Cannonball

On Sunday morning, June 28, 1863, more than 6,000 veteran Confederate infantrymen, accompanied by mounted cavalry and 16 pieces of artillery, marched into central York County. They set up camps in the borough at the old fairgrounds and at what is now Penn Park, as well as occupying the two market sheds on the main street. North of town, Louisianans camped where the Harley-Davidson factory now is located and at other nearby sites, including Loucks’ mill and what is now the John Rudy Park. Virginians camped off of N. George Street from North York to Emigsville. South of town, more Rebel guns crowned Reservoir Hill.

York was a town under hostile occupation. People did not know what to expect.

They soon learned that the Rebel commander, Major General Jubal Anderson Early, wanted supplies and money. Lots of both. And soon.

Yorkers reluctantly dug into their wallets and purses, as well as baking and cooking for the unwanted visitors, crafting new shoes, milling, opening their stores, butchering, and other tasks.

The York Daily on June 24, 1908, recounted the individual contributions the citizens had made during the occupation 45 years ago.

Yorkers Furnished Supplies to Confederate General Early

Further interesting reading is found in the minutes of the borough council for the year 1864, which was recently restored to the city by William H. Welsh, corner of Market and Queen streets. At a meeting in October a detailed statement of the supplies furnished to General Early during the Confederate occupation of York in June, 1863,  is made…

At a special meeting September 9, 1864, on motion of David E. Small, three members of council were appointed to wait on a committee who have in charge the account of articles and supplies furnished to General Early under the requisition on the 28th day of June, 1863, and also to ascertain if the several accounts are just and correct. The committee, David E. Small, Emerson Case and William Stuck.

At a special meeting October 29, 1864, on the motion of William Tash, the chief burgess [Democrat David Small, not the same man as councilman David E. Small] was authorized to procure a form for a certificate of indebtedness to be drawn up according to law and to be issued as indemnity to the parties who furnished money and supplies to the Rebel General Early upon the requisition made by him upon the council and citizens of the borough of York.

At a special meeting November 19, 1864, the report of the committee appointed at a meeting of the citizens of the borough held in the courthouse June 28, 1863, was presented and ordered and placed on record. It was approved and was as follows:”

To save space, I will condense the listing of individual accounts. They represent an interesting cross-section ranging from York’s largest commercial merchants and shoe manufacturers down to individual cobblers and small retailers.

Are any of them your relatives? Do you have any more information on their stores and businesses?

Philip Emig – 12 pairs of shoes at $2 each, two pairs of old shoes at $2, 1 pair of old boots, used for a total of $28.50

Isaac B. Kepner – 33 pairs of shoes at $2 each, 9 pairs of boots at $4, 6 pairs of cavalry boots at $5, 2 pairs of cavalry boots at $4, 3 pairs of second-hand boots at $1.66 for a total of $145

Emanuel Beck – 1 pair of shoes at $1.75, 1 pair of second-hand boots at $1.75, 5 pairs of shoes at $1.50 each, 8 pairs of shoes at $2, 13 pairs of shoes at $2, 4 pairs of shoes at $2.50, 2 pairs of gaiters at $4, 8 pairs of shoes at $2, 5 pairs of boots at $1.75, 1 pair of boots at $2.75, 10 pairs of shoes at $1.40, 6 pairs of shoes at $1.85 for a total of $128.60

Wm. W. Smith – 2 pairs of boots at $4 for a total of $8

Henry Hasselbaugh – 1 pair of shoes at $2

Mr. Sanks – 1 pair of boots at $1.50, 1 pair of shoes at $1 for a total of $2.50

John Gallagher – 60 hats at $.75 each, 48 hats at $1.00, 54 pairs of boots at $3, 59 pairs of shoes at $1.75, 24 pairs of hose [socks] at $.295 each, 48 pairs of hose at $2.50 [sic in the minutes; should be $.25] for a total of $375.25

Conrad Zimmerman – 10 pairs of shoes at $2 each, 16 pairs of boots at $4 for a total of $84

Jacob Sechrist – 7 pairs of shoes at $1.50 each for a total of $10.50

Joseph Lebach – 43 hats at $1.25 for a total of $53.75

Thomas O’Neal – 10 pairs of shoes at $1 each, 9 pairs of shoes at $1.75, 8 pairs of boots at $3 for a total of $49.75

Daniel F. Stine – 143 pairs of shoes at $1.75 each, 12 pairs of boots at $3 for a total of $286.25

William Oarman – 15 pairs of shoes at $2 each, 2 pairs of boots at $3.50 for a total of $37

