Jennie Wade House
Jennie Wade was the only civilian to be killed during the Battle of Gettysburg. This picture below (was not taken by me as it rained the entire day) was the house Jennie Wade was staying in at the time of her death. Jennie actually lived a couple miles away in a wood sided house. Her mother believed they would be safer to stay here, in a brick house, during the war. Or so she thought...
The Battle of Gettysburg started in the fields North of the town of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. With the Union soldiers being defeated after the first days battle, they retreated to Cemetary Hill on the south side of town, just a few blocks away from the McClellan house where Jennie was staying.
Many soldiers warned the McClellans to leave the house during the battle as the house was situated between both armies. They refused to leave their home.
On July 2nd, a 10 pound artillery shell hit the house and knocked out a portin of the wall that separated the two living quarters of their duplex house.
They still chose to stay in the house.
In the early morning hours of July 3rd, Jennie's sister Georgia was about to give birth and for the ease of taking care of the baby they decided to move a bed to the main floor living area.
As Georgia lay in the bed, maybe perhaps in labor, a stray bullet from the battle broke through the window, hit the bedpost and fell on the pillow by Georgia's head.
They still decided to stay.
By mornings light, Georgia had given birth to her baby and Jennie was heard saying this prayer:
"If there is anyone in this house that is to be killed today, I hope it is me, as Georgia has a little baby."
At 8:30am, Jennie Wade was working in the kitchen making biscuits for the Union soldiers when a stray bullet went through the front door...
(The holes in the brick are also bullet holes from the Civil War)
... through the open living room door....
...and right into Jennie Wade's heart, killing her isntantly.
After Jennie was killed, Union soldiers carried her body up through the broke wall, down through the duplexs other living quarters, and into the cellar.
Here are the cellar stairs.
Heeeeere's Jennie!
Legend has it that if young unwed women, like Jennie, put their ring finger through the bullet hole she will receive a marriage proposal within a year. The letter that accompanies this legend is about a woman who followed through with the legend just as a joke. A week later she met a man but had no intentions of becoming serious with him. A month later they were engaged a shortly there after were married on October 28, 2000. Kinda funny isn't it? Jim and I are here in wonderful historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania celebrating our wedding anniversary, October 28, 2000.
