Imagine stepping back in time and witnessing a pivotal moment in history firsthand. That’s exactly what students at Genesis Christian Academy in Ashland, Ohio had the opportunity to do when Kenneth Hammontree, a history teacher at the academy, portrayed General George Washington and Mrs. Washington portrayed by Raylene Hlavaty share how Divine Providence saved the American Revolution, in “Crossing the Delaware River.”
How Divine Providence saved the American Revolution
Six months after the Declaration of Independence was brought before the world, the American Revolution was all but lost. A powerful British force had destroyed 90 percent of Washington’s army. What was left was driven across the New Jersey lands and the Delaware River. Panic and despair began to spread through the thirteen colonies. Washington realized that his options were all but gone and the American Revolution would be over by the new year of 1777.
The British and their mercenary allies the Germans had spread their troops across New Jersey in a series of garrisons for the winter which angered the area farmers and the local towns people. Together they rose up against the garrisons and began to harass them. Washington saw his opportunity to do something in saving his small army and the revolution. Having learned of General Howe’s chain of military garrisons after December 13, Washington was encouraged to strike one of them, finally settling on Trenton.
Washington came up with an insane plan that even his officers considered a suicidal mission. His small army of under 5,000 men, and boys (some as young as 14) would cross the wide Delaware river on Christmas day evening and march eight miles in a surprise attack the next morning on December 26, destroying the German/British troops stationed in Trenton. It was indeed a desperate gamble involving a momentous risk, and it failed all would be over for the American Revolution. Washington’s first concern was to protect the secrecy of the operation and gave it the code name “Victory or Death”. Not even his troops were aware when they lined up along the Delaware River where they were heading.
Cold, wet and miserable, the army landed on a frozen patch of New Jersey pasture land and regrouped. Nobody would have any trouble tracking the path of the Americans because of the blood from many of their feet left a clear trail in the fresh fallen snow. The attack on Trenton began at 0800 hours on December 26, 1776, and in less than two hours Washington’s small rag-tag army won a major victory and saved the American Revolution. The victory ranks as one of the great military feats of all time. Frederick the Great of Prussia call the crossing and the attack “the most brilliant in the world’s military history.” It was truly a Divine miracle and a Christmas to remember.
Raylene Hlavaty who also portrayed other women in history like Margaret J. Preston, Fanny Crosby, Abigail Adams, Jennie Wade, and Beatrix Potter. Raylene’s dedication to bringing history to life for the students at Genesis Christian Academy is truly remarkable. https://www.timelessvoicesohio.com/
In conclusion, witnessing history at Genesis Christian Academy is an experience like no other. Through immersive reenactments and passionate portrayals by a dedicated teacher like Kenneth Hammontree and historian like Raylene Hlavaty, students have the opportunity to step back in time and gain a deeper understanding of the events that shaped our nation. By bringing history to life in such a unique and engaging way, Genesis Christian Academy is truly making a difference in the education of its students.
Imagine stepping back in time and witnessing a pivotal moment in history firsthand. That’s exactly what students at Genesis Christian Academy in Ashland, Ohio had the opportunity to do when Kenneth Hammontree, a history teacher at the academy, portrayed Martin Luther and the Reformation on October 31, 1517. This immersive experience allowed the students to gain a deeper understanding of the remarkable events and a day in history.
Martin Luther: The Key Figure of the Protestant Revolution
Whatever opinion one holds regarding the value of Luther’s reformatory work, he is by common consent the key figure in the Protestant Revolution that changed the course of the church and all of Europe. On October 31, 1517, there was only one Protestant – Martin Luther. A few years later, there were millions. The violent explosion known as the Reformation split the church of the 16th century into a number of segments, of which the Lutheran Church is one.
The Start of the Reformation: Luther’s 95 Theses
The Reformation began on the eve of All Souls’ Day, October 31, 1517. On that day, Martin Luther, professor of Biblical studies at the newly founded University of Wittenberg in Germany, announced a disputation on indulgences. He stated his argument in 95 Theses. Though they were heavily academic and moderate in tone, news of them spread like wildfire throughout Europe. All marveled that one obscure Augustinian Monk, a Black Friar of the Augustinian Hermits to be exact, from an unknown university had stirred the whole of Europe.
