USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > A twentieth century history of Erie County, Pennsylvania : a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 37
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"All being in readiness, our benefactor plunged his hand into his pocket and pulling it out full of small change thrust it into the woman's hands, still urging them to go back to the old life. At the door Sam turned back and spoke for the first time :
" 'Look hyar, massa, you's good to we uns and fo' de Lo'd I tank yer. Ef enny no'then gemmens hankah fur my chances in de souf I 'zign in dar favo.' 'Foh de good Lo'd I tank ye, massa, I does, suah.' Here Sam's feelings got the better of him and we were hurrying off, when our en- tertainer said:
" 'See here, now, Henry ; remember, you were never at my house with a lot of damned niggers in the night. Do you understand ?'
"'All right, sir. You are the last man who would ever be charged with abolitionism, and that's the reason why we came here tonight. Mum's the word.'
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"The rain had stopped and the stars were shining in a cheerful way as we all trudged down the wet road to the lake shore. Our boat was found close in-shore and Martin and his wife had waded out to it, while Sam and I stood talking in low tones on the beach. Suddenly a crash like the breaking of fence boards was heard on the bank near by and to the westward of us. We looked up quickly and saw the form of a man climb over the fence and then crouch down in the shadow. Up came Sam's rifle and with a hurried aim he fired at the moving object. His old gun was trusty and his aim true, and had it not been for a lucky blow from my hand which knocked the gun upwards just as he fired there'd have been one less mean man in the world and we should have had a corpse to dispose of. I scrambled back up the bank, with my heart in my mouth, I'll confess, just in time to see the sneak scurry along in the direction of the highway. I watched a long time at the creek after the boat left and seeing no one astir, started for home. By the time I reached the Lake road the moon had come up and a fresh carriage track could be plainly seen. I followed it a short distance down the road, where it turned, ran across the sod, and ended at the fence which had been freshly gnawed by horses. It then turned back into the highway, fol- lowed up the crossroad to Wesleyville, and thence came to the city.
"The fugitives reached the promised land in safety, and I heard from them several times thereafter. The man Sam subsequently made two or three successful trips back to the old home, once for a wife and after- wards for other friends. He made some money in the Canada oil fields and some time after sent me $100, $50 for myself to invest in books, and $50 for the fishermen who carried them safely across to Long Point and liberty."
CHAPTER XXIX .- ERIE'S WAR REGIMENTS.
LINCOLN'S CALL AND ERIE'S RESPONSE .- HEROIC HISTORY OF ERIE'S SOLDIERS IN EVERY ARM OF THE SERVICE.
And now comes the most difficult task of all in connection with furnishing a history of Erie County: the task of setting forth what the heroic boys from Erie did on the battle fields of freedom; how gallantly they defended the government ; what they endured and what they suffered. An adequate history of the Erie regiments would re- quire, not chapters, but volumes. Brave men went into that awful conflict from every part of the Union, but none braver than the Erie boys ever carried a gun or faced a foe; and none more nobly did their whole duty. Loyally they followed the flag wherever the way led; whether on the march through scorching heat or biting cold; or if it meant a bivouac in the rain and a bed in the mire; or a skirmish, or a stand before an advancing foe; whether it called for the furious charge, even upon a hopeless hazard. And it was the same, whether it were the routine duty of the camp, the construction of a work of defence, the laying of a corduroy road, the building of pon- toons, or even the awful and sickening duty of burying their dead in the dreadful trenches. It was theirs to feel the weariness of travel from the forced march; the racking fever that came out of the swamps; the hunger and the thirst that stress of circumstances brought them to; the torture of the fearful wound of minic ball or bursted shell; the horror of the prison pen, and the long, long, weary term of suffering in the hospital. It was theirs, mayhap, to carry out of the dreadful fray wounds that would stay by them the rest of their days, or to leave leg or arm behind, or even to yield up their lives, their bodies perchance to lie in unknown graves, mingled it might be in the heaps of slain in trenches.
That was war; such war as no one living will ever want to see repeated. Through such dreadful experiences hundreds of Erie boys passed, not many of them unscathed. In such, hundreds fell. Heroes, all of them, each is the subject of a separate story, but a story that can never be told, unless by the Recording Angel. Here, in this record, an attempt can only be made to give an outline of what, as regimental bodies, the sons of Erie did who went away from their
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homes, impelled by high patriotic duty, to pledge themselves, even to the sacrifice of their lives, for the salvation of their country.
