Pennypacker Mills
In commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, a new exhibit will open on Tuesday, May 15th at historic Pennypacker Mills. “Call to Arms! Emergency Militia in Pennsylvania during the Gettysburg Campaign” will focus on the citizen soldiers from Pennsylvania, who were the first forces to defend the Commonwealth from the Confederate invasion in June, 1863.
One of the little told stories of the Civil War is that the Confederate Army was in Pennsylvania living off its riches and destroying railroads and government property for more than two weeks prior to the Battle of Gettysburg. Since the Union Army was moving slowly northward, Pennsylvania Governor Andrew G. Curtin called upon “emergency men” to defend the state.
Samuel Pennypacker
One of these volunteers was twenty-year old Samuel Pennypacker, who would later become the twenty-fifth Governor of Pennsylvania. With only a few days of training, these men were given the impossible task of delaying the Confederate advance, which had recently achieved impressive victories at Chancellorsville and Winchester, along with protecting the capitol at Harrisburg. The “emergency men” left their homes and jobs with no added incentives to protect their state.
This exhibit will examine the skirmishes that took place in Pennsylvania with the “emergency troops” and their success in keeping the Confederate Army on the western side of the Susquehanna River, setting the stage for the Battle of Gettysburg. Featured will be historical photographs, personal and military objects from the collection at Pennypacker Mills, and maps relating to the emergency forces. For anyone interested in Pennsylvania’s vital role in the Civil War, this exhibit is a “must” to experience.
The exhibit will be included on all guided tours of the Pennypacker mansion and will be open through Wednesday, May 1st, 2013. FREE guided tours are offered year-round, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday, 1 pm to 4 pm. The site is closed Mondays and major holidays.
Pennypacker Mills Historic Site is located at 5 Haldeman Road in Schwenksville, PA.
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