History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 81

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 81

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In pursuance of this recommendation of the Gov-

ernor a bill was introduced on the 2d of May, and became a law on the 15th, having among its pro- visions one authorizing and directing the commander- in-chief to raise and organize a military force, to be I called the "Reserve Volunteer Corps of the Com- monwealth," to be composed of thirteen regiments of infantry, one of cavalry, and one of light artillery ; to be enlisted in the service of the State for the term of three years, or during the continuance of the war, unless sooner discharged, and to be liable to be called into service at the discretion of the commander-in- chief for the purpose of suppressing insurrection or repelling invasion, and, further, to be liable to be mustered into the service of the United States under requisition made by the President on the State of Penn- sylvania. The regiments and companies composing the corps so authorized were entitled to elect, and the Governor was directed to commission, officers similar in rank and equal in number to those allowed to troops in the United States army.

The corps formed under the provisions of this act was quickly and easily recruited, for the enthusiasm and desire to enlist in its ranks was general in every part of the State. The camps of instruction were four in number,-one at Easton, one at West Chester, one at Pittsburgh, and one at Harrisburg. The exigency foreseen by Governor Curtin having arisen, orders were received (July 19th) from the Secretary of War directing all the regiments, excepting the Fifth and Thirteenth,1 of the Reserves to be assembled at Har- risburg, and there, immediately after the disastrous battle of Bull Run, they were mustered into the United States service. From Harrisburg, "moving rapidly to the points designated by the commander of the national army, the several regiments remained on duty until all danger from a sudden incursion of the enemy was passed," when all of them were rendez- voused at Tenallytown, Md., in the immediate vi- cinity of the District of Columbia. There they were formed into three brigades, composing one division, under command of Maj .- Gen. George A. McCall. This was the far-famed division of the Pennsylvania Re- serves, which, after the requisite tour of drill and discipline at Tenallytown, moved into Virginia with the forces of Gen. McClellan, and afterwards won im- perishable renown on nearly all the principal battle- fields of the Army of the Potomac.

Eighth Reserve Regiment .- The Eighth Reserve, or Thirty-seventh Regiment of Pennsylvania (en- listed for three years' service), was composed of com- panies raised in the counties of Washington, Fayette, Allegheny, Greene, Armstrong, Butler, and Clarion, all or nearly all of which had been raised for the three months' service, but had failed to secure accept- ance by the government for that term. One of its companies ("K," previously called the "Hopkins

1 These two regiments were already in the field iu the vicinity of Cumberland, Md.

Thomas Morgan.

William Woodward.

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Infantry," and commanded by Capt. Alexander Wishart) was recruited in Washington County.

The rendezvous of the Eighth was at " Camp Wil- kins," Pittsburgh, to which camp the companies were ordered early in June, 1861, and on the 28th of the same month the regiment was formally organized, under the following-named field-officers, viz. : Colonel, George S. Hays, M.D., of Allegheny County ; Lieut- tenant-Colonel, S. Duncan Oliphant, of Fayette ; Ma- jor, John W. Duncan; Adjutant, Henry W. Patter- son.

On the 20th of July the regiment left for Washing- ton, D. C., by way of Harrisburg and Baltimore. Receiving equipments at the former place, and tents at the latter, it arrived at Washington on the 23d, and ' by a strong detachment of Confederate cavalry under encamped at Meridian Hill. On the 2d of August it ! Fitzhugh Lee, who was then on his way towards the Pamunkey for that purpose. moved thence to Tenallytown, Md., where it en- camped with other regiments of the Reserve Division From White House the Eighth marched with the division by way of Baltimore Cross-Roads to join the Army of the Potomac in the vicinity of Gaines' Mill. Thence the division was moved to the extreme right, where it took position at Mechanicsville and along the line of Beaver Dam Creek. under Maj .- Gen. George A. McCall. The Eighth, to- gether with the First Reserve, Col. R. Biddle Roberts; the Second, Col. William B. Mann; and the Fifth, Col. Seneca G. Simmons, formed the First Brigade, under command of Brig .- Gen. John F. Reynolds.

The regiment remained at Tenallytown about two months, a period which was passed in camp routine, picket duty, and frequent alarms along the line of the Potomac, and on the 9th of October moved with its brigade and division across that historic stream, and took position in the line of the Army of the Potomac at Langley, Va., at which place the Reserve Corps made its winter-quarters. In the battle of Dranes- ville, which was fought on the 10th of December by the Third Brigade (Gen. Ord's) of the Reserves, neither the Eighth Regiment nor any part of Rey- nolds' brigade took part, being absent on a reconnois- sance to Difficult Creek.

On the 10th of March, 1862, the Eighth, with the entire division, moved from the winter-quarters at Camp Pierrepont (Langley) to Hunter's Mills, Va., with the expectation of joining in a general advance of the army on the Confederate position at Manassas. But it was found that the enemy had evacuated his line of defenses and retired towards Gordonsvillle, and thereupon the plan of the campaign was changed by the commanding general, McClellan, and the Re- serve regiments were ordered back to the Potomac. On the 12th the retrograde march was commenced, and continued through mud, darkness, and a deluge of rain to Alexandria, where it was expected that the division would embark with the rest of the Army of the Potomac for the Peninsula; but this was not the case. The division of McCall was assigned to duty with the First Corps, under Gen. MeDowell, which, with the exception of Franklin's division, was held between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers for the protection of the city of Washington.

From Alexandria, the Eighth with its brigade marched back to Manassas, thence to Warrenton Junction, to Falmouth, and (May 24th) across the

Rappahannock to Fredericksburg, of which place Gen. Reynolds was appointed military governor. An advance from Fredericksburg along the line of the railroad towards Richmond was intended, but this was found to be inexpedient, and as Gen. McClellan was calling urgently for reinforcements in the Peninsula, Reynolds' brigade was recalled from its advanced po- sition on the railroad ; the entire division was marched to Gray's Landing, and there embarked for White House, on the Pamunkey River, where it arrived on the 11th of June. There had been a vast quantity of stores collected at White House for the use of the army on the Chickahominy, and the timely arrival of the Reserves prevented the destruction of these stores

On Thursday, the 26th of June, was fought the bat- tle of Mechanicsville, the first of that series of bloody engagements known collectively as the Seven Days' Fight, and also (with the exception of the severe skirmish at Dranesville in the previous December) the first engagement in which the Pennsylvania Re- serves took part. In this battle the Eighth (having in the morning of that day relieved the Second) occu- pied the left of its brigade line, and about the centre of the line holding the bank of Beaver Dam Creek. The First Reserve Regiment was on its right. On a crest of ground northeast of the creek was posted Easton's Battery. At the margin of the swamp which skirts the creek the Eighth was deployed, Companies A, D, F, and I being thrown forward as skirmishers under command of Lieut .- Col. Oliphant. The battle commenced at about three o'clock in the afternoon, the Georgia and Louisiana troops of the enemy wad- ing the stream and rushing forward to the attack. " A brief artillery contest, in which the shells burst in rapid succession in the very midst of the infantry, was followed by the advance of the rebel columns, and the battle became general. A charge of the enemy below the swamp, with the design of capturing Eas- ton's Battery, caused the skirmishers to be recalled, and the regiment moved to its support. But the enemy being repulsed by other troops it returned to its former position. Three times the close columns of the enemy charged down the opposite slope with determined valor, but were as often repulsed and driven back. At night the men rested upon the ground where they had fought. The dead were col- lected, wrapped in their blankets, and consigned to the earth, and the wounded were sent to the rear. The loss of the regiment in killed, wounded, and missing was nearly one hundred. Company F being

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upon the skirmish line, and not comprehending the order to withdraw, remained at its post, and fell into the hands of the enemy."

At daylight in the morning of the 27th of June the Eighth, with its companion regiments of the Reserve Corps, was withdrawn from the battle-ground of the previous day, and moved down, parallel with the Chickahominy, some two or three miles, to Gaines' Mill, where Gen. Fitz John Porter's corps (of which the Reserves formed a part) was placed in line of battle for the renewed conflict which was inevitable. Butterfield's brigade occupied the extreme left, Sykes' division of regulars the right, and McCall's Pennsyl- vanians were placed in the second line. Approaching them were the Confederate commands of Gens. A. P. Hill, Longstreet, D. H. Hill, and the redoubtable "Stonewall" Jackson, in all more than fifty thousand men, against half that number on the Union side. The battle opened by a furious attack on the regulars composing Porter's right. These, after having re- pulsed the enemy in his first attack, finally gave way before a renewed assault. The Eighth Reserve, in the second line, was posted where a road was cut through rising ground, and the excavation afforded some shel- ter, but the regiment suffered quite severely from the shells of the enemy, which were directed at a battery which it was posted to support. The battle raged furiously during all the afternoon. At about five o'clock the enemy advanced in heavy masses from the woods, and the Eighth Reserve, with the Second Regulars, were advanced to meet the assault in their front. The hostile line recoiled before them, and was swept back to the woods, but they rallied in superior numbers, and the two regiments were in turn driven back, with a loss to the Eighth of twenty-four in killed and wounded. During the battle the heroic Reynolds, the brigade commander, was taken pris- oner by the enemy.

mysterious flank movement was about to be executed which would surely and swiftly result in the capture of Richmond. No such assurance, however, could conceal from the intelligent men who formed the Army of the Potomac that their backs and not their faces were now turned towards the Confederate cap- ital, and that the much-vaunted "change of base" was made from necessity rather than choice.