It is related in a later chapter with what celerity the Erie regiment was organized in response to President Lincoln's call for 75,000 men for three months' service, and how readily they went away from home, expecting at once to engage in warlike service. They never got nearer to the scene of action than Pittsburg, and there the expiration of their term of enlistment found them. Though idle, they were not disinterested in what was occurring. The disaster at Bull Run alarni- ed but aroused the Erie men at Pittsburg as well as the people of the whole nation, and, as soon as the meaning of the news of that defeat came to be comprehended, Col. McLane telegraphed to Mr. Cameron, the Secretary of War, for authority to raise another regiment for active service. On July 24th he received the order he sought. At once he sent hand bills throughout the northwestern counties of the state, calling for a thousand able-bodied men, and the officers and soldiers of the old regiment began recruiting. The old fair-ground, near Wesleyville, was selected for the camp of redezvous and called Camp McLane. Nearly 300 of the old regiment re-enlisted for the new one, but the response for this new body was not by any means as prompt as for the first, so that it was five weeks before the re- quired number was obtained. On the 8th of September the last company was mustered in, and on the same day the regiment was mustered by Capt. Bell of the regular army. From that date until the 16th of September the time was occupied in drilling and filling the ranks to the maximum number. It was a memorable occasion when the new regiment, the Eighty-third, left Erie for Washington.
The Eighty-third Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers was or- ganized with John W. McLane as colonel; Strong Vincent, lieuten- ant-colonel; Dr. Louis Naghel, of Indiana, major. The companies were these :
A, Titusville, Captain Morgan.
B, Meadville, Captain Morris,
C, Erie, Captain Graham.
D, Edinboro, Captain Woodward.
E, Waterford, Captain Campbell.
F. Meadville, Captain McCoy.
G, Tionesta, Captain Knox.
H, Conneautville, Captain Carpenter.
I, Erie, Captain Brown.
K, Erie, Captain Austin.
Having reached the front, where at any time active service might be demanded, no time was wasted in bringing the command up to as
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high a standard of proficiency as possible. Col. McLane, a born soldier, was a strict disciplinarian, and in this respect was ably sup- ported by the brigade commander, Gen. Butterfield. Drill and prac- tice in all the evolutions and details of a military occupation were kept up until the Eighty-third became so noted as to win special com- mendation from the general, and, a little later, in open competition was awarded an entire outfit of uniforms and equipments that had been imported from France. This outfit consisted of all the tents, tools and equipments necessary for a regiment, dress and fatigue uniforms, shoes, underclothing and a hundred and one things neces- sary and unnecessary-things. that might by any circumstances or conditions to arise be useful or ornamental, but which in the service that ensued proved to be of no value whatever. The uniforms, for example, while showy enough, were found, when tried on, to be en- tirely unfit. The coats, broad enough at the shoulders, were so narrow-waisted that unless the men wore corsets they could not be buttoned on. However, it was a prize trophy and valued accordingly until it had to be abandoned. The Eighty-third Regiment was ac- companied to the front by Mehl's band, regularly enlisted, under M. W. Mehl leader, and consisted of 17 musicians. It soon came to be regarded as a superfluity, and on August 11, 1862, was mustered out.
The serious work of the regiment began in May, 1862, when it had its baptism of fire in front of Richmond. The first hard fighting was at Gaines' Mill, June 27, 1862, one of the bloodiest on the Con- federate side and one of the most stubborn on the Union side of any of the war, and in this battle the Erie regiment distinguished itself, but paid dearly for its valor. The Eighty-third had the hottest corner, and the brigade commander sent word to the colonel to hold the position. "He needn't have sent me any such word," said Col. McLane, "I intend to hold it." And they stood fast, until at length the enemy took the position, walking over McLane's body in doing so. The regiment retired only after having been a second time recalled by the same brigadier who had at first ordered them to stand. The Eighty-third had the experience of many hard battles before the war was over, but none in which there was harder fighting or more thrilling bravery displayed than at that opening battle. The Erie regiment, screened by a hastily built breastwork of logs, held a position on the extreme left of the Union army, and, aided by artillery, repulsed the foe in three furious charges, when it was discovered that they had partially succeeded in their design, to break through, sweep down the river bank, secure the bridges, and cut off retreat. Finding itself cut off from the rest of the army with the foe advancing upon the right as well as in front, there was nothing for the Eighty-third to do but come out from cover and fight in the open. Heroically they stood to it while men fell thick and fast on all sides. Col. McLane
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was instantly killed by a minie ball and Major Naghel, second in com- mand, was killed by a shell. The regiment, now led by Capt. Camp- bell, fought even fiercer than before; the wounded upon the ground endeavoring to use their muskets with effect. Such bravery was not to be withstood. In the end the Confederates gave way.
