USA > Pennsylvania > Mifflin County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 48
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 48
USA > Pennsylvania > Union County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 48
USA > Pennsylvania > Juniata County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 48
USA > Pennsylvania > Snyder County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 48
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The Ninth Corps now returned to Burnside's command and went into camp in Kentucky, the Fifty-first leaving the railroad at Nicholas- ville and taking post at Camp Nelson. Here it rested and refitted. The service in Missis- sippi had been very severe. Digging, felling forests and making forced marches under the burning suns of the South had broken down the health of many a strong man, and had in- duced fevers peculiar to that region. Colonel Hartranft fell a victim to their influence and was for a long time prostrated. From Camp Nelson the regiment moved to Crab Orchard, where it received recruits, and thence marched across the mountains, via Cumberland Gap, to Knoxville.
! "All night Sherman heard the sound of wagons, but nothing that indicated evacuation, for the picks and shovels were at work till midnight ; but at the dawn of day it be- came evident that the enemy had withdrawn across the Pearl River. The rebels had burned all the bridges in retreating and placed loaded shells and torpedoes on the roads leading out from the river. All the materials of war had been removed, in advance of the retreat, by means of the railroad running east."-" Military History of U. S. Grant," Badeau, vol. i. p. 396.
Soon after its arrival it was ordered down the valley to Loudon, where preparations had been made for going into winter-quarters ; but scarcely had it arrived when it was ordered back to Lenoir, where it remained several days. IIere Colonel Hartranft, who had so far re- covered as to take the field, rejoined the regi- ment and immediately assumed command of the Second Division of the Ninth Corps. Ilis arrival was opportune. Longstreet, cutting loose from Bragg at Chattanooga, was threaten- ing Burnside with a force thrice his number, and had already arrived in the neighborhood of Loudon, Perceiving his advantage, the Confederate chief pushed across the Tennessee and put his columns in motion for Campbell's Station, a point where several important roads centre, with the design of reaching it in ad- vance of Burnside's forces, and thus cutting off and capturing his whole command. In this he had the advantage of the shortest and most direct road. Burnside discovered his danger just in time to avert it. The Fifty-first was charged with moving Benjamin's heavy battery. The mud was very deep, and the roads, badly cut up by the trains, were next to impassable. All night long the regiment toiled through the mire to bring up the guns. The station was reached in advance of the enemy, and, im- mediately proceeding out upon the Kingston road, Colonel Hartranft deployed his division across it, with his left thrown forward to cover the Loudon road, along which our army and trains were moving. Before these dispositions had fairly been made the head of the Con- federate column appeared. Held back for awhile by a few mounted infantry, Longstreet soon brought up heavy columns and opened a furious attack. This was met by a destructive and continuous fire from ITartranft's lines, which caused the enemy to recoil in confusion. Steadfastly holding his ground until the re- mainder of the army and all the trains had safely passed the threatened point, Hartranft withdrew his troops, regiment by regiment, and took position on the left of the new line of battle, which had been formed on a low range of hills beyond the station. In the mean time Benjamin's battery, which had been
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brought safely in, took position and did most received, and the troops suffered much. On the effective service, engaging and driving the 5th of January the regiment re-enlisted for an additional term of three years, aud received orders to commence the homeward march. Poorly clad and short of rations, the men braved the perils of a wintry march across the mountains of East Tennessee, and after enduring untold battle were taken up in advantageous positions, I sufferings and hardships by the way, finally arrived at Camp Nelson, where abundant sup- plies of food and clothing were received. Paus- ing a few days at Cincinnati for the preparation of the company rolls, the regiment proceeded to Harrisburg, where it received a veteran fur- lough. enemy's artillery wherever it made its appear- ance. So much were the Union forces out- numbered that the contest was waged with no hope of victory, but only to save the army and its material. Accordingly, successive lines of and cach was held until forced from it, when the troops retired behind fresh troops that had occupied the next. In this way the enemy was held at bay until dark, when he rested, and Burnside's columns, under cover of darkness, were all brought off safely into Knoxville.
