Thomas Wright's Diary

Gettysburg/ Morgan's Raid

Thanks for continuing on, this chapter will not be a complete telling of the Battle of Gettysburg, it will be a few facts that aren't well known. Plus a few Myths that surround the Battle. If you want greater detail into the Battle, you have plenty of choices for information. Feel free to look those up. Morgans Raid I will get a little more into. One of the few times Ohio got into the War in it's own territory.

   
                                          Gettysburg Facts
                                                    & Myths

Five days before, the start of Battle, Jefferson Davis President of the Confederate States of America, sent Vice President Alexander Hamilton Stephens to negotiate a prisoner of war exchange, under a flag of truce, with powers to negotiate a broader piece plan. On July 4th he sat a board a boat waiting for permission to sail up the Potomac. Lincoln denied access after, he knew the Union won.

This Fact I mentioned in a previous chapter 1934 Pickett's charge was more than just his Division. Pickett in later years was called a coward for not leading his men. Generals Division and higher do not lead charges. The stay to middle or towards the rear, to make tactical adjustments. You say well, I knew most of these. The next one will be more unknown. 

Mary Virginia Wade, better known as Jennie was the only women shot and killed at Gettysburg. Well, that's how that story goes, at least five other women were shot at Gettysburg they weren't civilians, but soldiers could there of been others? As large a scale battle the likely hood a few others may of been buried without even knowing is a rather good,  probability it could of happened.

What information on these five I have isn't very much, but please look into this deeper, maybe we'll find more and learn even more.
Five, two Union three Confederate.

Mary Siezgle, Union she started out as a nurse, she wanted to stay with her husband so she enlisted into the same New York Regiment. The second Union lady refused to give her name, only admitting she was 18, she was a drummer boy. She was wounded and her secret found out. After healing she promptly re-enlisted and was found out again.

One Rebel girl was found out in a field hospital when examining her wounds. When moved on to the General Hospital. One Confederate soldier wrote home about her. I am going to write it the way it was wrote by him.

I must tel you we have got a female secesh here. She was wounded at Gettysburg but our doctors found her out. I have not seen her but the say she is very good looking. The poor girl as lost a leg. It a great pity she did not stay home with her mother but she get good care an kind treatment. It rather romantic to have a female soldier in hospital and to only have one leg and far away from home but I hope she will soon get better and get home to her friends.

That young lady did make it home, her name and home unknown.

Another Confederate soldier was found near Emmitsburg Road a casualty of Pickett's charge. Mortally wounded and not taken to the field hospital. During the night a private from New Jersey heard her screams. Unable to help, he later said the screams were most horrible sounds he ever heard. A Union burial detail found the last only remarks made were one female private in Rebel uniform. Nothing more was noted. Stories like these makes you wonder just how many female soldiers could have served.

                                           Myths

1) The Battle was fought over shoes. No mention of shoes in any reports, until 1877 when a Confederate General wrote that 8 miles distant from Cashtown are greatly needed shoes for my men. At the time no shoe factory or warehouse was anywhere near Gettysburg. Yes by that time shoe supplies would of been low for the Confederacy. As Uncle Thom mentioned in his letter.