In the summer of 1863, a young woman named Jennie Wade found herself at the center of one of the most pivotal battles in American history. Born in Gettysburg twenty years before the conflict, she was one of six children. To help support her family, she worked as a seamstress alongside her mother, Mary Ann Wade.
Before the war, Jennie was likely engaged to her childhood friend, Jack Skelly. She reportedly kept his photograph in her pocket at the time of her death. However, their engagement was never formally announced, and the couple did not marry before he joined the 87th Pennsylvania Infantry, where he served as a corporal.
Jennie’s sister, Georgiana, known as Georgia, had also been engaged before the war. She married her sweetheart in 1862. The couple moved into a two-story red brick home at 548 Baltimore Street in Gettysburg, a residence that would later become known as the Jennie Wade House.
On July 1, 1863, Jennie and her mother moved into Georgia’s home to care for her infant son. They hoped the location would keep them safe from the impending battle. On the morning of July 3, Jennie rose early to fetch water and knead dough for bread and biscuits, intending to provide food for the soldiers.
Tragically, a bullet pierced through two closed doors and struck her in the shoulder, killing her instantly. Following her death, Jennie’s mother baked the dough Jennie had been preparing. She made fifteen loaves of bread and distributed them to Union soldiers.
In 1900, thanks to the persistent efforts of her sister Georgia, a large headstone was erected for Jennie, and the American flag was raised over her grave. This site remains one of the few in the United States where the flag is flown continuously in honor of a woman.