The Keagy/Noble Civil War Blanket
Made by Waterside Woolen Mill

The Gettysburg Campaign

In 1863, the Confederate soldiers and their leaders were inspired by victory at Chancellorville, Virginia and were ready to invade the North, capture Philadelphia or New York, and dictate terms of peace. 

In June of 1863 a force of 75,000 confederate soldiers under General Robert E. Lee besieged the small force of General Robert H. Milroy at Winchester, Virginia and prepared to advance into Maryland and Pennsylvania. 

The month of June 1863 brought the threat of an invasion of the area by General Lee's Confederate troops. In addition to the local woolen mills, the nearby iron ore mines, the livestock and forage for the cavalry were all targeted by confederate troops as potential support for a campaign to Altoona, which would have cut the Pennsylvania Railroad and stopped production in the railcar shops.¹

An Army officer home on leave, Colonel Jacob C. Higgins of Duncansville agreed to form and take command of a local militia for protection of the region. Entrenchments were prepared at strategic passes into the valley and the locals creatively concealed and protected valuables from any rebel raiding parties, which might over-run the fortifications. Blankets produced at local woolen mills were hidden under the St. James Lutheran Church nearby in Potter Creek.² 

General Milroy escaped with a remnant of his force and came out by way of Everett (Bloody Run) and then into the valley where they found the forts under construction and manned by determined looking men with deer rifles. Most of them stopped and prepared to fight.³

The Confederate invasion with cavalry in front and flank swept north through Chambersburg and Carlisle. Under General John D. Imboden on the left of the invaders, the Confederate Cavalry reached McConnellsburg and threatened Bedford and Mt. Union. But the First New York (Lincoln) Cavalry defeated a portion of Imboden's force at McConnelsburg.⁴

By June 29, General Lee at Chambersburg suddenly became aware that the Army of the Potomac was at Frederick, Maryland and was moving north to meet him. He then turned eastward and concentrated his army at Gettysburg.

On three separate occasion in the official report of General Lee as to why he chose to retreat from Pennsylvania he stated that his foraging parties could not gather horses and food because of the strong points held by the Federal Militia.⁵

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