History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 58

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 58

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).

to 24 lient. Dec. 2, 1802 ; to Ist lient. Ang. 20, 1863; to capt. Dec. 25, 1863 ; inust. ont with company June 9, 1865.

ITiram C. Feger, Ist lieut., must. in Aug. 25, 1862; di-ch. on surg. rertif. Feb. 14, 1863.

David Albright, Ist lient., must. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; pro. to Ist sergt. Dec. | 2, 1862; to Ist lieut. Dec. 25, 1862 ; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

George R. Clark, 20 lient., mist. in Ang. 25, Is62 ; pro. to Ist lient. and q.m. th.t. 1, 1862.

Samuel D. Neiman, Ist sergt., must. in Ang. 25, 1x62 ; pro. to corp. Sept. 16, 1862 ; to sergt. Jan. 1, 1863; to Ist sergt. July 1, 1×63; com. 21 lient, Inne 1, 1865 ; not must .; muist. out with company June 9, 1865 David Q. Geiger, sorgt., must. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; wounded at Gettysburg

Pa., July 2, 1863 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps ; date unknown ; disth. by G. O. June 30, 1865.

James M. Engle, sergt., minst. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; must. ont with company June 2, 1865.

Richard W. Missimier, sergt., must. in Ang. 25, 1862; pro, to sergt. July 1, 1863 ; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

George Hanes, sergt., must. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; pro. from corp. to sergt. Dec. 1, 1864 ; mist. out with company June 9, Ist5.

George L. Rrifsnider, bergt., minst. in Ang. 25, 1862; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 25, 1862.

J. H. Malsberger, sorgt., must. in Ang. 25, 1862; pro. to com. sergt. Sept. 1, 1861.

William 11. Large, rorp., must. in Ang. 25, 1862; must. ont with com- pany June 9, 1865.

Charles Childs, corp., must. in Ang. 25, 1862; must. ont with company June 9, INGS.

Harrison F. Ludwig, corp., must. in Ang. 25, 1862; pro. to corp. Dec. I, 1862 : must. out with company June 9, 1865.

Peter G. Skean, corp., must. in Aug. 25, 1862 ; pro. to corp. Jan. 1, 1863 ; absent, sick, at muster ont.

Daniel M. Engle, corp., must. in Ang. 25, 1862; pro. to corp. Aug. 15, 1863; must. out with company Inne 9, 1865.

Jacob G. Focht, corp., must. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; pro. to corp. Dec. 1, 1864 ; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

William Brooke, corp., must. in Aug. 25, 1862; ilisch. Ang. 13, 1X63, for wounds received at Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863.

Jolin C. Missimurr, corp., must. in Ang. 25, 1862; pro. to q.m .- sergt. Aug. 1, 1863.

James G. Miller, corp., must. in Aug. 25, 1862; disch. on surg, certif. Feb. 8, 1865.

Jacob B. Herbst, corp., must. in Aug. 25, 1862; died Sept. 15, 1863, of wounds received at Gettysburg July 2, 1863 ; buried at Philadelphia. Lewis D. Buckley, musician, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; must. ont withs company June 9, 1865.

John F. Miller, musician, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; pro. to principal musician Ang. 25, 1863.

Privates.

Daniel Auchenbach, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; must. out with company Inne 9, 1865.

Solomon Achuff, mist, in Aug. 25, 1862 ; must. out with company June 0, 1865.

Abner Auman, must. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; absent, sick in hosp., at muster out.

Henry Anchey, must. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Jan. 2 1863.

John B. Boyer, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

Samuel Baker, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; must. out with company June !! , 1865.

Zacharius Bowman, must, in Ang. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

Peter Bowlig, must. in Ang. 25. 1862; mist. ont with company June !, 1865.

Thomas Boyd, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; disch. on surg. certif. Der. 25, ING2.

William P. Bach, must. in Aug. 25, 1862 ; disch. May 3, 1864. of wounds received at tiettyshurg July 2, 1863.

