History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I, Part 96

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 96


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Sam'l G. Eglington


.do


May 27, '61, 3


Promoted to Corporal, May 1, 1864-mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


Henry Upjohn .....


... do


July 17, '61, 3


Promoted to Corporal, May 31, 1864-mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


Henry J. Dewees .. .do


Rich'd C. Schreiner ... do


May 27, '61, 3 May 27, '61, 3 Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Feb. 19, '63. May 27, '61, 3 Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Oct. 30, 1862. Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


Rufus S. Read. .do


May 27, '61, 3 Discharged Dec. 21, 1862, to enlist in battery M, 2d U. S. Artillery.


Andrews, John T .. Asch, Charles.


Private, May 27, '61, ... do


3


Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


Barnes, Edward.


do


May 27, '61,


3


Wounded at Mechanicsville, June 26, 1862-ab- sent at muster out.


Bartram, Joseph J ..


do


May 27, '61,


3 Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


Buck, John S do


May 27, '61, 3


Discharged December 21, 1862, to enlist in bat- tery M, 2d U. S. Artillery.


Benson, John L .. .do May 27, '61, 3


Promoted to Quartermaster Sgt., Aug. 1, 1861.


Campbell, James


.. do


May 27, '61,


3 Mustercd out with company, June 16, 1864.


Chew, Hiram F ... do May 27, '61,


3 Wounded at Antietam, Sept. 17, '62-discharged on Surgeon's certificate, January 3, 1863.


George Staughton


.. do


3 Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


Wounded and prisoner at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, '62-mus. out with company, June 16, 1864. Mustered out with company, Jrine 16, 1864. Promoted to Corporal, July 2, '63-mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


George C. Massey .. Muc.


May 27, '61, 3 Discharged on writ of habeas corpus, June 27, 1861-minor.


* Company I was disbanded, August 27, 1861.


607


THREE YEARS' SERVICE.


NAME.


RANK.


DATE OF MUSTER INTO SERVICE.


REMARKS.


Conner, Arthur A ...


Private May 27, '61, 3 Discharged by writ of habeas corpus, June 27, 1861-minor.


- Coster, William H.


.. do


May 27, '61,


3 Wounded at Charles City Cross Roads, June 20, 1862-discharged December 21, 1862, to enlist in battery M, 2d U. S. Artillery.


Cox, Joshua R.


.. do


July 20, '61,


Craft, Edward L. .. do


July 17, '61, 3


Cross, Augustus T .. .. do


May 25, '61, 3


Chamberlin, Wm ... .do


July 20, '61,


3


Deitz, William K .. .. do May 27, '61,


Donnelly, John .do July 6, '63,


Elliot, Frank M .do


May 27, '61,


3


Everett, John .. do


July 11, '62,


Errickson, Daniel. .do


July 20, '61,


3


Edmonston, Thos .. .do


May 27, '61,


3


Fall, Morton S. .do


May 27, '61,


3


Gibson, Robert S. .. do ... May 27, '61,


Gougler, George. .. do ....


May 27, '61,


3


Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Mar. 30, '63. Discharged December 1, 1862, for wounds receiv- ed at Antietam, September 17, 1862.


Garrison, Wm. H. .. do


July 23, '61, 3


Hanf, Charles


do


May 27, '61, 3


Hartman, Thomas .. ... do


May 27, '61, 3


Hays, Michael. .do


July 23, '61,


3


Discharged November 23, 1862, to enlist in bat- tery C, 5th U. S. Artillery.


Mustered out with company, July 16, 1864.


Manning, Wm. J .... ... do


May 27, '61, 3


Mendenhall, Wm.H .. do


May 27, '61, 3 Discharged December 20, 1862, to enlist in bat- tery M, 2d U. S. Artillery.


May, Thomas do


May 25, '61, 3


Morslander, Rob. H .do May 27, '61, 3


Murch, George B. do May 27, '61, 3


M'Cullough, Jos. .do July 30, '61, 3 3 M'Neil, Frank P. do May 27, '61, Killed at Charles City Cross Roads, June 30, '62. Deserted July 27, 1861.


