The Gettysburg Civilian Network of 1863

Insight, news, and gossip about the citizens of Gettysburg

  • Gettysburg Citizen Index
  • Family and Friend Networks in Gettysburg
  • American Crucible
  • Learning Resources for American Crucible
  • Chapter 8: Old Enough to Drive a Plow

    Content Warning: While nothing is portrayed graphically in the following, this chapter deals with some of the worst aspects of slavery in the antebellum South and the resulting trauma. The learning resources give additional background that parents and teachers can use to modify the discussion to the appropriate level for young readers. Jim used to…

    Gordon Laws

    May 30, 2023
    Civil War, Gettysburg, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
    Civil War, Historical Fiction, Jim Green, Murder of Sam Mars, Underground Railroad
  • Chapter 5.2: You Were Holding Them in Bondage

    Mary found a spot in the orchard about two rows over where she could keep eyes and ears on the men as Mr. Wright walked slowly up to see them. He, too, had taken his time after Mary had found him, and now, he sauntered slowly into the orchard from the field he had been…

    Gordon Laws

    May 26, 2023
    Civil War, Gettysburg, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
    Civil War, Historical Fiction, Mary Payne, Phebe Wright, Underground Railroad, William Wright
  • Chapter 5.1: Internal Silence

    As noted in previous posts, the Catherine Payne storyline happened about eight years before Captain James Wade was committed to the Almshouse, and so I placed it in an Introduction and a Chapter 0. The real events featured in this post actually occurred about two years before Captain Wade’s commitment, but I have made them…

    Gordon Laws

    May 23, 2023
    Civil War, Gettysburg, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
    Basil Biggs, Catherine Payne, Civil War, Historical Fiction, Underground Railroad, William Wright
  • Chapter 0: Freedom in Prison

    Author’s Note: I stumbled into this history recently, which makes an excellent overall storyline. The beginning of it takes place about eight years before the original opening of our present story, so I have made it an introduction. I have brought this portion of the narrative to conclusion here, but we will see various of…

    Gordon Laws

    May 22, 2023
    Civil War, Gettysburg, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
    Catherine Payne, Civil War, Historical Fiction, slavery, Underground Railroad
  • Introduction: Terror Before Dawn

    Author’s Note: I stumbled into this history recently, which makes an excellent overall storyline. The beginning of it takes place about eight years before the original opening of our present story, so I have made it an introduction. I will intertwine further elements from it into the rest of the narrative and may have to…

    Gordon Laws

    May 21, 2023
    Civil War, Gettysburg, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
    Catherine Payne, Civil War, Eliza Jane Payne, Historical Fiction, Underground Railroad
  • Chapter 7: A Business I Can Do

    “Christian perseverance” was how the obituaries often said it, as in, “She bore her final affliction with great resolve and Christian perseverance.” Carrie Sheads often thought of that phrase as she listened to her young piano students butcher Chopin or pound Mozart with the hammers of their clumsy hands and stubby farmer fingers. Of course,…

    Gordon Laws

    May 12, 2023
    Civil War, Gettysburg, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
    1850s Education, Battle of Gettysburg, Carrie Sheads, Civil War, Historical Fiction
  • Chapter 6: Penny Candy

    Samuel Milton Bushman was restless. School was out, Pa was working, and Ma had kept him occupied with morning chores. They lived on Baltimore Street near the base of Cemetery Hill. They had a few chickens that Ma made him feed and cleanup after. He also had to help sweep the kitchen, the front room,…

    Gordon Laws

    May 9, 2023
    Uncategorized
  • Chapter 5: Flight

    All of Hannah’s senses were on edge. She smelled the heavy air that mixed nighttime moisture with the smells of the creek, cow manure, and Mama’s biscuits. She heard every creak in the house, as her parents shuffled about and her siblings snored. And then, finally, in the pitch around midnight, she heard the front…

    Gordon Laws

    May 7, 2023
    Civil War, Gettysburg, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
    Basil Biggs, Civil War, Historical Fiction, John Burns, Underground Railroad
  • Chapter 4: McAllister’s Mill

    Jennie set aside the stack of trousers and looked up at her mother. Sunlight streamed through the window of the small house on Breckenridge Street. Her mother had upholstery for a carriage at a small table in the front room. Her hair was pulled back, and beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. Georgia…

    Gordon Laws

    April 30, 2023
    Civil War, Gettysburg, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
    Battle of Gettysburg, Civil War, Grist Mill, Historical Fiction, Jack Skelly, Jennie Wade, Underground Railroad, Wesley Culp
  • Chapter 3: Past Due

    Early morning, and Jack pulled a wagon behind him with newly sewn upholstery stacked up. Wes walked next to him, a bag slung over his shoulder with his sandwich and an apple for lunch later in the day. Coming the opposite direction was Jennie Wade, blonde hair past her shoulders with a portion of it…

    Gordon Laws

    April 30, 2023
    Civil War, Gettysburg, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
    Battle of Gettysburg, Civil War, Historical Fiction, Jack Skelly, Jennie Wade, Wesley Culp
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