A little known prelude to Gettysburg

Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Location
York, Pennsylvania
I am a York County PA historian and scientist. My sons and I have been researching this county's role in the Gettysburg Campaign, and I wrote a couple articles that appeared in past issues of The Gettysburg Magazine concerning Stuart's Ride and Early's occupation of York, the largest Northern town to surrender to the Confederacy.

My latest book deals with Early's expedition and the burning of the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge. Early contradicted himself a few times in his post-war writings, but in essence, his orders to seize the massive covered bridge at Wrightsville turned, in his mind, into an authorization for a raid on Lancaster PA and a chance to take his division up the east bank of the Susquehanna River and attack Harrisburg from the rear while Ewell demonstrated in the front at Lemoyne, PA.

While it remains pure speculation what Early would have accomplished by crossing into Lancaster County (he would have put more distance between himself and Hill's Corps, which had been ordered to march to York before the recall orders came from Lee), one can only imagine the Northern press's reaction to the threat of the Louisiana Tigers and the rest of Early's veteran division running loose in Harrisburg's rear.

State militia burned the bridge to prevent Early's lead brigade, that of John B. Gordon, from crossing the mile-wide, rain-swollen river.
 
I'll take a try--

I am a York County PA historian and scientist. My sons and I have been researching this county's role in the Gettysburg Campaign, and I wrote a couple articles that appeared in past issues of The Gettysburg Magazine concerning Stuart's Ride and Early's occupation of York, the largest Northern town to surrender to the Confederacy.

My latest book deals with Early's expedition and the burning of the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge. Early contradicted himself a few times in his post-war writings, but in essence, his orders to seize the massive covered bridge at Wrightsville turned, in his mind, into an authorization for a raid on Lancaster PA and a chance to take his division up the east bank of the Susquehanna River and attack Harrisburg from the rear while Ewell demonstrated in the front at Lemoyne, PA.

While it remains pure speculation what Early would have accomplished by crossing into Lancaster County (he would have put more distance between himself and Hill's Corps, which had been ordered to march to York before the recall orders came from Lee), one can only imagine the Northern press's reaction to the threat of the Louisiana Tigers and the rest of Early's veteran division running loose in Harrisburg's rear.

State militia burned the bridge to prevent Early's lead brigade, that of John B. Gordon, from crossing the mile-wide, rain-swollen river.

Mingus,

I will speculate with you on why Ewell wanted the bridge and move on to Lancaster. Lancaster was the home of Theddeus Stevens and if I remember right Ewell order the burning of one of Mr. Stevens Iron works. I think Ewell would have like to stick a figure in Mr. Stevens other eye by taken over his town and burning down his house.

In military terms there is a road that goes straight form Lancaster to Philadelphia and this road is unique. Because, it was pave in asphalt making it easy for an army to march fast and right into Philadelphia its called "Philadelphia Lancaster Turnpike". A pulse, Lee's army would have the river between them and the union army.

You mention about making a two prong assault against Harrisburg..

Are these some of the speculations given by folks around your parts...??
 
The turnpike road from Chambersburg tthrough Gettysburg to York and on to Lancaster and Philly was macadamized (crushed limestone layered over larger rocks in a progressive pattern). Early's soldiers were coated in limestone dust by the time they arrived here in York on June 28.

A Confederate movement into Lancaster County certainly added a little fuel to the newspapers' worries about Lee's possible intent to attack Philly, but I don't believe that was ever Lee's goal. Ewell was directed to take Harrisburg, if the means were there. He apparently thought not, and only half-heartedly made an effort.

Early's boys while here in York openly boasted about heading for Philly or New York, but they of course were clueless as to where Early and Gordon were really leading them. That speculation rubbed off on the civilians.

The burning of the bridge is rarely mentioned in the discussions of the strategy surrounding the Confederate movements in Pennsylvania and the Federal and state response.
 
Shoes, always shoes!

Early requisitioned 2,000 pairs of shoes or boots from York's merchants and cobblers (an order that WAS fulfilled entirely, unlike his demands for $100,000 in U.S. cash or gold; he only raised $28,610 from door-to-door solicitation).

