History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 98

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor
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In September, 1862, the regiment marched into Washington and took the cars for Point of Rocks, where they crossed the Potomac, and marched to Fredericksburg, Va. On the 13th day of December they crossed the Rappahannock and engaged in the battle of Fredericksburg. In this terrific battle quite a large number of the men were killed, wounded, and missing. The historian has already written the his- tory of this terrible engagement, the crossing of the army, the encounter, the stealthy retreat. Company C, notwithstanding the defeat, entered the dwellings vacated by the rebels and played on the pianos, cooked their meals on their stoves, and, although. un- welcome tenants, made themselves at home. They were among the last to recross the river and go into camp, which proved to become their winter-quarters. It was from here they could view the sign-boards erected and painted with inscriptions to further hu- miliate and deject the Union army. The company also took part in Burnside's fruitless attempt to march a second time. At the battle of Chancellorsville the company fought on the enemy's right. The Eleventh Corps breaking left Jackson on the rear, changed front to rear, Saturday night, May 2, 1863. On Sun- day morning New York troops broke, and the Eighty- fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers, with two other small regiments, retook the position and drove the enemy back, and for the first time fought from behind breastworks. At about noon the enemy moved around to the left and surrounded the command spoken of on three sides, and firing into the rear

The army was now on the march back after Lee, and brought up at United States Fording on the Rap- pahannock River. Here the company lay in camp until October, 1863, when the army fell back towards Washington; the enemy followed and destroying the railroad again fell back. The Union army rebuilt the road up to Culpeper, and the Eighty-fourth Regiment went into camp near Brandy Station, and after building winter-quarters in the month of No- vember, they broke camp and marched across the Rap- pahannock and had a skirmish with the enemy. The regiment moved to left, and the division and two divisions of Warren's corps were selected to charge the enemy's works under the command of Warren. This was what was called Mine Run battle. The

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enemy had built fortifications and felled trees in front, forming an abatis. This was to be made at daybreak, but fortunately it was postponed. All day long the boys would go out in front of the line and look at the enemy's works, which were not far distant, and speculate on the hazard of the undertaking. The command was agreeably surprised to be ordered back, when they recrossed the river and marched back to camp, and remained during the winter of 1868 and 1864. It was in this camp the brigade's field and line officers built a large hall and had several balls; the wives and sisters of the members of the command participated. After this the hall was turned over to the boys, who converted it into a theatre, and the minstrel troupes were largely attended. The army again broke camp May 1, 1864, burnt the hall that had seen so many pleasant events, laid aside festivity, and prepared for the march and battle. At this time Gen. Grant had taken charge of the army. The march was over the Rappahannock, and was soon again at Germania Fording and the old battle-ground of Fredericksburg. The company then examined the. field to see traces of the former conflict, but found few places they could recognize. After resting for the night the command was again in motion, with loaded knapsacks, sixty rounds of cartridges, and five days' rations. This amount of rations was by no means a load; it consisted of a few crackers, a little coffee, and piece of salt pork. They were not long in find- ing the enemy. The advance engaged them about noon, and the company came on them in the field or rather wood. This was the beginning of the Battle of the Wilderness. This battle-field was a hedge of small trees and underbrush. The boys threw up a breastwork of logs, stumps, and anything that would stop a bullet; the sound of musketry was heard, but the line of battle was not visible. On the 5th of May the company went into the fight about four o'clock P.M .; had several men killed and wounded. On the morning of the 6th the battle opened furiously, and the Eighty-fourth Regiment advanced at daybreak, drove the enemy back, and held the position until about noon. During this fight the lines were formed so near the enemy that a member of Company C, George Hoffer, captured a rebel flag. The regiment was flanked about noon, and this caused the whole line to fall back pell-mell until it reached the log breast- works that they left in the morning. After reaching the works the boys collected together and had a lunch. A few shots from a thicket sent back the pickets with the cry that the enemy was advancing with their line of battle. The enemy had advanced so close on the Union pickets that the latter had scarcely crossed the works until the main line opened fire. Little artil- lery could be used owing to the trees, and the battle was waged by the use of small-arms.

On the afternoon the regiment lost its commander, Col. Milton Upp, a grand soldier and a good officer, who was shot down while driving the enemy back.

