A question about Messersmith Woods in Chambersburg PA

I'm the great, great grandson of Absalom Shetter. It was my forefather who owned Shetter's Orchard/Woods that was later renamed Messersmith's Woods. He was a Mennonite, Union volunteer whose farm & orchard were occupied by Gen. Lee & part of Army of N.Virginia as headquarters from June 26-30, 1864. During their departure to Gettysburg, they seized all of his stores & livestock. Absalom lost everything to the rebel army over the next 3 days, including his sanity. He was found hanging in his orchard July 4. 1863 and buried by his neighbors, Jacob & Eliza Stouffer. My great grandfather, Sam Gelsinger also served in the Union army (mustered out 8/12/1863) and owned farm at Guilford Springs for decades after war, just south of Chambersburg that was lost in Great Depression.
 
I'm the great, great grandson of Absalom Shetter. It was my forefather who owned Shetter's Orchard/Woods that was later renamed Messersmith's Woods. He was a Mennonite, Union volunteer whose farm & orchard were occupied by Gen. Lee & part of Army of N.Virginia as headquarters from June 26-30, 1864. During their departure to Gettysburg, they seized all of his stores & livestock. Absalom lost everything to the rebel army over the next 3 days, including his sanity. He was found hanging in his orchard July 4. 1863 and buried by his neighbors, Jacob & Eliza Stouffer....

Pray tell, was this the army under direct command of the always honest / considerate / dedicated / good Christian General Robert E. Lee that we hear so much about? The same Robert E. Lee who never actually owned or punished any slaves of his own, who wasn't personally for secession, who didn't condone guerrilla warfare, and who didn't flip on his personal sworn oaths to two countries within 5 years?

Tell us it's not so! After all, King-Lee day* is being celebrated this very month!


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* https://www.al.com/news/2019/01/mar...k-robert-e-lee-day-gets-15000-signatures.html
 
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Don't really think Gen.Lee condoned any abusive behavior in relation to Ab Shetter. Rules of war, just wanted documented facts of his death & the strange renaming of the farm/Woods afterwards. As my ancestors were Mennonite and I am not, I've only recently delved into my family history in Chambersburg dating to 1750s that was written by my mother. She struggled to find any municipal records relating to my two families in Chambersburg (Gelsinger / Shetter), my grandparents & primarily their forefathers pre-1864 fire. May I humbly ask if their are any other resources that could be researched in relation to Mennonite history 1830-1864 in Franklin County Pennsylvania
 
Don't really think Gen.Lee condoned any abusive behavior in relation to Ab Shetter. Rules of war, just wanted documented facts of his death & the strange renaming of the farm/Woods afterwards.

How to resolve that with "...During their departure to Gettysburg, they seized all of his stores & livestock. Absalom lost everything to the rebel army over the next 3 days..."

You're very kind to absolve Lee of responsibility for that, but "Rules of War" seems a bit of a stretch. Used that way, "Rules of War" also justified Lee's taking free Penn. blacks back to Virginia to be sold into slavery.

You know, if Ab Shetter was slammed by Lee's army, he was slammed by Lee's army.
 
Visited my ancestor, Absalom Shetter's 7/1/1863 grave in Stoufferstown Cemetery across the street from site of Shetter's Orchard at Falling Spring Branch. From Jacob Stouffer's diary 7/1/1863, "Deeply saddened to learn my friend & neighbor, Absalom Shetter was found hanging in his orchard this morning. Going next door to assist with burial." Note that Stouffer's diary never says he hanged himself.
As his direct ancestor, I wish to dispute the manner of Absalom Shetter's death. No witness to his hanging, only that he was found in a tree on the morning of July 1st, 1863. Civil authorities declared it suicide. No Mennonite would do what they say he did, it's an affront to his faith. As to a 30 year-old Shetter wandering at dusk muttering to himself on June 30th after Lee&Army left, any man would be beside himself at the violation of his home (Lee's Headquarters) & destruction of all his work at Shetter's Orchard. Something doesn't seem quite right with Shetter's death according to Chambersburg civil authorities. Plus the renaming of the Woods/Orchard to obscure the historical facts. Wasn't Pickets division in Chambersburg that night? At Shetter's Woods? Trod the ground along the Falling Spring Branch there and it's one of the most beautiful places in Chambersburg. More research on "Messersmith's Woods?" to follow.
 
Hello All,
I am in process of reading Shelby Foote’s second volume of his Civil War: A Narrative and on page 444 of that book he mentions Shetter’s Woods. He explains that General Lee and his staff stayed in that woods on June 27 of 1863 during the Gettysburg Campaign. I was curious and researched online that name of Shetter’s Woods and did not find anything under that title. However the search did mention Messersmith Woods and the same date of June 27 of 1863 as the site of Lee’s stay with his staff. My question is: are Shetter’s Woods and Messersmith Woods known by two different names or was this an error on Mr. Footes research and the title should have been Messersmith Woods?
I am by no means trying to nitpick Mr. Foote or find fault with him as I respect him but really want to know why this area that Lee stayed on June 27 appears to have two names.

Any help appreciated.
Great-great grandson of Absalom Shetter here to clarify that Shetter’s Woods & Orchard were the occupied headquarters of R.E. Lee from June 26-30, 1863. A Mennonite farmer, 30 years old, Absalom Shetter was found hanging in his own orchard on July 1, 1863 following the Army of Northern Virginia’s departure to Cashtown & Gettysburg. The army took all of Absalom’s stores & livestock, stripped the unripened crop from his orchard and in his relief at their departure and in violation of his sacred faith, Chambersburg authorities declared that when he was found hanging in his orchard, that it was suicide. I personally question their conclusions and find the renaming of the Woods & Orchard very suspicious.
 
