USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 56
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Maj. Hennessey struck promptly for the city of Charles- ton with his little detachment, re-possessing Pinckney, and entering the eity before the rebel troops had fled from its environs. The demand for its surrender was but a matter of form, and the pestilent hot-bed of treason was humbled and a captive.
As Sherman's legions marched through South Carolina the 52d joined the victorious columns, the march termina- ting in April in Johnston's surrender near Raleigh. A few weeks' duty at Salisbury, N. C., and the glorious record of the 52d Pennsylvania Vols. was written, and the regiment was mustered out of service at Harrisburg, July 12, 1865.
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
John C. Dodge, Jr., col., Aug. 1, 1861; resigned, Nov. 5, 1863.
Henry M. Hoyt, col., Aug. 14, 1861 ; promoted from lieut .- col. to col., Jan. 9, 1864; mustered out, Nov. 5, 1864; expiration of term.
John B. Conyngham, col., Sept. 28, 1861; promoted from maj. to lieut .- col., Jan. 9, 1864; to col., June 3, 1865 ; mustered out with regiment.
John A. Hennessey, lieut .- col., Dee. 2, 1861 ; promoted from capt., Co. K., to maj., Jan. 5, 1865; to lieut .- col., June 3, 1865 ; mustered ont with regiment.
Thomas B. Jayne, maj., Oct. 11, 1861 ; promoted from capt., Co. B, to maj., Jan. 9, 1864; mustered out, Nov. 5, 1865; expiration of term.
# The date given after the rank, in each case, is the dato of muster into service.
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
George R. Lennard, maj., Aug. 6, 1861 ; promoted from capt., Co. A, to maj., July 9, 1865 ; mustered ont with regiment.
Nathaniel Pierson, adj., Aug. 15, 1861 ; promoted to capt., Co. G, May 19, 1863, and mustered ont at expiration of term, Jan. 7, 1865.
George H. Sterling, adj., Oct. 11, 1861 ; promoted from sergt .- maj. to adj., May 19, 1863; transferred to Co. K, Oct. 10, 1864: died at Wyoming, Pa., Jan. 25, 1865.
Heory A. Mott, adj., Oct. 2, 1861; promoted from Ist lient., Co. K, to adj., Sept. 1, 1864; commissioned capt., Co. K, Dec. 6, 1864 ; mnstered out with regiment.
Charles F. Dodge, quar .- mast., Aug. 1, 1861 ; resigned July 4, 1863. Charles P. Ross, quar .- mast., Aug. 15, 1861 ; promoted from com. - sergt. to Ist lieut., and reg. quar .- mast., Aug. 10, 1863 ; mnstered ont, Feb. 25, 1805.
John W. Gilchrist, quar .- mast., Aug 16, 1861; promoted from 1st lient., Co. A, Feb. 21, 1865 : commissioned eapt., Co. A, March 1, 1865 ; mnstered ont with regiment.
Wm. S. Woods, snrg., Sept. 7, 186]; resigned, April 20, 1863.
J. B. Crawford, surg., May 1, 1863 ; resigned, May 30, 1864.
John Flowers, surg., Dec. 15, 1863 ; promoted from asst. surg. to surg., March 23, 1865 ; mustered out with regiment.
John G. McCandless, asst. surg., Oct. 15, 1861; resigned July 21, 1862.
Charles H. Dana, asst, surg., Aug. 4, 1862 ; resigned, Oet. 12, 1863. Rufus Sargent, asst. surg., July 31, 1862 ; resigned, May 13, 1864.
Jonas Kauffman, asst. snrg., May 31, 1864; mustered out with regiment.
John H. Drumm, chap., Sept. 28, 1861 ; resigned Aug. 1, 1862.
Wm. 11. Gavitt, chap., Sept. 28, 1863; mustered ont with regi- ment.
llenry N. Sterling, sergt .- maj., Oct. 11, 1861 ; promoted from sergt., Co. B, Nov. 5, 1861 ; discharged on surgeon's certificate, May 11, 1862.
George H. Sterling, sergt. maj., Oct. 11, 1861; promoted from sergt., Co. B, Nov. 14, 1862, to Ist licut. and adjt., March 19, 1803.