Newberry, John S .. do May 27, '61, 3


Nolen, Daniel H ..... do July 22, '61,


3


Poulson, Wilber'ce .do May 27, '61,


3


Powell, Robert T. do May 27, '61, 3 Deserted September 20, 1862.


Quinn, James F. .do


May 27, '61,


3


Reed, Albert R ... do May 27, '61,


3


Rowe, George W. do Sept. 11, '62, 3 Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Dec. 23, '63.


Snyder, Henry. do May 27, '61,


3


Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


Wounded at Charles City Cross Roads, June 30, 1862-discharged on Surgeon's certificate, March 12, 1863.


Smile, John A. J .... .. do May 27, '61, 3


Snyder, William. .. do


3


Swancott, Geo. W. .do


July 20, '61, 3


Shaw, William. .. do


May 27, '61,


3


Died July 28, 1862, of wounds received at Gaines' Mill, June 27, 1862.


Killed at South Mountain, Sept. 14, 1862.


Towell, James .. .. do May 27, '61,


3


Treadway, Henry B .do May 27, '61, Thompson, Henry C .. do .. May 27, '61, May 27, '61,


3


Toy, Andrew J do


Vickers, George M .. do


May 27, '61, 3


Transferred to 191st reg. P.V., May 31, '64-Vet. Transferred to Signal Corps, August 29, 1861. Died August 29, 1862.


Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


M'Laughlin, John .. .. do


3


Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Sept. 30, '61. Killed at Bull Run, August 29, 1862.


Died at Smoketown, Md., October 17, 1862. Wounded at South Mountain, Sept. 14, 1862-dis- charged on Surgeon's certificate, Dec. 9, 1862.


Stanley, Charles .do May 27, '61,


Shaw, Thomas .. do May 27, '61,


July 6, '65, Supplee, John. do July 20, '61,


3


Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Feb. 22, '62. Transferred to 191st reg. P. V., May 31, 1864. Transferred to Vet. Reserve Corps, Jan. 5. 1864. Captured at 2d Bull Run-transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, November 1, 1863.


Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864. Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Aug. 29, '62. Killed at Antietam, September 17, 1862. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Oct. 15, 1862.


--------


3 Wounded at Bull Run, Aug. 29, 1862-discharg- ed on Surgeon's certificate, April 20, 1863. Transferred to Vet. Reserve Corps, Nov. 1, 1863. Promoted to Sergeant Major, June 21, 1861. Deserted October 26, 1862.


3


Mustered out with company, June 16, 1864.


3 Transferred to 191st reg. P. V., May 31, 1864. Discharged on Surgeon's certificate, Feb. 11, '63. Transferred to 191st reg. P. V., May 31, 1864. 3 Transferred to 191st reg. P. V., May 31, '64-Vet. Killed at Gaines' Mill, June 27, 1862. Deserted February 7, 1863.


Transferred to gun-boat service, Feb. 15, 1862.


Wounded at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862-dis- charged on Surgeon's certificate, May 13, 1863. Wounded at Charles City Cross Roads, June 30, 1862-discharged November 21, 1862, to enlist in battery C, 5th U. S. Artillery.


Mingus, George W. .. do


May 27, '61, 3


Wounded at Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862-discharg- ed on Surgeon's certificate, Aug. 23, '63.


3


TERM-YEARS.| 35 CO :


Simpson, Wm. H. do May 27, '61, 3


608


THIRTY-FIRST REGIMENT-SECOND RESERVE.


UNASSIGNED MEN.


NAME.


RANK.


DATE OF MUSTER INTO SERVICE.


TERM-YEARS


REMARKS.


Briggs, William S .. Private


July 29, '64,


3


Not on muster-out roll.


Criege, George ....


do


Mar. 19, '64,


3


Not on muster-ont roll.


Hunter, Henry W ..


