History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 15
USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 15
USA > Pennsylvania > Wyoming County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 15

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).

Such of the volunteers as survived the usual casualties and perils of war and returned were received and wel- comed with those honors to which the brave defenders of the country are always entitled from their fellow citizens.

Of the company here named and others Mr. Gordon wrote as follows:

THE WILKES-BARRE DRILL SQUAD.

"This squad was organized in the spring of 1813, under the command of Lieutenant Sweeney, of the 16th regiment United States infantry, then on recruiting service at Wilkes-Barre. It was never legally organized, and I should not notice it, only that in after years its membership fur- nished, to a large extent, the officers for independent companies subse- quently organized under the militia laws of Pennsylvania. Lieutenant Sweeney was an accomplished drill-master, and under his instruction they made rapid progress in the military art. They were never uni- formed nor armed. The only badge they wore was a Roman hat, orna- mented with the black cockade and the American eagle. There was not a member of the company who had then reached his twenty- first year."

He mentions among the members John S. Hyde, Samuel D. Bettle, George F. Gordon, John M. Gordon, John S. Butler, one or two of the Danas, Sterne and Strange Palmer, James W. Bowman, William and Benjamin D. Wright. He continues:

" In 1820 the

" JUNIOR VOLUNTEERS,"

"the Wyoming Guards, and the Pittston Rilles came to the front, with an incipient effort to raise a horse company from Wilkes-Barre township, aided by recruits from Hanover.

"The Junior Volunteers was, as its name indicated, composed almost wholly of young men who had not reached their majority. * * * Eli- jah Worthington, an apprentice in the Wyoming Herald office, was the first lieutenant, and Zalman Moor, a journeyman tailor with Anthony Brower, was orderly sergeant, and a capital officer. Jolin F. Dupey was their second captain, who flourished at their head for a year or two, when the company was merged in the Citizen Volunteers, retaining the uni- form of the Juniors, which was simply a summer dress of white dimity, roundabout and pants, Roman hat and black cockade and cagle. The first captain under the new organization was, I think, William S. Ross. * * * Subsequently he was promoted to the command of a brigade or a division, of the Pennsylvania militia. General Ross was really a military man, and made a good officer. * * *

" THE PITTSTON BLUES,"

a rifle company, came into the field abont the same time as the Junior Volunteers (18222). They were commanded by Captain John Myers, with n Mr. Blanchard for first lieutenant. They often paraded in Wilkes- Barre, and about one-half of their members were residents of the town- ship. Then came the Wyoming County Guards, a light infantry company, first commanded by Strong Barnum, who had served one or two cam- paigns at West Point. I remember the names of only a few of the mem- bers-Theron Barnum, first lieutenant; Ed. Taylor, William H. Alex- ander, Merritt Slocum, George M. Hollenback, Henry Colt, James W. Bowman, Lewis N. Ketcham, Rensselaer Wells and Abrain Tolls were among the first members, with some from Plains and about half a dozen from Kingston. *

* * The company disbanded about 1834 or 1835. * * * In addition to the independent companies already noticed there was a company of light horsemen * * * not inferior to nny organi-

zation of tho kind in Pennsylvania. In 1822

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

" AN INDEPENDENT BATTALION"

was organized by massing the volunteer companies then in the field. The battalion was composed of the Wyoming Guards, Pittston Blues and a company from Lehman, under the command of Captain Jacob L. Bogardus. Subsequently it went into a regiment, and H. B. Wright was honored with the command, and held that station for some fourteen years.

" THE WYOMING YAGERS."