Lancaster was larger and even more prosperous, so shoes and other military supplies would have been quite numerous.

By contrast, Gettysburg had a handful of cobblers and shoemakers, and only a few tanneries compared to Lancaster or York.
 
Early requisitioned 2,000 pairs of shoes or boots from York's merchants and cobblers (an order that WAS fulfilled entirely, unlike his demands for $100,000 in U.S. cash or gold; he only raised $28,610 from door-to-door solicitation).

Lancaster was larger and even more prosperous, so shoes and other military supplies would have been quite numerous.

By contrast, Gettysburg had a handful of cobblers and shoemakers, and only a few tanneries compared to Lancaster or York.


I was going to say if it not for military reason then to confiscate good, stores and supplies for the army. I would not discount Ewell's and the burning down of Thaddeus Stevens home if he had the chance....Let be honest Stevens was dislike throughout the south for his Radical Republican ways.
 
I found a few anecdotes that I included in the book about several Rebel infantrymen who expressed a strong desire after they reached Lancaster County to go visit former President James Buchanan, a Pennsylvanian whose moderate views were seen in the South as an attempt to keep the peace. The change in power to Lincoln helped trigger secession. Buchanan indeed was home while the Confederates approached the bridge into Lancaster County, and he had no intention of leaving (nor of entertaining Rebels) according to his later statements.

As far burning Stevens' home, Early had already violated Lee's orders by torching Stevens' Caledonia Iron Works. Homes previously owned by Stevens in Gettysburg and York were ignored, so it's only speculation that had Early seized Lancaster he may have burned Stevens' current house. It's certainly possible. Early wrote in his official report about his rationale for destroying the Iron Works, which ruined the lives of scores of now unemployed black workers.

I met with Lancaster's U.S. congressman, Joe Pitts, earlier this week to give him a copy of my new book and to discuss the Civil War history of the region. It's very clear that had the bridge not burned, Early's veterans would indeed have sacked Lancaster County.
 
Ewell visit

Here is what Ewell thought of his stay at Wrightville form his OR's....


EXPEDITION TO YORK AND WRIGHTSVILLE.
Col. E. V. White's cavalry battalion reported to me at Chambersburg, and was sent to General Early, then at Greenwood. Arriving at Cashtown, General Early sent Gordon's brigade with White's cavalry, direct to Gettysburg, taking the rest of the division on the Mummasburg road. In front of Gettysburg, White charged and routed the Twenty-sixth Regiment Pennsylvania Militia, of whom 170 were taken and paroled. From Gettysburg, Gordon, with Tanner's battery and White's battalion, was sent on the direct road to York, and General Early moved in the direction of Dover with the rest of the division.
On approaching York, General Gordon met the mayor and a deputation of citizens, who made a formal surrender of the place.
Pushing on, by order of General Early, to Wrightsville, on the Susquehanna, he found 1,200 militia strongly intrenched, but without artillery. A few shots drove them across the magnificent railroad bridge, a mile and a quarter long, which they burned as they retreated over it. The little town of Wrightsville caught fire from the bridge, and General Gordon, setting his brigade to work, succeeded in extinguishing the flames. Yet he is accused by the Federal press of having set fire to the town.
General Early levied a contribution on the citizens of York, obtaining, among other things, $28,600 in United States currency, the greater part of which was turned over to Colonel [J. L.] Corley, chief quartermaster, Army of Northern Virginia; 1,000 hats, 1,200 pairs of shoes, and 1,000 pairs of socks were also obtained here.


Did Ewell collect contribution form every union town he went through?

Is Gordon a hero in the town of Wrightville for saving it form the fire?


Thoughts...
 
Most locals here in York County PA have no clue about the burning of the bridge or Gordon's role in saving Wrightsville from a much worse fire than the damage that was sustained (which was considerable). I hope my book and a series of lectures and PowerPoint presentations will change that. I am also leading tours of Civil War sites in Wrightsville, so hopefully this will help publicize it more.