Luther’s Stand Against the Roman Catholic Church
Luther saw that the trade in indulgences was wholly unwarranted by Holy Scripture, reason, or tradition. His contemporaries knew at once that Luther had touched the exposed nerve of the Roman Catholic Church. Christian Europe was never the same again. Luther was excommunicated by the Pope in 1520 and finally outlawed by the Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521. Luther’s dramatic stand against both the Pope and Emperor fired the imagination of all Europe.
The Birth of the Protestant Movement
In 1529, at the Diet of Speyer, the Emperor Charles V attempted to stop Luther’s movement by force. However, some of the princes of the various German states stood up in ‘protest’. The movement, which intended to reform Catholicism from within, separated and became known as the Protestant movement. However, in the end, Luther’s movement split the Christian Church in Europe.
The Life and Journey of Martin Luther
Martin Luther, the great German Reformer, was born in Eisleben as the son of a peasant and studied law at the University of Erfurt. In 1505, he joined the Augustinian Hermits in Erfurt, and after taking a dramatic vow during a terrible thunderstorm experienced a sudden conversion. Luther was ordained in 1507 and after studying theology and law, he was sent to the University of Wittenberg. There, he soon became a Biblical Bachelor and Sententiary in 1509, and later, a Doctor of Theology.
Luther’s Opposition to Indulgences
During a visit to Rome, Luther became acquainted with the heathenish life of the Roman Curia. Luxury and license were everywhere as he realized, as never before, the uses that were being made of the vast sums of money extorted each year from the German people and Church. The Elector and Archbishop Albert of Mainz had made an arrangement with Leo X to raise a large sum of money by the sale of indulgences. Luther’s main thrust at first was not to break away from the mother church but to eliminate indulgences and corrupt preachers such as Tetzel.
Luther’s Stand for a Translated Bible
In 1518, Luther’s 95 Theses were condemned by the Pope and Luther was summoned to Rome. Luther refused to recant on all issues unless his ideas could be refuted on scriptural grounds. For his own safety, he was seized and taken to the Wartburg Castle under the protection of Frederick of Saxony. There, in the castle, he devoted his energies to translating the New Testament into German so that the Bible might be read by all. Luther opened up a new world for the average person to read and understand the Bible in their language, German. He affirmed the final authority of a self-interpreted Bible and rejected non-scriptural beliefs held by the Church.
In conclusion, the portrayal of Martin Luther and the Reformation on October 31, 1517, performed by Kenneth Hammontree at Genesis Christian Academy in Ashland, Ohio, provided students with a unique opportunity to witness a significant moment in history. Luther’s role as the key figure in the Protestant Revolution and his stand against the Roman Catholic Church shaped the course of Christianity and European society. Through his translations of the Bible, Luther empowered the common man to read and understand scripture, challenging the authority of the Church. These events continue to have a profound impact on religious and cultural practices to this day.
Imagine stepping back in time and witnessing a pivotal moment in history firsthand. That’s exactly what students at Genesis Christian Academy in Ashland, Ohio had the opportunity to do when Kenneth Hammontree, a history teacher at the academy, portrayed General Eisenhower and delivered a dramatic speech about the D-Day Landings. This immersive experience allowed the students to gain a deeper understanding of the remarkable events that unfolded on that fateful day in history.
On the evening of July 6, 1944, General Eisenhower addressed the international press corps that had been flown across the English Channel for an exclusive press conference. This was Eisenhower’s first public comments on the June 6th D-Day invasion, also known as Operation Overlord, and its success. The D-Day landings marked the beginning of the end for Hitler’s Third Reich and the reign of terror in Europe.
Operation Overlord was not only an astonishing military operation but also a logistical triumph. It involved putting ashore on the Normandy beaches a staggering number of personnel and equipment. A total of 176,475 men, 3,000 artillery pieces, 1,500 tanks, and 15,000 assorted vehicles were deployed. Additionally, close to 8,000 fighting ships, merchant ships, and assault crafts were committed to the entire invasion force, accompanied by 10,500 air sorties. The scale of this operation was unprecedented.