.do


April 11, '64,


Not on muster-out roll.


Hanson, Christian .. .. do


July 28, '63,


Not on muster-out roll.


Morand, George ... do


Mar. 19, '64,


Not on muster-out roll.


Mim, Peter .. .do


June 25, '63,


3 Not on muster-out roll.


M'Gillian, James do


Jan. 26, '64,


3 Not on muster-out roll.


Ritter, John P


.do


Aug. 5, '63,


3 Not on muster-out roll.


Riley, John ..


.. do


June 25, '63,


3 Not on muster-out roll.


Shaffer, John


.do


Feb. 15, '64, 3 Not on muster-out roll.


Straighthoff, John ..


.do


Feb. 15, '64, 3


Not on muster-out roll.


Walls, William H ... .


.. do


Feb. 15, '64,


3 Not on muster-out roll.


-


THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT, THIRD RESERVE.


T THE Third Reserve Regiment was organized principally from companies recruited in Bucks county and in the city of Philadelphia, for the three months' service, but which failed of acceptance. On the 30th of May these com- panies rendezvoused in Philadelphia and proceeded ria the North Pennsylvania railroad to the camp near Easton, where a regimental organization was effected by the choice of the following officers: Horatio G. Sickel, of Philadelphia, Colonel; William S. Thompson, of Bucks county, Lieutenant Colonel ; Richard HI. Woolworth, of Philadelphia, Major. The camp was pleasantly located near the Lehigh river, and contained ample barrack room, with a fine plain, sur- rounded by the race course of the fair ground, for drill and parade. The com- pany officers, for the most part unskilled in military affairs, labored diligently to acquire a knowledge of tactics and skill in drilling their men. As soon as the regimental organization was effected, Colonel Sickel, who had held a com- mission in the uniformed militia of the State since August, 1841, commenced that thorough drill of his command which made it one of the most efficient of the Reserve regiments.


On the 22d of July, it broke camp and moved to Harrisburg, where, on the 27th, it was mustered into the United States service, and assigned to the Reserve Corps, as the Third Regiment. It was immediately ordered to Washington and was quartered in the city until the 2d of August, when it was ordered to Tenallytown, a village six miles north-west from the Capital. General M'Call, who had been appointed to command the Reserves, had directed that a camp should be formed at this place, at which all the Reserve regiments were ordered to report. In the organization of the corps the Third was assigned to the Se- cond Brigade, Brigadier General George G. Meade .* While in camp the regi- ment was drilled, and assisted in erecting Fort Pennsylvania, a most impor- tant and formidable earthwork, with a broad and deep ditch, heavy abattis, and guns mounted en barbette.


On the 9th of October, the regiment moved over the Potomac and encamped with the division near Langley, in line of the army stretching nearly twenty miles along the Virginia shore. While here the reconnoissance to Dranesville on the 20th of October, the skirmish near the same place on the 26th, and the battle of Dranesville on the 20th of December occurred, which, with the usual


* Organization of the Second Brigade, Brigadier General George G. Meade ; Pennsylvania Re- serve Corps, Major General George A. M'Call. Third (32d) Regiment Pennsylvania Volun- teers, Colonel Horatio G. Sickel; Fourth (33d) Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Albert L. Magilton; Seventh (36th) Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel E. B. Harvey; Eleventh (40th) Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Thomas F. Gallagher.


77


610


1862


THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT-THIRD RESERVE.


picketing, drilling and an occasional shot with the enemy, served to break the monotony of the camp and to fit the men for the arduous campaignings upon which they were to enter.


On the 10th of March, the Army of the Potomac having attained a high state of efficiency by six months of drill and discipline, broke camp and marched in search of the enemy. The Third moved along the Dranesville pike, crossed Difficult Creek, and, striking across the country, bivouacked that night in the neighborhood of Hunter's Mills, where it remained until the advance of the army reported the evacuation of the enemy's line at Manassas, when it counter- marched to the vicinity of Alexandria, and remained until the Army of the Potomac started for the Peninsula.


