USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume I > Part 21
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The Ninth Regiment, on June 16, holding the right of the brigade line, forded the Potomac river and encamped on the Martinsburg road. The next day Colonel Miles turned over the command of the brigade to Colonel Long- necker of the Ninth Regiment, and the command was ordered back to Wil- liamsport to report to the division commander. The Ninth was ordered to guard the fort on the Potomac river, where it remained until July Ist, when it took part in a forward movement across the river, and on the night of the second encamped on the battlefield of Falling Waters, which had just been fought. The next day it went into camp at Martinsburg, where it remained until the fifteenth, when it moved with the brigade to Bunker Hill, as there was a contemplated movement planned to attack the enemy at Winchester, Virginia. The plans were, however, changed, and the brigade was ordered to Charlestown, where it remained in camp until July 21, 1861, when it was removed to Harper's Ferry, and crossed to the Maryland side. The next day orders were received for the Ninth to march to Hagerstown, Maryland, there to entrain for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where the regiment was demobilized July 24, 1861.
FORTY-FIRST REGIMENT OF VOLUNTEERS (TWELFTH RESERVES)
The companies of which this regiment was formed were originally raised for three months' service, but not accepted for that term. They rendezvoused at Camp Curtin and Company E was recruited in Northampton county. The organization of the regiment was effected July 25, 1861, but it was not mus- tered into the United States service for a period of three years until August 10, 1861. On the same day it was ordered to join the command of General Banks at Harper's Ferry. On its arrival at Baltimore, Maryland, it was incorporated in General McCall's division of Pennsylvania Reserves and ordered to encamp at Tenallytown, four miles above Washington on the Rockville river. Here it laid in camp until October 10, 1861, when it crossed the Potomac and went into winter quarters at Langley, Virginia. Camp was broken on March 10, 1862, the Twelfth marching to Hunter's Mills to participate in the general forward movement of General McClellan on Manas- sas. On arrival it was ascertained that the movement had been abandoned and the Twelfth returned over the roads they had advanced. The reserve division now became a part of General McDowell's command and was assigned to guard the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. They were ordered on May 6, 1862, to join the division at Falmouth, Virginia, and on its march were attacked by guerrillas. Arriving at Belle Plain, Virginia, orders were received to join McClellan's command on the Peninsula Landing at White House on the Pamunkey. June 14, 1861, the brigade proceeded by way of Dispatch Station to Ellerson's Mill on Beaver Dam creek and were in plain sight of the rebel pickets. It was at this point that, on July 26, 1861, the Twelfth received its first introduction to a fighting enemy. It was strongly posted along the left bank of Beaver Dam creek and was to meet the forces under the command of the redoubtable Stonewall Jackson. The regiment was posted behind a low imperfect rifle-pit parapet and in their rear a section of artillery threw shell and shrapnel directly over their heads into the faces
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of the oncoming foe. About one o'clock the battle of Gaines' Mill com- menced, the Twelfth was ordered to support Griffin's Battery, and in this duty they were for four hours exposed to a terrific fire of artillery and mus- ketry. A desperate attack was bravely met and repulsed.
The defeated Union army retreated, the Twelfth crossing before mid- night the bridge known as Woodbury's. The next day the retreat was con- tinued towards the James river, the new base of Mcclellan's operations. The Twelfth regiment acted as guard for the Reserve Artillery. On the retreat of the army, the Twelfth rallied on General Hooker's line and stood gallantly to their work at the battle of Charles City crossroads, and although not a defeat it was not a decided victory. In the fierce battle of Malvern Hill, the next day the Twelfth were held in reserve. The regiment remained for six weeks in the vicinity of Harrison's Landing, when it joined the army of General Pope near Warrenton, Virginia, and on August 29 and 30, took part in the action at Groveton, Virginia. Worn out and tattered, the Twelfth was hurried from Virginia to take part in the Maryland campaign. At the battle of South Mountain the Twelfth Reserves was engaged in the center of the attacking line and at the battle of Antietam in General Hooker's army on the right flank. The regiment became famous in that fearful carnage at Marye's Heights when, as a component part of Jackson's Third Brigade, they carried a difficult position at the edge of the woods.
