Gettysburg Greg
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2010
- Location
- Decatur, Illinois
160 years ago today the unofficial start of the Battle of Gettysburg began when General Early's division along with a Calvary detachment approached Gettysburg from the west brushing aside the 26th Militia and entering the town square. Pvt George Sandoe was with a local cavalry unit and was fleeing down the Baltimore Pike when challenged by some Confederate troopers. Sandoe pulled his pistol and was shot dead from his horse, sadly becoming the first known killed at Gettysburg. Later in the afternoon of this rainy foggy day, General Early entered the town square with his staff demanding tribute from town including General Early's demands on the town included extremely large quantities of bacon, flour, salt, sugar, onions, hats and shoes or he would burn the town. The mayor told Ewell thar those quantities of supplies could not be met, but he would have the town shop owners open their doors, so the Rebels took advantage and a mad shopping spree ensued and the town was spared. General Early proceeded to the Courthouse where the captured Union Militiamen were being held and proceeded to lecture the captives with advice to return to their homes and leave the fighting to soldiers. Artist Bradley Schmehl's great paining called, "The Diamond", depicts the town square from the SW looking NE just as General Early and his staff enter from Carlisle Street and a group of Union prisoners are being led down Baltimore Street to the Courthouse. Schmehl accurately shows puddles and lightning indicating a rainy day. Just a couple other points regarding the painting shown below, notice the American flag being taken down in the center of the square. Before departing. the Rebels actually chopped the flagpole down. One minor incorrect representation is the color of the Wells house shown here as white, but we know was red during the battle as we see it today.
Bringing the