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Mount Holly Springs in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

First Casualty In Cumberland County

 
 
First Casuality In Cumberland County Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Larry Gertner, April 2011
1. First Casuality In Cumberland County Marker
Inscription.
Cumberland County resident Charles G. Beetem, a Civil War tragedy: "On April 23, 1861, my brother, William Luther Beetem, at the age of 20, was the first Carlisle man to give his life in [the] war on a tour of duty."

At one o’clock in the morning that day, the people of Carlisle were scared out of their beds by what turned out to be the first false rumor that 5,000 Rebel soldiers were marching to Carlisle by Mt. Holly Springs, known then as Papertown. The local company was formed and marched to Mt. Holly Springs; however, they found the rumor entirely false.

The day was hot, and William was assisting the men in laying their rifles into a wagon which had accompanied them. The cartridges were removed, and the rifles were laid in the wagon with their stocks towards the driver. Someone in the Company had failed to remove his cartridges. When the wagon rumbled over a rough part of the road, the rifle discharged. William was walking directly behind the wagon and the bullet pierced him in the heart. “I am shot”, he exclaimed, and dropped dead.

[Caption:]
William Luther Beetem (age 20), first Carlisle man to give his life in the war when on tour of duty
Courtesy of the Cumberland County Historical Society

 
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Pennsylvania Civil War Trails.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Pennsylvania Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1915.
 
Location. 40° 6.788′ N, 77° 11.232′ W. Marker is in Mount Holly Springs, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland County. Marker is at the intersection of South Baltimore Avenue (Pennsylvania Route 34) and Hill Street, on the right when traveling north on South Baltimore Avenue. The marker stands in front of the Holly Inn. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 31 S Baltimore Ave, Mount Holly Springs PA 17065, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Trine Memorial Park (approx. 0.6 miles away); Stoll Field (approx. 0.7 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.8 miles away); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.9 miles away); In Memory of James and Jane Weakley (approx. 2.4 miles away); The Craighead Family (approx. 2˝ miles away); Mt. Victory Church Cemetery (approx. 4 miles away); Daniel Kaufman (approx. 4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mount Holly Springs.
 
Additional keywords. Civil War Trails
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on July 15, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 17, 2014, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 698 times since then and 5 times this year. Last updated on July 13, 2022, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photo   1. submitted on July 17, 2014, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 19, 2024