History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I, Part 158

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1360


USA > Pennsylvania > History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I > Part 158


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).


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May 29, '61,


3


Chase, Frank do


July 1, '61,


Dunn, Manning S. do


do


Oct.


3, '61,


3


Denick, Wm. G


do


Mar. 28, '64, 3


Ennis, Levi


do


May 29, '61, 3


Flanigan, James.


do July 31, '61, 3


Fleming, Frank A.


.do


Oct.


3, '61,


3


Fruze, Israel.


do do


Oct.


3, '61,


3


Fleming, Robert R


do


Feb. 29, '64,


3


Fogle, Adam ..


do


Feb.


9, '64, 3


Frantz, A. Harrison do May 29, '61,


Frantz, Martin F. do


Oct. 3, '61, 3


Glenn, James


do


Nov. 18, '61, 3


Goff, Charles M do Mar. 28, '64,


Gunsalus, Samnel ..


do


Mar. 28, '64, 3


Granger, Burton


May 29, '61, 3


Hall, Ellis J ..


do May 29, '61, 3


Hile, Lorenzo D.


.. do May 29, '61,


Henry, John ..


.do


Oct. 3, '61,


3


Haslet, John W


.. do


May 29, '61, 3


Hall, Henry J ..


.do


July 31, '61, 3


Henry, Joseph K


.. do


May 29, '61,


3


Hockenburg, C .do


Oct.


3, '61, 3


Honitter, Thomas. .do


May 29, '61, 3


Hosford, William .do


July 1, '61, 3


Humphrey, Thos


.do


Oct.


3, '61, 3 Wounded in action-date unknown-discharged on Surgcon's certificate, Dec., 1862.


Humphrey, W. W.


.do


July 1, '61, 3


Halcomb, Edward ..


do


May 29, '61, 3


Henry, James.


do


May 29, '61, 3


Hall, Charles


do


July 31, '61,


3


Hennigh, William ..


May 29, '61, S


Killed in action, May 7, 1864.


Irvin, Austin


.do


July 1, '61, 3 Died March 6, 1863.


Jaggers, Peter ...


.do


July 31, '61, 3


Kingston, Samuel ...


.do


July 31, '61, 3


Kratzer, John


do


May 29, '61, 3


Knapp, George W.


do


Littlefield, Frost ....


do


July 1, '61, 3 Died Sept. 23,'62, on board transport fr. Richmond. Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864. May 29, '61, 3


Lower, Cyrus B ..


Morrow, Ephraim ..


.do May 29, '61, 3


M'Donald, Isaiah ...


do


do


May 29, 'C1,


3


M'Crum, Charles R do


May 29, '61,


3


M'Donald, Geo. W .. do


May 29, '61,


3


M'Donald, Alex ...... do


Oct.


3, '61,


3


Moyer, John .


do


May 29, '61,


3


Mason, Casper P.


do May 29, '61, 3


Mortimer, Samuel ...


.do


May 29, '61, 3


Transferred to 190th reg. P. V., May 31, '64-Vet. Discharged on Surgeon s certificate, Jan. 1, '62. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, April 10, '63. Died September 10, 1863, for wounds received in action-date unknown.


M'Clenahan, Hiraml ... do


May 29, '61, | 3 | Transferred to 44th regiment P. V., Nov. 1, 1861.


3 Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Nov. 1, '62. 3 Transferred to U. S. Signal Corps, Aug. 29, '62. Transferred to 190th regiment P. V., May 31, '64. Killed at Antietam, September 17, 1862.


S Deserted April 13, 1862.


Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Dec. 11, '62. Transferred to 190th regiment P. V., May 31, '64. Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Nov. 21, '61. Disch. on Surgeon's certificate-date unknown. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, May 30, '63. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Mar. 10, '63. Transferred to 190th regiment P. V., May 31, '64. Transferred to 190th reginent P. V., May 31, '64. Captured-died at Belle Isle, Va., July 15, 1862. Deserted December 1, 1862.


