A Sanitary Commissioner Meets the Rebs
In a telling narrative, James Gall of the United States Sanitary Commission had the unique opportunity to observe the Confederate army just days before the Battle of Gettysburg. Mr. Gall, advancing in whatever direction contact between the two armies was likely, happened upon units of General Ewell's corps stationed in York, Pennsylvania. He arrived at nine o'clock in the morning on Sunday, June 28, 1863, to discover the Confederate army at rest, breaking camp near the old Fair Grounds.
James Gall, U.S. Sanitary Commissioner
“I Don’t Ever Want to See Any More War”: A Civilian Account of the First Battle of Bull Run
Jim Redmon, a civilian who lived near the Henry House hill, was interviewed by The Washington Post in 1911 about the events that engulfed his home in July 1861. In a poignant interview, the 87-year-old black man recalled watching the first battle of the Civil War.
Washington Post, July 21, 1911
Suggestions From and Old Soldier…
In the early days of the Civil War, recruits were offered plenty of advice. A Mexican War veteran wrote an anonymous letter to the New York Times, providing "suggestions from an old soldier."
New York Times, April 24, 1861
A.L. Long recalls a conversation with Robert E. Lee
Lee’s Military Secretary, A.L. Long, claims his chief anticipated that the battle would be fought near Gettysburg.
By A.L. Long (1886)