History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 22

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections > Part 22

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).

178

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

and effect, and Americans were then, as they are now, sending to Russia ships filled with corn. As usual the most of this charity fell into the hands of the undeserving -the same as is now going on in Russia-but to the little portion that found its way to those for whom it was given, it was the boon of life. The fact is in Russia to-day, as in Ireland in 1848, there was food and plenty in store, but the people had not the wherewith to purchase. They had been simply taxed out of their earnings until they had nothing to eat and nothing to buy with. Bad governments in this age alone can produce the starving millions of its people. It is only the fault of the people ever that they suffer, in so far as they tolerate and uphold their vile and rot- ten governments. Governments can only ruin their people by the power of the tax machine, and this is nearly always done in the name of protecting their empires and peoples from the invasions of their neighboring nations. War, actual or antici- pated, is the one pretext for taxing to death the people. It has been so in all time. Here is the secret of the decay and death of nations. Taxing to kill the hated for- eigner when they inevitably kill their own subjects in the end.

The cause that brought the fearful baptism of blood and fire to our nation cer- tainly can not now be even intelligently discussed. Even the facts of record, the simple annals, are mostly yet matters of grave dispute. One of President Lincoln's wittiest jokes was that by which he proved that Jeff Davis had 3,000,000 of men under arms. He said he knew there were in the Union army 1,000,000 soldiers in the field; that the official reports of his commanders invariably observed that the enemy had three to one in every engagement; therefore, if he had 1,000,000 Davis must have 3,000,000.

As gleaned from official records of both sides-records that are not absolutely, but substantially correct-the following summary may be kept in mind by the stu- dents of American history when they study the chapter of our Civil war:

The seceding States in 1861 had, in round numbers, a population of 8,000,- 000, about 4,000,000 of which were slaves. The non-seceding States had a popula- tion of 24,000,000. This gave the Union side about three to one of the whole pop- ulation. The confederate States had a seaboard from the Potomac to the mouth of the Rio Grande in Texas, and, having no navy, they were exposed as much to attacks by sea as by land.

During the war 600 confederate vessels stood sentinel along the confederate coast. The South had neither navy yards nor shops for the manufacture of cannon and small arms, and in the first battles her soldiers were often armed with shot-guns.

There were enlisted in the federal army during the war 2,778,304 soldiers, which was about twelve per cent. of her population; while, according to federal statis- tics, the enrollment in the confederate army was 690,000, which was about seventeen per cent. of the population. The confederates, on the estimates made by Gen. Wright, agent for the collection of confederate statistics, deny that they ever had 690,000 enrolled, as the Army of the Confederacy, "absent and present," was as follows for each year: January, 1862, 318,011; January, 1863, 465,584; January, 1864, 472,781; January, 1865, 439,675. (Vol. IV, "Battles and Leaders," p. 768.)

Taking the federal enlistment at 2,778,304, and the number of federals on the pay roll May 1, 1865, at 1,000,516, there would be about thirty-seven per cent. of the enlist- ment present. This would give on the same basis about 222,000 confederates under arms. This would preserve the ratio of 600,000 to 2,778,304 enlistments, and the general ratio of population, 8,000,000 to 24,000,000. The difference between the confederate reports of January 1, 1865-439,675-and the number paroled after the surrender-174,000-is accounted for by the heavy losses of the confederates by death and desertion between January 1, 1865, and the date of parole.

The first gun was fired April 12, 1861; the last April 9, 1865, three days less than four years from the rising of the curtain on the greatest tragedy in the tide of time and ringing it down; putting out the lights, and dismissing to their homes the

179

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

2,000,000 of sun-burued and the battle-scarred actors. The "boys" from the North had fattened many a new-made Southern graveyard. Never were such wide- spread angry passions so deeply stirred before; never was such a mad, pell-mell rush into the very jaws of death. The fires of discord blazed athwart the heavens and aching hearts gathered around the hearthstones of millions of homes; then came the sad, but too late, reflections of the joys of peace.

