Robert E. Lee on Traveler By Michael Miley (1841-1918) [Public domain] In June, 1863, Confederate General Robert E. Lee decided to invade Pennsylvania, a decision that led to the Battle of Gettysburg. Preparatory to the march, Lee sent Richard Stoddart Ewell's Corps ahead on a foraging expedition.
According to Philip S. Klein and Ari Hoogenboom's A History of Pennsylvania,
(2010: Penn State Press, pg 283), Ewell tookChambersburg, Carlisle, York and Gettysburg, sending Lee 5,000 barrels of flour, 3,000 head of cattle, and a trainload of ordnance and medical supplies. That was enough to convince Lee that his army could live off the land if they headed north.
Ewell's soldiers were such successful foragers because the farmland of Pennsylvania had not yet been ravaged by two years of war. The rolling hills of Pennsylvania was filled with fresh fruit,something the Confederates had not been able to get for some time. The foragers also found barnyards filled with chickens, pigs and cows that they happily liberated from their owners.
Ewell's men and the Confederate army that followed found the cherry trees that lined the roads irresistible. Many soldiers grabbed handfuls of the luscious fruit to eat as they marched. Some diaries tell us that many suffered stomachache. Some suffered worse. Those who recovered in time went on to fight at Gettysburg.
It wasn't only enlisted men who suffered from eating too much fresh fruit. On page 49 of his book High Tide at Gettysburg, Glen Tucker suggests that General Robert E. Lee's partial indisposition on the second day of the battle of Gettysburg might have been caused by an overindulgence of cherries and raspberries.
Enjoy this pie in moderation. You don't want to overindulge and suffer the same consequences as the Confederate Army.
Cherry-Raspberry Pie
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen red raspberries, thawed
1 1lb. 4 oz. can tart red cherries or 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted.
3/4 cup sugar
3 TBS cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
Drain raspberries and cherries, reserving 1 cup syrup. Blend sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan and add syrup, stirring until smooth. Cook until smooth, then add fruit.
Pour into a prepared 9" pie crust, add top crust and seal. Cut slits for steam.
Bake at 425 for 30-35 minutes until golden.
According to Philip S. Klein and Ari Hoogenboom's A History of Pennsylvania,
(2010: Penn State Press, pg 283), Ewell tookChambersburg, Carlisle, York and Gettysburg, sending Lee 5,000 barrels of flour, 3,000 head of cattle, and a trainload of ordnance and medical supplies. That was enough to convince Lee that his army could live off the land if they headed north.
Ewell's soldiers were such successful foragers because the farmland of Pennsylvania had not yet been ravaged by two years of war. The rolling hills of Pennsylvania was filled with fresh fruit,something the Confederates had not been able to get for some time. The foragers also found barnyards filled with chickens, pigs and cows that they happily liberated from their owners.
Ewell's men and the Confederate army that followed found the cherry trees that lined the roads irresistible. Many soldiers grabbed handfuls of the luscious fruit to eat as they marched. Some diaries tell us that many suffered stomachache. Some suffered worse. Those who recovered in time went on to fight at Gettysburg.
It wasn't only enlisted men who suffered from eating too much fresh fruit. On page 49 of his book High Tide at Gettysburg, Glen Tucker suggests that General Robert E. Lee's partial indisposition on the second day of the battle of Gettysburg might have been caused by an overindulgence of cherries and raspberries.
Enjoy this pie in moderation. You don't want to overindulge and suffer the same consequences as the Confederate Army.
Cherry-Raspberry Pie
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen red raspberries, thawed
1 1lb. 4 oz. can tart red cherries or 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted.
3/4 cup sugar
3 TBS cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
Drain raspberries and cherries, reserving 1 cup syrup. Blend sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan and add syrup, stirring until smooth. Cook until smooth, then add fruit.
Pour into a prepared 9" pie crust, add top crust and seal. Cut slits for steam.
Bake at 425 for 30-35 minutes until golden.