John Barlew, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps Jan. 1, 1864 ; disch, by G. O. July 3, 1865.

Albert W. Burkett, must. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; wounded at Gettysburg July 2, 1863: trans. to Vet. Res. Corps Jun. 28, 1863; disch. by G. O. June 28, 1su5.

Martin Barnhart, mist. in Ang. 25, 1862.

Amos Brooke, must. in Ang. 25, 1862.

Joseph B. Clark, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; unist. out with company June 9. 1×65.

William Carr, must. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Frb. 1%. 1863.

William Cummings, must. in Aug. 25, 1862 ; disch. Ang. 27, 1862.

Joseph Derolf, must, in Ang. 25, 1862; must. out with company June !,

Elijah Derolf, must, in Jan. 11, 1865 ; must. out with company JJnur 9,

J. B. Prumheller, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; wounded at Gettysburg July 2, 1×63 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps March 15, 1864.

Thomas Derolf, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; died at Philadelphia July 18, ING4.

Henry Endy, must. in Aug. 25, 1×62 ; must, ont with company JFour 9, 186 ..

William Ellis, must, in Ang. 25, 1862 ; mist, out with company June !, 1865.

Francis A. Fullerton, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; disch. Aug. 30, 1862. Franklin Fry, most. in Ang. 25, 1862.

Henry $ Gehtis, post. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; wounded at Gettysburg July 2, 1863; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, date unknown; disch. by G. 0. JJune 29, 1×65.

Daniel Gullin, umst. in Ang. 25, 1862; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 25, 1802.

Jolin Green, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; pro. to principal musician March 10, 164.

George W. Geiger, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; died near Falmouth, Va., Nov. 20. 1862.

Heury F. Guss, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; died near Falmouth, Va., Dec. 10, 1862.

William Gray, must. in Aug. 25. 1862.

Henry G. Heist, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; umist. ont with company June 9, 1865.

.John H. Hoffman, must. in Aug. 25. 1862; must, out with company Inne 9, 1865.

Henry Hoffman, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; must, ont with company June 5, 1865.

Henry Hughes, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

William F. Hetzel, must. in Sept. 9, 1864 ; must, ont with company June 0, 1865.

Frederick Ileffelfinger, mnst. in Aug 25, 1862; dischi. on surg. certif. March 2, 1863.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Jacob Ilank, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. II, 1862.

John Hendricks, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps Ort. 30, 1863.

Ephraim Herbst, must, in Aug. 25, 1862.

Washington Heffelfinger, must. in Ang. 25, 1862.

lliram W. lback, must. in Aug. 25, 1862 ; must. out with company June 0, 1865.

William II. Jones, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; must, out with company June 9, 1865.

Hiram C. Jones, must. in Ang. 29, 1864; must. out with company June 9, 1×65.

Lawrence Kepner, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; must, out with company June 9, 1865.

Charles Kane, must, in Ang. 25, 1862 ; disch. Aug. 30, 1862.

Edward Kocher, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; died at Falmouth, Va., March 20, 1863.

John Lightcap, mmst. in Ang. 25, 1862; must. ont with company June 3, 1865.

William J. Livengood, must. in Ang. 29, 1864 ; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

John MI. Landis, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; disch. on surg. certif. May 2, 1864.

George II. Lessig, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; disch. on surg. certif. Feb. 26, J×63.

David G. Leffet, umst. in Ang. 26, 1862; died Dec. 25, 1862; buried in Military Asylum Cemetery, Washington, D. C.

William G. Lesher, must. in Ang. 25, 186 .

Jonah Mork, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9. 1865.

Abraham Moyer, mist. in Aug. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9 1865.

John Mowatt, manst. in Ang. 25, 1×62; wounded at Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865 ; disch. by G. O. June 27, 1865.

Davil H. Misimer, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

Solomon Miller, mmist. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; died July 6, 1863, of wounds re- ceived at Gettysburg July 2. 1863.

James McGugert, must. in March 13, 1865; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

Jonathan M. Neiman, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9, 1861.

Thomas R. Neiman, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

Henry Nagle, must. in Sept. 7, 1863 ; must, ont with company June 9, 1865.

Washington S. Pugh, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

Jacob Quinten, must. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps Jan. 18, 1864; disch. by G. 0. June, 1865.

Thomas Riley, must, in March 13, 1865; must. out with company June 0, 1865.

Benjamin Reifsnyder, nist. in Aug. 25, 1862 ; killed at Mine Run, Va., Nov. 27, 1×63.

Washington 11. Root, must, in Ang. 25. 1862.

Jacob K. Reifsnyder, must. in Ang. 25, 1862.

Charles Simpkins, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

Adamı Schwenk, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 0, 1865.

Franklin T. Shaner, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; must, out with company June 9, 1865.

Willoughby Seasholtz, must. in Aug. 25, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Feb. 18, 1×63.

Reuben G. Schealer, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; disch. Jan. 4, 1864, for wounds received at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863.

Henry Scipel, must. in Ang. 25, 1862 ; wounded at Chancellorsville, Va., May 5, 1×63 ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps May 10, 1864.

Abraham Fonder, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; killed at Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865.

Edward I'mdercuffer, must. in Ang. 25, 1862.

John G. Wise, inst. in Ang. 25, 1862; must. ont with company June 9, 1×65,

Henry Weasner, must. in Aug. 25, ING2; must. out with company June 0, 1865.

Joseph W. Whitman, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; flisch. on surg. certif. Jan. 19, 1863.

William S. Wade, must. in Ang. 25, 1862.

F. Wildermuth, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; missing at Gettysburg July 2, 1863.

John El. Yerger, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; must. out with company June 9, 1865.

Franklin Yerger, must. in Ang. 25, 1862; disch. by G. O. May 15, 1865. John Zeigler, must. in Aug. 25, 1862; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps Oct. 1, 1863.

Ninety-third Regiment Pennsylvania Volun- teers .- The following officers and enlisted men from this regiment were recruited in and accredited to Montgomery County. The regiment ranks among the veteran organizations of the State, and was among the best volunteer regiments in the service. There being no company organization aceredited to the county, we omit the field and staff roster and the general history of the command. The regiment was organized at Lebanon, November 3, 1861.1

COMPANY E. Sammel Mel'arter, capt. COMPANY G.

Marshall McCarter, capt. ; William A. Ruddach, Ist lient.

Privates.

William oldfield, William Booth, Charles Foreman, George. A. Garrow, Thomas Gash, Joseph Harper, Giver A. Keismn, John Kester, John MrC'aully, John Piper, Charles Parker, Augustus Solomon, William Sutch, John Vanse, Denois Oakes, Charles Thomas. Daniel Meenan, Jarob Weaver.

Ninety-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. -This command was organized as the Pennsylvania Zouaves, then as the Forty-fifth and finally as the Ninety-fifth. It was mustered into the service August, 1861, for three years. The regiment served in the Army of the Potomae from its organization to the close of the war, and its losses in the service are reported as the most severe experienced by any Penu- sylvania troop in the field. The following officers and members of the organization were recruited from Montgomery County. A general history of this regi- ment will be found in Bates' "Pennsylvania Volun- teers," vol. iii. p. 335.

COMPANY E.

William Foreman, lient. ; John S. Jeffries, sergt. ; Theodore Selah corp. ; George Kulp, corp. ; Nathan Auner, corp. ; John Burnett corp

Privates.

Charles Anner, Joseph MI. Linker, Mansfield Griffith, Franklin Beaver, Juhn 11. Bond, Albauns Brunner, Benjamin Banks, James A. Clayton, James C'nlp, William Garner, George W. Jeffries, Wilson &. Keeler, William J. Longsdale, Irwin Poley, Lewis Rapine, Isaiah Rhoads, George M. Sommers, Mills C. Williamson, John R. Williamson, William Fulmer, Augustus G. Famous, William Jamison, Benjamin G. Keyser, William B. Nungesser, Frederick R. Nungesser, John Rookstool, James J. Rouk- stool, Joshua Thompson.

One Hundred and Sixth Regiment .- This regi- ment was organized, with the exception of Company K, between the 14th of August and the 31st of Octo- ber, 1861, in the city of Philadelphia. Company K was transferred to it from the Sixty-seventh Regiment ou the 28th of February, 1862. A large proportion of officers and men had served in the Twenty-seeond

1 See Bates' " Ilist. Pa. Vols.," vol. iii. p. 284.

237

THE GREAT REBELLION.

Regiment, and previously in the Philadelphia Light Guard, a militia organization of many years' stand- ing. The following were the field officers : Turner G. Morehead, colonel ; William L. Curry, lieutenant- colonel ; John H. Stover, of Centre County, major.

Soon after moving to the front it was ordered to duty near Poolesville, MId., where it became part of a brigade1 commanded by Colonel E. D. Baker, of the Seventy-first Regiment. While in this position drill and instruction were carefully attended to, and guard and picket duty performed. The battle of Ball's Bluff was fought on the 21st of October, in which Col- onel Baker was killed and his regiment terribly decimated. Early in the day the One Hundred and Sixth was marched to the support of the troops en- gaged, but, for lack of means of transportation, was unable to cross, the men being compelled to stand upon the opposite shore and listen with impatience to the sound of battle where their comrades were rapidly falling, withont the ability to render them any assist- ance.

During the succeeding winter it lay with the brigade near Poolsville, engaged in drill and guard and picket duty. General William W. Burns succeeded Colonel Baker in command of the brigade, and on the 24th of February the whole force broke camp and moved to Harper's Ferry. Two companies were left in com- mand of Major Stover to garrison the place, while the army moved on towards Winchester. When arrived at Berryville the brigade turned back to Harper's Ferry, where it was joined by the detachment, and moving by rail to Washington, proceeded thence by transport to Fortress Monroe. The regiment partici- pated in the siege of Yorktown, being principally engaged upon picket duty and in the trenches. Upon the evacuation of Yorktown it moved forward, and while the fight at Williamsburg was in progress stood ten hours in line of battle, in a drenching rain, eager to go forward and join in the contest, the sound of which could be distinctly heard, but in vain awaited the order to advance. On Wednesday, May 7th, the troops embarked upon transports and moved up to West Point, whence, after two days' delay, they marched to Brick House Landing. The movement up the Peninsula towards Richmond now commenced. The weather was unusually warm and much difficulty was experienced in obtaining suitable water for the troops to drink. At almost any point water could be obtained by digging from three to five feet ; but this was only surface water, and its evil effects soon began to be apparent. Fevers prevailed, and the sick list throughout the army became very large. The regi- ment suffered severely from this cause.

1 Organization of Philadelphia Brigade, Colonel E. D. Baker (division commanded by Brigadier-General Charles P. Stone), army of General Banks,-Seventy-fifth (California) Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel E. D. Baker ; Seventy-second (Fire Zouaves) Regiment Volun- teers, Colonel De Witt C. Baxter ; Sixty-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Joshna T. Owen ; One Hundred and Sixth Regi- ment l'ennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Turner G. Morehead.

The battle of Fair Oaks opened on the 31st of May. Sumner's corps was resting at the time on the left bank of the Chickahominy, but as soon as the noise of the battle was borne to the cars of that intrepid leader he put his columns in motion for the bridge, and when the order came for him to move he was already on his way. With great difficulty could the artillery be got across, the river being swollen by re- eent rains. Kirby's battery, by the most persistent effort, was taken through the swamps, and finally brought into position where it dealt death and de- struction npon the hitherto triumphant foe. Gor- man's brigade and the Seventy-first and One Hun- dred and Sixth Pennsylvania were posted for its support, and with great gallantry and steadiness held the ground against the most determined efforts of the enemy to capture the guns. "Prisoners captured during the fight assert that Jeff. Davis was in the rear urging his myrmidons forward ; and Magruder, who was with him swore a fearful oath, 'That's my old battery, and I'm going to have it,' alluding to Kirby's, which he, Magruder, formerly commanded." 2

On Sunday, June 9th, while advancing the picket line, the command was attacked by a superior force of the enemy, and for the moment was compelled to retire. In this encounter Captain Martin Frost, while gallantly leading at the head of his company, was killed. On the following day Lieutenant-Col- onel Curry, while visiting the picket post at early dawn, was taken prisoner, the pickets having fallen back during the night without his knowledge. He was taken to Richmond, and thence sent via Peters- burg to Salisbury, where, in company with General Michael Corcoran and Colonel John K. Murphy, he experienced harsh treatment, but at the end of three months was exchanged.

"On Saturday, the 28th of June," says an officer of the regiment, "we received orders to strike tents as soon as darkness should hide our encampment from the view of the enemy. Our wing of the army had not participated in the disastrous battles of the pre- ceding days. An order was read announcing victory on the day before. Our troops were buoyant in spirit, thinking we were breaking camp to move for- ward on the enemy. By eight o'clock the wagons were loaded and sent to the rear. The men, with knapsaeks packed and haversacks well filled, were ordered to stack arms and rest in line. An hour passed-two hours-and yet no orders to march. At length at a little after dawn orders came but to move to the rear." At Peach Orehard dispositions were made to meet the enemy, as though expected to pursue. The One Hundred and Sixth supported Kirby's battery, but the enemy declining to attack directly, made some show of fight, while he moved his principal force past the front with the design of coming in upon the right flank. Divining this por-

2 Moore's " Rebellion Record," vol. v. p. 91, Docs.

238

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

pose, Sumner moved his force at double-quick to ies and in moving to menaced parts of the field to in- sure the integrity of the lines.

Savage Station, and was ready for the onset. The enemy approached on the Williamsburg road and formed his line in the dense forest on either side. Major Stover was ordered to advance with two com- panies of the One Hundred and Sixth and two of the Seventy-second to the edge of the woods, and un- cover the rebel front. Moving at double-quick, Stover soon struck the timber and drew the fire of the skirmishers, driving them back to the main line. In the mean time General Burns, forming his line with the Seventy-second on his right, the One Hun- dred and Sixth in centre and the First Minnesota on the left, stretching from the forest and railroad to the Williamsburg road, pushed forward upon the heels of the skirmishers, taking position at a fence at the edge of the woods, which he stubbornly held, though ex- posed to a severe fire of musketry and artillery, and gallantly repulsed most desperate charges of the enemy. The action opened at five o'clock P.M., and lasted for two hours and a half, the enemy charging with desperation, and the right of the One Hundred and Sixth and the left of the Seventy-second at one time engaging in a desperate hand-to-hand struggle. At length the First Brigade, charging over the line of the Second, cleared the woods of the enemy, and the battle ended. "I found General Burns," says an eye- witness of the fight, "stretched under a lofty pine, and his warriors were slumbering around him painfully. His eyes were hollow and bloodshot, his handsome features pale and thin, his beard and his clothing were clotted with blood his face was bandaged, concealing a ragged and painful wound in his nether jaw. Grasping my hand, he said 'My friend, many of my poor fellows lie in those forests. It is terrible to leave them there. Blakeney is wounded, McGonigle is gone, and many will see us no more. We are hungry and exhausted, and the enemy-the forest is full of people-are thundering at our heels. It is an awful affliction. We will fight them, feeble as we are-but with what hope ?'"1 Picket lines were im- mediately established and the brigade held its posi- tion, the rest of the corps moving on across White Oak Swamps, the brigade bringing up the rear.

