USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
" ARMORY OF BROOKVILLE RIFLES, " 19th April, 1861.
"A. C. THOMPSON AND JOHN PEARSALL :
" You are hereby directed to notify the members of the Brookville Rifles to repair to the armory in Brookville, on Monday, 22d April, at 10 o'clock, A. M.,
1 Telegram addressed to Governor Curtin, from Philadelphia, by J. Morris Harding.
114
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
prepared to march to the place of rendezvous assigned to volunteers from Western Pennsylvania. A. A. MCKNIGHT."
When the memorable 22d arrived, the ranks of the Rifles had swelled so rapidly that there were enough men to form two companies, and W. W. Wise, esq., also a member of the Brookville bar, who had aided very materially in recruiting the company, was unanimously chosen captain of the other company.
On Sunday morning preceding their departure, the volunteers, in a body, proceeded to the M. E. Church, where they listened to a thrilling and patri- otic sermon from the pastor, Rev. D. S. Steadman, and where, for the last time, Captain Wise occupied his place in the choir of that church.
On Monday, April 22d, excitement ran rife in Brookville. At an early hour the people from the adjacent country commenced to come in; it being estimated that before 10 o'clock A. M., the hour set for the departure of the soldiers, over two thousand people were on the streets, who had come to see the "boys off for the war," and bid them " God speed." Flags were waving from all the principal buildings. Dinner was served to the volunteers by the proprietors of the American, Clements, Railroad, and Jefferson Hotels, after which the two companies marched through the streets to the east end of the town, where vehicles were in readiness to convey them to Kittanning, which was then the nearest railroad point. Three days after the firing upon Sumter President Lincoln issued his proclamation, calling out the militia of the different States, the call being for 75,000 men, and the same day the secretary of war made a requisition upon Governor Curtin for sixteen regiments from Pennsyl- vania. The Brookville companies proceeded at once to Camp Curtin, and were assigned to the Eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, commanded by Colonel A. H. Emley, and designated as Companies "I" and "K," and were mustered into the service April 24, 1881. The same day the Eighth was or- dered to Camp Slifer, near Chambersburg, where the regiment was drilled from eight to ten hours daily. On the 7th of June the regiment moved to Green- castle, Md., where it went into camp ; but in a few days was again moved to Williamsport on the Potomac River, along which it was posted to guard the fords and army stores at Williamsport. On the 8th of July the regiment was ordered to rejoin the brigade at Martinsburg, Va., and remained in the neigh- borhood of Bunker Hill until July 17th, when General Patterson commenced a flank movement on Charlestown. The Third Brigade, to which our companies belonged, was pushed forward during the night of the 20th to watch the move- ments of Stewart's Cavalry, whom it was feared would cross the Shenandoah River in force at Key's Ford. Their term of service having almost expired, the regiment was ordered to Harper's Ferry, where they turned in their arms, etc., and on the 29th of July proceeded to Pittsburgh, where the men were paid off and mustered out of the service.
The only occurrence of moment to the Jefferson county companies was the
115
JEFFERSON COUNTY IN THE REBELLION.
transfer of Captain Wise to the regular service. On account of his past expe- rience as a soldier, he having served under General Scott, in Mexico, as well as his known intelligence, quick perception, and dauntless courage, he was selected to make a reconnaissance into the enemy's lines near Harper's Ferry, for which he was promoted to a captaincy in the regular army. Captain Wise's farther history will be found in the sketch of the Bench and Bar.