John Klinedinst – 2 pairs of boots at $3 each, 3 pairs of shoes at $1.50 for a total of $10.50

M. B. Spahr – 300 pairs of hose at$3.25 per dozen, 300 pair of hose at $3.00 per dozen, 96 pairs of hose at $2.75 per pair, 67 pairs of hose at $2.75 per pair, 19 pairs of boots at $2.75, 72 pairs of boots at $3 each for a total of $261.86

Jacob Stair – 30 pairs cotton half hose at $2.50 per dozen for a total of $6.25

John Borland – 2 pairs of boots at $4 for a total of $8

G.[ranville] Hartman – 60 hats at $1 each, 31 hats at $1.50, 11 hats at $1.375, 6 hats at $1.25 for a total of $129.13

William Beitzel – 16 hats at $1.50 each, 9 hats at $1 for a total of $33

Lehmayer and Brother – 2o hats at $.50 each, 36 pairs of hose at $2.50 per dozen for a total of $7.50

Jacob Boll – 12 pairs of boots at $2.50 each, 12 pairs of boots at $3.50, 6 pairs of boots at $4 for a total of $96

John Owen – 26 hats at $1.50 each, 37 hats at $1.25, 48 pairs of hose at $.25, 1 pair of shoes at $1 for a total of $99.25

John Craver – 34 hats at $.75 each, 62 hats at $1, 82 hats at $1.25, 6 hats at $.16 for a total of $190.96

Henry Wolfhalf – 30 pairs of boots at $4, 3 pairs of gaiters at $3, 1 pair of gaiters at $1.50 for a total of $150.50 (assigned to Philip Wecker)

E. K. Ziegler and Son – 22 pairs of boots at $2.50 each, 33 pairs of shoes at $1, 1 pair of shoes at $1, 48 pairs of shoes at $1.50, 19 pairs of shoes at $1.50 for a total of $189.00

Anthony Weaver – 24 pairs of shoes at $1.75 each, 13 pairs of boots at $2.50 for a total of $87.50

Hess Goodman – 4 pairs of boots at $3, 17 pairs of shoes at $0.75 for a total of $54.75

Samuel Spangler – 248 hats at $1.50, 80 hats at $1.25 for a total of $472

Henry Simon – 24 hats at $1 each, 2 dozen hose at $2.50 for a total of $29

John B. Sayers – 20 pairs of shoes at $2, 18 pairs of shoes at $2.25, 6 pairs of shoes at $2, 2 pairs patent leather at $2.75, 5 pairs of boots at $8, 5 pairs of boots at $4 for a total of $133.50

Emanuel C. Beck – 5 hats at $1.25 each, 12 hats at $1, 2 pairs of boots at $2.50 for a total of $23.25

Stine, Frysinger & Co. – 21 hats and 3 pairs of boots for a total of $25

Peter Wiest – 15 hats at $.75 each, 33 hats at $1.50, 3 hats at $1.75, 11 pairs of shoes at $1.75 for a total of $85.25

Lehmayer and Brother – 27 shirts at $.875 each, 12 shirts at $.875 each, 84 blue shirts at $1.50, 54 grey shirts at $1.50, 90 red shirts at $1.50, 63 fancy shirts at $1.50 for a total of $466.12

Peter Louck – 30 pairs Germantown at $2.50 per dozen for a total of $6.50

Grand total = $4,577.41

Minus boots and shoes [discarded by the Rebels] sold to the York county poor house = $98.25

Net loss to York = $4,479.16

The article continues:

“We, the undersigned being a portion of the committee appointed at a meeting held in the court house the 28th of June, A. D. 1863, at York, Pa., to furnish items of supply under the rebel General Early’s requisition, do certify that the above and foregoing named individuals did furnish as foresaid the number and kind of articles as named in their bills and the prices were fixed at the time the same were received at what the committee deemed just and fair wholesale prices for the same.

The bills of Granville Hartman and Samuel Spangler were not received by us and we cannot certify to the number of the same, but we fixed the price as we thought just and right.

The bill of Lehmayer and Brother was not in the requisition aforesaid, but was levied on by the rebel power or forces being stored in the cellar of the dwelling of one of the firm and was not receipted by the forces aforesaid. The committee was requested to count them and fix the prices by the officer who levied them, saying they took them because we did not furnish them the number of boots and shoes in said requisitions. We refer to bill of shirts only.

(Signed)

H. Kraber, M. B. Spahr, William Smith (committee)

York, September 12, 1864