AT Gettysburg, at least one such source was overlooked. Wesley Culp - of Culp's Hill fame - was serving in the Stonewall Brigade, but was never called upon to help out.
I know that someone had posted a request some time ago, requesting information concerning instances of brothers fighting on opposite sides during the Civil War. In _The Jennie Wade Story (A True and Complete Account of the Only Civilian Killed During the Battle of Gettysburg)_ by Cindy Small there is a description of such an engagement called according to the author, 'the battle of Carter's Woods', in Va. In this case Wesley Culp in the 2d Va. Inf. and William Culp, his brother in the 87th Pa Vol., are said to have both participated in the battle on opposite sides. See page 16, 1st paragraph. The book is published by Thomas Publications (address is on the web site) and is readily available in the burg. The source cited for this reference is the Gettysburg Times, April 28, 1973.
Along this same line, Greg Coco in his books _On The Bloodstained Field_, On The Bloodstained Field II_ and _War Stories_ writes of brothers who fought on opposite sides at Gettysburg. In most of the cases in his books, if not all, the brothers were reunited at Gettysburg upon one being taken prisoner by the other side. In one case, they were actually in units about 100 yards apart. These books are also published by Thomas Publications and are readily available - where else - the Burg!!
According to Cindy Small's book, _The Jennie Wade Story_, 1991, Thomas Publications - the McClellan family (Jennie's sister who had the baby and at whose home Jennie was killed) still believed in 1991 that Jack Skelly had sent a message to Jennie with Wesley Culp, but since no one involved had survived, there was no way to prove it. Since the letter was never delivered or found, no one knows what was written in it. As to where Wesley Culp was buried - "On the evening of July 3, B.S. Pendleton, an orderly with the Stonewall Brigade, told Wesley's sisters the sad news of Culp's death. He soon left their home after minutely describing the burial spot as he had taken the pains to remember it. Wesley was supposedly buried under a crooked tree on Culp's Hill, his grave plainly marked. Wesley's sisters, Annie and Julia searched for their brother's grave along with uncles and cousins, but all looked in vain for the body. They found dozens of broken trees and lots of bodies under them, but they never found Wesley. They were able only to find the stock of a rifle with the words "W. Culp" carved on it." The author goes on to theorize maybe the family found the body but left it there due to possible anger by the residents over burying him in a local cemetery.
---Nikki
During our cemetery tour, the rumors about Jennie Wade's character were mentioned in an off-handed manner. This is the first I've heard of this, but the rumors/facts/ speculation were apparently virulent enough to drive the family to move to Iowa. Is there any one who has documentation on this, or more information to substantiate these rumors?
Thanks,
Jack Kelly
Stephen Haas
CSVZ07A@prodigy.com ( TERRY MOYER) says:
Cindy Small (Greg Coco's wife) put out a small book through Dean Thomas publishers (see Web page: [book-slingers] for ordering info) entitled: _The Jennie Wade Story / A true and completed account of the only civilian killed during the Battle of Gettysburg_
The book has just about everything that is known about Jenny (Ginny) Wade included in it (the full details of the Jack Skelly, Wesley Culp, Jenny Wade 'message' story, etc.). There are several small appendices at the end covering non-story line related asides such as: II. The Moral Factor in Determining the Reputation of Mary Virginia Wade (pg 60-62). III The Relationship Between Jennie Wade and Jack Skelly(62-64) IV. Why Was John Burns antagonistic toward Jennie Wade and others in Gettysburg.
I don't have time to excerpt from these this a.m. (got to go to work), but this book contains some great information about the stranger-than-you-think story of Jennie (such as her 3 burials).
Wm Howard: you can pick this book up anywhere in the burg; especially the visitor's center and/or J.Wade house.
Terry Moyer
Like so many other wonderful Gettysburg books (shameless plug for my publisher) THE JENNIE WADE STORY is available through Thomas Publications.
Regarding the source of this HIGHLY SPECULATIVE discussion about Jennie's character
In her account of the battle, Tillie Pierce Alleman wrote of a young man living with her family on Baltimore Street. His name was Sam and he was Jennie's brother. Jennie lived diagonally across B'more street in the house now occupied by the GBPA. Jennie was worried about her brother who tried to take and hide the Pierce horses.
"About this time the boy's sister, who was standing a short distance off, screamed at the top of her voice to Mother: 'If the Rebs take Sam off, I don't know what I'll do with you folks!' Thus holding us responsible for her brother Sam's safety even in times like that."
Later in the day (July 1) Jennie apparently told CSA soldiers that Tillie's father was a "black Abolitionist; so black, that he was turning black; also that he had two sons in the Union army, whom he supposed had taken as much from the South as they were now taking from him." Tillie believed that this caused the CSA men to keep the Pierce's horses.
"I am afraid her (Jennie's) sympathies were not as much for the Union as they should have been. She certainly manifested a very unkind disposition toward our family, who had been doing all we could for her brother. It would surprise a great many to learn who this person was, but as no detraction is intended, I will dismiss the subject at once."
John Burns once made a sort of flippant comment about Jennie as well...
"I knew Miss Wade very well. The less said about her the better. The story about her loyalty, her being killed while serving Union soldiers, etc., is all of fiction, got up by some sensation correspondent. You can refer to any loyal citizen for the truth...I could call her a she-rebel."
Most of these statements could reasonably be attributed to either schoolgirl jealousies or Burns jeaolousy over Jennie as a competitor for local hero status. It is interesting, however, that so many claim she was promiscuous or "loose" as if any criticism of a 19th century woman must be really about that.
Cindy Small's book offers other information as well.
Tom Desjardin
GNMP