USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 15
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On Monday the regiment was again sent to the front, where it covered the retreat, being one of the last to recross the river. They then returned to their old camp. Colonel Sweitzer was wounded in this engagement, and his horse was killed. In January, 1863, the Sixty-second was engaged in Burnside's second campaign, making roads for the artillery.
On the 27th of April the regiment moved to Chancellorsville. The Fifth Corps, now commanded by General Meade, preceded by the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps, crossed the Rappahannock at Ely's Ford, and proceded to the vicinity of the Chancellor House, where the line of battle was established, the Fifth Corps occupying the left of the line. On the afternoon of the 30th the Sixty-second was ordered with the brigade to support General Griffin, who was making a reconnaissance in the direction of Fredericksburg, but no engage- ment resulted. The next evening, while the division was engaged in execut- ing some movement on the left, the Second Brigade became detached from the rest of the command, and the enemy in full force on their front perceiving this, prepared to give battle, and but for the coolness of General Sweitzer, who by his skill in manœuvering, finally, after the night was spent, succeeded in with- drawing the brigade from its dangerous position. The Sixty-second was en- gaged in skirmishing on the 3d, and on the 4th the brigade was ordered to advance in front of the lines and make a reconnaissance, avoiding, if possible, a general engagement. Forming in two lines, in the front line the Sixty-second, and the Thirty-second Michigan, under Colonel Sweitzer, with the Fourth Michigan as skirmishers, they advanced, driving the enemy's skirmishers, when they suddenly came upon the strongly entrenched line of the enemy, who opened a heavy fire of grape and canister upon their front and left flanks. Their object being accomplished, Colonel Sweitzer withdrew his command. In this encounter the Sixty-second lost fourteen wounded, several mortally. On the morning of the 6th the Fifth Corps retired from the front, and in crossing the river the Second Brigade covered the rear of the column. The enemy's cavalry harassing them, the Sixty-second was sent back to hold him in check, and was the last regiment to cross the river.
The regiment went into camp near Fredericksburg, until about the Ist of June, when it moved to Kelly's Ford, and was employed on picket duty, with a slight skirmish, in which it supported the cavalry and drove the enemy near Middleburg-until the army started north in pursuit of Lee. July Ist the Fifth Corps was at Hanover Junction, with General Sykes in command, and was
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ordered to proceed at once to Gettysburg, where General Reynolds was already engaged with the enemy. After a forced march, with men already worn out, it reached Gettysburg, on the morning of the 2d. The First Division was placed to the left of the Baltimore pike, and to the rear of Cemetery Hill, where it lay until late in the afternoon, when it was sent to the support of the Third Corps, which was fighting against heavy odds; the Second Brigade, taking position in a strip of woods on the right of the wheat field, and in front of Little Round Top. Though the fighting was heavy, the Second was well posted, and held its ground until the First Brigade gave way, and left its right unsupported, when its posi- tion became untenable, and General Barnes ordered Colonel Sweitzer to with- draw his brigade as best he could. The men were reluctant to obey, and fell back fighting as they moved. They gained a position along the road in rear of the wheat field, but being again left without support, a hand to hand conflict with the enemy ensued. The ground was swarming with rebels, and every avenue of escape seemed shut off, but they poured volley after volley into the enemy's lines as they moved diagonally across the field, crossing the stone fence and had just gained the low ground in front of Little Round Top, when the Pennsylvania Reserves charged down upon the flank of the enemy, hurling him back in confusion. The brigade went into the engagement with nine hun- dred men, and came out with scarce half that number. The loss in the Sixty- second was very heavy. Colonel Sweitzer was wounded, and Major Lowry killed, and five line officers fell, among the latter, the brave Captain of Com- pany I, Edwin H. Little, who had been promoted on the resignation of Captain Means.
The division was placed during the night along the stone wall, at the foot of the hill, to the right of Little Round Top, where it remained until the close of the battle. When it left Gettysburg the Sixty-second could only muster some ninety men.
After returning to Virginia the regiment took part in the " Campaign of Manœuvres," which followed, and was engaged at Rappahannock Station, Lo- cust Grove, and Mine Run. It went into winter quarters at Licking Run, and spent the winter in guarding the Orange and Alexandria railroad from the in- cursions of Moseby. On the Ist of May it broke camp, and with the Fifth Corps, now under Geeneral Warren, on the 4th reached the Wilderness, en- camping near the " Old Wilderness Tavern," where the next morning it threw up breastworks with the enemy in force in front. About ten o'clock the action commenced, and continued until dark ; the Sixty-second being heavily engaged on the right of the division. It was also engaged on the 6th. On the march to Spottsylvania the next day, in the engagement with Ewell's forces at Laurel Hill, the regiment was engaged and lost heavily. The rebels were however driven, and the ground held. From that until the 12th it was engaged in skirmishing. In the general charge along the entire line on the
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12th the regiment participated, suffering severely, Liuetenant Hull being mor- tally wounded.
