- Joined
- Jan 16, 2015
The Henry Spangler farm of 230 acres was located along a lane than ran west from the Emmitsburg Road to the south end of Spangler Woods and beyond. It consisted of a two-story log house (north of the lane) with board siding that had been built in 1819 or 1820; a one-story brick smokehouse; a one-story frame stable and carriage shed; and a large barn (south of the lane). A large apple orchard extended some distance north of the lane.
Just prior to the battle the farm was occupied by a tenant farmer, Jacob C. Eckenrode, age 24, with his spouse Nancy J. Eckenrode (nee Keckler), age 19, and their 17-month old daughter, Annie Joanna. Nancy was pregnant with their second child, William Sylvester, who was born on November 23, 1863. There is no indication that they remained on the premises during the battle; they may have gone to stay with one of their many relatives residing in Adams County.
The site was initially occupied on the late morning of July 2. Once the 9th Alabama regiment took position just to the west, Company D was sent forward as skirmishers. Lt. Edmund DeWitt Patterson wrote that his left joined up with the skirmishers of the Florida Brigade, and his right rested at the barn, "which afforded considerable protection to my men and was also a good lookout. We remained at the barn for some time, until the Yankees brought a battery to bear upon it, when I withdrew the men. ... We, however, still kept a lookout at the place." The farm was left behind when Wilcox's Alabamians charged later in the afternoon, although perhaps some of the walking wounded sought temporary refuge among the buildings on their way to rear area hospitals.
On the mid-morning of July 3, Kemper's brigade came onto the grounds. John Dooley of the 1st Virginia wrote, "around us are some trees and some very green apples." The men amused themselves by pelting each other with apples. The brigade soon moved closer to Dearing's artillery, although the 3rd and 7th Virginia on the left evidently remained close to the eastern edge of the orchard, since Col. Joseph C. Mayo, Jr. of the 3rd wrote that the "intolerable heat of the sun drove me back to the shelter of an apple tree, under which men and officers of the 3rd and 7th were crowded together." Mayo squeezed between Col. Waller Tazewell "Taz" Patton of the 7th and Lt. Col. Alexander D. Callcote of the 3rd. During the bombardment, an explosion at the top of the tree sent down a shower of limbs upon these officers.
In the spring of 1865, Jacob Eckenrode mustered into the 101st Pennsylvania for a four-month stint. After the war, he submitted a damage claim for losses incurred during the battle, although I have not been able to access this document. Jacob died on January 5, 1929 at Gettysburg. Nancy, his first wife, lived until January 21, 1879; she bore a total of eight children. Annie, her first-born, died on February 20, 1946. Nancy's older brother Samuel joined the Union cause and reportedly died in a southern prison camp, and her father also served in some capacity when he was in his 50s.
Just prior to the battle the farm was occupied by a tenant farmer, Jacob C. Eckenrode, age 24, with his spouse Nancy J. Eckenrode (nee Keckler), age 19, and their 17-month old daughter, Annie Joanna. Nancy was pregnant with their second child, William Sylvester, who was born on November 23, 1863. There is no indication that they remained on the premises during the battle; they may have gone to stay with one of their many relatives residing in Adams County.
The site was initially occupied on the late morning of July 2. Once the 9th Alabama regiment took position just to the west, Company D was sent forward as skirmishers. Lt. Edmund DeWitt Patterson wrote that his left joined up with the skirmishers of the Florida Brigade, and his right rested at the barn, "which afforded considerable protection to my men and was also a good lookout. We remained at the barn for some time, until the Yankees brought a battery to bear upon it, when I withdrew the men. ... We, however, still kept a lookout at the place." The farm was left behind when Wilcox's Alabamians charged later in the afternoon, although perhaps some of the walking wounded sought temporary refuge among the buildings on their way to rear area hospitals.
On the mid-morning of July 3, Kemper's brigade came onto the grounds. John Dooley of the 1st Virginia wrote, "around us are some trees and some very green apples." The men amused themselves by pelting each other with apples. The brigade soon moved closer to Dearing's artillery, although the 3rd and 7th Virginia on the left evidently remained close to the eastern edge of the orchard, since Col. Joseph C. Mayo, Jr. of the 3rd wrote that the "intolerable heat of the sun drove me back to the shelter of an apple tree, under which men and officers of the 3rd and 7th were crowded together." Mayo squeezed between Col. Waller Tazewell "Taz" Patton of the 7th and Lt. Col. Alexander D. Callcote of the 3rd. During the bombardment, an explosion at the top of the tree sent down a shower of limbs upon these officers.
In the spring of 1865, Jacob Eckenrode mustered into the 101st Pennsylvania for a four-month stint. After the war, he submitted a damage claim for losses incurred during the battle, although I have not been able to access this document. Jacob died on January 5, 1929 at Gettysburg. Nancy, his first wife, lived until January 21, 1879; she bore a total of eight children. Annie, her first-born, died on February 20, 1946. Nancy's older brother Samuel joined the Union cause and reportedly died in a southern prison camp, and her father also served in some capacity when he was in his 50s.
Bringing the