Aftermath
The war took an indescribable toll on the population that resided in Gettysburg. Every garden and farming field in Gettysburg was littered with deceased bodies and the majority of the buildings were basically converted into hospitals, nursing for the injured infantry. The Camp Letterman General Hospital was founded to the east of the battle, so that the wounded could be temporarily assisted before being assigned to a major hospital in Baltimore, Washington, or Philadelphia. Federal surgeons conversed with the United States Sanitary Commission in addition to the Christian Commission, and effectively hospitalized and improved the physical condition of approximately 20,000 deteriorating Confederate and Union men. Six months subsequent to the Battle of Gettysburg, in 1864, all of the men were tended to and the soldiers, nurses, doctors, and security men were completely gone. The one structure that survived into 1864 was a temporary graveyard that portrayed the brave struggle to rescue peoples’ lives at Camp Letterman. This peaceful cemetery on the hillside served as a memorial to this heroic site. The residents of Gettysburg were eventually able to overcome this scarring portion of their history, and transform it into something to be proud of. To read more about their national park and Gettysburg life today, click below to be relocated.
Tillie's First Hand Account
Tillie Pierce, a 15-year-old girl and lifelong resident of Gettysburg, remembers her experience of the battle. She observed the entire conflict, but waited 26 years before finally publicizing her eyewitness account. Her family resided in the center of Gettysburg, with her father being a butcher. She lived in the upstairs of her father’s meat store. When she first heard the soldiers approaching, she was located in her “Young Ladies Seminary” school. Her encounter describes the awful nature of the war, including tragedy, infantry brutality, death, and the decrepit landscape that remained. The image to the left portrays Tillie Pierce at the approximate age of the Battle of Gettysburg.
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"We were having our literary exercises on Friday afternoon, at our Seminary, when the cry reached our ears. Rushing to the door, and standing on the front portico we beheld in the direction of the Theological Seminary, a dark, dense mass, moving toward town. Our teacher, Mrs. Eyster, at once said:
'Children, run home as quickly as you can.'
"It did not require repeating. I am satisfied some of the girls did not reach their homes before the Rebels were in the streets.
"As for myself, I had scarcely reached the front door, when, on looking up the street, I saw some of the men on horseback. I scrambled in, slammed shut the door, and hastening to the sitting room, peeped out between the shutters."What a horrible sight! There they were, human beings! Clad almost in rags, covered with dust, riding wildly, pell-mell down the hill toward our home! Shouting, yelling most unearthly, cursing, brandishing their revolvers, and firing right and left.
"I was fully persuaded that the Rebels had actually come at last. What they would do with us was a fearful question to my young mind.
"Soon the town was filled with infantry, and then the searching and ransacking began in earnest.
"They wanted horses, clothing, anything and almost everything they could conveniently carry away.
"Nor were they particular about asking. Whatever suited them they took. They did, however, make a formal demand of the town authorities, for a large supply of flour, meat, groceries, shoes, hats and (doubtless, not least in their estimations), ten barrels of whisky; or, in lieu of this five thousand dollars.
"But our merchants and bankers had too often heard of their coming, and had already shipped their wealth to places of safety. Thus it was, that a few days after, the citizens of York were compelled to make up our proportion of the Rebel requisition."
'Children, run home as quickly as you can.'
"It did not require repeating. I am satisfied some of the girls did not reach their homes before the Rebels were in the streets.
"As for myself, I had scarcely reached the front door, when, on looking up the street, I saw some of the men on horseback. I scrambled in, slammed shut the door, and hastening to the sitting room, peeped out between the shutters."What a horrible sight! There they were, human beings! Clad almost in rags, covered with dust, riding wildly, pell-mell down the hill toward our home! Shouting, yelling most unearthly, cursing, brandishing their revolvers, and firing right and left.
"I was fully persuaded that the Rebels had actually come at last. What they would do with us was a fearful question to my young mind.
"Soon the town was filled with infantry, and then the searching and ransacking began in earnest.
"They wanted horses, clothing, anything and almost everything they could conveniently carry away.