Edward W. Tracy, sergt .- maj., Aug. 15, 1861 ; promoted from sergt., Co. A, Dec. 20, 1863 ; commissioned 2d lieut., Nov. 4, 1864; 1st lieut., March 1, 1865; mnstered out with regiment. Vet.
Frank C. Bunnel, quar .- mast. sergt., Sept. 20, 1861; promoted from priv., Co. B, March 1, 1862 ; discharged on surgeon's certificate, April 2, 1863.
Smith B. Mott, quar .- mast. sergt., Nov. 4, 1861 ; promoted from sergt., Co. K, Nov. 0, 1864; commissioned quar .- mast., March 1, 1865 ; mastered ont with regiment. Vet.
Chas. P. Ross, com. sergt., Ang. 15, 1861 ; promoted from priv., Co. II, Nov. 5, 1801, to reg. quar .- mast., Ang. 10, 1863.
Linton T. Roberts, com. sergt., Nov. 4, 1861 : promoted from sergt., Co. H, Aug. 10, 1863 ; mustered ont, Nov. 5, 1864; exp. service.
Peter B. Walter, com. sergt., Nov. 4, 1861 ; promoted fromn sergt., Co. Il, Nov. 5, 1864; mustered out with regiment. Vet.
Peter Alldred, hosp. stew., Oct. 11, 1861 ; mustered out with regi- ment. Vet.
Allen M. llaight, prin. mus., Oet. 29, 1861 ; promoted from mns., Co. E, Aug. 26, 1864; mustered out, Nov. 5, 1864. Exp. of term.
Albert N. Barney, prin. mus., Oct. 24, 1861 ; promoted from mns., Co. F, July 4, 1864 ; mustered ont with regiment. Vet.
Peter J. Moreland, prin. mus .. Nov. 4. 1863 ; drafted ; promoted from Co. E, Nov. 5, 1864 ; mustered out with regiment.
The regimental band, Frederick Wagner, leader, was mustered out by general order, Aug. 16, 1862.
Company E.
Greenleaf P. Davis, capt., Oct. 3, 1861; resigned, Nov. 7, 1863.
Hannibal D. Weed, capt., Oct. 29, 1861 ; promoted from sergt. to 1st sergt., May 21, 1862 ; to capt., Dec. 21, 1863 ; mustered out with company.
Wm. S. Lewis, 1st lieut., Oct. 3, 1861; discharged by special order, April 6, 1862.
Iliram A. Weed, Ist lient., Oct. 4, 1861 ; promoted from 2d to 1st lieut., June 1, 1862; dismissed March 24, 1864.
Silas A. Bunyan, 1st lient., Oct. 29, 1861 ; promoted to sergt., May 1, 1862 ; to Ist lieut., Dec. 21, 1863 ; died at Charleston, July 4, 1864, of wounds received at Fort Johnson, July 4, 1864.
Chas. R. Kenyon, Ist lieut., Oot. 29, 1861 ; promoted from Ist sergt. to Ist lieut., Oct. 1, 1864; commissioned capt., Co. G, June 1, 1865 ; mustercd out with company. Vet.
Ilarrison Ross, 2d lieut., Oct. 29, 1861 ; promoted from corp. to 2d lieut .. Sept. 27, 1862 ; resigned, Nov. 11, 1863.
Edward J. Stratton, 2d lieut., Oct. 29, 1861; promoted from sergt. to 1st sergt., Dec. 21, 1863 ;- to 2d lieut., June 3, 1864; discharged on surgeon's certificate, Oct. 25, 1864. Vet.
Alvin Sayles, 2d lient., Oct. 29, 1861; promoted from 1st sergt. to 2d lieut., June 3, 1864; mustered out with company. Vet.
Company F.
James Cook, capt., Sept. 5, 1861 ; resigned, Oet. 21, 1863.
Treat B. Camp, capt., Sept. 21, 1861 ; promoted from 1st lieut. to capt., Oct. 22, 1863; mnstered out with company.
Burton K. Gustin, Ist lieut., Oct. 24, 1861 ; promoted from Ist sergt. to Ist lieut., Dec. 21, 1863; mustered out, Jan. 27, 1865. Exp. of term.
Chas. E. Britton, 1st lieut., Oct. 24, 1861 ; promoted from 1st sergt. to Ist lieut., June 3, 1865 ; mustered ont with company. Vet.
Ransom W. Luther, 2d lieut., Sept. 19, 1801; resigned, June 21, 1862.
Nelson Orchard, 2d lieut., Oct. 24, 1861 : promoted from sergt. to 2d lieut., Sept. 27, 1862; dismissed, Sept. 13, 1863.
Alsoo Secor, 2d lieut., Oct. 24, 1861; promoted from 1st sergt. to 2d lieut., March 27, 1864; mustered ont, Jan. 27, 1865.
THIE FIFTY-SEVENTHI REGIMENT.
The 57th Regt. of Pennsylvania Vols. was recruited in the counties of Mereer, Crawford, Venango, Tioga, Brad- ford, Susquehanna, and Wyoming. Two companies from Bradford, G, Capt. George S. Peck, and H, Capt. John Griffin, and a portion of Co. B, recruited by Jeremiah Culp, were constituents of the organization, which was ef- fected at Camp Curtin by the election of the following offi- eers: Wm. Maxwell, of Mercer county, Col. ; Elhanan W. Woods, also of Mercer, lieutenant-colonel ; and Jeremiah Culp, of Bradford County, major.
The recruiting of the regiment commenced early in Sep- tember, and on December 14 the command proceeded to Washington and encamped on the Bladensburg pike, near the toll-gate. Sickness to a considerable degree of severity had prevailed before leaving Camp Curtin, which was in- tensified by the exposure of the men on the journey, they being confined in box-cars without stoves. The location of the camp, too, was an unhealthy one, and the inclemency of the weather while there added a still further increase to the sick list, and several died.
In February the regiment went into the line with the Army of the Potomae, cneamping at Fort Lyon, below Alexandria. Here it was assigned to the 3d Brigade, Brig .- Gen. Jameson commanding, of Heintzelman's Division, the other regiments in the brigade being the 63d Pennsylvania, Col. Alexander Hays; 87th New York, Col. Stephen A. Dodge ; and 105th Pennsylvania, Col. Amor A. McKnight. On March I, Col. Maxwell resigned, and was succeeded in the command by Charles T. Campbell.
Upon the formation of army corps, Gen. Heintzelman was promoted to the command of the 3d Corps, and was sueeceded in the command of the 1st Division by Gen. Hamilton, who was shortly afterward superseded by Gen. Philip Kearney.
On March 17 the regiment with the division embarked for Fortress Montroe, and on arriving there eneamped near the village of Hampton, where it remained till April +, drill being earnestly prosecuted. On the day last named, the regiment moved with the army to the siege of York- town, and after remaining a few days in the range of the
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
enemy's guns, the brigade was moved back to a wood or swamp in the rear, and the men kept at hard labor in the trenches for a month. Says Surg. Lyman, " Here for three weeks the men walked in mud, slept in mud, and drank water from holes scooped out of the mud. The combined remonstrances of the medical officers of the brigade, 'that a month's continuance in that place would deprive the gov- ernment of the services of one-half of its numbers,' were met by the silencing reply, ' it is a military necessity.' The re- sult showed that our fears were well founded. The malaria of the marshes and swamps of Yorktown, with the exces- sive labor performed in the trenches and on picket, debil- itated our men for months, sent dozens of them to their graves, and rendered hundreds unfit for service ; many for life. We had 1 man killed and 5 wounded while before Yorktown."
On April 11 the 57th moved on the double-quick to the support of the 63d, which had been attacked while on picket, formed in line of battle, and advanced over an open field in the face of a hot fire, and with the help of Weeden's Battery soon put the enemy to flight.
Yorktown being evacuated, on May 4 the enemy was brought to bay at Williamsburg. When the 57th was about four miles from the battle-field, it was ordered to throw off knapsacks, blankets, and overcoats, and march at double- quick to the front, which it did, but fighting had ceased on its arrival and it was not engaged. The men, however, remained under arms all night, without rations, fires, or blankets, wet to the skin by a drenching rain, and that, too, after being overheated by the rapid march. Says Col. Per- kins, " It seemed, immediately after, as though the regiment had been struck with a pestilence. Nearly, or quite one- half of the men were taken sick ; and the number of dis- charges from that night's exposure was greater, I think, than our casualties in any battle during the war."
