USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of the 127th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers > Part 8
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. Promoted from Private, October 1, 1862. Served full term. Hou- orahiy discharged. Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis- charged.
Sheaffer, Samuel G ..... Sergt ..... Aug. 13, '62 ..
Segner, John M. Sergt ..... Aug. 13, '62.
. Promoted from Corporal, Septem- ber 8, 1862. Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served full term. Hon- orably discharged. . Promoted from Corporal, March 1, 1863. Served fuli term. Hon- orably discharged.
Wolf, George A. Sergt. . Aug. 13, '62. . Served full term. Hon. discharged. . Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Newhard, Reuben K. . Corp. .. . Aug. 13, '62.
Baker, Michael .. .Corp. ... Aug. 13, '62 .. .. . .Served full term. Hon. discharged. Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, Stevens, Shade G. Corp. .... Aug. 13, '62. December 13, 1862. Served fuli term. Honorably dis- charged.
Stambaugh, Jacob Corp. . Aug. 13, '62. Early, Joseph. Corp ..... Aug. 13, '62. . Served full term. Hon. discharged. Promoted to Corporal, November 6, 1862. Served full term. Myers, William S. Corp .. .. .Aug. 16, '62. Honorably discharged. Absent, slek. at muster-out. Served full term. Honorably Forney, William A. Corp. . Aug. 13, '62 discharged. Kilied Battle Fredericksburg, De- cember 13, 1862.
Wheeler, Simon. . Mus. . Aug. 13, '62. Served full term. Hon. discharged. Clark, Edward F. A. Mus. Aug. 13, '62. . Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Arnold, Eli ... Private .. . Aug. 13, '62 .. . Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Alexander, Francis . Private. . Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Auge, Valentine. Private. . . Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Blasser, Andrew Private ..... Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged. Baker, Daniel L. Private ..... Aug. 13, '62.
.Served fuil term. Hon. discharged.
Remarks.
96
MEMORIAL HISTORY Roster of Company "I," (Continued).
Name.
Rank.
Mustered in.
Remarks.
Black, Jacob
Private.
. Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Becker, Martin.
Private ..... Aug. 13, '62 ...... Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Bachman, Peter.
. Private ..... Aug. 13, '62 .. .. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Black, Daniel.
Private .. Aug. 13, '62. . Wounded Battle of Fredericksburg. Discharged for wounds, Feb- ruary 27, 1863.
Bupp, Joseph T.
Private.
. Aug. 13, '62. . Deserted January 27, 1863.
Cilley, John
Private.
. Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Day, George.
.Private ..
Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term.
Hon. discharged.
Davis, James M.
Private. . Aug. 13, '62. . Served full term.
Hon. discharged.
Druckenmiller, A
Private. . Aug. 13, '62.
Served full term.
Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged.
Fickle, Thaddeus. .Private.
Private.
Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term.
Fidell, Francis.
Private.
. Aug. 13, '62. . Served full term.
Gelvin, John,
Private.
. Aug. 13, '62.
Gardner, Theo. F.
Private .... . Aug. 13, '62.
Hansen, Christian.
. Private .. . Aug. 13, '62.
Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Heikes, John E.
. Private .. ... Aug. 16, '62.
.Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Jones, Michael ..
. Private. .
.Aug. 13, '62
. Served full term. . Served full term.
Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged.
Livingston, Jas. W. . Private.
... Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Livingston, William .. . Private ..... Aug. 13, '62.
.Served fuli term. Hon. discharged.
Loser, Jacob.
Private ..... Aug. 13, '62.
.Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Lentz, Alfred ..
Private. . . .Aug. 13, '62
Wounded Battle Fredericksburg. December 13, 1862. Served Honorably dls-
Lessley, John .. Private.
Lillienstine, Charles. .. Private.
Aug. 13, '62
Aug. : , '62 Served full term. Hon. discharged. Discharged on Surgeon's certifi- cate, October 4, 1862.
Lentz, Eli.
Private.
. Aug. 13, '62.
Died February 16, 1863.
Menear, Edward J.
Private ..
Ang. 13, '62.
Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Myers, Daniel S. Private.
Aug. 13, '62.
.Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Mumper, Levi.
Private. . Aug. 13, '62.
.Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Miller, John HI
Private .. .Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Mark, John G.
Private ..
Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Milier, Daniel.
Private.
.Aug. 13, '62.
.Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Myer, Henry.
Private ..
... Aug. 13, '62.
.Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Moneghan, John.
Private .. . . Aug. 13, '62.
Mondorff, David.
Private .. . Aug. 13, '62.
Wounded Battle of Fredericksburg and supposed to have died on the field.
Myers, Jacob H. Private. Aug. 13, '62.
Died at Washington, D. C., De- cember, 1862.
Nipple, Jeremiah
Private.
Aug. 13, '62.
.Served full term, Hon. discharged.
Nelff, Joseph.
Private. .
Aug. 13, '62. . Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Norman, Edward. Private.
Aug. 13, '62. Served full term. Hon. discharged. Absent, sick, at muster-out.
Packham, Bradd . Private.
. Aug. 13, '62.
. Deserted August 16, 1862.
Rupp, Henry
Private.
Aug. 13. '62.
.Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Robb, John A.
Private.
Aug. 13, '62. . Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Rankin, William
Private.
Aug. 13, '62. Served full term. Hon. discharged. .Discharged on Surgeon's certifi- cate. December 31, 1863.
Stough, Joseph
Private ..
Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Sheaffer, John W
Private.
Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term.
Hon. discharged.
Sheaffer, Philip S.
.Private ... .. . Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Stevens, Edward.
Private .. ... Aug. 13, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Sheaffer, Jacob S.
. Private .. . Aug. 13, '62.
Served full term.
Hon. discharged.
Shutt, John H.
. Private. Aug. 13, '62.
Served full term.
Hon. discharged.
. Aug. 13, '62.
Hon. discharged. . Served full term. Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged. . Served full term. Hon. discharged. Deserted December 16, 1862.
Early, Benj. W. Private.
. Aug. 14, '62.
. Served full term.
Frantz, Adam
Kindt, Anthony .. . Private ..
... Ang. 13, '62.
full term. charged.
Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Osborne, John H.
Private. Aug. 13, '62.
Rhodes, Henry
Private. Aug. 13, '62.
97
127TH REGIMENT, P. V.
Roster of Company "I," (Continued).
Name.
Rank.
Mustered in.
Remarks.
Shuitz, John A.
. Private ..... Aug. 13, '62. ..... Wounded Battie Fredericksburg,
December 13, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis- charged.
Sheaffer, Jacob. . Private. Aug. 13, '62 Discharged Aprii 6, 1863, for
wounds received at Freder- ieksburg, December 13, 1862.
Trimmer, Andrew. Private.
Aug. 13, '62. . Served fuii term. Hon. discharged.
Vernosdale, Uriah ... . Private .....
. Aug. 13, '62. . Served fuil term. Hon. discharged.
Welsh, George W. Private. . Aug. 13, '62.
Wounded Battie of Fredericks- burg, December 13, 1862.
Wendling, Adam. Private. Aug. 13, '62. Served fuit term. Hon. discharged.
Weltmer, Martin .. . Private ..
.Aug. 13, '62. . Served fuii term. Ilon. discharged.
Waiborn, Elijah Private. Aug. 13, '62. .Served fuil term. Iion. discharged.
Weirman, Joseph E. .. Private.
Aug. 13, '62. . Served full term. IIon. discharged.
Wilhelm, Lewis. Private. Aug. 13, '62. . Discharged on Surgeon's certifi- cate, February 26, 1863.
Young, James
Private. Aug. 13, '62. . Served fuil term. Hon. discharged.
Yann, John Private .. Aug. 13, '62. .Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Mustered out U. S. service by Captain William B. Lane, 3d Cavalry, U. S. A., at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, Pa., May 29, 1863.
COMPANY " K."
HIS company was recruited principally in Schuyl- kill county, Pennsylvania, by Captain William Fox who, living in the South at the time of the secession of States, was conscripted and forced into the Confederate army. He took the earliest oppor- tunity to prove his devotion to his country by escaping through the picket lines, making his way into Pennsylva- nia. He went up into the coal regions and set himself to work to raise men for the service. He brought a number of men into Camp Curtin, and returned to Schuylkill county to recruit his company to its full maximum strength. The men were not all raised in Schuylkill county, a number were recruited in Lebanon county, but the company was generally known in the regiment as the Schuylkill County Company.
