Category: McClellan

Georgia Wade McClellan’s Duplex

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A rainy afternoon in late September in Gettysburg brought me to this historic duplex. It’s almost that time of year that occurs in town every October where the paranormal enthusiasts come to talk to past family members, friends, soldiers, and other unforeseen entities. This house though is quite confusing to a visitor to town, or for true historians. This house has been named the following since the Civil War:

  • Gettysburg’s Oldest Museum
  • Jennie Wade House and Museum
  • Jennie Wade Museum
Georgia Wade McClellan’s Duplex

Jennie Wade never owned the house. She was just the sister of Georgia who lived on the left side of the house. There was another family that lived on the right side of the house. Jennie was at the house during the battle of Gettysburg because of family matters.

Jennie’s sister, Georgia, established the McClellan two-story rented brick duplex after her marriage with John Louis “Lou” McClellan. They married on April 15, 1862, (same day as the Titanic sinking fifty years later), and lived here at the house through 1866. Her husband was serving with the 2nd regiment of the Pennsylvania infantry, but the regiment didn’t fight at Gettysburg.

On June 26, 1863, at approximately 2:30 p.m., Georgia delivered her first child named Louis Kenneth McClellan at the duplex at 548 Baltimore Street. An hour later, three Union soldiers quickly rode past the house to escape Confederate General Early’s cavalry from being captured. One of them passed away further south of the duplex along Rock Creek named George Washington Sandoe.

Courtesy of the The Fort Payne Journal Oct 19, 1927 – Find a Grave

Since Georgia and her newborn son couldn’t move, the Wade family moved to the duplex for the battle. Sadly though, on July 3rd, at around 8:30 a.m., Jennie Wade was shot as she was kneading bread in the kitchen. The bullet penetrated the outer and inner doors, went through her back, and ended up in the front of her corset. She was dead before she hit the floor. She was the only civilian that died during the battle of Gettysburg.

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Antietam – Bloody Lane

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As the northern portions of the battlefield ease, the concentrate of the Confederacy takes their position along the Sunken Lane. This farmer’s road was used so often that it sank into the terrain. Between the Mumma’s Farm and the Sunken Road, both forces would command their soldiers to most certain death. The Confederate troops were in line from the Dunker Church to the Lane, while the Union Troops made a half semicircle formation from the North Woods through the East Woods and towards the Sunken Road.

Terrain of the Sunken Road – The Bloody Lane –

One of the most famous generals of the Confederacy was near Dunker Church under the command of General Stonewall Jackson. To prevent Union sharpshooters, the Rebels set fire to the Mumma farmhouse. The rebels were positioned along the lane and they ducked down to not be seen. They waited for the Union soldiers to attack and not fire till they “saw the white in their eyes”.

Courtesy of the Author – Irish Brigade – Sunken Road –

One of the most known brigade of the location is the Irish Brigade. The brigade consisted of the 63rd, 69th, and 88th New York. They were led by the emerald green banners. They started the day with 1000 soldiers and officers. At the end of the day, over 600 were killed and or wounded. This flag below was one of the banners.

Green Ensign of the 1st Regiment (69th N. Y. Volunteer Infantry), Irish Brigade

Their fighting war cry from the 69th New York was the following: “Faugh a Ballagh” – Clear the Way!

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Antietam – Morning Phase

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After three small battles at Crampton, Fox, and Turner’s Gap, the Union and Confederate army converged on the biggest battle of the Maryland Campaign. Both armies moved towards this little town. Confederates called it the battle of Sharpsburg, while the Union called it the battle of Antietam. With the Rebel forces divided with some of it attacking Harpers Ferry and capturing the Union garrison, the other half is here preparing for battle against most of the Union forces. Even before the battle began, here are the facts:

  • Union soldiers numbered 84,000 with approximately 244 cannons
  • Confederate soldiers numbered 55,000 with approximately 148 cannons

This picture that is located in front of the Antietam’s Visitor Center shows the aftermath of the battle. It shows the cannon ball damage to the Dunker Church, and those soldiers killed on the field.

Courtesy of the Antietam National Battlefield wayside markers

On September 17th, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War began. Three phases of the morning, afternoon, and early evening occurred with significance in each time frame. The morning action that was between 5 to 9 a.m. happened on the northern part of the battlefield that included the West Woods, North and East Woods, and the Cornfield. When the fighting eased around 9 a.m., the Confederates retreated towards the West Woods.