Upon the resignation of Captain Wise the command of Company K de- volved upon Lieutenant John C. Dowling. While these two companies saw no active service during their three months campaign, it was of great benefit to the men, the majority of whom re-enlisted, as it made them acquainted with camp life and gave them a foretaste of the drilling necessary to make good soldiers. The roster of these two companies were as follows :
Company I, Eighth Regiment .- Captain, Amor A. McKnight ; lieutenants, John Hastings, Herman Kretz ; sergeants, William J. Clyde, Albert C. Thomp- son, Abram M. Hall, Winfield S. Barr ; corporals, Steele S. Williams, Richard J. Espy, Calvin A. Craig, William J. Bair ; musicians, James L. Holliday, George A. Bowdish ; privates, Samuel Anderson, Albert Black, Fernando C. Bryant, Milo L. Bryant, Samuel Benner, Joseph Bowdish, Sylvanus T. Covill, Josiah Clingensmith, Alfred S. Craig, Joseph Craig, Niman Chittester, Daniel L. Coe, William T. Clark, Simon P. Cravener, Samuel W. Depp, John Dar- row, John Dolphin, John Elliott, Henry B. Fox, Horace Fails, John L. Gil- bert, Lorenzo S. Garrison, Leonard A. Gruver, John S. Gallagher, Robert Gilmore, Geo. W. Hettrick, Samuel Hibler, James Hall, Thos. L. Hall, Ran- dall Hart, Paul Hettrick, Robert A. Henry, Joseph B. Henderson, Jared Jones, Wellington Johnston, Daniel Kinley, Thomas Long, Wilmarth Matson, James H. Moore, Joseph R. Murphy, Robert T. McCauley, David R. Mccullough, James Moorhead, Levi McFadden, Shannon McFadden, Elijah H. McAninch, George Ohls, William Osman, William Pierce, John Prevo, John W. Pearsall, Robert J. Robinson, John Stiver, Francis H. Steck, Thad. C. Spottswood, William Toye, Alex. R. Taylor, Gustavus Verbeck, Robert Warner, Joseph N. Wachob, Amos Weaver, Mark H. Williams, Alex. C. White, Hiram Warner.
Company K, Eighth Regiment .- Captain, William W. Wise; lieutenants, John C. Dowling, Wilson Keys; sergeants, Samuel C. Arthurs, John Coon, Ben- jamin F. Lerch, Orlando H. Brown; corporals, John M. Cummins, J. Potter Mil- ler, Chas. J. Wilson, Franklin Reas; musicians, David Dickey, James Campbell; privates, William Adams, Sidney Armstrong, David Bates, Rowan M. Bell, La- fayette Burge, Edward H. Baum, James Baldwin, David Baldwin, Thomas Baird, Darius Blose, Asa M. Clark, Franklin W. Clark, Andrew Christie, Samuel H. Coon, Charles B. Coon, George W. Crosby, William P. Confer, Isaac Carrier, Lewis Dibler, Benjamin Dibler, James C. Dowling, John B. Deacon, Christ. D. Flick, Lewis Goup, William George, Ward Garfield, Henry Hawthorne, George Hawthorne, Archibald Hadden, Benjamin Hawley, Peter Keck, Andrew Love,
116
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
James W. Logan, Samuel May, Hiram McAninch, Harvey McAninch, Alex. H. Mitchell, Sam'l H. Mitchell, William Neal, Judson J. Parsons, David Porter, George Porter, Henry Page, Burdett Riggs, Daniel Rhodes, Franklin Rum- barger, James Robinson, Adam A. Rankin, William Smathers, Addis M. Shu- gart, Shelumiel Swineford, David Swineford, William W. Sheets, Chauncey Shaffer, David L. Taylor, Philip P. Taylor, Franklin Van Overbeck, Barton B. Weldon, Samuel Wilson, James H. Watson, Francis M. Whiteman, Oliver Woods, William E. Young, Stephen R. Young.
COMPANY K, ELEVENTH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA RESERVES.
It was soon seen that the war cloud had assumed more gigantic proportions than was at first anticipated, and that more than three months would elapse be- fore the rebellion would be quelled. Captain Evans R. Brady, editor of the Brookville Jeffersonian, at once, upon the call for troops, had begun to recruit a company, but the quota was filled before his company was ready. In the mean time Governor Curtin, with the promptness that characterized him all through the trying days of the war, and which gained for him the name of "War Governor," had convened the Legislature in special session and recom- mended the immediate organization, arming, and disciplining of at least fifteen regiments for State defense. The Legislature promptly acted on this sugges- tion of the executive, and on the 15th of May, 1861, passed an act providing for the organizing of the " Reserve Corps of the Commonwealth," to consist of thirteen regiments of infantry, one of cavalry, and one of artillery. Two days after the passage of this act, Governor Curtin issued a call for troops to fill these regiments, stating that the companies to be furnished by the several counties would be proportionate to the number of men already in the service from each county. Under the previous call hundreds of companies had been formed in excess of the number called for by the war department, and there was a rush to get into the new organizations as soon as the governor's call was issued.