After a season of rest and recuperation the regiment was marched to take part in the dreadful conflict at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where they arrived about ten o'clock on the second day of the battle, and were posted in the rear of Cemetery Hill; later in the day they were hurried into the fight on the right to support the line at the crest of Little Round Top, and during the succeeding night were transferred to the apex of Round Top and re- mained in that line during the succeeding stages of the battle, being con- tinually under the galling fire of artillery and sharpshooters. During the campaign following Gettysburg, the remainder of the year 1863, the regi- ment was engaged in action at Bristol Station and Rappahannock Station and went into winter quarters at Catlett's station on the Orange and Alexan- dria Railroad. The regiment was removed from winter quarters, May 4, 1864. took part in the three days' battle of the Wilderness, also at Spottsylvania Court House and did good work at Guinea Station, Jericho Ford, also at Bethesda Church, where it received and repulsed the most desperate assaults of the enemy. On the day of the last named battle the term of service of the regiment expired, orders were received for its discharge, it was transported to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and was mustered out of the service June II, 1864.
FORTY-SEVENTH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS
This regiment of which Companies A and F, from Northampton county, formed a part, was organized at Camp Curtin, September 1, 1861. March- ing orders were received the same day, and the regiment, proceeding to Washington encamped September 21, 1861, at Kalorama Heights. Six days afterward it moved across the chain bridge, encamping at Fort Ethan Allen and was assigned to the Third Brigade of Gen. W. F. Smith's Division. From Ethan Allen the regiment moved to Camp Griffin and took part in the
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grand review of 80,000 men at Bailey's Cross Roads, October II, 1861. Orders were received on January 2, 1862, for the command to join General Brannan's forces and proceed to Key West, Florida. Embarkation was made at Annapolis, Maryland, and the regiment arrived at Key West, Febru- ary 4, 1862, where they were stationed at Fort Taylor and drilled in heavy artillery tactics. The regiment received orders to report at Hilton Head, South Carolina, where it arrived June 22, 1862, and encamped in the rear of Fort Walker. It was removed to Beaufort, South Carolina, July 2, 1862, where it remained until about September 25, 1862, when it departed for St. John's river, Florida, in the command of General Brannan. The first object point of attack was St. John's Bluff, which was reached October 2, 1862, but the works had been evacuated by the rebels. Companies E and K pursued the retreating enemy and captured the town of Jacksonville, Florida. The campaign in Florida was prolonged three weeks, with sharp fights at Framp- ton and Pocotaligo Bridge. The object of the expedition being accomplished, the command returned to Hilton Head, and the Forty-seventh was ordered to Key West, where it was assigned to garrison Forts Jeffersons and Taylor. They were stationed at these forts until February 25, 1864. Five hundred men of the command re-enlisted and received veteran furloughs. The regi- ment, on February 28, 1864, proceeded to Franklin, Louisiana, where it was assigned to the First Brigade, Emory's Division of the Nineteenth Army Corps, and became a part of General Banks' Red River expedition. At the battle of Sabine Cross Roads and Pleasant Hill, the regiment rendered important service, and at the latter made a counter-charge, which resulted in driving back the rebels and the capture of several cannons. The regiment was ordered June 24, 1864, to report to General Hunter in command of the Army of the Shenandoah. The Forty-seventh was at Winchester, Vir- ginia, when the army was commanded by General Sheridan and rendered valiant service at the engagements of Opequan and Cedar Creek, at the latter being complimented on the field of battle by Gen. Stephen Thomas. In these engagements, which was the occasion of Sheridan's famous ride from Winchester, the regimental loss was one hundred and seventy-six killed, wounded and missing.
The winter quarters of the regiment were at Camp Fairview, near Charlestown, Maryland; on April 4, 1865, it moved up the valley through Winchester and Kernstown, Virginia, and a few days later the news reached them that their fighting days were over. A month later the regiment was transported to Charleston, South Carolina, and Company E garrisoned at Fort Moultrie. At last the term of their enlistment expired, January 3, 1866, the regiment faced towards home, and was demobilized at Camp Cadwallader. The regiment had marched and fought in Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana, and travelled far by land and sea.
FIFTY-NINTH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS- SECOND CAVALRY
The Second Cavalry, of which Company H was principally enlisted at Easton, was organized in September, 1861, at Camp Patterson, near Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania. The regiment was reviewed by General Dix and
.
