History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 35

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 1418

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VOLUNTEER MILITIA OF 1862.

Second Regt .- Co. G, Fifth Ward Guards, Franklin S. Bickley, capt.

Eleventh Regt .-- Co. E, Nicolls Guards, Chas. H. Hunter, capt. ; Co. I, McKnigbt Guards, Nathan M. Eisenhower, capt.

Twentieth Regt .- Co. G, Liberty Fire Zouaves, William Geiger, capt .; Co. H, McLean Guards, Samuel Harner, capt .; Co. I, Halleck Infantry, Frederick S. Boas, capt .; Berks County Cav., Samuel L. Young, capt.

DRAFTED MILITIA OF 1862-NINE MONTHS' SERVICE. One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Regt .- Co. A, Jon- athan See, capt .; Co. B. Chas. Melcher, capt .; Co. C, Peter Y. Edelman, capt .; Co. D, Samuel A. Haines, capt. ; Co. E, Hiram H. Miller, capt. ; Co. F, Jos. Groh, capt .; Co. G, Wm. A. Schall, capt. ; Co. H, Abraham H. Schaeffer, capt .; Co. I, Jonas M. Shollenberger, capt .; Co. K, Edward F. Reed, capt.

One Hundred and Seventy Ninth Regt .- Co. I, Amos Drenkel, capt .; Co. K, John B. Wagoner, capt.

VOLUNTEER MILITIA OF 1863.

Thirty-first Regt .-- Co. H, David A. Griffith, capt. Forty-second Regt .- Co. A, William F. Walter, captain ; Co. B, Reading Loyal League, Samuel Harner, capt .; Co. C, Muhlenberg Guards, John E. Arthur, captain; Co. D, Wm. D. Smith, capt .; Co. E, Mcknight Guards, John McKnight, capt .; Co. F, Bently H. Smith, capt .; Co. G, Samuel A. Haines, capt. ; Co. H, Lerch Light Infantry, John Obold, capt .; Co. I, Ed- ward Bailey, capt. ; Co. K, Jacob Deppen, capt. Forty-eighth Regt .- Co. G, Jos. G. Holmes, capt.

Fifty-third Regt .- Co. A, Richmond L. Jones, capt. ; Co. B, Felix Guards, Jacob Lehman, capt .; Ringgold Light Art., Wm. C. Ermentrout, capt.

ONE HUNDRED DAYS' SERVICE, 1864.

One Hundred and Ninety-fourth Regt .- Co. I, Henry E. Quimby, capt.

One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Regt .- Co. A, Henry D. Markley, capt .; Co. B, Harrison Maltzberger, capt.

One Hundred and Ninety-sixth Regt .- Geo. S. Row- botham, capt.

ONE YEAR'S SERVICE, 1864-65.

Two Hundred and Fifth Regt .- Co. B, Jos. G. Holmes, capt. ; Co. E, Wm. F. Walter, capt .; Co. H, Franklin Schmehl, capt.

One Hundred and Ninety-eighth Regt .- Co. D, Isaac Schroeder, capt .; Co. G, Wm. L. Guinther, capt.

One Hundred and Ninety-second Regt .- Co. F, John Teed, capt.

PRESIDENT'S CALL FOR TROOPS .- The Civil War was begun on the morning of the 12th of April, 1861. The military forces of South Carolina, under the leadership of General Rob- ert Beauregard, then began to fire upon Fort Sumter, which was under the command of Ma- jor Robert Anderson. The President of the United States, finding the laws of the country opposed and the execution thereof obstructed in seven Southern States1 "by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings or by the powers vested in the marshals by law," issued a procla- mation on the 15th day of April, 1861, calling for seventy-five thousand militia of the several States of the Union, " in order to suppress said combinations and to cause the laws to be duly executed ;" and therein he appealed " to all loyal citizens to favor, facilitate and aid this effort to maintain the honor, integrity and exist- ence of our national Union, and the perpetuity of popular government and to redress the wrongs already long enough endured." A call was made on Pennsylvania for sixteen regi- ments. Two regiments were wanted within three days, inasmuch as the city of Washington was entirely uuprotected and a sudden dash upon it was strongly threatened.

