The Beginning

[Jules362]

The following is from the same page as the last post on the Newspaper thread on Campfire Chat, and appears to be a series of telegrams sent by a newsman at Harrisburg on June 28, 1863, published in the New York Herald on June 29th. There is some repetition here. All messages contained the name "Harrisburg," and the date, but only a few of them included the time of day the message was sent. Because the newspaper tended to often make new paragraphs from a single sentence, I have sometimes combined multiple sentences in one paragraph when it did not disturb or change the meaning or impact. Other than that, and the use of [sic] to distinguish their typos from my own, it is as it was originally written.

New York Herald
June 29, 1863

The Impending Battle

Harrisburg, June 28, 1863 --
The enemy is within four miles of our works, advancing.

The firing of artillery is distinctly heard. The troops are all in position awaiting the attack.

The authorities feel confident of their ability to repulse the rebels. A battle will probably take place today.

The Pennsylvania Railroad, so far, is safe.

Harrisburg, June 28, -- 1 P.M.
A conflict is now going on in this vicinity, and the cannonading can be heard here.

Harrisburg, June 28, 1863
Guns are heard. The enemy is at hand. General Cameron has information that the rebels are twenty thousand strong at Carlisle, and have forty-eight pieces of artillery.

Harrisburg, June 28 - 6 P.M.
The rebels are within three miles, and are throwing shells. Our troops are within the intrenchments, and will make a bold stand.

Hrrisburg, Pa., June 28, 1863
We want men. Please give this dispatch all publicity. Our fortifications only need good, able, and experienced soldiers. Will they come forward? Pennsylvania is now responding largely. The citizens are generally recruiting, and exhibiting a far better spirit as the danger seems to increase. The Herald's influence is solicited in sending men forward. For God's sake, do it.

Transportation will be provided me to our front, and you will have all the late telegrams until my return.

Gen. W.F. Smith is in command west of the Susquehanna, under Gen. Couch. Gen. Knipe will aid him.

General Knipe will put our forces in the fortifications opposite here.

Colonel McClure informs me that General Johnson's division followed General Rhodes' division into Chambersburg on Wednesday. He remained there until Friday morning when they moved toward Shippensburg. They made a formal demand, specifying what they wanted, and were particularly desirous to have a supply of leather.

On Friday they moved towards Shippensburg. Colonel Kennedy estimates their numbers at eight thousand and ten thousand in each division.

The rebels have not crossed Sterrets' Gap as yet.

Michael Dowling was taken prisoner by a party of seven or eight hundred strong, two or three miles outside of Gettysburg, on the Chambersburg pike, and was paroled on Friday afternoon. The rebels said they were going to Baltimore and Harrisburg.

Two others on the outer picket saw rebel cavalry in the distance. The women waved their handkerchiefs, and the "rebs" came and took them. The rebels said they have two thousand cavalry and twelve to fifteen thousand infantry.

The rebels respect private property at York, if not resisted, in accordance with their proclamation.

Harrisburg, Pa., June 28, 1863
Nearly every citizen has enrolled himself for immediate duty, at the county Court House, to assemble at the bell signal. Some are leaving with their families and relatives.

Although the anxiety is intense for the result of the present crisis, our people evince great good feeling, and are determined to make the best defense possible.

The enrolment [sic] of colored men in the county is vigorously going on. A good force will be raised in a few hours.

The rolling stock of various railroads have been (illegible) East from this place for safety.

At different times during the day, when firing was heard, the people collected on Capitol and Prospect hills for the purpose of viewing this engagement, should it become general.

A gentleman belonging to this city rode out over the river this afternoon to visit some friends at Mechanicsburg, in a vehicle drawn by two splendid horses. He was arrested at that place by rebels, had his horses and buggy seized, and was paroled and sent back to the city.

The Gray Reserves of Philadelphia have been sworn in, and are determined to do their best.

The best of order is preserved here. Lieutenant Patton, of the Philadelphia police force, has excellent arrangements. He has detailed officers to attend every depot and his men, though eager to go to the front, are doing everything in their power to allay excitement and preserve order, and when the enemy comes, to meet him.

It looks to me as if the bridge burning now was the Codora bridge on the Northern Central Railroad.

(Continued Below)

[Jules362]

Harrisburg, June 28, 1863
The enemy has destroyed two bridges near York Haven, on the Northern Central Railroad.

