History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics, Part 16

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) comp. cn; J.H. Beers & Co., pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1320

USA > Pennsylvania > McKean County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Potter County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Elk County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Cameron County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 16

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).

In 1858 Chapin Hall (R.) carried the county for congress by a vote of 835 against 479 recorded for James L. Gillis (D.); Enos Parsons (R.) was elected treasurer; V. P. Carter (R.), auditor; Nathan Dennis (D.), coroner, and Joseph Wilks (D.), poor-house commissioner.

In 1859 A. M. Benton (D. ) received 649 votes; T. Jefferson Boyer (D. ) 599, I. G. Gordon (R.) 559, and William A. Nichols (R.) 578 for repre- sentatives; J. C. Hamlin (D.) and G. B. Gillett (D.) were chosen auditors, and Dr. George Darling (R. ), coroner. At this time the district comprised Mckean, Elk, Clearfield, Jefferson and Forest counties.

In 1860 Henry Souther, Republican elector, received 1,077 votes; Byron D. Hamlin, Democratic, 591, and Joseph H. Otswick, Union, two votes; John Patton received the Republican vote for congress, and James R. Kerr, the Democratic vote. S. M. Lawrence (R.) and I. G. Gordon (R.) were elected representatives over A. M. Benton and - Brady, Democrats; James E. Blair (R.), sheriff; John R. Chadwick (R.), prothonotary; C. K. Sartwell (R.), re- corder; William K. King (R.), treasurer; W. A. Nichols (R.), attorney; W. A. Williams (R.), anditor, and Enos Parsons (R. ), coroner.

In 1861 Robert G. White (R.) received 633 votes, and Rasselas Brown 491 for president judge; N. Peabody (R.) and Jedediah Darling (R.) were elected associate judges; Alonzo I. Wilcox (R.) and Joseph B. McEnally

124

HISTORY OF MCKEAN COUNTY.

(R.), representatives; Charles D. Webster (R.), anditor; P. Ford (R.), attorney, and Ebenezer Barden (R. ), coroner. In the district were 6,983 votes, of which Judge White received 6,289.

The elections of 1862 show 785 votes for G. W. Scofield (R.) and 625 for Milton Courtright, Democratic candidates for congress; Stephen F. Wilson (R.) received a majority vote for senator; Martin H. Shannon (R. ) and War- ren Cowles (R.) were elected representatives; V. Perry Carter (R. ), treasurer; P. Ford (R. ). attorney; H. D. Hicks (D.) and B. H. Lamphier (R.), auditors, and D. F. Finley, coroner.

In 1863 Frank Bell (R.) and John Mahaffy (R.) received 717 votes, T. J. Boyer (D.) and A. M. Benton (D.) 625 votes for the legislature, the Demo- crats being elected. A. N. Lillibridge (R., 702 votes) contested for the sheriff's office with G. R. Moore (D., 642 votes); John R. Chadwick (R., 709 votes) opposed J. B. Oviatt (D. 621 votes) for prothonotary; Wallace W. Brown (R., 710 votes) fought against G. W. Sartwell (D., 617 votes) for the office of recorder, and James Bond (R., 693 votes) opposed L. R. Miner (D., 620 votes) for the position of coroner. Warren Cowles (R.) and J. C. Backus (D.) received party votes, and Swift (R.) and Duntley (R.) were chosen au- ditors.

The elections of 1864 show 767 votes for Isaac Benson, Republican elector, and 652 for John M. Irvine, Democratic elector. G. W. Scofield (R.) had a majority for congress over Bigler (D.); Lucius Rogers (R. ) had 649 votes for representative, against 575 given to C. B. Eldred (D.), who was elected in the district; James E. Blair (R.) was elected treasurer; John H. Duntley (R.), auditor; Dr. M. A. Sprague (R.), coroner, and Thomas King (R.), surveyor.