The First Army Corps, under the command of General Irwin M'Dowell, consisting of Franklin's, M'Call's and King's Divisions, having been detached from the Army of the Potomac, was constituted the Army of the Rappahan- nock, and assigned to the duty of covering Washington. On the 10th of April the Third, with the brigade, was taken by rail to Manassas Junction, where it remained encamped until the 18th, when it marched along the railroad crossing Broad and Kettle Runs, halting for several days in the neighborhood of Cat- lett's Station, and arrived below Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, on the 2d of May. While here, the troops were reviewed by President Lincoln, accom- panied by Generals and staff officers. In the movement across the river, the occupancy of Fredericksburg, and the advance towards Richmond, the Third participated.


The operations of the army upon the Peninsula were slow. M'Clellan called loudly for reinforcements, and the Reserves were ordered to his support. The order was received with rejoicings, and light was the step of the men as they marched down the banks of the Rappahannock for embarkation to a place in the ranks of the Grand Army. On the 11th the regiment arrived at White House. The attack of the enemy's cavalry at Tunstall's Station and his mnove- ment upon White House were fortunately checked by the opportune arrival of the Second Brigade. His attack upon the train of the Reserves was promptly repulsed. On the 13th the Third joined the division at Dispatch Station.


The army was now lying in front of Richmond, the enemy having with- drawn as it advanced, until it had reached a position within a few miles of the city. The Reserves were placed upon the extreme right and in advance of the main line. While the mass of the army was on the right bank of the Chicka- hominy, the right wing resting at Mechanicsville was on the opposite bank. The rebel leader, now reinforced by Jackson from the Valley of the Shenandoah, posted his forces in the reverse order, throwing his main body upon the left bank, and began to press heavily upon our right. The Reserves were the first to feel the weight of his blow. Drawn up in order of battle on Beaver Dam Creek with the left resting on the Chickahominy, and the right on the Mechan- icsville and New Castle road, they awaited the rebel attack. Against vastly superior numbers they held their ground, hurled back with fearful slaughter the most desperate and reckless assaults, and at night rested upon the field of their glory. In this battle the Third supported Kern's Battery, and at dark was hotly engaged, relieving the exhausted troops in front whose ammunition was spent, and dealing destruction upon the confused and now broken masses of the enemy. At two o'clock on the following morning the regiment was relieved, and withdrawn from the field under a heavy fire by which it suffered some loss.


611


BATTLE OF GAINES' MILL.


1862


Finding it impossible to carry the position by direct assault, the enemy during the night made a flank movement far to the right, and by his great superiority in numbers upon that wing, rendered the position untenable. Consequently the division fell back to Gaines' Mill, where Porter's Corps was drawn up to re- sist the enemy's further advance. The division was held in reserve at the opening of the battle, but the crushing force of the enemy's attack soon broke the first line, and for two hours the Third was left to bear the brunt of his fierce assaults, successfully holding him in check until its ammunition becoming exhausted it was relieved by the Eleventh Reserve and Fourth New Jersey. The conduct of the Third in this battle was highly praised by General Meade upon the field. Its loss in killed, wounded and missing was one hundred. Colonel Sickel had a horse killed under him. That night the wearied men who had fought for two days, many of them without food, threw themselves upon the ground and sank to rest, with cartridge boxes still strapped in place and muskets in hand. But they had short time for sleep. At two on the following morning they were aroused and were withdrawn across the Chickahominy.


As early as the 18th of June General M'Clellan had decided to change his base of operations from White House on the Pamunky, to Harrison's Landing on the James. The enemy being doubtless apprised of this purpose, deter- mined to assume the offensive, and before the immense quantity of stores ac- cumulated in depot could be removed, or the right wing withdrawn and joined with the main body, he attacked with great violence at Mechanicsville, and forced M'Clellan to fight the battle of Gaines' Mill to save the material of his army. When the shattered right had joined the main column, and the march towards the James had commenced, it became a cherished purpose of the enemy to break in upon the army, stretched out upon the march, at every vulnerable point.


