Mrs. Fannie J. Guyon Buehler, the widow of the late David A. Buehler, Esq., of this place, died Wednesday morning at 4:45 o'clock, aged 82 years, 11 months and 2 days. She was all humble Christian woman who did all the good she could to whomsoever she could, whensoever she could, and has gone to her reward.
By written request of Mrs. Buehler no obituary notice other than above, will appear in any of the town papers. The funeral was held from the College Church on Friday at (?) P.M.
Gettysburg Compiler
{Gettysburg, Pennsylvania}
July 8 1908
Mrs. Fannie J. Guyon Buehler, the widow of the late David A. Buehler, Esq., and mother of Mr. Guyon Buehler, editor and publisher of the Star and Sentinel, Gettysburg, died Wednesday morning at 4:45 o'clock at her home in Gettysburg, aged 82 years, 11 months and 3 days.
New Oxford Item
{New Oxford, Pennsylvania}
July 9 1908
Story of 'great battle' at Gettysburg told by woman who lived through it
By Sharon Duttera
Times Staff Writer
Thirty years have passed since the events which I shall now relate, took place. Most of the actors in our late Civil War have passed into the Shadowy Land. A few more years and not one of all the "great hosts" who went up to battle; not one of "all the many" who participated in the events which I am about to relate, will be living to tell the story." wrote Fannie J. Buehler in 1896.
Mrs. Buehler wrote this account to please her children, grandchildren, and "possibly" my great-great grandchildren, and many friends whom I dearly love. We all know, as the years go by, the story of this great battle, so often told in our days, will grow in interest, to those who may come after us, and that my experiences may not die with me. I will endeavor to tell what I know, what I saw..."wrote Buehler."
Mrs. Buehler starts by writing, "It is a sad story." She along with her husband and six children lived on Baltimore Street across from the courthouse. Preceding the battle, her husband had arranged for their household accumulations to be moved and hidden and for himself, Mr. Buehler, to leave town when the Confederates invaded the north.
When the Confederates finally arrived in town on June 26, 1883, they found many citizens had left town with all their treasures: the banks had sent their money to Philadelphia, stores were closed because merchandise had been shipped in railroad cars to some distant part of the North for safety.
Buehler's had been prepared to leave at a moments notice for several weeks. In the Early Spring he procured a satchel in which he could put all his valuables, personal and official papers, with any government property he might have on hand, and it was ready for any emergency-never unpacked-had abundant room for additional stamps or other supplies." wrote Mrs. Buehler. Mr. Buehler was a lawyer, edited a Republican paper, and a prominent politician and was a postmaster of Gettysburg at the time of the battle.
On June 26 he left town in a hurry. Mrs. Buehler gave him his satchel and an umbrella. " I last saw him as he turned the corner of Middle Street on a dead run." wrote Mrs. Buehler.
Mrs. Buehler then closed the shutters of her house, took down the sign, locked the door and buried the keys, and then went to the front door with the children just in time to see "the Rebs" file past.
I sat myself down on the door step with my children and "Bruno", our faithful New Foundland dog- to watch operations, wrote Mrs. Buehler. Nearby, General Gordon and General Early tried to negotiate terms with the Burgess and town council. The town had nothing to give, as they had sent everything away, but the Confederates had promised to protect all property anyway. "And it was," wrote Mrs. Buehler.
Some horses were stolen, some cellars broken open and robbed, but so far as could be done, the officers did control their men and they behaved well.
Mrs. Buehler, later that day talked to the "rebels" while sitting on her doorstep. When night came the soldiers bid her a goodnight and left. "I closed up my house, put my children to bed, took "Bruno" up stairs and bade him down underneath my window, threw myself across the foot of the bed, for I realized I was alone in this great house, without any earthly protector but a Newfoundland dog, and our town full of "Rebel" soldiers," Mrs. Buehler wrote. The next day she awoke finding the courthouse uninjured and the men quiet and orderly.
On July 1 the battle began. It continued for three days. her husband, upon hearing about the battle tried to return to town but was unable to return until several days following the battle. The battle ended on July 3.
