Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 41

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1526

USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > Butler > Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th > Part 41

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

night by a party of militiamen, who poured tar over him and then gave him a coat of feathers.

There were five full companies that went from Butler County to the War of 1812, forming a part of a regiment of twelve companies raised in the district by Col. John Purviance and known as the Second Regiment of infantry. The five companies above referred to were those of Captains Abraham Brinker, Robert Storey, Robert Thompson, Samuel Jordan, and James Stewart. The Second Regiment formed a part of the brigade commanded by Briga- dier-General Adamson Tannehill and saw service at Erie and other posts in North- ern Pennsylvania. In response to a call issued in July, 1813, the men of Colonel Purviance's regiment re-enlisted.

In addition to the companies above men- tioned there was also Captain Martin's company, which formed a part of the bat- talion commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, known as the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Regiment.

MEXICAN WAR.

Butler County had no regular military organization in the war with Mexico. The Slippery Rock Guards, one of the militia organizations of the county, assembled at the house of Lieut. John Brackney at West Sunbury on June 13, 1846, and on motion of Capt. John Louden tendered their services to the Governor of the State as a rifle company. A similar tender of services was made by the Washington Cavalry of Butler February 13, 1847. The quota of volunteers having been filled, the offers of these organizations were not ac- cepted. A number of young men from the county enlisted in various commands and served through the war.

So far as known the only survivor of the Mexican War in the county at this writing is James Graham of Butler. Graham is a native of Butler County, but enlisted at

Pittsburg, in Company G, Eleventh Penn- sylvania Infantry, which was organized at Carlisle and was on its way to the front. Mr. Graham also served three years in the Civil War and is probably the oldest living veteran of the two wars in the state.

Charles Hoffman, who died recently in Saxonburg, enlisted in Pittsburg in the DeKalb Greys and served during the war. He was also a veteran of the Civil War.

Henry Hartung and Casper Hartung, two brothers of Butler Township, enlisted at Pittsburg and served during the war.

John Hoffman of Connoquenessing Township, enlisted from Beaver County and served in an artillery regiment.

Andrew G. Marshall, Richard Crozier and George L. Glenn returned to their homes in Butler from the war in 1848 and met with a warm welcome by their friends.

E. G. Smith, a returning soldier, en route to his home in Crawford County, died on the Pittsburg-Butler stage, and was buried in Butler with military honors, July 31, 1848.

Lafayette Sullivan, of Butler County, was a sergeant in Company E, Eleventh United States Infantry, of General James Shields' brigade. He died at the City of Pueblo, Mexico, in January, 1848.

James Bredin, ex-judge of this district, served on the U. S. Ship Ohio along the Mexican coast and was in the actions at Vera Cruz and Suspan.

Lafayette Kerr, of Slippery Rock Township, died on the field of honor.

James Reed of Oakland Township, was a wagonmaker in the employ of the Gov- ernment.

John Kirkpatrick, a resident of Clinton Township, was killed in battle.

Samuel Patterson, who died in Butler in January, 1903, served in the Eighth Penn- sylvania Regiment through the war. He also served in a West Virginia artillery regiment through the Civil War.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

THE CIVIL WAR-1861-1865.

The first organization to take the field during the War of the Rebellion was The Butler County Blues, a company organ- ized in Butler, April 22, 1861, at a public meeting held at the court house. The com- missioned and non-commissioned officers chosen were: John N. Purviance, captain; Alexander Gillespie, first lieutenant; John G. Vandyke, second lieutenant; John B. MeQuistion, first sergeant; Edwin Lyon, second sergeant; Oliver C. Redie, third sergeant; Samuel Mucket, fourth ser- geant; Thompson Campbell, Jr., Andrew Carns, John P. Orr and Joseph B. Mech- ling, corporals.

Leaving Butler on the forenoon of April 22nd, the company proceeded to Freeport and thence to Pittsburg, arriving at the latter point the same evening. It re- mained at Pittsburg until April 24th, when, with other volunteer companies, and General Negley in command of the battalion, it proceeded to Harrisburg. On the 25th of April, the Butler County Blues were mustered into the United States service for three months by Capt. S. G. Simmons, and became Company H of the Thirteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Vol- unteers. In the regimental organization Thomas A. Rowley was commissioned colonel, and Capt. John N. Purviance, lieutenant colonel. Jacob Ziegler was elected captain of Company H, to succeed Captain Purviance, promoted to lieuten- ant colonel. Captain Ziegler resigned, however, on the 11th of May, and First Lieutenant Alexander Gillespie was pro- moted to captain, and George W. Smith to first lieutenant.

