Civil war Battles & Skirmishes in Pennsylvania

[rustycoinUT]

This one is going to be a tough. The famous Gettysburg battle was fought here and finding other battles and skirmishes is spotty at best. I will list everything i find. I will be posting maps as soon as i find them

October 10, 1862---Chambersburg
October 11, 1862---Near Gettysburg
June 22, 1863---Greencastle
June 24, 1863---McConnellsburg
June 25, 1863---McConnellsburg
June 26, 1863---Near Gettysburg
June 28, 1863---Fountain Dale
June 28, 1863---Susquehanna Bridge
June 28-29, 1863---Oyster Point
June 29, 1863---McConnellsburg
June 30, 1863---Fairfield
June 30, 1863---Hanover
June 30, 1863---Sporting Hill, near Harrisburg
July 1-3, 1863---Gettysburg
July 1, 1863---Carlisle
July 2, 1863---near Chambersburg
July 2, 1863---Hunterstown
July 3, 1863---Fairfield
July 4, 1863---Monterey Gap
July 4, 1863---Fairfield
July 4, 1863---Fairfield Gap
July 5, 1863---Fairfield
July 4, 1863---near Fairfield
July 5, 1863---near Greencastle
July 5, 1863---Green Oak
July 5, 1863---Stevens' Furnace, or Caledonia Iron Works
July 5, 1863---near Mercersburg
July 5, 1863---Cunningham's Cross Roads
July 5, 1863---Greencastle
July 29, 1864---Mercersburg
July 30, 1864---Burning of Chambersburg
July 30, 1864---McConnellsburg

The Battle of Hunterstown was a minor engagement in Adams county Pennsylvania July 2 1863.
At dawn, the Union army had deployed near in the general shape of a fishhook, with elements of the 6th corp and the cavalry posted elsewhere to protect the flanks and to look for Rebel activity, particularly Stewart’s cavalry. Stuart arrived at Robert E Lee’s headquarters between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 that afternoon, and about an hour later Wade Hampton's exhausted brigade arrived. Stuart ordered Hampton to take a position to cover the left rear of the Confederate battle lines. Hampton moved into position astride the Hunterstown Road four miles northeast of Gettysburg, blocking access for any Union forces that might try to swing around behind Lee's lines.
Two brigades of Union cavalry from Judson Kilpatrick’s division under George Custers and Farnsworth were probing for the end of the Confederate left flank. Custer collided with Hampton on the road between Hunterstown and Gettysburg. In the swirling fighting, Custer fell under his wounded horse as Confederates approached. He was saved only by the timely intervention of his bugler, Norville Churchill. Hampton wanted to escalate the action, positioning most of his brigade along a ridge in readiness to charge Custer’s position. At that stage, Elon Farnsworth arrived with his brigade. Hampton did not press his attack, and an artillery duel ensued until dark when Hampton withdrew towards Gettysburg.
A portion of the battlefield has been lost to modern development (power plant is astride the eastern portion of the site). The remainder is in private hands. A small plaque in the village commemorates the nearby fighting


Battle of Hanover

Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry, which was riding north to get around the Union army, attacked a Union cavalry regiment, driving it through the streets of Hanover. Brig. Gen. Farnsworth's brigade arrived and counterattacked, routing the Confederate vanguard and nearly capturing Stuart himself. Stuart counterattacked. Reinforced by Brig. Gen. George A. Custer's brigade, Farnsworth held his ground, and a stalemate ensued. Stuart was forced to continue north and east to get around the Union cavalry, further delaying his attempt to rejoin Lee's army which was then concentrating at Cashtown Gap west of Gettysburg

I will be posting more on this state very soon
rustycoinUT

[boobieinPa]

Rusty thanks for the post. It is appreciated very much.

[rustycoinUT]

Battle of Gettysburg


Day 1

In June, Robert E. Lee decided to take the war north. He planned to destroy the railroad bridge at Harrisburg, then "turn my attention to Philadelphia, Baltimore, or Washington as may seem best for our interest." After the long march north, Confederate troops were spread from Chambersburg, through Carlisle, and into York. Towns across southern Pennsylvania were being "explored" for much needed supplies to continue the Southern offensive. While looking in Gettysburg, Pettigrew's brigade spotted Buford's cavalry on a ridge a mile west of town.
The Battle of Gettysburg Pennsylvania began on July 1 with Confederate troops attacking that Union cavalry division on McPherson Ridge, west of town. Out-numbered, the Union forces managed to hold, and even drive the Confederate army back, after the addition of John Reynold's Infantry division (and Reynold's subsequent death on the front lines). They prevailed until afternoon, when they were overpowered by additional southern troops, and driven back through town. In the confusion, thousands of Union soldiers were captured before they could rally on Cemetery Hill, south of town. Long into the night Union troops labored over their defenses while the bulk of Meade's army arrived and took positions
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Day 2