"All around us were evidences of a great battle. The wounded, the dead, and dying, all heaped together; horses that had fallen beneath their riders, with limbs shattered and torn-dead, wounded and bleeding-broken down artillery wagons, guns and knapsacks, cartridge boxes, capes, coats and shoes; indeed all the belongings of soldiers, and the soldier himself, all lying in the streets, so far as we could see, either up or down. Such was the awful scene spread out before us, as we ventured to the front of our house on the morning of the 4th of July, 1863. No wonder one was apalled when we realized that the war had indeed been brought to our very door," wrote Mrs. Buehler.
"The sights and the sounds at the courthouse for a week after the battle are too horrible to describe. Limbs were amputated amid the cries and groans of suffering humanity, there were no anesthetics used then and often have I stopped my ears that I might not hear the groans of those poor unfortunate men, whom I could not relieve. Loads of arms and legs of these poor soldiers, that were amputated, and possibly under other circumstances, might have been saved, were carted outside of the town and were either burned or buried. The Regimental Bands which are left behind after a battle came every afternoon and played patriotic airs in front of the hospital, and what an inspiration this music was to these boys can only be known by those who suffer only as wounded men suffer after a battle," she wrote.
On Thursday morning, after the 4th of July, several wagon loads of provisions were sent to home in Gettysburg. The provisions, from the country, were sent to be used by the citizens to help care for the wounded. Mrs. Buehler wrote, "there were dozens of jars or crocks of apple butter, jellies, preserves, pickles, bread, meat; indeed everything was freely given, sent and distributed among the sick and the wounded men."
Mrs. Buehler also wrote about friends in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore and other areas, sending boxes and barrels of supplies to be distributed in person to the wounded. "There was wine and pickles, oranges and lemons, sugar by the barrels, tea and coffee, beef tea, indeed everything that sick people crave or that could give them strength." she wrote. Clothing had also been sent, distributed first to the Union soldiers and then to the "enemy."
Mrs. Fannie Buehler wrote about this "sad story" at the request of her children. She ends her-"Recollections of the Rebel Invasion and one Woman's Experience during the Battle of Gettysburg", by writing:
"Some one may ask why I have written these remembrances of the war from Winchester and not from Gettysburg, I will tell you.
"Our youngest daughter is married and lives in this historic town, made memorable in verse by "Sheridan's Ride," and I have come to spend the summer with her.
"Winchester was the gateway between the North and South. Both Gens. Sheridan and Milroy, had their headquarters here, and it is said the ground around this town was fought over 80 times; being held alternately by Union and Confederate forces."
"There are two cemeteries here, The Union and the Stonewall Jackson. There are more Union soldiers buried at Winchester than lie in the Nation Cemetery at Gettysburg.
"One day while looking at the house from which Sheridan and his staff started on his memorable ride-the spirit moved me, and now I have written the story I promised my children so long ago."
The information contained in this article is from the "Recollections of the Rebel Invasion and One Woman's Experience during the Battle of Gettysburg", by Fannie J. Buehler. Mrs. Buehler was 33 at the time of the battle. The account was obtained from Col. Jacob M. Sheads, Gettysburg.
The Gettysburg Times
{Gettysburg, Pennsylvania}
September 24 1983
By written request of Mrs. Buehler no obituary notice other than above, will appear in any of the town papers. The funeral was held from the College Church on Friday at (?) P.M.
Gettysburg Compiler
{Gettysburg, Pennsylvania}
July 8 1908
Mrs. Fannie J. Guyon Buehler, the widow of the late David A. Buehler, Esq., and mother of Mr. Guyon Buehler, editor and publisher of the Star and Sentinel, Gettysburg, died Wednesday morning at 4:45 o'clock at her home in Gettysburg, aged 82 years, 11 months and 3 days.
New Oxford Item
{New Oxford, Pennsylvania}
July 9 1908
Story of 'great battle' at Gettysburg told by woman who lived through it
By Sharon Duttera
Times Staff Writer
Thirty years have passed since the events which I shall now relate, took place. Most of the actors in our late Civil War have passed into the Shadowy Land. A few more years and not one of all the "great hosts" who went up to battle; not one of "all the many" who participated in the events which I am about to relate, will be living to tell the story." wrote Fannie J. Buehler in 1896.
