- Joined
- Jan 16, 2015
Requisitioning or impressment with an issued receipt was the usual method used by Confederate army quartermasters to gather livestock, forage and other items of military value from area farms, while outright confiscations (pillaging) typically occurred when the owner or tenant had vacated the premises.
One example of a receipt read as follows: “Impressed from Henry Wisler eighteen bushels of oats and eight bushels of corn to be paid at market value – July 2nd 1863. J. S. Reid, Major and QMr. Davis Brigade, Confederate States. Cooper, Capt., A.Q.Mr. 42nd Miss. Regt., Davis Brigade C.S.A.” (America’s Civil War, July 2014, vol. 27, no. 3, Leesburg, VA: Weider History Group, Inc.) [Major J. S. Reid was brigade quartermaster for Brig. Gen. Joseph Davis’s brigade, while Captain Lunsford Pitt Cooper was the regimental quartermaster of the 42nd Mississippi.]
The following list is but a fraction of the owners and tenants who were impacted by the invasion of Adams County, Pennsylvania. Those whose property was along a march route, or directly occupied by the enemy, or else served as a field hospital, suffered the most. But every local resident was at some risk, because the Confederates thoroughly scoured the area for up to four days straight. Nor were residents entirely safe from depredations committed by their own – Federal – army.
The highlighted names appear on the attached 1858 map of Adams County. Unless otherwise indicated, the information is derived from civilian damage claims available at the Adams County Historical Society.
Alms House, Cumberland Township: 1 wagon from wagon shed.
Joseph Bayly, Cumberland Township: 4 head of cattle (1 steer, 1 bull, 2 cows), 3 horses and 11 sheep were taken on July 3 (1 horse that was stabled in Gettysburg disappeared on July 1).
Christian Benner, Straban Township, near Culp’s Hill: 5 horses, chickens, flour, meat, and fields of wheat, grass and oats were trodden down. (Oliver F. Benner, son of Christian Benner, Battlefield Adventures)
Philip Bittinger, Butler Township: 2 horses taken on July 3.
John Boyer, Butler Township: 2 horses were taken by Rodes’ men at 11 p.m. on July 1; also lost hay, oats, hams and saddles taken earlier in the day by Rodes’ division as it passed his residence on the way to Gettysburg.
Christian Byers, Highland Township: His barn and part of the house were used as a hospital for five weeks, and confiscated cattle were pastured in his fields. Also lost 1 mare, 1 colt, cattle, 1 wagon, hay, fence rails, and boards knocked off the barn.
John Bolen, Tyrone Township, near Heidlersburg: 1 bull, 1 heifer, 640 new rails and gears. His oat field was destroyed when the rebels pastured 130 cattle in it for one day and night, and two clover fields were destroyed by 200 rebel cattle in it on June 30. [Rodes’ division camped near Heidlersburg on the night of June 30.]
Thomas E. Cook, Menallen Township: 3 heifers were taken July 2 by a rebel officer accompanied by a squad of men. The same group returned on July 3 and took the bay mare (Hunter Morgan) from the field. Another horse was taken but subsequently recovered by Boyd’s cavalry.
Tobias R. Cover, Franklin Township, Cashtown: 1 horse and 1 wagon.
John Cunningham, Freedom Township: Barn was used as a hospital. Lost 12 barrels of flour, 5 cords of wood, 1 spring wagon.
John H. Eckert, tenant farmer, Straban Township: 1 mare taken June 26 by Early’s men, afterwards lost 5 sheep, 1 hog, 8 hams, 3 shoulders, hay, half the wheat crop was destroyed. The dwelling house (marked P. Trostle) was burned on July 2, by carelessness of the rebels [the family was away at the time and it was occupied by pioneers from Johnson’s division].
James Gallagher, living on the farm of Maria Fidler, Tyrone Township: 1 bay horse, 1 bay mare were taken by Rodes’ men on July 1.
Jacob Gardner, Butler Township: 1 bull, 1 2-horse spring wagon taken by Ewell’s forces July 1.
John and Sarah Ann Hamilton, Cumberland Township: Barn and grounds used as a hospital. Lost 2 horses, flour, shelled corn, hay and 8 acres of wheat, blacksmith tools and iron from his shop, tablecloths, hand towels, shawls, sheets, coffee, sugar, knives, forks, dishes, copper kettles, bags and side saddles. (Greg Coco, A Vast Sea of Misery)
Abraham Lentz, Franklin Township: 1 ton of hay taken from a stable in Cashtown.
Jacob Mickley, Franklin Township: Items taken from his farm and his hotel in Cashtown.
David Mundorff, Franklin Township: 1 buggy taken on July 4 – it was afterwards recovered (in a damaged condition) in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania.
Conrad Myers, Mummasburg: 1 young bay mare taken from Miller’s stable in Mummasburg.
Professor Schmucker of the Lutheran Seminary: Personal library destroyed, furniture ruined, valuables taken, but the piano was untouched.
Andrew Weikert, Highland Township (west of Marsh Creek): Barn used as a hospital; lost 5 horned cattle, 25 chickens, 2 wagons, 1 barrel of flour, wheat, corn, oats, hay, potatoes, 15 cords of wood, horse gear, saddles, bridles and fencing.
Henry Wisler, Butler Township: 18 bushels of oats, 8 bushels of corn, impressed by Major James S. Reid, Quartermaster of Davis’ brigade on July 2. (America’s Civil War, July 2014, vol. 27, no. 3)
Mary Jane Williams (Cashman), occupied the gate house on the York turnpike, Straban Township: 20 chickens, hams, coverlet, towels, bed clothing, shawls, silk dress, queensware, tinware, tablewear and vinegar.