On the 26th of April the regiment pro- ceeded to Camp Scott, near York, Penn- sylvania, and went into camp for instruc- tion, remaining there until June 4th. The command then moved to Camp Rowley, near Chambersburg, and on the 11th of June to Camp Brady, about three miles

south of Chambersburg, where it reported to Col. Dixon S. Miles, commanding the Fourth Brigade, First Division, Patter- son's Corps. Two days later the regiment was fully equipped, and, with five days' cooked rations and forty rounds of annu- nition, started on the march southward. The first stop was at Camp Lee, two miles south of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, and on the 15th of June, the regiment proceed- ed to Camp Riley, a point two miles north of Williamsport, Maryland. The follow- ing day the Thirteenth was assigned the advance of the column and passing through Williamsport, crossed the Poto- mac River, camping that night on Vir- ginia soil at a point called Camp Hitch- cock, three miles from the river, thus be- ing the first northern men to reach Vir- ginia on this line.

From the 18th of June to the 2nd of July, the Thirteenth Regiment was en- gaged on the Maryland side of the river in constructing field work or redan for the use of Captain Doubleday's battery and repelling the attacks of enterprising bod- ies of the enemy on the picket lines. When Patterson's army of 20,000 men crossed the Potomac on the 2nd of July, the Thir- teenth and the Eighth Regiments were left to garrison Williamsport. The next duty performed by the Thirteenth was to escort the Rhode Island battery of Colonel Burnside's command to Martinsburg, Vir- ginia, on July 4th. This was followed by two weeks of picket and fatigue duty, when the regiment joined the main column and moved to Bunker Hill village, and on the 17th proceeded to Charleston, where it remained until the 21st, the day the First Battle of Bull Run was fought. From Charleston the regiment proceeded to Harper's Ferry and thence to Hagers- town, Maryland, arriving at the latter place on the morning of July 23d. On the 25th of July the command proceeded by rail to Harrisburg and thence to Pitts- burg, arriving at its home station the

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morning of July 28th. The citizens of Pittsburg handsomely entertained the re- turning soldiers, and on the 6th of August, the regiment was mustered out of the service by First Lieut. John B. Johnston, of the Third United States Cavalry. The only other change made in the commis- sioned officers of Company H was the ap- pointment of Second Sergeant Edwin H. Lyon to be first lieutenant.

Immediately after the muster out of the Thirteenth, Colonel Rowley set about the reorganization of his regiment for the three-year service and a full company was organized in Butler County. Many of the men who served in the old Thirteenth re- enlisted, and the new organization became known as the One Hundred and Second Pennsylvania Volunteers. This change in number happened through a dispute be- tween Colonel Rowley, who wanted to re- tain his old regimental number, Thirteen, and the adjutant general; who positively declined to use the "hoodoo" number. When the dispute was settled, all the num- bers under 102 had been taken, and that became the number of Colonel Rowley's new regiment.

When Company H, Thirteenth Regi- ment, was mustered out many of the mem- bers re-enlisted in other volunteer organ- izations that were leaving for the field in the summer of 1861, and made gallant records.

FORTIETH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. (ELEVENTH RESERVE.)

Under the first call for troops in April, 1861, three full companies were organized in Butler County, but only one had been accepted-Company H, Thirteenth Regi- ment-when the quota for the county was filled. The other two companies pre- served their organization and were mus- tered in as Companies C and D, Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserve, in May, 1861. Com- pany C was recruited at West Sunbury, this county, in April and May, and was

named the Dickson Guards in honor of Rev. W. T. Dickson, who was principal of the West Sunbury Academy at that time. A large number of the members of this company were students of the academy, and were fired by the patriotic zeal of their teacher, who followed the command to the front, and served as chaplain of the regiment from August 28th, 1861, to No- vember 28th, 1862. The first captain of this company was John Louden.

Company D was organized in the west- ern part of the county as the Connoque- nessing Rangers by Capt. William C. Stewart. On June 10th the two companies reported at Camp Wright, near Pitts- burg; on July 1st, the regimental and staff officers were elected and on July 29th the regiment was mustered into the United States service for thre years at Washing- ton, D. C. To rehearse the story of the arduous campaigns and hard fought bat- tles of the Eleventh Reserve, is to repeat the deeds of the Army of the Potomac, and the fallen heroes of the two Butler County companies were left on the great battle fields in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. During its three years of service the regiment participated in the battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines' Hill, Charles City, Cross Road, second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Freder- icksburg, Gettysburg, Falling Waters, Culpepper, Bristoe Station, Rappahan- nock Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, and Bethesda Church.