On the 13th, with Captain McClay in command, the regiment moved to the left in front of Spottsylvania, where it was almost constantly under fire until the 21st, when it led the advance to the North Anna, across which the enemy was found in force, and the Fifth and Sixth Corps were soon hotly engaged, the fight lasting from noon until sundown. They next engaged the rebels at Tolopotomy, where they repulsed them. On the 2d day of June the Sixty- second moved to the front and fought gallantly at Bethesda Church, losing heavily. On the 18th the regiment was again engaged near the Norfolk and Petersburg railroad. General Griffin, commanding the division, liere advanced a battery in front of the skirmishers, and opened upon the enemy with grape and canister, which soon routed him, and the brigade advancing, threw up heavy entrenchments, and held the road. On the 27th the regiment was engaged at Jerusalem Plank Road, but suffered no loss. After this it was employed on fatigue and picket duty until the 3d of July, when its term of service having expired, the regiment was ordered to the rear, and the follow- ing day left for home, arriving in Pittsburgh July 15, 1864, where the regi- ment was paid off, and mustered out of service. Captain John T. Bell, and twenty-one men who re-enlisted with him, were transferred to the One Hun- dred and Fifth-fifth Regiment P. V.
Captain Robert R. Means, who went out with Company I, as its captain, shared all their toils and dangers until the battle of Malvern Hill, where he was wounded and taken prisoner. He was confined in Libby Prison until Au- gust 1, 1862, when he was exchanged and brought to Davis Island (N. Y.) Hospital. He never recovered from the effects of this wound, and had to resign January 13, 1863. Captain Means was an excellent officer, kind and thoughtful for the comfort of his men, who parted with him very reluctantly.
When Captain Means resigned, Lieutenant Edwin H. Little was promoted captain, and proved a brave and faithful officer until the battle of Gettysburg, when he was killed while fighting desperately at the head of his company, in that fearful hand to hand conflict in the wheat field July 2d. Captain Little was a son of Jacob and Anna Little, néc Shunk, and was born in Bridgewater, Beaver county Pa., on the 14th of August, 1833. He removed with his pa- rents to Puxsutawney in 1852, and June 26, 1856, was married to Miss Mar- garet E. Campbell, daughter of Mr. William Campbell, of that place. He was engaged in lumbering when the war broke out. He was an energetic business man, and an upright citizen, and his loss was deeply mourned, not only by his comrades in arms, but by the people among whom he had so long resided. Captain Little left a wife and three children - Anna, Emma, and Edwin H., who yet survive him.
When Captain Little fell the command of Company I devolved upon Lieu-
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JEFFERSON COUNTY IN THE REBELLION.
tenant John T. Bell, who was promoted captain September 12, 1863. Cap- tain Bell was wounded and taken prisoner at Gaines's Mill, and again wounded in the Wilderness. He commanded the company efficiently until its muster out. Company I took part in the battles of Yorktown, Hanover Court House, Gaines's Mill, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Second Bull Run, Fredericks- burg, Chancellorsville, Rappahannock Station, Locust Grove Church, The Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Bethesda Church, Peters- burg, June 18, Jerusalem Plank Road. The company lost by battle and dis- ease the following :
Killed at Gettysburg-Captain E. H. Little, Sergeant Isaac S. Osborne, William Orr, H. C. Tafel; at Gaines's Mill, Sergeant Clarence R. Thompson.
Died of wounds and disease-Ephraim Myers, A. W. Armagost, John Bouch, David Burkett, William Farley, James A. Fairman, George Leech, Adam W. Musser, Jacob H. Trout, James Spencer ; G. Vancampment, at An- dersonville, Ga. John Kaylor wounded, with loss of arm, at Hanover Court House, died at Kittanning, Pa., on his way home, July 17, 1863.