Here the troops were immediately put to fortifying. Ferrero, with the First Division, held the left of the line, with the river upon his dank, and Fort Sanders, an earth-work mounted with Benjamin's guns, in the centre. Hartranft held the right, his line crossing the principal road leading from Cumberland Gap to Knox- ville. Upon his right was a mill fed by a small stream. Across this a heavy dam was built, which flooded the ground for a considerable dis- tance around. Upon this lake the right of the line rested securely. For many days the work of fortifying was prosecuted without cessation. Fortunately, Longstreet delayed his attack until the work were completed and the army was se- cure. But the troops were exposed to a danger more imperious and fatal than hostile bullets. It was hunger. During all the hardships of the siege the men had been compelled to subsist on meagre rations of a quality hardly capable of sustaining life. The days were counted when even these would fail. Fortunately, before they were numbered General Grant, having relieved the army at Chattanooga from its toils, sent a powerful force under Sherman to the support of Burnside, and the siege was raised.
Trains soon after arrived with provisions, and pursuit of the enemy was at once commenced. In this the Fifty-first joined, and came up with the Confederate rear-guard at Rutledge, in the valley of the Holsten, where skirmishing ensued. Here the pursuit was stayed, and the regiment retired to the neighborhood of Blaine's Cross- Roads, where it went into winter-quarters. Still only meagre supplies of food and clothing were
So popular was the regiment at home that it was soon recruited to more than the maximum strength, and upon the expiration of the veteran furlough rendezvoused at Annapolis, Md., where the Ninth Corps was assembling. It was here assigned to the First Brigade of the First Division, consisting of the Fifty-first Pennsyl- vania, the One Hundred and Ninth New York and the Second, Eighth, Seventeenth and Twenty-seventh Michigan, Colonel Ilartranft in command, Lieutenant-Colonel Schall leading the regiment.
Upon the opening of the spring campaign under General Grant the Ninth Corps broke camp, and moving through Washington, where it was reviewed by the President, joined the army, and on the 5th of May crossed the Rapidan. It immediately moved to the front and took position between Hancock and War- ren. Hartranft's brigade was upon the centre of the line, and it was with considerable diffi- culty that it could be got into position. Cap- tain Hart, who was now serving upon the stall" of the colonel, was ordered to go forward until he found the enemy's skirmishers. Pushing through the thick growth of pines, the first, intimation he received of an enemy's presence was a rebel bullet whistling by his ears. The brigade was now led in by regiments, the men creeping through the dense undergrowth as best they could. "The advance was made," says Colonel Hartranft in his official report, "with great difficulty, on account of the woods and underbrush, which were on fire. I formed my line, making nearly a right angle facing
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south and cast. The enemy was in force in front of my left. While in this position I received orders from Major-General Burnside to ad- vance and carry the enemy's works. I or- dered the advance at ten A.M., holding the Second Michigan in reserve and directing the Seventeenth Michigan to watch well the right flank. The lines moved forward, and I car- ried the enemy's works and held them for a moment, until a panie seized the left, which brought the whole line back in confusion. I immediately advanced skirmishers from the Second and Seventeenth Michigan, also moved the Seventeenth more to the left, and on these regiments re-formed my line. In this charge many prisoners were taken from the enemy, but lost perhaps an equal number." In the afternoon the brigade again advanced, but en- countered stern resistance, and lost many in killed and wounded. On the 7th the line was again moved forward, breast-works were thrown up and considerable skirmishing ensued.
