American Civil War

Civil War Diary of Levi Bowen

The experiences of Levi Bowen during the Civil War are examples of perseverance in the face of severe hardship.  It is surprising he survived the war after the trauma he endured.  Levi’s diary describes his service from April to December 1864.  Before he started his diary, he had already served m

Civil War Troop Movements at Pine Grove Furnace

In the summer of 1863, the Cumberland Valley was awash in fear and excitement as General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia came northward, culminating in the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Much has been written since then, 'indeed perhaps too much- by one estimate more than 5000 books and articles have been written about the Gettysburg Campaign of June and July 1863.

Fitzhugh Lee: Reconciling North and South in Carlisle, PA

The 1863 shelling of Carlisle during the American Civil War left indelible marks on some of the town's buildings. It crystallized into stories passed down in family histories. Its presentation in print was a fascination for local residents who relished the collection of facts and opinions in their newspapers. A piece in the Carlisle American gave the popular opinion that the Confederate leader in charge of the shelling, Major General Fitzhugh Lee, was "the dastard ... not only lost to pity but destitute of humanity".

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