This fight lasted to nightfall, and the enemy fell back ; the boys engaged in burying their dead. They then threw up works near the plank-road and lay behind them all night. On the 9th moved to Todd's Tavern, and fought but little until May 12th. A detail of about one hundred men from different regiments was sent out to skirmish. They came up with the enemy's line and were shelled all afternoon. Next morning, May 12th, the Second Corps, commanded by the gal- lant Hancock, with the Sixth Corps, charged the ene- my's works at daybreak. The morning was wet, and a heavy fog rising; the pickets were driven in with but few shots and raised the yell. The company charged on with the command until they reached the enemy's works. The enemy, taken by surprise, were routed and lost seven thousand prisoners and eigh- teen pieces of artillery. Among the prisoners was Gen: Johnston.

Fighting continued all day long with a loss to the Eighty-fourth of fourteen killed and twenty-four wounded. Company C had two killed and several wounded. Marching and fighting then became the order or events of the day. This continued until the army arrived at Cold Harbor. Capt. J. J. Wirsing with a detail from a half-dozen regiments, nearly all strangers, was sent to establish a line, there being a break between our infantry and cavalry. Scarcely had the line been formed, prior to advancing, when the enemy sent their shells and opened battle, but the Union army crossed the James on transports and marched in front of Petersburg.

Here it would be too tedious to recite the conflicts. One continuous conflict tells the history of the army before Petersburg. On the 15th of August, when the Eighty-fourth was crossing, the troops marched to the north side of the James, to what was known as " Deep Bottom," and engaged the enemy and suffered severely in killed and wounded. This movement was made to lead the enemy to move his force from in front of Petersburg and leave Burnside to blow up the famous mines, which proved a failure. The regiment at the time the mine was sprung was in the front line, on the right of which the troops were slaughtered. Com- pany C did a great deal of hard marching during this time. Their right was with the Second Corps (Hancock's) in the Weldon Railroad battle. They were nearly surrounded by the rebels; and on October the 2d, when within fifty yards of the works, Capt. Wirsing was severely wounded and left the field and taken prisoner, having been shot through the shoulder and thigh, and his comrades left him for dead. The regiment was repulsed. Col. Zinn was wounded with several of the command.

Capt. Wirsing was taken to Richmond as a pris- oner, and never got back to his company. Company C, with its regiment, the same fall went on the " Apple Jack" raid, when they tore up miles of the Weldon Railroad. The regiment was afterwards consolidated with the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania

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Volunteers. Both regiments were nearly annihi- lated. They took an active part in the battle and marches that resulted in the surrender of Gen. Lee.

In the spring of 1865 they were marched to Wash- ington, when transportation was furnished them to Harrisburg, and at that place were mustered out of service. Those who were left returned to their West- moreland homes, and were again honored citizens of our staid old county.

ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT ( Three Years' Service).

The One Hundredth, or, as it was more commonly known, the " Round-Head Regiment," was recruited in the northwestern counties of the State, originally settled by the Round-Heads of the English Revolu- tion, and by Scotch-Irish covenanters. Daniel Leas- ure, of New Castle, who had since 1882 been con- nected with the militia as a private or an officer, had served as captain and adjutant of the Twelfth Regi- ment, received authority from the Secretary of War Aug. 6, 1861, to recruit a regiment of infantry from among the descendants of the Covenanters and of the men who had followed Cromwell, whose leading characteristics had been a devotion to the principles of liberty of person and conscience. It was organ- ized at Pittsburgh, Aug. 81, 1861, for three years, re- enlisted as a veteran organization, and was mustered out of service July 24, 1865, at Harrisburg. It nobly maintained the reputation of its time-honored name by gallant fighting at James Island, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Blue Springs, Campbell Station, siege of Knoxville, Wil- derness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Poplar Spring Church, and Hatcher's Run. Lieut .- Col. David A. Leckey, pro- moted from captain Company M to major, Oct. 9, 1861; to lieutenant-colonel, July 12, 1862; resigned Dec. 30, 1862.

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH REGIMENT ( Three Years' Service).