In 1865 H. W. Williams (R.) was elected president judge; John Brooks (R.) opposed E. B. Eldred (D.) for representative; Warren Cowles (R.) defeated S. R. Peale (D.) for senator; S. O. Tenney (R.) and John S. Bean (D.) contested for the office of auditor; William K. King (R.) was elected sur- veyor; E. C. Olds (R.) opposed Dr. C. W. Robbins (D.) for the coroner's office. The military vote was taken on the field. In 1866 C. A. Lyman (R.) received 848 and G. O. Deise (D.) 742 votes for representative; A. N. Taylor (R.) and A. T. Barden (R.) defeated Medbery (D.) and Brownell (D.) for associate judges; B. F. Wright (R.) defeated Coon in the race for sheriff; Thomas Malone (R. ) was elected treasurer over Dolley; W. W. Brown (R.), attorney, defeated Backus; J. R. Chadwick (R.) was elected prothonotary over C. C. Melvin; F. D. Wheeler (R.), auditor, and A. N. Lillibridge (R.), coroner. P. M. Fuller (R.) received 851 votes and Andrew Reilly (D.) 734 votes for commissioner. G. W. Scofield (R.) received a majority vote for congress in this county.

In October, 1867, S. D. Freeman (R.) received 769 votes for representa- tive, against 485 recorded for Deise; Abram Anderson and W. Y. McCoy were elected jury commissioners, with W. Y. McCoy (D.) and W. K. King (R. ), auditor. In this year the questions of "license" and "no license" were submitted. The first received 715 votes and the second 478.

The elections of 1868 show 964 Scofield (R.) and 825 R. Brown votes for congress; 978 for A. G. Olmsted (R.) and 808 for A. M. Benton (D.), senato- rial candidates; 983 for John Brooks (R.) and 798 for W. J. Davis (D.) for representative. E. B. Dolley (D.) was elected treasurer; Reuben Dennis (R.), commissioner, and H. Hamlin (R.), auditor. In November, 1,028 votes were cast for the Republican and 730 for the Democratic electors.

In 1869 L. W. Crawford (R.) carried the county for representative;

125

HISTORY OF MCKEAN COUNTY.

Henry King (R. ) was elected attorney: Lucius Rogers (R. ). prothonotary: J. D. Barnes (R. ), auditor, and J. E. Blair (R. ), coroner.

G. W. Scofield repeated his success this time over Selden Marvin in 1870: V. Perry Carter received a majority for the assembly: C. C. Melvin (D. ) was chosen treasurer, receiving 804 votes against J. R. Chadwick's ( R. ) 762; F. W. Sprague (R. ) was chosen auditor; William K. King (R. ), surveyor, and S. G. Curtis (R.) and D. H. Comes (D.), jury commissioners.

In 1871 B. B. Strang carried the county for senator over W. Y. McCoy: H. W. Williams (R.) for president judge over M. F. Elliott (D.); Lucins Rogers (R.) received 940 votes for representative against 720 recorded for F. W. Knox (D.): W. H. Curtis (R.) was chosen auditor; M. J. Hadley (R. ), coroner, and Charles E. Bailey (D.), surveyor. There were 1,620 votes cast for congressional convention and eleven against. Loyal Ward was elected associate judge.

In 1872 Thomas L. Kane (D.) received 1, 000 votes, and C. B. Curtis (R.) 956, for congress; Charles S. Jones (R. ) 1,025 and F. W. Knox (D. ) 953 for representative; W. J. Milliken (R.) 1,022 and D. R. Hamlin (D. ) 946 for attorney; C. H. Foster (R.) was elected treasurer; M. A. Sprague (R.), pro- thonotary: M. N. Powell (D.), sheriff; D. A. Butts (R. ), auditor; C. P. Rice (R.), coroner; while Jerome B. Niles, John S. Mann and M. F. Elliott were chosen delegates to the congressional convention. The Republican electors received 1,040 votes, and the Democratic 618. A unanimous vote was cast for the convention.

The elections of 1873 resulted in 614 votes for Conrad Hollenbeck (D.), or six over his opponent, C. S. Jones (R. ), for representative; P. T. Kennedy (R.) was chosen auditor; Andrew Reilly (D.) and Orrin Vosburgh (R. ), jury com- missioners, and H. L. Burlingame (R.), coroner. In December the new con- stitution was approved by 1,093 votes and disapproved by 64.

In 1874 Sobieski Ross (R.) had 922 votes and H. W. Early (D. ) 924 for congress; Almeron Nelson carried the county for senator; John C. Backus (D. ) defeated Butts (R.) for the assembly; A. H. Medbery (D. ) was chosen treas- urer; Thomas Callor (D.), anditor and B. F. Wright (R.), coroner.

In 1875 C. K. Sartwell and John R. Chadwick received 957 votes each for prothonotary, but Sartwell qualified; C. S. King (R. ) was chosen sheriff; Pat- rick H. Cotter (D.), attorney; Eugene Mullin (D.) and J. L. Bean (D. ), auditors, and Enos Parsons (R.) .. coroner.