On the morning of the 9th the brigade was withdrawn and moved to the Ny River, where the enemy was soon found. A crossing was effected on the 12th, and the Confederates, after a stern resistance, were driven back. In this engagement six companies of the Fifty-first were deployed as skirmishers, supported by the remaining four, and gallantly carried the wood- ed heights in their front, compelling the enemy to burn a house in which he had taken shelter, and retire. To date from this battle, Colonel Hartranft was promoted to brigadier-general, Lieutenant-Colonel Schall to colonel, Major Bolton to lieutenant-colonel and Captain Hart to major. From the 12th to the 18th the line of the brigade remained substantially unchanged, the enemy hugging closely their works, ready at any moment to repel an attack. Upon the withdrawal of the brigade from the position oc- cupied on the 27th a few men belonging to the Fifty-first, engaged upon the picket line, could not be brought in, and fell into the hands of the enemy. A succession of movements by the left flank brought the brigade to Cold Harbor on the Ist of June. At six o'clock on the morn- ing of the 3d the brigade advanced with orders to retake the line from which the enemy had
driven our troops on the previous day. Potter's division advanced at the same time on the right. In the face of a terrific fire of infantry and ar- tillery, the lines rushed forward, routed the en- emy, and were soon well established within two hundred yards of his main line, where, in a re- entrant angle of his own works, he had four guns. These proved of little value to him, as they were so closely watched by our sharp- shooters that it was impossible for the gunners to work them. In this charge, at the head of his column, Colonel Schall was killed, and was succeeded in command by Lieutenant-Colonel Bolton. The loss here, as in the preceding battles of the campaign, was very heavy, but for want of data cannot be given.
Crossing the Chickahominy and the James, the Ninth Corps arrived in front of Petersburg on the 17th, and at once engaged the enemy. General Hartranft's brigade made a most gal- lant charge in face of a galling fire of artillery, suffering heavy loss.
On the following day it was again engaged upon the railroad cut in front of the locality afterwards selected for the mine, and gained a position in close proximity to the enemy's works, which was held and fortified. So close to the Confederate line was this position that it required unceasing vigilance to hold it, and for seventeen successive days and nights a continuous fire of musketry was kept up, one-third of the men being constantly employed. After a few days' respite it was again returned to the vicinity of its old position, where it remained until the explosion of the mine. On the day previous it was relieved and ordered to form part of the storming column. When the explosion took place it advanced, and two companies had reached the brink, when General Hartranft, who was in the crater, finding that more troops were already in than could be used, ordered it back. In this perilous advance Colonel Bolton was severely wounded, and the command de- volved on Major Hart. The brigade was again put upon the line fronting the crater, where it remained for a few days, when it was relieved and passed to the rear out of harm's way. Here it remained in camp until the 19th of August, when it was ordered to the support of Warren,
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on the Weldon Railroad. Crawford's division formed the connecting link between Hancock and Warren, a distance of a half-mile. Upon this the enemy fell in heavy force and captured the greater portion of it, making a dangerous gap, and exposing Warren to imminent peril. Hartranft, who was lying in supporting dis- tance, and judging by the sound of battle that our forces had been dispersed, though not under orders, magnanimously moved to the rescue, and by interposing his brigade and by stubbornly holding his ground, saved the day. A perma- nent lodgment was thereby made upon the Weldon road, which had been one of the enemy's chief lines of supply.
In the subsequent operations of the brigade the Fifty-first, under command of Colonel Bol- ton, participated, engaging the enemy at Poplar Spring Church, at Ream's Station, at Hatcher's Run, and in the final attack on the 2d of April, which resulted in the evacuation of Richmond. On the 27th of July, after four years of arduous service, extending over the whole line from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, it was mustered out of service at Alexandria, Va.
