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Page “Emilie anticipates a Confederate advance on Philadelphia.”

June 30- July 2, 1863

Tuesday, June 30, 1863.

harrisburg the greates excitement Prevails I am all most sick worrin about father the city is considered in danger meeting at mrs o neils […] feeling mr guy lead there seems to be a better spirit among

Wednesday, July 1

our peopel the excitement is not quite so great to day Johns started for reading to day vincent is perfectly wild with excitement The boyes have all volenteerd Nellie

Thursday 2

cam up and spent quite a pleasent evening I went down hom found things quite agreeable in the afternoon i went to see mrs burn spent the evening with Doll

Throughout June of 1863 Philadelphia newspapers kept the public informed of the movement of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.

Annotation 1

Although Philadelphians believed that Lee’s army was destined to strike at their city, Harrisburg, more than Philadelphia, was at risk during the Army of Northern Virginia’s month long invasion of the state. Calderhead, “Philadelphia in Crisis,” 142-155.

Annotation 2

Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War, ordered Pennsylvania war authorities to accept black recruits into the U.S. Army.

Although the War Department created the Bureau of Colored Troops in May 1863, black Pennsylvanians were only permitted to enlist the following month, after Secretary of War Edwin Stanton wrote a letter ordering Pennsylvania Major General Darius Couch in Harrisburg to accept black recruits. Gallman, Mastering Wartime, 46-47.

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