Matilda Jane Pierce had only just turned 15 years old mere months before the battle of Gettysburg would wreak havoc on her quiet town. She lived in a nice brick home along Baltimore Street with her parents James Shaw Pierce and Margaret (McCurdy) Pierce. Her father was the second wealthiest butcher in Gettysburg that he ran out of the back part of his home. She was the youngest of four children who go in order as older brothers James Pierce who, during the battle of Gettysburg, was a member of Company K of the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves (30th Regiment) who were present for a portion of the battle, William Pierce, who was a member of the 15th Pennsylvania Calvary’s E Company, Margaret Pierce, who was 3 years older than her sister and Tillie. Two other people where living with the Pierce’s at the time, Franklin Culp and Eliza Fetterhoff, a seamstress. Tillie attended the Young Girls Seminary located on West High Street, not far from her home, along with her sister. This is where Tillie and her friends would be on the morning of July 1st, 1863. Just after breakfast they ran out onto Washington Street to watch as the Union soldiers came by. Some soldiers of which, were reclined in wagons, or on stretchers, no doubt from sustaining injuries already. The girls, fueled by their patriotism for their Union blue sang songs in support as they passed by. Between the hours of 9 and 10am they had begun to hear firing the from the direction of Seminary Hill and soon after heard cannon fire and saw clouds of smoke filling the air. In her book she describes this moment as her first terrible experience of the battle. Around 1 pm that same day, Tillie was at home when her neighbor Mrs. Shriver came over, with her two daughters Sadie and Mollie in tow and asked Mr. and Mrs. Pierce if she could take Tillie with her to her parent’s farm, about.
3 miles down Taneytown Road where they would be safer. Tillie’s parents agreed and they immediately started on their way to Jacob Weikert’s farm. As they walked down Baltimore Street near the Evergreen Cemetery, they witnessed artillery men starting to ready their cannons and were advised to hurry along for they were in much danger where they were of being shot by the rebels. They did not have to be told twice and continued on their journey. When they arrived, they were welcomed by the Weikert’s, but safer this place would prove less to be. For not long after, the horrors of war could be seen more clearly and would be a precursor for more to come. The barn housed over 700 wounded and dying soldiers, most being from the Second, Third and Firth Corps and some confederates from the Texas Brigade. General Stephen Weed, Colonel Patrick O’Rourke and Lieutenant Charles Hazlett were brought to this farm. On the morning of July 2nd, Tillie had woken up to provide water to the passing Union troops and this is where she had the opportunity to meet General Meade. In the barn Tillie would experience seeing the doctors and surgeons performing amputations and had said that the fence line was stacked high with arms and legs. She would help with supplies and making sure they had water, and she would sit with them and pray and keep them company. Later that day, Tillie and others had been told to retreat further back after the confederates had launched a massive infantry attack 600 yards away from the farm to the west where the heaviest fighting occurred. They started to make their way to the Bushman farm about a ½ a mile away to the east, but quickly turned back around as this location was far more dangerous with artillery shells flying in every direction. Back at the Weikert farm the end of the fighting between the 20th Maine and 15th Alabama could be seen on Little Round Top, and in the evening that same day, she would sit with General Weed after he had been brought to recover from a wound he had sustained on Little Round Top and he had asked her if she would return to visit him in the morning which she willingly agreed to do, but when she returned on the morning of July 3rd, he had succumbed to his injury. Colonel O’Rourke’s and Lieutenant Hazlett’s bodies were brought in after falling on Little Round Top and had been laid on the front porch.
On July 3rd, distant fighting could be heard from the direction of Culps Hill and soon heard a barrage of cannons firing on Cemetery Ridge about a mile from the farm. Tillie and others would once again leave the Weikert farm and evacuate South around 2 miles East behind Union lines. Later on in the afternoon, they would return back at the Weikert’s where she would see the dying and dead laying all around the property and help comfort the men as the surgeons conducted more amputations. After the battle was over and Tillie woke up on July 4th, after Lee and his men had left town heading through Fairfield and through the Monterey Pass towards Hagerstown, Maryland, she went out and surveyed the scene around her and the battlefield and reported the horrors she saw. She remained at the Weikert Farm and assisted the wounded until July 7th, then after had returned to her home, not knowing if her family had even survived the battle. When she finally arrived home her parents hardly recognized the young girl they had last seen just six days before.
During the battle the rest of Tillie’s family had stayed in the home and hid in the basement along with five Union wounded soldiers they successfully hid with them. One of those soldiers was Colonel Colvill from Company F 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He suffered dangerous wounds that would plague him his entire life. He stayed for around two months in the Pierce’s house while they continued to care for him. After the battle, Tillie didn’t stop assisting and tending to the wounded. She helped in the field hospitals that were still set up among the town. Her family would celebrate their first Thanksgiving that year. The holiday had just been recognized and made a national holiday just weeks before by President Lincoln on October 3rd, 1863. Though Tillie and her family were forever changed after the battle of Gettysburg, they had much to be thankful for. They still all had each other. Today the Pierce’s home is a historic Bed & Breakfast located at 301 Baltimore Street, with 6 total rooms and a feeling of home, where you can stay and get taken back to the past.
Link to The Tillie Pierce House Inn
Comments