Before the D-Day landings, Allied commanders privately expressed their concerns to Eisenhower, predicting that as many as 12,000 men could be killed in the first 24 hours of the assault. They even feared that the invasion could be repelled, pushing the Allied forces back into the sea. Despite these grim predictions, the actual casualties were lower than anticipated. Less than 6,600 American soldiers were killed on D-Day, with the total casualties for the Allies at 8,422. In contrast, the Germans suffered over 9,000 casualties in just 24 hours. The success of the invasion can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the highly intricate Allied deception plans and the breaking of the Enigma Code, which led Hitler and his military staff to believe that the invasion would occur at Pas-De-Calais.
Kenneth Hammontree, a dedicated teacher at Genesis Christian Academy, brought General Eisenhower to life during his portrayal. With an exceptional grasp of historical facts and an ability to capture Eisenhower’s demeanor, Hammontree transported students back to that momentous day in history. Through his portrayal, students gained a deeper appreciation for the courage and determination displayed by the Allied forces during the D-Day landings.
It is vital for students to not only read about history in textbooks but also to have opportunities to experience it firsthand. Kenneth Hammontree’s portrayal of General Eisenhower provided Genesis Christian Academy students with a unique and immersive learning experience. By witnessing history come alive through Hammontree’s passionate depiction, students were able to connect with the events of the past on a deeper level. This unforgettable learning experience will undoubtedly stay with them for years to come.
The portrayal of General Eisenhower by Kenneth Hammontree at Genesis Christian Academy offered students a remarkable opportunity to witness history firsthand. By delving into the details of the D-Day landings, students gained a newfound appreciation for the immense scale and significance of Operation Overlord. Thanks to Hammontree’s dedicated portrayal, students were able to step into the shoes of those who shaped history, experiencing the courage and sacrifices of the brave individuals who fought for a better future. This immersive learning experience reaffirms the importance of bringing history alive in the classroom and inspiring the next generation to value the lessons of the past.
Step into the captivating world of Genesis Christian Academy History class, where teacher Ken Hammontree brings the past to life with an audacious twist.
In Genesis Christian Academy’s history classes, the teaching method employed by their dedicated teacher takes education to the next level.
As Ken Hammontree, the history teacher, walked through the doors at Genesis Christian Academy, dressed and looking like Tecumseh, it was as if a spark ignited within the students. Their eyes lit up, and fingers eagerly pointed in astonishment.
Addressing the class in a professional tone of voice, Ken Hammontree began sharing the captivating story of Tecumseh.
He conveyed, “Although Tecumseh, The Panther crossing the sky, met his untimely fate at the Battle of Thames in 1813, and his vision of a great Indian Confederacy was shattered, his reputation as a remarkable leader remains etched in history.”
With an air of authenticity, Ken Hammontree transported his students back in time, enabling them to witness the struggles faced by Tecumseh and his people, the Shawnees. He elucidated upon Tecumseh’s critical juncture in the spring of 1813 when only two options lay before him and his tribe: assimilate into the white man’s culture or resist until their ultimate demise in battle.
Neither alternative appeared appealing to Tecumseh; nevertheless, with unyielding courage, he and the remaining members of his pan-Indian confederation chose to fight fiercely against the corrupt culture imposed by the white man.
This immersive and personalized teaching approach employed by Ken Hammontree further enhances the students’ understanding and appreciation of historical events, instilling within them a profound connection to the past.
George Washington used many spies during the American Revolution. However, thanks to a little-known top-secret group, called the Culper Spy Ring, Washington out spied the powerful British army. Washington realized that he couldn’t beat the British with military might, so he recruited a sophisticated intelligence network to infiltrate the British army.
Washington carefully guarded the secret six member’s identities with a number. Names were never used under any circumstances. Even after the war those few who knew the Culper secret kept a very closed lid. Who were these five men and one woman, who carried out the most intense spy ring in the history of our country?
Caleb Brewster was a first-class longshoreman, using his intimidating physical size to make himself a regular nuisance to the British. Brewster knew the coves and waterways, slipping out of the reach of the British. Brewster and his men rowed without a sound, around the British ships to Connecticut, where they handed off the secret letters to Tallmadge and Washington.