The elections of 1876 show 1,427 votes for Republican (or Hayes) electors. 1,320 for Democratic (Tilden), 12 for Greenback (Peter Cooper), and one for Prohibition (Green Clay Smith); John J. Mitchell (R. ) received 1, 414 votes, Henry White (D. ) 1,331, and John T. Davis (G. - B.) 3, for congress; C. H. Seymour (R.), Dr. L. Granger (D.) received the respective votes for senator; C. H. Foster (R.), W. J. Davis (D.) and C. L. Allen (G .- B.) were the candi- dates for representative; W. S. Brownell (D.) and F. W. Burnham (R. ) were elected associate judges; J. E. B. White (R.) and J. H. Anderson (D. ), jury commissioners; J. E. MeDougall, coroner.

In 1877 W. D. Gallup (R.) was elected treasurer; J. E. Blair (G. - B.), coroner, and G. H. Lyon (R.), surveyor.

The elections of 1878 show 1,515 votes for John J. Mitchell (R. ), 1,252 for R. B. Smith (D.), and 774 for John T. Davis (G. B.), candidates for congress; Lewis Emery, Jr. (R.), received 1,652 votes for representative; Roswell Sart- well (D.) 1,321 for sheriff, defeating six other candidates; John B. Brawley (D. ) received 1.516 votes for prothonotary, defeating H. F. Barbour (R. ) and two others; S. W. Smith (R.) 1,699 votes for attorney; O. D. Vosburg (R. ) and

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HISTORY OF MCKEAN COUNTY.

J. J. Roberts (R. ) were chosen auditors, and N. W. Abbey (R.), J. G. Boyer (D.) and W. J. Colegrove (R.), commissioners.

In 1879 N. C. Gallup (R.) and O. P. Coon (D.) were elected jury com- missioners.

In 1880* the presidential vote was 3,693 ( Garfield ) Republican, 3, 169 (Hancock) Democratic, 16 (Dow) Prohibition, and 299 (Weaver) Greenback; Lewis Emery, Jr. (R. ), received 4,233 votes for senator, and Arthur J. Hughes (D. ) 2,768; David Kirk (D. ) received 3,591 votes, and R. J. C. Walker (R.) 3,541 votes for congress; W. L. Hardison (R.) 3,591 for representative, and E. M. Reardon (D. ) 3,307; John W. Brennan (D.) received 3,712 votes for treasurer and was elected; G. H. Lyon (R.) was chosen surveyor, and Anthony F. Bannon (R. ), coroner.

In 1881 Henry W. Williams (R.) was elected president judge; P. M. Fuller (R.) and Henry Hamlin (R.), associate judges; A. I. Wilcox (R.), sheriff; John B. Brawley (D.), re-elected prothonotary; Edward McSweeney (D.), district attorney; W. H. Higgins (D.) and A. P. Brewer (R.), auditors.

The elections of 1882 show a majority for M. F. Elliott (D.) for congress- at-large; almost a unanimous vote was recorded for Arthur G. Olmsted (R.), additional law judge; 2,464 votes for W. W. Brown, Republican candi- date for congress; David Sterrett (R.) received 2,294 votes, and B. D. Ham- lin (D.) 2,277 for representative; E. F. Clark (R.) and D. F. Pattison (D.) were chosen jury commissioners.

In 1883 Charles C. Melvin (D.) was elected treasurer, defeating John R. Shoemaker (R. ) by 120 votes; John King (R. ) was elected surveyor, and R. A. Dempsey (R.), coroner.

GENERAL ELECTIONS, 1884.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.

Joseph A. Ege (R.) 3,820

P. R. Ackley (D.). 2,980

C. H. Dana (Pro.). 346

George A. Webb (U. L.). 414

C'ONGRESS.

W. W. Brown (R.). 3,533

W. C. Kennedy (D.). 3,775

John Brown (Pro.). 323

SENATOR.

Lewis Emery, Jr. (R.). 3,956

Engene Mullin (D).). 3,276

A. Cadugan (Pro.). 357

REPRESENTATIVE.

Robert H. Rose (R.). 3,779

O. L. Snyder (D.) .. . 3.443

C. E. Tucker (Pro.). 405

SHERIFF.