Both officers and men of this company were composed of good material, and rendered a good account of them- selves during their term of service.
HENRY T. EUSTON.
98
99
127TH REGIMENT, P. V.
Roster of Company "K."
Name. Rank. Mustered in. Fox, William .. Captain .. Aug. 14, '62 Killed Battle Fredericksburg, De- cember 11, 1862.
Dougherty, Jos. W ... Captain. . Aug. 14, '62. . Promoted from First Lleutenant, December 12, 1862. Wounded Battle of Fredericksburg, De- cember 13, 1862. Served full Long, David S ...... 1st Lieut .. . Aug. 14, '62. term. Honorably discharged. . Promoted from Second Lieutenant, December 12, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dls- Barr, William J ..... 2d Lieut ..... Aug. 14, '62. charged. . Promoted from Private to Ser- geant, October 1, 1862; to Sec- ond Lieutenant, January 19, 1863. Served full term. Hon- orably discharged.
Downey, Danlel. 1st Sergt ..... Aug. 14, '62.
Bertolet, Richard. . Sergt ..... Aug. 14, '62.
Light, Adam J .. . Sergt. .... Aug. 14, '62.
Euston, Henry T. . Sergt .. .. . Aug. 14, '62.
Bechtel, Theodore H ... Sergt. .... Aug. 14, '62.
Bicber, William ... Corp. .... Aug. 14, '62.
Ramsey, William H ... . Corp. .Aug. 14, '62.
Klock, William A .. Corp .. ... Aug. 14, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged. . Served full term. Hon. discharged. . Served full term. Hon. discharged. . Promoted from Corporal, March 1, 1863. Served full term. IIon- orably discharged.
Served full term. Honorably dis- charged. Died Philadelphia. Promoted to Corporal, October 1, 1862. Served full term. Hon- orably discharged.
Served full term. Hon. discharged. Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis- charged.
Schram, Henry L .. .Corp ..... Sept. 2, '62.
Bugle, Benjamin. Corp ..... Ang. 14, '62.
Kanton, Charles F. . Corp ..... Aug. 14, '62.
Promoted to Corporal, March 1, 1863. Served full term. Hon- Martry, Samuel. Corp .. .Aug. 14, '62 orably discharged. Promoted to Corporal, March 1, 1863. Served full term. Hon- Freck, John L .Corp ..... Sept. 14, '62. orably dlscharged. . Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis- Hummel, Jacob. . Corp. . . Aug. 14, '62. charged. Promoted to Corporal, October 1, 1862. Discharged on Surgeon's Warbeooke, James. .Corp. . Aug. 15, '62 certificate, February 14, 1863. . Discharged on Surgeon's certifi- Luckenbill, Robert J. Corp. .Aug. 14, '62 cate, February 24, 1863. Died at Washington, D. C., De- Winters, Thomas Mus. . Aug. 14, '62. cember 16, 1862. Reldel, Zacharlah Mus . Aug. 14, '62. Served full term. Hou. discharged. Served full term. Hon. discharged. Served full term. Hon. discharged. Auman, Henry. Private. . Sept. 14, '62.
Banks, Paul. .Private. . Aug. 15, '62.
Remarks.
Promoted to Corporal, March 1, 1863. Served full term. Hon- orably discharged. Promoted to Corporal, March 1, 1863. Served full term. Hon- orably discharged.
. Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 15, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis- charged.
943778 A
100
MEMORIAL HISTORY
Roster of Company "K," (Continued).
· Name. Rank.
Mustered in.
Remarks.
Berkbeiser, Henry .... Private ..... Aug. 14, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Brumensteifer, J ..... . Private ... .. Aug. 14, '62 .. . . Bomberger, Samuel. . . Private. .Sept. 14, '62. . Served full term. Hon. discharged. . Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis-
Bergal, Franklin ... . Private .. . . . Aug. 18, '62 ..
charged. . Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 15, 1862. Dis- charged on Surgeon's certifi- cate, February 24, 1863. . Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Dis-
Brown, George. Private. . .Sept. 14, '62.