James Rivington was the owner of a coffeehouse and print shop where British officers talked military plans and secret military orders. Robert Townsend, a Quaker, was a shop owner in New York City who gathered the military information in Manhattan and handed it off to Austin Roe and Abraham Woodhull. Austin Roe was a tavern keeper who risked his life every day, transferring military information. Abraham Woodhull, a small farmer on Long Island at the time, traveled back and forth to New York city, gathering secret information. Finally, there was agent 355, a woman whose identity remains unknown, even to this day, assisted in transferring military information. She represents all covert agents whose true identities will never be known.
The greatest contribution of the Culper Ring was preventing Benedict Arnold from carrying out his act of treachery, in surrendering West Point and capturing Washington.
The secret six also were responsible in delivering Yorktown to Washington. Washington was torn between attacking New York city or marching to Yorktown. Fortunately, another informer outside the Culper Ring, by the name of Allen McLane, came in contact with James Rivington, owner of the coffee house who was still fraternizing with British Officers and who managed to procure a copy of the entire British naval code book. Rivington passed it on to McLane, who rushed it on to Washington, who in turn rushed it off to Admiral de Grasse’s and the French navy. The rest is history. All were aware now, that General Clinton would not be bringing his army by sea to Yorktown and that the French Navy would be blocking any efforts of General Cornwallis’s escape.
The Culper Ring was made up of ordinary citizens, performing extraordinary feats of heroism that saved a revolution, created a new Country, and changed the course of history.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Duty, Honor, and County
These three words are inscribed at the U.S. academy at West Point. These three words inspired a young cadet named Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur went on to defeat the Japanese in WWII. He never forgot those words from West Point.
What motivates a man or a woman to give his or her life for their country? I am led back to the three words that motivated a man to defeat the powerful imperial forces of Japan. “Duty, honor, and country.” Our nation has been blessed since 1776 with George Washington’s army, because of the brave soldiers, who like Jesus Christ, willingly laid down their lives for the sake of freedom, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The names of George Fox, Alexander Goode, Clark Poling, and John Washington may not be found in our school history books, however, the names of these four men and the many they exemplify should be written in the history of our hearts as Americans for generations to come.
Who were these men who gave all?
George Fox
George Fox was a Methodist minister from Altoona Pa. In 1917, with the outbreak of WWI George lied about his age and enlisted in the Marine Medical Corps. He won the Silver Star and the Purple Heart by the end of the war. After the war, Fox went on to Moody Bible Institute and Boston University School of Theology. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Fox enlisted to serve as a chaplain, “With no second thoughts. I never looked back,” he said to a friend.
Alexander Goode
Goode was born in Brooklyn and joined the National Guard when he turned 17. After High School. Alexander followed in his father’s footsteps and became a rabbi at Temple Beth Israel. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Goode enrolled to be a chaplain. While he was in training, he met and made friends with Poling, Washington, and Fox.
Clark Poling
Poling was from Columbus Ohio and a member of the Dutch Reformed church. As a young man Poling went to Hope College to study for the ministry. Later he would attend Yale Divinity School. After Pearl Harbor, Poling decided to become a chaplain. Just before he left for the war he asked his father, “do not pray for a safe return, but pray that I will do my sacred duty, and never be a coward in the face of death.”
John Washington
John was from Newark, N.J. and born into the family of poor Irish immigrants. John was tough and became a leader of a street gang, “The Twelfth Street Boys,” in Newark. After becoming an altar boy in his local Catholic Church, he felt a call into the priesthood. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, John Washington made the decision to become a chaplain.
On Feb. 2, 1943, Captain Danielson of Convoy SG-19 and the ship Dorchester (once a luxury coastal liner) was concerned and cautions that the ship was entering dangerous waters. The Dorchester had been converted for military service and now was passing through waters known as “Torpedo junction.”
Four German U-boats were detected by means of sonar and the alert was sent for Air support. However, the support could not make it to the Dorchester in time. The captain ordered all crew and soldiers to sleep with their clothing on, and with their life jackets buckled. Many disobeyed the orders, who were sleeping in the ships hold, because of the intense engine heat.
At 0100 on Feb. 3, 1943, 100 miles off the coast of Greenland, the ship’s bell sounded twice, after a German U-boats U-223 had been sited. Immediately the ship was STRUCK WITH 3 TORPEDOES. Two struck the starboard side and one missed. The captain gave orders to abandon ship. Life boats were launched, but only two life boats out of fourteen made a successful launch. The other rafts, tossed into the sea, drifted away before many of the soldiers could use them.
