Category: Field Hospitals

Alumni House – Baugher

Posted on By BD No Comments on Alumni House – Baugher

The history of Pennsylvania College is quite elaborate with buildings, personal backgrounds, and the paranormal. The very first building built on campus is Pennsylvania Hall, which was built in 1838. It is still being used today and is the center-point of the university. New underclassmen and graduates pass through this building to witness history and explore the future with their walk on the very first and last day on campus. Let’s explore the unique history of the college.

Courtesy of the American Battlefield Trust – Gettysburg College

In 1860, the now known Alumni House served at the residence of the second president of the Pennsylvania College. The second president of the college was Henry L. Baugher. According to his past, he didn’t want to stay within Pennsylvania Hall with the students. The “white house” of the campus was just right next door. Even though the Civil War didn’t arrive into Gettysburg till the end of June and early July 1863, the war had already affected the family of the college.

Their son, Alexander Nesbitt Baugher, graduated from Pennsylvania college in 1853 prior to his move to Illinois. He was a lawyer there, and married to his wife, Martha. The war started in April 1861, and he signed up for the Union army. He joined as a member of Company B within the 45th Illinois infantry in August 1861. However, less than a year into the war, in April 1862, the battle of Shiloh, Tennessee occurred. Here, D. Nesbitt Baugher was wounded seven times during the battle. He was taken to a civil war hospital in Quincy, Illinois, and died on May 12. His father, Henry Baugher, traveled to Quincy, picked up his body, and brought it back to Gettysburg. He is buried within Evergreen Cemetery, along with his wife Martha Ann.

During the Battle of Gettysburg, Baugher and his family cared for 18 wounded Union soldiers in their home and successfully hid one officer from Confederate searches during the town’s occupation. Both Mr. and Mrs. Baugher are buried in Evergreen Cemetery, next to their beloved son.

Evergreen Cemetery, Field Hospitals, Gettysburg, Gettysburg College, President

Gettysburg College

Posted on By BD No Comments on Gettysburg College

Just north of downtown in the square, there lies a college that saw the Battle of Gettysburg outside their windows. The college was founded in 1832, originally known as Pennsylvania College. It didn’t change it’s name to Gettysburg College till 1921. Shown below is a picture of the three buildings on the campus that were here during the Civil War.

Courtesy of the Library of Congress – Pennsylvania College

The first president of Pennsylvania College was Charles P. Krauth. He served for sixteen years between 1834 and 1850. He and his family lived within Pennsylvania Hall during his entire tenure, and acted like a guardian for the students who resided there. The second President of the College was that of Henry L. Baugher. He would be the president that served during the Civil War and offered the benediction on November 19, 1863 at the Soldier’s National Cemetery prior to the Abraham Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address.

The building with the cupula on the top is Pennsylvania Hall. For the first decade of the exitance of the college, this Hall was the only academic building on campus. It also contained the living quarters, offices, and relaxing rooms. The second building was started in 1846 and ended construction in 1860. Linnean Hall was used for scientific studies. The third and last building that stood on campus was the president’s house which was constructed in 1860. This is where the Baugher family resided during the Civil War.

During the battle of Gettysburg, Union signal officers used the cupola on June 30 and on July 1st, before the Confederates overran the northern side of town. Confederate generals used it on July 2nd and 3rd. The wounded were treated around the campus through the end of July before being transferred to Camp Letterman. After the battle, bullets, bones, and human remains continued to be found around the campus for multiple years.

Confederate, Field Hospitals, Gettysburg, Gettysburg College, Maryland, President, Union

Camp Letterman

Posted on By BD No Comments on Camp Letterman

What happens after a battle, especially one that lasts around three days? Soldiers who survived tell others of their survival, tales of what they saw and heard, and looking for comrades that could be anywhere in town due to the mass confusion of battle. Terrible things occur though, and some of their friends or family members may be wounded or even killed.

With everything in motion around Gettysburg after the battle on July 3rd, the first thing was to rejoice about winning the battle. The next thing would be taking care and finding the wounded around the battlefield. Luckily, the citizens of town were welcoming and trying to help soldiers, both Union and Confederate, that were wounded and taking care of their needs. Prior to the Union army leaving town, over 14,000 Union soldiers along with 6000-8000 Confederate troops needed attention.

Whether if it was to give them water, food, fresh bandages for their wounds, or a place to rest were most homes, churches, and farms around the region. Along with the citizens, you had the doctors and surgeons of the Union army giving orders to their officers about establishing a general hospital in the area close to routes of transportation. One of these officers was Dr. Johnathon Letterman, who was the medical director of the Federal Army.

Courtesy of the Gettysburg National Park Service of the Camp Letterman Area

Dr. Jonathon Letterman established a general hospital here at the historic Wolf’s Farm east of downtown. He wanted the hospital here because of the closeness to York Road, the Gettysburg Railroad, and it was one of the higher locations around the area. This area had a good spring that provided lots of water. As the hospital was started, hundreds of tents, drainage ditches, cooking supplies, and facilities for surgeons, nurses, and surgery were installed and brought in to help wounded or mortally wounded soldiers.

This plaque below shows the location of field hospitals during the battle of Gettysburg for each Corps. Each one was moved that was North and West of the town as Confederate soldiers occupied that region. Some field hospitals are near regimental monuments that provided care and took care of injuries near Rose Woods and the Wheatfield.

On July 5th, two days after the battle of Gettysburg, Union soldiers with the Federal army moved away from town in chase of the Confederate army. However, the Union army left 100 surgeons, 6 ambulances, 4 wagons per Corps, and their goal was to move approximately 800 soldiers a day out of Gettysburg. This hospital was closed the day after Lincoln arrived into Gettysburg and gave the Gettysburg Address on November 20, 1863.

Field Hospitals, Gettysburg, Union

Fourth of July

Posted on By BD No Comments on Fourth of July

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.

Artillery, Evergreen Cemetery, Field Hospitals, Gettysburg, Jennie Wade, Union, Wade Family