FIRST COMPANIES .- Among the first troops to respond to this call were the Ringgold Light Artillery (Captain James McKnight) of Read- ing, the Logan Guards (Captain J. B. Selheimer) of Lewistown, the Washington Artillery (Cap- tain James Wren) and the National Light Iu- fantry (Captain McDonald) of Pottsville, and the Allen Rifles (Captain Thomas Yeager) of Allentown.

On January 21, 1861, Major-General Wil-

1 South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

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THE CIVIL WAR.

liam H. Keim (then surveyor-general of Penn- sylvania, from Reading), with characteristic sagacity, advised Captain McKnight that the services of his company 1 would probably soon be needed,2 and counseled him to hold them in readiness for immediate service. From that time till April 16th almost daily drills were practiced. On the 22d of February they were in readiness to obey marching orders. The dispatch announcing the attack on Fort Sumter found the company at drill at some distance from the city. The effect was electrical. All were impatient to move to the defense of the flag.

On the morning of the 16th of April, march- ing orders were received from Governor Curtin; and, on the afternoon of the same day, the com- pany moved by the Lebanon Valley Railroad to Harrisburg, where it arrived at eight o'clock in the evening.3 The company numbered one hundred and eight men, fully armed and equipped as light artillery. On reporting at the Executive Office (the Governor being absent in Washington) orders were sought from the Secretary of War (Simon Cameron), who tele- graphed that the company be forwarded by the earliest train. This order was, later in the day, countermanded by the Secretary of the Com- monwealth.4

1 The Ringgold Light Artillery of Reading, a volunteer company, was organized and equipped under James Mc- Knight, captain. It was armed with four six-pounder brass field-pieces and caissons, with full equipments of ar- tillerists, including sabres. The mnster-roll included ninety men. It was composed of good material, and was well drilled, and was the pride of the city of Reading. It had participated in several volunteer encampments, one at Easton, of a week's duration, where it was entertained by ex-Governor Reeder and other leading citizens.

2 At this time Captain McKnight recommended to Major- General Keim three other companies in Berks County-one at Friedenshurg (Schroeder's), a second at Womelsdorf (Clouse's) and a third at Hamburg.

3 Immediately after their departure Jacob Knabb (senior editor of the Berks and Schuylkill Journal) sent the follow- ing telegram to the Associated Press :

" READING, April 16, 1861 .- The Ringgold Flying Artil- lery (Captain James McKnight), with 108 men and four field-pieces, having received a requisition from the Governor this morning, set ont this evening for Harrisburg, the place of rendezvous. They are the first Pennsylvanians in the field."

The five volunteer companies named were mustered into the service of the United States at Harrisburg for three months, and departed for Washington by railroad, on the 18th of April, at nine o'clock A.M. They arrived at Baltimore at one o'clock P.M. They were under the necessity of marching about two miles through the city, from Bolton to Camden Sta- tion. On leaving the cars, a battalion was formed in the following order : Fourth Artil- lery (regulars) ; Logan Guards ; Allen Rifles, of Allentown ; Washington Artillery and National Light Infantry, of Pottsville; with the Ring- gold Artillery bringing up the rear. As the column was forming near Bolton Station, the police of Baltimore appeared in large force, headed by Marshall Kane, and followed by a mob, who at once commenced an attack upon the vol- unteers, 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 to 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.

Arriving near the centre of the city, Pember- ton, with his regulars,5 filed off toward Fort

4 "HARRISBURG, April 16, 1861.

" CAPTAIN JAMES MCKNIGHT :

"Dear Sir .- You will please delay your march to Wash- ington until ordered by the Governor.

" Respectfully yours,

" ELI SLIFER."

If this order had not been given the company would have reached Washington before daylight on the morning of the 17th of April, or before any of the other Pennsyl- vania companies left their homes. It was the first organ- ized volunteer company in the United States to offer its ser- vices to the government-an offer having been made to General Scott a month before the President's first call for troops. It was the first company to leave home after the call, and the first to reach Harrisburg and report for duty.

A long article was prepared by Hon. William M. Hiester and published in the Berks and Schuylkill Journal on June 18, 1870, proving these assertions. But similar assertions were made before in the Journal (see issue of June 16, 1866 ; also May 7, 1870).