Wounded in action-date unknown-discharged on Surgeon's certificate, May 16, 1862.


Transferred to 190th regiment P. V., May 31, '64. Transferred to 190th regiment P. V., May 31, '64. Died Oct. 2, 1862, of wounds received in action. Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864.


Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864. Transferred to 190th reg. P. V., May 31, '64-Vet. Transferred to 190th reg. P. V., May 31, '64-Vet. Transferred to 190th reg. P. V., May 31, '64-Vet. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, July 20, '61. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, April 19, '62. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, June 26, '62. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Dec., 1862.


Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, April 20, '63. Transferred to company D, October 12, 1861. Killed at Bull Run, August 29, 1862.


Killed at Antietam, September 17, 1862.


Transferred to company D, November 1, 1861. Dicharged January 20, 1862, for wounds received in action-date unknown.


Killed at Bull Run, August 30, 1862.


do Oct. 27, '63, 3 3 Transferred to 190th regiment P. V., May 31, '64. Transferred to U. S. Signal Corps, August, 1861. Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864. May 29, '61,


M'Kee, Peter C ......


Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864.


Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Apr. 11, 1862.


Transferred to 190th reg. P. V., May 31, '64 -- Vet.


TERM -- YEARS.


Promoted to Com. Sergeant, January 1, 1863. Died December 9, 1861.


John H. Wilson ..


do


May 29, '61,


Transferred to 190th regiment P. V., May 31, '64. 3 Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864. 3 Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864. Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864. 3


3 Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Nov. 20, '61.


3 Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Dec. 3, '62.


3 Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864. 3 Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864. 3 Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864.


Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Aug. 10, '61.


Conner, Arthur. do


3


Cummings, Wm. S do


May 29, '61,


3


Doughman, G. P.


Frantz, James ..


May 29, '61,


3


3


3


3


943


THREE YEARS' SERVICE.


.


NAME.


RANK.


DATE OF MUSTER INTO SERVICE.


REMARKS.


Morrow, Francis C ..


Private July 1, '61,


M'Closkey, Nath. A .. do


May 29, '61,


3


Montonze, And'w J .. do


May 29, '61,


3


Died May, 1864, of wounds received in action.


M'Cullough, David .. do


May 29, '61,


3 Deserted December 8, 1852.


O'Leary, George. do July 1, '61,


Pifer, Peter ... ... do


May 29, '61,


3


Pettingill, Robert B .do


May 28, '61,


3


Rish, John.


do


May 29, '61,


Rex, Reuben. do


May 29, '61, 3


Riley, Thomas .. do


May 29, '61,


3


Ross, Robert W do


Oct. 3, '61,


3


Stocks, Edward D .. .do


May 29, '61,


3


Spencer, Joseph G .. do


May 29, '61,


Spence, James do


Oct.


3, '61,


3


Souders, Abel .do


July 21, '61,


Shirk, Joseph .. .do


May 29, '61, 3


Smith, Philander .do


May 29, '61,


Scott, George B .. do May 29, '61,


Shaver, Daniel .do


May 29, '61,


Spargo, Peter do


May 29, '61,


3


Shaver, Jesse E do


Mar. 28, '64,


3


Smith, Porter do


May 29, '61, 3


Spencer, William H do


May 29, '61, 3


Seaman, Dwight .. do


May 29, '61,


3


Deserted-date unknown.


Taylor, George W ... do


May 29, '61,


3


Discharged May 25, 1863, for wounds received in action-date unknown.


Williams, Daniel F .do


May 29, '61, 3


Williams, Joseph ... do


Oct. 3, '6


3


Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Dec. 22, '62. Transferred to 190th reg. P. V., May 31, '64-Vet.


Williams, James M ... do Feb. 27, '64, |3 |Died May, 1864, of wounds received in action.


TERM-YEARS.


Transferred to 190th regiment P. V., May 31, '64. Died November 28, 1861.