From Charles C. Williams, a private of Colonel Jennings Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Regiment, who was captured near Gettysburg, I get the following information:--

"After the enemy took us prisoners we were conveyed to Gettysburg. 2,500 rebels passed through Gettysburg on Friday afternoon, and encamped on the road to York. Generals Gordon and Early were with these troops. The former made a speech, in the woods, to his men. After we were paroled and were on our way to Harrisburg, saw reinforcements going to the aforesaid, twenty-five hundred. They must have been a small division. They had a train of one hundred and fifty wagons with them, and behind the train was nearly one thousand stragglers."

Harrisburg, June 28, 1863
Our forces have slowly retired, and are now in and around the fortifications of Harrisburg. The enemy is advancing slowly, and in all probability will soon commence an attack. General Smith has made proper disposition of his troops.

Throughout the day men have been coming to the defence of the city, in response to the Governor's proclamation. Among the number are a great many contrabands. They were all furnished with guns and ammunition and sent across the Susquehanna.

Captain Brisbane, Chief of Cavalry, who was on a reconnoissance [sic] this afternoon, reports the rebel scouts to have been within three miles of our pickets. The reports from the direction of York are very conflicting. An extra train was run to Philadelphia at twelve o'clock, noon.

The enemy fired several shots [f]rom a position west of Oyster Point this afternoon.

Harrisburg, June 28, 1863
When our troops fell back from Carlisle, they left in the barracks equipments for one company of cavalry and one regiment of infantry, and twenty thousand rations, which have fallen into the hands of the enemy. There is a report that the barracks have been burned, but this needs confirmation.

The report of the capture of York last night was rather premature. In the afternoon, the Chief Burgess of the town, in company with some prominent citizens, hearing the rebels were coming, started out to meet them, to surrender the town.

They had to go seven miles before they met the advance. In the mean time, the operator, believing the Chief Burgess had been captured, telegraphed that the rebels were coming into the town, and then left.

The Governor has information that the rebels are at Bainbridge, twelve miles above Columbia, with a pontoon train sufficiently large to construct a bridge.

The rebels, who drove our men from Sterret's Gap yesterday, and then moved towards Duncannon, have returned to the gap. No demonstration has been made on the Pennsylvania Railroad in that direction today, as far as is known.

Col. Wynkoop has been appointed by Gen. Couch, chief of cavalry in this department, Capt. Brisbin [sic] having been ordered to his regiment.

Troops under the new call are rapidly arriving. Two companies of colored troops composed of citizens of this place, were armed today and sent across the river.

Colonel Jennings regiment, which had the skirmish at Gettysburg, arrived here today. He lost about three hundred men as prisoners and stragglers. The officers were sent to Richmond and the men paroled. Some of the latter have arrived here.

Harrisburg, June 28 -- Midnight
It rests with the enemy when the fight shall open. Our forces in and out of Fort Washington are ready and in good spirits. At six o'clock P.M. Ewell's pickets were discovered only two or three miles off. General Couch and the Governor, with their assistants busied night and day in perfecting arrangements for defence and the prospect of success to our arms, in the event of a spirited engagement, is better this evening than at any time before. The fight promises to be steadily contested by our volunteers. All of Knipes command is now withdrawn to this neighborhood.

The inhabitants of Harrisburg are not disheartened. No panic as yet, nor prospect of any.

We cannot yet estimate Ewell's strength.

The New York Seventy-first has seen great hardships, but is in good condition, having not lost a man nor a particle of equipage of any sort.

A great many ladies are determined to stay through all the trouble, no matter what may come. But little valuable property can fall into rebel hands should our troops be overpowered by superior numbers.

Harrisburg, June 28 -- Midnight
The artillery firing heard today was a skirmish between the enemy's advance and our outposts. No damage is known to have been done on either side. It occurred about four miles from here.

The authorities expect an attack tomorrow. The Governor has received notice of 25,000 men who have enlisted under the last call.

Our Lancaster Telegrams

Lancaster, Pa. June 28, 1863
The great bridge over the Susquehanna near Columbia is at this moment in flames. The firmament is illuminated by it even at this distance. It was fired by our own people to prevent the enemy from crossing.

Two rebel companies attacked four companies of the Twentieth Pennsylvania regiment last night below York, but were driven off, badly whipped. Our loss was insignificant.

There is no fighting at Harrisburg yet.

A skirmish occurred at Wrightsville, opposite Columbia, three hours ago. Colonel Frick's men fought the enemy in their rifle pits gallantly till surrounded (illegible)

CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE
(There is no page five in the book)