It was only a breathing spell. The fight was resumed at length, the captain commanding ordered a retreat to the log barricade, and this position, occupied also by the Forty-fourth New York and Six- teenth Michigan, was held until after night-fall, when, surrounded by the enemy, it was decided to effect a retreat by squads, which was successfully accomplished. In the first battle the Eighty-third had 61 men killed, the largest number of fatalities of any one battle in its eventful history.
After an interval of three days the Eighty-third was again called upon for severe duty. On July 1, 1862, the battle of Malvern Hill occurred. The Erie regiment was not in the line of fighting when the battle began, but the impetuosity with which the rebels charged one part of the line, early made it necessary to call in the Eighty-third as support. Coming upon the scene it was found that a Union battery of artillery that had defended its position with great gallantry for a considerable time, was moving away, driven by the enemy. The latter, the Erie boys met and stood off with splendid fortitude though their ranks were thinned by the galling fire. The battery, seeing the turn in affairs, faced about, and resuming its position, aided by the infantry, repulsed the enemy. Goaded by the repulse, the Confeder- ates fought with fierceness and the battle became bloody in the ex- treme. The rapid fire of the soldiers of the Eighty-third was re- sistless and in the end the Confederates were forced to retire. But it was a costly fight for the Eighty-third; the loss in the engagement was 33 killed, 115 wounded and 18 missing. With the loss at Gaines' Mill the total for four days was 362 killed, wounded and missing, out of 554 that entered. The killed and those who died of wounds in these two engagements were 111.
The next battle was Second Bull Run or Manassas, Aug. 31, 1862, another fiercely contested engagement on the part of the Eighty- third, which left upon that field 26 dead, and among the wounded, Lieut. Col. Campbell, the major and one captain ; two lieutenants be- ing among the killed. The total loss in dead and wounded was 97. Captain Judson, in his history of this valiant regiment, speaking of its condition at about this time, remarked, upon the regiment going into camp on an old campground : "At night they laid down to rest in the old camp which they had left over three months before. But what a contrast did the Eighty-third of now present to the Eighty- third of then! They left that camp with over 600 muskets. - They re- turned to it with about 80. The whole regiment scarcely filled one of the old company streets."
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
At Antietam, at Chancellorsville, and at Fredericksburg the regi- ment, recruited from time to time, took part, doing gallant work, especially at Fredericksburg, but fortunately without serious loss at either place. At Gettysburg, however, the work done by this regi- ment was of the most important character. Upon it the success of that field, the decisive battle of the war, depended. The Eighty-third at Gettysburg had been placed in the vale between the two Round Tops. Col. Vincent, commanding the brigade, however, comprehend- ing the importance of occupying Little Round Top, led his command thither, and becoming strongly posted, resisted every effort of Gen. Hood to take it by his charges in front, and of Gen. Longstreet by flank movement. It was the key of the battle, and was held with a stubbornness that had come to be regarded as characteristic. The soldiers, screened by the scrub oaks and the bowlders, fought des- perately. Col. Vincent, standing on the top of a huge bowlder, urged his men on to yet more daring deeds, but fell at length, mor- tally wounded, living long enough, however, to learn that the victory had been won. Another officer, Capt. Sell, received a wound from which he died.
The Eighty-third then entered upon the Wilderness Campaign, taking part in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Laurel Hill, North Anna, Bethesda Church and Petersburg. The term of enlistment having expired, the regiment was reorganized September 7, 1864, into six companies. The last notable engagement was that of Peebles Farm, September 30, 1864, when the regiment, then re- duced to a battalion, charged upon the Confederate works and won to first place its banner upon the parapet of the enemy's redoubt. It was a fighting regiment from first to last, and really never knew defeat.
