USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 62
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John G. Brown, capt., Aug. 21, 1862; promoted from sergt. to 2d licut:, Dec. 10, 1862; Ist lieut., Doc. 5, 1863; capt., Jan. 24, 1865; wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863; mustered out with company.
Charles Mercur, Ist lient., Aug. 22, 1862; promoted from 2d lieut., Dve. 10, 1862 ; transferred to Co. K, Jan. 5, 1863.
Jobo S. Frink, Ist licut., Aug. 22, 1862; promoted from sergt. to 2d Jieut., Dec. 26, 1864; Ist lieut., Jan. 21, 1865 ; mustered out with company.
Company K.
Jason K. Wright, capt., Aug. 20, 1862; discharged on surgeon's certificate, Dec. 2, 1862.
Charles Mercur. capt., Aug. 22, 1862; promoted from 1st lieut., March 2, 1863; commissioned major, Feh. 28, 1865,-not mustered ; brevet major, April 9, 1865; mustered out with company.
Henry R. Dunham, Ist lieut., Aug. 20, 1862; discharged on sur- geon's certificate, Dec. 9, 1862.
Beebe Gerould, Ist licut., Aug. 26, 1862; promoted from Ist sergt., Dec. 5, 1863 ; mustered ont with company.
John S. Diefenbach, 2d lieut., Aug. 20, 1862; died, Oct. 11, 1862.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL GUY H. WATKINS.
In an obituary notice of Col. Watkins, written by the chaplain of the 141st Regiment, it is said :
" Ile was among the most honorable of men in civil life, and of the most patriotic in the service of his country. Always a zealous advo- cate of liberty to all men, to the cause of which he brought the sup- port of no ordinary talent, bold and fearless in the defense of his principles, apparently entirely without personal political ambition, he had so endeared himself to the people of his county that his own retieence could not have stayed his preferment. In the practice of the law (a partner of Hon. David Wilmot), no man of his age was ever more admired and respected by the bar and hench of Bradford County, none ever more completely held the entire confidence of the people. While thus ascending rapidly the ladder of professional fame, in the full enjoyment of a very lucrative practice, his term of office ns district attorney uuexpired, he yielded to his high sense of a man's duty to his country, and engaged in raising troops to fill his regiment. At one of his meetings for recruiting he said, ' I never had the conscience to ask any man to go to the war until I was pre- pared to go myself. Boys, I am going ! A man has to die but once, and I had as lief die on the battle-field for my country, in a just cause, as to die at home in my bed.' . . During the fight at Fredericksburg he languished in his bed with fever, from which he had barely recovered in time to share in the perils of Chancellorsville, where he received a ball through the right lung (in most cases fatal). He rejoined his command long before his full recovery from that wound, and so fully convinced were the officers and men of the regi- ment that he would never again be able to endure the exposures and privations of active field duty, they joined in urging him to accept the commission of paymaster tendered him by the president. Ho declined to do so, alleging he would soon be able to serve his country
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
better in the field. His health so far improved that the opening cam- paign of 1864 found him in command of his regiment, and from May 5, the opening battle of the Wilderness, until his death, he fought and marched with it day and night. . Although he lived two hours after receiving the fatal shot, he expired in the line of battle, under the very guns of his country's foes, surrounded by his command, veterans of many a hard-fought field, so accustomed to the ravages of death as to become indifferent to its scenes, but who now wept bitterly as they beheld the expiring struggle of their noble leader, who refused to be taken to the rear, preferring to die among his comrades. . . Time can never efface the memory of Lieut .- Col. Guy H. Watkins from the hearts of those who knew him. The pen of the historian will inseribe his name high on the roll of honor, the halo of glory which emblazoned his rnde dying pillow will he efful- gent forever. The tenement of elay, the marble spire which marks his last resting-place, will perish and pass away, but the memory and fame of the noble dead are imperishable-immortal."