Below are the battles in which the Fifty-first Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers participated from its first entrance on the field to its retire- ment from camp-life,-
Roanoke Island, February 7 and 8, 1862; Newbern, S. C., March 13 and 14, 1862; Camden, N. C., April 19, 1862; Bull Run, Va., August 29 and 30, 1862; Chantilly, Va., September 1, 1862; South Mountain, September 14, 1862; Antietam, September 17 and 18, 1862; Fredericksburg, December 12, 13 and 14, 1862; Vicksburg, Miss,, June 16 to July 4, 1863; Jackson, Miss., July 8 to July 18, 1863 ; Campbell's Station, Tenn., November 16, 1863 ; Knoxville, Tenn., Novem- ber 17 to December 5, 1863; Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1864; Spottsylvania, Va., May 12 to 14, 1864; Cold Harbor, Va., May 31 to June 8, 1864; Petersburg, Va., June 16 to August 18, 1864; Yellow Tavern, Va., August 19, 1864; Weldon Railroad, Va., August 21, 1864; Hatcher's Run, Va., October 27, 28 and 29, 1864; Petersburg, November 29, 1864, to April 2,
Skirmishes .- Kelly's Ford, 1862; Rappahannock, 1862; Warrenton, 1862; Sulphur Springs, Va., No- vember 16, 1862; Sulphur Springs, August 24, 1862; Upperville, Va., 1862; Fairfax Court-House, 1862; Big Black, Miss., July 6, 1863; Jackson, Miss., July 7, 1863; Loudon, Tenn., November 15, 1863; Lenoir,
Tenn., November 15, 1863; Rutledge, Tenn., Decem- ber 16, 1863 ; Blaine's Cross-Roads, December 18, 1863; Poplar Grove Church, 1864; Bethesda Church, 1864; Peeble's Farm, 1864; Ream's Station, 1864; Weldon Railroad, 1864; besides a large number of minor im- portance, of which there are no memoranda.
Below is a perfectly reliable statement of the distances traversed by the Fifty-first Pennsyl- vania Veteran Volunteers, by marches, trans- ports and railway, as taken from a diary,-
From Bridgeport to Harrisburg, 95 miles; from Harrisburg to Annapolis, Md., 123 miles ; from Acquia Creek to Fredericksburg, 15 miles; from Bealton to Culpeper Court-House, Va., 15 miles; from Fred- ericksburg to Acquia Creek, 15 miles; from Baltimore, Md., to Paris, Ky., 778 miles ; from Nicholasville, Ky., to Cairo, Ill., 508 miles; from Cairo, Ill., to Nicholas- ville, Ky., 508 miles; from Knoxville to Loudon, Tenn., 28 miles; from Nicholasville, Ky., to Bridge- port, Pa., 789 miles ; from Bridgeport, Pa., to Harris- burg, Pa., 95 miles; from Harrisburg to Annapolis, Md., 123 miles ; from Washington, D. C., to Harris- burg, 124 miles; from Harrisburg to Bridgeport, 95 miles ; total by rail, 3311 miles. By transports from Annapolis to Fortress Monroe, thence to Roanoke Is- land, to Newbern, to landing at Albemarle Sound, back to Newbern, to Hatteras Inlet, back to Newbern, to Newport News, to Acquia Creek, to Baltimore, from Cairo to Vicksburg and back to Cairo, from City Point to Washington, from Washington to Alexan- dria; total, 5390 miles. By marches, total, 1738 miles; by water, total, 5390 miles; by railway, total, 3311 miles,-aggregate, 10,439 miles.
Following is a list of officers and men of the three Union and Snyder County companies of the Fifty-first :
COMPANY E, UNION AND SNYDER COUN- TIES .- The following is a list of the officers and men comprising Company E, Fifty-First Regi- ment Pennsylvania Volunteers :
Captains. G. H. Hassenplug. William R. Forster. First Lieutenants.
John A. Morris. Francis R. Frey.
Second Lieutenants.
Martin L. Schoch. James L. Seebold.
George C. Gutelius. Sergeants. John M. Wierman. wounds received in ac- Thomas D. Reed. tion. Elbridge G. Maize, Lewis G. Titus, died Jan- Charles Mills. uary 7, 1863, of wounds
Cornelius Edelman. received at Fredericks- burg December 13,
George Diehl, discharged July 11, 1865, for 1862.
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Corporals.
John II. Sortman.
Cyrus A. Eaton.
Peter Strubble.
Isaac Treat.
Daniel High.
Ebert Sprowles.
William Klockner. Isaac G. Magee.
Adam Gluse.
Thomas F. Search.
John C. Youngman.
George W. Foote.
Levi II. Ammon. Thomas S. Mauck, died June 20, 1864, of wounds received at Pe- tersburg, Va. ; buried in National Cemetery, Ar- lington, Va. George M. Aurand, killed at Weldon Railroad, August 19, 1864.
Musician. Joseph A. Logan.
Privates.
Jeremiah Aikey, cap- tured; died at Ander- sonville, Ga.
Ralston Baker.
George E. Barklow, died at Brownsville, Miss., July 21, 1863.
Albert E. Barnes.
Justice J. Fletcher.
Jackson MeFadden.
Henry Snyder.
David HI. Beers.
Henry D. Fox.
William H. Bell.
Jacob Frederick.
Abraham Benfer.
George W. Galloway.
Asher Benner.
William Geniger.
Lewis J. Benner.
Jacob Gordon.
Jacob K. Mertz.
Samuel Tucker.
James Black.
David Hansell.
John T. Middaugh.
William S. Watson.
Simon S. Blair.
David Hanselman.
Jacob Miller.
John Bomgardner.
Adam Hanselman.
Henry Miller.
James Miller.
Charles Wilson.
John Millhouse.
Andrew G. Wirt.
Joseph A. Moll.
Arther Mullen.
Daniel Myers.
Henry M. Norton.
William P. Orwig.
C. W. Woodward.
Adolph Burkhart.
Jacob Heitsman.
Samuel Burris.
Henry Heitsman.
Ezra Chappel.
William Henderson.
James M. Chambers.
M. B. Chambers.
Thomas II. Clapham, died March 13, 1864. Luther G. Cole.
James F. Cornelius.
George W. Cornelius.
Daniel Curfman.
Jeremiah F. Curtis.
John D. Derkes. Henry Dersham.
Alexander Dewire.
Henry C. Diehl.
Abraham Dingman.
Robert II. Irwin.
James T. Kelly. Barton Kennedy. Francis Kidsou ..
Joel Kline. Reuben Kline. Daniel Kline. Charles Kline. Andrew T. Kline.
Jacob L. Kline, died May 6, 1864; buried in Uni- Led States General los- pital Cemetery, An- napolis, Md. John Klingler.
Samuel Kunkel.
Jonathan Kunkel.
Samuel HI. Laird.
William Laudenslager.
William F. N. Leinbach. John Lenhart.
George Schnure.
William Schnure. Anthony Shaffer. John W. Sheckler. Samuel F. Sheary.
Joseph Shrefller.
Josiah Shriner. William S. Sholley.
Galen N. Lotz.
Charles Lytle.
Thomas Simmons.
John Fetter.
Samuel McGregor.
Albert E. Smith.
Charles HI. Marsh.
Jonathan Snyder.
Ed. J. Masterson.
Daniel Speese.
John T. Stitzer. Robert Toland.
John D. Weaver. William Webb.
Jacob Boop.
Berryhill B. Harris. John T. Hassenplug. Timothy Hauley.
George Bowers.
Benjamin II. Brouse,
killed at Camden, N. C., April 19, 1862. George P. Burk.
Isaiah Heitsman.
John W. Orwig.
Melane'n Zechman.
Peter G. Paul.
William Zimmerman.
Victor E. Post.
Christ. Hendershot. John Hendricks.
Robert Hickernell, died of wounds received at Cold Harbor June 3, 1864.
Ammon Hilbish.
William R. Hoffman, killed at Camden, N. C., April 19, 1862. Edward J. Hoffman. John Hummel.
Henry Hutchinson.
Isaac Dolby. Abraham Dolby.
Thomas Donachy.
Aaron Donnison.
David Lenhart, killed near Petersburg, Va., June 17, 1864.
Charles Lloyd.
John Lloyd. Jacob Long.
Jeremiah Radenbaugh. John Rahback. Martin G. Reed. Levi Renner. Jonathan Reese.' Joel Rote. Samuel Rote. John V. Rule. Emanuel Sassman. Noah W. Sassman.
Sebastian Searles.
George 1. Seebold.
Castor Seebold, died at Philadelphia, Pa., May 11, 1864. Frank S. Schaffe.
James M. Dunkle, killed at Cold Harbor June 3, 1864. Henry Eidem.
Solomon Engle.
Alfred Meckley, killed at Weldon Railroad Aug- ust 19, 1864.
Charles HI. Trainer.
