Mary Warren Fastnacht (left) was born on March 24, 1851 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. She was 12 years old when the bloodiest battle on American soil raged through her town. She wrote this account of her experiences in 1928 for her “grandchildren and great grandchildren.” Mary’s account has been cited in many works about the Battle of Gettysburg. Below is an excerpt from her story.
“When I was twelve years old my Father’s home was the last house on the North Side of West Middle Street. The Battle between the Union and Confederate men started the First of July, Wednesday. Citizens were frightened, many leaving their homes. News came to town that General Reynolds was killed during the morning fight. Mother told me pray. I do not know what made me go to the garret window, or whether I prayed or not, but it was while I was there that I saw our Union men retreating in the direction of Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill, where there was fighting and many killed. It was while looking at the soldiers retreating that I saw shell’s bursting above them…
That afternoon one of the Confederate Generals, with his Staff, took possession of our house, telling my Father we had better leave unless willing to stay in the cellar during the day. My father accepted that condition. When the Confederates took possession of the house, the Officer in charge went at once into the front room. Mother had just put down a new carpet and asked him whether he wouldn’t use the room above. ‘Certainly, Madam.’ Nothing in the house was disturbed. The same could not be said of many other homes. Only a block away, on the same street, a log house had been torn down to be used as breast works.”
You can read Mary’s full story in her book, Memories of the Battle of Gettysburg, for sale now at the Adams County Historical Society and online here. Also, check out our other Battle of Gettysburg Civilian Accounts, At Gettysburg by Tillie Pierce and Personal Experiences of a Young Girl During the Battle of Gettysburg by Nellie Aughinbaugh.
This first-hand account has been reprinted exactly as it was originally written, with all spelling and grammar errors preserved for the sake of historical accuracy.