During all the day succeeding the battle (Saturday, June 28th) the Eighth lay at Savage Station, on the York River Railroad. On Sunday it moved with the other regiments to and across White Oak Swamp, and at about sunset came to the vicinity of Charles City Cross-Roads, where on the following day a fierce battle was fought, in which the Eighth took gallant part. The first assault of the enemy was received at about one o'clock in the afternoon. "In the forma- tion of the line the First Brigade was held in re- serve, but as the struggle became desperate the Eighth was ordered in. Its position fell opposite the Sixth Georgia, which was upon the point of charging, when Gen. McCall gave the order for the Eighth to charge upon it, and Col. Hays leading the way with a shout that rang out above the deafening roar of the conflict, it dashed forward, scattering the Georgians and driving them beyond the marsh in front. A few prisoners were taken. Later the enemy pressed heavily upon that part of the field, and the line was forced back, the Eighth gradually retiring until it reached a new line which had been established, where it remained till darkness put an end to the conflict." The loss to the regiment at Charles City Cross-Roads was sixteen killed and fourteen severely and many others slightly wounded.

In the terrific battle of Malvern Hill, which was fought in the afternoon of the following day, the Eighth, being held with the division in reserve, did not become engaged. The battle was opened at The day of Gaines' Mill closed in blood and defeat to the Union forces, and during the night the shat- tered Pennsylvania Reserves, with the other troops, succeeded in crossing the Chickahominy and destroy- ing the bridges behind them, though two bridges farther down the stream (Bottom's and Long Bridges) still remained, and it was not long after sunrise on Saturday morning when the Confederate force under the indomitable Jackson was massed at the upper one of these and making preparations to cross to the south side. Other hostile forces were also advancing about four o'clock P.M., and from that time until darkness closed, the roar of musketry, the crash of artillery, and the howling of canister was unintermit- ting. Finally the carnage ceased, and the men of the North lay down on the field (as they supposed) of victory. But at about midnight orders were re- ceived to fall in for a march, and the Pennsylvania Reserves, with other commands of the Army of the Potomac, moved silently down the hill and away on the road to Berkeley (or Harrison's Landing), where they arrived and encamped on July 2d. The loss of directly on Mcclellan's left wing, and in view of this | the Eighth Reserve Regiment in killed, wounded, -

rather alarming situation of affairs, the general had, and missing during the Seven Days' battles was two hundred and thirty. as early as Friday evening, decided on a retreat by the whole army to James River, where a base of sup- After a dreary stay of more than a month at Har- rison's Landing, the Eighth was embarked on the 11th of August, and with the other Reserve regiments proceeded to Acquia Creek, on the Potomac, under orders to reinforce Gen. Pope. The division (except the Second Regiment) was moved to the vicinity of plies could be held, and communication on the river kept open by the co-operation of the Union gunboats. The troops were informed of the proposed change by an apparently triumphant announcement (intended merely to encourage the soldiers and lighten in some degree the gloom of the great disaster) that a new and . Kelly's Ford, and there joined to the Third Corps,

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under Gen. McDowell. In the engagements of the 29th and 30th of August the regiment took part, losing five killed, seventeen wounded, and about thirty missing, out of a total strength of about one hundred effective men with which it entered the campaign.