Early in August, 1861, Amor A. McKnight, of Brookville, who had for some time previous com- manded a militia company, and who during the three months' service had led a company in the Eighth Regiment, received the requisite authority to raise a regiment for three years. Recruiting was immediately commenced, many re-enlisting from the returning regiments, and by the close of the month its ranks were full. It served three years, re-enlisted as a veteran organization, and was mustered out July 11, 1865, at Washington, D. C. Its men were prin- cipally from the Congressional district then popularly known as the "Wild-Cat District," embracing the counties of Jefferson, which was most largely repre- sented, Clarion, and Clearfield, with one company from Westmoreland, were well formed and stalwart, and in- ured to hardships and privations in their struggles to

subdue the forests. It was at once assigned to Jami- son's brigade of Heintselman's division (afterwards Kearney's). In March following it marched with the Army of the Potomac, under Mcclellan, and crossed the Chickahominy, where, on May 81st, it took part in the battle of Fair Oaks. Headley, in his War His- tory, says, "Napoleon's veterans never stood firmer under a devastating fire" than the officers and men of this regiment in this action. It lost forty-one killed, one hundred and fifty wounded, and seventeen miss- ing. It went into the battle of Gettysburg reduced in numbers to two hundred and forty-seven, out of whom one officer and fourteen men were killed, thirteen officers and one hundred and eleven, men wounded, and nine missing, -a loes of more than half its entire strength. It participated in the following other battles: Yorktown, Williamsburg, Glendale, Malvern Hill, Bristow Station, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Kelly's Ford, Mine Run, Po River, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Cold Harbor, Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, Poplar Spring Church, and Boydton Road.

Lieutenant-colonel, J. W. Greenswalt, pro. from capt. of Co. E to may., Nov. 29, 1861, to lieut .- col., May 4, 1883; died May 17, of wounds received at Wilderness, May 5, 1864.

Major, Mungo M. Dick, pro. from capt. of Co. E, Sept. 20, 1861 ; res. Ang. 9, 1802.

Assistant surgeon, George W. Ewing, rank from Ang. 4, 1862; pro. to marg- 118th Regt., April 7, 1868.

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH REGIMENT (Nine Months' Service).

Its regimental organization was effected Aug. 19, 1862, at Camp Curtin, and on the same evening went to Washington, and reported to Gen. Wadsworth. He assigned it to provost-guard duty by detachments in that city and Georgetown, where it remained until Feb. 16, 1863. It was then assigned to the First Brigade, Third Division, First Corps, and until the opening of the Chancellorsville campaign was en- gaged in guard and picket duty. At the battle of Chancellorsville, although not actively engaged, it performed valuable services. It was mustered out May 24, 1863. The only field-officer from this county was Lieut .- Col. David L. McCulloch, promoted from captain Company F, Aug. 19, 1862. (See Appendix "R" for roster.)

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SECOND REGIMENT ( Three Years' Service).

This regiment was organized at Harrisburg in Au- gust and September, 1862, for three years, and mus- tered out May 29, 1865, near Washington, D. C. It participated in the battles of Gettysburg, Fredericks- burg, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Wilderness, Peters- burg, and several other engagements.

Chaplain William D. Moore, from Oct. 1, 1862, to Jan. 25, 1863. (See Appendix "R" for rosters.)

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ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT (Drafted Militia, Nine Months' Service).

This regiment was raised in the counties of West- moreland, Fayette, Greene, Beaver, Allegheny, and Erie. The men rendezvoused at Camp Howe, near Pittsburgh, during the latter part of October, 1862, where the companies were organized. On December 2d it left for Fortrees Monroe, from whence it was or- dered to Newport News, where it remained two weeks, with the command of Gen. Corcoran.

It was then ordered to Suffolk, Va., and was there assigned to Spinola's brigade, subsequently known as the "Keystone Brigade." From there the brigade went to Newberne, N. C. It was out upon several ex- peditions against the enemy, but did not come to battle. It afterwards relieved the garrison of Little Washington, where it remained until June 28th, when it was sent to Fortrees Monroe, and thence to White House, to co-operate with forces under Gen. Dix in a demonstration towards Richmond. For nearly a week the troops were out upon this duty, and here the in- telligence was first received of the invasion of Penn- sylvania. It was then turned homeward towards the State, and occupied Maryland Heights, at Harper's Ferry, and joined Meade's army at Boonsboro' after the battle of Gettysburg. It was mustered out July 25, 1868.1

Colonel, Joseph Jack, rank from Nov. 28, 1802. Adjutant, Irene R. Bessell, rank from Nov. 23, 1862.

TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTH REGIMENT (One Year's Service).