5 The regulars were under the command of a sergeant. Pemberton was not with them, he having been in the passenger train. Captain McKnight met him there.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

McHenry, leaving the volunteers to pursue their way through the city as well as they could. At this juncture the mob were excited to a per- fect 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 Camden Sta- tion. At every step the mob increased till it numbered thousands of most determined and desperate 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, fortunately, 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. This was only pre- vented by the determined character of the engineer and his assistants, who drew revolvers and threatened to shoot any who dared to make the attempt. At length, amidst the demoniac yells of the crowd, the train moved off, carrying the volunteers safely beyond the reach of their desperate assailants.1 They ar- rived in Washington at seven o'clock in the evening.2 Arms, ammunition and equipments were furnished and the work of barricading the Capitol was commeuced immediately. Squads of the rebel soldiers were then drilling on the opposite side of the Potomac River in full view of the Capitol. It having been ascer- tained on the 23d of April that an attempt would be made to capture Washington by way of the arsenal and the navy-yard, the " Ring- gold Artillerists" were ordered to report to Captain Dahlgreen, at the navy-yard. Three twelve-pound howitzers were assigned to them, with which they were expected to defend the

place.3 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 sergeant and six men were detailed to serve as a guard on the steamer " Powhatan," which was dispatched to make a reconnoissance down the Potomac for the pur- pose of searching for obstructions and of ascer- taining 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 de- tailed to mount guns in the forts about Wash- ington. They were mustered out at Harris- burg.

These first five companies were justly entitled to the first place in the First Regiment of the Pennsylvania troops ; but they were not organ- ized till after twenty-four regiments, which suc- ceeded them in the service, had been organ- ized and fully equipped, when they became part of the Twenty-fifth and last regiment for the three months' service. Henry L. Cake, of Pottsville, was elected colonel of this regiment. But these companies, serving in Fort Washing- ton, did not see their regiment or colonel. Nearly two months of the three for which they had enlisted passed by before they received adequate clothing or camp equipage from either the State or the national government; and many of the men were excused from duty be- cause of their partial nakedness.+

1 The House of Representatives passed a resolution on 22d of July, 1861, tendering thanks to these companies for passing through the mob of Baltimore and reaching Washington on the 18th of April, for the defense of the national capital. Such a resolution is rarely passed and only to signalize great and distinguished service.

2 The Washington Chronicle, in publishing a chronological list of the troops which arrived in Washington, stated that these companies were the very first to arrive in the city after the publication of the President's proclamation.

3 When the company left Harrisburg they were ordered to leave behind their field pieces and equipments, with the exception of sabres, and these were not restored to them till the 16th of May.

+ This statement is made by Bates, in the " History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers." But it is erroneous. The Ringgold Artillery was the only company that was regular- ly uniformed and equipped when these companies reached Washington. The other companies were in citizens' dress, but received uniforms and equipments several days after their arrival. The Ringgold Artillerists retained their uniform and drew none from the government. The com- panies without uniforms were not recognized in the mob at Baltimore; and only a dozen or fifteen men in Sel- heimer's company carried rifles.

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THE CIVIL WAR.

RINGGOLD LIGHT ARTILLERY (THE FIRST COM- PANY).

Ata military celebration held at Philadelphia on July 4, 1866, the post of honor in the parade was not given to the Ringgold Light Artillery, as the first company from Pennsylvania in the War of the Union ; on which account the com- pany refused to participate in the parade. Its place in history having been unjustly given to another company, the Hon. William M. Hiester prepared a paper to prove that the Ringgold Light Artillery was the first company, and read the same before the Historical Society of Berks County on June 14, 1870. In it he sustained the claim by incontrovertible evidence. I submit the following extracts as a valuable part of the chapter in this history to the Civil War :

President Lincoln issued his proclamation for seventy-five thousand men, April 15, 1861. On that morning, the Ringgold Light Artillery were drilling with full ranks, armed and equipped, on their parade-ground, a short dis- tance from the city, when telegraphic news of the proclamation of the President reached the company on parade. The following dis- patch was forthwith sent to Governor Curtin and appears in the record of dispatches in the office of the adjutant-general at Harrisburg :

" READING, April 15, 1861. " Governor A. G. Curtin :

"The Ringgold Light Artillery are parading this morning with their guns for practice, have ninety men on parade, every one of them expecting to be ordered on duty for the U. S. service before they leave their guns. "H. A. LANTZ."

The deputy secretary of the commonwealth, as appears by the first dispatch recorded on that day as sent, answered,-

" HARRISBURG, April 15, 1861. "H. A. Lantz, Reading :

" Dispatch received. Will answer more fully as soon as possible.

"S. B. THOMAS, Deputy Secretary.".

This was followed by another dispatch from the secretary of the commonwealth, omitted in the record of dispatches at Harrisburg, but found transcribed in the minute-book of the company.

"HARRISBURG, April 15, 1861, " Captain James McKnight:

"Bring your command to Harrisburg by first train. If any of the men need equipments, they will be pro- vided here by the General Government. Lose no time.

"By order of the Governor,

"ELI SLIFER."

This dispatch was received by Captain Mcknight at 11.20 A.M., April 16th. By the first train after its receipt, the Ringgold Light Artillery, one hundred and one men, took pas- sage, fully uniformed, armed and equipped, for Harrisburg, and reached there at eight o'clock P.M. They at once reported for duty to the secretary of the State, (the Governor being absent at Washington,) who, by telegram to the Secre- tary of War at Washington, reported the Ring- gold Light Artillery at Harrisburg, awaiting orders. The Secretary of War telegraphed in answer,-

"Push forward the company by first train."

This telegram, conveying orders to march, was transmitted by the secretary of the common- wealth to Captain Mcknight. Orders in obedience thereto were then issued to the com- mand, to take the train for Washington at three o'clock A.M., April 17th. If these orders had not been countermanded, the Ringgold Light Artillery would undoubtedly have reached Washington safely in advance of all troops from Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and before the Logan Guard and the companies from Potts- ville reported at Harrisburg. At midnight, however, the order to march was countermanded 1 in the following counter-order :

" HARRISBURG, APRIL 16, 1861.

" Captain James McKnight:

"You will please delay your march to Washington until ordered by the Governor.

"Respectfully yours, " ELI SLIFER."

This order fixes so indisputably the time of the arrival and the report for duty at Harris- burg by the Ringgold Light Artillery that any

1 I asked Major Mcknight if he knew why this was done. He said that Governor Curtin was punctilious about his authority, he wanting to order the troops as commander of Pennsylvania.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

cumulative evidence is wholly superfluous. If any be needed, it will be found in the following extract from the Pennsylvania Daily Telegraph of April 17, 1861, an evening paper published at Harrisburg :

"Last night about eight o'clock, the Ringgold Artillery, Captain James McKnight, numbering one hundred men, arrived. They took up quarters at Herr's Hotel. They are a fine body of men and are fully prepared and determined to do their whole duty in the present crisis. Our citizens welcomed them with cheers,"

It is stated in Bates' " History of Pennsyl- vania Volunteers :"

"On the afternoon of the day of the President's proclamation for seventy-five thousand men, the Secretary of War telegraphed the call to the Governor of Pennsylvania, and it was telegraphed to all parts of Pennsylvania. Among the first to respond was the Ringgold Artillery, Logan Guard, Washington Ar- tillery, National Light Infantry and Allen Rifles. On reporting at the Executive office-the Governor being absent in Washington-orders were sought from the Secretary of War, who telegraphed to push company forward in earliest train. That order, for prudential reasons, was almost immediately countermanded by the Secretary of the Commonwealth."

The Logan Guard did not reach Harrisburg till midday of the 17th, and the Pottsville com- panies till the evening of the 17th.

[From Pennsylvania Daily Telegraph, April 17, 1861.] " MORE MILITARY .- The Logan Guard of Lewis- town arrived here this morning."

[From Pennsylvania Daily Telegraph, April 18, 1861.]

"We give below a list of the companies that arrived last night: Washington Artillery, Pottsville, Captain Wren, one hundred and ten men; National Light Infantry, Pottsville, Captain McDonald, one hundred and four men; Allen Infantry, Allentown, Captain Yeager, sixty-four men."

[From Bates' " History of Pennsylvania Volunteers."]

"The Logan Guard were in line and ready to march at 10 P.M. of the 16th of April, and move to the station, but for lack of transportation did not reach Harrisburg till the morning of the 17th.

"The two Pottsville companies under marching orders left Pottsville on the 17th, and arrived in Har- risburg at eight o'clock in the evening."

STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN MCKNIGHT .- "I com- manded the Ringgold Light Artillery from the year 1850 until June 14, 1861, when I was appointed to a captaincy in Fifth United States Artillery.

"On or about the 21st day of January, 1861, I was

visited by William H. Keim, then surveyor-general of the State of Pennsylvania and major-general of the Fifth Division Pennsylvania Militia.