Mrs. Buehler wrote this account to please her children, grandchildren, and "possibly" my great-great grandchildren, and many friends whom I dearly love. We all know, as the years go by, the story of this great battle, so often told in our days, will grow in interest, to those who may come after us, and that my experiences may not die with me. I will endeavor to tell what I know, what I saw..."wrote Buehler."
Mrs. Buehler starts by writing, "It is a sad story." She along with her husband and six children lived on Baltimore Street across from the courthouse. Preceding the battle, her husband had arranged for their household accumulations to be moved and hidden and for himself, Mr. Buehler, to leave town when the Confederates invaded the north.
When the Confederates finally arrived in town on June 26, 1883, they found many citizens had left town with all their treasures: the banks had sent their money to Philadelphia, stores were closed because merchandise had been shipped in railroad cars to some distant part of the North for safety.
Buehler's had been prepared to leave at a moments notice for several weeks. In the Early Spring he procured a satchel in which he could put all his valuables, personal and official papers, with any government property he might have on hand, and it was ready for any emergency-never unpacked-had abundant room for additional stamps or other supplies." wrote Mrs. Buehler. Mr. Buehler was a lawyer, edited a Republican paper, and a prominent politician and was a postmaster of Gettysburg at the time of the battle.
On June 26 he left town in a hurry. Mrs. Buehler gave him his satchel and an umbrella. " I last saw him as he turned the corner of Middle Street on a dead run." wrote Mrs. Buehler.
Mrs. Buehler then closed the shutters of her house, took down the sign, locked the door and buried the keys, and then went to the front door with the children just in time to see "the Rebs" file past.
I sat myself down on the door step with my children and "Bruno", our faithful New Foundland dog- to watch operations, wrote Mrs. Buehler. Nearby, General Gordon and General Early tried to negotiate terms with the Burgess and town council. The town had nothing to give, as they had sent everything away, but the Confederates had promised to protect all property anyway. "And it was," wrote Mrs. Buehler.
Some horses were stolen, some cellars broken open and robbed, but so far as could be done, the officers did control their men and they behaved well.
Mrs. Buehler, later that day talked to the "rebels" while sitting on her doorstep. When night came the soldiers bid her a goodnight and left. "I closed up my house, put my children to bed, took "Bruno" up stairs and bade him down underneath my window, threw myself across the foot of the bed, for I realized I was alone in this great house, without any earthly protector but a Newfoundland dog, and our town full of "Rebel" soldiers," Mrs. Buehler wrote. The next day she awoke finding the courthouse uninjured and the men quiet and orderly.
On July 1 the battle began. It continued for three days. her husband, upon hearing about the battle tried to return to town but was unable to return until several days following the battle. The battle ended on July 3.
"All around us were evidences of a great battle. The wounded, the dead, and dying, all heaped together; horses that had fallen beneath their riders, with limbs shattered and torn-dead, wounded and bleeding-broken down artillery wagons, guns and knapsacks, cartridge boxes, capes, coats and shoes; indeed all the belongings of soldiers, and the soldier himself, all lying in the streets, so far as we could see, either up or down. Such was the awful scene spread out before us, as we ventured to the front of our house on the morning of the 4th of July, 1863. No wonder one was apalled when we realized that the war had indeed been brought to our very door," wrote Mrs. Buehler.
"The sights and the sounds at the courthouse for a week after the battle are too horrible to describe. Limbs were amputated amid the cries and groans of suffering humanity, there were no anesthetics used then and often have I stopped my ears that I might not hear the groans of those poor unfortunate men, whom I could not relieve. Loads of arms and legs of these poor soldiers, that were amputated, and possibly under other circumstances, might have been saved, were carted outside of the town and were either burned or buried. The Regimental Bands which are left behind after a battle came every afternoon and played patriotic airs in front of the hospital, and what an inspiration this music was to these boys can only be known by those who suffer only as wounded men suffer after a battle," she wrote.