Dougherty, Samuel. . . Private. .. . . Aug. 14, '62.
charged March 13, 1863. Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis- charged. · Served full term. Hon. discharged. . Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served
Eekert, Benedict. Private .. . Aug. 14, '62.
Fessler, Ellis. Private. . .. . Aug. 14, '62.
full term. Honorably dis-
charged.
Feger, Henry. Private .. Aug. 15, '62.
. Served full term.
Hon. disebarged.
Gelger, Charles. Private ..... Aug. 14, '62.
. Served full term.
Hon. discharged.
Gerbill, Benjamin. . Private. . .. Aug. 16, '62 .. . Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Heverling, Cyrus. Private. . . Aug. 14, '62. . Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Harpett, Charles. Private. .Sept. 14, '62. · Served full term. Jon. discharged. Hutton, William L. . Private. . .. Aug. 14, '62. Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis- charged. Heisey, Daniel P. Private ..... Aug. 14, '62. . Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Iloffman, Jacob. Private .. . . . Aug. 14, '62 ..
Hay, Christian. Private .. ... Aug. 14, '62.
. Served full term. Hon. discharged. . Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, Deeember 13, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis- charged. Captured at Fredericksburg, De- cember 15, 1862. Returned and honorably discharged.
Hobbs, John Private ..... Sept. 14, '62. . Served full term. IIon. discharged.
Hautz, Elias. Private ..... Aug. 15, '62.
Discharged April 4, 1863, on ac- count of wounds received at Battle Fredericksburg, Decem- ber 13, 1862. Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served
full term. Honorably dis-
Johnson, Joseph. Private. .Sept. 2. '62
Keller, Frederick. Private .. . .. Aug. 15, '62
. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Klarke, Franklin. Private ..... Aug. 15, '62. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Lash, James L. Private. . Sept. 14, '62.
Served full term. Hon. discharged. Lengel, George Private. Aug. 15, '62 . Served full term. Hon. discharged. Lehman, Amos. Private. . Aug. 18, '62. Discharged on Surgeon's certifi- cate, February 28, 1863.
Lessig, Reuben. Private .. . Aug. 14, '62 . Served full term. Hon. diseharged. Leidy, Daniel ... Private. . Aug. 14, '62 Deserted January 15, 1863.
Mayberry, Charles .. . Private .. ... Aug. 14, '62.
Minning, Charles. Private .. Aug. 15, '62
Served full term. Hon. discharged. Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis- charged.
Heckman, Edward A .. Private .. . .Aug. 14, '62.
Iba, Frederick R. . Private. .Sept. 2, '62.
ebarged. Served full term.
Hon. discharged.
IOI
127THI REGIMENT, P. V.
Roster of Company "K," (Continued).
Name.
Rauk.
Mustered in.
Remarks.
Moyer, Reuben
Private .. .. . Aug. 14, '62 ..
. Wounded Battle Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served full term. Honorably dis- charged. . Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Mover. Peter ..
Private ..... Aug. 15, '62.
MeCree. James. Private ..
Aug. 14, '62. . Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Mclaughlin, Cyrus. . Private. .. .. Aug. 14, '62. . Orderly of Colonel W. W. Jen- nings. Served full term. Hon- orably discharged.
Plerman, Isaac. Private ....
Raber, Lewis B ... ... Private .. .Aug. 14, '62
. Aug. 14, '62. . Served full term. Hon. discharged. .. Captured at Fredericksburg, De- cember 11, 1862. Returned and honorably discharged.
Ramsey, Rufus .. . Private ... .. Aug. 14, '62.
Served full term.
Ringie, Franklin E. . . Private ...
Aug. 15, '62.
.Served full term.
Rupp, John, Jr ... . Private. .. . . Aug. 14, '62.
Served full term.
Relnoehl. Jacob B. .. . Private.
. Aug. 15, '62.
Served full term.
Raber, George W. . Private. . Aug. 14, '62.
.Served full term.
Smith, Arthur F. . Private .. .. . Aug. 16. '62.
Served full term. Served full term.
Snavely, William ..
Private .. . Aug. 14, '62.
Schreckengast, S .. Private. .Sept. 14, '62.
Served full term.