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proceeded to Washington April 25, 1862. Here it was mounted and equipped, passed into Virginia, and was assigned to the brigade of General Cooke in the First Reserve Army Corps; later it was assigned to the brigade of General Buford. The Second was actively engaged in Pope's unfortunate campaign of 1862, at Cedar Mountain, second Bull Run, Brentville and Chantilly, Virginia. In the latter part of 1862 the regiment was constantly in the saddle, and on December 28, 1862, fell into an ambuscade of the enemy under General Wade Hampton, where it was overpowered with the loss of more than a hundred killed, wounded and missing.
In the spring of 1863 the regiment was moved to Fairfax. Court House, Virginia, and became a part of the Second Brigade of Stahel's Division ; from here it crossed the Potomac to take part in the Gettysburg campaign. The regiment faithfully performed the duties which fell to the share of the cavalry at the bloody struggle of Gettysburg. Companies A. H and K were detailed before the opening of the battle to form part of the line to check stragglers. On the night of July 3, 1863, they escorted prisoners to West- minster, Maryland.
After Gettysburg the regiment crossed the Potomac and participated in the fights at Culpeper and at the fortifications on the Rappahannock. It was employed on the usual cavalry duty during the movements of the Mine Run campaign. It suffered the loss of thirty-five men at Parker's Store on Novem- ber 9, 1862. Winter quarters were taken at Warrenton, Virginia, from which many of its members went home on veteran furloughs.
At the opening of the spring campaign of 1864 the regiment performed gallant service at the Wilderness fight; then with Sheridan's command it participated in the raid against the enemy's communications, delivering a fierce fight against General Stuart's forces at Yellow Tavern, near Richmond. The regiment repulsed a rebel attack at Meadow bridge, and on May 14 reached Haxall's Landing on the James river. It took part in the routing of General Lee's and General Hampton's forces at Hawes' Shop and was a part of the successful raid on the left flank of General Lee's army to cut the enemy's lines at Gordonsville and assisted in repulsing General Wade Hampton's attack at St. Mary's Church.
Then followed its services in the campaign of Petersburg at the explod- ing of the mine. After recrossing the river the regiment fought at Deep Bottom, Malvern Hill and Charles City Cross Roads from the 14th to the 16th of August, and later at Ream's Station. Since crossing the Rapidan it had fought in sixteen general engagements and its effective strength was reduced to two hundred. It was afterwards engaged in the fights of Boydton Plank Road, Wyatt Farm, McDowell's Hill and Five Forks, and assisted at the closing scene at Appomattox Court House.
It formed part of the great pageant in review of the three armies at Washington, May 23 and 24, 1865. The regiment was mustered out of service July 13, 1865, at Cloud's Hill, Virginia.
FIFTY-FIRST REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS
Of the Fifty-first Regiment, Company B was recruited in Northampton county, and Company H in Union and Northampton counties. The regiment
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was organized at Camp Curtin for three years' service and was commanded by Colonel John F. Hartranft, afterwards governor of Pennsylvania. The Fifty-first left Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, November 18, 1861, proceeded to Annapolis, Maryland, where it embarked January 6, 1862, with the Burnside expedition, which set sail for North Carolina, January 6, 1862. The regiment was assigned to Reno's brigade, and on the landing of the troops on Roanoke Island took part in that engagement, making the final charge which resulted in victory. In the expedition against Elizabeth City, North Carolina, the regiment played a prominent and gallant part, losing three killed and twenty- one wounded.
The affairs on the peninsula in Virginia assuming a menacing aspect, Geeral Burnside's command was moved to Fortress Monroe, where the Fifty- first arrived July 8, 1862, and was assigned to the Second Brigade, com- manded by General Edward Ferrero. The command was transported to Fredericksburg, Virginia, August 12, 1862, to support General Pope, and the army, after considerable countermarching, finally stood on the line of the old Bull Run battlefield. Reno's troops held the left of the field, and the Fifty- first was detailed on an eminence to support two or three batteries when retreat was sounded; this position became of the greatest importance to pro- tect the army trains. The regiment joined the main body the next morning, and during the march of that day held the post of honor on retreat-that of rear guard.
From this theatre of operations the regiment entered with Reno's corps into the campaign of South Mountain and Antietam, thence to Fredericks- burg. At South Mountain, the Fifty-first, as part of Ferrero's brigade, gal- lantly received a determined charge of the rebel infantry on the left of, the Sharpsburg Road. At Antietam a charge across the Arch stone bridge with the Fifty-first New York Volunteers was consummated which, while furiously combatted, was an entire success. At Fredericksburg the regiment was deployed at the lime-kiln and advanced to a line adjoining the left of the Second Corps. Its behavior was most gallant during the whole of the dread- ful engagement.
From the Rappahannock the Fifty-first went to Fortress Monroe and thence as a contingent part of the Ninth Corps to Kentucky. In June, 1863, it was ordered to Grant's command at Vicksburg, Mississippi. There it performed laborious siege duty until the fall of that stronghold. It par- ticipated in Sherman's expedition against Jackson, Mississippi, returned to Vicksburg, and was sent back to Kentucky, where it covered the Loudon Road near Campbell's Station and aided materially in enabling General Burnside to bring his army safely into Knoxville. The regiment partook in the operation of fortifying this point and in the pursuit of the enemy, and went into winter quarters at Blaine's Cross Roads. The members nearly all re-enlisted January 5, 1864, for an additional three years, and the regiment went north on a veteran furlough.
Still attached to the Ninth Corps, the Fifty-first followed Grant into the hell of the Wilderness, of Spottsylvania Court House and Cold Harbor. It advanced on June 17, 1864, to the front of Petersburg, Virginia, and was identified with the incessant sorties and attacks, which were a daily occur-
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rence, before that old rebel town-the Mine-the Crater-the Weldon road, Poplar Spring Church, Ream's Station, Hatcher's Run, and in the engage- ments which finally dropped the curtain over the Confederate tragedy. The regiment was officially demobilized July 27, 1865, at Alexandria, Virginia.
SIXTY-FOURTH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS FOURTH CAVALRY
The Northampton company in this regiment was Company A. The regi- ment was mustered into the National service in October, 1861, at a camp near the Soldiers' Home, Washington, District of Columbia. The State colors were presented by Governor Curtin in person. The entire command being mounted early in May, 1862, they were ordered to join General McDowell's forces on the Rappahannock, and was assigned to the Pennsylvania Reserve Division under General McCall. The division was ordered to the Peninsula, proceeding by way of the Potomac and York rivers. One battalion, of which Company A was a member, was ordered to garrison the post of Yorktown. The entire regiment was present at the Antietam campaign, though Company A was not actively engaged at the battle of South Moun- tain, nor present in any of the series of fights in that campaign. After Antietam, the regiment encamped near Hancock, Maryland, and in pursuit of the rebels it was engaged in several severe skirmishes from Harper's Ferry to Warrenton. During the fall of 1862 the regiment reached the field of action at Chancellorsville on the first day of the battle and was assigned to support the Eleventh Corps, a position it held through the engagement. The regiment was under fire during the last two days of the battle of Gettys- burg, under the command of General Pleasanton, and took part in the pursuit of the enemy after the battle.
After Gettysburg, skirmishing and hard marching was the order of the day, and the regiment was kept at this work without cessation. At a cavalry fight beyond Warrenton, October 12, 1862, it fought bravely, but it was overpowered and sustained a loss of almost two hundred in killed, wounded and missing. The regiment was so exhausted and weak that the skirmishes at Beverly Ford and Bristol completed its services in the campaign. In the winter the fragment of the regiment guarded the line of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. The ranks had been so diluted that after the veteran furlough had been granted there was little left of the original regiment. Still it went through the Wilderness campaign; was with Sheridan in his raid for the surprise of Richmond, and fought well at the Yellow Tavern and in the various minor engagements. Rejoining the army on the North Anna, recruits and returning veterans swelled its ranks above those of any regiment in the corps.
On the advance of the army, the regiment fought bravely May 28, 1864, at Hawes' Shop, and four days later did gallant service at Cold Harbor. At the battle of Trevalian Station, which occurred during Sheridan's raid towards Lynchburg, Virginia, the regiment delivered a gallant charge which routed the enemy, but met with a severe loss. In charge of the army trains the regiment now started for the James river and met the enemy in strong force at St. Mary's Church, in which action it was hotly engaged,
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resulting in the loss of eighty-seven killed, wounded and missing. The remainder of the summer was passed by the regiment in constant scouting, skirmishing and picketing. It was engaged in the actions at Second Swamp, at Jerusalem Plank Road, at Boydton Plank Road, two engagements at Hatcher's Run, at Gray's Church in the final campaign, at Dinwiddie Court House and Farmville, and on the 9th of April, 1865, was actually engaged with the enemy when the news of Lee's surrender was announced by a flag of truce. The regiment for the next twelve weeks was engaged in peaceful duty in North Carolina and at Petersburg and Lynchburg, Virginia, in charge of the captured Confederate property, and was mustered out of service at Lynchburg, July 1, 1865.
SIXTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS
Company H of the Sixty-seventh was recruited in Northampton and Carbon counties. Its regimental organization took place at Camac's Woods, near Philadelphia, the first company being mustered into the United States service August 28, 1861. The command went into camp at Annapolis, Mary- land, April 3, 1862, and for nearly a year it performed provost and railroad guard duty, besides guarding a camp of paroled prisoners near Annapolis. It was relieved in February, 1863, proceeded to Harper's Ferry, where it performed garrison and guard duty for some weeks and was transferred to Berryville, Virginia, where it was attached to the Third Brigade under General Milroy. Here three months were passed watching the mountain gaps of the Blue Ridge and keeping an open communication with Harper's Ferry. On June 12, 1862, the regiment was ordered to reinforce the army at Winchester, Virginia, where the Sixty-seventh was posted in the rifle-pits in advance of and flanking the fort. The following day they relieved the Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania, at the south of the town, where there was sharp skirmishing with the enemy. The foe was held in check until evening, when the regiment was withdrawn to its former position. It soon became evident that the attack was made by Lee's army advancing towards Penn- sylvania. The evacuation of the place was ordered and the Sixty-seventh, deploying from the right, found themselves in the midst of the rebels and was forced to surrender. The enlisted men were paroled after two months' imprisonment at Libby Prison and Belle Isle, and transferred to Annapolis. The officers remained in prison over a year. About seventy-five of the men escaped capture and reported at Harper's Ferry, where they were reorganized and incorporated with the Third Division. These remained, fortifying and defending Maryland Heights, until June 30, 1863, when they were removed to Washington as a guard for ammunition and ordnance trains. Leaving Washington the regiment joined the army at Frederick, Maryland, and on October II, 1863, the prisoners having been declared exchanged, returned to the ranks.
Winter quarters were established at Brandy Station, Virginia, where the veterans were furloughed and the remainder, about two hundred, were merged with the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Pennsylvania. The veterans having returned to their duty, the Sixty-seventh was ordered to Fredericksburg, Virginia, finally to the new base of the army at White House, Virginia.
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Here it was kept under fire June 30, 1864, guarding an army train which was saved, and the regiment was ordered to join its old brigade at Yellow House in front of Petersburg, Virginia. While laying there it repulsed the enemy at the battle of Ream's Station, and the regiment was then embarked on transports to proceed to Baltimore, Maryland, to act against General Early's forces who had invaded Maryland. The entire summer was spent in countermarching through Maryland and northern Virginia. In the battle of Opequan, September 19, 1864, the regiment's losses were very severe. At Fisher's Hill it was in pursuit of the enemy after they had been driven from their fortifications, following the foe to Harrisonburg, finally retiring with the army to Cedar creek. It took part in the battle of that place October 19, 1864, sustaining a loss of forty-eight. The remainder of the year was spent participating in the various movements in the valley, and in the winter of 1865 the regiment was ordered to rejoin the army of the Potomac at Peters- burg, Virginia, where it lay and saw the final operations of the war and was present at the closing scene at Appomattox Court House. After Lee's sur- render it marched to Danville, Virginia; after Johnston laid down his sword the regiment returned to Washington and on July 14, 1865, was mustered out of the service.
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS (ELEVENTH CAVALRY)
This regiment was recruited for three years' service and Company H came from Bethlehem. The regiment was originally known as Harlan's Light Cavalry, was organized October 5, 1861, and eleven days after went into camp near Ball's Cross Roads, Virginia. The regiment was transported November 17, 1861, from Annapolis, Maryland, to Camp Hamilton, near Fortress Monroe, Virginia, and went into winter quarters. A detachment of five companies, which included Company H, was on May 15, 1863, ordered to Portsmouth, Virginia, and a few days later to Suffolk, Virginia, where they were soon joined by the balance of the regiment. The Eleventh remained at Suffolk along the Blackwater river for nearly a year, its constant duty being scouting, skirmishing and reconnaissance, covering the country from the James to the waters of Albemarle Sound, North Carolina. A battalion of the regiment made a brilliant charge at Beaver Dam creek December 2, 1862, routing the enemy. On January 13, 1863, the regiment fought at Deserted House, also on the 17th of March succeeding at Franklin.
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