19th, a heavy rainstorm soaked the valley. During the downpour, Confederate cavalry was deployed near the Ashby Gap Turnpike.

Courtesy of the American Battlefield Trust

However, Union cavalry commander Alfred Pleasonton had asked for reinforcements to support him and the battle that would ensue. He was granted some infantry support from General George Meade’s 5th Corps. Colonel Strong Vincent’s brigade along with another cavalry division was in reserve. On this morning, Union cavalry was held back from Confederate forces under J.E.B. Stuart that were hidden behind stone walls and steep slopes near the creek. However, as Union soldiers within the reserve pushed forward, the Confederates started to falter. Here at Goose Creek, the Confederates held for approximately two hours before the 16th Michigan arrived.

Overall, there was no real advantage here at Upperville on who won the small skirmish. However, around 200 soldiers of the Union and 175 of the Confederacy was wounded in this attack.

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June 6th

June 7, 2026June 7, 2026 BD No Comments

Today is the 82nd anniversary of when the soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy. There are a few hundred soldiers from World War II that are buried within the Soldiers National Cemetery here in Gettysburg. The exact number: 590 soldiers. Just like back then in June 1944, there was a meteorological event that soldiers had to face to get to the beaches. I have yet to go to the movie named Pressure, which is based on the meteorological events behind the decision to have a go/no-go for the beach arrivals.

Across Gettysburg this morning, it was calm and cool with clouds, that opened up to sunshine and heat. Just like Normandy, the clouds began to fill in and storms/rain affected the rest of the day. Here though, it was severe thunderstorms that destroyed tree limbs and branches, but luckily no monuments were damaged. There are hundred of trees on the battlefield, and sometimes when they fall, they fall onto the monuments. Today was no exception, but it came quite close to…. Rickett’s Battery on East Cemetery Hill.

Gettysburg

May 21st

May 22, 2026 BD No Comments

Two important birthdays just had to happen on the same day here in Gettysburg. Ms. Jennie Wade was born on May 21, 1843. Her birthday pal turned 5 years old today and wanted to celebrate her birthday with coming to see her on their special day. She couldn’t get out of the car, but she made sure she wined a little to say “Happy Birthday”.

Happy Birthday to Ms. Jennie Wade and Layla.

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Death of the General

May 10, 2026May 13, 2026 BD No Comments

After the amputation of his left arm on the early morning of Mary 3rd, he was moved to the Chancellor’s House on May4th. Mary Ann Jackson was alerted of her husband’s amputation and made arrangements to come to see her husband and nurse him. Reverend Lacy arrived on May 5th and read bible versus to Stonewall Jackson. Mrs. Jackson arrived on May 7th to help around the small house and talk to her husband as he rested after his surgery.

On Friday, May 8th, Stonewall Jackson’s health took a turn for the worse as he fell into pneumonia. Reverend Lacy continued to spend time in vigil while the staff that served Jackson for the last two years helps Mrs. Jackson. On Sunday, May 10th, Dr. McGuire informs everyone that Stonewall will pass away sometime today. Mrs. Jackson spends time with Thomas Jackson as he opens his eyes and slowly takes and whispers with his wife. Stonewall mentions that he’d like to be buried in his family plot in Lexington, Virginia.

Courtesy of the Author at Arlington National Cemetery in 2013

Around 1 p.m., Stonewall slowly whispers the following statement: ” It is the Lord’s day, my wish is fulfilled and have always desired to die on his day.” A few hours later around 3:15 p.m., he opens his eyes wide and starts talking in phrases: “Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees”. Thomas Stonewall Jackson peacefully closes his eyes and dies on the bed with his wife and staff surrounding the bed.

This picture above is from Arlington National Cemetery in 2013 when I visited it. It shows a small river in the “shade of the trees” within the cemetery. It shows thousands of graves of soldiers that crossed over the river to heaven. It is a fitting tribute to a great general that served his soldiers, his family, and his faith.

Confederate, Gettysburg