It was not until years afterward that the grim story of its service, as compared with the rest of the Union army was told by the aid of cold figures from the official records. George L. Kilmer, com- menting upon the results of that dreadful war, says: "Pennsylvania lost more men killed in the Civil war, in proportion to her quota, than any other Union state, and the Eighty-third Pennsylvania lost more men numerically, killed in battle, than any other regiment in the state, and stands second in the list for the highest losses in killed among the Union regiments." These official figures from the records at Washington are instructive. The original muster was 1,000 men, the total enrolment, 1,808; the killed, 282; died of diseases, accidents, etc., 153; officers killed, 11; officers died of disease, etc., 2; total of killed and wounded, 971. In so far as the official records show, the Eighty-third regiment suffered greater losses than any other in the service. The regimental record of the Fifth New Hampshire shows a total loss of 295, but this included men missing and not again heard from. From the records on file at Washington it appears that the
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
actual loss of the Fifth New Hampshire was 277. In the record of the Eighty-third the missing were not entered among the fatalities, those actually killed in battle or who died of wounds numbering 282, which was 15.5 per cent of the total enrolment of 1,808, and the total killed and wounded, 971, being more than 53 per cent of the total that had served from first to last. The losses in each of its numerous engagements were as follows :
Hanover Court House 1
Gaines' Mill
61
Malvern Hill 50
Manassas (Second Bull Run) 26
Chancellorsville 1
Fredericksburg
1
Gettysburg
18
Guerillas in Virginia, Dec. 10, 1863.
1
Wilderness
20
Spottsylvania, May 8th
51
Spottsylvania, May 10th
2
North Anna
2
Bethesda Church
1
Siege of Petersburg
15
Peebles Farm
10
Hatchers Run
5
White Oak Road
1
Gravelly Run
Total
282
With so many casualties there were necessarily many changes among the officers and these may be given as they appear in succes- sion on the rolls. The colonels were John W. McLane, Strong Vin- cent and O. S. Woodward ; lieutenant-colonels, Hugh S. Campbell and Dewitt McCoy; majors, Louis H. Naghel and William H. Lamont ; Surgeons, William Faulkner and J. P. Burchfield. The captains of the Erie county companies were: C. John Graham ; D. O. S. Wood- ward (colonel), Chancey P. Rogers (colonel) ; E, Hugh S. Campbell (afterwards colonel and provost marshal for this district), Amos M. Judson, W. O. Colt (colonel) ; I, Hiram L. Brown (afterwards col- onel of 145th Regt.), John M. Sell and John H. Borden; K, Thomas M. Austin and John Hechtman. Lieutenants of Erie companies: C, Aaron E. Yale, John W. Vannatta, Bethuel J. Goff, Joseph Grimler ; D, Plympton A. White; E, W. O. Colt (colonel), James H. Barnett. Alex B. Langley, Edward L. Whittelsey (captain of Co. A, in new or- ganization) ; I, John M. Clark, Wm. J. Wittich, Fred C. Wittich, Abner R. Edson; K, Wm. E. Bates, Henry Austin, Edmund W.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
Reed, Noble L. Terrell. The regiment was formally mustered out July 4, 1865.
Following very closely upon the organization of the first three years' regiment from this county came that of another which, when mustered in, came to be known as the One Hundred and Eleventh. The commission to raise this body of troops was issued to Matthias Schlaudecker, a prominent German citizen of Erie, on September 2, 1861, only a few days before the Eighty-third had mustered in its last company and completed its organization, and Col. Schlaudecker, securing hearty co-operation, went about the work of recruiting at once and with vigor. He sent out patriotic appeals and had them circulated in Erie, Warren, Crawford and Elk counties, and at the very beginning secured valuable aid from George A. Cobham, Jr., of Warren and Thomas M. Walker, of Erie. An office was opened in Erie and the fair ground not far from Wesleyville, that had been the camp of the Eighty-third, was secured as the place of rendezvous, and named Camp Reed. The work of enlistment progressed rapidly and the ranks were filled with the best of material and the work of drilling and instruction went forward under the direction of Col. Schlaudecker. Schlaudecker, who had been major in the Erie (three months) Regiment, was an experienced military man, having seen service in the German army ; he was, therefore, capable to teach these "young ideas how to shoot." When orders reached Erie on Jan- uary 24, 1862, for the regiment to start, it was in readiness except for the regimental organization, and this was quickly effected by the election of M. Schlaudecker as Colonel: George A. Cobham, Jr., Lieut .- Col. ; Thomas M. Walker, Major, and John A. Boyle, Adjutant. The regiment included these officers of the line:
Company A-Capt. Josiah Brown. Company B-Capt. Arthur Corrigan. Company C-Capt. Richard Cross. Company D-Capt. Elias M. Pierce. Company E-Capt. Samuel M. Davis. Company F-Capt. John Braden. Company G-Capt. William A. Thomas. Company H-Capt. John P. Schlaudecker. Company I-Capt. Frank Wagner. Company K-Capt. Jonas J. Pierce.
