Happy Hallow Eve from 1861

"Jeff Davis Reaping the Harvest"
Harper's Weekly, 10/26/1861

Not knowing much about the history of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to check into what festivities might have looked like 150 years ago in Lancaster.  As it turns out, the holiday had gained widespread awareness by 1861, especially "as a carnival of fun by the rising generation." Besides party games like bobbing for apples and its more sinister cousin involving a lit candle described in the link below, it appears tricks were emphasized more than treats by the generation whose older brothers went off to fight as soldiers.      

The subject of Halloween also provides a good occasion to highlight the utility of the PA Civil War Newspapers Project.  My simple research question of the history of Halloween got me a preliminary answer within a matter of seconds.  Of course, serious historical analysis would require much more work in interpretation, but it's a pretty good start.

If you want to learn more yourself about Halloween, go to the PA Civil War Newspapers Project and try the following searches: Halloween, "Hallow E'en", and "Hallow Eve".

In my PA Civil War Newspapers Project searching, I found a three-paragraph description of "Hallow Eve" in the November 5, 1861, Lancaster Intelligencer (click the link to view).  I also found a similar description in the October 31, 1861, Daily Evening Express, which is not available online, so I have posted it below (alternate link):


By the way, if you want to read the poem referenced in both articles, it is Halloween by Robert Burns.

'Here in an Isolated Place': 'E.H.W.' from Camp Nevin

Camp Nevin (HW 12/7/1861)

It's now three days and three letters published from the 79th Pennsylvania's new camp, Camp Nevin, Hardin County, Kentucky.  This letter, by Corp. Elias H. Witmer, touches on many of the same topics as the previous letters by O.C.M. Caines and W. Wilberforce Nevin, so I won't add much too it.  The only thing to notice is the issue of how the citizens of Kentucky and Tennessee--loyal and "secesh"--respond to the presence of Union armies there. Interactions with the civilian population of Kentucky and Tennessee town will play an important role in the regiment's history over the first two years of the war, especially because the 79th Pennsylvania spent much of its first two years of the war running around those two states on detached duty attempting to protect towns and railroads.

From the November 2, 1861, Daily Evening Express: (alternate link)

'Our Present Duty is to Work': A Letter from Camp

From Hardtack and Coffee

Today's letter introduces us to a fourth semi-regular correspondent from the 79th Pennsylvania to Lancaster's newspapers, Lieut. William Wilberforce Nevin.  You might (rightly) recognize the surname "Nevin" for its connections to other aspects of Lancaster's history, but I'll postpone my biography of Wilberforce Nevin for another week.

On October 24, the Lancaster County Regiment boarded trains in Louisville and traveled a little over 50 miles south on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, passing camps along the way to arrive at Camp Nevin (no relation).  They arrived late at night, prepared fires, and spent the night on the ground before laying out camp the next day.  Their six-week stay at Camp Nevin allowed the regiment's soldiers their first real taste of army life, including their first issuance of ammunition, target shooting, and various drills overseen by Col. Hambright.  [WTC] 

From the November 1, 1861, Daily Evening Express: (alternative link)

'J.H.S.' Letter: The Battle of Camp Wildcat

J. Hale Sypher
(Library of Congress)

I've mentioned that I hope to post not only letters from the 79th Pennsylvania on this website, but also letters from others in the Civil War's western theater who wrote to Lancaster newspapers.  It is from one of those other soldiers that the Daily Evening Express published its first letter with a first-hand description of combat.

The author was Lieut. Jacob Hale Sypher, commanding one section (two of the six cannon) of Battery B, 1st Ohio Light Artillery.  He penned his account on October 27, 1861, of the Battle of Camp Wildcat, Kentucky, that took place a week earlier.  Total casualties numbered less than 100 in this minor action that was considered a Union victory.  J. Hale Sypher's connection to Lancaster was his brother, Josiah R. Sypher, whom I've mentioned in other posts and who was about to take over as the Daily Evening Express's local news editor.

Flag of Battery B, 1st O.V.L.A. (Source)

At a future date we'll hear more of J. Hale Sypher when his artillery section went on a small expedition with the 79th Pennsylvania.  J. Hale Sypher also had an interesting career later in the war and during Reconstruction.  He would go on to be Colonel of the 11th United States Colored Heavy Artillery.  Sypher moved to Louisiana after the war where he bought a plantation, studied law, and was elected to Congress as a Republican.

From the November 4, 1861, Daily Evening Express: (alternate link)