"This company was organized in 1813, and its members were all of foreign birth. At their first organization they were riflemen, but subsequently they changed to light infantry. The following is believed to be a correct list of the commissioned officers from 1841 to its final dis- organization in 1861: John Reichard, captain : Jacob Welder, first lieu- tenant ; Joseph Coons, second lieutenant. At the next election, in 1847, John Reichard was re-elected captain. Lieutenant Jacob Waelder had joined the Wyoming Artillerists and gone to Mexico, and Joseph Coons was elected in his place, and Martin Baur was elected second lieutenant. In 1858 Captain Reichard became brigade inspector, and Joseph Coons became captain, Martin Baur first lieutenant, and Philip Nachbar second lieutenant. At the breaking out of the Rebellion the company was in a demoralized condition, but on the call of the President in 1861, under the energetic measures taken by George W. Reichard, it was resurrected and joined Colonel A. H. Emley's regiment of three months men, with George W. Reichard captain, John Treffinch first lieutenant and Gustave Hahn sceond lieutenant. The members served their term with great credit, but on their return home suffered themselves to relapse into military indolence until 1852, when they promptly responded to a call for troops to repel the threatened invasion of Pennsylvania by General Lee. These troops were known as ' emergency men.' Gustave Hahn was captain, Henry Rhode first lieutenant, and Joseph Boyer was second lieutenant."

THE WYOMING ARTILLERISTS,

The organization of the Wyoming Artillerists, of Wilkes- Barre, begun some time prior, was completed and uni- forms, guns and equipments obtained early in the year 1842. Under the energetic efforts of F. L. Bowman, its first captain, the company soon acquired a reputation for excellence in drill and discipline.

Captain Edmund L. Dana succeeded to the command, and in November, 1846, in response to a call by the Presi- dent for troops to serve during the war with Mexico, the services of the Wyoming Artillerists were tendered and accepted. The ranks were filled up by enlistments to the requisite number, and aided by the liberality of the citizens, the company, under Captain Dana, on Monday, the 7th of December, 1846, after listening to addresses in the old church on the public square, and bidding adieu to relatives and friends, embarked on board an old freight boat on the North Branch Canal, and in the midst of a snow storm started for Pittsburg, where, after much toil and suffering, it arrived on Tuesday, the 15th of De- cember. On the following day it was mustered into the service of the United States, and designated as Company I in the Ist regiment of Pennsylvania volunteers. F. L. Bowman, 2nd lieutenant, was elected major of the regi- ment, and Jacob Waelder was chosen to fill the vacancy.

From Pittsburg the company voyaged to Vera Cruz, encamping for a time at New Orleans and at Lobos island, and landing on Mexican soil March 9th, 1847. On the roth and 11th the investment of the city and castle was completed. In the movement of troops on the roth the Wyoming Artillerists encountered an ambuscade in the chapparal and received the first infantry fire from the enemy; a halt was ordered, the fire returned with such precision and effect that the enemy fled, and the company resumed its march and took its position in the

line of investment. It was actively engaged in the skir- mishes which ensued, in repelling attacks upon and maintaining possession of the sand hills overlooking the city, in digging trenches, constructing batteries and trans- porting to them guns and ammunition from the beach. On the afternoon of the 22nd of March fire was opened from the American works. On the 29th the Mexican garrison moved out of the city, and in the presence of two lines of Americans, among whom were the Ist Penn- sylvania regiment and the Wyoming men, laid down their arms, equipments and flags.

On the 9th of April General Patterson's division, with Pillow's brigade, to which the Wyoming Artillerists were attached, started towards the capital. In the battle of Cerro Gordo, April 18th, the Wyoming company was de- ployed on a declivity below and in front of the enemy's main works, and distant from them about two hundred yards, but suffered slight loss. Early on the morning of the 7th of July the Wyoming Artillerists with Company A of their regiment stormed in gallant style the hill commanding the Pass of El Pinal or the Black Pass, and dispersed a force of the enemy posted there to obstruct the passage of our troops.