The waters of the Arctic were frigid. Many arrived on the deck without life jackets as the chaplains gave out spare jackets from the lockers on deck. Soon the spare jackets ran out. At this point in the story, it is not known which chaplain started the heroic gesture. They heard the cries of the men in the water who lost their jacket and could not swim.
History does not tell us which chaplain was the first one to give up his jacket. Furthermore, it is not important because he would not want his name to be known. He was a man of: “Sacred Duty, Honor, and Country.” They all gave their jackets away for the sake of others.
The four chaplains were last seen huddled on the upper deck of the Dorchester in prayer, after giving words of encouragement to those around them. One eyewitness, John Ladd, said of the four huddled in prayer: “It was the finest thing I have ever seen this side of heaven.” Twenty-seven minutes after the Dorchester was struck it sank. The chaplains only had a few minutes to decide to show no greater love, on that day of February 3, 1943.
With passengers and crew, the Dorchester carried 902. After the ship sank 675 died and only 227 survived. On July 14, 1960, the US Congress, by act of law, created the “Four Chaplains Medal.” The chaplains also received the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart. These heroic men, like so many others who bravely served our nation throughout its history, paid the ultimate price to ensure that others might have life.
We will never know the number of people who benefited from their sacrifice. Neither can we ever know the number of people who have benefited from the sacrifices of the thousands who gave their lives since 1776. However, we do know this: unlike the unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery… known only to God, our four chaplains are known.
“Valor is a gift,” Carl Sandburg once said. “Those having it never know for sure they have it until the test comes.” That night, those four chaplains became an enduring example of extraordinary faith, courage, and selflessness.
As Adolf Hitler and the Nazis seduced Germany, bullied a continent, and attempted to exterminate the Jews from Europe, a small number of clergy and saboteurs worked to destroy the Third Reich from inside. One such clergy was Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor.
How does one person take a stand against tyranny and evil? How does a nation come under the spell of oppression and an evil government that can even control the churches? It can happen anywhere.
I remember reading about Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship, as required, in a course of study. It is impossible to understand Bonhoeffer’s stand against Hitler without becoming acquainted with the shocking capitulation of the German church to Hitler in the late 1930’s.
One must ask, how could the church of Martin Luther, of the reformation, the great teacher of the gospel of Christ and grace, have ever come to such an evil place. Even the Roman Catholic church who always supported the sanctity of life became silent.
The answer is that the true historical gospel summed up by Bonhoeffer as costly grace with a price had been over the years lost in the German churches. Legalism, and ritualism had taken over the church. Legalism and cold ritualism made it possible for Hitler to achieve his goals.
The Nazis loved legalism, ritualism, and control and that made it very easy for them to take control of every aspect of society. At the beginning of the war, it was possible to separate the Nazis from the German people and recognize that not all Germans supported Hitler and the Nazi party.
As the war trudged on, and there was more destruction and death, world opinion began to turn against the German people. How could this evil be stopped?
Who better to face the greatest evil of the 20th century than a humble and devout man of God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the theologian, pastor and spy with the moral courage to stand up against this monstrous evil.
The problem that he faced, was that he now was in the safety of America miles away from the evil spreading across Europe. He became concerned that the churches in Germany were supporting the new order and reset. The Nazis now controlled every aspect of the German nation. Red banners bearing the black swastika hung from the pulpits and services began with a fervent “Heil Hitler!”
Bonhoeffer knew he had to return to his homeland Germany, however in doing so could mean a death sentence for him. After returning to Germany on the last boat from New York to his beloved country he found out that all teachers and ministers had to give the oath of obedience to Adolf Hitler.
He decided to resign his university post and for two years went underground with a clandestine seminary for his “confessing Church,” a small minority of German pastors opposed to Hitler.
A relative working for the German counterintelligence discovered what the Nazis were up to in relation with the Jews and about the death camps all across Europe. He realized that Hitler had to be destroyed to stop the mass killings. Bonhoeffer was asked to assist in the plot and became involved with the Valkyrie plot to kill Hitler. It was also at that time, that Bonhoeffer was part of operation U7 in the effort to smuggle Jews into neutral Switzerland.