The life of a generation has come and gone since the hour that Fort Sumter was fired on, and the results to the two contending sections as now developed are curious figures to study. The North is now represented in the pension rolls by considerably more than 800,000 applicants for government bounty; the South had nothing to give as pensions to a soul. The destruction of slavery has been the greatest boon that it was possible for the South to receive. The rapid development of communities, States, factories, railroads and splendid cities in those States is the most amazing fact in our history. From smoking ruins and utter desolation has risen the most marvelous progress ever witnessed. The sons and daughters, reared in wealth, and lolling out a butterfly existence upon the proceeds of slave labor, found themselves confronted with the solemn problem of struggling with bare hands for existence. And, not wasting a moment in idle despair, they went to work, and with a most wonderful self-reliance have carved their paths to extraordinary prosperity, and the end is not yet. The next hundred years can give no token yet of the strides of those once rebellious States, who in a mad hour staked all upon a cast of the die and lost all. The land that was fertilized with blood and ashes is now the blooming garden; and the people, whose good finally came from such ill winds, are happy in the enforced knowledge that the abolition of slavery and the preservation of the Union, the two very things that sent them headlong in their folly, are the supreme blessings they now enjoy. And further, those living, if any, who were instrumental in precipitating a war for a separation of the Union, fully realize now they could have had no calamity befall them at all equal to that of success in their dreadful enterprise.

In many respects our Civil war has had no parallel in all history:

Its vastness.

Its duration.

Its number of indecisive battles.

The loss of life.

Its money cost.

The ebb and flow of victory and defeat.

These are the surface facts. The broken hearts, ruined homes, the wide-spread demoralization among the people, are mostly the unknown quantities now.

When the proclamation of the president was issued calling for 75,000 troops to defend the national capital and suppress the Rebellion, the patriotism of the people in Luzerne county found vent otherwise than in words. Several military companies at once offered their services to the government. The Wyoming Light Dragoons, the Wyoming Yagers (a German company), the Jackson Rifles (a company of Irishmen) and the White Haven Yagers were among the earliest to depart in response to the call. The recruiting of other companies for future exigencies was immediately commenced, and it was at once evident that, whatever had been the previous differences of opinion among the people in this country, when the time for action came patriotism triumphed over every other feeling; and here as elsewhere in the loyal North people of all parties vied with each other in their efforts to pro- mote measures for the defence of the country in its hour of peril.

The first war meeting was held at the courthouse in Wilkes-Barre, on Friday, April 26, 1861. At this meeting Hon. H. B. Wright presided, and patriotic speeches made by several of the most prominent citizens. There were no politics here then for men to wrangle over. One universal purpose prevailed. "Go to war!"

180

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

was the watch cry and men stepped up to the enrolling officer in squads, platoons, companies, regiments and brigades.

Eighth Regiment was organized for the three months' service. Companies C, D, F, G were from this county. A company of cavalry at Wilkes-Barre, Capts. Hoyt and Brisbane had been commanders, was filled by new recruits and became Company C. Company F had been an artillery company of the same place, under Capt. Emley, who became colonel of the regiment. Company G had been an organization known as the Wyoming Yagers; this joined with a Pittston company.

The companies proceeded at once to Camp Curtin, where the regiment was organized on April 22, 1861, seven days after the president's proclamation calling for 75,000 men was issued. On the day of its organization the regiment was ordered to the vicinity of Chambersburg, where it was attached to the Third brigade, First division. June 7 it went to Greenville, and soon afterward to the vicinity of Will- iamsport, where it was posted to guard the forts of the Potomac. While here Lieut .- Col. Bowman crossed the river alone to reconnoitre, and was made prisoner by rebel scouts. Soon after the Union forces advanced into Virginia. 'Two companies of this regiment were detailed as an escort for Capt. Doubleday's battery on its march to Martinsburg. On July 6 the regiment joined the brigade at Martinsburg; on the 17th it participated in a flank movement toward Charleston, and was sta- tioned at Keyes Ford during the night of the 20th. It returned about this time, via Harper's Ferry and Hagerstown, to Harrisburg, where it was disbanded.