In the battle of Charles ('ity Cross-Roads, on the following day, the One Hundred and Sixth was ordered to the support of the Sixty-ninth, but just as it was moving General Hooker in person ordered it to the extreme left, where, during the entire en- gagement, it acted with the Excelsior Brigade, and whatever of credit is due to that brigade on that san- guinary field is equally due to this regiment. The ground was held until the commands of Sumner and Kearny had retired over the Quaker road, and until after daylight, when Hooker followed them. In the battle of Malvern Hill, on the 1st of July, the bri- gade was principally employed in supporting batter-

After the return of the army from the Peninsula General Howard was assigned to the command of the brigade. On its arrival at Alexandria it was marched to the battle-fiekl of Bull Run. but did not arrive in season to participate in the decisive part of the engagement. A reconnaissance was made by this brigade, which was followed by the retreat of the army to Centreville.

In the Maryland campaign General Sumner, who was in command of the corps, arrived on the south bank of the Antietam Creek on the 16th of Septem- ber, on the opposite side of which the enemy was in a well-chosen position in readiness to give battle." Soon after sunrise on the following morning he crossed the stream and moved up to the support of Hooker, who was now hotly engaged. In the ad- vance the regiment held a position on the right ot the Sixty-ninth, and pushed steadily forward until its course was arrested at the crest, where the enemy was intrenched, and where he was at the moment receiv- ing heavy reinforcements, Soon afterwards the troops upon the left gave way, and the brigade was forced to fall back. Major Stover, who was in com- mand, rallied the regiment at a fence skirting a narrow meadow near the Dunker Church, and by a well-directed fire succeeded in checking the enemy. At this fence, in less than ten minutes' time, one-third of the entire regiment was stricken down, and at the conclusion of the engagement the dead lay in line as they had stood in the fight. Captain Timothy Clark and Lieutenant William Bryan were among the killed.

In the battle of Fredericksburg the division crossed the river soon after the laying of the pontoons, on the 11th of December, and two streets of the city were soon cleared. In the main battle, which was fought on the 13th, the regiment was formed for a charge, with the Sixty-ninth on its right and the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania on its left, and advanced under a terrific fire of artillery to a position within about seventy-five yards of the enemy's works. From midday until nightfall, under a ceaseless fire from two lines of battle, it stood with a coolness and determination rarely paralleled, and though losing heavily, held the ground until dark- ness closed in upon the combatants and the sound of battle died away.

Retiring after the battle to its former camp, it re- mained, with unimportant exceptions, until near the close of April. At the opening of the Chancellors- ville campaign the brigade was taken to Banks' Ford, where it was employed in driving out the enemy and protecting the engineers while laying a pontoon bridge. It was afterwards engaged in guarding the reserve artillery. On Sunday, the 3rd of May, the regiment crossed the river and advanced to the assist- ance of Sedgwick, in command of the Sixth Corps,

1 Moore's "Rebellion Record," vol. v. p. 245, Does.

239

THE GREAT REBELLION.

who was struggling against overwhelming odds at Salem Church. Returning to the bridge, entrench- ments were thrown up, and the position held until Sedgwick's corps had crossed, when it returned again to camp.

the fighting at that point had subsided, and soon after it was ordered to Cemetery Hill to the support of the Eleventh Corps, where it went into position at ten P.M., on the right of the Baltimore pike, near Ricketts' battery, where it remained under the ter- rific cannonade of the following day, and until the close of the battle. It was among the first regiments

