Many important factors, pursuits, lives changing, happiness and sorrow all happened a week before the Battle of Gettysburg. Rumblings around town mentioned that the Confederates were approaching and citizens were getting scared and being more alert for soldiers arriving. However, no one knew what was going to occur. In the evening on the 26th, there was death and life being cherished around town.
Elizabeth Thorn and her father were at work within the Evergreen Cemetery. She was taking up the profession as caretaker since her husband was enlisted within the 138th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company B. There was an estimate of five to seven burials per week. On June 26th, she heard a yell from the road and saw soldiers riding past the Cemetery, dressed in gray. This scene that was being portrayed in front of her eyes was two emergency militia soldiers, and they were Private Nathaniel Lightner and Private George Washington
Sadly, the Confederates caught both Union soldiers along Rock Creek that crossed Baltimore Pike south of the Cemetery. Sandoe’s horse wouldn’t run when shot at, and Sandoe was killed. Nathaniel luckily survived with his life, but lost his friend. George Washington Sandoe is now buried within the Mount Joy Lutheran Church Cemetery along Taneytown road. His wife and small son both survived the battle. They moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania after the war.
Diana Anna Caskey Sandoe filed for pension in September 1863, with her application being number 33762. It’s unsure when the pension was approved by the War Department, but the certificate number was #19,944. Diana Sandoe (Sandow) received a monthly pension from her husband’s death of eight dollars a month.
Along with the scary thoughts that ran through Elizabeth’s head with the passing of George Washington Sandoe, she also knew her friend was pregnant down the street. She would later learn that her friend, Georgianna Wade McClellan gave birth to her first son at 548 Baltimore Street. Georgianna named her son, Louis Kenneth McClellan.