The field and staff officers of the regiment were: A. H. Emley, Wilkes-Barre, colonel; Samuel Bowman, Wilkes-Barre, lieutenant colonel; Joseph Phillips, Pitte- ton, major; Joseph Wright, Wilkes-Barre, adjutant; B. Dilley, quartermaster; Ben- jamin H. Throop, surgeon; H. Carey Parry, assistant surgeon; T. P. Hunt, chaplain.

Company C .- Officers: William Brisbane, captain; Joseph Wright, first lieu- tenant; John B. Conyngham, second lieutenant; Lyman R. Nicholson, first ser- geant; William J. Fell, second sergeant; Beriah S. Bowers, third sergeant; Will- iam C. Rohn, fourth sergeant; Treat B. Camp, first corporal; Samuel B. Hibler, second corporal; Albert M. Bailey, third corporal; Edwin S. Osborne, fourth corpo- ral; Thomas J. Schleppy and Joseph W. Collings, musicians.

Company D .- Officers: Jacob Bertels, captain; Richard Fitzgerald, first lieu- tenant; Patrick Lenihan, second lieutenant; Michael Reily, first sergeant; John C. Reily, second sergeant; Michael Giligan, third sergeant; Joseph P. Byrne, fourth sergeant; Daniel McBride, first corporal; Daniel Shoolin, second corporal; Thomas Devaney, third corporal; John Ryan, fourth corporal; Bartholomew Lynch and John Batterton, musicians.

Company F .- Officers: Edwin W. Finch, captain; Butler Dilley, Isaiah M. Leach, lieutenants; Alpheus C. Montague, Charles B. Metzgar, Charles B. Stout; Oliver A. Parsons, sergeants; Benjamin F. Louder, John J. McDermott, William K. Rowntree and Paschal L. Hooner, corporals.

Company G .- Officers: George N. Richard, captain; John N. Treffeisen and Gustavus E. Hahn, lieutenants; George W. Smith, Joseph Harold, Christopher Walther, Jacob Goeby, sergeants; Christian Treffeisen, Andreas Haussan, Henry Katzenbacher, John Marr, corporals.

Eleventh Regiment, ninety days, organized April 26, 1861. May 27 it was ordered to guard the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad. June 18 went to Baltimore, thence to Chambersburg and to Hagerstown. July 2 crossed the Potomac at Williamsport, and was in the battle of Falling Water, where three men of Company E (James Morgan, Daniel R. Stiles and Nelson Headen) were wounded. Then went to Martinsburg and Bunker Hill, and on July 17 to Charlestown. As the term of their enlistment was about to expire, Gen. Patterson had the Eleventh paraded and requested the men to remain some days beyond this term. He asked them to signify their willingness to do so by bringing their arms to a shoulder at the word.

181

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

When the order was given every musket was shouldered. By arrangement the regiment was re-mustered for three years after its muster out and allowed to retain its number.

The field and staff officers of the Eleventh regiment were as follows: Colonel, Phaon Jarrett; lieutenant-colonel, Richard Coulter;) major, William D. Earnest; adjutant, F. Asbury Awl; quartermaster, William H. Hay; surgeon, William T. Babb; assistant surgeon, H. B. Buchler.

Company E of this regiment was recruited at Pittston; mustered in April 21, 1861.

Officers: John B. Johnson, captain; John B. Fish, first lieutenant; Thomas De Ketta, second lieutenant; William E. Sees, first sergeant; Samuel Hodgdon, second sergeant; William C. Blair, third sergeant; Francis C. Woodhouse, fourth sergeant; Jacob Fell, first corporal; George Cleaver, second corporal; Cornelius Vanscoy, third corporal; Charles F. Stewart, fourth corporal.

