GDG- Re Union foraging in PA

[Michael Davidson]

Did I miss something?  The foragers were 15th Georgia, not 
the 12th Pennsylvania.

Regards,

Michael Davidson

Esteemed member wrote:

Does it strike anyone else that the Union army as described 
in this post acted little better in Union terrirory than it 
did in Confedearte territory regarding theft (foraging) 
from the civilian population? Does this behavior seem 
normal or is it colored by the underlying nativist 
resentiment against and envy of the prosperity of the Dutch 
(German immigrant) population? It seems surprising to me 
that a Pennsylvania regiment should have such an attitude 
against a population sub group which was probably 
represented in its ranks.
  Dick

RC rutler <rutlerc at msn.com> wrote:
  Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:


"Took up line of march at six O clock and crossed the 
monocacy and marched through Buckstown and joined the fifth 
army corps where we encamped about one P.M. the weather was 
pleasant all day we marched about fifteen mile through fine 
wheat country the wheat is ready to harvest."

1SGT Franklin Horner
12th Regt, PA Reserve Vol Infantry
(somewhere near Frederick, MD)


"Apperance of rain. We will remain in camps today, passes 
granted & a great many the boys out foraging, the soldiers 
are taking everything. Camps full of chicken, butter & milk.
Our mess had a chicken stew, cherries in great abundance. 
Nearly half the Reg'mt out foraging & can get almost any 
thing at your own price. this is a rich country, wheat very 
good & corn good, people very thickly settled & live in fine
houses, nice gardens & seen to think more of their gardens 
& barns than any thing else, as they had the largest and 
finest Barns I ever saw. One farmer cultivates not over ten 
acres. People all Dutch and some very poor. We are encamped 
in a grove & burnt all the fences around & wheat fields 
turned out. Our army living all-together on what we capture.
Our advance infantry at or near "Harrisburg". 

Drizling rain most the evening, we kept one sentinel on the
watch all night in case of a surprise."

1SGT Thomas Ware
15th Georgia Infantry Regt 
(somewhere near Chambersburg, PA) 

Source: Mark Nesbitt's 35 Days to Gettysburg, Stackpole Books 

Note: These two men and their units are headed for a collision in several days at Gettysburg in the Devil's Den/Triangular Field area

Craig