THE SEVENTEENTHI CAVALRY-ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
Pennsylvania was required to furnish three regiments of cavalry by the call of the president of July 2, 1862. The 17th was one of these regiments, and was recruited as fol- lows : Co. A, in Beaver county; B, in Susquehanna county ; C, in Lancaster county ; D, in Bradford and Susquehanna counties ; E, in Lebanon county ; F, in Cumberland county ; G, in Franklin county ; H, in Schuylkill county ; I, in Perry county and the city of Philadelphia ; K, in Luzerne county ; L, in Montgomery and Chester counties ; and M, in Wayne county. The regiment was organized Oct. 18, at Camp Simmons, near Harrisburg, and the following officers were elected : Josiah H. Kellogg, colonel ; John B. McAllister, lieutenant-colonel; David B. IFartranft, Coe Durland, and Reuben R. Reinhold, majors. Col. Kellogg was a captain in the Ist United States Cavalry, and a few of the officers and men had served in the Mexican war, but the greater portion of the regiment were inexperienced in military duty, being mostly farmers, lumbermen, and me- chanies, but a great number were excellent horsemen. A few days subsequent to its organization the regiment moved to Camp Mcclellan, a little way north of Harrisburg, where sabres and pistols were issued, and, a few days later, horses and equipments, and Col. Kellogg at once put forth the most strenuous efforts to perfect the drill and discipline of his command.
The regiment moved to Washington, Nov. 25, and for several days was encamped on East Capitol Hill, and then was ordered to the front. It was first under fire at Occo- quan, Va., where, on Dee. 22, it encountered Hampton's Cavalry Legion, and, after a sharp skirmish, was driven and pursued some distance across the Oecoquan creek. Here three companies, C, D, and I, under Maj. Reinhold, were detailed to picket the creek from Occoquan to Wolf Run shoals. Roving parties of rangers harassed them, and the right of the line was attacked by a superior force on the 25th and 26th, but which was repulsed, and some prisoners taken.
On the 27th the enemy attempted to cross the creek, at the telegraph road to Occoquan, with cavalry and artillery, but Maj. Reinhold, with his three companies, successfully frustrated their attempts.
Having been reinforced by a detachment of the 2d Penn- sylvania Cavalry, Maj. Reinhold crossed the next morn-
ing to reconnoitre, and fell in with Stuart's rebel cavalry, which at once attacked, and, being overpowered, the com- mand was forced to retire and recross the creek. The de- tachment rejoined the regiment Jan. 5, 1863, near Stafford Court-House. Here the 17th was assigned to the 2d Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division, where it was associated with the 6th New York, 6th United States, and 8th Penn- sylvania, commanded by Col. Thomas C. Devin, in which it served throughout its term of three years. Cos. C and I, under Capt. Spera, performed escort duty for Gen. Meade, of the 5th Corps, from Feb. 18 till after the battle of Chan- cellorsville, and during that engagement were kept busy in the transmission of orders.
The 17th was one of the only three cavalry regiments accompanying Hooker on the Chancellorsville campaign, Stoneman and Averill having the major part of that arm of the service with them on their raid in the rear of the enemy.
Under Gen. Pleasonton the 17th aided materially in checking the rout of the 11th Corps on the evening of May 2, when outflanked and crushed by Jackson, and turning back the victorious enemy from his advantage and attempt to sever the Union army and gain its only line of retreat. But few troops were in position to stay Jackson's course, when Pleasonton, who had been supporting Sickles in his demonstration on the flank and rear of Jackson, was return- ing with the 8th and 17th towards the centre. He reached the breastworks just as the hordes of Jackson were ap- proaching that part of the field. Pleasonton, divining the condition of affairs by the disorder in the Union lines, ordered Maj. Keenan, of the 8th, to charge with all his force, and with impetuosity, full upon the head of the ad- vancing rebel column, though he knew the execution of the order would involve the sacrifice of that gallant regiment. But it would check for the moment the rebel onslaught, thereby giving him time to bring up his artillery and thus interpose a more effectual barrier. Gen. Pleasonton says of this movement, "I immediately ran up this battery of mine at a gallop, put it into position, ordered it unlimbered, and double-shotted with canister, and directed the men to aim at the ground-line of the parapet that the 11th Corps had thrown up, about two hundred yards off. Our artil- lery, as a general-rule, over-shoot, and I ordered them to fire low, because the shot would ricochet. I then set to work with two squadrons of the remaining regiment (the 17th Pennsylvania) to clear this field of fugitives, and to stop what cannon and ammunition we could and put them in position, and I managed to get twenty-two guns loaded, double-shotted, and aiming on the space in front of us for about a quarter or a half a mile, where the whole woods ap- peared to be alive with large bodies of men. This was just at dusk. I had ordered those pieces not to fire unless I gave the word, because I wanted the effect of an immense shock. There was an immense body of men, and I wanted the whole weight of metal to check them. I was about to give the word ' fire' when one of the soldiers at a piece said, ' Gen- eral, that is our flag.' I said to one of my aids, 'Mr. Thompson, ride forward there at once, and let me know what flag that is.' He then went to within about one hun- dred yards, and those people cried out, 'Come on ! We are
