The only civilian killed during the Civil War at Gettysburg

Ginnie Wade
 

 

Mary Virginia "Ginnie" (or "Jennie") Wade (May 21, 1843 – July 3, 1863) was a resident of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Battle of Gettysburg. At the age of 20, she was the only direct civilian casualty of the battle, when she was killed by a stray bullet on July 3, 1863. The house where she was killed became a popular tourist attraction and museum called the "Jennie Wade House."

 

 

 

 

 

Jennie Wade House today.

 

 

  Wade was staying  the house of her sister, Georgia Anna Wade McClellan at 528 Baltimore Street to assist her and her newborn child.  About 8:00 a.m. on July 3, Wade was kneading dough for the bread she was making for the Union soldiers  when a Miniéball traveled through the kitchen door and the parlor door of her sister's house and hit her. It pierced her left shoulder blade, went through her heart, and ended up in her corset. She was killed instantly. While it is uncertain which side fired the fatal shot, some authors have attributed it to an unknown Confederate sharpshooter. A bronze statue of Jennie is located in front of the home.

 

 

 

 

 

Her final resting place is in the Evergreen cemetery in Gettysburg. 

In 1882, the United States Senate voted to grant Jennie’s mother a pension, citing that her daughter had been killed serving the Union cause – baking bread for the soldiers.  A monument to her, designed by Gettysburg resident Anna M. Miller, was erected in 1900 that includes an American flag that flies around the clock. (The Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia is the only other site devoted to a woman to share this distinction of the perpetual flag.)

Our visit to the Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg was  the site of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

It is easy to see as you visit this cemetery how appreciated and respected these soldiers were by all of the people that survived this battle.  From the monuments, the markers and the care and the American Flag it is clear that these soldiers were honored.

 

 

 Have a look.

 

 

The Evergreen Cemetery is next door to the National Soldiers Cemetery and has ties to the Battle of Gettysburg as well.  Most interesting, the story of the original care takers and the Gettysburg Civil War Women's Memorial.

Well, that's a close on Gettysburg. 

 

More soon 🌷🌷🐾🐾

Ike and Mamie Eisenhower's Getysburg Farm

When President Eisenhower's term as President ended he and his wife, Mamie, bought the 189-acre farm in Gettysburg for $40,000 in 1950. It came with 25 cattle and 600 chickens. The seven-room fixer-upper farmhouse was mostly gutted and rebuilt in 1955.

Below is a photo of the barn which served as a garage and other storage for the equipment to operate the farm. 

The Secret Service office is the small room attached to the side of the barn as pictured below. 

The tour starts in the Living Room with a guide who explained that it is furnished mostly with gifts like porcelain birds from Queen Elizabeth and a coffee table from the wife of Syngman Rhee, president of South Korea during the Korean War.

 

The fireplace mantle was in the East Room of the White House when Abe Lincoln was president.

Marble mantles had not been popular and this mantle went to the White House basement storage. Then President Arthur auctioned off 22 wagon loads of unused White House furniture when he was in office and this mantle was purchased by a private individual.
Friends found it under a porch in Georgetown and brought it for the Eisenhower's 38th anniversary. Additional details of items in the living room below.

 

 A curio cabinet in the hall contains sentimental things that Mamie had always had to keep in storage while they were in the White House.   Does anyone reading this remember those little porcelain statues of the Presidents and First Ladies?

 After the initial tour of the living room we were free to tour the remainder of the house and property on our own.  Below is the family room where Ike, Mamie and family members spent a lot of time. Notice the easel with a painting on it - Ike took up oil painting while at the farm.

 Mamie had one 'live in' maid who's room included a bedroom/workroom as well as laundry with this cool old sewing machine!

The bedroom and Mamie's sitting room.

The kitchen was actually rather small even though we were told one of Mamie's goals while redoing the old farm house was to create a 'large' kitchen for Ike because he loved to cook.

Ike's office leads us outside and from there a walk down the path to the cow barn and the new calves born this year.  Returning to the house we see the Greenhouse that Mamie loved and the B-B-Q pit that Ike loved!  Ike's bell with the presidential seal on it and the Putting Green with the 5 star General's flag.

 

 

 The farm also had it's very own gas station!!  How convenient right?

As we leave the farm there is a little fountain (that was not running) but was still pleasant to see as well as the flowers and the  curving drive lined with beautiful blooming trees.

 

 All in all a nice little visit. 

 More on Gettysburg yet to come :) 🐾🐾🌷🌷