Perhaps you have ther following information, but I will post it to add to this discussion.
On June 27, 1863, the 5th Alabama Infantry Regiment left Shippensburg and had a very hard march of 25 miles to Carlisle. They left the turnpike and travelled down a muddy, clay, road, passing through the towns of Leesburg, Centerville and several smaller ones. Near Carlisle, O’Neil’s Brigade took the Baltimore Turnpike which formed an acute angle with the road they had been walking on. They went out a mile or more, then turned on another road and camped in a large orchard about two miles from town. The men were all quite fatigued. Pickets were set out on the road and all were sure that an attack on the Pennsylvania State Capital, Harrisburg, was imminent. Private Jeremiah Tate of Company H wrote the following in a letter home. “We have had a fine time and past over some of the finest country I ever seen. We have past through Franklin County and is near the center of Cumberland. In one more day we will reach the capitol of the state. That is at Harrisburg, it is reported that we will meet a large force of Militia there. We may attack the place in a few days and we may not. No one knows except the generals. I think the object is to pass through the country and destroy all the government property that they can find, such as government works, railroads, etc…..”
The following day, June 28, 1863, the men remained camped along the Baltimore Pike. Major Blackford provides some insight. “Here we are away up in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, how strange it seems. I can scarcely realize that a rebel army has actually left poor old Virginia for a season at least and is now living upon the substance of its enemies. In my letter to Laurey I gave a circumstantial account of our route as far as Chambersburg – from that point we marched to Shippensburg, a large town, and thence 25 miles in one day to this city, which is by far handsomest we have yet seen. The valley thro’ which we have moved is diversely populated, being quite unlike anything in our own country. But what a population, almost entirely Dutchmen with immense barns and small …. dwelling houses. All drink “lager” and eat “sauer-kraut” from one year’s end to the other. Of course there is no end of milk and butter, which our soldiers enjoy hugely, besides these, there are an innumerable number of…chickens our men have stolen at sometimes, with which exception, our Army has behaved with much more propriety than I have ever observed in Virginia. This I mention because I know it will please you. You know my…..already, I have seen too much misery……upon my own dear old state by these miscreants, not to wish for a more rigorous policy. The inhabitants were more terribly scared as we advanced than I could have ever imagined, their own troops knowing the outrages they were in the habit of committing in Va. had told them that we were coming up the valley burning, plundering, laying waste, & committing every species of outrage. Our Division has been far in the advance ever since leaving Culpepper C.H. and for some days was the only one in Penn., so I have had ample opportunities of seeing the… manifested by the enemy. In many places when we would go up to a house asking civilly for butter, eggs, etc., the women of the house would dash out screaming, …asking us to take everything but not to murder the children. Think of a great Dutch woman, large enough to…..me in as much, begging your son not to murder the child she has at her breast and actually in her gratitude, refusing to take any compensation for her butter and eggs! All we leave behind have a very different idea of the rebels from that entertained by them before. Everybody who could escape has done so, so there are but comparatively….few people along our route tho’….as many now as we would see in Virginia. I was in hopes that I would have been able to buy many things that you need at home, but we are not allowed to buy things unless the owners are willing to take Confederate money. Such opportunities do not often occur of course, but when they do I always interested to avail myself of them. Very many…present themselves to the Quarter Masters who do the impressing business on Government accounts. While attending to this they obtain everything that they can possibly want and ….of rascality is carried on. I know one or two of these ….well and could get them to buy anything that you need. Let me know as soon as possible what thing you want and I will buy them….chance for an opportunity to send them home. Today I had a fair chance at a first class hardware store but did not know what to buy that would be useful to you or ours, except a pair of scissors. We here in the field have but few wants & they are supplied in time of battle by the stores captured from the enemy. I have bought a dress and trimmings for Mary J. also shoes, gloves, and yesterday I bought hair… & hooks ….without number, tho’ I do not know whether they are needed or not. Some Yankee girls who were in the store seemed highly amused, and wondered very audibly ….what the rebel officer could want with such things. I took occasion to remark that they were for as staunch a rebel woman as any
in the South. Tis charming to be in the Advance as we have been ever since this move commenced. You cannot appreciate this, but I cannot help …this an unfailing source of comfort to me to …Old Virginia is almost entirely free from the Yankees….may she so remain. Poor Hooker hugs Washington City ….and dares not come…..leaving us at liberty to do as we please here. Our Quartermaster Department is impressing many stores necessary for our Army. ….us of horses and cattle, sheep, hogs, & have been …towards Va. besides the…..number received to supply our own Army. At Chambersburg 600 ….of paper were taken in one establishment. These things are all receipted for, which receipt will be honoured by the U.S. government hereafter, so that the people lose nothing individually. Tho’ I am in such high spirits …flattering prospects, I think as much as ever of you all at home and even more as the prospect of seeing you all once more is but small. I had received kind letters from Ben Lauty today, written 5th June – he asks me about my practical welfare in very touching terms. I wish I would ….it, but he is on the march, and a letter from…to see…would be lost. Direct always to 5th Ala. Infantry, Rodes Brigade, Rodes’ Division, A. N. V. and I will….. (Letter of Major Eugene Blackford) The men had a well deserved rest for the next couple of days.
Speculation as to the Army’s next move was the conversation amongst most of the men. The majority were quite sure that Harrisburg was the next stop. Major Blackford thought not. “I have no idea whether we will go to Harrisburg 18 miles hence or not. It seems to me that we have nothing to gain by taking the city, as all the stores have been removed, so I am inclined to think that we will turn to the right and cut thro the Northern Central R.R. thereby forcing Hooker to come out and give Lee battle on his own chose ground or else lose Baltimore.”