Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I, Part 33

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1018


USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 33


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and important victories for the Union. In 1864, winter and early spring of 1865 there were twenty-


so it decreased during the following six years till 1843; and this caused the ruin of many moneyed institutions among them the Bank of the United States, the renewal of whose charter had been denied by President Jackson.


At the beginning of the war, the paper money in circulation amounted to $200,000,000; of which three-fourths had been issued in the Northern States; and the coin amounted to $275,000,000. The early necessities of the national treasury in this trying period compelled the government to borrow money, and in February, 1862, Congress authorized the issue of treasury notes amounting except for customs duties and interest on the na-


128


HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


nominations of coin money from circulation. This Regt. was commonly known as "currency," and it was 55 all redeemed after the war. 59


During this period, our merchants at Reading issued and circulated for a time their own fraction- al demand notes for the purpose of encouraging trade in the community and it was gradually re- deemed as the national currency was supplied.


COMPANIES FROM COUNTY


The following 104 companies of men were enlisted from Berks county and mustered into the service of the national government in the Civil war. Twelve of the companies included men accredited to other counties. Reckoning all the men in the companies named and those found in different companies not classified, it can be asserted that about ten thousand men of our county were en- gaged in the great struggle for the preservation of the Union.


SUMMARY


Regt.


Three months' service, 1861.


738


128


A


99


L. Heber Smith


Three years' service, 1861-64


3,657


128


B


93


Wm. McNall


Nine months' service, 1862-63


1,003


128


E


98


W.m. H. Andrews


Volunteer militia of 1862


543


Drafted militia of 1862


1,263


128


I


89


Richard H. Jones


Emergency troops of 1863


1,438


128


K


88


Geo. Newkirk


One hundred days' service, 1864.


357


151


E


93


Jacob S. Graff


G


83


Levi M. Gerhart


H


I


100


Wm. L. Gray,


151


K


101


Jas. W. Weida


10,144


The detailed statement,* showing the several regiments and companies, the number of men in each company, and the names of the captains, is as follows :


Three Months' Service-1861


Regt.


Co.


Men


Captain


25


A


104


James McKnight


1


G


78


Geo. W. Alexander


5


H


77


Frank M. Cooley


5


Band


16


E. Ermentrout, Leader


7


C


76


Isaac Schroeder


7


D


78


Geo. S. Herbst


Ret.


Co.


Men


Captain


7


G


77


A. F. Rightmyer


167


A


113


Jonathan See


14


A


77


David A. Griffith


167


B


105


Chas. Melcher


14


E


80


John C. Shearer


167


D


113


Samuel A. Haines


25


Band


17


John A. Hoch, Leader


167


E


101


H. H. Miller


Three Years' Service-1861-64


167


G


114


William A. Schall


26


Band


13


Henry Grime, Leader


167


I


111


J. M. Shollenberger


32


A


100


Jacob Lenhart, Jr.


167


K


105


Edw. F. Reed


32


D


115


Wmn. Briner


179


I


99


Amos Drenkel


32


F


100


Wash. Richards


179


K


95


John B. Wagoner


36


I


33


Joseph G. Holmes (Berks and Lebanon counties)


Emergency Troops-1863


43


F


38


R. B. Rickets, 1st Artillery


Regt.


Co.


Men


Captain


44


L


155


J. C. A. Hoffeditz


31


H


63


David A. Griffith


44


M


154


Thos. S. Richards


42


A


98


Wm. F. Walter


46


E


173


Cornelius Wise


42


B


91


Samuel Harner


46


Band


16


R. J. Stanley


42


C


103


John E. Arthur


48


D


40


Daniel Nagle


42


D


95


Wm. D. Smith


50


B


166


Hervey Herman


42


E


83


Jno. McKnight


50


E


181


Wm. H. Diehl


42


F


79


Bently H. Smith


50


H


177


Thos. S. Brenholtz


42


G


96


Samuel A. Haines


53


A & B


27


Wm. S. Potts


42


H


90


John Obold


42


I


91


Edw. Bailey


* Prepared by the compiler of this history for the Historical Society of Berks County, and read at a regular meeting on Feb. 14, 1905.


Co.


Men


Captain


John C. Shearer


K


33


Stephen H. Edgett


70


G


94


Geo. E. Clymer, 6th Cavalry


74


G


50


Wm. J. Bart (Berks and Adams counties ).


80


L


64


C. C. McCormick (Berks and


Northumberland counties)


88


A 197


Geo. W. Knabb


88


B


192


Henry A. Myers


88


H


196


David A. Griffith


88


Band


20


E. Ermentrout, Leader (Ring-


gold)


B


185


John E. Arthur


G


183


A. C. Maitland


K


74


David C. Keller


G


31


Jas. M. Douden


B


50


Jacob W. Glase


H


195


Wm. F. Walter


D


K


25


Henry Ungerer


H


16


A. M. Halberstadt


H


76


Geo. F. Cooke, 21st Cavalry


Nine Months' Service-1862-63


Co.


Men


Captain


Volunteer Militia of 1862


Regt.


Co.


Men


Captain


2


G


70


F. S. Bickley


11


E


104


Chas. H. Hunter


11


I


95


N. M. Eisenhower


20


G


70


Wm. Geiger


20


H


45


Samuel Harner


20


I


9'2


Frederick S. Boas


*


. .


67


Samuel L. Young


C


102


Peter Y. Edelman


25 *


C


58


Henry Nagle


167



100


Josiah Groh


Regt.


Co.


Men


Captain


167


H


105


A. H. Schaeffer


One year's service, 1864-65!


895


151


151


83


Wm. K. Boltz


Miscellaneous enlistment in Regular U. S. service, etc.


250


93


93


93


96


104


104


Geo. W. Durrell, Ind. Battery


297


152


181


128


H


76


John Kennedy


151


182


B


191


*Ind. Cavalry


Drafted Militia of 1862- 9 110S.


167


129


WAR PERIODS


Regt. Co.


Men


Captain


42


K


65


Jacob Deppen


48


G


95


Jos. G. Holmes


48


I


79


Aug. C. Greth


53


A


86


R. L. Jones


53


B


75


Jacob Lehman


*


. .


149


W. C. Ermentrout


One Hundred Days' Service-1864


Regt.


Co.


Men


Captain


194


I


84


H. E. Quimby


195


A


85


H. D. Markley


195


B


93


H. Maltzberger


196


I


95


G. S. Rowbotham


One Year's Service-1864-65


Regt.


Co.


Men


Captain


83


I


84


R. W. McCartney (Berks and


Dauphin counties)


192


F


97


John Teed


195


A


96


H. D. Markley


198


D


98


Isaac Schroeder


198


G.


99


Wm. L. Guinther


205


B


104


Jos. G. Holmes


205


E


104


Wm. F. Walter


205


H


111


F. Schmehl


213


D


102


J. W. Kennedy


Surgeons from County in Civil War


The following medical practitioners of Berks county were engaged in the Civil war, and the statement shows the regiment with which they were connected and the district of the county where they resided.


33d Regt .- Dr. John B. Griesemer, Exeter, Surgeon 34th Regt .- Dr. Harrison T. Witman, Reading, Asst. Surgeon


47th Regt .- Dr. John H. Sheetz, Reading, Asst. Surgeon 48th Regt .- Dr. Charles T. Reber, Reading, Asst. Sur- geon


73d Regt .- Dr. Jeremiah S. Trexler, Kutztown, Asst. Surgeon


75th Regt .- Dr. Manoah S. Long, Longswamp, Asst. Surgeon


76th Regt .- Dr. Erasmus R. Scholl, Reading, Surgeon 108th Regt .- Dr. Hiester M. Nagle, Reading, Surgeon 141st Regt .- Dr. Wellington G. Byerle, Bernville, Asst. Surgeon


154th Regt .- Dr. John M. Hoffman, Spring, Surgeon


154th Regt .- Dr. Elias C. Kitchen, Amity, Surgeon


166th Regt .- Dr. Alexander H. Witman, Reading, Asst. Surgeon


167th Regt .- Dr. Daniel T. Batdorf, Bethel, Asst. Surgeon U. S. Navy-Dr. Jonathan Bertolette, Surgeon


THREE MONTHS' SERVICE-1861


RINGGOLD LIGHT ARTILLERY .- The first troops to respond to the President's call were the Ring- gold Light Artillery of Reading ; the Logan Guards of Lewistown; the Washington Artillery and the National Light Infantry of Pottsville; and the Allen Rifles of Allentown.


On Jan. 21, 1861, Maj .- Gen. William H. Keim (then Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania, from Reading), with characteristic sagacity, had advised Captain Mcknight that the services of his company would probably soon be needed, and counseled him to hold them in readiness for immediate service. From that time till April 16th. almost daily drills were practised. On the 22d of February, they were in readiness to obey marching orders. The dis-


patch announcing the attack on Fort Sumter found the company at drill at some distance from the city .* The effect was electrical, and all were impa- tient to move at once to the defense of the flag.


CAPT. JAMES MCKNIGHT


On the morning of the 16th of April, marching orders were received from Governor Curtin; and, on the afternoon of that day, the company was taken on the Lebanon Valley railroad to Harris- burg, where it arrived at 8 o'clock in the evening. The company numbered 108 men, fully armed and equipped as light artillery. On reporting at the Executive Office, the Secretary of War telegraphed that the company be forwarded by the earliest train, 'but this order was countermanded by the Sec- retary of the Commonwealth later in the day.


The five companies named were mustered into the service of the United States at Harrisburg for three months, and departed for Washington by rail- road on the 18th of April, at 9 o'clock a. m. They arrived at Baltimore at 1 o'clock p. m., being under the necessity of marching two miles through the city, from Bolton to Camden station. On leaving the cars, a battalion was formed in the following order: 4th Artillery (regulars) ; Logan Guards; Allen Rifles, of Allentown; Washington Artillery and National Light Infantry, of Pottsville; with the Ringgold Artillery bringing up the rear. As the column was forming near Bolton station, the police of Baltimore appeared in large force, headed by Marshal Kane, and followed by a mob which at once commenced an attack upon the volunteers, countenanced by a portion of the police, who had been sent to give safe conduct through the city. Orders were given to the men to preserve their temper and make no reply to anything that should be said to them. At the command "forward," the mob commenced hooting, jeering and yelling, and proclaimed, with oaths, that the troops should not pass through their city to fight the South.


* Poor-house Farm in Shillington.


*Ind. Artillery 9


130


HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


Arriving near the center of the city, certain reg- Army," published the following interesting infor- ular troops filed off toward Fort McHenry, leaving mation about this distinguished company :


the volunteers to pursue their way through the city as well as they could. At this juncture, history records some manifestations of it that are admir- the mob were excited to a perfect frenzy, breaking the line of the police, and pushing through the files of men, in an attempt to break the column. Every insult that could be heaped upon the troops was offered, but no word of reply was elicited. The officers and men marched steadily on toward Cam- den station. At every step, the mob increased till it numbered thousands of most determined and des- perate men.


As the volunteers were boarding the train at the station, the angry mob hurled a shower of bricks, stones and clubs into their disorganized ranks, for- tunately, however, inflicting only slight injuries. In the midst of the confusion, an attempt was made to detach the engine from the train and run it away, but this was prevented by the determined character of the engineer and his assistants, who drew revolvers and threatened to shoot any who dared to do so. At length, amidst the demoniac yells of the crowd, the train moved off, carrying the vol- unteers safely beyond the reach of their desperate assailants. They arrived in Washington at 7 o'clock in the evening. Arms, ammunition and equipments were furnished and the work of barricading the Capitol was commenced immediately. Squads of the Rebel soldiers were then drilling on the opposite . side of the Potomac river in full view of the Capi- tol. It having been ascertained on the 23d of April that an attempt would be made to capture Wash- ington by way of the arsenal and the navy-yard, the "Ringgold Artillerists" were ordered to report to Captain Dahlgreen at the navy-yard, and three twelve-pound howitzers were assigned to them. Excepting a detachment of twelve men, detailed to guard the "Short Bridge," the entire command was required to man these guns. On the 25th, a ser- geant and six men were detailed to serve as a guard on the steamer "Powhatan," which was dis- patched to make a reconnoissance down the Poto- mac for the purpose of searching for obstructions and of ascertaining if forts were being erected along the river. On the 26th, the company were ordered to duty at the Capitol; and on the 15th of May, the Secretary of War assigned them to duty at the Washington Arsenal, where they remained till the expiration of their term of service, excepting a short interval, when they were detailed to mount guns in the forts about Washington. They were