again ordered to the front, and rejoining the Army of the Potomac moved forward with Gen. Grant into the Wilderness. It left Alexandria on the 19th of April, proceeded to Bristow Station, and thence on the 29th marched to Culpeper Court-House. On the 4th of May it crossed the Rapidan, and on the 5th was once Immediately after the close of Pope's disastrous 1 more engaged with the enemy, losing six killed and campaign the Reserve division moved with the army , twenty-seven wounded. On the 8th it moved to into Maryland and fought at South Mountain and Spottsylvania, and in the series of conflicts which continued until the 15th it was almost constantly under fire, and behaved with its accustomed steadi- ness, though its loss during that time was but three killed and sixteen wounded. Its three years' term of service having now expired, an order of the War Department was received on the 17th of May reliev- ing it from duty at the front, directing the transfer of its recruits and re-enlisted veterans to the One Hun- dred and Ninety-first Regiment, and the mustering out of its other men and officers. Under this order those whose terms had expired proceeded to Wash- ington, and thence to Pittsburgh, where the remnant of the Eighth Reserve Regiment was mustered out of service. Antietam. In the former battle the Eighth lost seventeen killed and thirty-seven wounded, and in the latter twelve killed and forty-three wounded. In this battle (Antietam) the Reserves, being in the corps of Hooker, moved across the creek with that fighting general in the afternoon of September 16th and opened the fight, the position of that corps being on the right of the army. On the following morning the battle opened early, and the First Brigade moved forward, passed through a small wood, and formed line in a large cornfield beyond. The Eighth was ordered into a grove to the left, to dislodge a body of the enemy who had sheltered themselves there, and were engaged in picking off the Union artillerymen. This duty was well and gallantly performed. "The Following is a list of the officers and enlisted men of the Washington County company of the Eighth : grove was soon cleared, and from it a steady and effective fire at close range was delivered upon the rebel line concealed in the cornfield. For four hours COMPANY K. the battle raged with unabated fury and with varying success, when the Reserves were relieved by fresh Alexander Wishart, capt., must. in June 22, 1861; wounded at Gaines' Mill June 27, 1862; res. Sept. 10, 1862. troops." On the following day the enemy commenced Samuel S. Bulford, capt., must. in June 22, 1861 ; pro. to Ist lieut. July 24, 1861 ; to capt. March 1, 1863; must. out with company May 24, 1864. his retreat to the Potomac, covering his design by the feint of bringing in fresh troops from the direction of Harper's Ferry.

At the battle of Fredericksburg, Va., on the 13th of December, 1862, the Eighth again fought with the greatest gallantry, and experienced a heavier loss than on any previous field. In the crossing of the Rappahannock the Reserves covered the laying of the pontoons for the passage of Gen. Franklin's grand division, and after the crossing they were selected to make the first attack on that part of the field. "In the heroic advance of this small division in the face of the concentrated fire of the enemy's intrenched line, in scaling the heights, and in break- ing and scattering his well-posted force, the Eighth bore a conspicuous and most gallant part. Never before had it been subjected to so terrible an ordeal, and when after being repulsed and driven back by overwhelming numbers it again stood in rank beyond the reach of the enemy's guns, scarcely half its num- bers were there. Twenty-eight lay dead upon that devoted field, eighty-six were wounded, and twenty- two were captured."

Alexander Hart, 1st lieut., must. in June 22, 1861; pro. from sergt. to Ist sergt. ; to 1st lieut. March 1, 1863; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

Thomas Foster, 2d lieut., must. in June 22, 1861; res. Dec. 31, 1862.

A. S. Eagleson, pro. from sergt. to 2d lieut. March 1, 1863 ; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

Peter Kennedy, Ist sergt., must. in June 22, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. Nov. 24, 1862.

Nelson R. McNeal, 1st sergt., must. in June 22, 1861; pro. to 1st sergt .; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

R. John McIlwaine, sergt., must. in June 22, 1861 ; wounded at Bull Run Aug. 28, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. Nov. 29, 1862.

James S. Denison, sergt., must. in June 25, 1861 ; pro. to sergt. ; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

M. L. A. McCracken, sergt., must. in June 23, 1861 ; pro. from corp .; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

Hugh Gettiens, sergt., must. in June 22, 1861 ; pro. to corp .; to sergt .; detailed as provost-guard, Philadelphia; absent at muster out.

Hugh Moore, corp., must. in June 23, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 18, 1862.

Andrew J. Luellan, corp., must. in June 22, 1861 ; disch. at Camp Pier- pont, Va., June 29, 1862.

Theodore J. Dye, corp., must. in June 22, 1861 ; killed at Antietam Sept. 17,1862.

Daniel Day, corp., must. in July 26, 1861 ; disch. ou surg. certif. Jan. 30, 1863.

William Loafman, corp., must. in June 22, 1861 ; died Sept. 24, 1862, of wounds received at South Mountain Sept. 14, 1862.

John M. Griffith, corp., must. in March 25, 1862; trans. 191st Regt. P. V. May 15, 1864.

Peter McCreary, corp., must. in July 16, 1861 ; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

Thomas M. Steep, corp., must. in July 22, 1861 ; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

John M. Oliver, corp., must. in June 22, 1861; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

Early in February, 1863, the Reserve regiments were ordered to the defenses of Washington to rest and to receive recruits, which were being sent forward from Pennsylvania to fill their decimated ranks. There the Eighth remained until the open- ing of the spring campaign of 1864, when it was

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Privates.