Samuel Crissman, of this company, was teaching school in Missouri when the war broke out, and was pressed into the rebel service, but soon escaped and on returning home enlisted in Captain Means's company. In the battle of Gaines's Mill he was shot through the body, and taken prisoner, and suffered terribly until released, when he was taken to the Hospital at Baltimore, where he died August 19, 1862.1
The following Jefferson county men served in Company I, Sixty-second Regiment : Captains Robert R. Means, Edwin H. Little, John T. Bell. First lieutenant Samuel W. Temple. First sergeants John M. Steck, Isaac S. Os- borne. Sergeants George Mack, David W. Kerr, George S. Campbell, C. R. Thompson. Corporals Thomas A. Hendricks, Alexander Glenn, William Smith, Arr Neil, Charles F. Liebrick, Thomas, H. Budlong, Ephraim Myers, Ephraim B. Johnston, A. W. Armagost, John Shannon, Thomas Anderson, Samuel Crissman, Ira Felt, Watson Guthrie. Musicians Willlam R. Depp, John Ready. Privates Paul Broadhead, Philip Black, Joseph T. Burns, John Bouch, David Burket, Joseph L. Burly, George Berger, George Christy, Harri- son Covill, Edwin B. Cavinore, James C. Cavinore, Thomas Connell, James Cald- well, Fleming Caldwell, John Collins, William Cunningham, Samuel J. Denny, Frederick C. Eshbaugh, Thomas Edmonds, George M. Emrick, John W. Frost, William M. Fairman, James A. Fairman, William Farley, James Geer, Mathew Griffith, Solomon Heim, David Hopkins, Isaac Hendricks, James B. Jordan, John Kaylor, Hughes Kelly, Francis Lyman, John H. Love, George Leech, Abraham Milliron, Josiah Morehead, Adam W. Musser, William F. Meeker,
1 These are all that are reported as having been killed or died from Company " I," but the records of the company are not full, as forty-two names are reported " not on mnster-out roll," and it is more than likely that some of these were killed or died.
14
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
John Maginnis, David Mckee, Neil Mckay, James McSparrin, James McKee, George W. McKinly, Charles H. McCracken, Frederick Nulf, H. N. G. Nut- ting, William Orr, John Oyster, Lyman H. Phelps, Samuel Reynolds, George WV. Richards, William Rowley, Joseph Richards, William Randolph, Clark Rodgers, Henry Slagle, Simon J. Shanafelt, Henry Shearer, Joseph Sterrett, R. W. Shaffer, Henry C. Shuey, James Spencer, George L. Smith, Adam Smith, Noah Shotts, Absalom Stoner, Benjamin Smyers, Adam Smouse, James C. Shields, Samuel Shaffer, Jacob S. Trout, H. C. Tafel, Joseph M. Temple, George Vanhorn, David J. Watt, Robert Welsh, Noah Wensell John Warner, John M. Weaver.
The following men from Company I, Sixty-second P. V., re-enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Fifty-fifth P. V:
Captain John T. Bell; First Sergeant Thomas C. Anderson; Sergeant Ephraim B. Johnston ; Corporals Sylvanus F. Covill, George L. Smith, Robert WV. Shaffer, Samuel Reynolds, died ; Noah Wensell, killed at Spottsylvania ; Privates Joseph L. Bucley, Samuel J. Denny, killed at Peeble's Farm, Va. ; John Maginnis, William F. Meeker, John W. Oyster, Lyman S. Phelps, Joseph Richards, Absalom Stoner, Samuel Shaffer.
CHAPTER XV.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH REGIMENT.
The Wild Cat Regimeut - Battle of Fair Oaks - The First Blood of Jefferson County Soldiers Shed - Death of Captain Dowling - The Peninsular Campaign - Battles of Fred- ericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg - Death of Colonel McKnight - The Wilderness Cam- paign - Fall of Captain Clyde - Re-enlistment of the Regiment - Death of Major Conser - Seeing the End - Muster Out.
T THE " Wild Cat Regiment," so called from the old name of the Congres-
sional district which embraced Jefferson county, from which it was princi- pally recruited, was raised in accordance with authority granted by the War Department to Amor A. McKnight, esq., of Brookville, Pa. The regiment was organized at Pittsburgh, September 9, 1861, and proceeded immediately to Washington city, going into camp at Kalorama Heights on the 11th of September. Here a company from Westmoreland county, commanded by Captain M. M. Dick, seceded from Colonel Leasure's Roundhead regiment and joined Colonel McKnight's regiment. This, one of the best companies in the regiment, was afterwards known as Company E. In a few days the regi- ment was moved across the Potomac into Virginia and encamped upon the
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THE 105TH REGIMENT.