Col. A. C. Buell, in his book, entitled "The Can- noneer, Recollections of Service in the Army of the Potomac by a detached volunteer in the Regular


Speaking of the "Stolidity of the Pennsylvania Dutch," able. For example, there was a battery in the Civil war which entered the Union service as "The Ringgold Artil- lery of Reading" and its commander was Capt. James McKnight. It was the first volunteer artillery organiza- tion to reach Washington in April, 1861. At the end of its three months' service, it re-enlisted in a body for three years and was mustered into the regular army as Battery M, 5th U. S. Artillery, being the only volunteer organization transferred bodily to the regular army in all our history. Its composition may be inferred from the names of its sergeants in 1864 when I was personally acquainted with it. They were as follows: Daniel Yoder, Philip Weidner, William Beckhardt, Joseph Gerhardt and Frederick Volkman. Of its 107 enlisted men in the Valley Campaign of 1864, 84 were Pennsylvania Dutchmen from Berks, Schuylkill and Lehigh-all native Americans-12 Americans of English descent, and 11 Irishmen, one of whom, Patrick Flynn Hunt, late of Templemore, County Tipperary, was acting sergeant on temporary detail from Battery E. Battery M served all through the war in the 6th Corps. At Cedar Creek it was in line with Getty's (2d) Division of that Corps and took the butt end of the Confederate attack in the first attempt of the Union forces to stop the rout in the early stages of that dramatic battle. In its first position it lost one gun, a lieutenant and 9 men, the gun however being retaken by the 10th Vermont Infantry. In its second position the whole battery was taken by Kershaw's South Carolina Brigade and almost instantly retaken by part of the Old Vermont Brigade in a rough-and-tumble, which resulted among other things in the killing or disabling of 19 men with the bayonet alone, few shots being fired. Out of this last motion, Battery M emerged with 2 guns and 27 men fit for duty who at once resumed their fire with double canister. This remnant was commanded by Sergeant Daniel Yoder, Cap- tain McKnight being at that moment acting Chief of Ar- tillery of the Corps, and the remaining lieutenant (Henry M. Baldwin) having been killed in the previous struggle. After the battle, Gen. Horatio Wright complimented Cap- tain Mcknight on the behavior of his battery in the pres- ence of the few men that remairied. Said he, "Your Penn- sylvania Dutchmen don't seem to know when they are whipped." To which the Captain replied, "Don't know when they are whipped? By God, General, most of them don't know when they are killed."


All the losses of Battery M at Cedar Creek were either killed or wounded, none were missing. Buell was a private when this happened, but he became a colonel afterward.


1ST REGIMENT .- The 1st Regiment was organ- ized at Harrisburg on April 20th. In pursuance of orders, it performed duty at several places in Penn- sylvania, Maryland and Virginia till July 23d, when it returned to Harrisburg, and was there honorably discharged on the 27th. During its service it did not participate in any battles; but it accomplished much good by checking any movement on the part


ified as Company A, of the 25th Regiment. Edward mustered out at Harrisburg. They had been class- of the Rebels in arms along the borders. It in- cluded Company G, which was recruited at Read-


P. Pearson, Esq., of Reading, was Adjutant of the ing, and mustered into service on April 20, 1861.


Regiment ; he subsequently became an officer in the


5TH REGIMENT .- The 5th Regiment was organ- regular army and served for many years with ized at Camp Curtin (Harrisburg) on April 21st. great distinction.


It performed guard duty mostly at Baltimore, Washington and Alexandria. It was at the latter place during the disastrous battle of Bull Run, in which the brigade (to which it had been trans-


131


WAR PERIODS


ferred) participated. It was discharged at Harris- in April, 1861, and mustered out at Harrisburg, burg on July 25th.


in July, 1861. It comprised sixteen members Company H was recruited at Reading. It was under the leadership of John A. Hoch, fourteen mustered into service on April 20, 1861. Dr. E. R. of them taken from the Ringgold Band. The other Scholl, of Reading, was the regimental surgeon.


