Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-02-27
Jennie Wade, Heroine.

have eyer heard oF IaDpie Wade. who
waited on the wounded soldiers at
Cettvshurp and made bread for the
hungry Here is a nuotatfoD concern
ing her taken from = hook entitled
eT5a Martial deeds of PeDnsyIvania: ,
"cWhep on the InorDia.- Of the 1gt OF
T,Iv 1892 tho hattie onanad and the
weary and wounded came nouring into
town tbie eir1 with heart moved to
all tender accord began to bake bread
for tho rair.fr,o and fanoishing sold
iare Whom the dav WIS ended. and
tho Irrion army was forced to abandon
the Mace f. the enemy with a great
mu1tifude OF wounded. recognizing in
them q common humanity she con
tipuaa her devoted Iab0rs. In the
PROGRESS Of the battle, the house where
she was at work came in exact range
between the two lines She was ad-
monished to leave, but she refused ID
heed the injunction, and continued 20
prosecute her labor Of love and noble
seIf-sacrifice. The battle ragged furi-
Ous,y and as the ore side or the other
surge6 TO and fro over the plain, the
more imminent became her danger,
but she was blind to the DOrtents Of
destruction, ana deaf to the awful
voice Of the storm. while the saVOry
Ioaveg steadily issued from her hands
in an evil hour, as the conflict came
near and more near, an cnemy's bullet
pierced her pure breast, and she sank
in death, pouring out her life-bloOd
while miTistering to the victims Of
the strife. Nearly coincident with her
fall, : rebel officer of high rank per
ished near her dwelling, and his com
rades prepared for him a coffin But
before it was completed the enemy
was obliged to retire, and the body
OF the maiden was IafC therein in place
of that of tine rebel
Mrs. George Mcclellan, of Dennison,
Iowa, National Patriotic Instructor Of
the Womans Relief Corps, is sister
of Jennie Wade, the heroine Of that
fearful battle at Gettysburg. | have
had some correspondence with her
and at my request she has consented
TO write her recolIections Of the bat
tie for the readers OF the Democrat.
The following is the beginning Of her
story. The rest Of it will be presented
when it comes from Mrs. Mcclellan.
1t is indeed a most thrilling story
one out Of the usual line. am sure
that it will be read with great interest.
Dear Comrade:-As you have re
Iuested my personal experience dur
ing the three days battle Of GettyS-
Durg, July l-2-3, | VIII first say that
my home was on what is knows in
history as Cemetery Hill, 50 named
because Evergreen Cemetery was
there located. The house in which
| lived was not more than three hun
d~ed yards from where the 18th Corps,
commended by General Howard, threw
mp the earthwOrks that still remain
On the afternoon of June 26th men
wearing grey uniforms startled the
citizens Of Gettysburg by appearing
on its streets. They found quiet
country town just over The border OF
Maryland, different from other vii
lagos in that section Of Pennsylvania
only in being, possibly, little more
dormant. The men in grey we're
part Of Early's Division Of Lees
Army, enToute for Harrisburg, the
capital of PENNSYLVANIA.
The afternoon Of that day was an
eventful one to me. as at $3.50 O'Clock
my eldest son was born. Within fif-
teen minutes after that my attendants
except my mother, became alarmed
for the safety of their property ana
loved ones. and mother was left alone
with me and MY babe. At 4:30 my
sister. Jennie Wade. came from my
mothers home in the village and
startled her with the news that my
brother. twelve wears old. had been
taken prisoner while fleeing from the
town with a neighbours family horse,
and was then in the hands of the Con
federate guards As would be the
case with any mother under
like circumstances, it was hard 10
judge what was best to do. She de
cided to tell me that she would have
to go to her home for a short time,
not telling her real errand. I was
locked in the house alone. During the
time she was gone a rebel came 10
the door. 4 man across the street