On Thursday morning, after the 4th of July, several wagon loads of provisions were sent to home in Gettysburg. The provisions, from the country, were sent to be used by the citizens to help care for the wounded. Mrs. Buehler wrote, "there were dozens of jars or crocks of apple butter, jellies, preserves, pickles, bread, meat; indeed everything was freely given, sent and distributed among the sick and the wounded men."
Mrs. Buehler also wrote about friends in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore and other areas, sending boxes and barrels of supplies to be distributed in person to the wounded. "There was wine and pickles, oranges and lemons, sugar by the barrels, tea and coffee, beef tea, indeed everything that sick people crave or that could give them strength." she wrote. Clothing had also been sent, distributed first to the Union soldiers and then to the "enemy."
Mrs. Fannie Buehler wrote about this "sad story" at the request of her children. She ends her-"Recollections of the Rebel Invasion and one Woman's Experience during the Battle of Gettysburg", by writing:
"Some one may ask why I have written these remembrances of the war from Winchester and not from Gettysburg, I will tell you.
"Our youngest daughter is married and lives in this historic town, made memorable in verse by "Sheridan's Ride," and I have come to spend the summer with her.
"Winchester was the gateway between the North and South. Both Gens. Sheridan and Milroy, had their headquarters here, and it is said the ground around this town was fought over 80 times; being held alternately by Union and Confederate forces."
"There are two cemeteries here, The Union and the Stonewall Jackson. There are more Union soldiers buried at Winchester than lie in the Nation Cemetery at Gettysburg.
"One day while looking at the house from which Sheridan and his staff started on his memorable ride-the spirit moved me, and now I have written the story I promised my children so long ago."
The information contained in this article is from the "Recollections of the Rebel Invasion and One Woman's Experience during the Battle of Gettysburg", by Fannie J. Buehler. Mrs. Buehler was 33 at the time of the battle. The account was obtained from Col. Jacob M. Sheads, Gettysburg.
The Gettysburg Times
{Gettysburg, Pennsylvania}
September 24 1983
Mrs. Fannie J. Guyon Buehler, the widow of the late David A. Buehler, Esq., of this place, died Wednesday morning at 4:45 o'clock, aged 82 years, 11 months and 2 days. She was all humble Christian woman who did all the good she could to whomsoever she could, whensoever she could, and has gone to her reward.
By written request of Mrs. Buehler no obituary notice other than above, will appear in any of the town papers. The funeral was held from the College Church on Friday at (?) P.M.
Gettysburg Compiler
{Gettysburg, Pennsylvania}
July 8 1908
Mrs. Fannie J. Guyon Buehler, the widow of the late David A. Buehler, Esq., and mother of Mr. Guyon Buehler, editor and publisher of the Star and Sentinel, Gettysburg, died Wednesday morning at 4:45 o'clock at her home in Gettysburg, aged 82 years, 11 months and 3 days.
New Oxford Item
{New Oxford, Pennsylvania}
July 9 1908
Story of 'great battle' at Gettysburg told by woman who lived through it
By Sharon Duttera
Times Staff Writer
Thirty years have passed since the events which I shall now relate, took place. Most of the actors in our late Civil War have passed into the Shadowy Land. A few more years and not one of all the "great hosts" who went up to battle; not one of "all the many" who participated in the events which I am about to relate, will be living to tell the story." wrote Fannie J. Buehler in 1896.
Mrs. Buehler wrote this account to please her children, grandchildren, and "possibly" my great-great grandchildren, and many friends whom I dearly love. We all know, as the years go by, the story of this great battle, so often told in our days, will grow in interest, to those who may come after us, and that my experiences may not die with me. I will endeavor to tell what I know, what I saw..."wrote Buehler."
Mrs. Buehler starts by writing, "It is a sad story." She along with her husband and six children lived on Baltimore Street across from the courthouse. Preceding the battle, her husband had arranged for their household accumulations to be moved and hidden and for himself, Mr. Buehler, to leave town when the Confederates invaded the north.
When the Confederates finally arrived in town on June 26, 1883, they found many citizens had left town with all their treasures: the banks had sent their money to Philadelphia, stores were closed because merchandise had been shipped in railroad cars to some distant part of the North for safety.
