USA > New Jersey > History of the men of Co. F, with description of the marches and battles of the 12th New Jersey Vols. Dedicated to "our dead." > Part 15
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August 11, 1862, and entered on a soldier's life. He was at once warranted sergeant. It was his misfortune to receive a serious injury while the regiment was encamped at Ellicott's Mills, Md., in the Antietam campaign in the fall of 1862. He recovered sufficiently to proceed to the front with the regi- ment, which had been assigned to the Centre Grand Division of the Army of the Potomac, General E. V. Sumner command- ing. In January, 1863, while with the regiment in camp near Falmouth, Va., he was stricken with typhoid fever and was sent to field hospital. After a long and tedious battle for life he was furloughed for home and home treatment ; but the injury with the fever had done its work and left him perma- nently disabled and unfit for further service in the field. It has always been a source of regret to him that he was not per- mitted to continue with his regiment and participate in their struggles, their marches, their victories and their honors. Re- fusing discharge in the hope that he might continue. in the wrvice, and recovery being slow, he reported under orders to Trenton and was assigned to a varied service, recruiting, escort duty, acting as Commissary and Adjutant of the Post, etc. He was soon after promoted first sergeant and assigned to Company K, Twenty-first Regiment, Infantry, Veteran Re- serve Corps, on station at Trenton, N. J. He was recom- mended and strongly endorsed for a commission in this corps, but an overplus of officers at the time interfered. In this assignment he continued until the close of the war, when he was discharged at Trenton, N. J., July 8, 1865. While stationed at Trenton he was married to a most estimable young lady, and this decided his future of remaining in Trenton as his chosen home. In October, 1865, he received an appoint- ment as one of the clerical force of the Court of Chancery. On May 1, 1867, he was appointed to a clerkship in the office . of the Adjutant-General, was advanced to chief clerk of the department, and on May 23, 1881, was honored by Governor Ludlow with a commission as Deputy Adjutant-General with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, which commission he still holds. His assignment to duty in the military department of the State was a fortunate one, as he has ever shown an aptness
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for the duties pertaining thereto and always evinced an interest in the collecting of data to increase the value of the military records, and there is no doubt that under his care and research the military records of this State are of the highest order and more nearly complete than those of any other State. Under the provisions of an act of the New Jersey Legislature he was appointed, April 1, 1880, to represent the State before the sev- eral departments of the general Government at Washington and urge the allowance of claims of New Jersey soldiers or their dependents for their service during the war. To this duty he has given his personal attention, to the satisfaction and benefit of all concerned, and as an endorsement of this he was very strongly urged by leading State officials and citizens, and also by the veterans of the war, for the appointment of Commissioner of Pensions at Washington, D. C. An ardent lover of the church ; he has ever been actively engaged in church and Sunday-school work, holding responsible positions in both organizations. As a citizen he is quiet and retired, has no desire for political life, is a lover of home and family. liberal and willing in his support to needed charities. He lives among a large circle of friends, an honored and respected citizen.
JOHN W. MITCHELL, CO. B,
: Was born in Bordentown, Burlington county, N. J., February 19, 1844. Shortly afterwards the family moved to Hoboken, N. J., where they remained about eleven years, when they again moved to Glen Hope, Clearfield county, Pa. Here they remained nearly three years, when they returned to Borden- town. At this place John attended the public school until the date of his enlistment. When the war broke out, and Fort Sumter was fired upon, he, like thousands of other boys, had an intense desire to enter the army; but, being too young, he was obliged to content himself by joining a cadet company and playing soldier. The company was called the "Anderson Cadets," and was composed of some of the best young men and boys of Bordentown, who at once became very popular and
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proficient in the drill. When the call for more troops came, in 1862, a company was raised in Bordentown by Captain Joel Clift. A number of the "Anderson Cadets," with young Mitch- ell. enlisted in this company. Captain Clift, knowing him to be proficient in drill, tendered him the position of orderly ser- geant, which he accepted; Benjamin F. Lee was to be first lieu- tenant and Henry P. Reed, second lieutenant. When the company arrived in camp at Woodbury, where the regiment was being organized, a disappointment was in store for them- R. C. Wilson was there with a number of recruits, which en- titled him to a commission. Captain Clift's company was called B, and to this company R. C. Wilson was assigned as second lieutenant. This disarranged the plans of Captain Clift, but all accepted the situation gracefully; Henry P. Reed accepting the position of first sergeant, and Mitchell that of second sergeant. In 1863, First Sergeant Reed received a com- mission in another regiment, and Mitchell was appointed first sergeant. August 14, 1864, at the battle of Strawberry Plains, or Deep Bottom, Va., he received his commission as First Lieutenant of Company D, Captain McIlhenny's company. His appearance at that time did not suggest the commissioned officer: his coat, once the regulation dress pattern, had been curtailed and a roundabout made of it; pants more hole-y than righteous, and shoes the same-the latter being rather short, he had cut the toes off to allow more room for his feet. From certain movements made, it was apparent that his clothing was the abiding place of more bodies than himself. But these movements seemed to be general throughout the army, and excited no comment; nor did his personal appearance, for all looked about alike. In January, 1865, he received his con- mission as Captain of Company D. In this capacity he served until the close of the war, when Colonel Willian, then in command of the regiment, offered him a major's commission, if he would remain with the new recruits that had been assigned to the regiment. But he preferred to go home with the old
boys. He was with the regiment during its entire term of service, and participated in all the battles in which the regi- ment was engaged. He was slightly wounded in the arm at
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the battle of Chancellorsville. Since the close of the war, he has resided principally in La Fayette, Ind .; his occupation be- ing that of contractor and builder.
NEWTON M. BROOKS, CO. C.
The following extract from a Washington paper, showing the proud record of this honored comrade, is gladly given a place here :
On the 31st of July, 1892, a period of twenty years' continuous service in the Postoffice Department was completed by Captain N. M. Brooks, Superintendent of Foreign Mails. He entered the department under civil service rules, and from time to time was promoted under these rules, until he was made Chief Clerk of the Office of Foreign Mails in the year 1884, and held the latter office during the whole of Mr. Cleveland's first administration, while N. M. Bell, of St. Louis, was Superintendent. When Mr. Bell resigned, in May, 1889, the office of Foreign Mails was placed in Captain Brooks' charge, and he was "Acting Superintendent " from that time until November, 1890, when he was appointed Superin- tendent.
Captain Brooks' history in the postal service is unique in some respects. First, during his twenty years of service, he has not been absent from his desk one single day on account of sickness. Second, when the vacancy caused by Mr. Bell's resignation occurred, he refused to allow his politi- cal friends, either in person or by letter, to intercede for his promotion to the vacancy, but actually and avowedly stood squarely and solely upon his record in the military and civil service of the United States. When his appointment was handed to him in person by the Postmaster-General, and he expressed thanks for the same, the Postmaster-General said : "You have no man to thank for this, you were appointed solely upon your record."
Born in Philadelphia on January 29, 1843, and educated in the public schools of that city, and at the University of Lewis- burg, Pa., Captain Brooks' military service commenced in May, 1861, as a private soldier in Company B, Third Regi- ment, New Jersey Volunteers, from which he was discharged in August, 1862, to accept a commission as First Lieutenant of Company C, Twelfth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers, his service being in the Army of the Potomac, principally in Han- cock's (the Second) Army Corps. He was discharged in Octo-
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ber, 1864, on account of a wound received in action at Spott- sylvania Court House, in that famous charge on the morning of May 12, 1864, which resulted in the loss of his leg, he be- ing at that time Captain of Company C, Twelfth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers. In December, 1864, he was examined by a Board of Army Officers, and, as a result, was commis- sioned by the President as Captain in the Veteran Reserve Corps, and served as such until December, 1867.
In December, IS90, he negotiated with Director Sacshe, of the German Postal Administration, the "Sea Post Arrange- ment," under which the mails are now distributed at sea in postoffices on board the steamers of the North-German-Lloyd and Hamburg-American Companies. On account of his knowl- edge of international postal affairs, Captain Brooks was designa- ted to represent the United States in the Universal Postal Con- gress, which convened in Vienna, Austria, in May, 1891, and he was allowed to select his colleague, this country being rep- resented by two delegates. That Congress negotiated and con- cluded the Universal Postal Convention, which governs the exchange of mails between all the civilized countries of the world, and Captain Brooks' signature is appended thereto in connection with the signatures of the chief postal functionaries of all the other countries. He also represented the United States as one of the delegates to the Universal Postal Congress which convened in Washington in May, 1896.
Captain Brooks has held high positions in the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a member of the Loyal Legion and Sons of the American Revolution. His service in the Union army, during the War of the Rebellion, must have come to him naturally, as his grandfather was an officer in the Revo- lutionary war, his father served in the War of 1812, and his brother in the Mexican war. Although Captain Brooks is but little over fifty years of age, his grandfather was born in 1729 ; so that the lives of the three generations, grandfather, father and son, cover a period of one hundred and sixty-eight years, with good prospect of several more being added before the record closes and the son passes over to the silent majority.
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At this date (May 1, 1897), he still retains his health, and po- sition as Superintendent of Foreign Mails.
Captain Brooks and President McKinley were born on the same day. Both are the seventh child of their parents. Both enlisted at the age of eighteen years. Both served (at differ- ent times) under the command of that grand old soldier, General S. S. Carroll. Both were mustered out with the rank of captain.
PATRICK CANANN, CO. C,
Was born in Ireland, in 1843, and his boyhood years were spent in that "fair, green isle of the shamrock;" but at the age of eighteen he came to this country and secured a place as a hired man on a farm at Harrisonville, N. J., where he had worked but a few weeks when the call came for more sol- diers, and he quickly resolved to be one of them. . Some of his friends were in Company F, and he made strong efforts to be admitted, but the company was full; yet in a few minutes he secured a position in Company C, and was enlisted as a private on August 16, 1862. He was a genuine specimen of the " bold Irish boy," with a fair face and manly form; wild, reckless, overflowing with fun, yet withal so brave and social, so full of generous feelings and Patriotism, that he soon won the love and respect of his officers, and a warm place in the hearts of the "C horses." He cheerfully took his turn on guard or picket at Ellicott's Mills, and accepted the trying duties of that stormy winter at Falmouth without complaint. He bravely kept his place through that baptism of fire on the plank road at Chancellorsville, and participated in the Sunday morning services of that first terrible battle, firm and undaunted; but just at the moment we were forced back he received a painful wound in his right hand, and seeing no chance for escape, he " played possum," lying flat on his back. As the rebels passed over him, one of them, supposing him dead, stepped on him, and with his heel stamped him several times on the breast bone, with the remark, "Here's one of the d-n Vanks who won't fight any more." All of which Pat had to endure in
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silence and pain, until the rebels in turn were driven back, when he succeeded in reaching our line. He was taken to the field hospital, where the surgeons removed the middle finger by splitting the hand up to the wrist. From there he was re- moved to the Carver Hospital in Washington, thence to Wil- . mington, Del., where he suffered terribly from both wound and bruise. The writer of this sketch often dressed his wound; and a bruised and blackened spot as large as a hat crown gave positive evidence of the boot-heels of that fiendish rebel, from which he is yet a terrible sufferer. After partial recovery he was sent to the Convalescent Camp at Alexandria, from which he was discharged for wounds September 12, 1863. He re- turned to Harrisonville, married his " best girl," and now lives on a farm at Swedesboro, N. J .; and at our annual reunions there are none more enthusiastic, more Pat-riotic, or more glad to meet his old comrades than he is.
GEORGE R. DANENHOWER, CO. C,
Was born at Willow Grove, Montgomery county, Pa., June 27, 1835. His early life was spent on a farm and he had no advantages of an early education. His father died when he was about nine years of age and he was put out into the world to get his living, his father leaving no estate and there being a number of children, and his mother, while being one of the finest of women, was in delicate health and unable to provide for them, so they had to be scattered, as times then were not as now. He married at twenty-three years of age, a young lady by the name of Malinda Willett, and they embarked in the re- tail grocery business. They continued in this until the Twelfth Regiment was being made up, when he enlisted, August 13, 1462, in Company C, full of patriotism and strength, but no more patriotic than his wife, for she was willing to take chances of making a living for herself and daughter, while her husband helped to put down the war. He went through all right; was wounded once, at the battle of the Wilderness, and was away from the regiment six months. Was in all battles that the regiment engaged in, except from the 6th of May to the 6th of
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October, 1864. After the war was over he engaged in the ex- press business for about eighteen months, when he and his wife started again in the retail grocery business. He is now engaged in the wholesale grocery business, and has been for the past twenty years, in Camden, N. J. He is in fair health, and glad at any time to greet his old comrades.
