Franklin County: "Letter from Mrs. M. V. Dahlgren. To Dr. F. A. Bushey Thanking Him For Interest Taken in and Writing an Account of Ulric Dahlgren's Charge in Cgreencastle. Gives Data From Residents Who Lived Here at the Time of Lee's Invasion and who Were Active in Support of the Union," by M. V. Dahlgren, March 11, 1921
Summary: In her letter, Dahlgren shows that she relishes the fact that Ulrich Dahlgren is despised by Confederates/Confederate sympathizers. She considers Dahlgren a hero. Thus this letter helps show the continuing attachment in the twentieth century to the old sides of the Civil War, evident in M. V. Dahlgren's national pride and anti-Confederate sentiment.
The Historic Dispatch
James C. Morehead's Story
In the afternoon of July 1, 1863, I was standing near the bridge at Funkstown,
Md., in company with Tom Cunningham, when
Capt. Dahlgren with his squad came by. Tom said
I'll bet $5.00 they are union men. The Captain over
heard the remark, and said "How can you tell union men from rebels. Tom
replied we are union soldiers and ought to know. The Captain then asked for
information of the rebel soldiers. I told him it was safe for him to go into
Hagerstown he asked if we lived here. I replied I live her at present, but my
home is in Greencastle, Pa.Capt. Dahlgren then said "Greencastle" I replied "yes
sir." he said how would you like to go with me as a guide to Greencastle. I
replied that I would go, and see my family and if they were satisfied I would
go. "He waited on the public square in Hagerstown until I returned, when he
ordered me to take a gray horse, that was ridde by a
boy in the rear of the soldiers I then guided Capt.
Dahlgren along by roads to the State Line and from there to Rev. Isaac Shanks where we all got supper and fed
our horses. The party consisted of Capt. Dahlgren, sergeant of Kline and nine
other enlisted soldiers, two volunteers and four scouts and one guide. We
reached John Detrich's woods in the evening were we camped all night. Next
morning by daylight I came to Greencastle to find out what I could of the
citizens of the town, as to the movements of the Confederate forces. I then
returned to our camp in the woods, Capt. Dahlgren
then ordered his soldiers to saddle their horses andd we all came into
Greencastle together. We balted in front of the Antrim House. Several of us went
out scouting. I saw a squad of Confederates approaching town from the South, I
knew there must be something important, the way they marched. I so reported to
Capt. Dahlgren and he placed his soldiers in
the Southeast corner of the Public Square and when the rebel squad was in front
of J. Yous' store Capt. Dahlgren ordered his men to
left half, wheel, draw their sabres and fly at the rebels, with their horses on
the full run, Capt. Dahlgren rode up to the rebels
and ordered them to surrender, which they all did twenty-two soldiers and two
mounted mail carriers. The rebel mail was in two ordinary mail sacks, and was
opened by the soldiers. In the mail was found the dispatch, from Jeff Davis to
General Lee, and which Captain Dahlgren carried to Gettysburg. I went with the
soldiers having the prisoners in charge to Enmitsburg Md., where we turned the prisoners over to the proper officers and I
continued scouting for the United States forces for a long time afterwards in
Maryland and Virginia.
James C. Moorhead
Abraham Hupert's Story
I was standing in front of Jacob Hostetter's store, which was then in the room now occupied by P. F. Carl, in the morning of July 2, 1863. I looked at the capture of the Rebel mail. The Confederate party went in front of the property of Johua Yous, where Capt. Dahlgren made his attack I saw the soldiers sitting on their horses in the south east corner of the square. The horses heads were toward G. W. Zeigler's property. I saw them wheel and attack the Confederate party they did not fire a shot, but some shots were fired by some rebel soldiers, who were in the rear. Two bullets from the firing struck the Carl house, now occupied by John Carl's family, the bullets struck near the gable window and the marks are to be seen to this day. The back building had not been erected, and the Carl house was exposed from that side. I saw the Union soldiers bring the captured rebels and mail bags into the corner of the square near where Mr. Glass lives. I saw the Union soldiers cut the mail bags open and pour the letters out onto the pavement in front of Kreps and Prather store and I was informed that the celebrated dispatch was found among the mail then and there captured.
Story of a Prominent Merchant
"After captain Dahlgren arrested the mail carriers, one of them objected to being searched, but the Captain order it promptly to be done, and in a sort of valise tied behind his saddle were found two shirts, on the inside of one of those shirts was found the dispatch which Capt. Dahlgren carried to General Meade at Gettysburg and which Colonel Rayall says turned the tide of battle.
The fighting qualities of Captain Dahlgren were so well established by his interpidity here exhibited that it is plain to the reader, that, had he been given a sufficient force, the Brigade for which he pleaded General Lee would have lost his entire wagon train, which contained the stores of riffles and common amunition, for his entire army and the supply of food for his fighting men. The infliction of that loss, with the swollen Potomac river in his front, General Meades victorious army passing his rear end ranks, but one corner would have been left open-unconditional surrender;
Following this line of thought, the reader in imagination can see the long lines
of men, the flower of our lands whose precious lives would have been spared, the
thousands of homes, that would have been saved from desolation; the rivers of
blood that afterward flowed, that would have been prevented, the millions and
millions and millions of treasure, that would have been saved had this gallant
young soldier's advice and concent been followed.
Perhaps however, this nations' purification was not
yet complete. The law of Atonment not then
fulfilled, and that present destiny, which shapes all our ends, was then
preparing for immortality. the gifted and gallant-soul of Ulric Dahlgren
Franklin A. Busbey,
Letter From Mrs. Dahlgren
Dr. F. A. Busbey
Dear Sir.
I have read with deep interest your patriotic articles relative to the captured dispatch.
As the widow of Ulric Dahlgren's father Admiral Dahlgren, I thank you, and through you all these loyal men and women who take an interest in preserving the record of Ulric's deeds. There is no name more maligned, more defamed; by the rebel spirit of the South than his.
It is a portion of the glorious, heritage, he has left his family that he was so bitterly hated by the enemies of his country. I am with grateful appreciation.
Yours
Madeline Vinton Dahlgren
Bibliographic Information: Source copy consulted: Kauffman Progressive, March 11, 1921