There was over 8,000 casualties that were either killed or wounded. This fighting occurred on 24 acres of land. Some regiments of both armies were cut to pieces in less than 30 minutes. As an example, the 12th Massachusetts brought 334 soldiers to the morning fighting. As the fighting eased, less than 100 soldiers remained. It was the highest casualty rate of any Union regiment at Antietam.

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Maryland Campaign 1862

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The start of the 164th anniversary of the Antietam/Maryland Campaign begins. Remembering the soldiers trekking through the wilderness northward to give farmers some time to recover from warn-torn Virginia would have been a sight to see. Multiple battles were fought throughout Virginia in 1861 and 1862, and the Confederate Army needed to give their citizens a brief break. This would be Confederate Robert E. Lee’s first invasion of the North.

Courtesy of the American Civil War webpage – Topographic map of Harpers Ferry and Loudoun’s Heights

The Confederate army containing approximately 55,000 soldiers traveled across the Potomac River on September 4, 1862, into the vast lustfulness of Mary-land. On their heels were the Union under the commander of General George McClellan and his army of around 84,000 soldiers at his disposal. Lee’s goal was to move into Pennsylvania, but the Union had other plans. The Union garrison that was within Harper’s Ferry was close enough to Virginia that they may threaten the supply lines and telegraph system that would be supporting the Confederate advances.

Confederate forces surrounded the town and captured the Union garrison stationed there. Overall, the Union forces surrendered 73 artillery cannons, 13,000 rifles, and approximately 12,000 soldiers. The commanding officer of the Confederacy at Harper’s Ferry was General Stonewall Jackson. His victory was one of the greatest of his storied career and resulted in the largest surrender of Union soldiers during the war.

Courtesy of the Library of Congress – General Stonewall Jackson

Three other battles occurred in Mary-land prior to the battle of Antietam that happened on September 17th. They were the battles of Crampton, Fox, and Turner’s Gap which are also known as the Battle of South Mountain. These battles happened only three days before the Antietam. The battle of South Mountain halted the Confederate invasion of the North, and began for General Lee to concentrate his forces around Antietam.

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Battle of Chancellorsville

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This battle that occurred in Virginia was considered one of General Robert E. Lee’s greatest battles. According to the historians, this was the fifth deadliest battle of the Civil War. However, even though this battle was a complete success against the Union, it came with a cost. General Stonewall Jackson, Lee’s right hand man, was mortally wounded by friendly fire on the evening of May 2nd.

Overall at Chancellorsville, the Union army had around 97,000 soldiers with 1700 being killed, 9700 wounded, and 6000 soldiers were missing. On the other hand, the Confederates had around 57,000 soldiers, approximately 1725 killed, 9200 wounded, and 2500 missing. Across this battlefield, there is more signage and wayside markers than monuments.

The grand plan that Lee and Jackson developed was to attack the Union’s right flank. Lee had approximately 13,000 soldiers and a huge artillery battalion, while Jackson had nearly 28,000 soldiers and had to march twelve miles out of view behind the Union lines.

Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson portrait taken at Nathaniel Routzahn’s photography gallery in Winchester in November 1862.

The attack began around 5 p.m. on the afternoon of May 2nd and attacked the 11th Corps, which was commanded by Union General Oliver O. Howard. As I have mentioned within the first day battle in Gettysburg, the 11th Corps were called the “Flying Dutchmen”. This is where they obtained that nickname. The 11th Corps were surprised attacked by the Confederates and fled more than 2 miles before General Hooker dug in and awaited the Confederates near the Chancellor’s House.

His amputated arm is buried at Ellwood Manor, Virginia

Darkness fell and around 8 p.m. General Stonewall Jackson and his commanders on horseback were possibly near enemy lines. They were unsure about their location of their troops and the enemy. The 33rd North Carolina skirmish line fires into the group. Jackson is hit three times: one in the right hand, the second in the left shoulder blade, and the other in the left elbow. Jackson’s horse runs off and Jackson is put into a stretcher and taken to a field hospital. During the shooting and the field hospital, Jackson would fall off the stretcher three times, and have bandages on his shoulder and elbow. His own physician, Hunter McGuire, would see Jackson in the field hospital. On the morning of May 3rd, his left arm was amputated. From the bullet that was taken out of his amputated arm, it was a smooth-bore bullet, which came from the 33rd North Carolina regiment. Around the same time, General Robert E. Lee learns that Stonewall Jackson was shot.

Robert E. Lee was quoted as saying, “He has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right.”

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