11. News of the Confederate seizure of blacks reached Gettysburg
Lee’s army approached Gettysburg from several directions, including one section from north of the town. As it did, news of its treatment of blacks it encountered preceded the appearance of the advanced units. Free blacks and escaped slaves in Adams County and its neighbors fled to the north and east. On July 1, 1863, advanced units of the Confederate Army made contact with Union cavalry and infantry on the roads to the north and west of Gettysburg. Numerous officers and men from both sides recorded the actions of Confederate slaves that day and evening. A wounded Union officer, found behind the Confederate lines as they advanced, reported being aided by black men, who located a surgeon to attend his wounds.
Confederate slaves attended to the wounded of both sides left on the field of battle as the Union troops withdrew to form their lines on the high ground south of Gettysburg. They carried the wounded in litters to the field hospitals in the rear. Many more sought out their masters on the field. Still, others brought forward rations for their messes and officers in the front lines. They also brought forward ammunition for the guns, fodder for horses, and distributed water to the wounded and the men in the field. Several Confederate officers recorded their personal servants seeking them out in the field to attend to their personal needs.