Of the 108 men whose names appear on the roll of Company C, twenty were killed in battle; forty-three were wounded; nine died from disease, two of whom died in prison, and from disease contracted while in prison. Eighteen were discharged on account of wounds and thirteen on account of disability.

Company D paid almost as heavy a toll. Of 125 men on the roll, eighteen were killed in battle; fifteen died from wounds

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received in battle or from disease; two were missing after battle, and thirty were discharged because of wounds or disabil- ity on surgeon's certificates.

THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.

The Seventy-eighth Regiment was or- ganized at Camp Orr, Kittanning, in Au- gust and September, 1861. William Sir- well of Armstrong County was its colonel, Archibald Blakeley of Butler County, the lieutenant colonel, and Augustus Bon- affon of Allegheny County, major. Company H was recruited in Butler County under Captain William S. Jack. The regiment was brigaded with the Seventy-seventh and Seventy-ninth Regi- ments, and Muchler's battery under Brig. Gen. James S. Negley at Pittsburg, and proceeded at once by boat to Louis- ville, and thence to Nolan's Station on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, where it was attached to Gen. A. McDowell Mc- Cook's Division of the Army of the Cum- berland. From that time until August, 1862, it was engaged in guarding lines of communication in Tennessee and Ken- tucky, and was engaged in a number of skirmishes with guerrillas and cavalry. From August to December of the same vear it was on garrison duty at Nashville with General John F. Miller's Brigade of Negley's Division. On October 17th the regiment assisted in the routing of Ander- son's rebel camp, and the capture of the Thirty-second Alabama Regiment. Sub- sequently the regiment engaged in the bat- tles of Stone River, on December 3, 1862, and January 1, 1863; at Chickamauga, September 19-20, 1863, and at Lookout Mountain, November 23-24 and 25, 1863. During the Atlanta Campaign in 1864, it participated in the engagements at Tun- nel Hill, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Dallas and Kenesaw Mountain.

At the battle of Stone River the regi- ment lost 190 men in killed and wounded. Among the mortally wounded was Capt.

William S. Jack, Company H, who died in the hospital at Nashville, February 5, 1863. In this battle the flag of the Twenty- sixth Tennessee Regiment became the trophy of the Seventy-eighth.

Company H of this regiment was com- posed entirely of Butler County men. William S. Jack was its captain. After his death, February 5th, 1863, Hugh A. Ayres was promoted from first lieutenant to captain. The lieutenants were Joseph B. Mechling, Samuel J. McBride, and Frederick F. Wiehl.

On October 17th the time of the regi- ment expired and it was ordered back to Pittsburg to be mustered out. On the way home through Tennessee it was mounted and sent in pursuit of Wheeler's rebel cavalry. After more than three years of service the regiment arrived in Pittsburg on November 4th, 1864, and was mustered out.

Many, however, re-enlisted and new companies were organized to serve until the close of the war. Among these was Company E, recruited in the southwestern section of the county. Its captain was Robert I. Boggs, and the lieutenants were Alexander Gillespie and Lewis Gansz. In addition to Company E, about twenty men from the eastern section of the county en- listed in Company F.

In April, 1863, Colonel Sirwell was pro- moted to brigade commander and Lieuten- ant Colonel Blakeley was made colonel of the regiment.

The final muster out of the regiment took place September 11th, 1865, several months after the surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox.

The chaplain of the regiment was Rev. Richard C. Christy, who was at the out- break of the war pastor of St. John's Roman Catholic Church, at Coylesville, in Clearfield Township. He resigned his pas- torate to accept the commission as chap- lain of the Seventy-eighth Regiment, and he was tireless and fearless in the dis-

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charge of his duties. He not only minis- tered to the sick and wounded in the camp and the hospital, but where the battle raged the hottest he was found speaking words of comfort to the wounded and the dying, and encouraging all by word and example. Because of his courage and de- votion he was known throughout the Army of the Cumberland as the "Fighting Chaplain." His portrait occupies a place of honor in the Hall of Encampment, Number 45, U. V. L., of Butler.

ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT-" ROUND HEADS."

The One Hundredth Pennsylvania Vol- unteers was recruited in the southwestern counties of the state, with the exception of one Company, C, which was recruited in Butler County. The captains of this com- pany were James E. Cornelius, of Porter- ville, afterwards promoted to colonel, Da- vid Critchlow, and George W. Fisher. The lieutenants were: Philo S. Morton, Rob- ert W. Weller, Matthew Stewart, Isaac W. Cornelius, and William Smiley. The regi- ment was sworn into the United States service at Camp Wilkins, August 31, 1861, and on September 2nd proceeded to Wash- ington, D. C., where Company L was transferred to the 105th Regiment.