With the unsuccessful attempt on Hitler’s life on July 20, 1944, by Claus Von Stauffenberg, General Olbtricht and Henning Von Tresckow, Bonhoeffer realized that it was only a matter of time before the SS would come to him at Tegel Prison, where he was being held in Cell 92 for his activity with the underground church and operation U7.
It was during his time at Tegel that he corresponded with his family, friends, and Maria his fiancé. In 1992 Maria’s letters between her and Dietrich were published in a book called “Love Letters from Cell 92.”
After he was sent to a Gestapo prison, his letters to the outside world ceased.
As the Allies closed in on Berlin, he was transported to the concentration camp at Buchenwald. In those last weeks of the war Dietrich brought faith and peace to countless prisoners. When Hitler realized that his “thousand-year-Reich” was truly coming to an end, he drew up a list of inmates who must die before the Allies arrived. Bonhoeffer was top of the list.
As the Americans were nearing Buchenwald, Bonhoeffer was transported to Flossenburg death camp, on April 8th, 1945. The prisoners knew they had arrived at Flossenburg from the stench of death where the ovens could not keep up with the dead.
On April 9th, Bonhoeffer was executed by hanging with piano wire along with five others who were involved with the plot to kill Hitler. Two weeks later, on July 23, 1945, General Patton’s Third Armored division rode into Flossenburg, and liberated the death camp. In the following week, Hitler along with his wife Eva Braun committed suicide and the war was over.
The camp doctor wrote in his report of the execution of Bonhoeffer, “he said a short prayer and then climbed the steps to the gallows… and died well.” Bonhoeffer was one of many Germans who took a stand against Hitler knowing it was a death sentence.
Over 5,000 men and women died in the effort to rid Germany of the evil with the Valkyrie plot. The destruction and death of over 65 million souls could have been avoided if the German people would have become aware of the evil taking over their country. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
Kenneth Hammontree is a WWII historian and writer from Ashland, Ohio
On Thursday, January 26th, at 6:30pm, the Ashland County Historical Society, 2023 Speaker Series, hosted Ken Hammontree as Johnny Appleseed. This event was held in the Freer Home, located at 1260 Center Street.
It is often debated whether or not Johnny Appleseed, sometimes known as John Chapman, was a real person, or if he is just a beloved folklore character. But Johnny Appleseed was in fact a real individual.
John Chapman is truly an incredibly interesting character in our local history, and we love to hear Mr. Hammontree tell his story.
With this article, we will begin a series of strange stories of civilians during the Civil War. The Civil War was a time of great tragedy for the United States and great drama, with over 675,000 deaths. Today, we will focus on a small, but poignant story, from the pivotal battle of the three-day conflict, in and around Gettysburg, in July of 1863.
Twenty-year-old, Mary Virginia, “Jennie” Wade was helping her mother knead dough for biscuits in her sister’s little brick home. Right amid the fighting she was struck down by a misdirected bullet of a Confederate soldier. Unknown to Jennie, her childhood sweetheart, Corporal Jack Skelly, was suffering with wounds inflicted during the battle of Carter’s Woods, from which he would soon die.
Jennie, the only civilian to perish during the battle, is remembered for her courage and bravery, at a time when she could have been hiding in the cellar like most of the town civilians, seeking shelter from lead flying in every direction. Instead, Jennie chose to help Union soldiers, who found retreat outside of the sister’s brick home, by bringing water and bread for those wounded and hungry.
On the morning of her tragic death, on July 3rd, 1863, in the pocket of the apron she was wearing, a photograph of Union soldier, Jack Skelly, was found. There are several different viewpoints held regarding the true nature of the relationship between Jack and Jennie. There is the belief that Jack and Jennie were intended to be married, but that their lives were both cut tragically short before they could be married. The other view suggests that Jack and Jennie were very close friends who grew up together, who may or may not have had a relationship beyond that.
Jennie’s sister Georgia McCellan always said that Jennie and Jack had become engaged in the spring of 1863, with secret plans to marry in September of that year, when Jack obtained a furlough from the Army.