Al. W. Anderson, must. in June 22, 1861 ; died Dec. 17, 1862, of wounds received at Fredericksburg Dec. 13, 1862.

David Bambarger, must. in July 9, 1861 ; wounded at Wilderness May 6, 1864 ; absent at muster out.

William Burk, must. in June 22, 1861; disch. on Burg. certif. July 12, 1862.

James D. Brownlee, must. in June 22, 1861; wounded Dec. 14, 1862; disch. on surg. certif. Jan. 15, 1863.

Jas. L. Boardman, must. in June 22, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 16, 1862.

George W. Brice, must. in June 22, 1861; disch. by sentence G. C. M. July 27, 1863.

William Barnes, must. in Feb. 3, 1864; trans. to 191st Regt. P. V. May 15, 1864.

John Brotherton, must. in Sept. 10, 1862; trans. to 191st Regt. P. V. May 15, 1864.

Jobn Bulford, must. in Oct. 5, 1862 ; trans. to 191st Regt. P. V. May 15, 1804.

William H. Barnet, must. in Feb. 22, 1862 ; killed at Gaines' Mill June 27, 1862.

Dennis Butler, must. in June 22, 1861; killed at Wilderness May 6, 1864. John L. Butts, must. in July 21, 1861.

William Conley, must. in June 25, 1861 ; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

Ezekiel Clark, must. in June 22, 1861 ; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

Samuel A. Davis, must. in June 22, 1861 ; disch, date unknown.

Andrew Daly, must. in June 22, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. Feb. 14, 1863.

George M. Davis, must. in June 25, 1861 ; trans. to 5th U. S. Cav. Nov. 1,1862.

Samuel Dickinson, must. in April 13, 1864; trans. to 191st Regt. P. V. May 15, 1864.

George W. Dye, must. in June 22, 1861; died Sept. 1, 1861 ; buried in Military Asylum Cemetery, D. C.

Sylvester S. Durbin, must. in May 8, 1861; killed at Fredericksburg Dec. 13, 1862.

James M. Evans, must. in June 22, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Feb. 13, 1863.

Samuel Eckels, must. in June 22, 1861; died at Alexandria, Va., Aug. 29, 1863.

James Eckels, must. in Jan. 27, 1864; killed at Wilderness May 6, 1864. George W. Freeby, must. in June 22, 1861; died at Georgetown, D. C., Aug. 30, 1861.

Andrew D. French, must. in July 9, 1861; killed at Fredericksburg Dec. 13, 1862.

John W. Greer, must. in June 25, 1861 ; must, out with company May 24, 1864.

David Gilmore, must. in June 22, 1861 ; wounded at Charles City Cross- Roads June 30, 1862; disch. on surg. certif. Sept. 22, 1862.

Andrew Harshman, must. in June 22, 1861; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

Christian Hornish, must. in July 9, 1861; disch. on surg. certif, April 3, 1862.

Henry A. Herrick, must. in July 22, 1861 ; disch. on surg. certif. Aug. 23, 1862.

William Hart, must. in Sept. 3, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. June 17, 1862.

William Immel, must. in July 10, 1861; died Nov. 29, 1861; buried in Military Asylum Cemetery, D. C.

William H. H. Link, must. in June 22, 1861; trans. to 191st Regt. P. V. May 15, 1864 ; veteran.

Joseph M. Lennon, must. in June 22, 1861; trans. to 191st Regt. P. V. May 15, 1864 ; veteran.

Antonio Morales, must. in June 22, 1861 ; must. out with company May 24, 1864.

George W. Martin, must. in June 22, 1861; absent, sick, at must. out.

George V. Miller, must. in July 8, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. Aug. 20, 1861.

William M. Middleton, must. in June 22, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. Feb. 22, 1863.

Joseph McCreary, must. in July 26, 1861 ; disch, on surg. certif. Aug. 20, 1861.

James Mc Veehill, must. in June 22, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. July 21, 1862.

Robert McMillen, must. in June 22, 1861 ; wounded at Antietam Sept. 17, 1862 ; disch. on surg. certif. March 11, 1863.

M. T. McFarland, must. in Oct. 1, 1861; trans. to 191st Regt. P. V. May 15, 1864; veteran.

Thomas H. Marshall, must. in June 22, 1861 ; killed at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862.

James D. McMillen, must. in June 22, 1861 ; killed at Charles City Cross- Roads June 30, 1862.

L. E. Ozenbaugh, must. in June 22, 1861 ; killed at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 81

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216