At Fair Oaks, on the morning of the 31st, the regiment made a forced march to the field, and was soon hotly en- gaged, having been detached from Jameson's and ordered to Birney's Brigade.
Birney, from some cause of difficulty with Kearney and Heintzelman, had been left behind, and Col. Campbell, without waiting for orders from his brigadier, led his men promptly into action, and by desperate fighting Heintzel- man's corps succeeded in staying the rout into which Casey's division had been thrown.
The engagement was short, but the loss of the regiment was severe, being 1I killed and 49 wounded. Maj. Culp was killed and Capt. Cornelius S. Chase, of Co. K, mortally wounded. Col. Campbell was severely wounded in wrist and groin. The command of the regiment now devolved on Lieut .- Col. Woods, and Capt. S. C. Simonton, of Co. B, was promoted to major.
After the battle the regiment again encamped amid swamps and marshes, and toiled in the trenches, and was again carried by details to the hospitals, and thence to the grave.
At the battle of Savage Station, June 29, the regiment, provided with one hundred and fifty rounds of cartridge per man, stood in line of battle but were not engaged. The officers of the division were designated by a red patch
on the top of the cap, by order of Gen. Kearney,-the be- ginning of distinguishing badges.
At Charles City Cross - Roads, June 30, the regiment was distinguished by its gallantry, Gen. Kearney, a most accomplished soldier, paying it the highest encomiums. The contest was severe and lasted until long after dark, and though attacked by vastly superior numbers, the Union lines repulsed every assault with great slaughter. The regiment held the extreme left of Kearney's division, and joined the line of the Pennsylvania Reserves. The loss was 7 killed and 56 wounded, the most of whom fell into the hands of the enemy. Maj. Simonton and Lieut. Morse were among the wounded.
The regiment remained on the ground, watchful for sur- prise, the enemy being in heavy force in its front, until two o'clock the next morning, when it silently withdrew and moved to Malvern Hill, where it was ordered to the front, and at three P.M. was engaged in fierce and bloody combat, short but severe, the enemy retiring. The regi- ment was exposed to a heavy artillery fire throughout the day, losing 2 killed and 8 wounded, Lieut. Charles O. Etz being among the former. Remaining on picket-duty until nine o'clock the next morning, it marched through a drenching rain to Harrison's Landing. Lieut .- Col. Woods here left the regiment on account of sickness, and was soon after honorably discharged. " Without a field-officer, and with but few line-officers fit for duty, reduced by battle, by sickness, and severe duty in the trenches and on the march to 56 effective men, the regiment presented a strik- ing contrast to the thousand strong that scarcely three months before marehed forth to battle."
Capt. Maxwell for a time commanded the regiment, but was subsequently succeeded by Maj. William Birney, of the 4th New Jersey, an excellent officer, a brother of Gen. Birney, commanding the brigade. The sick rapidly re- turned to duty, recruits were received, discipline enforced, drill regularly held, and the regiment was soon restored to its original efficiency. The brigade of Birney was now composed of the 57th and 99th Pennsylvania, 38th, 40th, and 101st New York, and 3d and 4th Maine Regiments.
On August 29 the regiment was in line and under fire at Bull Run, and on the 30th became engaged, losing 3 wounded, two of whom died. The enemy was deterred from pushing his advantage on that ill-fated field by the admirable manœuvring of Kearney, who made a great show of strength, and kept his eommand well in hand for a final stand.
At Chantilly, Sept. I, it arrived at dark, when the fight had ceased, but the gallant Kearney had met his death while personally reconnoitering within the enemy's lines. A squad of the enemy into which he rode demanded his surrender. "Phil. Kearney never surrenders to rebels !" hissed out the intrepid soldier, and wheeling his horse, set spurs to him, but it was too late; the bullets of the car- bines of the rebels found his heart, and he died, as he oft had wished, in the crash and clamor of battle. On the day following four companies of the 57th were sent as an escort, under a flag of truce, to receive his body and bring it to our lines. At Alexandria, where the regiment arrived on the 3d, his death was announced in general orders, and
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
each enlisted man of his division was directed to wear the Kearney badge-a red patch one inch square-on the right side of the cap.
Gen. Stoneman succeeded to the command of the divi- sion, and was ordered Sept. 15 to protect the left wing of the Union army, moving to meet the enemy at South Mountain, Md. The 57th was stationed at Conrad's Ferry for two months, Col. Campbell, having recovered from his wounds, rejoining his command Oct. 10. During the march to Warrenton, 6 men of Co. K were captured while foraging.
On Gen. Burnside's assumption of the chief command, a reorganization of the army was made, Gen. Stoneman being assigned to the command of the corps, Gen. Birney of the division, and Gen. Ward of the brigade.
At Fredericksburg, the 57th, on Dec. 13, after being under a hot fire for an hour and a half, was ordered to advance and relieve the 40th New York. Says Capt. Strouse, " We marched by the flank until we cleared a battery of ours in front, when Col. Campbell gave the commands, 'By company into line,' and ' Forward into line on first company,' which was executed in beautiful order under a murderous fire of the enemy, who had by this time driven some of our troops from the woods, and were com- ing upon us, yelling, as they advanced, like savages. Our men soon got into position in a ditch, but we could not re- turn his fire for fear of shooting our own men. As soon as our front was cleared we opened with telling effect, and held him in check for some time. In the midst of the engage- ment Col. Campbell received several severe wounds, and was borne from the field, the command devolving upon Capt. Maxwell, of Co. F. The regiments on our right and left had been posted beyond our reach, or had now been driven back, and, seeing that resistance by our regiment alone was useless, Capt. Maxwell gave the order to retreat. As soon as we had cleared Randolph's Battery, which was posted about ten rods in our rear, Randolph opened on the masses of the enemy rushing forward, checking their im- petuosity and causing fearful slaughter."
On the 14th the regiment was employed as provost- guard to bring up stragglers, and in the evening, with the 141st Pennsylvania, occupied the extreme front, where it remained until the night of the 15th. During a truce of an hour and a half that afternoon, the 57th brought off the field all of its dead and wounded ; but receiving orders to retire, was unable to bury the former. On recrossing the river, the regiment weut into its old camp at Falmouth. It went into the engagement with 316 men, and lost 21 killed, 76 wounded, and 78 missing. Among the wounded were Col. Campbell, Capt. Strohecker, and Surg. Kennedy. Col. Campbell had, a few days previous to the battle, received his commission as brigadier-general, but chose to lead his old regiment once more into action before leaving it.
On returning to camp the work of recuperation from its heavy losses began with the regiment. Capt. Peter A. Sides, of Co. A, who had been promoted to the lieutenant- colonelcy after the discharge of Col. Woods, assumed com- mand on the fall of Col. Campbell. Under Gen. Hooker, about March 1, the army was reorganized, the 57th being
reassigned to the first brigade, commanded by Col. C. H. T. Collis, and subsequently by Gen. Charles K. Graham,-the brigade comprising the 57th, 63d, 68th, 105th, 114th, and 141st Pennsylvania Regts. Gen. Birney commanded the division, and Gen. Sickles the corps.
At the battle of Chancellorsville, on May 3, the 57th suffered grievous slaughter in a charge made upon the enemy near the Chancellor house. The charge was suc- cessful in driving the foe, but being rallied he made a counter-charge, and the brigade in turn fell back, fighting steadily as it went for a mile, when a new line was formed and held till the morning of the 6th, when the army re- crossed the river, and the regiment returned to its old camp. Its loss in this battle was 2 officers and 11 men killed, 3 oficers and 45 men wounded, and 23 missing; Capt. Edson J. Rice and Lieut. Joseph Brady being the officers killed.