Snyder, Jeremiah ..
. Private ..... Aug. 14, '62.
.Served full term.
Springer, Charles Private .. .. Aug. 14, '62.
Served full term.
Stoner, Andrew. . Private. . . Aug. 14, '62.
Wounded Battle
full term. charged.
Strauser, William .... Private ... . Aug. 14, '62. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Strauch, John ...
. Private ..
. Aug. 14, '62
Served full term.
Thomas, Joseph R. Private. .... Aug. 15, '62. .Served full term.
Upchurch, Theo.
.... Aug. 14, '62. Served full term.
Weber, Solomon Private .. . Aug. 14, '62.
Served full term.
Weik, Henry Private .. . Aug. 14, '62.
. Served full term.
Welk. David Private ..... Aug. 15,
'62. Served full term.
Whittle, John.
. Private .. .. ug. 14, '62. Served full term.
Williams, Milton. Private .. . Aug. 14, '62. . Served full term.
Hon. discharged.
Warhrook, William. . . Private ..... Aug. 15,
'62. .Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Warf, Frederick. Private. . Aug. 14, '62. Discharged January 20, 1863, for wounds received at Battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862.
Yocum, Franklin. Private. . Aug. 14, '62. .Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Yost, Lewis M. Private ... . Aug. 14, '62. Served full term. Hon. discharged.
Company "K" mustered out May 29th, 1863.
Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged. Ifon. discharged.
Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged. Ilon. discharged. Hon. discharged. Ion. discharged. Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Served
Honorably dis-
Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged. Hon. discharged. Ifon. discharged. llon. discharged.
CHAPTER III.
Marches.
A LTHOUGH not strictly a "march," but properly a ride, the regiment left Camp Curtin at Harris- burg, August 17th, 1862, on its way south to join the army, at 9.30 o'clock a. m., on flat cars on the Northern Central Railway. So many men were forwarded to the seat of war at that time, that passenger cars were a luxury, and even box cars appeared to be very scarce that beautiful Sunday morning; so the 127th Regiment were required to occupy flat open cars, with rough boards laid across them, from side to side, for seats ; thus giving the sparks from the locomotive a chance to burn holes in the new uniforms of the men ; and some could show holes as large as if made by bullets. This was the first initiation of the regiment into the rough life of a soldier. The officers had the use of an antiquated passenger car, of ancient date, to ride in; some of them occupied it, while others rode with their men, or boys then, for they were nearly all boys at that time. York was reached about noon, and Baltimore about five o'clock. Here was the first march of the regiment, across the city of Baltimore, to a soldiers' refreshment depot, where they got something to eat. They left the Monu- mental City at 10 o'clock p. m., and reached Washington City, over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, at 1.50 o'clock a. m., Monday August 18th. The regiment marched a short distance to the Soldiers' Retreat, N. W.,
I02
103
127TH REGIMENT, P. V.
of, and only a short distance from, the National Capitol. The men tried to get what sleep they could, on the street, at the Baltimore and Ohio depot.
The morning broke clear and warm-in fact it was a very hot day-and the regiment rested, awaiting orders. About II o'clock orders came to march into Virginia ; and it took up its line of march by fours, down Pennsyl- vania avenue to Fourteenth street, and then down Four- teenth street to the Long Bridge, crossing that bridge into Virginia.
A little digression shows the requirements of adherence to military regulations, and how substitutions are made to meet the exigencies of the service. Lieutenant Orth had been appointed adjutant of the regiment; and Lieutenant Gilbert, quartermaster, but neither of them had received their commissions, so they could not be officially recog- nized, and the Colonel detailed Lieutenant A. J. Fager, of Company "B", as adjutant, and Lieutenant R. E. Cable, of Company "D," as quartermaster, both of whom were commissioned officers, and had been mustered into the service. These detailed officers reported to General Casey at his headquarters near the Long Bridge, and procured the necessary blanks and instructions, and having skil- fully performed their duty, rejoined the regiment. Lieu- tenant Fager continued to act as adjutant of the regiment for about ten days, taking off the first dress parade in Virginia on Tuesday evening, the 19th of August, at Camp Welles, Virginia ; and afterwards, in consequence of the disability of Adjutant Chayne, acted as adjutant at the last dress parade of the regiment in Virginia, besides fill- ing the position at various times during the service, and making a most acceptable substitute.
The regiment marched across the Long Bridge into Vir-
104
MEMORIAL HISTORY
ginia, and out the Fairfax road some four miles, turning to the right, into a field, where it halted, pitched tents, and designated its new home "Camp Welles," remaining there until Saturday, August 23rd, when it took up its line of march, going northwest towards the Potomac River, along the military road, and halted on a hill, near Fort Ethan Allen, about one mile above Chain Bridge. The regiment was, up to this time, under command of General Whipple, with headquarters at the old General Lee resi- dence, at Arlington Heights. Company "B" was ordered to Chain Bridge for guard duty.
The regiment from that time, until December Ist did very little marching as a regiment, except to change camps several times ; and in detachments, going on picket duty to Langley's on the Leesburg road ; and out towards Ball's Bluff and Bull Run, and performing guard duty at Chain Bridge.
The regiment left Camp Dauphin at nine o'clock A. M., December Ist, in a rain storm; crossed Chain Bridge, marched to and through Washington City, past the White House, and down Pennsylvania avenue, resting on the Avenue near the Capitol, where Hon. Joseph Casey, the Chief Justice of the Court of Claims, came from his court in the Capitol building, and greeted the officers and men in a most friendly manner ; many of them being his former neighbors, and most of them well known to him.
The regiment was then marched to the Navy Yard, and crossed the bridge into Maryland. After marching about four miles further, the regiment camped for the night near the Asylum, and for the first time were under shelter tents. The next morning it resumed its march at eight o'clock, reaching the village of Piscataway, where we re- mained over night. We were delayed in our start the
105
127TH REGIMENT, P. V.
next morning; in waiting for our wagon train, which failed to reach us during the night ; so we did not move until eleven o'clock, and after a march of thirteen miles, we camped on General Mitchell's farm, three miles from Port Tobacco, shortly after dark. Our brigade numbered about 5,000 men, so that the owner of the mansion, with such a large body of troops surrounding him, can hardly be blamed for showing a nervous anxiety for the safety of his property. To save his fences from destruction, he sent our regiment several cords of hickory wood to build fires for cooking and warmth, but the boys did not seem disposed to cut hickory while board fences were so handy. For policy sake an invitation was extended to some of the officers of the brigade to partake of the hospi- talities of the Mitchell mansion. The invitations were gladly accepted, but the officers after waiting patiently until nearly midnight, were treated to such indifferent and scanty fare, that they felt that it was a studied insult, and did not hesitate to forcibly express their opinions on their return to camp. Certain it is, that the men felt justi- fied in construing the treatment of their officers as an of- fence which required punishment, so they organized for foraging purposes, with evident disastrous results to the owner of perishable property.
The following account of the night's"work is taken from the diary of Major Rohrer.
"'General Mitchell,' as he was called, had several sons in the Confederate army-so it is reported. He asked for a guard for his property, and the 27th Connecticut fur- nished the guard. Sergeant Cover, of Company "H" got up a plan to capture the poultry in the corn-crib, and the pigs in the pen. This was after he learned of the bad treatment of 'General' Mitchell to the invited officers at h
106
MEMORIAL HISTORY
his house. When this detail, commanded by Sergeant Cover, reached the guard, they were challenged, 'Who comes there?' The reply was, 'Guard of relief.' The pickets were relieved, and the reliefs took their places. How many more were in the plot I never knew; but I think the Jerseys were among the party. At any rate there seemed to be concert of action, and at an agreed time, long after taps, and while the invited officers were famish- ing for the proffered entertainment, and the boys learned of the inhospitable treatment of their officers, a raid, (and probably several of them) was made on the fowls, pigs and hogs of the Mitchell plantation. It was a moonlight night, foggy, very dangerous to be out; the safest place was lying down in quarters. The Minié balls of the Springfield muskets whistled through the air, and the re- port of the Belgian rifles of the Jerseys sounded like small cannon. The hogs running in the field squealed at every pop of the rifle. This was quite interesting-under the circumstances-the balls flying in all directions, similar to a skirmish line.
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