During the day of the 28th, the Reserves remained in an open field exposed to a broiling sun, and were, consequently, little refreshed. At nine o'clock that night they moved off towards White Oak Creek, taking with them the Reserve artillery consisting of thirteen batteries, which, with their own trains, extended several miles. - At daylight on the 29th they reached Savage Station, on the Richmond and York River railroad, where were met hundreds of wagons and ambulances almost choking the roads and covering the fields for miles around. Here they found a large number of wounded of the preceding battles, and among them their own, who were subsequently taken prisoners. To these they brought water and freely distributed their money. Moving on they passed over the ground where, later in the day, the enemy was signally repulsed by the troops under General Sumner. At noon they crossed White Oak Creek bridge, which the rear guard under General French destroyed on the following morning, and where the enemy was again gallantly repulsed.


Near this point the regiment halted until four o'clock, when the Reserves moved to the Charles City Cross Roads, to cover the Turkey Bridge Road leading to the James River, along which the trains moved all night with the utmost possible celerity. After dark they arrived and took position on Nelson's farm. Their position here was very critical, the enemy being in force near by and confidently anticipating their capture. The line was formed with the artil- lery in front, Randall's Regular Battery on the right, Cooper's and Kern's oppo- site the centre, and Deitrick's and Kennerheim's on the left. Longstreet and Hill, accompanied by Lee and Jefferson Davis, had hastened forward to gain


612


THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT-THIRD RESERVE.


1862


this point before M'Clellan's retiring columns could pass it, in order that they might fall upon the unprotected flank of the army and effect its destruction. But when arrived they found themselves confronted by a line of battle, and did not dare to attack until their forces were concentrated, which was not ac- complished until afternoon.


At eleven A. M. the Third was posted on picket duty towards Richmond, and at about half past two the cnemy's advance drove in the cavalry outposts, when it was ordered to retire and take its position in line, the Second Brigade holding the right. Now commenced one of the most desperate actions of the Peninsula campaign, the enemy being determined to force the line and capture the right wing and the immense trains then moving to the left. Opening with a heavy fire of shell upon the centre, he sent forward a regiment to feel the line which fell upon the Third and was received by it at fifty paces with a wither- ing fire of musketry. Still it continued to advance in the face of a perfect sheet of fiame, but finally broke and fled leaving two-thirds of its number upon the field. It was the Ninth Virginia Infantry .* The whole line soon after became engaged, and the Third performed nobly its part, until one of those unfortunate mistakes of war occurred which has so often marred the operations of armies. A supporting regiment, in the smoke of battle, mistaking the Third for the enemy, opened fire upon its ranks, throwing them into disorder and causing them to break; but they took with them seven prisoners whom they had captured, the well merited evidence of their valor. The men did not, however, leave the field, but rallying they again returned to the conflict. At eleven o'clock at night the division was withdrawn from the field, and marched to Malvern Hill. The loss in killed, wounded and missing was eighty-six. General Meade being wounded, Colonel Sickel succeeded to the command of the brigade and Lieutenant Colonel William S. Thompson to the command of the regiment.


In the battle which ensued at Malvern Hill on the following day, the enemy was repulsed with great carnage, and withdrew from the contest. The Third, being held in reserve, was not engaged and suffered no loss. On the following day the army withdrew to Harrison's Landing, where supplies awaited it and where it was suffered to enjoy much needed rest. The usual routine of camp followed until the night of the 1st of August, when it was varied by a vigorous shelling from a detachment of the enemy posted on the right bank of the James. His guns were soon silenced, and a detachment of some five hundred Reserves from different regiments, was sent over under Colonel Sickel to occupy the ground and secure the camp against future annoyance.