On the afternoon of July 8th the command entered the City of Puebla, Company I and the other five composing the battalion were detailed under Colonel Childs to oc- cupy the city and to take charge of about 2,000 sick and a large amount of government property. The rest of the ariny moved out on the roth of August and on the follow- ing day the large and turbulent population of the city began to show unmistakable signs of hostility. Small bulletins were published, calling on the citizens to rise and crush out "the 600 sick Yankees," and a few days later a considerable military force under General Rea entered the city. It became necessary to divide the gar- rison into three detachments, of which one, including the Wyoming company, occupied an old brick structure called the Cuartel of San Jose, on the eastern edge of the city, on a small stream which furnished the water supply for the garrison.

In the latter part of September a summons to sur- render was sent by the enemy, in which their forces were stated to be 8,000. The demand was promptly refused. On the 12th of October the troops and wagon train of General Lane were discovered approaching the city and the enemy fled. The heroic defense of its position and trust by the small garrison including the Wyoming boys against overwhelming numbers, the pro- tection of the sick and of the government stores so that not one dollar was lost, was regarded at the time by the army as one of the remarkable achievements in the cam- paign in Mexico. Captain Dana and Lieutenant Waelder, who was attached to the staff of Colonel Childs as acting adjutant general, were specially commended in the official reports.

The regiment next marched to the city of Mexico, arriving there on the 8th of December, 1847. All the officers who were engaged in the siege of Puebla were specially thanked and commended by General Scott.

THE WYOMING ARTILLERISTS.

Two weeks later the regiment was quartered at San Angel, an old town a few miles southwest of the city, and except when detached to escort a train to Vera Cruz, and other temporary services, remained there until the sign- ing of the treaty of peace in June, 1848. Returning with the army, the regiment landed at New Orleans, came up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Pittsburg, where the Wyoming Artillerists were mustered out and honorably discharged on the 20th of July, 1848. They returned from Pittsburg as they went there, by canal boat, but the season of the year, the glad greetings, with firing of can- non and display of flags at every town on the route, contrasted agreeably with their former tedious passage through the ice and snows of December, 1846. At Wilkes-Barre nearly the entire population of the valley was assembled, and a splendid reception with an address of welcome awaited them.

The total strength of the company, including recruits, was 109; fifty-one, or less than one-half, returned with the company.

The following is a roll of this company as it served in the Mexican war, with individual casualities, dates of discharge, etc .; where not otherwise noted the men returned with the company :

Officers .- Captain, Edmund L. Dana; first lieutenants-E. B. Collins, discharged at Vera Cruz, April 9, 1847; F. L. Bowman, elected Major in December, 1846. Second lieutenants-A. H. Goff, killed at Perote, April 13, 1848 ; Jacob Waelder. First sergeant ; Arnold C. Lewis, ap- pointed second lieutenant to date from April 15, 1848. Second ser- geant, Joseph W. Potter ; discharged at Perote. Third sergeant, Dom- inick Devanny. Fourth sergeant, Joseph W. Miner ; elected first lien- tenant June 15, 1847. First corporal, Wm. H. Beaumont; appointed first sergeant. Second corporal, D. W. C. Kitchin; wounded at Cerro Gordo and discharged. Third corporal, Charles M. Stout ; appointed lieutenant in the 1Ith infantry. Fourth corporal, John B. Vaughn ; dis- charged at Jalapa. Drummer, Wilson B. Connor; discharged. Fifer, Wallace J. Belding ; discharged.

Prirates .- Grandison Abel. Joseph Atward. John Barnes; lett sick at Cincinnati. Alfred Bentley ; died at Jalapa. Luke Burke. Obed C. Burden. William Bachman. Lloyd M. Colder; died at Perote, July I, 1847. George Collings ; appointed corporal. Jacob L. Cooper. William H. Carkhuff ; died at Perote, July 20, 1817. James F. Dill ; died at Perote. Thomas G. Dripps ; appointed sergeant. M. M. Deberger ; discharged at Vera Cruz in April, 1847. John C. Drinkhouse ; discharged at Vera Cruz, April 16, 1847. James Ellis; discharged at Vera Cruz, in June, 1848. Levi Emery. George W. Fell. Luke Floyd; wounded. Samuel Fox ; dis- charged at Jalapa, May 18, 1847. Frederick Funk. Joseph C. Garey ; discharged at Vera Cruz, April 16, 1847. Patrick Gilroy ; discharged at Vera Craz. Aaron Gangawere. Magnes Gonerman ; died at Perote, July 29, 1847. John Goodermooth ; died at Puebla, Oct. 6, 1847. Henry Hernbroad ; appointed first corporal May 1, 1848. Peter lline ; discharge- ed at Vera Cruz. Nathaniel G. Harvey ; died at Perote. Alexander Huntington. John Hunt ; discharged at Jalapa. John Howard. David HI. Howard. Anthony Haberholt. Charles Jolinson. Patrick King. Lyman C. Kidder ; discharged at Jalapa, May 18, 1847. Frederick Lelunan; discharged at Vera Cruz, Mch. 20, 1848. Joseph Leopard. Samuel A. Lewis. Charles D. Lutes; discharged at Vera Cruz in April, 1817. John W. Myers; died at Perote. John Morehouse. David R. Morrison. Walker B. Miller : discharged at Vera Cruz in April, 1847. Samuel Marks. John B. Price; died at. Jalapa, June 12, 1847. Jolin Preece, killed at the siege of Puebla, Ang. 26, 1847. Jules Phillips. Isaac Rothermell ; died at Vera Cruz, Melt. 13, 1847. James W. Rigg. John Shadell. Levi II. Stevens. James Ster- ens; discharged at Vera Cruz (wounded), in April, 1847. John Swan. Hiram Spencer; discharged at Perote. Jolin Sliker; died at Perote, July 7, 1847. James Sliker. Thompson Price ; discharged. Wilson E. Sitsy; discharged at Perote. Charles Tripp; died at the siege of Puebla, Sept. I2, 1847. George Tanner ; died at Perote, June 29, 1847. John Smith ; died at Perote, Aug. 28, 1847. Norman Vanwinkle, discharged at Perote, Aug. 29, 1847. Holdin P. Vaughn . discharged at Jalapa, May 18, 1847. Gershom P. Vangorden; died at Perote May 23, 1847. Edmund W. Wandell. Walsingham G. Ward ; discharged at Vera Cruz, April 3, 1847. Thomas G. Wilson; died at Jalapa, May 20,1847. William Vanderburg. William Whittaker. Thomas J. Wright. Armon Westloven. Daniel W. Witzell. William T. Wilson. Daniel W. Yarlott. William Diamond; discharged at New Orleans, Jan. 16,1847. Elias

Klinger ; died at sea, Jan. 31, 1847. Patrick O'Donnell ; died at New Or- Icans, Jan. 2, 1847.

Recruits .- Samuel Knorr; lost and supposed killed at National Bridge, Jan., 1847. Augustus Ehels. Landlin Fist. John Ganl. Charles Gordon. Ernest Gordon. William Hillsman. Frederick Musler. John Mckeonn. Anthony Vernet. Michael Wolfston. Henry Wehle. Adam Robinholt ; died on Ohio river, July 13, 1848. George O'Craft ; lost July 3, 1848; supposed drowned.

Captain Dana retained for a time the command; was re-elected.and commissioned April 26th, 1851. He was followed successively by Thomas Parker, E. B. Collings, E. B. Harvey, Samuel Bowman, Nathaniel Pierson and A. H. Emley.

When in 1861 the call for three months men was made, their services were again offered and accepted. Mr. Emley, their captain, on their arrival at Harrisburg was elected colonel of the 8th Pennsylvania regiment, to which they were attached, and was succeeded in the command of the company by Captain. E. W. Finch

After the expiration of their term the 143d Pennsylvania volunteers, under Colonel Edmund L. Dana, was formed, and the old company formerly commanded by him was recruited to the requisite number under Captain George N. Prichard, and on the 4th of August, 1862, was mus- tered in, and assigned, as Company C, to that regiment. For nearly three years, and up to the close of the war, it saw active service with the Army of the Potomac, and on many sanguinary fields sustained its reputation for cour- age and discipline.