In the battle of Gettysburg, which opened on the Ist of July, the One Hundred and Sixth bore a con- spicuous part, arriving with the corps upon the field ' to enter the town on the following day, and after ad- at a little after midnight of the 1st, and taking posi- vaneing as skirmishers and reconnoitering. General Ames in command, finding the enemy still in force on the ridge beyond the town, returned again to its posi- tion on Cemetery Hill. Lieutenant William H. Smith was among the killed and Adjutant Pleis among the mortally wounded. tion on the extreme left of the brigade, behind the low stone wall on the right centre of the line, in front of and to the left of General Meade's head- quarters, The fighting commenced on the afternoon of the 2d, on the extreme left, where Sickles stood, but soon swept around until it enveloped the whole In the campaign which followed in the valley of Virginia the regiment shared with the brigade in the long marches and ceaseless vigilance required by the constant and sharp manoeuvring of the enemy for an advantage, and in the action at Robertson's Tavern was actively engaged. After enduring great suffering from cold in attaining the position at Mine Run and left wing of the army. Fighting in the open field without defensive works, Sickles' men, though con- testing the ground with a valor unsurpassed, were forced back, and line after line was crushed. While the conflict was thus raging on the left the brigade was lying upon the ground in rear of the crest of the little hill which overlooked the field; but as the wave : in fortifying the purposed line of battle, it withdrew of battle rolled on towards the right, recognizing the with the army when offensive operations were aban- doned, and went into winter-quarters near Stoneboro', During the winter a portion of the regiment re-en- listed. On the 4th of April, 1864, Colonel Morehead resigned, and Major Stover was promoted to colonel of the One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania, whereupon Captain John J. Sperry, of Company A, was commissioned major. danger to which the left wing was exposed, and see- ing that there was a gap in the line to the left, General Webb, in command of the brigade, ordered it to march by the left flank, then by the right, and as it reached the crest beheld the enemy not sixty yards in front, marching on, elated by success, as to assured victory. "Fire ! charge bayonets!" rang out from the voice of the commander. A crash as On the 3d of May the regiment broke camp, and after a severe march crossed the Rapidan, and arrived on the 5th on the Wilderness battle-ground. The fighting for three days in the tangled wiles of that ever memorable field was for the most part at close quarters and very severe. From the Wilderness the regiment marched towards Spottsylvania Court-House, but before reaching it encountered the enemy, and the contest was renewed. On the afternoon of the 11th the brigade withdrew from the breast-works in front of the court house, and marched with the corps to the left of the line, where, at down of the 12th, Hancock led his columns upon the enemy's works. Delivered in strong force and at an unexpected hour, the charge was successful, the works being taken with numerous captives and guns. The One Hundred and Sixth in this encounter suffered severely. Lieutenant Colonel Curry, in command, was mortally wounded, and Lieutenants Charles S. Schwartz and Joshua A. Gage were among the killed. The regiment was held upon the front line, where constant skirmishing was kept up until the 18th, when another attempt was was made to rout the enemy, which was unsuccessful. Again moving by the left flank, the corps encoun- tered the enemy at North Anna and again at Cold Harbor. In the engagement at the latter place the brigade was ordered to charge and drive out the enemy from his intrenchments. The attempt was gallantly made, the line advancing boldly up the from a single piece was the response, and in the twinkling of an eye bayonets were fixed, and, with a cheer that hetokened the determination which fired each breast, the line went forward, striking the enemy upon his extreme left flank, and hurling him back in dismay. The One Hundred and Sixth and two com- panies of the Second New York pursued the retreat- ing foe as far as the Emmettsburg road. "Our regiment," says Lieutenant-Colonel Curry, who was in command, and who was afterwards killed at Spottsylvania, in a letter to a friend, written on the field, "opened fire and charged so determinedly, along with others, that we drove the enemy to their original lines, and would have spiked a six-gun battery had we not been ordered back. The carnage was terrible, the ground being covered with the dead and wounded. It was in this charge that Adjutant Pleis fell, being struck in the thigh by a piece of shell. I have fully made up for my capture (in June, 1862) as the regiment took a colonel, two majors, a number of captains and lieutenants and at least two hundred privates prisoners. We had more swords than we could use. I have one in place of the one taken from me at Richmond, and also a silver- mounted pistol." The regiment returned to its place in the line, but was scarcely in position when it was ordered to the extreme right, where the Twelfth Corps was engaged. It did not arrive, however, until

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 58

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534