This regiment was organized at Pittsburgh, Sept. 8, 1864. Most all the field and line officers had seen service in other regiments, and the greater part of the men who served in the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Regiment, nine months' service of 1862-63, now re- turned to service again in this regiment. Proceeding to the front, it was attached to the Eighteenth Corps, near Bermuda Hundred, but soon after moved to the north side of James River, and was assigned to duty with the Engineer Corps, and built Fort Brady, north of Dutch Gap. In the latter part of October it was assigned to the Third Brigade, First Division, Tenth Corps, and went into winter-quarters. Upon the re- organization of the army corps it was attached to the Twenty-fourth Corps, and continued on duty with the Army of the James under Gen. Orth. Upon the evacuation of Richmond it was the first regiment to enter the city, and for a time did provost-guard duty there, and afterwards at Lynchburg.

Lieutenant-Colonel, John T. Fulton, pro. from captain of Co. E, Sept. 9, 1864; must. out June 26, 1866.

Assistant surgeon, David Alter, must. out June 26, 1866. Chaplain, John C. High, must. out June 26, 1865.

TWO HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH REGIMENT (One Year's Service). This regiment was organized at Camp Reynolds, in September, 1864, and soon after its organization

moved to the front, and on the 20th was placed in the intrenchments at Bermuda Hundred, where it was incorporated with a provisional brigade in the Army of the James. On November 27th it joined the Army of the Potomac, on the south side of the Appo- mattox, and was assigned to the Second Brigade (Col. Matthews'), the Third Division (Gen. Hartranft's), Ninth Corps. It gallantly participated in the fight- ing around Petersburg, where, April 2, 1865, it lost four officers and seventeen men killed, four officers and eighty-nine men wounded, and twenty-one miss- ing, an aggregate loss of one hundred and thirty-five. It was mustered out June 2, 1865, at Alexandria, Va.

Colonel, James H. Trimble, hon. dinh'd March 18, 1866.

Major, Augustus A. Mechling, com. 2d lieut. March 19, 1865; not mus- tered; diech. May 3, 1865.

Chaplain, John W. Plannett, rank from Oct. 5, 1864; must, out with regt"

TWO HUNDRED AND TWELFTH REGIMENT-"SIXTH ARTILLERY"-(One Year's Service).

This regiment was organized at Camp Reynolds, near Pittsburgh, Sept. 15, 1864, and two days later moved to Washington, where it was assigned to the Second Brigade of De Russy's division, which was garrisoning the defenses of the capital. On the 29th it was detached from the division and ordered to duty in guarding the portion of the Orange and Alex- andris Railroad lying between Alexandria and Man- assas, the several companies being stationed at inter- vals along the line, with headquarters at Fairfax Court-House. About the middle of November, Sheri- dan having cleared the Shenandoah Valley of the foes, this line was abandoned, and the regiment was ordered back to the defenses of Washington, being posted at Forts Marcy, Ward, Craig, Reno, Albany, Lyons, and others. It was mustered out June 18, 1865.

Chaplain, William D. Moore, from Sept. 17, 1864, to June 18, 1865.

MILITIA OF 1862.

The militia organizations of the county in 1861 were but few, but, such as they were, they formed the basis of organization of some of the companies of men recruited that year for the national service. The rebel army had no sooner achieved its triumph in the second battle of Bull Run than it hastened forward to the north and commenced crossing the Potomac. The southern border of Pennsylvania lay in close proximity, all unprotected, and by its rich harvests invited invasion. The Reserve Corps, which was originally organized for the State defense, had been called away to the succor of the hard-pressed army of Mcclellan upon the Peninsula, and was now upon the weary march, with ranks sadly thinned in the hard-fought battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, Charles City Cross-Roads, and the second Bull Run, to again meet the foe, but powerless to avert the threatened danger. The result of the struggle on

" See also roster in Appendix " R."

1 See roster in Appendix " R."

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the plains of Manassas was no sooner known than the helpless condition of the State, which had been apparent from the first, became a subject of alarm. September 4th, Governor Curtin issued a proclama- tion calling on the people to arm and prepare for de- fense. He recommended the immediate formation of companies throughout the State, and, for the purpose of drill and instruction, that after three P.M. of each day all business houses should be closed. On the 10th, the danger having become imminent, the enemy being already in Maryland, he issued a general order, calling on all able-bodied men to enroll immediately for the defense of the State, and to hold themselves in readiness to march at an hour's notice, to select offi- cers, to provide themselves with such arms as could be obtained, with sixty rounds of ammunition to the man, tendering arms to such as had none, and prom- ising that they should be held for service for such time only as the pressing exigency for State defense should continue.