Captain Brady had gone on recruiting his company, and by the middle of May had enough men enrolled to form two companies, so that they were di- vided into Companies "A" and "B" of the "Brady Guards." Company A was organized by selecting as captain, Evans R. Brady ; first lieutenant, James P. George ; second lieutenant, James E. Long. Company B organized by selecting for their captain, Robert R. Means. Captain Brady proceeded to Harrisburg to have these companies accepted, but found that only one com- pany could be received in the Reserves from Jefferson county. Company B was afterwards Company I of the Sixty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Captain Brady, who was brigade inspector for Jefferson county, was ordered by the adjutant-general of the State to turn in all the arms and State property in the hands of the militia. These included one hundred muskets and a six-
II7
JEFFERSON COUNTY IN THE REBELLION.
pounder brass field piece, together with tents, etc., of the Ringgold Artillery. These arms, tents, etc., were all brought to Brookville, and Captain Brady's company went into camp at the Sand Spring about the 25th of May. They continued to drill regularly, and the men were furnished with rations by the citizens of Brookville, the ladies vieing with each other as to who should ren- der the most aid ; regularly, morning, noon, and evening some of their num- ber were on hand to see that the boys had hot coffee and enough to eat.
On Sunday evening, June Ist, Captain Brady returned from Harrisburg with marching orders, and the company left Brookville on Wednesday morning, June 4th, 1861, for Camp Wilkins, at Pittsburgh. The men were all uniformed, the red blouses and black belts being furnished by the citizens of Brookville .. They carried the guns before mentioned, and took with then the six-pounder, which gave them the most warlike appearance of any body of troops that ever left the county. The company remained at Camp Wilkins about ten days, when it moved up the Allegheny River to Camp Wright, at Hulton. Here, on the Ist of July the Eleventh Regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserves (the Fortieth Regiment in line) was organized by the election of Thomas F. Galla- gher, of Westmoreland county, colonel. Regimental drill was at once com- menced, and continued until the division was called into service.
It had been the intention when the Reserve Corps was formed that it was to remain in the State to repel any invasion of the enemy over our southern border, but the terrible disaster to the Union troops at Bull Run on the 2 Ist of July, and the danger that threatened the national capital, created an impera- tive necessity for reinforcements, and on the 22d a requisition was made on Pennsylvania for the immediate service of her reserve corps, and eleven thou- sand of these troops were sent forward to Washington as fast as transportation could be had, and in a few days the entire corps of over fifteen thousand (15,856) splendidly equipped and well-officered troops were mustered into the United States service, and became part of the Army of the Potomac.
On arriving at Washington, the Eleventh Regiment, to which Company K belonged, went into camp at Tenallytown, and in October crossed the Poto- mac, and went into Camp Pierpont, near the Leesburg pike, where they re- mained during the winter. The arms they had received from the State were exchanged for United States muskets, and the men were carefully instructed in the manual of arms, etc .; and the efficiency they gained in target exercise, skir- mish drill, and bayonet exercise, proved of inestimable service to them when they met the enemy on their many hotly contested battle-fields. The sanitary rules of the camp were very strict, and there was but little sickness.
General McCall, in making a report of the regiment at this time, says: " This is a well-drilled regiment, and with the improved arms with which it is now supplied, would be very effective."
On the 6th of December the Second Brigade, to which the Eleventh was 12
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
attached, supported by the Third, the Eleventh Regiment being in the advance, was sent on a foraging expedition to Gunnel's farm near Drainesville, where they captured two rebel spies with three of their associates, and secured seven horses, one yoke of oxen, and fifty-seven loads of grain. This raid into the enemy's territory brought on the battle of Drainesville, as the Third Brigade, which a few days later went out on the same errand, was met by a larger force of the enemy. In this engagement the Second Brigade was held in reserve, the bat- tle being fought by the Third alone.
A member of Company K, Mr. J. P. Miller, in writing from Camp Pier- pont, November 29, 1861, thus gives the personnel of the company :
" The places of their nativity are as follows : Pennsylvania, eighty; New York, eleven; New Jersey, one; England and Ireland each two; Germany, one ; and the trades, occupations, etc., represented are : Laborers, twenty-six ; farmers, fourteen ; millers, two ; stone masons, three; machinists, two; black- smiths, seven ; carpenters, six ; shoemakers, two; lumbermen, twenty-three ; printers, five ; book-keepers, plasterers, harness-makers, school-teachers, clerks, each one. So it will be seen that Company K has the material to run a small town ; not an idler in the ranks."
On the 10th of March the Eleventh broke camp, and abandoning their winter quarters, marched to Hunter's Mills, on the Georgetown and Leesburg pike. This march was made in a cold rain, and when the men reached Hunt- er's Mills they were completely exhausted. Here they encamped, and used shelter tents for the first time. The enemy having evacuated his entrenchments at Manassas, the regiment returned to Alexandria, and went into camp near Fairfax Seminary, where there was considerable sickness in its ranks.
