Baker of Gettysburg

 

The Baker of Gettysburg July 1, 2024Jenny Ashcraft It’s been 161 years since the Battle of Gettysburg raged from July 1 to 3, 1863. It was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with more than 50,000 casualties. Amidst the fighting in Adams County, PA, one young woman emerged heroic when she refused orders to flee and baked bread for hungry, weary, and wounded soldiers. The Boston Globe – October 3, 1886 Josephine Rodgers Miller Slyder was born on October 9, 1836. She was living in a farmhouse occupied by her relatives, Peter and Susan Rodgers, on the edge of Emmitsburg Road in Gettysburg when the war came to her front door. Josephine had bread in the oven when the shooting began. Peter and Susan Rodgers fled the farm, but Josephine wanted to wait until her bread came out of the oven. The smell of freshly baked bread attracted hungry soldiers, so Josephine sliced and distributed the fresh bread. With the bread gone and hungry soldiers wanting more, Josephine decided to mix another batch of bread. As fighting intensified, Josephine kept baking. The soldiers offered to pay Josephine for the bread, but she declined. Union General Joseph B. Carr warned Josephine that she was unsafe and needed to flee. Josephine promised to leave soon, but hearing the cries of hungry and wounded soldiers, she continued to bake and distribute bread that was quickly devoured. She also tended to the wounded from both sides. Muncie Evening Press: March 23, 1892 During the battle, artillery shook the foundation of the Rodgers farmhouse, Pickett’s men charged past the house, and Josephine continued to bake. The farmhouse was hit by dozens of shells and bullets, and numerous dead were in the yard. When the battle was over, Josephine was uninjured, but seventeen soldiers were found dead in the house, having crawled there before succumbing to their wounds. Josephine spent days nursing the wounded. Josephine Slyder in 1886 – photo via Find a Grave Following the war, Josephine married her neighbor, William J. Slyder, and moved to Ohio. In July 1886, veterans of the Battle of Gettysburg reunited in Gettysburg. Surviving members of the 1st Massachusetts gathered to unveil a monument on Emmitsburg Road, just south of the Rodgers house. The house still bore the scars of ferocious fighting, bringing back memories of Josephine’s kindness. The 1st  Massachusetts discovered Josephine was alive and living in Ohio, so they paid for her train passage and invited her to Gettysburg as their guest of honor. Josephine was awarded several military decorations and made an honorary member of the 3rd Corps, the only woman to achieve that distinction. Josephine Slyder and veterans from the Battle of Gettysburg in front of the 1st Mass Infantry Regiment monument – photo via Find a Grave Soldiers returned to the old farmhouse and retrieved Josephine’s stove, placing it in front of the regiment’s monument. Josephine was photographed along with many of the soldiers whom she had helped. Josephine died in 1911, but memories of her heroism and kindness have outlived her. If you would like to learn more about Josephine or the Battle of Gettysburg, search Newspapers.com™ today. Share using: