USA > Pennsylvania > A biographical album of prominent Pennsylvanians, v. 1 > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50
At the close of the war he was appointed First Lieutenant in the Ninth United States Cavalry on July 28, 1866, and joined his regiment at New Orleans in February following. He was from there ordered with his company to North- western Texas, where he was actively engaged in the field scouting. He was promoted Captain of Company M, Ninth Cavalry, July 31, 1867, and joined the company at Fort Brown, Texas, on January 1, 1868. He served at Forts Mc- Intosh, Clark and McKavett, covering a period of three years. While in the field scouting he had a fight with the Lipan and Muscalera Indians on the Rio Pecos, Texas, June 7, 1869, and was mentioned in General Orders, Head-quar- ters Fifth Military District, for gallantry. For his fight with Kiowas and Co- manche Indians, September 16, 1869, near the headwaters of the Salt Fork of the Brazos river, he was again mentioned for gallantry in General Orders, Head- quarters Fifth Military District. Captain Heyl also had a fight with Comanche Indians on November 24, 1869, on the South Fork of the Llano river, Texas, and was severely wounded by an arrow in the left side. He was mentioned for gallantry in this engagement in General Orders No. 229, Head-quarters of the Fifth Military District, December 13, 1869. For his action in these three engagements he was also recommended by the Department Commander for a "brevet" as major. From May to October, 1870, he was engaged in an expedi- tion against Lipan and Apache Indians on the Pecos river in Texas.
201
COL. EDWARD M. HEVL.
On January 1, 1871, Captain Heyl was transferred to Company K, Fourth United States Cavalry, and joined the company at Fort Brown, Texas, in Feb- ruary. He left Fort Brown with his company on June 1, 1871, and marched to Fort Richardson, Texas, a distance of one thousand miles. He served at Fort Richardson from July, 1871, to June, 1872. From September to December, 1871, he was on an expedition against Comanche and Kiowa Indians, and had an engagement with Comanche Indians, near Fresh Fork, Brazos river, October IIth. He was again in the field during February, March and April of 1872.
1Ie left Fort Richardson in June, 1872, in command of Company K, Fourth Cavalry, and Company I, Eleventh Infantry, as escort to the Texas and Pacific Survey Expedition, from which he returned, June 5, 1873, and took station at Fort Clark, Texas. During this expedition, which lasted one year, the command had several engagements with Comanche and Kiowa Indians.
He was in the field from July Ist to December 23, 1873. IIe changed station from Fort Clark to Fort Duncan, Texas, April 6, 1874, and was engaged in active service from May 10th to July 2d of that year.
Captain Heyl left Fort Duncan, August 4, 1874, on the Cheyenne and Kiowa expedition, marching by way of Forts Clark, McKavett and Concho to the head- waters of the North Fork of the Brazos river and Canon Blanco, Texas, where a supply-camp was established. and Colonel Mackenzie assumed command of the entire expedition. In scouting the Staked Plains, the headwaters of the Red river and Tule Canon, the command had several skirmishes with Cheyenne Indians and a fight at Cito Blanco Canon on September 28, 1874. On November 1, 1874, the command struck the main camp of the Cheyennes and Kiowas. The attack was made at daylight, and after an engagement, which lasted until three o'clock that afternoon, the entire camp was destroyed, and over twelve hundred ponies were captured.
Upon the conclusion of this expedition he was stationed at Fort Sill, Indian Territory, and was actively engaged in the field, including an expedition against the Comanches on the Staked Plains, Texas, from November Ist to December 16, 1876. On November 22, 1876, he captured a party of Mexicans, with thirty stolen horses, at Canon Rescata, Texas. They had been raiding in the settle- ments, playing Indian and stealing horses. He was in the field from March to September 30, 1877.
Captain Heyl changed station to Fort Clark, Texas, January 1, 1878, and was in active field service most of the time until May 28th of that year, when he left for camp on Devil's river, where Colonel Mackenzie had assembled a large force for the purpose of making a raid into Mexico. The command crossed the Rio Grande into Mexico at three P. M., June 12, 1878, and marched to Remillena, Mexico, where they were met by the Mexican troops. Skirmish lines were thrown out, and the Mexicans retreated. Mackenzie recrossed the river to Texas on June 22d.
Captain Heyl was kept actively engaged in the field until October 1, 1878,
292
COL. EDWARD M. HEYL.
when he was ordered to New York City, and stationed there on recruiting service until October 1, ISSO. He rejoined his regiment at Fort Riley, Kan- sas, on January 1, 1881, and left there on May 9th, of that year, on the Ute campaign. Having arrived at Fort Garland, Colorado, he marched to the Uncompahgre Ute Agency, Colorado, and camped near Cantonment, where he was engaged in removing the Indians until September of that year, when he marched from the agency in command of six companies of the Fourth Cavalry for Arizona, to take part in the Apache campaign, arriving at Fort Apache, Arizona, on September 26th. On October 12th he was at Camp Thomas in command of a battalion of six companies of Fourth Cavalry, and a battalion of two companies of the Ninth Cavalry. On October 17th he left Camp Thomas with the battalions under his command and marched to Fort Apache. The Apache campaign being over, he marched to Fort Wingate, New Mexico, and took station there November Ist, where he remained until November 21, 1881, when he was granted sick-leave and went to Las Vegas Hot Springs, New Mexico. On January 16, 1882, he was ordered to Philadelphia, Pa., on recruiting service, where he remained until October 18, 1883, when he was relieved from that service and joined his company at Fort Wingate, New Mexico. While stationed here he was in the field and settling difficulties with the Navajo Indians on the San Juan river, New Mexico, until June 29, 1884, when he changed station to Fort Apache, Arizona.
Captain Ileyl was detailed as Acting Assistant Inspector-General, Department of the East, July 10, 1884, and assigned to duty August 6th following. He remained on General Hancock's staff from that date until March 11, 1885, having been appointed Major and Inspector-General, and assigned to duty in that capacity in the Department of Texas. He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel and Inspector-General, September 22, 1885, on duty in the Department of Texas, where he is at the present date, March, 1888.
Colonel Heyl is a member of the Loyal Legion, the Society of the Army of the Potomac, the Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Society of the Cavalry Corps. He was married on October 6, 1886, to Mary Delphine Turner, a daugh- ter of Major Henry S. Turner, formerly Captain First Dragoons, United States Army. She is a granddaughter of Major Thomas Turner, United States Army, and Eliza Randolph, great-granddaughter of Col. Robert Randolph and Elizabeth Carter, all of Virginia. Her mother was Julia M. Hunt, daughter of Ann Lucas andI Captain Theodore Hunt, United States Navy, of St. Louis, Missouri.
Colonel Heyl is a brother of Surgeon Theodore C. HIeyl, United States Navy, and Lieut. Charles II. Heyl, United States Army. ITis sister Helen married Ilon. William J. Sewell, United States Senator from New Jersey.
-
COL. SAMUEL H. STARR.
COL. SAMUEL HENRY STARR.
C OLONEL SAMUEL H. STARR, who was retired after nearly forty years of dis- tinguished services in the United States Army, serving in all capacities and losing his right arm "from a wound in the line of duty," is now a resident of Philadelphia whom Pennsylvania is proud to recognize and adopt as a citizen. Ife was born at Leyden, N. Y., July 31, ISIO, but at an early age was taken to Rome, in that State, where he received his education.
llis father, who was a man of much more than ordinary intelligence and remarkable for his wonderful memory, was a hotel proprietor in that town, and entertained General Lafayette when he made his memorable visit to this country. His mother was a daughter of Rev. Henry and Achsah Ely, of Connecticut.
When the Nullifiers of South Carolina threatened trouble in 1837, Colonel Starr entered the army as a non-commissioned officer, and was stationed at Fort Moultrie. From 1834 to 1837 he served in the campaign against the Creek and Seminole Indians in Alabama and Florida. In the latter year he retired from the service, but upon the declaration of war with Mexico he re-entered the army as a Sergeant in the Corps of United States Engineers, and participated in all of the principal battles. He was engaged in the siege of Vera Cruz, the battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras and Cherubusco, and led the forlorn hope at the storming and capture of Molino del Rey. He took part in the capture of the Castle of Chepultepec and of the city of Mexico, and continued in Mexico until the con- clusion of peace, in 1848, having been engaged in seventeen pitched battles.
lle was appointed brevet Second Lieutenant, Second Dragoons, United States Army, June 28, 1848, " for distinguished services in the Mexican war," and served in Texas from 1848 to 1854, and in Kansas during the Border Ruffian troubles in 1855. He also served in the Sioux Indian and Utah expeditions of 1855-56, and in the Western Territories until 1861. During this time he had risen by successive promotions, and had become a Captain in the Second United States Dragoons, June 14, 1858.
In the war of the Rebellion he was assigned to the staff of Brigadier-General J. K. F. Mansfield, as aide de camp, and in May, 1861, was appointed Provost Marshal of the city of Washington, D. C., and subsequently was ordered on mustering duty to St. Johnsbury, Vt., and Philadelphia, Pa. In August, 1861, he was appointed by Governor Olden, Colonel of the Fifth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers, and in September received leave of absence from the War Depart- ment to accept the command. In December, 1861, four New Jersey regiments were ordered to report to General Hooker, near Budd's Ferry, Md., and were formed into a brigade as a part of the Army of the Potomac, and Colonel Starr, the senior officer, was appointed to its command. He continued in command of the brigade, devoting his energies to its drill and discipline during the winter
(293)
291
COL. SAMUEL H. STARR.
and spring of 1861-62, and also during the movement of the army down the Potomac to Fortress Monroe and its advance up the Peninsula and at the sicge of Yorktown until May, 1862. Here, at the close of the siege, he was relieved from the command of the brigade, which was of his creation, and resumed con- mand of his regiment.
On May 4, 1862, he was engaged at the battle of Williamsburg, where his regiment lost heavily and he was wounded. He was placed again in command of the brigade, and was engaged at the battle of Fair Oaks, May 31st, and at Seven Pines, June Ist. Again resuming the command of his regiment, he was engaged with it at the battles of White Oak Swamp, Chickahominy, Seven Days' battles and Malvern Hill during the retreat of the Army of the Potomac to Har- rison's Landing in 1862. Ile resigned his commission in the volunteer service, and his leave of absence was recalled October 20, 1862, having in the meantime been brevetted Major, United States Army, " for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Williamsburg, Va."
General Hooker's report of this campaign says of Colonel Starr while in com- mand of the brigade : "His energy and courage were conspicuous in every part of the field." Ile was promoted Major, Sixth United States Cavalry, April 25, 1863. The command of the brigade of regular cavalry devolved on him June 13th, and in the action at Upperville, Va., June 21st, he was wounded in the side by a sabre thrust received during a charge on the rebel cavalry.
During Lee's march for the invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania Colonel Starr hung on the flank of the Confederate army with his cavalry, skirmishing frequently with the enemy until they crossed the Potomac into Maryland, and on the 3d of July, at Fairfield, Pa., with the Sixth United States Cavalry, reduced by casualties to less than three hundred men, he engaged two brigades of the enemy's cavalry, checked their advance, and after a severe engagement, in which the regiment lost heavily, frustrated the object of the Confederates to make a flank attack upon a Union brigade .* Colonel Starr was severely wounded in
* This was really one of the fiercest cavalry engagements that was ever fought in civilized warfare, and of which little mention has been made in history. Colonel Harper, late Grand Commander G. A. R. Department of Pennsylvania, in an address recently delivered at Allentown, spoke of it as follows :
" COMRADES, they hold up to our view as a hero the leader of that desperate charge, but they neglect to give credit to those loyal and brave men who not only resisted, but repulsed that terrible onslaught. But what appears to me worse than all is the fact that they forgot to cven mention the greatest act of heroism and bravery in the history of the civil war, namely, the struggle that occurred in that little hamlet, I . rhield, Pa., where a handful of our cavalry, under the leadership of Major S. HI. Starr, attacked two brigades of cavalry and a battery of artillery, Confederate troops, and for several hours successfully with- food and repulsed charge after charge until reinforcements came to their rescue, although nine-tenths of them were killed, wounded or taken prisoners. This heroic act on their part completed the success of our arms, and drove the enemy in dismay from Pennsylvania soil, and to them belongs an equal share of honor."
The oriler given by M jor Starr on that memorable occasion was in these words : " By Fours, Forward March, Trot, Gallop, CHARGE," and these are watchwords of the survivors of the United States Sixth Cavalry at their annual reunions.
295
COL. SAMUEL II. STARR.
this action, receiving a sabre stroke on the head and a pistol ball through the right arm, which shattered the bone and rendered amputation necessary. This was performed four inches below the shoulder joint, July 4th. He was taken prisoner after the action while lying wounded at the house of Mrs. Blythe, in Fairfield, but was immediately released. For "gallant and meritorious services in action at Upperville, Va.," he was brevetted Lieutenant-Colonel, United States Army, June 21, 1863, and " for gallant and meritorious services in the Gettys- burg campaign," he was brevetted Colonel United States Army, July 2, 1863.
Upon recovering sufficiently to return to duty he was assigned as Chief Mus- tering and Disbursing Officer for the State of Ohio from October, 1863, to Sep- tember, 1864, when he was ordered to join Sheridan's army in the Shenandoah Valley, Va. He commanded Remount Camp, Pleasant Valley, Md., in Novem- ber, 1864, and was Special Inspector of Cavalry for the Armies of the Potomac and the James from November, 1864, to August, 1865. In October, 1865, he was ordered with his regiment to Texas, and placed in command of Austin. Later he was appointed to the command of the post at Tyler, Smith county.
A local paper, referring to his administration there during the trying recon- struction period, contained the following: "For the benefit of those who may feel disposed to still hang out against a just and peaceful restoration of affairs in the county, we would say that they might as well ' cave,' for there will be neither foolishness nor child's-play with Colonel Starr. He is one of your matter-of-fact sort of men, and has but one way of doing things-that way which he believes to be right, fearlessly and regardless of consequences. We don't believe that the present attempt of the Government to protect Union men in Northeastern Texas will end in an ignominious fizzle. If necessary, Uncle Sam will send us more Butlers, Buells and Starrs."
While in Texas he served on two military commissions, one held at Houston, and the other at Jefferson, being President of one. Upon his withdrawal from these bodies, it was said in a paper that " Colonel Starr has thought proper to ask to be relieved from the military commission, and that his request has been granted. We deeply regret this, for Colonel Starr's earnest efforts to fully understand the case peculiarly qualifies him to discharge his whole duty as a member of the court. He retires with the fullest confidence of the anti-mob portion of the community, but the whole tribe of desperadoes, and their sympa- thizers, will chuckle with inward delight at the success of the pressure that has been brought to bear upon the incorruptible old veteran. All loyal men and lovers of justice are proud to give their heartiest grip to the remaining hand of the one-armed soldier, and to express their sincere and unqualified approval of his course. Let us venture a suggestion why the old, one-armed veteran, Colonel Starr, asked permission to withdraw from the commission. The entertaining for a moment by the Judge Advocate charges preferred by the lawyers after the case had closed wounded the old hero's sense of honor, and induced him to take the step, notwithstanding, had the charge gone to the court, it would probably have overruled the objections of the council."