On the 9th of April the division was assigned to the First Corps under General Irwin McDowell, and moved to Falmouth. A month later it was sent to the peninsula, where it was attached to the corps of General Fitz John Por- ter. It arrived in time to take part in the battle of Mechanicsville. The Eleventh Regiment, which was doing picket duty at the Chickahominy River, was not actively engaged. The Eleventh protected the rear of the brigade in falling back to Gaines's Mill.
Here the rebels, in overwhelming force, fell upon Porter's single corps, which was drawn up on the banks of the Chickahominy, which separated it from the rest of the enemy. On reaching the field, the Eleventh was first detached to support Meade's battery, of the Fifth United States Artillery, but was after- wards moved forward, and formed on the second line of battle. Completely exhausted, many of the men lay down amid the roar and tumult of battle, and were soon asleep - some never to awake again. Late in the afternoon the regiment was ordered into action near the center of the general line of battle, under cover of a dense wood, where they relieved the Fourth New Jersey Reg- iment, which had been fighting desperately until their ammunition was ex-
119
JEFFERSON COUNTY IN THE REBELLION.
hausted. Just before going into the fight, General McCall and General Mar- tindale, who had charge of that part of the line, spoke encouragingly to the men, telling them that they were going upon the weakest part of the line, but to hold it at all hazards, and bravely did they obey the command, for while column after column of the fresh troops of the enemy bore down upon them in that fearful conflict, the Eleventh met them with such well-directed volleys that sent them reeling back. They continued to pour this withering fire into + the enemy's ranks until it was discovered that the troops on both flanks had been driven back. The smoke of battle and the dense woods in which they fought rendered it so dark that the officers did not realize the peril of the posi- tion until it was discovered that the regiment was receiving a fire on its flank. Colonel Gallagher, still hoping to cut his way out with the aid of Colonel Simpson's New Jersey Regiment, ordered his command to fall back, but the rebels, with a yell, charged upon them, and the brave regiments faced about and gave them a fire that " took the yell out of them " for the time be- ing ; but upon reaching the open ground, after fighting every step of the way, they found themselves completely surrounded, and both regiments were com- pelled to surrender to save useless slaughter. Company B, of the Eleventh, had been detached by General Meade early in the day and escaped capture. Out of the sixty-five men of Company K, who went into the fight, only five came out unscathed-four were killed. The loss in the regiment was forty- six killed, and one hundred and nine wounded.
General McCall, in his official report of this battle, says in reference to the capture of Eleventh : " No censure can possibly attach to Colonel Gallagher or Colonel Simpson or the brave men of their regiments on account of this ill turn of fortune, but on the contrary they are entitled to the credit of holding their ground until it was tenable no longer."
Though worn out with marching and fighting, the prisoners were hurried on to Richmond, which they reached about four o'clock, A. M., the next day, and after being marched through the streets as a gratification to the citizens, who were jubilant over the fruit of the success of their arms, they were taken to Libby prison. In a few days the men were removed to Belle Island, where they suffered severely for want of sufficient food and clothing. August 5th the men were exchanged and sent to Harrison's Landing, where about a week later the officers joined them. With ranks sadly depleted the Eleventh, under Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson-Colonel Gallagher being left behind, sick, at Fort- ress Monroe-proceeded to Falmouth, and with the division, now under Gen- eral Reynolds, joined Pope's army just entering upon the Second Bull Run campaign. The Reserves were again assigned to McDowell's corps, and in the evening of the 29th of August the Eleventh, which was now in the Third brigade, advanced under a galling fire from the enemy's batteries, and were soon engaged in the fight ; but it being found impossible to dislodge the rebels
I20
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
from their position, our troops were withdrawn, but the Eleventh lay all night under the fire of these batteries. The next day the regiment was hiotly en- gaged, having an almost hand to hand conflict with the Fifth Texas regiment, but the enemy having succeeded in turning our flank, enfiladed the entire line with such deadly effect that the regiment was forced to retire.