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
friends.' He started to move on, when the whole line of woods blazed with musketry, and they commenced leaping over the parapet and charged on the guns; and about the same time I saw from eight to ten rebel battle-flags run up along the whole line. I immediately gave the order to fire, and the fire actually swept the men away ; it seemed to blow those men in front clear over the parapet. We had this fight between musketry and artillery there for nearly an hour. At one time they got within fifty yards of the guns. The two squadrons of the 17th Pennsylvania Cav- alry were left, and were all raw men, new troops, and all I could do with them was to make a show. I formed them in a single line, with sabres drawn, with orders to charge in case the enemy came to the guns. They sat in the rear of the guns, and I have no doubt the rebels took them for the head of a heavy column, as the country sloped back behind them, and they could not see what was back of them." And so artillery, supported by a single line of raw cavalry, checked and held the onset of Stonewall Jackson's trained troops, inspired by success. It was a severe ordeal for the 17th, but the steady front it presented saved the day, and Hooker was enabled to reform his torn columns and present once more an unbroken front. Sickles' troops came up early in the evening and took a position in support of the guns, and relieved the regiment. Gen. Pleasonton, in a general order, complimented the 17th for its coolness, and said it had " excited the highest admiration."
The cavalry under Buford and Gregg, on June 9, crossed the Rappahannock at Beverly and Kelley's fords, and at- tacked the enemy's cavalry, supported by his infantry, the 17th participating in the engagement, which lasted the greater part of the day. The rebels moved up a heavy force, and the Union cavalry retired, the 17th being the rear-guard and under a heavy artillery fire. The regiment picketed the line of the river from Beverly Ford to Sulphur Springs, while the main body of the army marched north- ward, rejoining its division on the 15th. It met the enemy again half a mile west of Middleburg early on the morning of the 21st, repelled his attack, and drove him in the direc- tion of Upperville, and near that town charged his left flank under a heavy artillery fire, and finally drove him in confusion.
At Gettysburg Buford met the enemy on the morning of July 1, and opened that terrible series of bloody battles. Gen. Pleasonton says, " Buford, with his 4000 cavalry, attacked Hill, and for four hours splendidly resisted his advance, until Reynolds and Howard were able to hurry to the front and give their assistance. To the intrepidity, courage, and fidelity of Gen. Buford and his brave division the country and the army owe the field of Gettysburg."
The cavalry, during the remainder of the battles of the 2d and 3d, was active in preventing flanking movements of the enemy and protecting the lines of communication with the base of supply. On the 6th the enemy was encoun- tered west of Boonsboro', and driven from his position, after a sharp fight, and on the following day he renewed the at- tack, but was again driven, the 17th Pennsylvania and 9th New York having a severe fight on the skirmish-line with him.
The cavalry was exceedingly active in the fall campaign.
Capt. Theodore W. Bean, in his manual of the 17th, thus summarizes the action of the regiment therein : "At Rac- coon Ford you left your horses under shelter, and rushed to the support of your brothers in arms (4th New York), who were gallantly struggling against fearful odds, and, under a murderous fire of grape and canister from the enemy, saved them from capture, re-established the line, and held it until relieved by the 12th Army Corps; for which you received the special commendation of the division com- mander. In the subsequent movements of the same year, when the wily rebel chief proposed to flank the Army of the Potomac, and thus gain possession of the capital, his- tory will accord to the regiment an honorable association with the commands that beat back his advance at Morton's Ford, Stevensburg, Brandy Station, and Oak Hill, where, holding the extreme left of the line, you skillfully changed front as a distinctive organization, by direction of your im- mediate commander, anticipating a well-intended surprise, and repulsing, with heavy loss, a reckless charge of cavalry, for which the enemy at that time were notorious. In the counter-movements of the campaign, closing with the battle of Bealton Station and Rickeysville, the occupation of the line on the Rapidan, and the indecisive engagement at Mine Run, the regiment was present, bearing its share of the toils, and sustained its proportion of the losses, and, with the command, went into winter-quarters on the battle- beaten plains of Culpepper.'
A detachment of 200 of the regiment, under Capt. Spera, participated in the raid of Kilpatrick on and about Richmond in February and March, 1864.