Early indeed asked for a ransom from Gettysburg on June 26, 1863, but with the late hour and the fact that most people had taken their goods and livestock into hiding, he did not reap much in the way of booty from the town itself. There is some evidence he wanted to ransom Lancaster as well.

Other Confederate officers were doing the same thing in other towns (Chambersburg, Carlisle most notably).
 
Scott,

Fabulous information!
I'd never even given a thought as to where Buchanan was when Gordon/Early were standing on the verge of crossing the Susquehanna and possibly pounding Lancaster!

That's a wonderful and thought provoking bit of information. Just the thought of how Buchanan would deal with that situation makes my head spin. Great stuff!

I've visited Buchanan's Lancaster home as well as his ancestral birthplace in what was then the literal frontier of the United States near Mercersburg, PA.

My hat is off to you Sir!
Fine work!
 
Lancaster's U.S. congressman, Joe Pitts

Isn't that the famous congressman who wanted, not too many years ago, to charge, whomever was responsible for burning down the Wrightsville bridge.
 
Never heard that about Congressman Pitts, but he has filed riders on amendments in the past trying to get the U.S. government to repay Lancaster County with interest for the Federally-ordered destruction of the bridge. Apparently there was some sort of expectation from the bridge's owners that the government would repay them for the loss -- that "fact" dated from October 1862 when the Army first discussed destroying the bridge during JEB Stuart's raid on Adams County.
 
Early requisitioned 2,000 pairs of shoes or boots from York's merchants and cobblers (an order that WAS fulfilled entirely, unlike his demands for $100,000 in U.S. cash or gold; he only raised $28,610 from door-to-door solicitation).

"Door-to-door solicitation." Is that what they called armed robbery in the AoNVa?
 
The town council went door-to-door soliciting the requisite funds from their constituents, so yes, indeed the term was synonymous with armed robbery!

And, Early had the audacity years after the war to write that York still owed him the remainder of the bill (he ransomed the town for $100,000, but the door-to-door canvassing only netted $28,610). He went to his grave believing "York is not through paying yet."
 
Now I'm embarrassed. I ought to know something about "extra Billy," but I find only cobwebs. Hep me out here.

Ole
 
Extra Billy

William Smith was a brigadier general in Early's Division, along with Harry T. Hays (Louisiana Tigers), John B. Gordon, and Robert Hoke (Hoke missed Gettysburg due to a wound at Chancellorsville and was replaced by Col. Isaac Avery). Smith was a former governor of Virginia who got the nickname "Extra Billy" because of his knack for obtaining extra items for himself on government contracts. Buy a little extra, keep some for himself...

Smith left the Army of Northern Virginia during the retreat to resume his political career. Few missed him. His performance at Gettysburg was shadowy at best -- he kept reporting phantom Union troops, and Early had to dispatch Gordon on July 1 to investigate and keep control. Some authors directly blame Extra Billy's uncertainty for infecting Ewell and causing him to become paranoid about Yankees on his flank, contributing to his decision not to attack Cemetery Hill or occupy Culp's Hill following his rather handy victory that afternoon.

Ewell won a spectacular victory at Second Winchester, and then had dawdled in front of Harrisburg. Now, he won a great victory north of Gettysburg and dawdled when he reached the town. The pattern of inconsistency marked his subsequent service, with more emphasis on indecision and less on victories. Billy Smith should share some of the blame.
 
Got to put in a good word for Extra Billy and the "phantom Union Troops". After being relieved by Union infantry, Deven's cavalry brigade, of Bufords division, reformed on the York Road east of Gettysburg and then rode into town on that road, encountering and engaging Confederate infantry skirmishers on the eastern edge of town. Meanwhile William's infantry division of the Army of the Potomacs XII Corps advanced on the Hanover Road until they reached Benners Hill just outside of Gettysburg where ther formed a battleline and advanced to engage Confederate forces on the hill. Receiving word that the Union position north of town had broken the division withdrew back down the Hanover Road. There were indeed fresh Union forces (a cavalry brigade and an infantry division) east of Gettysburg. Deven's and William's reports are in the OR. Scott, when's your Extra Billy book coming out?
 
Back
Top