General McCausland
Join Glencoe Mansion each week to highlight the Wharton letters by learning what Gabe and Nannie were doing and thinking on this day in the 1860s.
One common theme in Civil War soldiers’ writings is the uncertainty about what was happening in other areas of the country during the War. Unlike today’s quick mass communication, news took days or weeks to travel during the 19th Century. This meant for these soldiers that as their armies split up to go serve in different areas, they were unsure what was happening to their fellow soldiers.
This is highlighted in Gen. Wharton’s letter on July 31, 1864. He wrote: “Nothing has been heard from McCausland since he crossed the Potomac tho’ I am sure his expedition will be a success.” You can see this as an example of how fellow southern soldiers were unsure of their brothers-in-arms fates, including Gen. McCausland, pictured here.
To read more about Gabe’s experiences during the Civil War, visit Glencoe Mansion to get a copy of “The Whartons’ War.” We are open Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday 1-4 p.m.
Glencoe Mansion
