Adams County Pa. Related Historical Articles
The Porter Guards at
Gettysburg
Elwood W. Christ
It's time for the Civil
War Heritage Days
commemorating the Battle
of Gettysburg. For two
weeks most visitors
delve into the events of
four days in 1863, but
most of them don't
realize that Gettysburg
had served as a military
encampment prior to the
battle.
Eight companies of the
newly formed 10th New
York Cavalry, the Porter
Guards, arrived in
Gettysburg by train on
Christmas evening 1861
and spent the night in
rail cars. Since
adequate quarters had
not been prepared, the
next day the men were
billeted in town at
several locales. There
they remained until
their encampment was
ready for occupation.
During their stay, the
Gettysburg Adams
Sentinel published
several articles
commenting on their
presence from New Years
Day until mid-March
1862.
Recently, the historical
society received a
transcript of a letter
to the editor written by
a member of the Porter
Guards, which appeared
in the January 9, 1862,
Gazette & Banner of
Courtland, New York.
Twenty-two-year-old John
G. Pierce enlisted from
Cortland, New York, on
Columbus Day, 1861.
Originally assigned as a
sergeant in Company A,
he was promoted to 2nd
lieutenant of Company G
on December 23. Five
days later Pierce wrote
a letter to his hometown
newspaper which
commented on his trip
from Elmira to
Gettysburg and his
experiences with several
Adams countians:
"We arrived at
Gettysburg at about
half past nine in the
evening …. and slept
in the Cars over night
…. We are now
quartered about town
in several places, one
company in a Hall,
another in a Court
House, another in a
school house, &c. &c."
"One company is
pleasantly situated in
a ball alley, but
destitute of balls.
The alley is very
comfortable, at one
[end?] of which [was]
once used as a saloon,
we have a fire and
write letters (where I
am now writing this)
on an Eating table
under curtains ….
Yesterday we pitched
our tents, but they
have been condemned as
too cold for the
winter season."
"Barracks will soon be
finished, though none
are yet erected. Our
reception has been the
most hospitable.
Soldiers passing in
any part of the town
are earnestly invited
by the most wealthy …
citizens to dine with
them. I … have enjoyed
the hospitality of a
very worthy gentleman
for one lodging and
two meals, who was
very urgent in his
invitation. His name
is Witherow, and has
two, blooming
daughters, a very
charming inducement
for further
entertainment. We are
to receive our horses
soon. We are fully
uniformed otherwise."
Pierce concluded his
letter by retelling the
untimely death of one of
Empire men, John Congden,
who that day was
returning after a
furlough. He leaned out
of the rail car to get a
better view and was hit
by a passing post at a
railroad bridge, hurling
him onto a rock and
instantly killing him.
From Pierce's letter, we
now know that Company G
was billeted in George
W. Schriver's 10-pin
bowling saloon on
Baltimore Street next
door to the home of
James Pierce. Residing
just up the street was
the gentleman and the
"blooming daughters":
Samuel Witherow,
auctioneer, aged 52;
Mary R., 20; and Sarah
H., 18.
Read other articles
on the civil war
Read More articles by Elwood Christ
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