On the following day, acting under the authority of the President of the United States, the Governor called for fifty thousand men, directing them to report by telegraph for orders to move, and adding that further calls would be made as the exigencies should require. The people everywhere flew to arms, Ind moved promptly to the State capital. On the 14th the head of the Army of the Potomac met the enemy at South Mountain, and hurled him back through its passes, and on the evening of the 16th and day of the 17th a fierce battle was fought at An- tietam. In the mean time the militia had rapidly concentrated at Hagerstown and Chambersburg, and Gen. John F. Reynolds, who was at the time com- manding a corps in the Army of the Potomac, had assumed command. Fifteen thousand men were pushed forward to Hagerstown and Boonsboro', and a portion of them stood in line of battle in close proximity to the field, in readiness to advance, while the fierce fighting was in progress. Ten thousand more posted in the vicinity of Greencastle and Cham- bersburg, and "about twenty-five thousand," says Governor Curtin, in his annual message, "were at Harrisburg, on their way to Harrisburg, or in readi- ness and waiting for transportation to proceed thither." The Twenty-fifth Regiment, under com- mand of. Col. Dechert, at the request of Gen. Hal- leck, was sent to the State of Delaware to guard the Dupont powder-mills, whence the national armies were principally supplied. But the enemy was de- feated at Antietam, and retreated in confusion across the Potomac. The emergency having passed, the militia regiments were ordered to return to Harris- burg, and, in accordance with the conditions on which they had been called into service, they were on the 24th mustered out and disbanded. Gen. Mc- Clellan, in a letter to Governor Curtin, thanking him for his energetic action in calling out the militia, said,-

"Fortunately, circumstances rendered it impossible for the enemy to cet foot upon the soll of Penneyivaals, but the moral support rendered to my army by your action was none the less mighty. The manner in which the people of Prameyivasis responded to your call and hestesed to the defense of their frontier no doubt exercised a great influence apon the enemy."

Four companies of militia were raised in West- moreland, gathered together between September 4th and 12th, eight days. There were. men in some if not all of them who had already seen service in the carly campaigns of the war, and while they were not called upon to contend with the foo in deadly strife, the uprising of an army in the space of a week in the State of Pennsylvania had an equally encouraging effect upon the weary troops of the Army of the Po- tomac, and an equally disheartening effect upon the rank and file of the Confederate forces, beaten and driven back from the bloody field of Antietam.1

MILITIA OF 1863.

In the spring of 1868, Gen. Lee, after repulsing the Federal attacks upon his stronghold at Fredericks- burg, planned a second invasion of Maryland and Pennsylania, the blow being mostly struck at the latter. Lee was several days in advance of the Union army, finding no considerable force in his way, cap- turing a portion of Gen. Milroy's force at Winchester, and compelling the balance to soek safety in the works on Maryland Heights, opposite Harper's Ferty, he triumphantly marched into Pennsylvania. The small force in the way at all was that under Gen. Couch, with headquarters at Harrisburg, and Gen. Brooks' small force on the border of Western Penn- sylvania and extending to the Ohio. The general government seeing the danger called for troops from the nearest States, asking of Pennsylvania 50,000 men. The people having become disheartened by rebel successes South responded slowly, no consider- able force of militia being organized until Lee's army was on Pennsylvania soil, levying contributions of money and material upon its defenseless towns, asking the town of York alone for $100,000 cash, of which it actually paid $28,000, besides food and clothing furnished. Very few regiments were raised until the decisive battle of Gettysburg was fought, from July 1st to 3d. There was some dissatisfaction on the part of some of the troops on account of being mustered into United States service, and Governor Curtin, be- ing called upon, assured the troops that they would be discharged as soon as the danger to the State was averted, and, more than this, gave them the choice to elect to serve six months or during the emergency. There was not much demurring among the Westmore- land County men, whose companies, among the very first raised in the State, were sworn into the United States service on the plighted faith of the Governor that they would not be detained beyond the exigency calling them to arms. It furnished two cavalry and

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 98

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: