History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 67

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 67

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The Lehigh Artillerists, of Allentown, were organized in 1827, with William Fry, as cap- tain. Three years later he resigned and John F. Ruhe, Jr., succeeded him. In 1834, Samuel Gumpert was elected captain, and his successor was Capt. H. S. Morehead, under whose com- mand the company participated in a military en- campment at Easton, from Aug. 29th to Sept. 3, 1842. The company numbered 43 men and wore blue uniforms, with scarlet facings and stripes, buff belts, and scarlet plumes. On Thurs- day, September Ist, Governor Porter reviewed the troops, in the presence of over 30,000 spec- tators, according to the newspaper accounts of that day.

Dr. John Romig, of Allentown, was active in military circles and on Feb. 27, 1830, was com- missioned colonel of the 144th Volunteer Militia of the Second Brigade by Governor George Wolf, who also commissioned him, on Oct. 26, 1832, captain of the Allentown Troop of Cav- alry.

In 1836, the Harrison men in the Lehigh Ar- tillerists withdrew and organized the Harrison Guards, with Jacob D. Boas as Captain, and Reuben Strauss as First Lieutenant. Major William Fry organized the Van Buren Artil- lerists about the same time. There was much rivalry between the companies at this time, as the Guards were Whigs and the Artiller- ists Democrats, and in the campaign of 1840 there was considerable warmth of political feel- ing, which continued until the companies dis- banded.

After they disbanded, Amos Ettinger organ- ized the Lehigh Fencibles, on August 6, 1849, which company had a short existence. Captain Ettinger was soon promoted to major and later became leader of the Allentown band. Captain Hiram Yeager commanded the company until it disbanded.

Allen Rifles .- This company was organized July 10, 1850, composed largely of former mem- bers of the Fencibles. The officers elected were : Captain, Tilghman H. Good; Ist lieut., Thomas

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Steckel; 2d lieut., William Fry; 3d lieut., or quartermaster, John P. Dillinger. On Nov. 20, 1855, the company participated in the dedica- tion at Easton of a monument to George Tay- lor, signer of the Declaration of Independence. The parade on that occasion was headed by Major General David Laury and Majors Long- necker and Ettinger, and the Allen Rifles was preceded by the Bethlehem band.

The uniform of the company was the reg- ulation blue, with caps, and minie rifles were carried. Under the instruction of Captain Good, one of the ablest tacticians in the state, the company attained a degree of proficiency in Hardee's tactics and the Zouave drill which won for them a reputation extending beyond the borders of the state, and in the opinion of com- petent judges, rivalled Col. Ellsworth's Zou- aves. In 1859 a military company from Wash- ington, D. C., challenged the Allen Rifles to a drill and York was selected as a meeting place, on which occasion the Rifles were victorious. Their armory was on Hamilton street, between Seventh and Church streets.

On April 20, 1861, the Allen Rifles were mustered into the United States service as Com- pany I, First Regiment, Penna. Volunteers, with 70 men and II officers. Captain Good was chosen Lieut .- Colonel of the regiment, and Wil- liam H. Gausler became captain, with Emman- uel P. Rhoads, first lieutenant and Benjamin C. Roth, second lieutenant. The history of the company until their muster out on July 23, 1861, will be found in the Civil War history. Many of the company then enlisted in the 47th and 54th Regiments, all but a few of whom re- ceived commissions, ranking from lieutenant to colonel.

On June 30, 1870, the company was re-organ- ized under the name of Allen Rifles, with their former colonel, T. H. Good, as captain; An- drew C. Nagle, Ist lieut., and Charles M. Mertz, 2d lieut. In 1874, Capt. Good was again promoted to the rank of colonel, and Andrew C. Nagle was elected captain, and com- missioned Oct. 12, 1874, with Lieut. Mertz as Ist lieut., and James R. Roney as 2d lieut. From 1874 the Allen Rifles has been Company D, Fourth Regiment, National Guard of Pennsyl- vania.

Jordan Artillerists .- This company was or- ganized in 1856, principally from residents of the lower section of the borough, now the First Ward. William H. Gausler was its captain and the armory was located at what was then Rex's hotel. In 1860 the company purchased regula- tion United States uniforms, with dress coats and overcoats, with plumed hats, in which they pa-

raded, for the first time, on Jackson Day, Feb. 8, 1861, when the company entertained the Nor- ristown Rifles, commanded by Capt. John F. Hartranft, later governor of the state. Many of the company became members of Company I, First Penna., in the Civil War.