296
COL. SAMUEL H. STARR.
On December 15, 1Szo, he was placed on the retired list " on account of long and faithful service, and wounds received in action," with full rank of Colonel United States Army.
He joined some years ago the military order of the Loyal Legion, and is now living very quietly at his residence in Philadelphia.
In 1841 Colonel Starr married Eliza Kurtz, of New York city, a descendant of John Hart, of New Jersey, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. They have four children living-Achsah Kate, married to Wil- liam Dougthett Price, son of Dr. William D. Price, of Florida, and grandson of Governor Duval, of Florida, who was the executive of that State during Jack- son's administration, and a nephew of Judge T. Duval, of the United States Court in Texas; Annie M., married to Samuel Calvin Hayes, a direct descendant of John Calvin ; Io Ursula and Samuel Benjamin Starr.
His daughters, to whom we are indebted for most of the facts in this sketch, remark: "His faithful services have never been properly recognized by the Government, but he looks inward and upward for his reward."
COL. HENRY C. DEMMING.
COL. HENRY CLAY DEMMING.
C OLONEL HENRY C. DEMMING, though born in Geneva, New York, September 28, 1842, has been a resident of Pennsylvania during all the mature years of his life, and is now one of the prominent citizens of the capital of the State. He is a direct descendant, on his father's side, of that John Deming whose name appears in the liberal charter of 1662 granted by Charles II. to the colony of Connecticut, and afterwards concealed in the famous Charter Oak, and who is mentioned in Savage's "Genealogical Dictionary of New England " as one of the principal settlers of Wethersfield, Conn. His mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Vierna Carpenter, was a native of Bennington, Vermont, and the surnames most familiar on the maternal side are Carpenter and Hildreth. They seem to have been among the earliest settlers of Vermont.
Before he was three years of age young Demming had been taught his letters by his mother, and when about thirteen years old he was prepared to enter upon a classical course. During his vacations he spent considerable time in the printing offices of his native village, sometimes working as roller-boy at the hand-press, and this led to his giving up his class studies and becoming an apprentice in the Geneva Gasette office. This apprenticeship, however, was sum- marily cut short, and he went to work on his uncle's fruit and horticultural farm, and helped to bring into profitable bearing the first vineyard of the many now dotting the high-ascending slopes surrounding the charming Seneca Lake.
His advent into Pennsylvania occurred in the summer of 1859, and, after many vicissitudes in search of employment, he entered Harrisburg on a bleak Novem- ber day as a mule driver on the canal en route for the Paxton furnace with a boat- load of coal. The canal suddenly freezing up, navigation was declared closed for the season, and young Demming sought employment in the printing office of the Harrisburg Patriot and Union, and contracted to complete his apprenticeship in that establishment. Before the apprenticeship agreement expired the Rebel- lion broke out, and it was with great reluctance that he was obliged to forego the opportunity to enlist when the first call for volunteers appeared. On Sep- tember 10, 1861, however, he tendered his services as private to Captain (after- wards Major) Charles C. Davis, of Company " I," Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, which regiment was then in Camp Cameron, near Harrisburg, drilling and await- ing orders to proceed to the front. Unfortunately, in a short time, he became involved in a hand-to-hand struggle with some drunken Welshmen who had deserted the regiment and he was advised to retire, as they threatened to take his life if he remained.
A second call having been made for three months' men, Mr. Demming imme- diately enlisted as a private, and, without personal solicitation, came within a few votes of being elected Second Lieutenant of the company.
(297)
38
298
COL. HENRY C. DEMMING.
