Gettysburg and Confederate Supplies

[Jamieva]

I agree with Whitworth. In enemy territory, he doesn't have a good feel of the exact location of the AoP forces, all he knows is they are across the Potomac as well. At that point you have to draw your forces in tight so if one is attacked the others are in close support. The last thing you want is to get decimated piece by piece because you let your Corps go rambling across the countryside away from each other.

I don't think you will find many people that will say Lee made no mistakes in the campaign. If you do I wonder what their true motives are in sticking with that.

[M E Wolf]

Dear List Members;

While General JEB Stuart was operating where he was, I get an impression at the same time, Mosby and his Rangers/Raiders were capturing many a prisoner, horses and supplies. Mosby was reporting to General Stuart, to whom was his commanding officer.

The possibility that I see, is that General Lee was using the mountains as a shield and was going to gain railroad control, as to load up his army and travel by rail. This would explain why Mosby and men were harassing the railroads and capture Fairfax Station. Mosby was all over Chantilly, next to Manassass/Bull Run; Aldie and points west.

IF General Lee would have made the turn and then take the troops east towards Washington--General JEB Stuart and his rangers of Mosby who had really set up well in Virginia in the outskirts of Washington; General Lee could have gone towards Baltimore using the B&O Railroad which had rail service into the city itself. While Mosby was causing distractions ... 'look at the birdie'-- General Lee could have swept behind through Baltimore or lower, such as Silver Spring, Montgomery County, etc; and invade Washington. Along the way--there could have been rest stops as to rest the horses, men and resupply.

Just some thoughts.

Sincerely,
M E. Wolf

[Lilred]

Here's a few letters from Gettysburg. While they do not directly describe day 3, they do make note of supplies at the time that I found interesing.

July 5th 1863
My Darling:


I know you are anxious to hear from me & now while the armies are again mustering for battle, as I sit on my bundle of straw that Wm has brought me to rest on, I will write to you a few lines. I wrote to you from Carlisle -- our Cavalry went to within 2 1/2 miles of Harrisburg & scared the people there greatly, but Gen. Lee finding that the Yankee army had advanced to Gettysburg, as he expected, and so we were ordered back to take part in the great Battle -- Gen. Early, I wrote to you, had been to York & destroyed the bridge over the Susquehanna at Columbia -- so on Tuesday, June 30th, we marched one division of our army across the South Mt. (Blue Ridge) towards York & joined Early's Div --, Johnson went back to Chambersburg the day before & crossed towards Gettysburg that Wednesday we turned towards Gettysburg & encountered the enemy some 2 miles from G. and drove them in splendidly -- routing them completely and taking many prisoners, but therewas not enough of our army up to enable us to pursue, though the 3rd Corps had come upon our right & fought some --
The enemy fought stubbornly & lost many killed & wounded that evening Gen. Lee came up & Longstreet & the next morning we formed a line of battle to the west of the town, crescent shaped, the enemy had possession of a line of hills, on the slope of one end of which the town of Gettysburg is situated -- above the town, about 1/4 mile, the ridge attains it greatest height & is crowned by a cemetery, enclosed by a substantial wall, another elevation, ****her on, was crowned by woods & they fortified that in the night & their whole army was there, formidably entrenched & posted as we advanced on drove them to their works & though our men advanced boldly to the works & stormed them, some getting in to them, but the enemy repulsed us, & though we surrounded them our efforts to take the heights were unavailing & our loss was very great, both in officers & men. -- We renewed the fight of Friday with no better success -- though wekilled many of the enemy & took many prisoners, some 7 or 8 thousand, but our loss was also heavy & in the evening it was decided, in a council of war, to fall back & compel the enemy to come out to a fair field & also to send to Va. the large train of wagons, horses, stores &c that we had captured -- they were started yesterday & we fell back to the line of hills W. of the town -- the enemy did not follow & we spent the day moving our woundded , our trains &c -- the success of the first day was great, of the two following days we cannot say that are gained anything by them Capt Richardson, an engineer that joined us, since Boswell's death, was badly wounded in the side & we leave him in the hands of the enemy -- we move all that are able to be moved -- I saw St. Clair Kyle today & he says none of his Co. were killed, tho Reeves was wounded & some other -- I shall learn about the 52nd before I send this -- We have an abundance here -- and if the enemy follows us -page four- today again we shall fight them near here & by God's blessing shall win, for the advantage will not all be on our side -- I have been spared so far & am not as much exposed to danger as I used to be -- Gen E -- confining me to my special duties & not asking me often to do any others -- he announced me as Capt. and Top Eng. of his staff in the orders announcing to the Corps the persons composing his staff --