Allen Infantry .- In 1859 the Allen Infantry was organized with Thomas Yeager as captain. The company uniform was of gray cloth, with black and gold bullion trimmings, and the men carried flint-lock guns, with bayonets. The drill-room was at 716 Hamilton street. The company paraded in the new uniform for the first time on Feb. 21, 1861, with the Allen Rifles, Jordan Artillerists, and Menninger's band, in the military parade at Philadelphia, when President-elect Lincoln officiated at the raising of the flag over Independence Hall and accompanied Mr. Lincoln, (then on his way to the inauguration at Washington), to Harris- burg, where he addressed 5,000 Pennsylvania soldiers from the balcony of the Jones House, later the Commonwealth hotel. The subsequent history of this company appears under the head of "First Defenders," in the War of the Rebel- lion, in which this company was the first from Allentown to volunteer their services.

In 1857, a German military company, com- manded by Leopold Kern, was organized. Henry Harte, then proprietor of the Lafayette hotel, later became its commander, and the com- pany drilled in the yard at the rear of the hotel. Early in 1859 Capt. Harte removed to Cat- asauqua and the company was re-organized by Capt. Yeager as the Allen Infantry.

Allen Continentals .- On June 21, 1869, at a meeting held at the Pennsylvania hotel, the Allen Zouaves were organized, with Samuel D. Lehr as captain; Edward Keiser, Ist lieut., and Chas. W. Keinert, 2d lieut. The uniform adopt- ed was Turkish in design and consisted of a blue flannel blouse with ornamental yellow trim- mings and braiding, wide red flannel ankle trousers, and white canvas leggings. A red tur- ban with a long, flaming, red tassel covered the head, while a brilliant blue sash, with pendant ends adorned the waist.

· A muster roll of the Zouaves was forwarded to the adjutant general and the company was for- mally enrolled in the service of the state, and commissions issued to its officers, under the pro- visions of the Act of Assembly, approved May 4, 1864. This act provided that the active militia of the state should be composed of volunteers, and in case of war, invasion and riots, this mil- litia should be first ordered into service to aid the civil officers in the execution of the laws. Each

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

county was considered a separate brigade, and these county brigades were divided into twenty divisions. Lehigh and Northampton counties constituted the Seventh Division. Company or- ganization was completed by the qualification of one captain, two lieutenants, five sergeants, eight corporals, two musicians, one wagoner and six- ty-four privates, minimum, and eighty-two pri- vates, maximum. There was no permanent reg- imental formation. The companies were known as independent companies, and to be attached to provisional regimental formation as occasion might require, if ten companies to a regiment, with the customary and present complement of regimental officers. Each of the numerous brig- ades was commanded by a brigadier-general, and each of the twenty divisions was distinguished by its own major-general. Shoulder straps with stars were abundant in those days, and one dif- ficulty in keeping up the militia organization was in getting a sufficient number of privates and companies "to go 'round" and give the many officers, from major-generals down something to command. There were about three hundred of these independent companies at this time, but new companies were being constantly formed and companies all the time disbanding, so that the record was constantly changing and the militia in this respect lacked the element of perman- nence.

The Allen Zouaves having complied with the requirements of the military laws as they then stood, received its equipment from the state. This equipment consisted of a muzzle-loading Spring- field rifle, a belt, cartridge box and bayonet. At this time the state supplied only the arms and accoutrements ; the soldier had to furnish every- thing else himself. To raise the money nec- essary for uniforms, rent, heat, light, etc., monthly dues, of fifty cents were charged against each member. Having bought the re- splendent uniforms, and received the arms and accoutrements, and having been duly enrolled among the state's militia, the Allen Zouaves were now ready for the actual business of warfare. Accordingly, Wint's Hall, the third floor of No. 815 Hamilton street, was leased for an armory and the company commenced drilling twice a week, on Monday and Thursday nights. Nat- urally great interest was at first taken in all the company's affairs in general, and in these drills in particular; the attendance was large and regular, and the members loyal and enthusi- astic. But gradually, with the lessening of the novelty of the new uniforms, and the growing familiarity with the manual of arms and evolu- tions of the drill, the attendance and interest de- creased. Another factor in bringing about this

result, and perhaps the greater one, was the monthly dues of fifty cents. Many of the mem- bers of the company found this a greater drain upon their resources than they were able, and in some cases, willing to bear, and falling into arrears, they remained away from the company meetings and drills, and so finally these became very slimly attended.

In justice to the officers of the company, it must be said that they were all along faithful and persistent in their efforts and attendance. At no time was there any dissatisfaction felt towards them. To make matters worse, in 1873, the landlord of the building notified the company that he needed the hall which it was using as an armory, for business purposes, and new quar- ters had to be secured. In its crippled condi- tion this was no easy task for the Allen Zou- aves. The treasury was empty, the members in- different, the officers well nigh discouraged and the financial credit of the organization rather limited. Those were dark days for the Allen Zouaves. Suddenly, and from an unexpected quarter, a ray of sunlight broke across the pros- pect. A patriotic citizen, George Haas, offered his residence on the south side of Hamilton street, near Tenth, to the company for use as a meeting and drill room until other arrange- ments could be made. This offer was gratefully accepted and the Zouaves again had a habitation and drilling was resumed. The parlor and din- ing room of Mr. Haas' residence was used for drill purposes and as the company's average at- tendance had dwindled to five or six men and the three officers, these rooms supplied ample floor space for its martial manoeuvers.

On May 14, 1874, the Legislature passed an act which was the foundation of the generous legislation that in the following years built up the National Guard of Pennsylvania and ulti- mately placed it as the foremost volunteer citizen soldiery, not only of this country, but of that of any nation. This act, first rearranged and re- districted the organization of the militia. The former twenty divisions were reduced to not more than ten, and "arranging said divisions so that by lines of railway or contiguous localities, the troops therein may be most speedily concen- trated and assigning the troops thereto in pro- portion to the taxable inhabitants."

Even more important, to the companies, at least, was the provision that each company was to receive an annual allowance of one hundred dollars, if located in towns of less than fifteen thousand inhabitants, and if in towns exceed- ing that number, two hundred dollars, annu- ally, for the payment of armory rent. About this time, also, the company received its proportion

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of the state military tax, which was then for the first time distributed. This amounted to about four dollars per man. Of this per capita, two dollars and twenty-five cents were paid di- rectly into the company's treasury. The balance of each man's share was disposed of in this man- ner. His accounts with the company were con- sulted and paid out of this balance and if any- thing remained it was handed over to him; if, on the other hand, this balance was not suf- ficient to pay his indebtedness, the account was called square. Up to this time, the Allen Zou- aves had been merely an independent company, assigned to what was known as the Seventh di- vision of the volunteer Militia. This division was composed of four companies, viz .: Allen Zou- aves, Capt. S. D. Lehr ; Allen Rifles, Capt. T. H. Good, both of Allentown; Selfridge Guards, Capt. James R. Roney, of Bethlehem, and the Easton Greys, Capt. Frank Reeder, of Easton. The division commander was Maj .- Gen. James L. Selfridge, of Bethlehem. A complete re-or- ganization of the state militia took place under the Act of 1874 and the troops from that time on have been known as the National Guard of Pennsylvania.

National Guard .- The Guard was divided into ten divisions and these divisions were sub- divided into brigades. The most important change, however, was the formation of perma- nent regimental organizations and the assigning of the formerly independent companies to these regiments and distinguishing them by letter des- ignation in regular army manner. At this time the National Guard consisted of 879 officers and 9,273 enlisted men, divided into 194 com- panies, of which 10 were cavalry, 6 artillery and 178 infantry. These made up 19 regiments, I battalion and 6 unattached companies. The Al- len Zouaves were assigned to the newly created Fourth Regiment, under the designation of Com- pany B, by which name it has been since properly known in military parlance.

The Fourth Regiment was composed of nine companies as follows: Co. A, Reading, Capt. A. T. Wenrich; Co. B, Allentown, Capt. S. D. Lehr; Co. C, Reading, Capt. Franklin Coller ; Co. D, Allentown, Capt. A. C. Nagle; Co. E, Hamburg, Capt. E. D. Smith; Co. F, Easton, Capt. Frank A. Stitzer; Co. G, Emaus, Capt. A. J. Adrain; Co. H, Slatington, Capt. D. G. Rhoads, and Co. I, Catasauqua, Capt. H. S.

