The Adams County Historical Society recently welcomed approximately 50 attendees for a program presented by historian Debra Sandoe McCauslin on the life of her relative, George Washington Sandoe, who is widely recognized as the first person killed in connection with the Battle of Gettysburg.

During the presentation, McCauslin discussed the events of June 26, 1863, when Confederate forces entered Gettysburg. She described the circumstances surrounding Sandoe’s death and the confiscation of his horse. The program also included readings from the diaries of Gettysburg residents, offering firsthand accounts of local reactions to the Confederate occupation.

McCauslin shared newspaper reports from the period documenting the departure of many African American residents from Gettysburg because of the threat of kidnapping into slavery. She also recognized the men who served alongside George Washington Sandoe.

The presentation was held as part of programs marking America’s 250th anniversary. McCauslin will return to the Adams County Historical Society on July 23 to present a program on Kitty Payne and the kidnapping of African Americans from Adams County before the Civil War.