William R. Heckman. Elias Heinbach.
George W. Wirt, died at Lexington, Ky., Sep- tember 15, 1863. Joseph Wolfinger.
CAPT. GEORGE H. HASSENPLUG.1-When, in 1861, the War of the Rebellion had become a certainty, and President Lincoln had made his call for seventy-five thousand three months' men, Captain George H. Hassenplug, the subject of this sketch, was one of the first to offer his services in defense of his country. He was born in Mifflinburg, Union County, Pa., Oc- tober 25, 1832. His youth was spent like most boys of those days, assisting his father
1 Since writing the foregoing we learn of the death of Captain Hassenplug, at Hampton, Va., February 5th, 1886. His remains were interred at Mifflinsburg, Pa .- : [EDITORS. ]
James Luker, Charles D. Kline, Jr.
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in business or on the farm, and attend- ing school during the winter season. In March, 1850, in company with his brothers Jesse and Charles and a Mr. Boop, he started for Cali- fornia, going by boat to Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Fort Independence. At the latter place they procured teams, and, in company with many others, crossed the plains and arrived at their destination without any adventure of moment. George and Jesse at once entered the mines, and
ville he commenced his military career by join- ing the Columbia Guards, of that place, and was elected one of its sergeants. On the second day of November, 1854, he was commissioned by Governor Bigler second lieutenant, and on the 19th day of June, 1859, was commissioned by Governor Packer quartermaster with the rank of major. In 1857 he returned to Mifflinburg, and soon after built the store now owned by Hayes Brothers, in which he carried on a
If the De ars anflug?
were moderately successful; but after a few months they decided that Pennsylvania was about as good a place to live in as the mines of California, and they came home, returning by the way of the Isthmus, reaching New York about a year after leaving home, and with no more money than they took away with them. After his return from California, George went to Danville, Pa., and elerked in the general store of his brother William. While in Dan- 17
general store on his own account. In 1860 he sold his store and its contents to his bro- ther Charles. While in business in Mitllinburg he organized a company of militia called the Cameron Guards, and was commissioned eap- tain by Governor Packer on the 23d day of September, 1859. He was among the first to offer his services to the country, and, in company with three others, was the first to enlist from Milllinburg. The captain loved military life,
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and had been in the militia service for years as sergeant, second lieutenant, quartermaster and major, and as captain of the Cameron Guards. Ile was then twenty-seven years of age, tall and commanding in appearance, and every inch a soldier. He enlisted in the Lewisburgh Infantry, and on the organization of the company was elected and commissioned first lieutenant. His commission was given by Governor Andrew G. Curtin, and bears date April 20, 1861. The company was mustered as Company G, of the Fourth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. The regiment, being in command of Colonel (now General) Hartranft, was sent to Annapolis, Md., and assisted in opening the railroad from that place to Washington, it having been damaged and rendered unserviceable by rebel sympathizers. From Annapolis they were sent to Washington, and from thence to Alexandria, Va., where they did picket duty until the first Bull Run battle. They marched with the army to the scene of conflict, but saw no service, as their term of service had expired. After the battle they did duty some time at Fort Ellsworth, then were sent to Harrisburg and mustered out of service. During this time Lieutenant Has- senplug was with his company, and proved himself an efficient and capable officer. IIe at once, on his return home to Mifflinburg, com- menced recruiting, and in a few days raised a company, which was mustered as Company E, of the Fifty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, com- manded by Colonel Hartranft. While recruit- ing his company, no halt was ordered for Sunday, but the drum and fife were kept going,-a fact which was severely criticised by some of the Mifflinburg pastors, all of whom in time forgave the captain for his Sunday patriotism. His company was composed of the best young men in and around Mifflinburg, and was considered one of the best companies of the regiment. Early in the fall of 1861 the regiment was sent to Annapolis, Md., assigned to the Burnside expedition, and participated in the capture of Roanoke Island, at which time the regiment made a charge through a swamp and cut off a portion of the enemy's forces. In this charge the captain led his company, and again at New- bern, N. C., where he received a severe wound.
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