Harte. The regiment was commanded by Col. T. H. Good, and together with the Sixteenth Regiment, commanded by Col. Edward Schall, of Norristown, composed the Third Brigade, which brigade in turn composed the Second Di- vision of the National Guard. The brigade was

commanded by Brig .- Gen. Frank Reeder, of Easton, and the division by Gen. William J. Boulton, of Norristown.

Larger quarters becoming necessary, the third floor of the building at the southwest corner of Seventh and Linden streets was rented for an armory, and weekly drills on Monday nights were resumed. In 1875 the company caught the contagion incident to the universal interest in the approaching centennial celebration of Am- erican independence, and with its usual spirit determined to do something noteworthy in mark- ing this great era of national history. Its mem- bership was strong, its interest deep and abiding, its affairs prosperous and its Zouave uniforms worn and out of date.

At this time there was no such thing as a regulation uniform and the style of dress was left to the ingenuity and imagination of each in- dividual organization. + New uniforms were needed by Co. B. What so appropriate as the time-honored and picturesque habiliments of the heroes of Concord, Lexington, Bunker Hill and days of the Revolution? No sooner was the sug- gestion made than it was unanimously adopted and the brilliant Zouaves at once proceeded to array themselves in the staid and sober uniform made familiar in history by pictures of Valley Forge and the days of Washington. The tra- ditions of the Continental Army were followed as rigidly as possible. The coat was a blue swallow-tail, slashed and trimmed with buff, with large brass buttons, oval in shape and smooth in finish. Buff knee breeches, with but- tons at the knee, heavy white stockings, specially made for the purpose, and low black shoes with great brass buckles on the instep. A tri- cornered chapeau with large brass shield, bear- ing a spread eagle, and the figures '76. At the same time the name of the company was changed to Allen Continentals. Up to this time the com- pany had not taken part in any public demon- stration or great event, and the only opportuni- ties it had had for appearance in public was in assisting in doing the honors at the funeral of some deceased soldier, local parades or Fourth of July celebrations.

The eagerly awaited opportunity to show their mettle and incidentally to dazzle the fair sex with their brand new uniforms was how- ever near at hand. In June, 1875, the Centen- nial Committee of Lehigh county organized a fair for the purpose of raising funds in aid of the approaching exposition at Philadelphia.

This fair was held upon the old fair grounds at Sixth and Liberty streets and continued for a week. The Allen Continentals were in at- tendance during the entire celebration, gave ex-

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

hibition drills and generally formed one of the chief attractions. The great event of the fair was a sham battle, in which the Allen Rifles also participated. So interesting did the boys become that the excitement carried them beyond the con- trol of their officers, and never did the Conti- nentals of old charge Hessians more recklessly and fearlessly than the Continentals of Co. B, charged upon their suppositious enemy, and the conflict became for a short time rather serious. Fortunately a cessation of hostilities was finally secured and beyond torn uniforms, some powder burns and bayonet jabs, the damage was not serious, but it showed that the old spirit had not died out in the young generation, and that the uniforms of the country's first heroes was not unworthily worn.

The first out-of-town trip of the company oc- curred on Sept. 5, 1874, when it went to Eas- ton for regimental inspection. On Sept. 13, 1875, another trip was made to Reading for a similar purpose, the inspection taking place on the fair grounds. May 15, 1876, the regiment was inspected at Allentown, the other companies of the regiment coming here for that purpose. In the summer of 1876, the great Centennial year, the company, with the rest of the National Guard, encamped at Fairmount Park, in Phila- delphia. This was the first encampment for the Continentals, and as it was the only company wearing this distinctive and appropriate uniform and at the same time having attained a high de- gree of proficiency in the manual and in evolu- tion, it attracted an unusual amount of attention. Aside from this, the experience of an encamp- ment together with other organizations, and all the duties, discipline, and incidents of camp life were a novelty and afforded opportunities and temptations not contemplated by tactics, not easy to be resisted, and not always tending to the peace and comfort of the commanding officers. Many were the incidents and accidents attending this first tour of duty, some even to this day re- called with pleasant and piquant memory. How- ever, it was not all fun and play and much was learned by officers and men, that was of lasting benefit, for both, even in these days of practical and thoroughly business-like encampments. The next tour of duty was the gravest and the most important one the Allen Continentals had hith- erto been called upon to face.

