--It appears that our troops occupy points in three counties of
Pennsylvania--
Fulton,
Franklin and
Adams.
Fulton, the westernmost of the three, is but thinly settled, having a population, by the census of 1850, of 7,567 on an area of 380 square miles.
It is mostly mountainous, but has some fertile land in the valleys.
Adams county has an area of 530 square miles, and a population of about 26,000.
Gettysburg, the chief town, is a thriving place, the population having increased between 1850 and 1853 from 2,150 to 3,000.
It is the seat of a Lutheran Theological Seminary and of Pennsylvania College.
The former, in 1859, had 25 students and a library of 10,000 volumes, the latter 87 students and a library of 9,000 volumes.
Its principal business is carriage building, besidds which copper mines have been worked in its vicinity for twelve years past.
Franklin, the central county of the three, has an area of 740 square miles, and a population exceeding 40,000.
Lippincott's
Gazette says:
‘
"The greater part of the county consists of a broad limestone valley, watered with copious and unfalling mountain springs, and having a soil of unsurpassed fertility.
In 1850 this county yielded 837,062 bushels of wheal the greatest quantity produced by any county of the
State except
Doncaster.
Limestone, marble and slate are abundant; the mines of iron ore are rich, and extensively worked."
The county is traversed by the
Cumberland valley and its continuation, the Franklin railroad, extending from
Harrisburg to
Hagers town and passing through
Chambersburg, the seat of justice, which is 52 miles from
Harrisburg.
It has about 5,000 inhabitants, and manufactures of cotton, wool, flour, paper, and iron.
The Cumberland Valley railroad, which forms the direct railway connection between
Chambersburg and
Harrisburg, is fifty-two miles in length.
The distances from
Chambersburg are as follows: To
Scotland 5 miles, to
Shippensburg 11 miles,
Oakville 18,
Newville 22, Alterton 27,
Cartisle 34,
Kingston 41,
Mechanicsburg 44,
Bridgeport 51,
Harrisburg 52.
Gettysburg is about twenty five miles east of
Chambersburg, in
Adams county.
There is railroad connection between
Hagerstown, Md., to
Chambersburg.
Hagerstown is about eight mill northeast of
Williamsport.
Connellsville and
Uniontown are in the southwestern part of
Pennsylvania in the direction of
Pittsburg.
General Imboden is, or has been, operating over-there.
Uniontown is more than a hundred miles from Williams-port, in a direct line.
’