History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 79

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 79

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).

It was, however, late in the

Confederates Withdraw.

afternoon before this could be effected, and not until night had fallen did Stuart deem it prudent to withdraw from Kilpat- rick, who still maintained his threatening position in front of Hanover. Kilpatrick showed no disposition to hinder Stuart's withdrawal, or to pursue him on the follow- ing day. He had been roughly handled during the short engagement at Hanover, and himself acknowledged an aggregate loss of 197. He moved as far northward on the next day as Abbottstown, and sent a de- tachment, under Lieutenant Colonel A. J. Alexander, which followed Stuart's trail as far as Rossville, but neither of these move- ments came within Stuart's observation.

During the night march to Jeffer-

A son, the wagons and prisoners Night were a serious hindrance. Nearly March. four hundred prisoners had ac- cumulated since the parole at Cooksville. Many of these were loaded in the wagons ; some of them acted as drivers. The mules were starving for food and water, and often became unmanageable. Not infrequently a large part of the train would halt in the road because a driver toward the front had fallen asleep and al- lowed his team to stop. The train guard became careless through excessive fatigue, and it required the utmost exertions of every officer on Stuart's staff to keep the train in motion. The march was continued

436

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

through the entire night, turning north- Hampton states that after some skirmish- ward near Jefferson. When Fitz Lee reached the turnpike leading from York to Gettysburg he learned that Early had re- traced his steps, and had marched west- ward. The best information which Stuart could obtain seemed to indicate that the Confederate army was concentrating in the vicinity of Shippensburg.

From

After a short rest at Dover, on the morning of the Ist of July, Stuart pressed on toward Carlisle,

ing the enemy attempted a charge, which was met in front by the Cobb Legion, and on either flank by the Phillips Legion and the Second North Carolina Cavalry, and that the enemy was driven back to the sup- port of his dismounted men and artillery. He held the field until the next morning, when he found that the enemy had retired, leaving in Hunterstown some of his wounded officers and men. Lieutenant Colonel W. G. Deloney was wounded in this affair and the Cobb Legion suffered other severe losses.

Dover to hoping there to obtain provisions Carlisle. for his troops, and definite infor- mation concerning the army. When the scouts reported to From Dover he sent Major A. R. Venable, Kilpatrick's Kilpatrick that Stuart was of his staff, on the trail of Early's troops, Orders. moving eastward, he did not prepare to follow, because of his orders from Meade to keep in touch with the army headquarters at Taneytown. When Kilpatrick left Frederick he was in- structed to keep Stuart, if he met him, to the right, while Gregg was moving eastward toward Hanover Junction. At this time Gregg, with the Second Division of cavalry, and at a later hour of the day Captain Henry Lee, of Fitz Lee's staff, was sent toward Gettysburg on a similar errand. Stuart had reached Carlisle before either of these officers could return with a report. He found the town in the possession of the enemy. When the Confederate infantry had withdrawn from it, General W. F. Smith had occupied the town with two was near Manchester, twelve miles south of brigades of militia, supported by artillery Hanover. Sedgwick, with the Sixth Army and a small force of cavalry. General Smith was summoned to surrender, but re- fused. While preparing to enforce his de- mand Stuart received, through Major Ven- able and Captain Lee, orders to move at once for Gettysburg. Hampton's brigade, then in charge of the wagon train, had brought up the rear from Dover, and had not yet reached Dillsburg, at which place he was met and turned southward, through York Springs, with orders to proceed ten miles on the road toward Gettysburg before halting.

Corps, numbering sixteen thousand men, was near Westminster moving eastward. Sykes, with the Fifth Army Corps, number- ing 15,400 men, was on the way toward Union Mills, with Hanover as his desti- nation. Kilpatrick was in communication with the Twelfth Corps, under Slocum, then at Littlestown, while the Eleventh Corps, under Howard, was a short distance to the west. Stuart had no other direction to take than to move eastward, for his scouts had conveyed to him the news that Gregg's cavalry was a few miles away to the south- Ivest.