Buehler's had been prepared to leave at a moments notice for several weeks. In the Early Spring he procured a satchel in which he could put all his valuables, personal and official papers, with any government property he might have on hand, and it was ready for any emergency-never unpacked-had abundant room for additional stamps or other supplies." wrote Mrs. Buehler. Mr. Buehler was a lawyer, edited a Republican paper, and a prominent politician and was a postmaster of Gettysburg at the time of the battle.
On June 26 he left town in a hurry. Mrs. Buehler gave him his satchel and an umbrella. " I last saw him as he turned the corner of Middle Street on a dead run." wrote Mrs. Buehler.
Mrs. Buehler then closed the shutters of her house, took down the sign, locked the door and buried the keys, and then went to the front door with the children just in time to see "the Rebs" file past.
I sat myself down on the door step with my children and "Bruno", our faithful New Foundland dog- to watch operations, wrote Mrs. Buehler. Nearby, General Gordon and General Early tried to negotiate terms with the Burgess and town council. The town had nothing to give, as they had sent everything away, but the Confederates had promised to protect all property anyway. "And it was," wrote Mrs. Buehler.
Some horses were stolen, some cellars broken open and robbed, but so far as could be done, the officers did control their men and they behaved well.
Mrs. Buehler, later that day talked to the "rebels" while sitting on her doorstep. When night came the soldiers bid her a goodnight and left. "I closed up my house, put my children to bed, took "Bruno" up stairs and bade him down underneath my window, threw myself across the foot of the bed, for I realized I was alone in this great house, without any earthly protector but a Newfoundland dog, and our town full of "Rebel" soldiers," Mrs. Buehler wrote. The next day she awoke finding the courthouse uninjured and the men quiet and orderly.
On July 1 the battle began. It continued for three days. her husband, upon hearing about the battle tried to return to town but was unable to return until several days following the battle. The battle ended on July 3.
"All around us were evidences of a great battle. The wounded, the dead, and dying, all heaped together; horses that had fallen beneath their riders, with limbs shattered and torn-dead, wounded and bleeding-broken down artillery wagons, guns and knapsacks, cartridge boxes, capes, coats and shoes; indeed all the belongings of soldiers, and the soldier himself, all lying in the streets, so far as we could see, either up or down. Such was the awful scene spread out before us, as we ventured to the front of our house on the morning of the 4th of July, 1863. No wonder one was apalled when we realized that the war had indeed been brought to our very door," wrote Mrs. Buehler.
"The sights and the sounds at the courthouse for a week after the battle are too horrible to describe. Limbs were amputated amid the cries and groans of suffering humanity, there were no anesthetics used then and often have I stopped my ears that I might not hear the groans of those poor unfortunate men, whom I could not relieve. Loads of arms and legs of these poor soldiers, that were amputated, and possibly under other circumstances, might have been saved, were carted outside of the town and were either burned or buried. The Regimental Bands which are left behind after a battle came every afternoon and played patriotic airs in front of the hospital, and what an inspiration this music was to these boys can only be known by those who suffer only as wounded men suffer after a battle," she wrote.
On Thursday morning, after the 4th of July, several wagon loads of provisions were sent to home in Gettysburg. The provisions, from the country, were sent to be used by the citizens to help care for the wounded. Mrs. Buehler wrote, "there were dozens of jars or crocks of apple butter, jellies, preserves, pickles, bread, meat; indeed everything was freely given, sent and distributed among the sick and the wounded men."
Mrs. Buehler also wrote about friends in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore and other areas, sending boxes and barrels of supplies to be distributed in person to the wounded. "There was wine and pickles, oranges and lemons, sugar by the barrels, tea and coffee, beef tea, indeed everything that sick people crave or that could give them strength." she wrote. Clothing had also been sent, distributed first to the Union soldiers and then to the "enemy."
Mrs. Fannie Buehler wrote about this "sad story" at the request of her children. She ends her-"Recollections of the Rebel Invasion and one Woman's Experience during the Battle of Gettysburg", by writing:
"Some one may ask why I have written these remembrances of the war from Winchester and not from Gettysburg, I will tell you.
