GETTYSBURG SCHOOLHOUSE HOSPITAL LETTER A rare war-date Gettysburg resident letter, 3pp. 8vo., written in ink by School Director T. D. Carson, Gettysburg, Pa., Aug. 4, 1863 to Union Surgeon Henry Janes concerning the removal of wounded soldiers from the Union Public school house located in the center of town. In part: "The board of school directors of this district feel embarrassed by the occupancy of the large school building as a hospital. As loyal citizens, willing to...comfort...our wounded soldiers, we do not object to the...occupancy of the school buildings except as it seriously affects the public. Indeed, there is no building in the town whose use for this purpose could make as much public inconvenience...all our teachers (most whom are in dependent circumstances) [are] thrown out of employment...all the children of the borough, numbering four hundred are thrown upon the streets and deprived of school privileges. Even if the [school] Board could procure other buildings...it would be impossible to fit them up as all our school furniture is specially adapted to the school buildings for which it was made. We...represent to you these facts...that you will...if at all consistent with the health of the patients...secure their removal at an early day. A few weeks before the recent battle, the board had contracted for some material changes in the upper floor...work was in progress at the time the battle occurred...it [is] desirable to know at what time you purpose to vacate the building in order that we may instruct the contractor to make arrangements to complete the work... ". From the onset of fighting on July 1, 1863, Gettysburg and its citizens saw their world turned upside down. After three days of fierce fighting the opposing armies withdrew from the fields surrounding Gettysburg and her citizens were left with the wounded and maimed soldiers of both armies. Countless buildings, both public and private, were converted into makeshift hospitals. Within one month of the end of fighting the following letter reveals that the school board of the town of Gettysburg was tired of what they termed as an "embarrassing" situation of having their main school building being used as a hospital. Docketed on the verso by Janes, reading, in part: "...answered that the house will be vacated probably by the end of next week... ". In reality it wasn't until nearly one month after this letter was written that the school house was evacuated by the Union army. From the personal papers of Union Surgeon Henry Janes who was given command of the Union hospitals surrounding Gettysburg after the army was withdrawn. Near fine. $1,000-1,200