July 7th We have slowly fallen back across the So. Mt. through Waynesboro & on to near Hagerstown and are encamped there -- it is said with the intention of remaining, or offering the enemy battle on fair grounds -- The enemy has followed slowly as we retired and our army is in fine spirits notwithstanding the reverses of the last few days --. we had sent a train of wagons through to Williamsport several days ago which the enemy's cavalry fell on in a Mt. pass & captured 53 -- The rest escaped & Imboden came up and became a general [illeg.] to them = yesterday, before our advance got here, the enemy's cavalry came up and demanded a surrender of Imboden he resisted & in the meantime Stuart fell on the enemy's rear and routed them & raised the siege & we are now in communication through again & I hope to send this today -- Knowing how anxious you are to hear from me -- Wm. says tell May she need never expect to see me, for I am scared to death, though well & hearty -- he alludes to a few shells that fell near the wagon train a few days ago & scared the darkies & wagoners nearly to death -- He has been an excellent servant to me & has shown no disposition to leave me, or neglect his duties. I heard of the safe arrival of my purchases in Winchester & hope they have gone on home -- they were directed to the care of Maj. Bell -- and were left at Dr McGuire's in Winchester -- I saw Hotch Stover today & he is well -- also one of the ****el boys -- Kisses for my babes & God's blessings for you all -- how I long to see you -- Good bye


Your Aff husband


Jed. Hotchkiss

[Lilred]

and another.....


Camp of 53rd Va Regt
Near Chambersburg
Franklin Co. Pa.


July 1st, 1863
Dear Lelia,


We have had some very hard marches lately as you may judge from the place and date of my letter. We are you may say in the very heart of Yankeedom, passed through Maryland Three days ago, a great many [unclear: reservists] joined our Army from Maryland but we found all very bitter Yankeys in Pennsylvania we met many secessionists in Hagerstown M.D. a place of about 6000 inhabitants. We are living very well over here and the amount of money saved to our Government every day by our subsisting on the Enemy is about $200,000. We are impressing & purchasing a great many fine horses from the Enemy and our Commissaries are supplied with fine Cattle sheep &c, the rations of Whiskey, Coffee & Sugar remind me of our living at West Point. We are about 20 miles from the Pennsylvania line, and the farms are generally about 1000 acres in size and produce from 12 to 15 [unclear: bhls] corn and from 30 to 40 bushels of wheat to the acre. The owners are generally of Dutch descent and are very much terrified at our presence and think it horrible that we should invade Pennsylvania, indeed they have known nothing of the war heretofore, and I believe unless we do bring it home to them in this manner they would be willing to carry it on indefinitely. Of the plans of Genl Lee I know nothing our Div is in the rear. Genl Ewell & Hill and some of Longstreets Div. are near Harrisburg the Capital of Pa. We can take it very readily but whither it will be our plan to attack it or Baltimore or Phil adelphia I do not know, we have already supplied our Army with a great many shoes hats &c and I expect the advanced Divs have gotten more than we have. Our Army is in excellent health, and if we keep up our present state of organization there is nothing to fear from [unclear: any] force they can bring against us. Genl Hood I understand is between us and Washington - we are some distance north west of Baltimore and about 70 miles from it. Chambersburg is a very pretty town of about 5000 inhabitants. I have eaten many nice meals in Yankee land and the people take our money and feed us on the best they have, such as nice pickles, brandies, wines, preserves, apple butter, cherries &c, our meals, (and I get [unclear: ma] all at some houses where we stop, the houses are large, nice & convenient) cost us from 25 to 50 cents each. Hats of the best quality from 2 to 5$ - boots and shoes from time to time. Sheep 3$ each beef 8 cents per lb. bacon 12 cents. Coffee 7c Sugar 15 to 20 cents per lb, whiskey 100</I> per gal. The dutch farmers hate to see us driving their fine horses to our artillery and killing their fat beeves by hundreds. Our Army will not cost the confederacy a great deal as long as we remain in Pa. I suppose we will necessarily have a big fight before we leave the state, and expect it will be somwhere north of Baltimore probably near Philadelphia or Harrisburg. Our Army is in fine spirits and willing to be led every where - or any where confidently expecting success under the able leadership of Genl Lee.
Our soldiers have burnt no houses and no barns as the Enemy do and are obeying strictly Genl Lee's orders to "take no property unless we pay for it" but we have burnt some larger iron works, foundries &c, and are tearing up their Rail Road by whole-sale. I will not write a very long or very particular letter as we are not very certain that our letters may not be intercepted. I hope this may find you and Edgar and all [unclear: our] family in good health. My love to [unclear: Mama] and her family and to Sister [unclear: Mary] and all my relatives and to Aunt Betsy & family, and for myself and family accept all the love of


your devoted friend and affectionate husband


B. L. Farinholt

[Lilred]

and one more for GP (general principle).....