Next day, January 25, 1862, the regiment moved for the front, reaching Harrisburg on January 27th, where the outfitting and equip- ment were effected, and on March 1st, Baltimore was reached.
In the middle of May the regiment was sent to Harper's Ferry to reinforce Banks, then retreating down the Shenandoah, but was prevented from getting into action by the defeat of Banks at Win-
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chester. The first service was at Charleston, when the enemy's skir- mishers were driven. Subsequently the regiment was attached to Cooper's brigade of Sigel's division, remaining for some time inactive. Afterwards, toward the close of June, it was assigned to Prince's bri- gade of Augur's division. Soon afterward followed the battle of Cedar Mountain, August 9, 1862. There had been a great deal of sickness in the regiment. Large numbers were ill in the hospital, and Lieut. Col. Cobham was one of these thus disabled. while Col. Schlaudecker's illness was so serious that he was furloughed on that account. The command of the regiment therefore devolved upon Major Walker. The battle of Cedar Mountain was a desperate struggle which lasted from 2 o'clock till dark, the One Hundred and Eleventh being finally driven back with a loss of 19 killed, 61 wounded and 13 missing. This was the regiment's real initiation.
The next important battle in which it participated was Antietam, where for eight hours it was engaged in severe fighting and bore it- self so gallantly that it was presented on the field with a stand of colors. It went into the fight with 300 muskets and lost 33 killed, 71 wounded and 7 missing. Captain Corrigan was among the killed; Major Walker, Capt. Wagner and Lieuts., Todd, Bancroft, Cronen- berger, Black and Woeltge wounded.
Then the regiment moved to Loudon Heights, toward Leesburg, and Fredericksburg, and went into winter quarters at Fairfax. A month later it took part in the "Mud March," and while at Acquia Creek was transferred to the Second brigade, Second division, Twelfth corps. Col. Schlaudecker having been honorably discharged in No- vember, at the end of January Lieut. Col. Cobham was promoted to colonel: Major Walker to lieut .- colonel, and Adj. Boyle to major. The One Hundred and Eleventh won high commendation on inspection from Gen. Hooker.
May 1st to 6th, 1863, the regiment participated in the campaign in the vicinity of Chancellorsville, out of which it came with a loss of 6 killed, 8 wounded, and 3 missing.
In July it was at Gettysburg, engaged first in fortifying Culp's Hill and afterwards in defending that position, which was done with splendid courage and spirit, resulting at length in driving the enemy. In that engagement Lieut .- Col. Walker's report was that his com- mand expended 160 rounds of ammunition to the man. The loss was 6 killed and 17 wounded.
On September 24th the Eleventh and Twelfth corps were de- tached from the Army of the Potomac and transferred to Rosecranz's army at Chattanooga. It was a holiday time for the soldier boys, transported as they were, though in box cars, across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, and with their corps, the One Hundred and Eleventh reached Murfreesboro on October 6th. Meantime there had been
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
large additions made to the regiment, though 100 of the recruits, draft- ed men, deserted enroute.
On the 28th of October, at Wauhatchie, in the night, a determined attack was made by the Confederates, who had been reconnoitering from Lookout Mountain. The enemy in three brigades came stealthily down, but were met by the One Hundred and Eleventh and checked until the remainder of the Union forces became organized, when, though the attack was a determined one, it was met with unsurpassed valor and the foe withdrew with heavy loss. The regiment lost at Wauhatchie, 13 killed, 31 wounded and one missing. Major Boyle and Lieut. Pettit were killed; Lieut .- Col. Walker, Capts. Warner and Wells and Lieuts. Haight, Tracy and Black were wounded.
On the 24th of November began the famous engagement by which Lookout Mountain was stormed and taken by the Union troops, and in this action, which lasted two days, the One Hundred and Eleventh bore conspicuous part, distinguishing itself by gallant fighting in the "Battle Above the Clouds." Col. Cobham, in the series of engagements was acting as brigadier general, and Lieut .- Col. Walker led the regiment.
The campaign ended on December 1, 1863, when the regiment re- enlisted for a second term, and departed for home, December 28th, on Veteran Furlough. It was an occasion memorable in Erie when the regiment arrived, on January 14, 1864. The streets were gay with flags, bells rang, cannon boomed and the band was playing. Escorted by Ex-Col. Schlaudecker and a company of marines, the regiment was marched to Wayne Hall, on French street, where a dinner was spread, and then the veterans were free to visit their homes for the vacation.
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