Sarah Patterson Farm

If there was ever a moment in my life where, I had my Civil War moment is it recently during the weekend of Gettysburg Remembrance Day in Nov of 2010. The day after the Remembrance Day ceremonies I was driving past a farm on the Tanneytown Road that during the Civil War was owned by Sarah Patterson. During the Battle of Gettysburg from the afternoon of the 2nd day till the afternoon of the 3rd day up until 2PM-3PM it was used by the Second Corps as one of its hospitals. The staff at the hospital was forced to move when shells from Confederate Artillery that was being used to bombard Cemetery Hill in preperation for Picketts Charge overshot and landed on the grounds of the farm. The wounded that were lying on the ground were out in the open with no shelter. All of the hospital tents were still in Westminster, MD per the orders of the commander of the Army of the Potomac, Maj Gen George Gordon Meade.

As I drove past the farm, I saw that the owners were having a yard sale and I thought it would be a perferct time to stop and talk to the owners as well as walk on the grounds of the farm. I did speak to one of the owners who told me that there was a total of 500 wounded that came through the hospital. The house is modern and the original house that was there was a two story farm house. The only original buidling that is left on the property is the barn which, was used by the medical staff of the Second Corps to perform operations.

Walking the grounds, I felt I was transported back in time to the time of the battle. It was a great feeling being there and walking the same grounds of the people who I portray as a Historical Interpreter. The work and dedication that the medical staff and caregivers that were there helped to save many lives and as a result, of 3100 Union and Confederate wounded that came through the Second Corps Hospital 86% of them survived. It was truly a job well done and the experience of walking on the grounds of the Sarah Patterson farm I will treasure always!