The Maryland campaign followed close upon the defeat of Pope. The Re- serves were now commanded by General Meade, and Colonel Gallagher hav- ing succeeded to the command of the Third Brigade, Lieutenant-Colonel S. M. Jackson was in command of the Eleventh. On the 13th of September the enemy was found strongly posted at Turner's Gap at South Mountain, and on Sunday morning, the 14th, the battle began. The Reserves were drawn up to the right of the road, leading to Turner's Gap, held by the troops of Longstreet and Hill. The Eleventh held the left center as the line advanced to attack the enemy, and moving up the steep acclivity of the mountain, which is here about one thousand feet in height, received a deadly fire from the en- emy, concealed behind rocks and trees. Colonel Jackson held his regiment well in hand, and with words of encouragement cheered his men on this peril- ous ascent. " At one point the Eleventh Regiment, commanded by Lieuten- ant-Colonel Jackson, was ordered to drive the enemy from a deep ravine; the regiment charged upon the concealed rebels, and at a single volley from the hidden foe more than half the commissioned officers fell, but the men as if maddened by the loss of their officers rushed upon the enemy, forced him from his shelter and never ceased cheering, charging, climbing and firing until they ended with the triumphant shout of victory."1 It was here that the gallant Brady fell, and Company K lost their brave and heroic leader.
Lieutenant J. P. George assumed the command of Company K on the fall of Captain Brady.
Athough with ranks fearfully decimated by the hard service they had seen, the Eleventh were again engaged at Antietam, taking their usual part in that sanguinary struggle, where seven men were killed, and seventeen wounded.
After this campaign the shattered force, battle-scarred, and almost destitute of clothing, went into camp near Sharpsburg, where it remained until the 30th of October, when they crossed the Potomac and reached Warrenton on the 9th of November, in the midst of a severe snow storm. Here the men who had been absent on detailed service or in hospitals, rejoined the regiment, making an effective force of about four hundred.
On the 13th of December the regiment was engaged in the battle of Fred- ericksburg, the Eleventh being in the rear of the batteries, where it suffered severely from the artillery duel which took place. When this ceased the regi- ment was advanced over the open ground under a galling fire, but it pressed on unchecked until it reached a ditch running parallel to the line of battle,
1 Sypher's " History Pennsylvania Reserve Corps," page 370.
I2I
JEFFERSON COUNTY IN THE REBELLION.
then forward to within a short distance of a stone fence, from behind which the enemy received them with a deadly fire. Colonel Jackson at once saw the futility of trying to carry these works, and with great coolness managed to withdraw his command from their perilous position. The regiment fought for two hours without support, and its loss was very heavy ; Company K took into the fight fifty-one men, and lost two killed, twenty-four wounded, and seven wounded and missing.
After enduring all the hardships of Burnside's unfortunate campaign, the Eleventh was sent to the defense of Washington, and encamped for a short time at Minor's Hill. On June 3, 1863, Brigadier-General S. W. Crawford assumed command of the division, which was assigned to the Fifth Corps, and on the 2d of July arrived at Gettysburg, and was halted in the rear of Ceme- tery Hill, where they found the Second Division of their corps, composed of regulars, hard pressed by the enemy, and the Reserves were hurriedly moved to the right and front of Little Round Top where they were massed in column by regiments, the Third Brigade in front, with the Eleventh in its rear. The brigade was then ordered to the front, but before they gained their position the enemy pressed hard upon them trying to flank them. General Crawford im- mediately arrested this movement, leaving the Eleventh with, and in front of the First Brigade, bringing it in range of the guns of the enemy ; but it main- tained its position without returning the fire until the command was given to fire, when it poured a terrible volley into the enemy's lines, causing him to give back as before a storm. The order was at once given to charge, and with a yell the brigade, the Eleventh in the lead, swept forward, down the hill and across the valley to the stone wall, driving the rebels before them. A number of the men went over the wall, capturing many prisoners. General Crawford, not deeming it prudent to advance farther, they were withdrawn, and a strong line of skirmishers thrown out. The loss in Company K in this battle was three killed and thirty-eight wounded. On the 4th the regiment was with- drawn from the front, and joined in the pursuit of Lee. This involved hard and fatiguing marching. Upon the return to Virginia, the regiment encamped near Rappahannock Station, subsequently moving to Culpepper Court- House, until the enemy attempted to turn Meade's right flank, when it fell back to pre- vent Lee from seizing the heights at Centreville. The regiment was slightly engaged on the 14th of October at Bristow, and again in a skirmish at Rappa- hannock Station. The enemy, being foiled by Mead, fell back across the Rapi- dan, and the Eleventh was actively engaged in the Mine Run campaign, as it was also at New Hope Church, and though no serious casualties occurred, the suffering of the men from marching and exposure was very great.
Upon the close of offensive operations the regiment encamped at Warren- ton Junction, the Reserves being assigned to guard duty on the Alexandria and Orange Railroad.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.