3 Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Nov. 20, '61. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, July 30, '62. Transferred to company H, October 12, 1861.


3 Died June 11, 1864, of wds. received at Bethesda Church, May 30, '64-buried in Nat. Cemetery, Arlington.


Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, June 11, '62 Killed at South Mountain, September 14, 1862. Died Jan. 7, 1563, of wounds received in action. Mustered out with company, June 11, 1864.


3 Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Sept. 22, '61. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Sept. 1, '62.


3 Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Nov. 19, '62. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Dec. 22, '62. 3 Discharged on Surg. certificate-date unknown. 3 Discharged February 9, 1863, for wounds receiv. ed in action-date unknown.


Discharged April 20, 1863, for wounds received in action-date unknown.


Transferred to U. S. Signal Corps, Aug. 23, 1863. Transferred to 190th regiment P. V., May 31, '64. Killed at Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Deserted August 7, 1861.


FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT, FIRST ARTILLERY.


0 N the 13th of April, 1861, James Brady, a citizen of Philadelphia, issued a call for volunteers for a Light Artillery Regiment. In three days thir- teen hundred men were enrolled, and their services were immediately tendered to the Secretary of War. By him the tender was referred to Governor Curtin. Governor Curtin referred it to General Patterson, who, after considerable delay, objected to its acceptance on the ground that it was not a militia organization. In the meantime the men, eager to be in the service, enlisted in New Jersey and New York regiments. One company joined Colonel Baker's California Regiment, and another joined the Twenty-seventh Regiment, commanded by Colonel Einstein. About five hundred men still remained, and were maintained at the expense of the officers, and their friends, until the law authorizing the organization of the Reserve Corps was passed, when four companies, com- manded by Captains Brady, Simpson, Flood and West, were accepted and ordered to the camp at Harrisburg. These were here joined by four other com- panies recruited in the counties of Franklin, Potter, York, Lawrence and Lu- zerne, and an organization was effected by the choice of Captain Richard H. Rush, of the regular army, Colonel; Charles T. Campbell, from Captain of company A, Lieutenant Colonel; A. E. Lewis, Senior Major, and H. T. Dan- forth, of company B, Junior Major. Colonel Rush declined to accept the com- mand, and soon after became Colonel of the Sixth Cavalry. The regiment, consequently, remained under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Campbell. It was clothed and equipped by the State, and received arms from the State and from the city of Philadelphia. Battery E, Captain Barr, accompanied the expedition sent, on the 21st of June, to the relief of Colonel Lew. Wallace, in West Virginia, consisting of the Battery and the Fifth and Bucktail regiments of infantry, all under command of Colonel Biddle, and returned to Harrisburg late in July.


Early in August, the regiment was ordered to Washington, and upon its arrival encamped near the Arsenal, where it was more completely armed and equipped, receiving horses for the batteries, and a full supply of ammunition. As fast as mounted, the batteries removed to a camp east of the Capitol, which was called Camp Barry, in honor of Major Barry, at that time Chief of Artillery of the Department, who had manifested much interest and zeal in furnishing their outfit. From Camp Barry the several batteries were separated and as- signed to different divisions and corps of the army, and were never again united as a regiment. Batterics A, B, E and G, were assigned to M'Call's division, in camp at Tenallytown, and with these Lieutenant Colonel Campbell established his headquarters. Battery C was assigned to Smith's Division, in camp near


945


1861


BATTLE OF DRANESVILLE.