"Our youngest daughter is married and lives in this historic town, made memorable in verse by "Sheridan's Ride," and I have come to spend the summer with her.
"Winchester was the gateway between the North and South. Both Gens. Sheridan and Milroy, had their headquarters here, and it is said the ground around this town was fought over 80 times; being held alternately by Union and Confederate forces."
"There are two cemeteries here, The Union and the Stonewall Jackson. There are more Union soldiers buried at Winchester than lie in the Nation Cemetery at Gettysburg.
"One day while looking at the house from which Sheridan and his staff started on his memorable ride-the spirit moved me, and now I have written the story I promised my children so long ago."
The information contained in this article is from the "Recollections of the Rebel Invasion and One Woman's Experience during the Battle of Gettysburg", by Fannie J. Buehler. Mrs. Buehler was 33 at the time of the battle. The account was obtained from Col. Jacob M. Sheads, Gettysburg.
The Gettysburg Times
{Gettysburg, Pennsylvania}
September 24 1983
By written request of Mrs. Buehler no obituary notice other than above, will appear in any of the town papers. The funeral was held from the College Church on Friday at (?) P.M.
Gettysburg Compiler
{Gettysburg, Pennsylvania}
July 8 1908
Mrs. Fannie J. Guyon Buehler, the widow of the late David A. Buehler, Esq., and mother of Mr. Guyon Buehler, editor and publisher of the Star and Sentinel, Gettysburg, died Wednesday morning at 4:45 o'clock at her home in Gettysburg, aged 82 years, 11 months and 3 days.
New Oxford Item
{New Oxford, Pennsylvania}
July 9 1908
Story of 'great battle' at Gettysburg told by woman who lived through it
By Sharon Duttera
Times Staff Writer
Thirty years have passed since the events which I shall now relate, took place. Most of the actors in our late Civil War have passed into the Shadowy Land. A few more years and not one of all the "great hosts" who went up to battle; not one of "all the many" who participated in the events which I am about to relate, will be living to tell the story." wrote Fannie J. Buehler in 1896.
Mrs. Buehler wrote this account to please her children, grandchildren, and "possibly" my great-great grandchildren, and many friends whom I dearly love. We all know, as the years go by, the story of this great battle, so often told in our days, will grow in interest, to those who may come after us, and that my experiences may not die with me. I will endeavor to tell what I know, what I saw..."wrote Buehler."
Mrs. Buehler starts by writing, "It is a sad story." She along with her husband and six children lived on Baltimore Street across from the courthouse. Preceding the battle, her husband had arranged for their household accumulations to be moved and hidden and for himself, Mr. Buehler, to leave town when the Confederates invaded the north.
When the Confederates finally arrived in town on June 26, 1883, they found many citizens had left town with all their treasures: the banks had sent their money to Philadelphia, stores were closed because merchandise had been shipped in railroad cars to some distant part of the North for safety.
Buehler's had been prepared to leave at a moments notice for several weeks. In the Early Spring he procured a satchel in which he could put all his valuables, personal and official papers, with any government property he might have on hand, and it was ready for any emergency-never unpacked-had abundant room for additional stamps or other supplies." wrote Mrs. Buehler. Mr. Buehler was a lawyer, edited a Republican paper, and a prominent politician and was a postmaster of Gettysburg at the time of the battle.
On June 26 he left town in a hurry. Mrs. Buehler gave him his satchel and an umbrella. " I last saw him as he turned the corner of Middle Street on a dead run." wrote Mrs. Buehler.
Mrs. Buehler then closed the shutters of her house, took down the sign, locked the door and buried the keys, and then went to the front door with the children just in time to see "the Rebs" file past.
I sat myself down on the door step with my children and "Bruno", our faithful New Foundland dog- to watch operations, wrote Mrs. Buehler. Nearby, General Gordon and General Early tried to negotiate terms with the Burgess and town council. The town had nothing to give, as they had sent everything away, but the Confederates had promised to protect all property anyway. "And it was," wrote Mrs. Buehler.
