Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

John Rupp

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 24, 2024

1. John Rupp Marker

Inscription.

John Rupp. . , John Rupp wrote the following letter to his sister, which describes how he took his family across the street to shelter in Solomon Welty's cellar, which has a spring that runs to this day and would have provided them with drinking water. This story was supported by one of Solomon's daughters, who shared a story of hiding in the basement during the battle of Gettysburg, shortly before her death in old age.,

Gettysburg, July 19, 1863 , Dear Sister Anne , I received your letter of the 6th on the 13th inst, and was happy to hear from you. I am very thankful to Almighty God for his mercyfull goodness in protecting and bringing us all, safely through this terrible slaughter of human life. We have all escaped bodily injury. My property sustained very slight injury indeed, considering the heavy cannoding of both armies. Our house was under fire of boath armies from Thursday morning until Saturday morning. An I hardly know whare to begin to tell you about our trials. When the battle commenced of Wenesday morning (July 1) we took our children and went over to Mr. Welty's cellar., We stayed thair until Wenesday evening. After the fire ceased, we came home and all slept on the floor that night, such sleep as it was. Thursday morning (July 2) when the battle again began we went to our own celler, (and) stayed thair that day. In the night of Thursday father came and took Caroline and the children up to his house. I was then in the celler by myself, that Thursday night (July 2) and all day Friday and Friday night until Saturday morning (July 4), when relief came by our troops coming into town on (the) double quick; happy moment Ann. The Rebs had my Tannery in thair possession for four days they used the shop for a fort. It was full of Rebs firing on our pickets up at Welty's fence. Now, Ann I will tell you about my warm and uncomfortable situation I was placed in after Caroline and the children had gone up to fathers. The Rebs occupied the whole of town out as far as the back end of my house., Our men, that part of town wich lays between our house and the Cemetary, wich is not much as you know, and the Cemetary and all the high ground for miles around. Our men ocupied My porch, and the Rebels the rear of the house, and I the cellar. So you can see that I was on neutral ground. Our men knew I was in the celler, but the Rebs did not.I couldh ear the Rebs load thair guns, and fire. Thair was one of our men killed under my big oak tree in the lot, and one in Snyders meadow close to our house. The Rebs occupied Mr. McCreary's house, from which they could pick off our men as thay pleased. Our sharpshooters found it out, and kept a look out and finely shot one in Mr. McCreary's front room up stairs and hilled him on the spot, and also killed two up in Mr. G. Schrivers house, next to Mr. Pierces. I sustained no loss in Stock, but the Rebs broke all the glass and sash in the shop. I gathered up a double hand full of Minie Balls in my dwelling after the battle that ware shot into it from boath armies., If you could have heard the shells fly over our house from boath sides. It was awful. I cannot describe it to you, but you can judge from the number of cannon on our side. Genl. Steinweir told me we had 330 cannon in play, and you may know the Rebs had as many more. It was awful thunder. Virginia Wade was killed while neading up her bread for her sister up in the house that Ellen Frieberger used to live. Several others were hit on the shin with spent balls, ware if thay had stayed in thair houses, (it) would not have happened to them. I cant tell you all, it would take me a week to do so. Our house is prety well riddled, thay balls passing through our bed steads, no shell struck it. Father's house was struck with Shell. Mr. Stuck's house was struck with four shells, wich made large holes clear through it. Thair ware two shells passed through you old homestead, not doing much damage., I think we have given the Rebs a sample of Penn life in which thay will remember Gettysburg, for even our beautiful cemetary has suffered very much. But I would go through it all again, the same fire again, if we had them back again, to repete the same woes to them again. But I think the fall of Vicksburg and all our recent victory will bring things to a focus. Grant is doing things up. We call our baby John Grant fine little fellow he is too. We have had no Sunday for four weeks. Every church and hall is taken for Hospitals. I will tell you more when I see you. We are all well, Lile, Lou, Mat are well lickwise., I remain your brother , John Rupp

, To book a room in the Welty House and Brickhouse Inn, or take one of the Gettysburg tours, visit brickhouseinn.com or scan the QR code.

John Rupp wrote the following letter to his sister, which describes how he took his family across the street to shelter in Solomon Welty's cellar, which has a spring that runs to this day and would have provided them with drinking water. This story was supported by one of Solomon's daughters, who shared a story of hiding in the basement during the battle of Gettysburg, shortly before her death in old age.

