Pennsylvania was very active during
the Civil War. She sent troops, made weapons, and supplied
food. Pennsylvania sent 350,000 men to war, including 8,600
African Americans. Many famous generals called Pennsylvania
their home including George B. McClellan, George G. Meade,
John F. Reynolds, Winfield S. Hancock, and John W. Geary.
Pennsylvania was also home to some of the Civil War's most
infamous battles. In 1863, Pennsylvania hosted the battle
at Gettysburg. In the first three days of July, the Union
Army, under General Meade, confronted Robert E. Lee and his
forces at Gettysburg in what would become one of the most
infamous battles in United States history. The Union Army's
victorious emergence from this battle would become a pivoting
factor in the direction of the war. The battle was fought
on Pennsylvania soil, and almost a third of Meade's army was
Pennsylvanians. In 1864, General McCausland and his army advanced
into Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, threatening to burn down
the town unless a ransom was paid. The citizens refused and
the town was burned to the ground on July 20th, leaving two-thirds
of the citizens homeless. |
Page 9
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By
Rickie Lazzerini
Historian
BA History
University of California, Santa Barbara
© Rickie Lazzerini, All Rights
Reserved
This page may be freely linked to but may not be reproduced
in any form without prior written consent by the author.
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