The great railroad strike of 1877 had broken out, the wheels of traffic had been stopped all over the state and the property of the railroad companies was at the mercy of the mob and threatened with destruction. Allentown was quiet, but the call for aid came from our neigh- boring city of Reading. On Sunday, July 23,

about noon, the captains of the Allentown com- panies received orders to assemble their com- mands at their respective armories, and to hold themselves in readiness to move at a moment's notice. Capt. Lehr at once sent messengers fly- ing to all parts of the city summoning his men to report instantly. The smallest man of his company, Musician Fred. Bechtel, distinguished himself by being the first on the ground, report- ing in less than half an hour with his fife ready for his country's service. Remarkable as it may seem, it is nevertheless a fact, that within one hour's time after the receipt of the order by the captain, every officer and man of the company had reported, excepting two, who were sick in bed.

The night and all of Monday to 4 p. m. were spent at the armory waiting for orders. By this time all the companies of the regiment except- ing Co. A, of Reading, had assembled at Allen- town. Orders to move were then received, but even the company commanders were not inform- ed of the destination. The regiment, with Co. B on the right moved to the East Penn Junction and embarked on a train of cars and moved to- ward Reading.

A short distance east of the station the troops disembarked and were marched to the station, where orders were given to load and fix bay- onets. The entire strength of the regiment then on duty was about 220 officers and men. Co. B had not only the honor of being the right com- pany, but was also the largest company on duty, reporting three officers and forty-one men. Each man had seven rounds of fixed ammunition. The regiment was then marched along the main double tracks of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, on Seventh street, toward the city, Co. B still being the leading company, and Gen. Frank Reeder and Col. T. H. Good in advance of the regiment. A short distance in from the depot the level of the tracks on Seventh street dips considerably below the level of the street and pavements, the elevation of the latter grad- ually rising to about fifteen feet. Solid stone walls rise from the track level to the streets and the sidewalks are protected by stone parapets. This depressed portion of the street is known as "the cut" and is over two squares in length, and the intersecting streets are continued over this cut by overhead bridges.

As soon as Co. B arrived at the cut, the riot- ers opened hostilities by throwing stones and bricks, torn from the pavements and streets, down upon the men, from behind these stone parapets which formed a natural and excellent rampart and completely concealed and protect- ed those making the attack. At this point the

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music and commanding officers, who had been leading the column, promptly fell to the rear. At the word of command Co. B at once broke into column of platoons, covering the entire width of the tracks, and advanced steadily. Or- ders had been given not to fire until commanded and these orders were repeated. Immediately after this movement had been executed, a shot was fired at the company from a second story window on the east side of the street. This shot was answered by a shot from one of the men in the second platoon of the company. This was the signal for the beginning of a general running fire along the line, and from the rioters on both sides of the street and from the overhead bridges, while a perfect hail of stones, bricks and chunks of coal were poured from the streets above into the ranks of the soldiers, knocking them down like ten-pins. All this time Co. B was advanc- ing by platoons followed by the Easton Greys and the other companies in order. After pass- ing under the first bridge the company encount- ered a locomotive and tender on one track and a freight car on the other. This obstruction hin- dered the forward movement by platoons, and the men broke and found their way between these and the walls, in the best way they could. Having passed these obstructions, the company was formed into double rank, company front and moved forward a short distance arriving at about 100 feet north of Penn street. Directly in front of the company on Seventh street and blocking all of Penn street, was a wild, howling mob of thousands of men and some women. Up to this time all of the firing by the soldiers had been directed toward the parapets and bridges over- head. When Co. B arrived at the point just mentioned, a volley of upwards of twenty shots was fired point blank into the mob ahead. This volley scattered the crowd like chaff and the company came to a halt. All of this firing was not only without orders but against orders, which were not to fire until the command was given ; but the attack upon the soldiers was so vigorous and provoking, that firing once begun could not be stopped while the ammunition lasted or the attack continued. Of the 41 men of Co. B, 21 were wounded, more or less seriously, during this march through the cut, and one of them, Cor- poral Charles Weber, was crippled for life.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 67

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1158

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158