After burning the barracks Marches to Gettysburg. and throwing a few shells into Fifth General Barnes, commanding the At four o'clock in the afternoon, Corps First Division of the Fifth Army the outskirts of Carlisle, from which a constant fire of mus- ketry had been maintained, Stuart with- Arrives. Corps, arrived from Union Mills, over the same road that Stuart drew from the town and proceeded in the same direction. Hampton reached Hun- had passed the day before. He was closely terstown on the morning of the 2d of July, followed by the Second Division, under and was ordered to move thence to take General Ayres. The Third Division, under position on the left of the Confederate in- General Crawford, commanding the Penn- sylvania Reserves, brought up the rear. The entire corps made preparations to fantry at Gettysburg. Before this move- ment was completed he received infor- mation of the advance of Kilpatrick's di- bivouac for the night in the fields and vision upon Hunterstown, and was directed meadows southwest of Hanover. Nineteen by Stuart to return and meet it. General beeves had been slain on the Sell and Keller

437

BATTLE OF HANOVER

farms in preparation of a bountiful supper for the hungry men. Kettles, pots and skil- lets had been placed over open fires, with coffee and meat, which was cooking for the evening meal, when a dispatch bearer from Meade, at Taneytown, ordered General Sykes to move at once toward Gettysburg. The Fifth Corps had previously been com- manded by General Meade, who was 110W the head of the Potomac Army, preparing to move his headquarters from Taneytown to Gettysburg, where the battle had been opened by the First and Eleventh Corps, on July I. When the courier arrived, he found General Sykes, with his division command- ers, Barnes, Ayres and Crawford, and six of home of Henry Sell, one mile west of Han- over on the Littlestown road.

their aides seated at the supper table, at the. for the telegraph line had been cut by the

General Sykes received the dispatch, read it aloud to his officers, who immediately went to their divisions, and ordered the bugles to be sounded for the night march toward Gettysburg. The provisions were still cooking when the men were formed in line and moved toward Gettysburg. The following two days this corps took a prominent part in the great battle.

General Gregg, who commanded the noon of July I, but I moved northwestward Second Division of Union Cavalry in the Gettysburg campaign, resided in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1906, when he gave the fol- lowing report of his movements on June 30 to July 3, 1863 :

My division arrived at Westminster only a few hours after General Stuart's Confed- erate cavalry had passed through on the way to Hanover. I arrived with my divi- sion at Manchester on the 30th and was there while General Stuart and General Kilpatrick were engaged in a sharp conflict at Hanover, but at that time I knew nothing about this fight, although I was expecting that I might come in contact with Stuart myself at any hour that day.

At Manchester I received orders

Gregg's to move eastward to Hanover Cavalry. Junction and protect Baltimore. If Baltimore was not threatened by the enemy I was to proceed with my division to York. I arrived at the Junction on the morning of July I, the day the battle of Gettysburg opened. I had three brigades, then commanded by General Mc- Intosh, General Irwin Gregg, who was my

cousin, and Colonel Huey. I ordered Colonel Huey back to Manchester to guard my baggage train. I passed from Man- chester across York County to Hanover Junction on a forced march, and arrived there shortly after General Stuart and his brigade commanders, Hampton, Lee and Chambliss, had held a conference in the farm house of John A. Zeigler, not far away. The station house at the Junction and the railroad bridges nearby had all been burned by Colonel White's Virginia cavalry, sent there by General Early on June 27, on his way to York.

While at Hanover Junction I was unable to communicate with York or Baltimore, enemy, but received two messages by couriers from General Meade, whose head- quarters were then at Taneytown, Mary- land. One of these messages ordered me to move toward Baltimore, which move- ment I began to make when the second message directed me to proceed with all possible haste toward Gettysburg, where the opposing armies were concentrating and where fighting had already begun.

I expected to reach York on the after-

from the Junction through Jefferson to Hanover. It was midnight when we passed down through York Street. It was full moon and the moving shadows of our horses could be seen on the streets. We halted from 12 o'clock midnight to 3 A. M. in Center Square at Hanover, and on the leading streets. Many of my soldiers slept on the pavement, for they were tired after two days of hard marching. The citizens of Hanover brought provisions in abund- ance to my hungry men. We received a hearty welcome from every citizen of that town. While I stopped in Hanover with my two brigades, numbering about 3,000 men, I learned definitely of the cavalry en- gagement at Hanover and that General Early had occupied York with a division of Confederate cavalry for two days. After three hours' rest at Hanover, I received an- other message from the commander-in- chief. This was early in the morning of July 2d, and soon afterward we heard the booming of cannon and the rattle of musketry from the battle of Gettysburg.

General Gregg then took up the line of

438

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

march, and in the afternoon of July 3. en- had his horse killed on Baltimore Street gaged Stuart on the Rummel farm, where he defeated his antagonist in the effort to turn the right of the Union line.

General Sedgwick, with the Sixth Corps, resting two miles west of Manchester, at 9 o'clock in the evening of July I, began his rapid march through Taneytown, reaching Gettysburg early the following morning. after performing one of the most rapid movements of an army corps during the whole period of the Civil War.

There were numerous thrilling Thrilling events and hand to hand en- Incidents. counters in single combat on the streets and in the suburbs of the town during the battle. Sergeant Peale, of the Second North Carolina, was wounded in Centre Square and his horse shot under him. When he fell to the pave- ment his skull was injured. While in a dazed condition he was tenderly cared for by Rev. W. K. Zieber. Later he was re- moved to a hospital where the last rites of the Catholic church were administered by the parish priest. His remains were buried in the church yard adjoining Conewago Chapel. The soldier who had been killed early in the morning at Gitt's mill was bur- ied nearby. Six years later his brother came from the south, took up the remains and conveyed them to Virginia. After the contest had ended there were four wounded men lying along the roadside near the home of Karl Forney. One of these was a Union soldier, the others Confederates. When Samuel Reddick, a North Carolina ser- geant, was about to breathe his last, he gave his new testament to a daughter of Mr. Forney. She communicated with his sister, who afterwards sent for the remains of her brother. His body and that of the rest which had been buried along the road- side on the Forney farm were also removed to the south.

near Centre Square. Collins was taken into the home of George W. Welsh and after- wards removed to the hospital on York Street where he died. His leg had nearly been severed from his body by a globular shell fired from one of Hampton's guns on the turnpike near Mount Olivet cemetery. About this time a conical shell passed over the square and severed a limb from the tree which stood in front of the residence of Henry Wirt, on Carlisle Street. Another shell struck the residence of Conrad Moul, on Abbottstown Street. In a hand to hand encounter on the same street near Broad- way a Union soldier, refusing to surrender, was shot by his antagonist and died on the spot. A thrilling encounter took place be- tween two men a short distance farther up Abbottstown Street, and at the same in- stant three men met in mortal combat in the alley adjoining the public school build- ing. One of the saddest incidents of the day was the untimely death of Corporal John Hoffacker of the Eighteenth Pennsyl- vania Regiment. He was shot and in- stantly killed while riding through town when his regiment met the first charge of the enemy. He was a manly fellow and universally popular with his companions. He died while defending his country and flag almost within sight of his birth place. Only two months before he had left his home in West Manheim Township near the Maryland line, to enlist in the army. His remains lie buried with other soldiers in Mount Olivet cemetery.

During the lull in the contest of the after- noon, patriotic citizens carried the wounded into their houses, where they were tenderly cared for. Corporal James McGinley, of the Fifth New York, was seriously wounded and taken to the home of Henry Long on Frederick Street, where he remained for ten days or more. He then returned to his home. Forty-two years passed by, when Corporal McGinley returned again to Han- over, where he met the family and Mr. Long, who was living at the age of 86 years.

Henry Holman, of the First West Vir- ginia, had been seriously wounded when his regiment moved on the enemy west of Bal- timore Street. He was brought to the house of Mrs. Agnes Spangler and his Concert Hall, in Centre Square, U. S. and a small building to the rear Hospital. of York Street, used by the Marion Rifles at the opening of wounds were dressed by Dr. Culbertson on the porch. Holman had been a clown in a circus before the war, and a friend and neighbor of Sergeant Collins of the same the war, were turned into hospitals. One regiment, who was mortally wounded and of the rooms of Flickinger's foundry on