On the call for nine months' volunteers the records show that young Demming was the first man to enlist as a private, connecting himself with Company "A," One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers. Being wounded in the right foot the first day in Camp Curtin by another man in the ranks acci- dentally dropping a musket upon it, he was taken to the camp hospital, where he was soon after detailed to assist the medical officers by keeping the records of their examinations of volunteers, and was subsequently detached for duty in the mustering office of Capt. Richard I. Dodge, of the regular army. During this service every opportunity was taken advantage of to drill with his company, or to accompany it when ordered to do special service-a not infrequent compli- ment, as by hard and persistent drilling by an accomplished captain they had attained a proficiency which led to a special request to display their skill in the various evolutions of a military company before President Lincoln and regular army officers at Washington. During and following his detached-duty service he was sent on important missions South, once to escort a body of convalescent soldiers, being appointed a Sergeant for the purpose, and subsequently to the Army of the Potomac, near Fredericksburg.
After nearly a year's service as a private soldier young Demming appears on the military roll as a Corporal of an independent company, formed for the pur- pose of assisting in the protection of Pennsylvania from invasion in 1863. In this capacity he did special service in the darkness of the early morning of the memorable 2d of July when portions of the invading hosts were sweeping down the Cumberland Valley to destroy Pennsylvania's capital and devastate the neighboring country. Corporal Demming was the principal in capturing in the Susquehanna river, opposite the present residence of Hon. Simon Cameron, in Harrisburg, a Confederate captain and scout who had nearly accomplished his mission, and, with a map of the fords of the Susquehanna from near Marysville to just below Harrisburg, was quite prepared to return to the Confederate cavalry advance, less than five miles away, to report favorably upon a plan to burn the public buildings and levy excessive tribute upon the citizens of the State capital. Mention of this event was made at the time in the daily papers of Harrisburg, and an account of it also appears in Bates' " History of Pennsylvania Volunteers," Vol. V. A day or two afterward he volunteered to help convey four hundred thousand rounds of ammunition to the Union army near Gettysburg.
A few months thereafter Corporal Demming re-enlisted as a private, and was unanimously elected First Lieutenant of his company, and subsequently promoted to Quartermaster of his regiment, the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, and afterwards acted as Quartermaster, Commissary and Ordnance Officer under Gen. James Nagle in Maryland, Third Separate Brigade, Liglith Army Corps.
Ile then recruited a sufficient number of men to be entitled to a captaincy, but the emergency of the Government induced him to accept the First Lieutenancy of the company, which was subsequently assigned as Company "I" to the
299
COL. HENRY C. DEMMING.
Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, First Brigade, First Division, Fourth Army Corps, in the Army of the Cumberland, under Maj .- Gen. George II. Thomas. Here Lieutenant Demming participated in the last campaign in Ten- nessee, and then in the memorable campaign of Gen. P. 11. Sheridan in Texas, at the close of the war. In one of these campaigns Lieutenant Demming was assigned to duty on the staff of the corps commander, Maj .- Gen. D. S. Stanley, and then as mustering officer on the staff of the lamented Gen. George A. Custer. While acting in this latter capacity he aided in mustering out General Grant's original regiment, the Twenty-first Illinois Volunteers, and in January, 1866, he mustered in the last two volunteers of the war of the Rebellion, it having been ascertained that while they had served faithfully as soldiers they had never been duly mustered into service. Declining to accept a commissioned office in the Freedmen's Bureau, he was honorably discharged and returned to Harrisburg about April 1, 1866. Lieutenant Demming was subsequently elected to the Captaincy of a company of the " Boys in Blue," and was then promoted to Major and Judge Advocate by Gov. John W. Geary, serving in that capacity on the staff of Maj .- Gen. Thomas J. Jordan, commanding the Fifth Division of the National Guard of Pennsylvania, from October 12, 1870, until honorably dis- charged, June 30, 1874. On January 30, 1884, he was appointed by Governor Pattison an aide de camp on his staff, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and served as such throughout that official's term. He was recommissioned in January, 1887, as Lieutenant-Colonel by Governor Beaver, and appointed on his staff, being the senior of his rank thereon, and served until June 11, 1887, when he resigned, and was honorably discharged.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.