Chain Bridge; Battery F to Banks' Division, at Poolesville, and Batteries D and H to Buell's Division, in camp north of the city, and engaged in building forts, among which were Totten, Slocum and Stevens, which at a later day served a most important purpose in checking the enemy's advance upon the Capital. Soon after the distribution of the batteries an election was ordered to fill the vacancy occasioned by the declination of Colonel Rush, which resulted in the choice of Charles T. Campbell, Colonel; H. T. Danforth, Lieutenant Colonel; A. E. Lewis, Senior Major, and R. M. West, from Captain of company G, Junior Major. Subsequently Colonel Campbell resigned and was commissioned Colo- nel of the Fifty-seventh Regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Danforth was ordered to duty with batteries D and H, under General Buell. He was an experienced artillery officer, having served in Bragg's celebrated battery in the Mexican war. Here his services were of the greatest value, and under his drill and instruction these batteries soon came to be regarded as the equals of regular artillery. De- sirous of active duty, he made repeated applications to be assigned to service with the battery which he had recruited. This request being denied him, he resigned his commission as Lieutenant Colonel, and enlisted as a private in the ranks with his old companions, but was immediately elected a Second Lientenant. In this capacity he served until killed in action at Charles City Cross Roads on the 30th of June, 1862.


By order of General M'Clellan the field and line officers were cited to appear before an examining board for certificates of competency. Failing in these ex- aminations, in many cases of little practical account, a considerable number was forced to resign, many of them valuable officers, and their places were sup- plied by regular army sergeants. These changes were not received with favor by the men, and, with two exceptions, none of those thus appointed served to the end of their terms, or died in the service.


On the 29th of July, 1862, Major R. M. West was promoted to Colonel, Captain Edward H. Flood, of Battery D, to Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain James Brady, of Battery H, to Major. On the 23d of September, 1863, Major Brady was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, in place of Flood, resigned, and Captain E. W. Matthews, of Battery F, was promoted to Major. Upon the re- signation of Major Matthews, on the 27th of June, 1864, he was succeeded by Captain James H. Cooper, of Battery B. Upon the expiration of the term of service of the latter, August 8, 1864, he was succeeded by Robert Bruce Ricketts, Captain of Battery F. On the 29th of April, 1864, Colonel West was commis- sioned Colonel of the Fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry, when Major Ricketts was made Colonel, and was succeeded as Major by Captain Theodore Miller, of Battery E.


BATTERY A.


Battery A, commanded by Captain Hezekiah Easton, was the first to be engaged, participating in the battle of Dranesville on the 20th of December, 1861. It was brought into action at a range of less than five hundred yards. The enemy's guns were concealed by the woods, but by observing the smoke of his pieces the range was soon obtained, and in a short time his fire slackened. One of his caissons was exploded, and so many of his horses killed that he was obliged to withdraw, dragging one of his pieces away by hand. "Having met General Ord," says General M'Call in his official report, "we moved forward, and the position where the enemy's battery had been placed was soon gained, 119


946


FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT-FIRST ARTILLERY. 1862


and here we had evidence of the fine artillery practice of Easton's Battery. The road was strewn with men and horses; two caissons, one of them blown up ; a limber, a gun-earriage wheel, a quantity of artillery ammunition, small arms, and an immense quantity of heavy clothing, blankets, &c." The battery suffer- ed no loss or injury.


During the ensuing winter it was encamped with the Reserves near Langley, and upon the opening of the spring campaign moved with the army towards Manassas. It subsequently accompanied the Reserves to Fredericksburg, where it remained on duty until the battle of Fair Oaks, when, with the division, it rejoined the army of the Potomac. Upon its arrival in the neighborhood of Mechanicsville it was immediately put in position to cover the bridge. It was subsequently withdrawn to the battle ground at Beaver Dam Creek, where it was posted behind a morass flanked by tall pines. Here it was served with excellent effeet, hurling back a brigade of the enemy that attempted to eross the swamp in front, and shattering his ranks wherever they appeared. On the following day, June 27th, at Gaines' Mill, it was posted by Captain Easton in an important position, covering, with Battery G, Captain Kern, the left of the Union line resting upon the Chickahominy. The ground chosen was upon spurs of the table land bordering the river, and deeply scored by ravines paral- lel with the battery front, and varying in depth from thirty to forty feet. From this position Captain Easton opened fire upon the woods in front at a range of four hundred yards. In a sudden emergency the regiment supporting the bat- tery was withdrawn and hurried to another part of the field. The enemy quickly discerned the exposed position of the guns and charged on them, keeping close under the sides of the ravine. The cannoneers found it impossible to depress their pieces sufficiently to repel the attack, and made an attempt to withdraw them under cover of a charge of regular cavalry. The ravines rendered the ground unfavorable for the movement of cavalry, and the charge failed, the party being exposed to a terrible infantry fire. Checked and broken in their advance the mounted fugitives eame pouring through the battery, carrying with them to the rear all the available teams and limbers. The enemy, yelling like so many fiends, advanced boldly to the guns, now left without ammunition, erying out to Captain Easton and those officers and men who bravely with- stood the storm, to surrender His reply never to be forgotten by his com- rades who clustered about him, was, "No! we never surrender!" Alas! the next moment that voice was hushed in death. He fell beside his guns; none were left to surrender them. In the varying fortunes of the fight, two of his faithful men attempted to bring off the body, but lost it in the melee. A soli- tary peach tree marks the spot where he fell ..