The Fifteenth Regiment was organized at Camp Curtin May 1, 1861. May 9 the regiment went to Camp Johnston, near Lancaster, where the men were well drilled and disciplined. June 3 they moved to near Chambersburg, and were assigned to Gen. Negley's brigade of Gen. Keim's division. June 16 the regiment with its brigade marched to the vicinity of Hagerstown. On July 2 it crossed the Potomac with the army and Negley's brigade, which followed a road that diverged from the main line of march, threw forward Company I with a company from another regi- ment as skirmishers. These suddenly came upon a battalion of Ashby's cavalry, disguised as Union troops, and before they suspected their true character, Lieut. John B. Hutchinson and a portion of Company I were made prisoners, the first ser- geant having been shot. They had even obeyed an order from Ashby to let down the fence between them, mistaking the cavalry for friends. Pursuit without cavalry was unavailing, and these men were hurried to Richmond, and thence through the south to New Orleans, where they were kept till that city fell into the possession of the federal troops, when they were sent to Salisbury and soon afterward exchanged. Six of their number, however, had died from exposure and hardship. On the 3d the regiment reached Martinsburg, where it remained till the 15th; then marched successively to Bunker Hill, Charleston, Hagerstown and Carlisle, where it encamped on the 27th, and was mustered out on August 7.

Colonel, Richard A. Oakford; lieutenant-colonel, Thomas Biddle; major, Stephen N. Bradford; adjutant, John R. Lynch; quartermaster, Jacob Rice; sur- geon, A. P. Meylert; assistant surgeon, R. H. Little.

Companies B and C were from Pittston and D and G from Wilkes-Barre.

Company B .- Officers: Anthony Brown, captain: Andreas Frey, first lieuten- ant; George Dick, second lieutenant; Henry Teufel, first sergeant; Charles Aicher, second sergeant; Joseph Kaiser, third sergeant; Leo Steur, fourth sergeant; Albert Feist, first corporal; Joseph Steur, second corporal; John Kolb, third corporal; Herman Kaspar, fourth corporal.

Company C. - Officers: Christian Robinson, captain; Frederick Weichel and Charles Robinson, first lieutenants; William Steim and John R. Jones, second lieutenants.

Company D .- Officers: Solomon Strumer, captain; Daniel Dobra, Jacob C. Hohn, lieutenants; Marcus Bishop, John Gebhart, George Schaffer, Nicholas Smith, sergeants.

Company G .- Officers: Thomas Mazorerrs, captain; Thomas A. Nichols, Alexander Phillips, lieutenants; John Eskings, Richard W. Jackson, George Z. Killhorn, Davis Garbet, sergeants.

Twenty eighth Regiment was raised by John W. Geary, of Mexican war fame. He became colonel and finally promoted to major general; elected governor of the State in 1867 and 1870. There were fifteen companies in this regiment, of which

182

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Companies A and N were from Luzerne county. July 27, 1861, the Colonel with ten companies moved rapidly to Harper's Ferry, leaving the other five companies to follow when filled.

August 13 the regiment moved to Point of Rocks, and engaged in picket duty along twenty-five miles of the frontier, on the Potomac. The disloyalty of the inhabitants was such that a picket post was required every 400 yards, and the utmost watchfulness was necessary to prevent treasonable communications. In the latter part of September the rebels attacked Point of Rocks, but were repulsed. In October the Colonel with a part of the regiment crossed into Virginia to seize and carry away a quantity of wheat, and when about to return they were attacked by a large force and a spirited fight ensued. The enemy were repulsed with consider- able loss. In the latter part of the same month the command went forward to participate in the action at Ball's Bluff. During three months the regiment was on duty along the Potomac, and had frequent skirmishes with the enemy. In the lat- ter part of February, 1862, it crossed to Harper's Ferry, drove the enemy from Bolivar Heights, crossed the Shenandoah and drove the rebels from Loudon Heights; thed pushed forward to Lovellsville, Waterford and Leesburg, which Gen. A. P. Hill abandoned on the approach of Col. Geary's force, and which was ocen- pied by the Union troops. From Leesburg the command advanced to Snickerville, Upperville, Ashby's Gap, Rectortown, Piedmont, Markham and Front Royal. Re- turning to Snickerville the force was joined by a portion of the Twenty-eighth that had been left at Leesburg. They then marched successively, fighting occasionally, to Philemont, Middlebury, White Plains, Thoroughfare Gap, Greenwich, Catlett's Station, Warrentown, and White Plains; and for some time, till about May Ist, guarded and repaired the Manassas railroad.