VIRGIL WILLETT, CO. C,
Was born in Montgomery county, Pa., September 27, 1837. After arriving at suitable age he attended the schools until about eleven or twelve years of age, after which he went to work on a farm, going to school only in the winter months. However, he managed to get a fair education, as children were supposed to learn in those days when they got the opportunity, as it cost the parents three cents a day, with no holidays or Saturdays off. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to the trade of stone-mason and plasterer and served the time out until he was twenty years of age, at which time an open- ing was offered to work in a grocery store in the city of Phila- delphia. The troublesome times of 1858-59 and '60 having overtaken the country, of course as an ambitious youth he was very much interested. He had left the grocery business and was in the milk business for himself when the war broke out in 1861, and feeling that he could not drop everything and go to the front, he endeavored to do his share of the shouting for those who were patriotic enough to go. Thus matters con- tinued until August, 1862; our armies having met with numer- ous defeats and disasters, he could not hold back any longer, but determined to drop everything and go to the front and put down the Rebellion. Therefore, he enlisted in Company C, Twelfth New Jersey Volunteers, as a private ; was promoted to corporal at Woodbury, and to sergeant at Stony Mountain, Va. He was with his company and regiment continually until May 6, 1864, never having missed a roll call or an en- gagement or skirmish during that time, nor rations either. Grant, the invincible, having taken command of the Army of the Potomac, the word was on to Richmond, and in the second
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day's battle of the Wilderness he was taken prisoner and held as such until the latter part of December, 1864, arriving home about Christmas. . His time in southern prisons was spent in Lynchburg, Va., Danville, Va., Andersonville, Ga., and Flor- ence, S. C. Of all places of torment and horror, probably there was never any that exceeded the prison pen of the South, where treatment was worse than would be given to brutes, as they would get enough to sustain them, but in the prison pens of the South this was not the case. Men good and true were actually starved to death by the hundreds, yea, thousands ; over thirteen thousand as good and true men as ever faced a cannon's mouth lie buried in Andersonville alone. When cap- tured he weighed one hundred and sixty pounds, while at his release he only weighed ninety, with health very much broken, and of course must carry the effects of that imprisonment to his grave. Though not wishing to single out any one person for the sufferings they endured, yet he thinks the blame should rest where it belongs, and that was with General Winder, of the Southern Confederacy, who seemed to delight in the tor- ture and death of a Yankee prisoner. It was he who issued orders for their treatment, which of course was carried out by his subordinates. But with it all they love the dear old flag better for having made these sacrifices, and we trust that those who follow them will show the same devotion to country, that happily she may stand united until time shall be no more, and those hardships and sufferings will not have been in vain.
CHRISTIAN VECHAN, CO. D,
In whose praise this sketch is given by a comrade, was one of our grand old heroes, who did his full share towards making the fair name and fame of the Twelfth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers. Born in Germany in 1843, where he spent his boyhood years, he came to this country in 1860, and secured work on a farm near Hardingville, N. J., where he remained two years. A good workman, honest and trusty, quick to learn American customs and language, he soon realized the changed conditions of life under a monarchy to that of our
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glorious republic ; and when President Lincoln made the'call for three hundred thousand more soldiers, Chris was ready and willing to join our little band, and fight for the land and flag of his adoption, enlisting at Woodbury on August 12, 1862, in Company D, Twelfth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers, for three years or during the war. He was nineteen years old, of fair complexion, and manly form, strong in health and body, with a happy, genial disposition, that led him to make the best of everything, to see the bright side. Smiling and cheerful through rain and sun, through mud and dust, through bat- tle, skirmish, camp or march, he bravely kept his place, and passed unscathed through the fiery ordeal of Chancellorsville ; made that long and tiresome march to Gettysburg, where he shrank from those fearful shells, and assisted in repelling that mighty charge. He felt the thrill of that sharp little skirmish at Bristoe, and breasted the swift and icy waters of the Rapi- dan at Mortons Ford ; passed safely through that mighty strug- gle in the Wilderness, and the flank march to Spottsylvania, where in the afternoon of May 10th, our division was sent in to support the Fifth Corps, and whilst lying down in line of . battle, the dry leaves took fire so close to Chris that he jumped up to stamp it out, just as a rebel bullet passed through his thigh, shattering the bone, but fortunately missed the artery. Two