CARLISLE, Pa. — As we learned from the Battle of Sporting Hill, Confederate General Ewell left Cumberland County after receiving orders to head to Gettysburg. But for many that wore the grey, a place like Carlisle was part of their past, as some had been stationed at the Barracks.
"Ewell went there, Iverson of Iverson's Pit fame at Gettysburg," recalled Jim Schmick while sitting in his Mechanicsburg shop, Civil War and More. "There were Confederate officers that went there. In fact, one saved Dickinson College from being burnt down. He said, 'No, it's a good school. Don't do that.'"
Even with a sentimental attachment to the area, the Confederates knew they had a job to do.
"They wanted to mess up the canals, the four railroads that used Harrisburg as their hub," Schmick said. "So this area has always been the keystone of the Keystone State when it comes to transportation. You bring the western states into Harrisburg, they go to war. The northeast comes to Harrisburg, they filter down to the war through those four railroads."
Once the Rebels left for Gettysburg, Union General William "Baldy" Smith brought some Pennsylvania and volunteer militia, as well as the New York National Guard, to reclaim Carlisle.
"They were happy. They thought we're going to be saved and hurrah, hurrah, and then all of a sudden here comes J.E.B Stuart. He's done in Hanover," said Schmick. "He comes up to Dillsburg and leaves a third of his men behind Baker's Restaurant."
An extended interview with Jim Schmick about the Battle of Carlisle can be found in the video above.
Stuart, who we heard about at the Battle of Hanover, was still trying to find the other Confederates.
"He fought a skirmish at Rockville, Maryland," relayed award-winning author Scott Mingus. "He captured 175 Union supply wagons, kept most of them, and started dragging them into this area. He fought another battle he didn't expect at Westminster on June 19, which delayed him further, and then he runs smack into Kilpatrick's men who are enjoying their pretzels and beer in Hanover and initiates another battle that he didn't expect."
Stuart's arrival in Carlisle on July 1 wasn't any better.
"The New York National Guard is lining up at Letort Creek at Weis Markets," said Schmick. "National Guard units from New York and Pennsylvania militia had grey uniforms. They didn't know there was going to be a Civil War. But he thought they were Ewell's men along the creek at Weis Markets. He went over to start talking to them and he got shot at. He almost got killed in Carlisle."
Wanting to avoid another battle and save some time to find his army, Stuart sent in a representative under a flag of truce. Baldy Smith declined, saying "Shell away and be damned!" The Union set up guns in town. It was a matchup of inexperienced federal troops against a group of beyond-tired Confederates.
"See, the guys that fought out on the Carlisle Pike at Sporting Hill had to walk all the way to Carlisle," added Schmick. "So when they got to Carlisle, they were dead. They just laid in the streets."
The rebel shelling began. After a while, Stuart sent in another messenger, but again was declined.
Shelling began again. The roof of St. John's Episcopal was hit, sending debris across the street to land on the First Presbyterian churchyard. The Cumberland County Courthouse was also hit by General Fitzhugh Lee's artillery. The scar is known around Carlisle as "Lee's Calling Cards." Many of the buildings in the Carlisle Barracks were burned.
"There was 135 shells and I think a lot of it was solid shot, because there wasn't the destruction of buildings, they were just getting hit with solid shot to scare people and knock stuff down," said Schmick. "But, Stuart was in there the night of the first and getting ready to go in, when they [Confederates] finally found him and said, 'Get to Gettysburg.'"
The action did draw the attention of Confederates in the region who finally were able to connect with Stuart... who had missed the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, and would miss most of the second.
You can find out more about the Battle of Carlisle by:
- Visiting Civil War and More
- Visiting the Cumberland County Historical Society