From the fact that the make-up of this regiment was principally the descendants of Scotch-Irish Covenanters, and of the . Round Heads of the English Revolution, it became known as the "Round Head Regiment."

The field and staff officers of the regi- ment were: Colonel, Daniel Leasure; lieu- tenant colonel, James Armstrong; major, David A. Leckey; chaplain, Rev. Albert Audley Brown; quartermaster, H. H. Les- lie; surgeon, Horace Ludington; assistant surgeon, Abraham Maas; adjutant, George Leasure.

At Washington the "Round Heads" were brigaded with the Eighth Michigan

and the Fiftieth Pennsylvania, and the Seventy-ninth New York Highlanders, with Colonel Leasure as commander of the brigade, and ordered to South Caro- lina as part of the land forces sent against Port Royal. The regiment participated in the battles of Port Royal, Port Royal Ferry, and in the unsuccessful attempt to take Charleston in June, 1862. In July, 1862, the regiment was assigned to the Ninth Corps of the Army of the Potomac, and participated in the battles of Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, An- tietam, and Fredericksburg. In March, 1863, the Round Heads were transferred to the Department of the Ohio, and in June assisted in the siege and capture of Vicksburg. They also participated in the battles of Jackson, Miss .; Blue Springs, Campbell's Station, and the siege of Knoxville, in Tennessee.

In January, 1864, all of the regiment, with the exception of twenty-seven men, re-enlisted for a second term of three years and were granted a veteran fur- lough. Upon their return to the field the Round Heads were again assigned to the Army of the Potomac, and participated in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsyl- vania Court House, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Mine Explosion, Weldon Railroad, Poplar Grove Church, Hatcher's Run, Fort Steadman, and the final assault on Petersburg. After a serv- ice of nearly four years the regiment was mustered out of service July 24th, 1865. The record of the Round. Heads is one of valiant service and brilliant achievements, both officers and men distinguishing them- selves by great personal bravery.

ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND REGIMENT.

Immediately after the Thirteenth Regi- ment was mustered out in 1861, Col. Thomas A. Rowley began recruiting its members for the three years' service. The dispute that arose over retaining the old

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number, Thirteen, was not settled until all the numbers up to one hundred and two had been taken, and that became the number of the new regiment. The old number stuck, however, and the regiment was known throughout its service as the "Old Thirteenth." Company H of this regiment was a Butler County company. Its captain was Thomas MeLaughlin, who was promoted to major, June 1, 1863. His successor was Robert W. Lyon, who was commissioned major, June 25, 1865, and promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel.

The lieutenants were William Crooks, Charles Bartlay, Armstrong Renison, Ad- dison J. Brinker, and Isaac C. Stewart. The company was mustered into the serv- ice August 20, 1861, one hundred and thir- teen strong. From 1861 to June 28, 1865, two hundred men served in its ranks. Of this number thirty-eight were killed or mortally wounded in battle, seventy-two were wounded, and twelve died of disease.

The regiment was engaged in the ad- vance on Richmond, and the advance on Fort Magruder. It was afterwards en- gaged in the battles of Seven Pines, Fair Oaks, Chantilly, Antietam, Fredericks- burg, Maryl's Height, Salem Church, Rapahannock Station, Mine Run, West- minster and Funkstown. Early in 1864 the regiment veteranized by re-enlisting and was given thirty days' furlough. The same year it was again in the field and took part in the engagements at Peters- burg, Opequon, Winchester, Five Forks, Sailor's Creek and Appomattox. The total losses of the regiment were one hun- dred and seventy-one killed in action, a much larger number wounded; eighty-two died from disease, and one hundred and forty reported captured or missing.

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRD REGIMENT.

The One Hundred and Third Regiment was recruited in January, 1862, and em- braced two full companies from Butler

County and a part of the third. Company E was recruited in the western part of Butler County. Its captains were Samuel Martin and Eli G. Cratty. The lieuten- ants were Christian M. Otto, Robert R. Bryson and Peter Weisenstein.

Company I was recruited in the north- western section of the county, and had for its captains, William C. Maxwell and Will- iam Fielding. The lieutenants were W. C. MeCrum, W. H. Kiester and G. K. Crawford.

Company B was recruited from Butler, Armstrong, Clarion and Venango Coun- ties. The captains of the company were : George W. Gillespie, Joseph Rogers and Daniel Coe. Captain Gillespie was killed in the battle of Fair Oaks and Captain Rogers resigned.

