The July 2026 Coffee Hour featured a presentation by Carolyn Ludwig, who portrayed Tilly Pierce and discussed her experiences during the battle of Gettysburg. About 67 guests heard the presentation.
Tillie Pierce witnessed the Battle of Gettysburg at the tender age of fifteen. She later recorded her reminiscences in, “At Gettysburg: Or What a Girl Saw and Heard of the Battle”. After the Civil War ended, Tillie married Mr. Horace Alleman, a lawyer, and moved in 1889 to Selinsgrove.
At the time of the battle, Tillie lived in town. The Confederates originally occupied Gettysburg, causing her school to be let out early so the children could return to their homes. After the Confederates were pushed out of the town, Tillie, her mother and siblings moved to what they believed to be a safer place, the Weikert farm near Little Round Top. As it happened, they were in the midst of the battle.
Tillie described her involvement with the care of wounded solders, her observations of death all around her and the stench that pervaded the land for over a year after the battle. Her book became a best seller and saw many reprints. It is available today.
The Lecture Series which continues throughout the year is sponsored by Catherine Burns Insurance Services, Muncy. As well, the Series is co-sponsored by a Travel and Tourism Grant from the Lycoming County Visitors Bureau.