In 1870 the company was again recruited and John Espy was elected captain. In 1871 it was transferred from the 30th Pennsylvania national guards to the artillery corps, and Captain Espy having been appointed on the staff of General Osborne, E. W. Finch was elected in his place.

The following is a list of the officers at the time of this writing, March, 1880 :

Thomas C. Parker, captain ; Charles D. Hoover, first lieutenant ; James A. Roal, second lieutenant ; Rees Leyshon, orderly sergeant; Butler Dilley, quartermaster's sergeant; John Slyker, V. S .; John E. Mentz. first ser- geant; John Dickerson, second sergeant; Thomas C. Edwards, third sergeant; Richard Moore, fourth sergeant.

Only approved men are admitted to membership, and the present strength of the rank and file, thus constituted, is sixty-three. It is supplied with four new six pounders of the Phoenix pattern, and the uniforms and equipments are of the kind adopted by the United States artillery. During the past two years, while instruction in infantry movements has been continued as usual, special attention has been devoted to gun and sabre drill; and under the able instructions of Captain Parker and his subordinates, a high degree of proficiency attained. Through the efforts of the company and the public interest awakened a large and commodious armory has been secured and fitted up, and several very flourishing infantry organizations have been formed in the city.

RECENT MILITARY SERVICE.

The militia of the State of Pennsylvania, which was established in very early times, was reorganized under an

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

act of Assembly passed in 1822. Under this law an en- rollment was made of all citizens between the ages of twenty-one and forty-five liable to military duty, who were required to appear for drill at certain times under a penalty of fifty cents. Of course except to keep up an enrollment for emergencies that might arise this system was of no account, and for that purpose it was found during the late civil war to amount to very little.

In 1864 an act was passed regulating the organization of the militia and dividing the State into twenty military divisions, in which an enrollment as before was required; but in addition to this a system of volunteer companies, regiments, etc., was established. These volunteers were required to appear in uniform for drill and exercise, and were supplied with arms and accoutrements by the State, and constituted what was termed the volunteer militia. Under that organization Luzerne and Wyoming were a part of the ninth division. The expenses of this organi- zation were borne largely by the volunteers themselves, and this was found to be so burdensome to them that by subsequent acts of Assembly provision was made for the payment to the companies by the State of sufficient sums to meet a portion of these expenses. By an act passed in 1870 the name of " National Guard of Pennsylvania " was given to this volunteer militia, and by an act of As- sembly in 1874 ten divisions of the national guard were constituted and Luzerne and Wyoming counties were in- cluded in the third division. Each of the divisions was under the command of a major general, and the divisions were divided into brigades according to the discretion of their commanding generals.

In 1878, by an act of Assembly, these divisions were abolished and the State was constituted a single division, with five brigades.

Under this law Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming counties became a part of the territory of the third brig- ade. The national guard in Luzerne county consisted of the Wyoming Artillerists-a four gun battery, Captain T. C. Parker-and the ninth regiment of infantry. The officers in this regiment are: Colonel, G. Murray Reynolds; lieutenant colonel, Morris J. Keck; major, D. S. Bennet; surgeon, Olin F. Harvey; assistant surgeon, J. Holley; adjutant, Arthur D. Moore; commissary, Oscar F. Harvey; captains-James Ginley, J. Andrew Willet, H. W. Wenner, Samuel Simpson, Charles A. Jones, John Dunn, Henry Crandall, A. H. Rush and B. F. Stark. .