"Nor were they particular about asking. Whatever suited them they took. They did, however, make a formal demand of the town authorities, for a large supply of flour, meat, groceries, shoes, hats and (doubtless, not least in their estimations), ten barrels of whisky; or, in lieu of this five thousand dollars.
"But our merchants and bankers had too often heard of their coming, and had already shipped their wealth to places of safety. Thus it was, that a few days after, the citizens of York were compelled to make up our proportion of the Rebel requisition."
July 1, 1863: The Escape
As the combat begins and approaches her residence, Tillie Pierce seeks refuge with her neighbor's family by sprinting to Jacob Weikert's home located just southbound of Round Top. Her parents decided to remain in Gettysburg.
"At last we reached Mr. Weikert's and were gladly welcomed to their home."It was not long after our arrival, until Union artillery came hurrying by. It was indeed a thrilling sight. How the men impelled their horses! How the officers urged the men as they all flew past toward the sound of the battle! Now the road is getting all cut up; they take to the fields, and all is in anxious, eager hurry! Shouting, lashing the horses, cheering the men, they all rush madly on.
"Suddenly we behold an explosion; it is that of a caisson. We see a man thrown high in the air and come down in a wheat field close by. He is picked up and carried into the house. As they pass by I see his eyes are blown out and his whole person seems to be one black mass. The first words I hear him say are: 'Oh dear! I forgot to read my Bible to-day! What will my poor wife and children say'
"I saw the soldiers carry him up stairs; they laid him upon a bed and wrapped him in cotton. How I pitied that poor man! How terribly the scenes of war were being irresistibly portrayed before my vision."
"Suddenly we behold an explosion; it is that of a caisson. We see a man thrown high in the air and come down in a wheat field close by. He is picked up and carried into the house. As they pass by I see his eyes are blown out and his whole person seems to be one black mass. The first words I hear him say are: 'Oh dear! I forgot to read my Bible to-day! What will my poor wife and children say'
"I saw the soldiers carry him up stairs; they laid him upon a bed and wrapped him in cotton. How I pitied that poor man! How terribly the scenes of war were being irresistibly portrayed before my vision."
July 2, 1863: Soldier Cruelty
Day 2 of the Battle of Gettysburg occurs close to the region where Tillie resides, near Little Round Top. She grants water to Federal soldiers traveling by, while the other people produce bread for the troops to consume. At midday, Tillie experiences a memorable event near the household's front.
"This forenoon another incident occurred which I shall ever remember. While the infantry were passing, I noticed a poor, worn-out soldier crawling along on his hands and knees. An officer yelled at him, with cursing, to get up and march. The poor fellow said he could not, whereupon the officer, raising his sword, struck him down three or four times. The officer passed on. Little caring what he had done. Some of his comrades at once picked up the prostrate form and carried the unfortunate man into the house. After several hours of hard work the sufferer was brought back to consciousness. He seemed quite a young man, and was suffering from sunstroke received on the forced march. As they were carrying him in, some of the men who had witnessed this act of brutality remarked:
'We will mark that officer for this.'
"It is a pretty well established fact that many a brutal officer fell in the battle, from being shot other than by the enemy."
'We will mark that officer for this.'
"It is a pretty well established fact that many a brutal officer fell in the battle, from being shot other than by the enemy."
July 3, 1863: Surgeons
The Battle of Gettysburg intensifies as General Robert E. Lee places his assault at the Union's center, causing many residents to retreat to a distant farm structure to escape the bloodshed. Subsequently, as the fighting comes to a halt, Tillie and the family journey back to the Weikert's house.
"Toward the close of the afternoon it was noticed that the roar of the battle was subsiding, and after all had become quiet we started back to the Weikert home. As we drove along in the cool of the evening, we noticed that everywhere confusion prevailed. Fences were thrown down near and far; knapsacks, blankets and many other articles, lay scattered here and there. The whole country seemed filled with desolation.
"Upon reaching the place I fairly shrank back aghast at the awful sight presented. The approaches were crowded with wounded, dying and dead. The air was filled with moanings, and groanings. As we passed on toward the house, we were compelled to pick our steps in order that we might not tread on the prostrate bodies. The visual to the right depicts a group of surgeons making preparations for an amputation. |
"When we entered the house we found it also completely filled with the wounded. We hardly knew what to do or where to go. They, however, removed most of the wounded, and thus after a while made room for the family.