The battery was re-organized, and received new guns on the arrival of the army at Harrison's Landing. It continued attached to the Reserves, and par- ticipated in the battle of Bull Run, South Mountain, and Antietam, maintain- ing its reputation for skill and bravery, and leaving many of its men dead and wounded upon the fields of their valor. At Fredericksburg it was at first posted on the river bank to cover the crossing and laying of the pontoons. On the 13th of December, the day in which the Reserves were engaged, it maintained its posi- tion under a concentrated fire of the enemy's artillery, marks of his shot and shell being visible, after the engagement, on every piece and caisson.


After the withdrawal of the Reserves from the First Army Corps, Major Brady remained in the field with this battery, and three others belonging to


1862


BATTLE OF GAINES' MILL. 917


the regiment, which were assigned to the Third Division of the First Corps, commanded by General Doubleday. Shortly afterwards, under orders from headquarters of the army, Battery A was detached and ordered to proceed with Burnside's Corps on an expedition, which was to rendezvous at Fortress Mon- roe. Here the destination of the corps was changed, and the battery was left at Norfolk to be attached to a new army corps, at various times known as the Army of Virginia, Army of the James, Seventh, and Tenth Corps. With this command it operated on the Black Water, at Deep Bottom, Fort Darling, Seven Pines, and Petersburg.


Upon the fall of Richmond, under command of Captain Stitt, it marched with Weitzel's Corps and entered the fallen city on the day of its surrender. Captain Stitt was immediately after ordered to report with his battery to Lieu- tenant Colonel Brady, in charge of captured works and ordnance, and was en- gaged, with battery E, in demolishing the rebel defences and arsenals at the rebel capital, and removing therefrom their guns and ordnance. This proved a herculean task. The guns were, in general, of the heaviest calibre, many of them in the most inaccessible localities, and in many cases had to be trans- ported over difficult roads. But they were all safely shipped on board of schooners bound for northern arsenals, without the slightest accident from ex- plosions, or damage to property. Most of the ordnance and ammunition was found in good condition, but the small arms were of little value. After the completion of this duty in July, 1865, the battery received orders to turn in its guns and horses at Richmond and report at Harrisburg. Here, after a term of service of four years and four months, it was mustered out of service on the 25th.


BATTERY B.


Battery B joined the Division of Pennsylvania Reserves on the 14th of August, 1861, at Tenallytown, and was assigned to the First Brigade, General Reynolds commanding. Lieutenant Cadwalader was on picket with his section at Great Falls, in September, when the rebels fired on the troops guarding that point. The first death in the battery, that of private James M. M'Clurg, occurred on on the 29th of September. Until the 11th of October, it was armed with four six-pounder James guns, when two of these were exchanged for four ten- pounder Parrotts. That night it crossed the Potomac and joined the divi- sion at Camp Pierpont. On the 14th of October, private Frederick B. Sei- fert was killed, and private Alfred Phillips severely wounded, by the accidental discharge of the musket of a member of company E, Third Reserves, while on dress parade. On the 19th, the battery accompanied the First Brigade on a reconnaissance beyond Dranesville. The First Brigade was lying at Difficult Creek when the battle of Dranesville, December 20th, commenced, and was im- mediately ordered to General Ord's assistance, but did not arrive until after the enemy had been repulsed.