farm of Hon. George Mason, one of the most bitter rebels in the Old Domin- ion, and whose life during that winter was one season of discontent, caused by the presence of the hated blue coats encamped at his very door. This camp, situated on a slight eminence, about one and a half miles from Alexandria, was called Camp Jameson, after the gallant General Charles D. Jameson, of Maine, to whose brigade the regiment was assigned. This noble officer, who, while in command of his own tried regiment, the Second Maine, had won his stars at Bull Run, soon became a great favorite with the men of the Wild Cat Regiment. Himself a lumberman, he could appreciate the hardy stalwart
sons of the forest. On one occasion some of the boys who had been detailed to cut firewood employed their time instead in gathering chestnuts and re- turned to camp bringing only a few fence rails. As a punishment for this breach of discipline Colonel McKnight ordered them to " walk the ring," each man carrying a rail. General Jameson passing by, the boys came to a halt and saluted him by bringing their rails to " present arms." The general returned the salute, seemingly much amused. An election for field officers was held soon after the regiment reached Camp Jameson, which resulted in the election of Amor A. McKnight, colonel; W. W. Corbet, lieutenant- colonel ; M. M. Dick, Major. The regiment, which was now called the One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division, Third Corps, which place it kept from that time until the glo- rious old Third was consolidated with the Second Corps, and, with the Sixty- third Pennsylvania Volunteers, were, I think, the only regiments that kept their original place in the same brigade. This brigade was at first composed of the Fifty-seventh, Sixty-third, and One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and the Eighty-seventh New York.
General Charles K. Graham, under whom the One Hundred and Fifth did some of its most heroic fighting, gives me in a recent letter this unsolic- ited tribute to the regiment : "The One Hundred and Fifth was composed of unusually fine material. Young in years and strong in brawn, Colonel Mc- Knight. too, was a very capable drill officer and fine disciplinarian and taught his men to excel in their manœuvres. Frequently, when I commanded the brigade, I visited the headquarters of the regiment to witness the bayonet drill, in which the regiment was particularly proficient."
On the 26th of January, 1862, Captains Rose and Altman and Lieutenants Brady, Worrall, J. G. and C. J. Wilson resigned. Captain L. B. Duff, of the Ninth Pennsylvania Reserves, was given the command of Company D. Cap- tain James Hamilton, of the same regiment, was assigned to Company I, and Lieutenant A. C. Thompson, of Company B, to the command of Company K. This was for a time deeply resented by the men of these companies, but when they found how brave, capable, and honorable these officers were, they forgot their grievances and no officers in the regiment were more highly honored or
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more popular. January 5, 1862, the One Hundred and Fifth was presented by the State with an elegant stand of colors, General J. K. Moorhead, of Pittsburgh, making the presentation on behalf of Governor Curtin, and Colonel McKnight receiving the flag on behalf of his regiment.
On March 17th the One Hundred and Fifth embarked on the steamer Cats- kill, for Fortress Monroe, arriving there on the evening of the 19th. They disembarked in the midst of a fearful rain-storm, and in this were marched about a mile north of the fort and halted for the night. This was their first field experience, and not relishing the prospect of lying all night in the rain, the regiment, without orders, broke ranks and officers and men sought refuge from the storm in some cavalry stables of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, who gave the drenched and suffering soldiers shelter, and with the Sixteenth Massachusetts Infantry, who were on guard near by, prepared hot coffee for both the One Hundred and Fifth and Sixty-third. They remained in the vicinity of Yorktown until the 5th of May, when the First Brigade, which had been detached from the division, was ordered to rejoin it and were hurried for- ward at a " double quick " past all obstruction through the rain and mud. As they neared Williamsburg General Heintzelman rode out to meet them, while the rest of the division received them with a cheer. The other brigades of the division were almost used up, but when they heard the enthusiastic cheers of Jameson's brigade as it hastened to their relief it infused new life into their weary, bleeding ranks, and they, rallying, made charge after charge until the enemy gave way. Jameson's brigade was hurried to the front, but the enemy did not venture to attack, and, our forces not caring to attack their works that night, the division was formed in line and lay there all night in the pouring rain without overcoats or blankets. The next morning the One Hundred and Fifthi was deployed as skirmishers to enter the town, General Jameson and Col- onel McKnight both with them. Company C, which occupied the center as the advance, was the first to enter the town, and the regimental flag was hoisted on the court-house by Sergeant McNutt of that company. As our troops entered the eastern end of the town the last of the Confederate infantry could be seen leaving from the west. The regiment was deployed in and about the town and captured several prisoners. Sergeant Joseph Craig, of Company C, captured a Confederate cavalryman with his horse and arms. Company K captured the sabre, sash and dress suit of Major-General Wilcox, of the Confederate army. Captain Thompson appropriated the sashi, Lieutenant Lawson the sabre, while the boys " parted his raiment among them." The One Hundred and Fifth was detailed to guard Williamsburg, Lieutenant Colonel Corbet being appointed provost-marshal. They remained here until the 9th of May, when they left Williamsburg and until the 31st of May were employed on guard and picket duty between Williamsburg and the Chickahominy River.
