Hell & High Water

Civil War, 1863

A town in historys cross hairs

resident Abraham Lincoln issued a call to arms on April 15, 1861, asking volunteers to join the military and stop the rebellion of the Confederate States of America. His order added 75,000 men who served for only 90 days. Subsequent enlistees would serve for three years or until the end of the Civil War. Men throughout Berks County enlisted and fought at the Battle of Gettysburg in the 46th, 74th, 83rd, 88th, 93rd, 96th and 151st Infantry regiments and 1st, 2nd and 6th Cavalry. These men performed heroically and had a profound impact on the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863. The three-day battle is remembered as one of the bloodiest and most horric battle scenes in U.S. history. The Union Army victory helped seal the course of the war and the eventual reconstruction of the United States of America.

Civil War era Reading

The road to Gettysburg

In the month leading to Gettysburg, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee moved his forces west of Fredericksburg, Va. Gen. Richard Ewells corps led the movement with Gen. James Longstreets corps in the rear. Battles erupted en route, and Union Gen. Joseph Hooker was largely unaware of Lees shift in Confederate troops toward the north.
Confederate Union

June 3-9 June 10-16 June 17-24 June 25-26 June 27-30

Pa.
CHAMBERSBURG GREENCASTLE GETTYSBURG TANEYTOWN FREDERICK SHARPSBURG HARPERS FERRY LEESBURG

DOVER

F E

YORK

BERKS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Downtown Reading looking east on Penn Street had not yet been n paved in this circa 1860s photograph.

WILLIAMSPORT

W.Va.
B
FRONT ROYAL

Md. Baltimore
ROCKVILLE

C D

Union army military structure during the Civil War

D D
SALEM WARRENTON

Washington, D.C.

Va.
CULPEPER C.H. A

ORANGE C.H. FREDERICKSBURG

Company 100 men (97 men, three officers).

Brigade Regiment 2,000 men 1,000 men (Two regiments) (Ten companies) Named after the The Union used numbers state, numbered as names. Confederates in the order they used commanding were created. officers names.

Division 5,000 men (Two brigades or more)

Corps 10,00016,000 men (Two divisions)

Army of the Potomac 95,000 men at Gettysburg led by Gen. George Meade

A B C D E F G

Battles Brandy Station Second Winchester Stephensons Depot Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville Westminster Hanover Carlisle

June 9 June 13-15 June 15 June 17-21 June 29 June 30 July 1

Percussion ca caps aps A brass or copper cap wit with ha small amount of mercury th that hat struck. ignited when the hammer stru uck.

The Union 1861 Springeld Rie Musket M standard M Manufactured in Springeld, p g , Mass., , the stand dard issue musket was without wa as reliable and light, weighing 9 pounds wit hout the bayonet. It res a mini ball (lead bullet) at a range of 300 3 to 500 yards. three A well-trained soldier could re two or thr ree well-aimed shots in one minute. It res a .58-caliber r lead bullet.

Mini ball Invented by Frenchman Claude-Etienne Mini in 1849, the mini ball was lethally accurate during the Battle at Gettysburg. The hollow base expanded when fired, creating horrific wounds for both Union and Confederate soldiers.

Paper cartridge A bullet, or mini ball, wrapped in paper with a small amount of gunpowder.
Knapsack A cotton sack with leather straps held clothes, camping gear, a tent, food and more. A blanket was fastened to the top. Issue coat Wool coats were only made in four sizes. Many soldiers tore out the lining to use as gun rag and make a gu coat more the c comfortable com the heat. in th Bayonet Bayo This weapon fastened the end of the to th musket. It was also mus used to cook food over the campre or lock weapons together, called toge stacking arms. sta Forage cap Headgear often had corps insignias sewn into the top. Waist belt Held the cap pouch and bayonet scabbard. Cap pouch Percussion caps, required to re a musket, were kept in a wool-lined pouch. Haversack A linen bag containing food, utensils and personal items. Tin cup An important camping utensil for brewing coffee, boiling stew and baked beans.

The Confederate Model 1861 Richmond Rie Musket One of the rst ries manufactured by a Confederate state, the Richmond Arsenal Rie was built in Virginia. It res a .58-caliber lead bullet.

The Union soldier

The Confederate soldier

In 1861, when war erupted, there was no formal, organized Confederate Army. When civilians volunteered during the call to arms, recruits showed up at the battleeld in their own clothing. Uniforms were purchased, captured and stolen from the dead. Existing blue federal-looking coats were boiled to remove color, creating a gray jacket. Most Southern supplies and equipment were similar to their Northern counterparts. While Union forces kept extensive records, the South did not. Its estimated the Southern army had 750,000 enlisted men. Soldiers were recruited from counties and towns and were mostly farmers by trade. During the duration of the war, their supplies were inadequate and the soldiers looked unkempt, with an unmilitarylike appearance.
Sources: National Park Service, National Firearms Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Union and Confederate Soldiers of the Civil War, a visual reference, Civil War Trust, The Horse Soldier Relics
READING EAGLE: CRAIG SCHAFFER CSCHAFFER@READINGEAGLE.COM

Canteen A wool-lined canteen held 3 pints of water Supplies A Union soldier with full supplies and gear carried 50 pounds.

Trousers Trou Dark blue wool pants were often Dar hemmed by soldiers to t. Suspenders hem were added if the waist was loose. wer Officers had a dark blue stripe down the side. Brogans Thin-soled shoes were ill-tting and poorly made, constructed with wooden nails. Many chose to go barefoot rather than use worn shoes. Belt plate A gold-stamped lead-plate belt buckle soldiers were expected to keep polished.