On the 25th of December, General M'Clellan, in compliance with the request of General Banks for a "good battery," directed General M'Call to send Bat- tery B. This was protested against by Generals M'Call and Reynolds, and caused much dissatisfaction throughout the division. The battery was on duty at Seneca Falls and Edwards' Ferry until January 9th, 1862, when, at General M'Call's request, it was ordered to return to the division. After the return of the army to Alexandria, it was placed in the First Army Corps, General M'Dowell commanding. When the First Brigade crossed the Rappahannock,


948


FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT-FIRST ARTILLERY. 1862


at Fredericksburg, May 26th, Battery B accompanied it. After its return twenty men were detached from the infantry of the Reserves to fill the company to the number required for a six-gun battery.


On the 13th of June, it embarked for the Peninsula, and arrived at White . House, on the Pamunky, on the 17th, joining the division at Mechanicsville, on the 20th. Here the battery was placed on picket in front of the town, and on the extreme right of the army. For several days the gunners practiced firing at the enemy and his works, but received no response. On the 26th, when Jackson's army was reported to be advancing, Battery B was withdrawn to Beaver Dam Creek, where earthworks had been constructed and rifle-pits dug. The right and centre sections took position behind the works in front of the camp of the Bucktails, and the left section, commanded by Lieutenant Fuller- ton, near Ellerson's Mill, with the Third Brigade in support.


After the withdrawal of the Union pickets, two divisions of the rebel army, under the command of the Generals Hill, crossed the Chickahominy and formed in line of battle, to await the coming of Branch's Division down the left bank of the river. The advance of the enemy was accompanied by a battery of horse artillery, which came forward on a gallop and attempted to come into position, but the fire from the guns of Battery B was so well directed that it left without unlimbering. Rebel batteries placed behind the brow of a hill on the right, where they were under shelter, were more successful and soon opened a well directed fire. Several attempts of the rebels to form line of battle in front of these batteries, with the manifest intention of capturing Battery B, were un- successful, a concentrated fire of artillery, assisted by the infantry, cutting them down as fast as they could form. The slaughter of the enemy here was terri- ble. The gaps made in his lines by the shiots from the guns of Battery B, firing by battery, were distinctly visible. Another attempt to break the line at this point was made on its right, but the timely presence of Colonel M'Candless, of the Second, compelled the enemy to again fall back. An attempt to cross the creek at Ellerson's Mill, was prevented by the Third Brigade, with the aid of Lieutenant Fullerton's section. The firing did not cease until nine o'clock. The loss was five wounded.


During the night the infantry, except the picket line, together with the left seetion, were withdrawn. The right and centre sections commenced firing at daylight on the following morning, and continued it for over an hour. They were withdrawn a few minutes before the rebel cavalry, coming in from the right, captured a part of the Bucktails in the rifle-pits, in front of where the guns were, and thence rejoined the division on Gaines' farm. After resting an hour, the battery was ordered into position on the right of the second line. The guns remained silent until the first line gave way, when a concentrated fire upon the point from whence the rebels were said to be advancing, caused them, as the pickets afterwards reported, to halt, and thus gave the shattered remains of General Porter's Corps an opportunity to fall back. The rebel advance was but a short distance away when the left gun of Battery B was limbered up. The battery remained parked during the following day on Trent's Hill, on the south bank of the Chickahominy. That night the march was continued in the direction of the James River. At dark of the 29th, the division moved out on the road beyond the junction of the New Market and Charles City Roads, but returned at daylight the next morning and formed in line of battle near the junction.




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