Reading City Band was attached to this regi- ment. It comprised sixteen men (six from Leb- anon), with Emanuel Ermentrout as leader. Left


7TH REGIMENT .- The 7th Regiment was organ- ized and mustered into service at Camp Cur- tin on April 22d. It was encamped over a month at Chambersburg. On June 8th it moved southwardly. It


was stationed at Williams- port on the 19th. On July 2d, it began the march to Martinsburg. On the way, it confiscated the contents of an extensive flour-mill (a large amount of grain and flour and one hundred and fifty barrels of whiskey), the owner having been a captain in the Rebel army. Shortly afterward, it was en- camped at Charlestown, where it remained until ordered to Harrisburg, and it was mustered out of service on July 29th. Three companies were re- cruited in Berks county, C, G, and D; the first at Friedensburg; the second at Pleasantville; and the third at Reading.


14TH REGIMENT .- The 14th Regiment was or- ganized at Camp Curtin on April 30th. Richards McMichael was elected lieutenant-colonel, and Joseph A. McLean major. Both were from Read- ing. It was encamped at Camp Johnston, in Lan- caster, till June 3d, and subsequently it marched to Chambersburg, Hagerstown, Sharpsburg, Mar- tinsburg, Bunker's Hill and Harper's Ferry, doing picket and guard duty, and making various expedi- tions to encounter the enemy. Whilst at the latter place, the term of enlistment expired and it was ordered to Harrisburg. On its way, it encamped and remained two weeks at Carlisle, where it was mustered out of service Aug. 7th. It included two companies from Berks county: A, recruited at Reading and mustered in on April 27th; and E, recruited at Womelsdorf, and mustered in on April 24th.


25TH REGIMENT .- Company C of Reading was also in the 25th Regiment, in the three months' service with Company A. It was recruited at Read- ing out of the surplus men of the Ringgold Light Artillery and seventeen men of the National Light Infantry of Pottsville, and mustered into service on April 18, 1861. The regiment had been organ- ized at Harrisburg. It was mustered out of service on Aug. 1st.


two were from Pottstown.


THREE YEARS' SERVICE-1861-64


The insurrection having become too powerful to Reading on May 22, 1861, for Washington, via Har- be suppressed by the first display of military au- risburg and Baltimore, and was mustered in there thority, the President issued a second proclamation, on the 23d. Remained there until the 29th and calling upon the States to furnish two hundred then went to Alexandria, where it was in active thousand men who were to be enlisted for three service until July 21st. Then it was ordered to years. The quota of men from Pennsylvania was Harrisburg and there mustered out on July 26th. soon filled by the patriotic impulses of her people. The members from Reading returned home. Companies from Berks county were in the follow- ing regiments :


26TH REGIMENT .- The Bernville Band with Henry Grime as leader, and numbering thirteen men, was mustered into the service at Bladens- burg, Md., on Sept. 16, 1861, as regimen- tal band of the 26th Regiment of Penn- sylvania Volunteers, and attached to Hooker's 1st Brigade. It remained in camp at Bladensburg about two months; then it moved to Budd's Ferry, in Lower Potomac, on Maryland Shore, and con- tinued there all winter. During the latter part of April, it joined McClellan's army at Fortress Mon- roe, and was engaged in the Peninsular campaign, commencing at Yorktown and ending at Harrison's Landing. It was mustered out of service at Har- rison's Landing on Aug. 8, 1862, by reason of an Act of Congress passed to dispense with regimen- tal bands. The men returned to Philadelphia, where they were paid off and sent home.


32D REGIMENT .- The 32d Regiment included companies A, D and F from Berks county, and was mustered into service at Harrisburg on July 27, 1861, after having remained at Easton in camp for two months. The regiment was at Washington, Tennallytown, and Langley until March 10, 1862, when it joined the Army of the Potomac. It par- ticipated in its marches to and from Richmond until February, 1863, having been engaged in the battles of Gaines' Mill, Hall's Hill, Antietam and Freder- icksburg.