April 25 Col. Geary was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, and was succeeded as colonel by Lieut .- Col. De Korponay. Maj. Tyndall was made lieutenant-colonel, and he was succeeded by Capt. Ario Pardee, Jr. The Twenty- eighth was soon afterward, or about May 17, attached to the command of Gen. Geary, and its subsequent history is so closely connected with that of his brigade that to give it fully would require a history of all the movements of that brigade. It was attached to the corps of Gen. Banks at the time of the retreat from Virginia, and was engaged in the battle of Antietam. It also took part in the battles of Chancel- lorsville and Gettysburg.

In September, 1864, the Eleventh and Twelfth corps were ordered to join the Army of the Cumberland. From this time forward the Twenty-eighth was attached to the army of Gen. Sherman, and participated in many battles, which can not even be enumerated here for want of space. In November, 1864, with the rest of Sher- man's army, it made the famous "march to the sea." After doing duty about & month in Savannah, it started across the Carolinas, which was the severest part of the march from Atlanta. The surrender of Lee and Johnston concluded the fight- ing of the war and the regiment was mustered out of the service on July 18, 1865.

During its service of four years it lost about as many men as were originally on its muster roll. It is said that it was as often engaged as any regiment in the service but that it never permitted any kind of property belonging to it to fall into the hands of the enemy. One major-general and three brigadiers were furnished by it; among the latter was Ario Pardee, Jr.

The term of enlistment of this regiment was three years. All the members of Company N remaining in the service until October 28, 1862, were transferred at that date to Company C of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Pennsylvania Vol- unteers. The first date given in the following roll is that of muster-in, and as the year is 1861, except in case of recruits, it need not be repeated. The regimental officers and men of Company A, where not otherwise mentioned, were mustered out with the regiment, July 18, 1865:

183

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Field and Staff Officers. - Colonels: John W. Geary, June 28; promoted briga- dier-general United States Volunteers April 25, 1862; wounded at Bolivar, Cedar Mountain and Chancellorsville; promoted major-general January 12, 1865. Gabriel De Korponay, June 28; promoted from lieutenant-colonel to colonel April 25, 1862; discharged on surgeon's certificate March 26, 1863. Thomas J. Ahl, July 11; pro- moted from captain Company H to colonel March 15, 1863; resigned March 18, 1864. John Flynn, July 1; wounded at Gettysburg July 3, 1863, and at North Edisto river, S. C., February 12, 1865; promoted lieutenant-colonel December 12, 1863; to colonel June 9, 1864; brevet brigadier-general May 13, 1865; discharged Novem- ber 3, 1865; veteran.

Lieutenant-colonels: Hector Tyndale, June 28; promoted lieutenant-colonel April 25, 1862; wounded at Antietam, September 17, 1862; promoted brigadier- general volunteers November 29, 1862; discharged March 18, 1863. James Fitz- patrick, June 28; promoted major March 27, 1864; lieutenant-colonel August 9, 1864; wounded at Antietam September 17, 1862; at Mill Creek Gap, May 8, 1864.

Majors: Ario Pardee, Jr., June 28; promoted major November 1, 1861; lieuten- ant-colonel One Hundred and Forty-seventh regiment October 9, 1862. William Raphail, July 3; promoted major July 1, 1862; resigned January 15, 1863. Rob- ert Warden, July 28; promoted major April 25, 1862; died at Winchester, Va., June 30, 1862. Lans'd F. Chapman, July 6; promoted major January 22, 1863; killed at Chancellorsville May 3, 1863. Jacob D. Arner, July 6; promoted major June 1, 1865.

