Adams County Prison

[Logan Guard]

I was watching an episode called "LIVE The Town of Gettysburg During the Battle: Gettysburg 160" on Youtube with Tim Smith and they were discussing the county prison while walking down what was called Wall Alley during the battle and I was wondering if anyone had information on prisoners in the jail during the battle? Must have been pretty scary being behind bars during one of the greatest battle fought during the Civil War.

 

[Kurtlg]

I was watching an episode called "LIVE The Town of Gettysburg During the Battle: Gettysburg 160" on Youtube with Tim Smith and they were discussing the county prison while walking down what was called Wall Alley during the battle and I was wondering if anyone had information on prisoners in the jail during the battle? Must have been pretty scary being behind bars during one of the greatest battle fought during the Civil War.

Good question. I have no idea.

 

[mwalker6043]

I heard a story of Sheriff Wolf released all the prisoners before the battle began, told them to go to a safer place. Soon most or all returned to the jail depending on the storyteller. They supposedly told the sheriff it was safer in the jail.

 

[Kurtlg]

I heard a story of Sheriff Wolf released all the prisoners before the battle began, told them to go to a safer place. Soon most or all returned to the jail depending on the storyteller. They supposedly told the sheriff it was safer in the jail.

I see that account was given by his descendants. There is no known contemporary account of what happened . Sheriff Wolf no doubt lived at the jail with his family as was common at the time. There is some evidence that his deputy Myers may have stayed at his home on Middle Street. Another very interesting story about Gettysburg and one I had never considered before.

 

[ErnieMac]

I heard a story of Sheriff Wolf released all the prisoners before the battle began, told them to go to a safer place. Soon most or all returned to the jail depending on the storyteller. They supposedly told the sheriff it was safer in the jail.

The attached article would seem to confirm what you heard.

What the Sheriff's Office once did - A piece of Civil War history

Many visitors have asked us who the sheriff of Adams County was during the Battle of Gettysburg. He was 36 year-old Samuel Wolf, elected in 1860 and served until Nov.

www.gettysburgtimes.com

 

[Tom Elmore]

The article states the Sheriff was empowered to hold Confederate "spies" until they could be turned over to Union forces. I doubt he arrested any bona fide spies, but he might have temporarily held up to a handful of uniformed Confederates who traveled through Gettysburg in late June between Ewell's forces and the main body of the army. One example would be Chaplain John McGill of the 52nd Virginia, who was captured on June 27 while passing alone through Gettysburg, by George Gulan, a local Union soldier home on a furlough.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

I was watching an episode called "LIVE The Town of Gettysburg During the Battle: Gettysburg 160" on Youtube with Tim Smith and they were discussing the county prison while walking down what was called Wall Alley during the battle and I was wondering if anyone had information on prisoners in the jail during the battle? Must have been pretty scary being behind bars during one of the greatest battle fought during the Civil War.

Here is a crop from a post battle image taken from Stevens' Knoll that shows a distant view of Gettysburg. Under very high magnification, several landmarks in the town can be seen. In this crop, not only are the walls of the jail visible, but also the large American flag apparently at half-mast flying above the jail wall. That is where the video with Tim was shot.