On March 8th, 1862, Jennie writes, “I have grieved myself so much about you, for the last eighteen months, and I really think you are getting cold towards me, but Jack, never will my love change.” In that same letter, she responds to the idea that Jack may be staying in the service for five more years, and did not receive the information very well.
Her letters show in her own words, in the six letters that have survived, that she was in love with Jack and was waiting for him to return home from the war. However, there are other letters from Jennie that reveal to Jack that she had other suitors, which she did not like. It was only her mother who was trying to marry her off, to a soldier of wealth from the East coast. It is difficult to enter the thoughts and conversations of people, over 150 years ago.
But this we do know. Before the war Jennie and Jack’s close friend Wesley Culp went to Virginia to obtain work. When the war began Wesley joined a Confederate regiment and fought for the south.
In the early morning, of June 15th, 1863, Jack Skelly was one of the soldiers wounded and then captured by the Rebels in the Battle of Carter’s Woods, near Winchester Virginia. During his regiment’s attempt to retreat from the Confederates, Jack was struck by a mini ball, which went through his upper arm. He was taken prisoner and then brought to the Taylor House Hospital in Winchester.
On July 12th, 1863, 22-year-old Jack died from his wounds. In all probability, it was the negligence of his surgeon, that may have contributed to his death. It was eleven days after the battle in his hometown of Gettysburg had begun, and nine days after the deaths of both of his childhood friends, Jennie Wade and Wesley Culp.
One can only guess that Jack may have been too unwell to know of what had occurred between the North and the South, in the town of his birth, as well as the tragic fate of his two friends, both of which were killed during the battle of Gettysburg.
What took place after Jack was wounded is one of those strange happenings in war that cannot be explained. As Wesley Culp’s Confederate regiment began to move out toward Pennsylvania, Wesley stopped to check in on a fellow soldier at the Taylor Hospital before he left.
As Wesley was leaving the hospital room, he could not believe his eyes. There on the floor, lying on a bed of straw by the open door, was his close friend Jack Skelly of Gettysburg. As he knelt by his friend, Jack opened his eyes in amazement, seeing Wesley.
They had not seen one another since Wesley left for Virginia three years ago. What are the chances of Wesley finding his friend Jack among the hundreds of wounded lying about in that hospital.
Although Jack could not write, he wanted to get a letter to Jennie and his mother in Gettysburg saying that he was wounded but alive and hoping to recover. Jack asked if he could dedicate a letter. According to Jennie’s sister, Georgia, the message that Wesley was carrying back to Gettysburg from Jack, was to include a marriage proposal for Jennie.
Wesley said his goodbyes and placed the letter in his coat pocket to give to Jack’s mother. At this time Wesley had no idea that his army would end up in Gettysburg.
During the battle in Gettysburg, the Confederates controlled the town, which gave Wesley an opportunity to visit Jack’s mother behind Confederate lines and tell her about the letter from Jack. When asked for the letter, Wesley refused saying he promised Jack to give it to Jennie personally, however, he did share some of the information contained in the letter.
On July 3rd, around 8:30 am, outside of Gettysburg, at the crest of Culp’s Hill, Wesley Culp was killed and buried in an unmarked grave with the other confederate dead.
Contained in Wesley’s coat was the letter dedicated from Jack to Jennie and his mother. Several days later, his family tried to locate the grave site to retrieve the letter. Before the Confederates left Gettysburg, Friends of Wesley stopped by his parents’ house and informed them of his death and where they could find the body. They never recovered his body or the letter.
Love, during War, has always had a way about it in producing weird and unusually human-interest stories. The true story of the romance between Jack Skelly and Jennie Wade is one of many.
In the next article we will continue to relate true human-interest stories of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Facts for this article were from Ken Hammontree’s book “There Was a Time”.
Joe Lyons •
February 21, 2024
George Washington used many spies during the American Revolution. However, thanks to a little-known top-secret group, called the Culper Spy Ring, Washington out spied the powerful British army. Washington realized that he couldn’t beat the British with military might, so he recruited a sophisticated intelligence network to infiltrate the British army.
As Adolf Hitler and the Nazis seduced Germany, bullied a continent, and attempted to exterminate the Jews from Europe, a small number of clergy and saboteurs worked to destroy the Third Reich from inside. One such clergy was Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor.
