1863 first hand account of confederate troops?

Hello all,

I found this scrap of paper in a 1844 family Bible in the Pittsburgh area after an estate sale. The Bible seemed to belong to a family that lived in Mechanicsburg, PA during the Civil War.

This seems to be a first hand account of Confederate troops within PA.
It reads:
June the Rebs 800 occupied the town this morning.
They have 5 pieces of artillery small guns
there are most all mounted infantry under Jinkins
there has just came in a battery of 7 pieces.

Mechanicsburg was the furthest north the Confederates made it and a skirmish did occur on June 28, 1863.

I honestly don't know what I have here. I mean, it's just a scrap of paper from a normal citizen making notes for themselves. Is there anyway to get this authenticated? any idea on value?

Any info would be great, or point me in the right direction?

Thanks all.

 

I'd start with the local historical society. What was the name of the family? And other Civil War period notations or photographs in the Bible? Don't see that it needs authentication but... Your intention is to sell it for a profit rather than donate it to an institution? By way, I wouldn't separate it from the Bible; the Bible gives it provenance.

Debora

 

The Bible belonged to a Philip H. Long, M.D. who died in 1877 and his wife Elizabeth Coover who lived until at least 1901. His obituary and her news paper article was also within the Bible, as well as other period ephemera.

I am typically a reseller who specializes in antique religious books and ephemera.

I agree that everything should stay with the Bible. I am simply trying to gage the historic significance of his accounts

 

It's a contemporary account from (what one would think was) an eye witness in a small borough in Pennsylvania. The next battle was Gettysburg. Certainly going to be of interest to someone. As above, I'd start with the local historical society to verify that it relates to Mechanicsburg. And they may have examples of Dr. Long's handwriting.

Debora

 

Dr. Long may have tended to the wounded of either side, and there's a good chance he would've walked the battlefield and may have seen Lincoln ?

 

"The rebs..." and "they" sounds like he was on the right side. And... he might well be mentioned in contemporary accounts in his role as physician.

Debora

 

"Jinkins" was Confederate Brigadier General Albert Gallatin Jenkins. He remains a controversial figure. A monument honoring him was erected in Mechanicsburg in 2005 (yes, in this century). It was removed in 2020.

https://blogs.dickinson.edu/hist-288pinsker/2015/04/28/confederate-monument-in-mechanicsburg/

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/7c0cde_443c8f5b05e04beb9c9b5dc80156c9bf.pdf

 

This is an important idea. That what one calls something affects the way one perceives it. The Civil War neutralizes the conflict. The Slaveholder's Rebellion clarifies it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_American_Civil_War

Debora