A. F. Bannon (R.). 4,012

T. L. Sartwell (I).). 3.009

D. F. Connelly (Pro.).

222

N. D. Preston (U. L.). 381

PROTHONOTARY AND RECORDER.

J. M. McElroy (R.). 3,678

J. M. Armstrong (D.). 3,329

S. L. Rhodes (U. L.) 298

J. G. Hann (Pro.).

322

DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

Ernest Koester (R.). 3,822

G. B. MeCalmont (D.). . 3,319

G. J. Stranchan (U. L.).

381

AUDITOR.

A. P. Brewer (R.). 3,759

G. N. Barrett (R.) .. 3.796

Thomas Osborne (D.). 3,006

C. M. Capehart (D.). 2,947

J. H. MeKilop (U. L.) 415

J. W. Stearns (U. L.). 476

Peter Findlay (Pro.). 359

J. C. Young (Pro.). 362

Thomas L. Kane was a member of the Republican National Convention in 1880, and voted thirty-six times in that assembly for Grant's nomination.

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HISTORY OF MCKEAN COUNTY.

In 1885 D. Martin and M. S. Sheldon were elected jury commissioners.

ELECTIONS, 1886.

CONGRESS.

Henry C. McCormick (R.). 2,727

Edward L. Keenan (D.). 1.893

David Sterrett (Pro.). 497

REPRESENTATIVE.

F. S. Johnson (R.). 2,138

John K. Wilson (D.). 1,405

Elisha K. Kane (Pro.) 483

Ferd. Kriener (U. L.). 1,579

TREASURER.

John R. Shoemaker (R. ). 2,686

John W. Brennan (D.). 1,180

Miles S. Howe (Pro.). 460

Daniel Clark (U. L.).

1,296

CORONER.

William T. McCarthy (R.). 2.192

Cornelius J. Lane (D.). 1,588

J. S. Wilson (Pro.). 423

M. D. Ward (U. L.).

1,397

SURVEYOR.

C. M. Colegrove (R.). 2.339

G. H. Lyon (Pro.). . 429

William M. Lord (U. L.). 1,449

FENCE LAW.

For repeal.

2,204

Against repeal. 1,207

ELECTIONS, 1887.

ADDITIONAL LAW JUDGE .*

Thomas A. Morrison (R. ). 2,953

Edward L. Keenan (D.). 2.811

PROTHONOTARY, ETC.

J. M. McElroy (R.). 3,108

T. H. Lowry (D ) .. 2,222

A. J. McIntyre (Pro.). 204

SHERIFF.

William B. Clarke (R.). 3,235

J. W. Stearns (U. L. and D.).

2,506

C. P. Cody (Pro.). 194

DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

George A. Sturgeon (R.). 2,707

J. W. Bouton (D.). 1,580

W. L. Lillibridge (U. L.). 1.480

AUDITORS.

J. O. Sonburgh (R.). 2,891

F. R. Foster (R.). 2.931

A. B. Wicks (D.). 2,80

B. F. Greenman (D.). 2,806

J. C. Young (Pro.). 209

O. B. Lay (Pro.) .

210

ELECTIONS, 1888.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.

John W. Wallace (R.) 4,066

William Dent (D.). 2,922

Seymour J. Noble (U. L.). 426

R. D. Horton (Pro.). 295

CONGRESS.

Lewis F. Watson (R.) 4,201

W. A. Rankin (D.). . 2,758

Charles Miller (Pro.).

415

J. Whitely (U. L.). 337

SENATOR.

Horace B. Packer (R.). 4,058

G. D. Helwig (D.). 2,879

A. H. Cory (Pro.). 463

REPRESENTATIVES.

William E. Burdick (R.). 3,800

John T. Griffith (R. ) .. 4.094

Frank J. Collins (D.). 3,134

James McDade (D.). 2.967

John R. McCarthy (Pro.). . 384

William Luck (U. L.). 455

Daniel Clark (U. L.). 405

CORONER.

Samuel D. Heffner (R.). 4,061

Philo Ackley (D.). 2,907

A. W. Newell (Pro.). 418

W. D. Murray (U. L.). 325

JURY COMMISSIONERS.

George Hyde (R.). 4,041

M. S. Sheldon (D.). 2,882

Gilbert Moody (Pro.). 411

J. W. Corwill (U. L.). 365

The vote of June 18, 1889, on the Prohibitory Amendment, was 3,054 for, and 2,058 contra, showing a majority of 996, the vote by political divisions being as follows:

* The district vote was 5.091 and 4,248, respectively.