Hd. Qrs. 2nd Corps -- Near Chambersburg Pa --


June 24th 1863
My Darling Wife:


I know you have before now been looking eagerly for another letter from me since I wrote from Winchester but we have been on the move & when we have stopped I have been busy until very late at night to keep up the maps of the country in which we are operating new & strange as it is to us all -- We went on from Winchester to Sharpsburg -- some by the way of Williamsport, then through Boonsboro to Hagerstown & day before yesterday our infantry, for the first time in the war crossed the Pa. line & invaded the old "Keystone", frightening the Dutch out of their senses, they confidently expected us to burn every thing and lay waste the country and they thought we would be justified in so doing -- but when they found us doing all things decently & not disturbing them except to supply our army with every thing it needed to eat &c &c and furnish any number of big horses & wagons, all sorts of supplies, leather saddles &c all called for by a polite officer, & no pillaging, they were rejoiced to get off so well & set before our men any quantity of the good things they have so abundantly & Gen. Ewell says we will all get fat here --
It was one of the most amasing sights I ever saw to see the broadclothed gentry com-ing in & bringing saddles, bridles &c & making a pile of them in the square for the use of the Rebels -- this land is full of every thing -- the stores were opened & they had to sell goods at their old prices for Confederate money -- I bought about $100 worth of calico, wool unclear: delaine , bleached cotton, hoops, gloves, thread, gingham, pins &c &c which I hope to get home in due time if we stop short of N.Y -- Providence has abundantly blessed our movement, few casualties of any kind -- and our success wonderful -- we shall get nearly a million dollars worth of horses, supplies of all kinds &c from this county, (Franklin) & we have invaded Fulton & Adams Cos. -- also and shall levy on them in like manner -- supporting our army entirely on the enemy -- they say they never felt the war before but the first taste is enough for them they do not care for more I saw Kenney Campbell, [unclear: Brow] Allen, Eubanks, Cameron, Cochran &c on yesterday, they were all well & were enjoying the fat of the land hugely -- it is like a whale full of blubber to a Greenlander Gen. E.says --
The people are very submissive and comply, meekly, with the demands made on them -- I think we shall be able to do a good deal towards bringing about an honorable peace -- Yours of the 8th overtook me in wh. you had the "blues" badly -- I feel like writing often but the flesh is weak & I have to yield to sleep -- have not had time even to write in my journal But do not scold me -- but write to me as often as you can -- It is cheering to hear from home when one may not get there -- yea cannot get there so be of good cheer & dont complain & dont say, pouting out your sweet little lips, I wont write unless you do -- that's naughty. -- I am glad you were soon rid of the army, but such is the history of it every where when about home & you may be thankful you fared no worse, though I am very sorry the fruit of your wearisome labors should be thus [illeg.] destroyed --
I will be as well to sell the sewing machine if you can get a good price, it is a piece of [illeg.] B. [unclear: Gamber] . Get the Butcher notes [illeg.] I want to come home as soon as possible -- Nelson has had Evans buying off debts & the whole property is bound by mort-gage to pay the debts, the personal & real, and no power can free it until the debts are paid, so do not trouble yourself about this I know it to be so -- and no deed can be made until all things mentioned in the trust deed are paid Nelson pays off more of the debts at the June Court --
I hope you got back your butter from Staunton it will reduce prices a good deal our subsiting the army here -- I only wish I could send you some things to eat -- but eat the best you can get -- I shall send a small parcel of what I bought up to Winchester today & hope it may reach you -- As to your keeping the sow it would be good policy, but let her run & only feed her now & then -- husband your grain -- I know the cost of living & only want you to hear from B. Brown, I shall try & send all you may need You may be able to sell some of the things I may send & thus make one big price balance another & so keep even -- You can make me some shirts of calico I may send you - tho I intend to buy ready made here -- I will get all the things you want that I can find -- Dont pay anything of debt until I write more -- write often -- God bless & my love to all


Your aff Husband


Jed. Hotchkiss