In the campaign of 1864 of General Grant on Rich- mond, the 17th was actively and honorably engaged. The brigade fought dismounted on May 6, foiling the enemy's attempts to turn the left flank of the Union army, and being heavily engaged the entire day. On the 8th, the 17th suffered severely while holding the Spottsylvania road against the repeated attacks of the rebels. The 5th Corps relieved the regiment. On the 9th, Sheridan's grand raid towards Richmond began. At Yellow House the 17th, dis- mounted, was of the charging column, and drove the enemy, and at night picketed the line, nearly reaching to the rebel fortifications of Richmond. The 1st Division repaired Meadow bridge, which had been destroyed, and the 17th led the column in crossing in the face of the enemy's infantry and artillery on the opposite side, and then delir- ered a most determined charge, driving him from his works in haste and confusion. While the battle was raging a furious thunder-storm arose, adding to the terror of the scene. Lieut. Joseph E. Shultz was killed in the charge, being shot through the heart and expiring instantly.
Sheridan rejoined the army near Chesterfield Station on the 25th.
On the 28th two squadrons of the regiment were sent towards Hanover, driving in the enemy's skirmishers, and on the 30th, while endeavoring to open communication with the left of the army, brought on the battle of Bethesda Church. That same day the regiment was engaged near Old Church Tavern, where Lieut. John Anglun, regimental quartermaster, was killed, and Capt. William Tice wounded. At Cold Harbor the regiment, holding the left of the line,
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
charged dismounted, and in its first advance was repulsed, suffering severe loss, but renewed the charge and routed the enemy, and held the captured position against successive attempts at recapture, punishing the enemy with great loss.
At daylight of June 1 he made a most desperate assault, determined upon victory, but being allowed to come within short range, was swept away by artillery and the fire of the repeating carbines of the cavalry, the ground being covered with his dead. From this point Sheridan moved towards Lynchburg. On June 10 the 17th returned to the Spott- sylvania battle-ground, from which it brought away 35 wounded Union soldiers, found in a famishing condition in a field-hospital. On rejoining the column at Trevillian Sta- tion, where Sheridan was hotly engaged, the 17th was im- mediately sent to the front, and during the 11th and 12th endured hard fighting, losing heavily. Finding the enemy in superior numbers, Sheridan returned. The 17th was engaged near White House Landing on the 21st, at Jones' Bridge on the 23d, and at Charles City Court-House on the 24th, sustaining considerable loss in each engagement.
It was actively engaged in all of Sheridan's movements in and about the lines before Petersburg, and around Rich- mond, from this time until the opening of the Shenandoah Valley campaign, in which it also participated.
Sheridan was appointed to the command of the army in that valley early in August, and the 1st and 3d Divisions of cavalry were sent to his aid. Maj. Reinhold resigned and was honorably discharged on the arrival of the 17th in the valley, and Capt. Weidner H. Spera was commissioned to succeed him.
On the evening of Aug. 11, the enemy making a stand in his retreat, the 17th, having the advance in the pursuit, charged, and after an obstinate resistance dislodged him from his position, and he retreated rapidly up the valley. On the 16th the enemy attacked the pickets of the brigade, the 17th holding the centre of the brigade line ; but the division was at once moved, and the confident rebels repulsed, losing 2 battle-flags and 300 taken prisoners by the Union force. Gen. Devin, then commanding the division, was wounded.
On the 25th the enemy was met again at Kearneysville, where his infantry was doubled up and thrown into the utmost confusion. The Union forces retired in the direc- tion of Shepherdstown, and when near that place the enemy attacked Custer's division. In order to divert attention from Custer, the 17th charged upon the enemy's flank, and dashing down a narrow road in column of fours, it drove a body of his infantry into the woods and created consterna- tion in his ranks. In this charge Lieut. James Potter was killed. For three weeks the skirmishing was almost con- stant, the 17th being engaged at Smithfield on the 29th ; at White Post, Sept. 1; at the Berryville and Buncetown crossing of the Opequan, Sept. 7, in which Capt. Martin R. Reinhold was killed ; and at Bunker Hill on the 13th.