"The general first meeting me in a public place at my residence,1 stated that he had a subject of much importance and great secrecy in regard to which he desired to advise me, and requesting at the same time that I would suggest some place to which we could both retire, where the nature of the communi- cation which he was about to make to me would be unheard by others. We then both withdrew to a pri- vate apartment.

"The general then proceeded to state that the gov- ernment was in possession of facts tending to develop an intention on the part of the rebels to seize Wash- ington on the 22d of February, and not, as was at first supposed, upon March 4, 1861. He came to me, (he further stated,) by direction and under the orders of Governor Andrew G. Curtin, commander-in-chief of the Pennsylvania Militia, who had commissioned him to select from the best volunteer organizations of the State such companies as could be relied upon, if the emergency should arise and who would be ready to move upou twenty-four hours' notice.

"Upon satisfying the general, not only of the willing- ness but also of the ability of my command to start whenever desired, he then and there directed me to consider myself and command as under orders.

"The general about the same time imparted similar information to other volunteer organizations of this county.

"My orders, coming as they did from the com- mander-in-chief of the Pennsylvania troops, were so imperative in their nature and admitted of so little delay that I immediately set about perfecting and equipping my commaud for active field duty. The same day upon which my orders were received, the company was divided into squads for the purpose of more effective drilling, which was continued uninter- ruptedly, (save on Saturdays and Sundays,) up to the day before we left for Harrisburg, April 16, 1861. The drills were not confined to the service of the guns and the duties incident to drivers and the care of horses ; the men were also well instructed in the use of the sabre, the only legitimate arm of defense of an artil- leryman when dismounted and away from his guns.

"During the month of January, a number of the leading citizens having been apprised of the secret orders under which my command was placed, pur- chased for the use of the men one hundred overcoats,2 which were worn on the 22d of February at a general parade of the company. On the 15th day of April,

1 Union Bank Building. He resided in the rear part.

2 The meeting comprised the following gentlemen, who then raised a fund for that purpose : John McManus, G. A. Nicolls, David McKnight, Edward Wallace, Horatio Trex- ler, H. H. Muhlenberg, William M. Hiester, James .Mill- holland and C. H. Hunter.

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THE CIVIL WAR.

1861, whilst at drill some three miles from the city, intelligence was received of the proclamation of the President of the United States calling for seventy-five thousand men.

"The Governor of the State was immediately tele- graphed that the Ringgold Light Artillery was ready to move without any delay whatever. I then sus- pended drill, returned to the city, and, after di- recting a certain signal to be sounded upon receipt of orders, dismissed the command.

" At twenty minutes after eleven o'clock A.M., April 16, 1861, the following telegram was received by me :

"' HARRISBURG, April 16, 1861. "' To Captain James McKnight :

"Bring your command to Harrisburg by first train. If any of the men need equipments and arms they will be provided here by the General Government. Lose no time.

"'By order of the Governor. "' ELI SLIFER.'

"At noon of the same day, forty minutes after the receipt of the order, the command declared itself ready to move at one o'clock P.M.

"A committee having been appointed to make all arrangements for transportation, reported that after conferring with G. A. Nicolls, general superintendent of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, they were advised by him to take the regular passenger train at six o'clock P. M., as a special, being subject to un- avoidable delay, would in all probability not reach Harrisburg until after the arrival of the regular train.

"Acting upon this advice, I left Reading with my command, numbering one hundred and one men, fully armed and equipped, on the evening of April 16, 1861, at six o'clock, reaching Harrisburg at eight o'clock."

THREE MONTHS' SERVICE.

FIRST SOLDIERS FROM BERKS COUNTY IN CIVIL WAR .- The following eight companies comprise the men from Berks County who, as volunteers, offered their services to the govern- ment in answer to the call of the President for troops, and were mnstered into military service for three months :

Ringgold Light Art., 25th Regt., Capt. Jas. McKnight. Co. G, Ist Regt., Capt. George W. Alexander. Co. H, 5th Regt., Capt. Frank M. Cooley. Co. C, 7th Regt., Capt. Isaac Schroeder. Co. D, 7th Regt., Capt. George S. Herbst. Co. G, 7th Regt., Capt. Albert F. Rightmyer. Co. A, 14th Regt., Capt. David A. Griffith. Co. E, 14th Regt., Capt. John C. Shearer.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 35

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards Number of Pages: 1418

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 1418