Researchers seek to give voice to York County families about Civil War
Lige White’s Comanches were in the vanguard of the Confederate invasion of York County in late June 1863. Here, the mounted unit rides in the vicinity of Hanover. Area residents – and those far away – are becoming increasingly interested in Civil War stories and events that happened within the borders of York County. About a dozen books touching on this local Civil War past have been published since 2000. Background posts: Invaders put off by earthy Pennsylvania women, Owner seeks info on old toll house and York County Civil War, by the numbers.
The recent identification of the black man who helped in the mining – and torching – of the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge in the Civil War is an example of growing interest in the Civil War in and around York County.
That interest is expected to grow with the start of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in April 2011 – an observation that will last until 2015.
In conjunction with this anniversary, fellow Yorkblogger Scott Mingus and I are seeking family histories from the Civil War in York County.
We are asking families to share memories from their York County ancestors in the Civil War era… .
“We are collecting the rich oral tradition of York Countians during the Civil War to preserve it for future generations so these stories are not lost forever,” Mingus said.
We plan to compile these stories into a book, to be titled “Civil War Voices from York County, Pennsylvania: A Border County Remembers the Rebellion” which will be published before the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War in April 2011. The York County Heritage Trust is a partner in the project.
We are looking for family memories, letters, diaries, newspaper accounts and other written formats or oral re-tellings. These memories can come from the war front or home front. They are also seeking photographs.
Scott has written “Flames Beyond Gettysburg: The Gordon Expedition, June 1863,” “The Louisiana Tigers in the Gettysburg Campaign” and several other Civil War books. My work includes, “East of Gettysburg” and “Almost Forgotten,” which tell about the Civil War in York County.
To share information, contact Mingus at scottmingus@yahoo.com or 1383 Sterling Drive, York, Pa., 17404 or contact me at jem@ydr.com or comment below.
Also of interest:
New Lincoln blog category introduced to honor Abe’s 200th birthday and History-making evening on rebel occupation of York could turn into daylong symposium and Mayor of York, Pa.: ‘We are no longer unprotected’.
Archives:
All York Town Square posts from the start. (Key word search by using “find” on browser.)
Recommended blog:
Scott Mingus’ Cannonball blog is devoted to the history of the Civil War from a York County perspective.
(Drawing courtesy, Hanover Public Library.)
