Gettysburg 2000
The Route to Gettysburg
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6th
North Carolina State Troops
Gettysburg 2000 The Route to Gettysburg |
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Modern Route |
| General Early's Divison left Winchester, on the afternoon of June18, 1863 , and proceeded through Smithfield and Leetown before arriving at Shepherdstown on the next day. with him was the "residue" of Hoke's brigade (6th NCST, 21st NC and 57th NC - the 54th NC was detached to escort prisoners to Staunton from the battle of Winchester) and Jones' battalion of artillery,Gordon's, Hays', and Smith's brigades having preceded Early to Shepardstown. | Before beginning
this or any journey, please consult a map and be familiar with the route.
I do not want you to get lost due to a typo!
Start at Winchester (Rt. 11 to Rt. 51) OR take Rt. 15 north to Leesburg, Va. (If you leave Raleigh in the morning, This is a good place to stop for lunch) then take Rt. 9 from Leesburg to Charlestown, WV, then take Rt. 51. Proceed to the intersection of Rt 1. This is the approximate site of Smithfield crossing. Turn right (north) on Rt. 1 to Leetown and follow Rt.1/480 to Shepherdstown. |
| June 22 The Sixth NC forded the Potomac at Shepherdstown,
moved through Sharpsburg and Boonsborough, encamping on the road toward
Hagerstown, about 3 miles from Boonsborough.
Early Reported "The Seventeenth Virginia Cavalry, under Col. William
H. French, of Jenkins' brigade, reported to me on this day, by order of
General Ewell, and remained with me until the battle of Gettysburg."
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Cross the Potomac at Shepherdstown and proceed via rt. 34 to Sharpsburg.
Continue on Rt. 34 to Boonesborough
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| June 23 moved through Cavetown, Smithsburg, and Ringgold,
to Waynesborough, in Pennsylvania.
The feelings of the Confederates in Early's command on the march into Pennsylvania might best be illustrated by quoting a letter written by Major General William Dorsey Pender, former colonel of the Sixth and now commanding a division in A. P. Hill's Third Army Corps. Pender wrote, ". . . This is a most magnificent country to look at; but the most
miserable people. I have yet to see a nice looking lady. They
are coarse and dirty and the number of dirty looking children is perfectly
astonishing. Great many of the women
go barefooted & But a very small portion wear stockings. I
hope we may never have such people, if they would make the
country as rich as a garden. Nearly all of them seem to be
tenants & at first I thought all the better people must have
left. And such barns I never dreamt of. Their dwelling houses are large
& comfortable looking from the outside--have not been
inside--but such coarse donts (?) that live in them. I really did not believe
that their was much difference between our ladies
& these Federals .... I have seen
no ladies. We passed through Hagerstown . . . but I saw little Southern
feeling displayed. The fact is the people in N. W. Md. are as much
of the Dutch Yankees as these, & I do not want them."
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From Boonesborough, take Rt. 66 North to Cavetown and Smithsburg. Merge
with Rt. 64 to Ringgold. Cross the Mason-Dixon line and enter Yankeedom
via Rt. 997 toward Waynesboro
(pick up Rt. 116 to head directly into Gettysburg from here or continue
on your Historic Journey below)
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| June 24 moved through Quincy and Altodale to Greenwood, on the turnpike from Chambersburg to Gettysburg. Note: Co. H was detailed on guard duty at nearby Fayetteville, Pa. | Follow Rt. 997 to Quincy, Mont Alto and Greenwood at the intersection of Rt. 30 which was "the turnpike from Chambersburg to Gettysburg". |
| June 25 division remained in camp at Greenwood, while General Early visited General Ewell at Chambersburg, | |
| June 26 moved toward Gettysburg, took the Hilltown fork about l½ miles from Cashtown through Hilltown to Mummasburg. | Turn South on Rt. 30 and cross South Mountain toward Cashtown. Had enough? Take Rt. 30 right into Gettysburg OR for the rest of the route...Take the hilltown road to Mummasburg. |
| June 27 moved through Hunterstown, New Chester, Hampton, and East Berlin, toward Dover, and encamped a short distance beyond Berlin. Early reported that he "rode over to Gordon's camp, on the York pike, which was about 4 miles distant, to arrange with him the manner of the approach upon York, if it should be defended. But all the information we could gain induced me to believe there was no force in York, and that night a deputation from the town came out to Gordon's camp, to surrender it. I directed General Gordon, in the event of there being no force in York, to march through and proceed to Columbia Bridge, and secure it at both ends, if possible. " | From Mummasburg, take the Goldenville Road through Goldenville to Rt.394 to Hunterstown, New Chester, Hampton. Take Rt. 234 to East Berlin. |
| June 28 Gordon marched into the town of York without opposition.Early proceeded with the rest of the command by the way of Weigelstown where Colonel French's cavalry was dispatched to the mouth of the Conewago, to burn two railroad bridges at that point and all others between there and his distination at York. Hays' and Smith's brigades went into camp at Lauck's Mills, near the railroad, some 2 miles north of the town. Avery's command was marched into the town, and put into quarters in some extensive buildings put up for hospitals. Early reported: "I here met with General Gordon, and repeated to him my instructions to proceed to the Susquehanna and secure the Columbia Bridge, if possible, and he moved in that direction with his command. I then made a requisition upon the authorities for 2,000 pairs of shoes, 1,000 hats, 1,000 pairs of socks, $100.000 in money, and three days' rations of all kinds. Subsequently between 1,200 and 1,500 pairs of shoes, the hats, socks, and rations, were furnished, but only $28,600 in money was furnished, which was paid to my quartermaster (Major [C. E.] Snodgrass), the mayor and other authorities protesting their inability to get any more money, as it had all been run off previously, and I was satisfied they made an honest effort to raise the amount called for. A short time before night, I rode out in the direction of Columbia Bridge, to ascertain the result of Gordon's expedition." | Continue on Rt. 234 towards Weigelstown & York. These are large
cities today and it is difficult to find the modern road that was most
likely used by Early.
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| June 29 The Sixth stayed encamped at York. On the evening of
the 29th, Early received instructions to move back to rejoin the
rest of the corps on the western side of the South Mountain.
June 30th moved by Weigelstown and East Berlin in the direction of Heidlersburg, giving him the option to move either to Shippensburg or to Greenwood by the way of Arendtsville, as circumstances might require. Encamped about 3 miles from Heidlersburg that evening. Early rode to see General Ewell and was informed that the object was to concentrate the corps at or near Cashtown. His division was to travel by the way of Hunterstown and Mummasburg. |
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| July 1 The Battle of Gettysburg- Early decided that the road
to Hunterstown was a "very rough and circuitous one" and changed his march,
to Cashtown, by the way of Heidlersburg and the Mummasburg road.
After passing Heidlersburg a short distance, Early received a note informing
him that General Hill and that General Rodes were moving toward Gettysburghad
and directing himthere also. Early continued to move on the Heidlersburg
road toward Gettysburg discovering the Battle had begun.
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