Offensive operations having been abandoned in this direction, the Army of the Potomac was ordered to evacuate the Peninsula, and re-inforce the Army of Virginia, under Pope. Accordingly the baggage and knapsacks of the Re- serves were sent to Washington, and with nothing but their muskets and car- tridge boxes they embarked upon transports, and were taken to Acquia Land- ing. Arriving on the morning of the 13th, the Third was transferred to cars and moved to Falmouth, where the men occupied tents left standing by


* EXTRACT FROM GENERAL M'CALL'S REPORT. *


*


* About half past two o'clock P. M., my pickcts, after skirmishing, were driven in by a strong advance, but without. loss on our side. At three o'clock the enemy sent forward a regiment on my left eentre, and immediately afterwards another on my right centre, to feel for a weak point They were under cover of a shower of shell, and advanced boldly, but were both driven back, the former by the Third Regiment, Coloncl Sickel, and the latter by the Seventh Regiment Colonel Harvey .- Moore's Rebellion Record, page 667, Docs., Vol., Comp.


613


SECOND BULL RUN.


1862


troops that had preceded them. Remaining here until the 21st, the regiment marched to Rappahannock Station, where it joined the Army of Virginia, the Reserves being the first troops to report from the Peninsula. On the 24th, the regiment moved to Warrenton, where it was formed in line of battle and en- camped, remaining until the 26th without being engaged.


The Reserves, for some days, had been on a short allowance of provisions, the men subsisting principally upon green corn; but on the 26th, three days' rations were issued, the last that they received until after the battle of Bull Run. On the 27th the regiment marched through Warrenton and bivouacked that night near Buckland's Mill. On the following morning, at three o'clock, it was again in motion, and upon arriving at Gainesville, the column was brought to a halt by a battery of the enemy, posted on an elevation in front. The column was quickly deployed and skirmishers advanced; but Cooper, with his rifled guns, soon got the range of the assailants, when a few well directed shots caused them to withdraw with remarkable celerity. Resuming the march, the column moved across the country towards Manassas Junction. Late in the afternoon, it having been ascertained that the enemy had removed from Manassas, the division marched to the left, on the Sudley Spring road. Soon a heavy cannonading was heard that grew into the thunder of a desperate battle. As the column hurried on, the sound of the musketry fire became distinct, the flashes of the guns were visible, and the mingled voices of the combatants were distinctly heard. But the division arrived too late to participate in the battle which had been fought between the forces of King and Stonewall Jackson, and after a march of cighteen hours, a distance of twenty-eight miles, many of the men without a morsel to eat, they stretched their wearied limbs upon the ground to rest.


Early on the following morning, the 29th, the division was formed and moved to meet the enemy. After marching some distance it emerged from a piece of woods into an open plain, where was drawn up a vast mass of troops. Soon it was ordered back, and then commenced a series of marches and coun- ter-marches through the hot sun and under a never-ceasing fire of shot and shell, until late in the afternoon, without having occasion to fire a shot. Al- though the object of this day's fighting was to crush a divided foe, up to four o'clock only severe skirmishing had occurred, Pope awaiting the arrival of Fitz John Porter. At this hour a general attack was opened upon the enemy posted behind an old railroad embankment. So vigorous was it that the whole left of his line was doubled back towards his centre, and the field, with his dead and wounded, remained in our hands. The Third acted as a reserve, but suffered considerable loss.


The men slept on their arms that night and the next morning were in mo- tion by daybreak, moving far to the right. Up to two o'clock everything was remarkably quiet, when the Third was moved forward to support the Second and Bucktails, acting as skirmishers, and lying upon the edge of a wood from which they had driven the enemy. It being desirable to ascertain his strength in their front, the line was advanced some distance over the field and into the wood beyond, when a heavy column was discovered to the left, which caused them to be ordered back to their former position. Soon after, it being ascertained that the enemy was attempting to turn the left flank, the skirmishers were withdrawn and the division took position on Hall's Hill. The battle now opened in earnest, and soon after, the First and Second Reserve Brigades were moved




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