of his company carried him back a short distance, from whence the ambulance soon landed him at Second Corps hospital. where the doctors decided that the leg must come off, and the amputation was performed by Dr. Satterthwait, assisted by Hospital Steward C. A. Weideman, who preserved a piece of the bone, from which he carved a ring, and years afterwards he had it set with a neat trefoil (Second Corps badge) and pre- sented it to Chris, who prizes it highly as a memento of his right leg, and the tender care and thoughtfulness of his loved comrade. He was removed in a few days to the hospital at Fredericksburg, thence to Washington, to Philadelphia, and to Chester, where after long and painful sufferings, the stump healed, and he was discharged on July 15, 1865. He returned to Hardingville and took up the trade of a cigar maker, which proved too confining for his health, so he bought a farm near
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Monroeville, N. J., where he now resides, with a happy fam- ily of four stalwart sons, three smiling daughters, and a help- ing wife. The fertile fields, well-kept fences and buildings, give evidence of prosperity, bravely won, in spite of his terri- ble affliction, as the leg was taken off so close to the body that it is impossible to fasten an artificial limb, and he perforce retains the crutches. Yet, when I visited him this day (May 3, 1897), I found him in the field, hard at work, cheerful, happy, smiling as of yore, and the warm clasp of his hand be- spoke joy and welcome to a comrade. Our country's battles he fought bravely, in life's battles he stands a victor. I pro- claim him one of our heroes.
CHARLES A. WEIDEMAN, CO. D,
BEST KNOWN AS "CHARLIE " OF THE HOSPITAL CROWD, Twin son of Nicholas and Mary Belz Weideman, was born in Louisville, Ky., February 14, 1843. His father dying when he was two and a half years old, his mother returned to her former home at Reading, Pa. He resided in Reading till he was six years old. His mother having remarried, she moved to Philadelphia, where he spent his boyhood days. Attended the public schools till he was twelve years old, when he com- menced to learn the drug business with Thomas S. Stewart. then located at Tenth street and Girard avenue, Philadelphia. He remained with Mr. Stewart seven and a half years-till August, 1862, when he got the war fever and tried to enlist twice in Pennsylvania regiments, but was rejected by the mus- tering-in officer on account of his size. At this time he heard of the Twelfth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers, from a neighbor, Mr. George W. Petit, who was a personal friend of Colonel Robert Johnson. Mr. Petit thought he could influence Colonel Johnson to have him appointed hospital steward of the Twelfth. So he visited Woodbury in company with Mr. Petit, was introduced to the colonel, who received him very cordially, and told him that Dr. Satterthwait was the person to see, as the surgeon selected his own steward. The doctor was interviewed and he was informed that the position of
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steward was already filled, but as it was thought the position would soon become vacant, there would be a chance to give him the appointment. He was advised to enlist in one of the com- panies for special duty, which meant that after enlistment he would be detailed for hospital duty. This was his first ac- quaintance with the able surgeon of the Twelfth-an acquaint- ance that ripened into a warm friendship, that continued till the regiment was mustered out of service. After a few hours' consideration he decided to enlist as the surgeon advised, was accepted without question and assigned to Company D. He received a pass for twenty-four hours, returned to Philadelphia, arranged his affairs, bade good-bye to his mother, whom he then saw for the last time-her death taking place before his return-returned to Woodbury the next day and was soon clad in the army blue and placed in one of the tents of Company D. He continued with the company, performing the duties ex- acted of every private soldier, till the regiment reached Elli- cott's Mills, when he was detailed from the company and com- menced his duties in the hospital department, where he con- tinued till the regiment returned home. He was always in active field duty. Went wherever the regiment went, except in time of action, when he was of course at the temporary field hospital. After two years of service as hospital attendant, he was promoted to hospital steward (the promise made to him at his enlistment being thus fulfilled), and served as such till the regiment was mustered out in June, 1865. He then returned to Philadelphia, and was employed in a wholesale drug store for one year. Then in a retail drug store for about eight months, when, in April, 1867, he began business on his own account, having just previously graduated from the Philadel- phia College of Pharmacy. He located on Twenty-second street, below Green, where he continued for seventeen years: he then moved to the corner of Twenty-second and Green streets, where he still continues in business. In ISSo he grad- uated from the Medical Department of the University of Penn- sylvania, and in addition to his drug store, is also practicing medicine; as such he has given a number of his old comrade- " quinine," as he did in the days of '62 to '65. He has always
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