Harrisburg in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Brigadier General Joseph F. Knipe House
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 20, 2018
1. Brigadier General Joseph F. Knipe House Marker
In the home at 329 S. Front Street between 1866 and 1880 resided Brigadier General Joseph Farmer Knipe (1823-1901), accomplished Union commander during the Civil War. It was Knipe who named Camp Curtin, the largest Civil War troop deployment camp in the United States located in what is now a part of Uptown Harrisburg, after the wartime Governor Andrew Curtin. Knipe first served in the Mexican War (1846-1848). In response to Lincoln's call to arms after the fall of Fort Sumter in 1861, Knipe was commissioned Colonel of the 46th Pennsylvania Volunteers, which was organized in Harrisburg. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1862 and served in the Antietam, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg Campaigns. During Antietam, he was wounded at Cedar Mountain. He was involved in the defense of Harrisburg when General Robert E. Lee threatened its invasion in June of 1863, and later commanded a cavalry division at the Battle of Nashville, Tennessee, during which his troops scored a decisive victory over Confederate General John B. Hood including the capture of over 6,000 men and eight battle flags. In the Atlanta Campaign, he was wounded at the Battle of Resaca, Georgia. After being discharged from the Army in 1866, Knipe served as both the Postmaster of Harrisburg and of the United States Senate, and later as the superintendent of the military
this page online
Erected by The Harrisburg History Project, Commissioned by Mayor Stephen R. Reed.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Pennsylvania, The Harrisburg History Project series list. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1863.
Location. 40° 15.334′ N, 76° 52.65′ W. Marker is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in Dauphin County. Marker is at the intersection of South Front Street and Vine Street, on the left when traveling north on South Front Street. Marker is located directly across the street from the Knipe house. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 329 S Front St, Harrisburg PA 17104, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. General Joseph F. Knipe (a few steps from this marker); 331 South Front Street (a few steps from this marker); 317 South Front Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Harris' Ferry (within shouting distance of this marker); St. Paul's United Methodist Church
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 20, 2018
2. Brigadier General Joseph F. Knipe House Marker (tall view; house in background across street)
Also see . . .
1. Joseph F. Knipe. Wikipedia entry:
Following the war, Knipe returned to Harrisburg, where he was appointed postmaster by President Andrew Johnson. He subsequently held a number of political patronage positions the rest of his life, both on the Federal and state level. For a term, he was postmaster of the United States House of Representatives. (Submitted on August 21, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Gettysburg Campaign. Explore PA History website entry:
As the Confederates approached, Carlisle was largely undefended. Shortly after Jenkins' first invasion and occupation of Chambersburg, on June 15-17, Pennsylvania Railroad officials had gathered supplies to rebuild a railroad bridge that the southerners had destroyed near Scotland, north of Chambersburg. To protect them, General Darius N. Couch, the Union commander at Harrisburg, detailed two New York militia regiments-the 8th and 71st-to move by rail as far as Scotland. In command
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 20, 2018
3. Brigadier General Joseph F. Knipe House Marker (wide view; Knipe house is on the left)
3. The Role of the New York State Militia in the Civil War. New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center website entry:
On 18 June the 8th and 71st Regiments (1st Brigade) under Colonel Joshua Varian moved from Harrisburg to Shippensburg. Brigadier General Joseph Knipe, a regular army officer and resident of Harrisburg, was at home recuperating from malaria. He offered his services, and on 20 June Couch directed him to assume command of Varian's brigade. Knipe received an almost impossible mission: use two small regiments of citizen-soldiers that he had never seen before, to delay the advance of an entire army corps of combat veterans. (Submitted on August 21, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Walter Arzon, 2011
4. Brigadier General Joseph F. Knipe House Marker
This picture is of the knipe house when it was owned by Walter D Arzon & Michael D Harris Arzon
This was before and after the flood of 2011 . The basement and half of the first floor was literally underwater.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 20, 2018
5. General Joseph F. Knipe House (wide view; Knipe house is on the left)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 18, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 756 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 20, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3. submitted on August 21, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4. submitted on May 17, 2023, by Walter Arzon of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 5. submitted on August 21, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