On the morning of May 31 firing began in their front, which rapidly grew
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THE 105TH REGIMENT.
heavier, and at 4 o'clock P. M., the brigade was ordered to the front. The One Hundred and Fifth, with seven companies, leaving all baggage behind, marched at "double quick " down the railroad, past Savage Station about half a mile, where they were halted for a few minutes in the woods. To their right was an open field, across this a rifle-pit filled with our men, waiting the onset of the enemy. On their immediate front was a narrow " slashing" of fallen tim- ber, beyond which was Casey's camp, now in possession of the enemy. The One Hundred and Fifth turned to the right out of the woods in front of the rifle-pit, where they were brought to the front, and ordered by General Jameson to charge through the "slashing " upon the enemy. They relieved the Tenth Massachusetts, and, as they moved forward at double quick, found the Con- federates about to attack them, and the two forces met almost on the edge of Casey's camp. So impetuous and deadly was the charge that the enemy gave way and were driven across and out of Casey's camp. Not being able to get their horses into the fallen timber, the officers, dismounting, turned them loose and went into the fight on foot. The One Hundred and Fifth pursued the flying foe until our entire right gave way, and the heroic little band was with difficulty withdrawn through a swamp on their left. The two companies, C and I, who could not join their regiment at the commencement of the fight, came up as soon as possible and were ordered by General Heintzelman to form on the right of the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and advance into the woods upon the enemy and hold the road, if possible. This they did until the Fifty-seventh being obliged to retire, they also fell back, loading and firing as they went. Four of Company C were wounded, but there were no casual- ties in Company I. During the night they were joined by the survivors of the other companies.
General Jameson, in his report of the battle of Fair Oaks, says: "I had disposed of all my command at different points, with the exception of three hundred and forty-eight men of the One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, under Colonel McKnight. All our men had fled from the abatis in the vicinity of the Richmond road. Our only alternative was to make the best possible stand with the handful of men under Colonel Mcknight. We led them across the open field to the Richmond road and into the abatis, at double quick and under a most terrific fire, deploying one-half on either side of the road. For more than an hour and a half this small force held every inch of the ground. At last the enemy broke and ran, and McKnight pursued them through Casey's camp. No other evidence of the valor displayed by this heroic little band is necessary than the list of their killed and wounded. Every eighth man of their number has, since the fight, been buried on the field, and just one-half their number killed or wounded. Of the eighteen commis- sioned officers thirteen were killed or wounded. General Keamey's horse and mine were killed. A parallel to this fighting does not exist in the two days' battle, nor will it exist during the war."
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Headly, in his " History of the Rebellion," says of the conduct of the One Hundred and Fifth at Fair Oaks: "Napoleon's veterans never stood firmer under a devastating fire."
In this fight the One Hundred and Fifth lost two of its best officers, Cap- tain John C. Dowling, of Company B, and Lieutenant J. P. R. Cummiskey, of Company D; forty-one enlisted men killed, one hundred and seventeen wounded, and seventeen missing. Colonel McKnight, Captains Duff, Greena- walt, Kirk, and Thompson, and Lieutenants Craig, Markle, Shipley, Geggie, and Baird, were wounded.
From the battle of Fair Oaks to the 25th of June the regiment remained quiet, doing picket duty. General Jameson, so beloved by the regiment, had been seriously injured by his horse falling upon him, which, added to sickness caused by exposure, etc., had caused him to resign, and the command of the brigade devolved upon General Robinson. On the 27th of June, while en- gaged as skirmishers, two men were killed and six wounded. On the 30th of June and Ist of July the One Hundred and Fifth was hotly engaged at Glendale and Malvern Hill, losing, during the two days, one hundred and three killed and wounded-more than half the entire force of the regiment- but their loss was not to be wondered at, for at Glendale the regiment was hotly engaged from two P. M. until dark, the enemy making desperate attempts to capture a battery which it was supporting. "The battle of Glendale," says the Compte de Paris, "is remarkable for its fierceness, among all those that have drenched the American forests with blood."
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