The regiment was organized at Harris- burg, February 24, 1862, with T. F. Leh- man, colonel, and Wilson Maxwell (cap- tain of Company I) as lieutenant colonel.

This regiment participated in the siege of Yorktown, where it lost eighty-four in killed and wounded at Fair Oaks and in the entire Peninsular campaign. In the latter campaign it lost fifty per cent. of its original members. After Foster's ex- pedition in North Carolina the regiment went into camp on the Neuse River. In 1863 the regiment accompanied Wessell's Brigade to Plymouth, where the Confed- erates attacked by land and sea, compell- ing the surrender of the Federal troops on the 20th of April. The horrors of the An- dersonville and Florence prisons followed. and of the one hundred and thirty-two men of this command who died in these prisons, thirty-four were from Butler County. During the months of March and April, 1865, eight new companies were added to the regiment, but they were car- ried on the rolls as unassigned men. When the command was mustered out June 25, 1865, but eighty-one of the original men were present.

Evans City, Pa.

VIEW OF EVANS CITY

ORPHANS' HOME, ZELIENOPLE

BARNHART MILL, CHICORA

ZOENT HOME ZELIENOPLE PK.

OLD PEOPLE'S HOME, ZELIENOPLE

M. E. CHURCH AND PARSONAGE, CONNOQUENESSING

PUBLIC SCHOOL, ZELIENOPLE

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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOURTH REGI-

MENT.

This regiment was organized at Camp Curtin under a call issued in July, 1862, by Governor Curtin for men for nine months' service. The organization was mustered into the United States Service in August following with the following offi- cers : Matthew S. Quay, of Beaver County, colonel; Edward O'Brien, of Lawrence County, lieutenant-colonel; and John M. Thompson, of Butler, major. Colonel Quay resigned early in December, and on the 8th of that month Lieutenant Colonel O'Brien was promoted to colonel, Major Thompson was promoted to lieutenant- colonel, and Capt. William H. Shaw was promoted to major. Alfred G. Reed, who went out as lieutenant of Company C, was promoted to adjutant, and on February 17, 1863, Capt. Cyrus E. Anderson was promoted to major. Alfred G. Reed was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg, De- cember 13, 1862, and died fourteen days later. Alfred G. Reed Post, G. A. R., of Butler, was named in his honor. Sergeant Major George Purviance was promoted to adjutant on January 1, 1863, to fill the va- cancy caused by the death of Reed. This regiment participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, and in the battle of Chan- cellorsville, and was mustered out at Har- risburg May 26, 1863. Among those who were killed at Chancellorsville was Capt. John Brant, of Company B. The loss of the regiment during its term of service was thirty-eight officers and privates killed, and sixty-seven who died from disease.

Four companies of this organization were recruited in Butler County. The first company recruited was Company C, which had for its Captains Cyrus E. Anderson, and John F. White. The lieutenants were Alfred G. Reed, and Peterson P. Brown. Captain Anderson's company was one of the largest taken from the county during the war. The well known character of the

leader brought in recruits from all over the county and by the time the organization reached Harrisburg they had many more men on the roll than the quota required for a company.

Company F was recruited in Butler County, and its captains were W. O. Breck- enridge, and Winfield M. Clark. The lieu- tenants were John J. Kelley, Samuel Hil- liard; and James Timblin.

Company G, recruited in Butler County, had for its captains Alfred G. Riddle, and James M. Clark. The lieutenants were Sterns E. Tyler, and James P. Hall.

Company K, recruited in Butler County, had for its captains, Edwin Lyon, and William O. Campbell. The lieutenants were J. A. Millinger, Daniel McMillen, and William B. Lyon.

H. W. Koonce of Butler County served in Company H of this regiment, and Wil- liam Curry, Robert Richeal, and William J. Stoner, as privates in Company B.

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVENTH REGI- MENT.

In addition to the four companies fur- nished for the 134th Regiment, Butler County furnished three companies for the 137th Regiment, which was organized at Camp Curtin, at Harrisburg, August 22, 1862, with the following officers : Henry M. Bossert, of Clinton County, colonel; Jo- seph B. Kidder, of Allegheny County, lieutenant-colonel; and Charles B. Win- gert, of Clinton County, major. The regi- ment entered active service September 12, as a member of Smith's Division of Han- cock's Brigade, and was soon after en- gaged in the battle at Crampton's Gap in the South Mountain. It was present at the battle of Antietam, and later was sent in pursuit of J. E. B. Stewart, the rebel cavalry general, who had made a raid into Pennsylvania. It took part in the Burn- side's second campaign, and subsequently went into camp at Belle Plain. In April,

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 41

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1526

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1526