1 1

MAJ. GEN. J. E. B. STUART

Commander of the Confederate forces at the Battle of Hanover

GEN. WADE HAMPTON

Who commanded a Confederate brigade at the Battle of Hanover

GEN. FITZHUGH LEE

In the uniform of a Major-general in the Spanish-American War

439

BATTLE OF HANOVER

York Street, was used for the same purpose. of dead shows one killed in the First Michi- Before the sun had set, sixty or more gan. Battery M, Second United States Ar- tillery, had one man mortally wounded. Major W. B. Darlington reported that the loss in the Eighteenth Pennsylvania was four killed, twenty-seven wounded and fifty missing. wounded soldiers were being cared for by the local physicians, Doctors Smith, Hinkle, Culbertson, Eckert and Alleman. A few days later a United States Hospital was opened by authority of the government. What was then known as Pleasant Hill Major John Hammond, of the Fifth New York, reported two officers and two men killed, twenty-five wounded and ten missing. Hotel on Baltimore Street and used for a private academy, was rented by the govern- ment and all the wounded soldiers trans- The First Vermont, Colonel A. W. Pres- ton, lost one killed and sixteen missing. The commander of the First West Virginia did not specify the loss in his regiment (known to have been one killed and at least five wounded), but summarized the loss of Farnsworth's First Brigade as ten killed and sixty-two wounded, besides many slightly injured. Of the wounded, two died at the hospital, making the Union death roll num- ber thirteen. ferred to this place. About 12,000 wounded men from Gettysburg had been conveyed through Hanover in trains to hospitals at Baltimore, York, Harrisburg and Philadel- phia. About 150 were kept at Hanover. Dr. Gardner, an army surgeon, was placed in charge of the hospital. It was kept open from July 10 until August 15. In reporting the condition of the hospital, on August I, Surgeon Gardner said: "Every desired comfort is furnished in great abundance, The surgeon in charge of the Hanover hospital of the Army of the Potomac made the following official report to the govern- ment of the engagement at Hanover : and every luxury, with which this country abounds in great profusion, is supplied by sympathetic people, and administered to the suffering wounded by devoted women. A heartier response to the calls of humanity, never came from a more generous people than we have witnessed here."

Sergeant J. S. Trowbridge, of the Fifth New York, whose leg was amputated, died at the hospital on July 4. Eber F. Cady, of Company B. Eighteenth Pennsylvania, died August 4, a few hours after his sister had arrived at his bedside. Generous citizens had the body embalmed and it was sent home for interment. A private named Cowell, under arrest for desertion, escaped from the guard on Carlisle Street, and ran down Chestnut Street. Refusing to stop, the guard fired, the bullet striking him in the heel and coming out at the knee. Cowell died at the hospital a few days later.

LOSSES AT HANOVER.

In his report to General Lee, Stuart made no mention of his losses at Hanover. Gen- eral Kilpatrick reported that about fifteen Confederates were killed, and forty-seven captured, including Colonel Payne and one captain. His loss he reported as eleven killed and a number wounded.

Adjutant Alexander Gall, Fifth List of New York; Sergeant Selden Killed. Wales, Fifth New York; Sergeant E. S. Dye, Fifth New York; John Laniger, private, Fifth New York; William Crawford, private, Company C, Eighteenth Pennsylvania; David W. Wi- nans, private, Company D, Eighteenth Pennsylvania; Jacob R. Harvey, private, Company M, Eighteenth Pennsylvania : Corporal John Hoffacker, Company E. Eighteenth Pennsylvania; C. Rathburn, private, Fifth Michigan; Sergeant George Collins, First West Virginia; unknown, First Vermont.

Eighteenth Pennsylvania -

List of Elisha Jeffries, Company A, Wounded. gunshot in arm ; William Cole, Company A, saber cut ; Moses Harrison, Company A, contusion on head ; Jesse H. Little, Company B, saber cuts in head and shoulder; John Herrick, Company B, gunshot in back; Alfred W. Stone, Com- pany B, gunshot in temple ; M. B. Mikesell, Company D, contusion on back; Joseph Groner, Company D, saber cut in head; Ser- geant John Montgomery, Company F, saber cut in head; A. Setterhall, Company F,

General Custer's report says the First, Fifth and Seventh Michigan suffered no loss, but the bruised by fall from horse; Samuel Jones, Sixth had fifteen men captured. The list

Company F, gunshot in back; Shadrack

440

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

M. Sellers, Company G, leg broken; Wil- Church near the public school building. liam Smith, Company I, shell wound on Rev. Dr. W. K. Zieber performed the last sad rites at this ceremony. The graves were marked for the purpose of identifica- tion. Sometime later these bodies were hip; Jere Devalan, Company I, saber cut in head; S. Rodebaugh, Company M, bruises in face and head.

Fifth New York-Major White, gunshot, disinterred and removed to the National serious ; Thomas Richey, Company A, bruise in leg; Bradley Wessart, Company A, saber cut in head; James Hayes, Com- pany A, saber cut in shoulder ; George Gar- dells, Company B, gunshot, serious; Ser- geant Owen McNulty, Company C, gunshot in arm and finger; Corporal Kistner, Com- pany C, saber cut in neck, serious; J. B. Updike, Company D, saber cut in head; Corporal Updegrove, Company D, wound

Cemetery at Gettysburg. The soldier be- longing to Battery M, killed near Abbotts- town, was first buried in the Lutheran churchyard in that village, Rev. Dr. Hauer officiating. He was one of the most popu- lar men in his command. Two months later a sum of money had been contributed by his comrades and sent to Abbottstown with the request that the body be disin- terred and placed in a Catholic burying in hip; P. Schermerhorn, Company D, ground. His remains were then removed to the graveyard adjoining Paradise Catho-