On June 11 the regiment broke camp and marched on the Gettysburg campaign, arriving at Emmettsburg, Md., on July 1, and moved to the front the next morning. " Considerable time elapsed before the line was formed. Graham's brigade was posted in the field facing the En- mettsburg pike. At 4 P.M. the enemy opened with artil- Jery, and for an hour and a half the solid earth was shaken by his unceasing fire, the regiment being much exposed, and many of its men being wounded by his bursting shells. As the fire ceased the brigade moved forward and attacked the enemy's infantry, which was just then advancing from the woods beyond Sherfy's. It was soon hotly engaged, and for a time checked his advance. The right of the 57th rested on Sherfy's house in an admirable position, where the men could fire deliberately, and with excellent effect. But the regiments farther to the left failing to get into position in time, the enemy broke through, and flanking the position, caused Graham to fall back. A considerable number of nien had taken cover in an old cellar, and amidst the noise and confusion did not receive the order to retire, nor notice the withdrawal of the rest of the regiment, but still kept up a rapid and most destructive fire. When too late they dis- covered their isolated position, and were nearly all taken prisoners. A portion of the 6th Corps came timely to the assistance of the 3d, and the advance of the enemy was stayed. The regiment was reformed by Capt. A. H. Nel- son, and marched three-quarters of a mile to the rear, where it rested for the night. In the afternoon of the 3d it moved half a mile to the right, and went to the front, where it was exposed to a severe shelling, but did not again become engaged. On the night of the 3d it picketed the front of the 2d Corps, on the ground where the enemy had made his desperate charge, and the dead and wounded com- mingled were thickly strewn on all the field."
The regiment lost 12 killed, 45 wounded, and 47 miss- ing. Gen. Graham was taken prisoner, Lieuts. Henry Mitchell and John F. Cox were killed, Col. Sides was wounded, and Major Neeper and Lieuts. Burns, Crossley, and Hines were among the captured.
In the pursuit of Lce to Williamsport, and the subse- quent campaigns of the army in the valley of Virginia, the 57th was a participant, engaging the enemy at Auburn, Oct. 13, at Kelly's Ford, Nov. 7, and at Locust Grove,
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Nov. 26, suffering loss in each affair. On Dec. 2 it re- turned to the vicinity of Culpepper and went into winter quarters. Here, on the 24th of December, more than two- thirds of the regiment, as then constituted, re-enlisted, and on the 8th of January, 1864, departed on veteran furlough, and returned to camp after forty-nine days, bringing with it a large number of new reeruits.
In March the Ist and 3d Corps were broken up and the troops distributed among the other corps, the 57th being assigned to the 2d Brigade, Gen. Alexander Hays, 3d di- vision, Gen. Birney, 2d Corps, Gen. Hancock. The brigade comprised the 57th, 63d, 105th, 141st Pa., the 93d N. Y., the 17th Maine regiments, and an independent regiment of Berdan's sharpshooters.
On May 4 it entered its first engagement in the Wilder- ness campaign, meeting the enemy about half a mile from the crossing of the Brock and plank-roads, where a most furious battle ensued, lasting from about 6 P.M. until dark. The fighting was at short range, and the slaughter was terrific. The regiment lost in the engagement 22 killed, 128 wounded, and 3 missing. Col. Sides being among the latter, Capt. Nelson, of Co. K, assumed command. The regiment rested for the night near the Brock road, and the next day was in line a mile beyond the point of its battle the day before. Capt. Strouse, who was severely wounded during the day, says, " The density of the woods rendered it impossible to maintain a regular line of battle, so we commenced bush- whacking with the enemy on a grand seale, driving him, and in turn being driven back." Longstreet having reinforced the enemy, he delivered a vigorous and determined assault, carrying everything before him in the woods, but failing in a desperate effort to drive the Union line from its breast- work along the narrow Brock road, which ended offensive operations on his part.
On the 12th, at dawn, the corps was formed for an assault, and advanced in two columns. Though fatigned excessively, yet at the word to advance the troops moved forward with alacrity, nor did they stop until the enemy's line was sur- prised and taken, and Gen. Johnson and his division cap- tured. All day long the enemy repeatedly assaulted the works to recapture them, but in vain, exhausted and worn out by constant marching and fighting though the Union troops were. The loss of the regiment was 7 killed, 20 wounded, and three missing; Lieut. J. C. Green being among the killed.
From this time till June 14 the regiment was constantly engaged in marching, fighting, or intrenching. At Spott- sylvania, at the North Anna, and Cold Harbor it pushed with the brigade to the front of the rebel lines, and against their works. At the latter place the flag-staff was struck by a shell and broken, and the flag, which was wound around it, torn to tatters.
In these and minor engagements up to the date last given the loss of the regiment was considerable. Capt. Edgar Williams and Lieuts. John Bowers and Henry M. Adams were among the killed. Lieut .- Col. William B. Neeper, for a long time prisoner, returned and assumed command.
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