"As soon as possible, we endeavored to make ourselves useful by rendering assistance in this heartrending state of affairs. I remember Mrs. Weikert went through the house, and after searching awhile, brought all the muslin and linen she could spare. This we tore into bandages and gave them to the surgeons, to bind up the poor soldier's wounds.
"By this time, amputating benches had been placed about the house. I must have become inured to seeing the terrors of battle, else I could hardly have gazed upon the scenes now presented. I was looking out of the windows facing the front yard. Near the basement door, and directly underneath the window I was at, stood one of these benches. I saw them lifting the poor men upon it, then the surgeons sawing and cutting off arms and legs, then again probing and picking bullets from the flesh.
"Some of the soldiers fairly begged to be taken next, so great was their suffering, and so anxious were they to obtain relief.
"I saw the surgeons hastily put a cattle horn over the mouths of the wounded ones, after they were placed upon the bench. At first I did not understand the meaning of this but upon inquiry, soon learned that that was their mode of administrating chloroform, in order to produce unconsciousness. But the effect in some instances were not produced; for I saw the wounded throwing themselves wildly about, and shrieking with pain while the operation was going on.
"To the south of the house, and just outside of the yard, I noticed a pile of limbs higher than the fence. It was a ghastly sight! Gazing upon these, too often the trophies of the amputating bench, I could have no other feeling, than that the whole scene was one of cruel butchery."
"As soon as possible, we endeavored to make ourselves useful by rendering assistance in this heartrending state of affairs. I remember Mrs. Weikert went through the house, and after searching awhile, brought all the muslin and linen she could spare. This we tore into bandages and gave them to the surgeons, to bind up the poor soldier's wounds.
"By this time, amputating benches had been placed about the house. I must have become inured to seeing the terrors of battle, else I could hardly have gazed upon the scenes now presented. I was looking out of the windows facing the front yard. Near the basement door, and directly underneath the window I was at, stood one of these benches. I saw them lifting the poor men upon it, then the surgeons sawing and cutting off arms and legs, then again probing and picking bullets from the flesh.
"Some of the soldiers fairly begged to be taken next, so great was their suffering, and so anxious were they to obtain relief.
"I saw the surgeons hastily put a cattle horn over the mouths of the wounded ones, after they were placed upon the bench. At first I did not understand the meaning of this but upon inquiry, soon learned that that was their mode of administrating chloroform, in order to produce unconsciousness. But the effect in some instances were not produced; for I saw the wounded throwing themselves wildly about, and shrieking with pain while the operation was going on.
"To the south of the house, and just outside of the yard, I noticed a pile of limbs higher than the fence. It was a ghastly sight! Gazing upon these, too often the trophies of the amputating bench, I could have no other feeling, than that the whole scene was one of cruel butchery."
July 5, 1863: Devastation
Tillie stays at the farm for a couple days to ensure her safety. July 5, 1863 arrives and with companions Tillie scale Little Round Top to overlook the battlefield.
"By this time the Union dead had been principally carried off the field, and those that remained were Confederates.
"As we stood upon those mighty boulders, and looked down into the chasms between, we beheld the dead lying there just as they had fallen during the struggle. From the summit of Little Round Top, surrounded by the wrecks of battle, we gazed upon the valley of death beneath. The view there spread out before us was terrible to contemplate! It was an awful spectacle! Dead soldiers, bloated horses, shattered cannon and caissons, thousands of small arms. In fact everything belonging to army equipments, was there in one confused and indescribable mass."
"As we stood upon those mighty boulders, and looked down into the chasms between, we beheld the dead lying there just as they had fallen during the struggle. From the summit of Little Round Top, surrounded by the wrecks of battle, we gazed upon the valley of death beneath. The view there spread out before us was terrible to contemplate! It was an awful spectacle! Dead soldiers, bloated horses, shattered cannon and caissons, thousands of small arms. In fact everything belonging to army equipments, was there in one confused and indescribable mass."