McGinley, Company D, gunshot in arm and lic Church.

bruised by carbine blow; Corporal James head; H. W. Monroe, Company E, wounded in side, serious ; B. Alexander, Company E, saber cut in head; Sergeant J. S. Trow- bridge, Company E, thigh smashed by shell, leg amputated, (died of wound); A. C. Portier, Company F, gunshot in arm and breast; Corporal McMullen, Company F, saber cuts in head and shoulder; Henry Tuthill, Company F, bruised by horse falling in charge; Corporal N. Barrum, Company G, gunshot in arm and neck ; Wil-

liam Sampson, Company H, saber cuts in It was here that the fight opened. The arm and foot; William Lively, Company H, saber cuts in arm and neck.

First West Virginia-Lieutenant Max Carroll, Company F, wounded in thigh; H. Bucher, Company F, pistol shot in thigh; J. W. Brooks, Company L, bruised by shell ; Henry Holman, Company L, gunshot in face: Thomas McGuire, Company M, gun- C. Bott. shot in thigh.

Fifth Michigan-Jasper Brown, Company D, shot in breast.

Seventh Michigan-James Livingston, Company F, gunshot.

A. H. Byington, of Connecti-

Telegraph cut, who was a war correspond- Opened. ent of the New York Tribune, in 1863, related the following story of his experience at Hanover:

The bodies of the Union soldiers, who "On my way to Hanover from York in the night of June 30, I encountered some Confederate cavalry, and when I got to Hanover I found that there had been a se- vere cavalry engagement there during the day. The town had a disorderly appear- ance; people stayed close to their houses, and the debris of arms and accoutrements lay around the roads. The wounded were were killed in the engagement, were con- veyed to an apartment in the Flickinger Foundry on York Street, now the site of Trinity Reformed Church, where they were prepared for burial. Henry Wirt, a leading citizen of the town, ordered caskets made and at 9 o'clock at night the remains of the gallant dead were placed in these caskets and buried in the graveyard of the Reformed gathered in a hall and church. Tele-

There were two incidents of this eventful day at Hanover worthy of special mention. Some time before the Union cavalry had entered town, a large flag was stretched across Frederick Street between the resi- Rowe, Company E, saber cut in face; Emile dences of Henry Long and John Rupp. This flag continued to float to the breeze during the contest and throughout the day. It was too high in the air to be cut down by the Confederate soldiers.

Early in May, 1863, a flag had been placed on a tall pole near the centre of Pennville. enemy had not time to take it down and it waved proudly to the breeze in the face of the Confederates during the whole after- noon of June 30, and it welcomed the Fifth Army Corps, a part of whose men encamped around it the following afternoon. This flag is still in existence, owned by Zephaniah

44I

BATTLE OF HANOVER

graph wires were broken and strewn around.

"I stopped at the hotel and asked the landlord if there was a telegraph operator in town. 'Yes, there he is,' said he, point- ing to Daniel E. Trone. I asked him where his battery was. 'At home under the bed,' he said. 'The wires are all cut and there is no use trying to telegraph.' After consid- erable parleying I got some men to go out on a handcar and fix the wires, I paying the men and making myself responsible for the value of the car. Then the battery was brought out and we got Baltimore, the op- erator, Mr. Trone, promising an absolute monopoly of the wire for two days.

"I hurried to the battlefield at Gettysburg, thirteen miles off. Before reaching there I met General Howard, and he told me of the first day's fight, of Reynold's death and many other things. I found J. R. Sypher, whom I had engaged at Lancaster to follow me, and we sent off by our private telegraph wire from Hanover an account of the fight of the first two days at Gettysburg. It was a magnificent feat. No other accounts got through to New York that night, and be- tween 9.30 and midnight of July 2 the Tri- bune sold 65,000 copies on the streets of the city.

"Mr. Trone kept getting the strange sig- nal 'K. I.' from his instrument. 'What the dickens does K. I. mean?' he asked. ‘I am afraid the rebels have tapped our wire.' Finally he found out that it was the War Department at Washington. 'We have re- ceived Byington's first despatch,' said Sec- retary of War Stanton to the Hanover op- erator, 'and it is our first news. Send along more. We are listening.' For two days I sent exclusive dispatches over my wire, giv- ing all particulars of the great battle, the New York Herald was running relays of horses to Westminster and York. I tele- graphed that the railroad was whole from Baltimore to Hanover, and the government sent out trains for the wounded. The sur- geon told me that that railroad saved Gen- eral Sickle's life."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 79

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372