Then it was transferred to the defenses of Wash- ington and became a part of the 22d Army Corps, where it remained until January, 1864, when it was ordered to duty in West Virginia under General Sickel. Afterward it was at Martinsburg and Harper's Ferry until April, then proceeded to the Kanawha Valley and participated in the engage- ments at Princetown and Meadow Bluff. On May 22d, it marched to Millville. While there its term of service expired, and then it proceeded to Phila- delphia, via Pittsburg, where it was mustered out of service on June 17, 1864.


36TH REGIMENT .- The 36th Regiment was com- posed of companies recruited in several counties east of the Alleghany Mountains. Company I was made up of men recruited in Berks and Lebanon


Regimental Band .- The regimental band of the 25th Regiment was engaged in the three months' service, having been mustered in at Washington, counties. The men from Berks county numbered


132


HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


thirty-three, and were recruited at Reading. The Jackson. On Aug. 8, 1862, it was in the battle of regiment was mustered into service July 27, 1861. Cedar Mountain, and on Sept. 17th in the battle of It was not in any fighting until the latter part of June, 1862, when it was engaged in the battle of Gaines' Mill, occupying the left of the line. Its Antietam. In May, 1863, it participated in a fierce engagement near Chancellorsville; and in July it took a prominent part in the battle of Gettysburg,. next engagement was at Charles City Cross Roads, occupying the extreme right of the line on the 3d. June 30, 1862. It passed through seven days of After the withdrawal of Lee from Pennsylvania, the regiment was attached to the Army of the Ten -- nessee under General Rosecrans. In January, 1864,. it proceeded to Pennsylvania on a veteran furlough, and the greater part of the officers and men re- enlisted for three years. fighting, and upon mustering the regiment only two hundred men were present to answer to their names. It was also engaged in the battles of An- tietam, Fredericksburg and the Wilderness. Nearly the entire regiment was captured in the last battle, and the men were imprisoned at Andersonville. The regiment was mustered out of service June 16, 1864, at Philadelphia.


Among the re-enlisted men in the regiment, there was a young man, Henry Weidensaul, a native of Morgantown, in Berks county. He entered the regiment when fourteen years old and participated in the battles of Winchester, Cedar Mountain, Chan- cellorsville, Gettysburg, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain and Peach Tree Creek. He was wounded at Cedar Mountain, taken prisoner, and confined in Libby Prison for five weeks. He was also wounded at Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta. On. July 1, 1863, he was seventeen years old, and the Keystone State claimed him to be the youngest veteran soldier in the service.


Upon recruiting its ranks, the regiment rejoined the army at Chattanooga, and participated in the Atlanta campaign under General Sherman in his great march to the sea. After nearly four years of faithful service, it was mustered out on July 16, 1865, near Alexandria, Virginia.


Birdsboro Band .- This band was mustered into service for three years on Aug. 27, 1861, as the regimental band of the regiment ; but discharged on Aug. 16, 1862, in pursuance of an order dispensing with regimental bands.


48TH REGIMENT-Company D of this regiment was recruited at Pottsville, in Schuylkill county, mustered into service in October, 1861, and mus- tered out July 17, 1865. Forty of the men were from Hamburg, in Berks county. The regiment was in the battles of Antietam and Second Bull Run. It was prominent in the Petersburg cam- paign, having exploded the great mine.


The Port Clinton Artillery was connected with enemy in a number of engagements, and in the fol -. this regiment. Included with the battery there were


twenty-five men from Reading and Leesport, ac- credited to Schuylkill county. It was mustered in May, 1861.


John D. Bertolette, of Reading, was the adjutant ; and Dr. Charles T. Reber, surgeon.


50TH REGIMENT .- The 50th Regiment included three companies from Berks county, B, E and H, which were recruited at Reading. It was organ- ized at Harrisburg on Sept. 25, 1861. Capt. Thomas Brenholtz, of Company H, was selected as lieutenant-colonel. The regiment proceeded to Washington on Oct. 2d, and on the 9th to Annap- olis, where it was assigned to Stevens' Brigade, which was then fitting out for an expedition to South Carolina. On Oct. 19th, the regiment em-




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