At noon of the 18th Sheridan assumed the offensive, the cavalry moving quietly without the sound of the bugle, and encamped for the night a mile cast of Summit Point, where it drew 60 rounds of ammunition per man, all regimental baggage and supply trains being sent to Harper's Ferry. At one o'clock on the morning of the 19th the reveille was sounded, and before daylight the battle had opened. The
1st Division drove the enemy from his position at the ford of the Opequan on the Stevenson Station road, and the fighting was "lovely along the whole line," Sheridan hav- ing attacked with his entire army. Within half a mile of the Valley pike, near the station, the enemy massed his cavalry to dispute Averill's advance. Gen. Devin charged with his brigade, the 17th in advance, and drove him in confusion towards Winchester, and opened the way for the junction of Torbert's and Averill's commands. The enemy's lines were again charged and driven from their position, the fighting being severe. Gen. Sheridan reported he had attacked Gen. Early's forces, and, " after a most desper- ate engagement, which lasted from early in the morning until five o'clock in the evening, completely defeated him, driving him through Winchester and capturing about 2500 prisoners, 5 pieces of artillery, 9 battle-flags, and the most of his wounded."
The regiment was after the battle posted at Winchester, where it was employed in guarding against the attacks of guerrillas, and in keeping open communication with the base of supplies. A detachment of the 17th was sent to Mar- tinsburg, Oct. 15, under Maj. Spera, and while there was ordered to escort Gen. Sheridan to the front, when the battle opened,
" With Sheridan twenty miles away,"
and with him performed the noted ride,* rendered famous by T. Buchanan Read, and participated in the battle that crushed Early's forces, and drove his broken and shattered columns out of the valley. The detachment returned to Winchester on the 20th with dispatches, and on the 27th the regiment was relieved and rejoined the division.
Gen. Torbert led his command on Dec 19 by Front Royal into the Valley of Virginia, and meeting the enemy on the 22d, at White's Ford, drove him, and again the day following near Gordonsville ; but finding his infantry in force, was obliged to fall back.
# Gen. Sheridan was at Winchester the night of Oct. 18. The cseort encamped at Mill ereek, a mile south of the town, with orders to be in readiness to move at five o'clock in the morning following. Rapid artillery firing was heard in the direction of the front very early in the morning, and abont eight A.M. the general came riding leisurely along, remarking that the firing was no doubt occasioned hy a re- connoisanee which had been ordered for that morning. But, shortly after passing Milltown, fugitives from the field put another and more serions interpretation to the heavy eannonade. At onee all trains going to and returning from the front were ordered to be parked to the right and left of the road near Milltown. Maj. Spera was ordered by the general to take twenty men, with the best horses of the escort, and follow him, as he was going to " move lively" to the front. At the same time he ordered Cols. Thorn and Alexander to do " what they could in stemming the tide of fugitives."
On the way up the pike towards Newton, the crowds of men and wagons thickened, until the multitude became almost a jam, so much so it was impossible to keep the pike, and Gen. Sheridan struck to the left of the road, dashing through fields and over fences and ditehes. lle spoke to few, occasionally erying out, "Face the other way, boys !"
On arriving upon the field, the general struek to the right of the road, where were Gens. Wright, Getty, and members of his own staff, one of whom remarked, "General, I suppose Jubal Early intends driving you out of the valley." " What !" cxelaimed Sheridan, with his peenliarly forcible and pungent style, " drive me out of the val- ley-three corps of infantry and all my cavalry ? I'll lick him before night !" and he did, redeeming the fiuld most gloriously.
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The 17th was of the rear-guard in the retreat, and suc- cessfully held the enemy in check in his repeated attacks on the line. Lieut. Alfred F. Lee was killed in repelling one of these attacks. The regiment went into permanent quarters in the vieinity of Winchester, and scouted and performed picket duty during the winter, detachments occasionally going out against roving bands of the enemy.
On Dec. 27, Col. Kellogg was honorably discharged, and Lieut .- Col. Anderson promoted to the vacancy, Maj. Dur- land being promoted to the lientenant-colonelcy, and Capts. Luther B. Kurtz and William Thompson as majors.
On Feb. 24, 1865, Sheridan led the cavalry in a grand raid upon the James River canal and other communica- tions of Richmond, wherein great destruction was wronght in the lines of transportation and rebel supplies. Of this raid the general himself says, " There perhaps never was a march performed where nature offered such impediments and showed herself in such gloom as this; incessant rain, deep and almost impassable streams, swamps and mnd were encountered and overcome with a cheerfulness on the part of the troops that was truly admirable. To every officer and man of the 1st and 3d Cavalry Divisions I return my sincere thanks for patriotic, unmurmuring, and soldierly conduct."
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