Gettysburg, July 19, 1863
Dear Sister Anne
I received your letter of the 6th on the 13th inst, and was happy to hear from you. I am very thankful to Almighty God for his mercyfull goodness in protecting and bringing us all, safely through this terrible slaughter of human life. We have all escaped bodily injury. My property sustained very slight injury indeed, considering the heavy cannoding of both armies. Our house was under fire of boath armies from Thursday morning until Saturday morning. An I hardly know whare to begin to tell you about our trials. When the battle commenced of Wenesday morning (July 1) we took our children and went over to Mr. Welty's cellar.

We stayed thair until Wenesday evening. After the fire ceased, we came home and all slept on the floor that night, such sleep as it was. Thursday morning (July 2) when the battle again began we went to our own celler, (and)
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stayed thair that day. In the night of Thursday father came and took Caroline and the children up to his house. I was then in the celler by myself, that Thursday night (July 2) and all day Friday and Friday night until Saturday morning (July 4), when relief came by our troops coming into town on (the) double quick; happy moment Ann. The Rebs had my Tannery in thair possession for four days they used the shop for a fort. It was full of Rebs firing on our pickets up at Welty's fence. Now, Ann I will tell you about my warm and uncomfortable situation I was placed in after Caroline and the children had gone up to fathers. The Rebs occupied the whole of town out as far as the back end of my house.

Our men, that part of town wich lays between our house and the Cemetary, wich is not much as you know, and the Cemetary and all the high ground for miles around. Our men ocupied My porch, and the Rebels the rear of the house, and I the cellar. So you can see that I was on neutral ground. Our men knew I was in the celler, but the Rebs did not.I couldh ear the Rebs load thair guns, and fire. Thair was one of our men killed under my big oak tree in the lot, and one in Snyders meadow close to our house. The Rebs occupied Mr. McCreary's house, from which they could pick off our men as thay pleased. Our sharpshooters found it out, and kept a look out and finely shot one in Mr.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 24, 2024

2. John Rupp marker with the Welty House in the background
McCreary's front room up stairs and hilled him on the spot, and also killed two up in Mr. G. Schrivers house, next to Mr. Pierces. I sustained no loss in Stock, but the Rebs broke all the glass and sash in the shop. I gathered up a double hand full of Minie Balls in my dwelling after the battle that ware shot into it from boath armies.

If you could have heard the shells fly over our house from boath sides. It was awful. I cannot describe it to you, but you can judge from the number of cannon on our side. Genl. Steinweir told me we had 330 cannon in play, and you may know the Rebs had as many more. It was awful thunder. Virginia Wade was killed while neading up her bread for her sister up in the house that Ellen Frieberger used to live. Several others were hit on the shin with spent balls, ware if thay had stayed in thair houses, (it) would not have happened to them. I cant tell you all, it would take me a week to do so. Our house is prety well riddled, thay balls passing through our bed steads, no shell struck it. Father's house was struck with Shell. Mr. Stuck's house was struck with four shells, wich made large holes clear through it. Thair ware two shells passed through you old homestead, not doing much damage.

I think we have given the Rebs a sample of Penn life in which thay will remember Gettysburg, for even our beautiful cemetary has suffered very much.
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But I would go through it all again, the same fire again, if we had them back again, to repete the same woes to them again. But I think the fall of Vicksburg and all our recent victory will bring things to a focus. Grant is doing things up. We call our baby John Grant fine little fellow he is too. We have had no Sunday for four weeks. Every church and hall is taken for Hospitals. I will tell you more when I see you. We are all well, Lile, Lou, Mat are well lickwise.

I remain your brother
John Rupp

To book a room in the Welty House and Brickhouse Inn, or take one of the Gettysburg tours, visit brickhouseinn.com or scan the QR code

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is July 19, 1863.

Location. 39° 49.478′ N, 77° 13.856′ W. Marker is in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in Adams County. Marker is on Baltimore Street (Business U.S. 15) just south of Locust Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 444 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg PA 17325, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Welty House (here, next to this marker); The John Rupp House and Tannery Site (a few steps from this marker); Caught in the Crossfire (a few steps from this marker); The Civil War Comes to Gettysburg (a few steps from this marker); Gettysburg's First Municipal Water Supply (within shouting distance of this marker); ...Lincoln passed by... (within shouting distance of this marker); The Wagon Hotel on Cemetery Hill (within shouting distance of this marker); Baltimore Street: An Historic Corridor (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gettysburg.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 1, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 1, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 54 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 1, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.