How to resolve that with "...During their departure to Gettysburg, they seized all of his stores & livestock. Absalom lost everything to the rebel army over the next 3 days..."

You're very kind to absolve Lee of responsibility for that, but "Rules of War" seems a bit of a stretch. Used that way, "Rules of War" also justified Lee's taking free Penn. blacks back to Virginia to be sold into slavery.

You know, if Ab Shetter was slammed by Lee's army, he was slammed by Lee's army.
General Lee didn't just "slam" Ab Shetter. JEB on the right flank, Imboden on the left flank, were order to strip the Pennsylvania countryside of every usable thing they could find that wasn't tied down. Mainly, cattle , sheep and horses and of course wagons.
So nothing new here other than what Shetter has given us.
 
Here is a YouTube video giving a today's perspective of the woods. Some of the comments may not be spot on, but you can get an idea of the woods. I did stop there once on my way out to Gettysburg. Not worthy of a long stop, but still pretty cool.

 
I believe that there is a sign on Rt 30 in Chambersburg where Messersmith's Wood was.

Here is the historic marker.

IMG_0417.JPG
 
Hello All,
I am in process of reading Shelby Foote’s second volume of his Civil War: A Narrative and on page 444 of that book he mentions Shetter’s Woods. He explains that General Lee and his staff stayed in that woods on June 27 of 1863 during the Gettysburg Campaign. I was curious and researched online that name of Shetter’s Woods and did not find anything under that title. However the search did mention Messersmith Woods and the same date of June 27 of 1863 as the site of Lee’s stay with his staff. My question is: are Shetter’s Woods and Messersmith Woods known by two different names or was this an error on Mr. Footes research and the title should have been Messersmith Woods?
I am by no means trying to nitpick Mr. Foote or find fault with him as I respect him but really want to know why this area that Lee stayed on June 27 appears to have two names.

Any help appreciated.
Little known fact, after occupying Shetter’s Woods & Orchard, Absalom Shetter was found hanging in his own orchard after the Confederate Army left Chambersburg
 
I'm the great, great grandson of Absalom Shetter. It was my forefather who owned Shetter's Orchard/Woods that was later renamed Messersmith's Woods. He was a Mennonite, Union volunteer whose farm & orchard were occupied by Gen. Lee & part of Army of N.Virginia as headquarters from June 26-30, 1864. During their departure to Gettysburg, they seized all of his stores & livestock. Absalom lost everything to the rebel army over the next 3 days, including his sanity. He was found hanging in his orchard July 4. 1863 and buried by his neighbors, Jacob & Eliza Stouffer. My great grandfather, Sam Gelsinger also served in the Union army (mustered out 8/12/1863) and owned farm at Guilford Springs for decades after war, just south of Chambersburg that was lost in Great Depression.
Visited my ancestor, Absalom Shetter's 7/1/1863 grave in Stoufferstown Cemetery across the street from site of Shetter's Orchard at Falling Spring Branch. From Jacob Stouffer's diary 7/1/1863, "Deeply saddened to learn my friend & neighbor, Absalom Shetter was found hanging in his orchard this morning. Going next door to assist with burial." Note that Stouffer's diary never says he hanged himself.
As his direct ancestor, I wish to dispute the manner of Absalom Shetter's death. No witness to his hanging, only that he was found in a tree on the morning of July 1st, 1863. Civil authorities declared it suicide. No Mennonite would do what they say he did, it's an affront to his faith. As to a 30 year-old Shetter wandering at dusk muttering to himself on June 30th after Lee&Army left, any man would be beside himself at the violation of his home (Lee's Headquarters) & destruction of all his work at Shetter's Orchard. Something doesn't seem quite right with Shetter's death according to Chambersburg civil authorities. Plus the renaming of the Woods/Orchard to obscure the historical facts. Wasn't Pickets division in Chambersburg that night? At Shetter's Woods? Trod the ground along the Falling Spring Branch there and it's one of the most beautiful places in Chambersburg. More research on "Messersmith's Woods?" to follow.

I guess there's no chance any of your family might somewhere have a picture of the woods? My great-grandfather George Plasterer bought the farm from the George Messersmith heirs in the 1880's. By that time, the woods had been cut down for a cultivated field. I do know the town Centennial picnic in 1876 was held there. I'd really like to find a picture of the woods. I do know the location of the original log house and barn from my great aunt. There is a restaurant called the Copper Kettle along Rt. 30, that is where the buildings were.... the apple orchard when my great grandfather bought the farm was up on the higher elevation across from the woods location where a Walgreens is now.
 
Ab Shetter’s GGGS-Ken Gelsinger here. My GGF Sam Gelsinger served in the Union Army. My mother spent decades chasing Chambersburg history on him.
Ab Shetter’s family, farm, woods & orchard were stripped during the invasion on June 26-30. I often wonder if it was his green apples that the Confedrates pelted each other with before Pickett’s charge? Why would he endure their occupation for 4+ days and upon their departure hang himself? UVA may be of value in answers? Public & Mennonite church records may also bear information on Ab Shetter. His wife disputed official findings of suicide, I know that much.

Unfortunately, because of 1864 Chambersburg raid & fire, public records are scarce.
Ken Gelsinger- Shetter’s GGGS
 
My name is Ken-GGGS of Ab Shetter. I have been there at the cemetery & across the street a few times over the last couple years. I still have family in the area with deep Civil War ties. May I ask if you may have pictures of Shetter’s woods & orchard as I would like to pinpoint what is described as, “The most beautiful place in Chambersburg.”
Sincerely,
Ken G.
 
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