Faces of the Civil War at Gettysburg

The faces of ordinary farmers, coal miners, citizens, slaves, immigrants, and others came together during the Civil War at Gettysburg. Untold heartache and suffering afflicted the nation. Many joined a ministry after witnessing the horrors of war. The account of only a few is represented here, but we remember these courageous brave as part of our heritage in the struggle for the establishment and preservation of the home of the free.

Participants in this collection include Horace Mangrove Gianniny, the grandson of Thomas Jefferson's gardener, a link to the past; and Colonel Samuel McCartney Jackson, the grandfather of Jimmy Stewart, a link to the future.

It is incredible to realize the impact of the battle on the then present city of Gettysburg. In 1863, the civilian population of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was 2,400. In time 3,512 Union soldiers were buried in Gettysburg National Cemetery, more than the entire city's population. Following the engagements, however, larger numbers of casualties from the North and South were strewn across the battlefields. Shallow graves were dug and many lay unburied on open ground. The citizens in Gettysburg and state of Pennsylvania were left to deal with this as the armies moved on.

A poignant example of a typical soldier, Sergeant Frank Theodore Wallace's story reflects the tale of many. After immigrating to Pennsylvania from Mexico, he enlisted in the Civil War leaving two small children and a pregnant wife. While enrolled, his face was crushed and he lost the sight in his left eye. He was placed in 3 prisons and escaped to walk 340 miles in 33 days to Union headquarters. He was fortunate to live through the war and died in 1910.

We invite you to read the brief accounts of these faces of the Civil War. It is a solemn journey to a sense of gratitude and respect for those who sacrificed here.