On July 2, the battle lines were drawn up in two sweeping arcs. The main portions of both armies were nearly a mile apart on two parallel ridges; Union forces on Cemetery Ridge in the famous "fish hook", facing Confederate forces on Seminary Ridge to the west. Lee ordered an attack against both Union flanks.
On the south, James Longstreet's thrust on the Union left broke through D.E. Sickles' advance lines at the Peach Orchard, left the Wheatfield and Plum Run (now known as Bloody Run) strewn with dead and wounded, and turned the rocky area called the "Devils Den", at the base of Little Round Top, into a shambles. Only a very observant General G. K. Warren saved Little Round Top for the Union, when he saw that the strategic hill was unmanned.
To the north, R. S. Ewell's attack ultimately proved futile against the entrenched Union right on East Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill, even though they were able to take possession of the southern slope of Culp's Hill on one occasion. The frequent lack of effective communication would prove the downfall of the Confederacy this day. If they had only known that they were only a few hundred yards away from taking the Unions supply trains...if only Rodes had moved through the streets of Gettysburg to aid in the attack on Cemetery Hill...
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Day 3

On July 3, Lee decided to press the attack to the Union center on Cemetery Ridge. At 1 in the afternoon, the southern artillery opened a bombardment that for a time engaged the massed guns of both sides in a thundering duel for supremacy, but did little to soften up the Union battle lines.
Then came the climax of the Battle of Gettysburg...with a salute from Longstreet, General George E. Pickett, in a desperate attempt to recapture the partial success of the preceding day, spearheaded one of the most incredible efforts in military history...a massed infantry assault of 15,000 Confederate troops across the open field toward the Union center on Cemetery Ridge. One mile they marched, while being pounded by artillery and rifle fire. Through it all, Pickett's men reached but failed to break the Union line, and the magnificent effort ended in disaster. The tide of the Confederacy had "swept to its crest, paused, and receded." In 50 minutes, 10,000 in the assault had become casualties, and the attack - forever to be known as Pickett's Charge - was now history.
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With the failure of Pickett's Charge, the battle was over - the Union was saved. Lee's retreat began on the afternoon of July 4. Behind him, this small town of only 2,400 was left with a total (from both sides) of over 51,000 casualties. Over 172,000 men and 634 cannon had been positioned in an area encompassing 25 square miles. Additionally, an estimated 569 tons of ammunition was expended and, when the battle had ended, 5,000 dead horses and the other wreckage of war presented a scene of terrible devastation.

The Confederate army that staggered back from the fight at Gettysburg was physically and spiritually exhausted. Lee would never again attempt an offensive operation of such proportions. Meade, though he was criticized for not immediately pursuing Lee's army, had carried the day in the battle that has become known as the High Water Mark of the Confederacy.

The war was to rage for two more terrible and tormenting years but the Confederacy never recovered from the losses of Gettysburg. And through the deepening twilight of Confederate military might, all who had been to Gettysburg would remember.


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[rustycoinUT]

Pittsburgh's civil war forts


Two were built north of Manchester on sites now occupied by The Pressley Ridge Schools on Marshall Avenue and the Hospital Linen Service on Marvista Street. The former was called Fort McKeever.

The site of Fort McKinley, built by workers from the Jones & Laughlin South Side mill, is occupied by the Arlington Outdoor Recreation Center and Playground.

About 10 blocks east of the playground, near St. Peter Cemetery and overlooking Becks Run Road, is the approximate site of Fort Smalls.

Several forts were built on Mount Washington and Duquesne Heights, another at a high point in the West End. One sat above either end of Fingal Street in Mount Washington. Another was in the block now bounded by Oneida, Virginia, Meridan and Sycamore.

Another appeared to have been built on Troy Hill, another above Girty's Run near Millvale. One was established in the Highland Park area, or perhaps Stanton Heights. Two were built in Garfield Heights.

The largest, called Fort Black, was located on a hill overlooking Hazelwood, at approximately the point where Winterburn and Bigelow streets meet today.

Remnants of Arlington's Fort McKinely were still visible as late as 1925 when the city built the present playground.



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[lamwan0210]

Can you please give GPS info for just a few areas near York County that I can get start detecting civil war battles, campsites etc? Thanks,
Lawman0210@suscom.net


Ken