Adjutants: Samuel Goodman, October 15; promoted to adjutant November 13, 1861; discharged August 3, 1864; brevet captain, major, lieutenant-colonel and colonel, March 13, 1865. Henry Cheesman, July 11; promoted adjutant July 28, 1864; discharged February 8, 1865. William S. Witham, July 2; promoted adju- tant June 1, 1865.

Quartermasters: Benjamin F. Lee, June 28; resigned September 10, 1862, to accept commission as captain and A. C. S. John F. Nicholson, June 28; promoted from commission sergeant to quartermaster September 10, 1862; brevet captain, major and lieutenant-colonel March 13, 1862.

Surgeons: H. Ernest Goodman, July 23; transferred to United States Volunteers as assistant surgeon, to date February 26, 1864; brevet colonel and surgeon-in-chief Army of Georgia. William Altman, December 17, 1862; promoted surgeon May 8, 1864.

Assistant surgeons: Samuel Logan, June 28; resigned October 3, 1862. Will- iam M. Dorland, August 1, 1862; resigned November 27, 1862. John H. Mullin, October 15, 1862; resigned April 17, 1863. William F. Smith, June 3, 1863; pro- moted surgeon December 23, 1864, and transferred to Seventy-third. Abin H. Light, May 23, 1864.

Company A .- Mustered in June 28, 1861. Officers: Ario Pardee, Jr., captain, promoted major Twenty-eighth regiment, November 1, 1861; James Fitzpatrick, promoted captain, January 1, 1862, major, March 27, 1862; James Silliman, promoted from corporal to first sergeant July 1, 1861, second lieutenant January 1, 1862, first lieutenant July 1, 1862, captain August 16, 1864; Goorge Marr, pro- moted first sergeant July 12, 1863, first lieutenant October 1, 1864; Second Lieutenant John Garman resigned and Isaac B. Robinson promoted to the place, January 1, 1862, killed July 20, 1864, at Peach Tree creek, Ga .; William Airey promoted corporal January 1, 1863, sergeant July 12, 1863, first sergeant October 1, 1864, second lieutenant June 1, 1865.

Company N .- Officers: Captain-John Craig, August 30. First lieutenants- Patrick J. Hughes, August 20, resigned December 16, 1861; Calvin Pardee, August 30, promoted from second to first lieutenant December 20, 1861. Second lieutenants-Hugh Hyndman, August 30, promoted from corporal to second lieu-

184

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

tenant December 20, 1861, died February 14, 1862; Nicholas Glace, August 20 promoted from first sergeant to second lieutenant February 17, 1862. Sergeants- David Bryan, August 20, promoted sergeant February 16, 1862; John Kindland, August 20, reduced January 1, 1862; John H. Kentz, August 26; Alexander Youngst, August 20; Samuel Henry, August 30, promoted from corporal to sergeant February 14, 1862. Corporals-John Grubb, John Lindsey, Owen McGovern, John O'Conner, Alfred Reiley and William T. West, August 20; Emmett Sayres, August 30, promoted to corporal January 1, 1862.

The Thirty-sixth and Forty-first Regiments (Seventh and Twelfth Reserves) .- The Seventh Reserve regiment was organized on June 26, 1861, and Elisha B. Harvey, of Wilkes-Barre, was made colonel; Joseph Totten, of Mechanicsburg, lieutenant-colonel, and Chauncey A. Lyman, of Lock Haven, major.

The regiment was ordered to Washington on July 21, and on the 27th was mustered into the service of the United States. On August 2 it went forward to the rendezvous of the Pennsylvania reserves, and was assigned to the brigade of Gen. George G. Meade. From this time till October it was engaged in drilling and picket duty. In the latter month it joined the Army of the Potomac. From this

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.

History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 22

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1532

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532