After July : the effects of the Battle of Gettysburg on the people of Adams County

Abstract

This study is an attempt to manifest the effects of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 2, and 3, 1863 on the town of Gettysburg and Adams County, Pennsylvanian. It is the contention of this paper that the combined disruptions of Confederate cavalry raids, open battle, and medical repercussions were effective in turning a quiet, prosperous farming community into a region of temporary bustle, confusion and want. Though most area residents were able to reconstruct their pre-battle modes of life in a relatively short period of time, evidences of the struggle remained in the area for many years in the forms of bullet-riddled orchards, ruined businesses, and financially pressed farmers.

In order to depict the impact of the battle upon this region, a brief view of Adams County, Pennsylvania, as it existed prior to the summer of 1863, has been provided. Discussions of its topography and history are followed by an examination of the social, political, and economic characteristics of the country. Into this setting, the early weeks of invasion are introduced, followed by a brief recapitulation of the military confrontation. The progression of the battle has rarely been discussed in relation to the inhabitants of the town; this aspect has been given extensive consideration here, along with an examination of the conduct of area residents and the medical developments which are components of the aftermath. As the Battle of Gettysburg continued to manifest its effects upon the town long after the guns fell silent, the local and gubernational elections of 1863 are reviewed in relation to the repercussions of the battle upon local political allegiances. Concentration is placed on county politics, but the presidential contests of 1860 and 1864 and the gubernatorial races of 1860 an d1863 are also considered as they relate to country results. Furthest reaching, however, were the economic reverberations which resulted from the traumas of the summer. The numerous incidents of damage and loss of personal property and real estate are examined in detail as are the evidences of economic opportunism present in the county. The cumulative economic, political, and social effects of the Battle of Gettysburg are then considered in relation to the information presented.

It is the conclusion of this thesis that while the town was again functioning and most of the repairs had been accomplished within six months, the full extent of economic prosperity known prior to the invasion of 1863 did not return quickly. Further, the fame which came to the town as a result of the battle made it impossible for Gettysburg ever to regain its previous anonymity.