In 1871, during the long struggle among the miners, a riot occurred at Scranton, to quell which the Wyoming Artillerists, the McClellan Rifles-an infantry company at Pittston-the fifth regiment of infantry of Luzerne county, the Hazleton battalion-consisting of four companies of infantry-and the Wyoming County Veterans-a company of infantry from Tunkhannock-which constituted the ninth division, under the command of Major General Edwin S. Osborne, were called into service. They were called out on the 7th of April and continued in service till the 25th of May, during which time they were con- stantly on duty, preserving the peace and guarding the property at the collieries. Up to the 17th of May the

rioters avoided any collision with the troops, but on that day it became necessary for the latter in the discharge of their duty to fire on the rioters, and two were killed. This had the effect to suppress the riot.

In 1874 the Wyoming Artillerists, the 15th (which had then come to be the 9th) regiment, the Mcclellan Rifles, the Telford Zouaves, of Susquehanna county, and the Ist regiment of infantry of Philadelphia, all under the command General Osborne, were called to Susque- hanna Depot to suppress a riot among the employes of the N. Y. & E. Railway. They arrived on the 29th of March, restored order and left on the Ist of April.

On the 7th of April, 1875, the same troops were ordered to Hazleton for the suppression of a riot among the miners there. They remained on duty there till the 11th of May, during which time they were engaged in guard and patrol duty and aiding the authorities to preserve peace.

In the great strike of 1877 all the troops of the county were brought into requisition, under General Osborne. They were called into service on the 21st of July and were relieved on the 4th of August. They were by order of the governor concentrated at Wikes-Barre, and there held in readiness to assist the civil authorities in preserving order. No collision occurred between the troops and the strikers.

The troops called out for the suppression of these riots were commanded by the following officers: Ist regi- ment, Colonel R. Dale; 15th, Colonel O. K. Moore; gth, Colonel T. D. Lewis; Hazleton battalion, Major D. C. Swank; Wyoming Artillerists, Captain E. W. Finch at Scranton, Susquehanna Depot and Hazleton, and by Captain Thomas C. Parker at Wilkes-Barre; Mcclellan Rifles, Captain James Ginley; Telford Zouaves, Captain James Smith; Wyoming County Veterans, Captain R. W. Bannatyne.

The services rendered by the troops in the suppression of these riots and the preservation of order in the midst of such surroundings not only reflect credit on the officers and men composing the military organizations that per- formed this service, but demonstrate the utility and effi- ciency of citizen soldiers when properly or; anized and disciplined. The value of the property saved from de- struction in these cases was probably many times greater than the expense of maintaining these organizations.

CHAPTER IX.

EARLY WAGON ROADS AND MAIL ROUTES.

HE first roads in the country were Indian trails, that perhaps had been used during centuries. These were simply paths in the woods, of a width sufficient to allow the pas- sage of one person at a time, for in that order the Indians always traveled. By constant and long continued use they had become well worn,

FIRST WAGON ROADS.

and they sometimes had a depth of twelve inches or more where the soil was soft. Over these trails the first settlers in 1762 and 1763 came, and when they brought with them teams of oxen and carts it was necessary to widen these paths by cutting away the timber in places.

Thus originated the first wagon road from the Dela- ware to the Lackawanna and Susquehanna rivers, and to the Wyoming valley, where the first settlement was made. Mr. Allen Secord of Dunmore -- the oldest resident of the Lackawanna valley-says that this road left the Lacka- waxen near the forks at Dyberry, came through the great swamp, crossed Cobb's Mountain, followed Roaring brook to where are now the Pennsylvania Coal Com- pany's works at the foot of Plane No. 6; thence went directly to the Lackawanna river, which it crossed and followed on the west side to the Susquehanna. Near No. 6 stands one of the original marked trees of this road, which Mr. Secord has known more than sixty years. Hollister says of this road: "The old Connecticut or Cobb's road, shaded by giant pines, extending from the summit of the mountain to Capoose, had no diverging pathway to Slocum Hollow, No. 6, or Blakely, because neither of these places had yet acquired a settler or a name."

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, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York Publication date: 1880 Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co. Number of Pages: 900

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900