George Wolf, Straban Township: 10 milk cows, 4 young cattle, 1 horse, hay.
One example of a receipt read as follows: “Impressed from Henry Wisler eighteen bushels of oats and eight bushels of corn to be paid at market value – July 2nd 1863. J. S. Reid, Major and QMr. Davis Brigade, Confederate States. Cooper, Capt., A.Q.Mr. 42nd Miss. Regt., Davis Brigade C.S.A.” (America’s Civil War, July 2014, vol. 27, no. 3, Leesburg, VA: Weider History Group, Inc.) [Major J. S. Reid was brigade quartermaster for Brig. Gen. Joseph Davis’s brigade, while Captain Lunsford Pitt Cooper was the regimental quartermaster of the 42nd Mississippi.]
The following list is but a fraction of the owners and tenants who were impacted by the invasion of Adams County, Pennsylvania. Those whose property was along a march route, or directly occupied by the enemy, or else served as a field hospital, suffered the most. But every local resident was at some risk, because the Confederates thoroughly scoured the area for up to four days straight. Nor were residents entirely safe from depredations committed by their own – Federal – army.
The highlighted names appear on the attached 1858 map of Adams County. Unless otherwise indicated, the information is derived from civilian damage claims available at the Adams County Historical Society.
Alms House, Cumberland Township: 1 wagon from wagon shed.
Joseph Bayly, Cumberland Township: 4 head of cattle (1 steer, 1 bull, 2 cows), 3 horses and 11 sheep were taken on July 3 (1 horse that was stabled in Gettysburg disappeared on July 1).
Christian Benner, Straban Township, near Culp’s Hill: 5 horses, chickens, flour, meat, and fields of wheat, grass and oats were trodden down. (Oliver F. Benner, son of Christian Benner, Battlefield Adventures)
Philip Bittinger, Butler Township: 2 horses taken on July 3.
John Boyer, Butler Township: 2 horses were taken by Rodes’ men at 11 p.m. on July 1; also lost hay, oats, hams and saddles taken earlier in the day by Rodes’ division as it passed his residence on the way to Gettysburg.
Christian Byers, Highland Township: His barn and part of the house were used as a hospital for five weeks, and confiscated cattle were pastured in his fields. Also lost 1 mare, 1 colt, cattle, 1 wagon, hay, fence rails, and boards knocked off the barn.
John Bolen, Tyrone Township, near Heidlersburg: 1 bull, 1 heifer, 640 new rails and gears. His oat field was destroyed when the rebels pastured 130 cattle in it for one day and night, and two clover fields were destroyed by 200 rebel cattle in it on June 30. [Rodes’ division camped near Heidlersburg on the night of June 30.]
Thomas E. Cook, Menallen Township: 3 heifers were taken July 2 by a rebel officer accompanied by a squad of men. The same group returned on July 3 and took the bay mare (Hunter Morgan) from the field. Another horse was taken but subsequently recovered by Boyd’s cavalry.
Tobias R. Cover, Franklin Township, Cashtown: 1 horse and 1 wagon.
John Cunningham, Freedom Township: Barn was used as a hospital. Lost 12 barrels of flour, 5 cords of wood, 1 spring wagon.
John H. Eckert, tenant farmer, Straban Township: 1 mare taken June 26 by Early’s men, afterwards lost 5 sheep, 1 hog, 8 hams, 3 shoulders, hay, half the wheat crop was destroyed. The dwelling house (marked P. Trostle) was burned on July 2, by carelessness of the rebels [the family was away at the time and it was occupied by pioneers from Johnson’s division].
James Gallagher, living on the farm of Maria Fidler, Tyrone Township: 1 bay horse, 1 bay mare were taken by Rodes’ men on July 1.
Jacob Gardner, Butler Township: 1 bull, 1 2-horse spring wagon taken by Ewell’s forces July 1.
John and Sarah Ann Hamilton, Cumberland Township: Barn and grounds used as a hospital. Lost 2 horses, flour, shelled corn, hay and 8 acres of wheat, blacksmith tools and iron from his shop, tablecloths, hand towels, shawls, sheets, coffee, sugar, knives, forks, dishes, copper kettles, bags and side saddles. (Greg Coco, A Vast Sea of Misery)
Abraham Lentz, Franklin Township: 1 ton of hay taken from a stable in Cashtown.
Jacob Mickley, Franklin Township: Items taken from his farm and his hotel in Cashtown.
David Mundorff, Franklin Township: 1 buggy taken on July 4 – it was afterwards recovered (in a damaged condition) in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania.
Conrad Myers, Mummasburg: 1 young bay mare taken from Miller’s stable in Mummasburg.
Professor Schmucker of the Lutheran Seminary: Personal library destroyed, furniture ruined, valuables taken, but the piano was untouched.
Andrew Weikert, Highland Township (west of Marsh Creek): Barn used as a hospital; lost 5 horned cattle, 25 chickens, 2 wagons, 1 barrel of flour, wheat, corn, oats, hay, potatoes, 15 cords of wood, horse gear, saddles, bridles and fencing.
Henry Wisler, Butler Township: 18 bushels of oats, 8 bushels of corn, impressed by Major James S. Reid, Quartermaster of Davis’ brigade on July 2. (America’s Civil War, July 2014, vol. 27, no. 3)
Mary Jane Williams (Cashman), occupied the gate house on the York turnpike, Straban Township: 20 chickens, hams, coverlet, towels, bed clothing, shawls, silk dress, queensware, tinware, tablewear and vinegar.
George Wolf, Straban Township: 10 milk cows, 4 young cattle, 1 horse, hay.
Attachments
Last edited by a moderator: