J. Howard Wert facts for kids

J. Howard Wert (1841-1920) was an author, teacher, and a veteran of the American Civil War. He also collected many items from the war.

Early Life and Family

John Howard Wert was born on February 12, 1841. His family lived near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. They were a successful Pennsylvania German family. His father, Adam Wert, was a farmer and businessman. He had fought in the War of 1812. J. Howard Wert's grandfather and great-grandfather also served in the American Revolution.

All four generations of his family strongly believed in ending slavery. Adam Wert was a close friend of Thaddeus Stevens, who was a famous abolitionist. J. Howard Wert went to Pennsylvania College, which is now Gettysburg College. While there, he and his friends helped people escape slavery through the Underground Railroad. Wert finished college in 1861 and became a teacher.

Serving in the Civil War

In the summer of 1863, the Confederate Army invaded Pennsylvania. J. Howard Wert was part of a local militia group called the Adams Rifles. He worked as a scout for the Union forces. His job was to gather information about the Confederate Army's strength in Chambersburg before the big Battle of Gettysburg.

During the Battle of Gettysburg, Wert played an important role:

• On the first day, he guided Union soldiers and helped them retreat safely.
• On July 2, he helped Union forces reach Little Round Top when it was in danger. That night, he led another group of soldiers to Culp's Hill.
• On the final day, he helped bring more soldiers to Cemetery Ridge. This helped stop a major Confederate attack called Pickett's Charge.

After the battle, Wert walked across the battlefield. He collected many items left behind by the soldiers. He carefully wrote down exactly where he found each piece. This information was very helpful for later researchers. These items became the start of his famous Civil War collection. People at the time said it was "Probably the rarest and most valuable private collection of war relics."

Wert officially joined the army on September 8, 1864. He served in Company G of the 209th Pennsylvania Volunteers. He started as a sergeant and later became a 2nd Lieutenant. His unit fought in the Siege of Petersburg and helped defend Fort Stedman.

Teacher and Author

After the war, Wert became the principal of Gettysburg High School. Later, he was the Superintendent of Schools for Adams County. In 1875, he moved to Harrisburg. There, he taught at the Boy's High School and later became its principal. He wrote a book about this time called Annals of the Boy's High School of Harrisburg, 1875-1893.

While he was principal, the Boy's High School welcomed its first African-American students. Wert had modern ideas about race. He helped overcome public opposition to make sure these students were treated fairly. From 1893 to 1894, Wert was the first principal of Harrisburg High School.

Wert was an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic, a group for Civil War veterans. He often wrote about the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War. He also kept collecting Civil War artifacts. Some of his well-known Civil War books include:

• A Complete Hand-book of the Monuments and Indications and Guide to the Positions on the Gettysburg Battlefield
• The Two Great Armies at Gettysburg, Being chapters I, II and III of Gettysburg and Its Monuments
• Poems of Camp and Hearth

Wert also wrote many newspaper articles and letters. A series of 35 articles he wrote in 1912 and 1913 about Harrisburg's Eighth Ward has been collected and published. He also wrote school books and novels.

In 1869, Wert married Emma Letitia Aughinbaugh, who was also a teacher. They had four sons and one daughter. J. Howard Wert passed away on March 11, 1920, in Harrisburg. He is buried in Gettysburg.

Books by J. Howard Wert

• A Complete Hand-book of the Monuments and Indications and Guide to the Positions on the Gettysburg Battlefield
• The Two Great Armies at Gettysburg, Being chapters I, II and III of Gettysburg and Its Monuments
• Poems of Camp and Hearth
• Little Stories of Gettysburg
• Historical Souvenir of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–4, 1913
• In the Hospitals of Gettysburg
• Gettysburg Gem Souvenir
• History of the 209th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
• Annals of the Boy's High School of Harrisburg 1875-1893
• Mystic League of Three (novel)
• God's Centennial
• Rhyme and Reason
• Alecto and Ebony (novel)
• Five Years in the Grave
• School Composition Work Made Attractive