Some horses were stolen, some cellars broken open and robbed, but so far as could be done, the officers did control their men and they behaved well.
Mrs. Buehler, later that day talked to the "rebels" while sitting on her doorstep. When night came the soldiers bid her a goodnight and left. "I closed up my house, put my children to bed, took "Bruno" up stairs and bade him down underneath my window, threw myself across the foot of the bed, for I realized I was alone in this great house, without any earthly protector but a Newfoundland dog, and our town full of "Rebel" soldiers," Mrs. Buehler wrote. The next day she awoke finding the courthouse uninjured and the men quiet and orderly.
On July 1 the battle began. It continued for three days. her husband, upon hearing about the battle tried to return to town but was unable to return until several days following the battle. The battle ended on July 3.
"All around us were evidences of a great battle. The wounded, the dead, and dying, all heaped together; horses that had fallen beneath their riders, with limbs shattered and torn-dead, wounded and bleeding-broken down artillery wagons, guns and knapsacks, cartridge boxes, capes, coats and shoes; indeed all the belongings of soldiers, and the soldier himself, all lying in the streets, so far as we could see, either up or down. Such was the awful scene spread out before us, as we ventured to the front of our house on the morning of the 4th of July, 1863. No wonder one was apalled when we realized that the war had indeed been brought to our very door," wrote Mrs. Buehler.
"The sights and the sounds at the courthouse for a week after the battle are too horrible to describe. Limbs were amputated amid the cries and groans of suffering humanity, there were no anesthetics used then and often have I stopped my ears that I might not hear the groans of those poor unfortunate men, whom I could not relieve. Loads of arms and legs of these poor soldiers, that were amputated, and possibly under other circumstances, might have been saved, were carted outside of the town and were either burned or buried. The Regimental Bands which are left behind after a battle came every afternoon and played patriotic airs in front of the hospital, and what an inspiration this music was to these boys can only be known by those who suffer only as wounded men suffer after a battle," she wrote.
On Thursday morning, after the 4th of July, several wagon loads of provisions were sent to home in Gettysburg. The provisions, from the country, were sent to be used by the citizens to help care for the wounded. Mrs. Buehler wrote, "there were dozens of jars or crocks of apple butter, jellies, preserves, pickles, bread, meat; indeed everything was freely given, sent and distributed among the sick and the wounded men."
Mrs. Buehler also wrote about friends in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore and other areas, sending boxes and barrels of supplies to be distributed in person to the wounded. "There was wine and pickles, oranges and lemons, sugar by the barrels, tea and coffee, beef tea, indeed everything that sick people crave or that could give them strength." she wrote. Clothing had also been sent, distributed first to the Union soldiers and then to the "enemy."
Mrs. Fannie Buehler wrote about this "sad story" at the request of her children. She ends her-"Recollections of the Rebel Invasion and one Woman's Experience during the Battle of Gettysburg", by writing:
"Some one may ask why I have written these remembrances of the war from Winchester and not from Gettysburg, I will tell you.
"Our youngest daughter is married and lives in this historic town, made memorable in verse by "Sheridan's Ride," and I have come to spend the summer with her.
"Winchester was the gateway between the North and South. Both Gens. Sheridan and Milroy, had their headquarters here, and it is said the ground around this town was fought over 80 times; being held alternately by Union and Confederate forces."
"There are two cemeteries here, The Union and the Stonewall Jackson. There are more Union soldiers buried at Winchester than lie in the Nation Cemetery at Gettysburg.
"One day while looking at the house from which Sheridan and his staff started on his memorable ride-the spirit moved me, and now I have written the story I promised my children so long ago."
The information contained in this article is from the "Recollections of the Rebel Invasion and One Woman's Experience during the Battle of Gettysburg", by Fannie J. Buehler. Mrs. Buehler was 33 at the time of the battle. The account was obtained from Col. Jacob M. Sheads, Gettysburg.
The Gettysburg Times
{Gettysburg, Pennsylvania}
September 24 1983
Gravesite Details
Birth and Death information is from her death certificate on Ancestry, the death certificate was signed by her son, Guyon
