David Culp was born in Gettysburg in 1830, a son of Adams County who would see his hometown transformed by war. A plasterer by trade, Culp’s work helped shape the town’s buildings, yet his legacy extends beyond construction. His service in the Civil War with the 87th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, his capture at the Second Battle of Winchester, and his eventual return to Gettysburg paint a compelling portrait of resilience, duty, and family ties strained by war.

In September 1861, Culp joined the 87th Pennsylvania, a regiment primarily composed of men from Adams and York counties. Initially assigned to guard duty along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the regiment saw little combat until 1863, when it was thrust into the chaos of the Gettysburg Campaign. As Confederate forces advanced into Pennsylvania, the 87th was ordered to Winchester, Virginia, to help defend the town from General Richard Ewell’s Confederate corps. Outnumbered and outflanked, Union forces, including the 87th, fought desperately but were overwhelmed. On June 15, 1863, at Carter’s Woods, David Culp was among the many captured by Confederate troops.

For Culp, capture may have led to an unexpected and poignant encounter. Among the Confederates that day was his cousin, Wesley Culp. According to family lore, Wesley learned of the capture of both David Culp and the wounded Jack Skelly, and he visited both men.. The war had divided countless families, and the Culp family was no exception—cousins Willliam and David fighting for the Union, Wesley for the Confederacy. Their paths diverged further in the weeks that followed. David was sent to the infamous Belle Isle prison camp in Richmond, Virginia, where Union prisoners suffered from exposure, malnutrition, and disease. Wesley would later fight and die near his hometown during the Battle of Gettysburg.

After enduring harsh conditions at Belle Isle, David Culp was eventually exchanged and returned to Union lines. He mustered out of service in 1864 and returned home to Gettysburg, where he resumed his work as a plasterer. He and his wife, Catherine, raised seven children, continuing their lives in a town forever changed by war.

Thereafter, David periodically made the news more or less for showing up at his job.

The Culps were well connected to the Alms House—Jesse Culp and his family were the stewards of it for years.

David’s work included not just plastering—he also made the papers for a large one-day rye harvest.

And then there was the time David killed some black racers.

He had one unfortunate arrest, though problems from it didn’t seem to trouble his life.

In his later years, Culp sought refuge at the Erie Soldiers’ Home, an institution established to care for aging and disabled veterans. Soldier’s homes, precursors to modern veterans’ hospitals, provided shelter, medical care, and companionship for men who had given much to their country. These facilities were often the only support available to veterans who had suffered physical and psychological wounds from their service. Culp passed away there in 1890, far from the hills of Gettysburg, but his story remains intertwined with the town’s history.

David Culp’s life reflects the complex narratives of war—of divided loyalties, suffering, perseverance, and the struggle to rebuild after the guns fell silent. His legacy lives on not only in the walls he helped construct but also in the memory of Gettysburg’s citizens, whose lives and stories continue to shape the fabric of American history.