Gettysburg Campaign
Wrightsville, York County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Confederate troops, sent from York by Gen. Early to cross the river and march on Harrisburg, reached here June 28, 1863. U.S. militia withdrew, firing the bridge and barring any Southern advance beyond the river.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
On June 28, 1863, Confederate troops sent by General Jubal Early reached Wrightsville, aiming to cross the mile-long Susquehanna bridge and press on toward Harrisburg, the state capital. Rather than let the enemy over the river, retreating Union militia set the great covered bridge ablaze. The flames barred the Confederate advance and marked the farthest eastward reach of Lee's invasion.
Why it matters
The burning of the Wrightsville bridge halted the Confederacy's drive on Harrisburg and stands as the easternmost point reached by Lee's army in the Gettysburg Campaign.
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Related people
- · Jubal Early
Related events
- · Burning of the Columbia–Wrightsville Bridge, 1863
- · Gettysburg Campaign, 1863
Themes & tags
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