128

HISTORY OF MCKEAN COUNTY.

For. 137

Hamlin.

Bradford City, 1st ward, 1st dist

1st .. 2d dist 32

147

Keating township, 1st dist. . 1-19

ஒரு

162

102

2d dist. ... 29

3d ..

170

3d dist. 38

4th ..

108

125

5th

2d dist .. 80

Bradford township, 1st dist 120

2d dist. 54

2d dist 29

C'eres.

118

Liberty

Corydon.

Norwich

Eldred borough.

118

Otto township, 1st dist.

142

105

Eldred township.

159

2d dist. 103

Foster township, 1st dist. .. 2d dist. 118

164

Port Allegany

119

Sergeant

Hamilton township, 1st dist. . 2d dist. 35

Smethport. 83

108

3 Wetmore

171

The official canvass of votes cast in Mckean county general election held November 5, 1889, was as follows: For State treasurer: Boyer (R.), 2,661; Bigler (D. ), 1.685 and Johnson, 349. For county treasurer: Capt. Rogers (R. ), 2.467; Broder (D. ), 2.037, and Cody, 278. For surveyor: Hadley, 2,424; King. 128, and Kane, 606. Mr. King was voted for in several of the precincts by personal friends, but positively declined to have his name printed on the tickets as a candidate for county surveyor.

The township and borough elections of February, 1890, are recorded in the pages of township and borough history.

CHAPTER VII.

MILITARY HISTORY.

FORTY-SECOND REGIMENT (BUCKTAILS)-COLONEL KANE-FIFTY-EIGHTH REGI- MENT, P. V. I .- EIGHTY-THIRD REGIMENT, P. V. I .- ONE HUNDRED AND FIF- TIETH REGIMENT, P. V. I .- ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SECOND REGIMENT. P. V. I -Two HUNDRED AND ELEVENTII REGIMENT, P. V. I .- MISCELLANEOUS.

FORTY-SECOND REGIMENT (BUCKTAILS).

THE Rifle Regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserves, changed in Jane, 1861. to the Kane Rifle Regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps or Forty- second Pennsylvania Regiment, began organization a day before the telegraph flashed the tidings throughout the world of the breaking out of the Civil war. On April 13, 1861, Thomas L. Kane petitioned Gov. Curtin for leave to organ- ize a command in the " Wild Cat District." known now as Forest, Mckean, Elk. and Cameron counties. On the 14th the petition was granted, and the news being carried into the valleys and mountains, a company of one hundred men assembled on the Sinnemahoning, April 24, and entered on raft building, so that when the proposed regiment would be formed this method of transporta- tion would be at their disposal. On April 26 three hundred and fifteen men marched onto three rafts then ready, and setting up a green hickory pole on one of them, the "flag ship." placed above it a bucktail, and from this floated the flag of the Union.

l'or. 108

Against

Annin township. ..

Kane borough . 172

Kendall borough, 1st dist ..... 65

Lafayette township, 1st dist. . .

Against.

131

HISTORY OF MCKEAN COUNTY.

The command moved toward Harrisburg without marching orders from the governor. As soon as this movement was known, a message was sent to Lock Haven ordering the return of the men to their rendezvous, as only a limited number could be received. Gen. Jackman, who desired the service of the hardy woodsman, opposed this, and though his order was duly sent, it was never delivered. The men arrived at Harrisburg, and saluting the capitol with a rifle volley, made their presence known. After some days an order to muster in as the Seventeenth Regiment (three months) was issued, but as soon rescinded. owing to a regiment of that number being already enrolled. Col. Kane de- clined his commission, and entered the ranks May 13. The Warren Company, under Capt. Roy Stone, was organized out of similar material in the woods on the head-waters of the Allegheny river, while other companies of a kindred character flocked toward the capitol; so that on June 12 a regiment was or- ganized, of which Thomas L. Kane was commissioned colonel; Charles J. Biddle, lieutenant-colonel; Roy Stone, major; A. E. Niles, Hugh McDonald, E. A. Irvin, George B. Overton, Julius Sherwood, W. T. Blanchard, Philip Holland and John A. Eldred, captains.

The captains named had previously petitioned Gen. McCall to have their companies united under Col. Kane, who resigned June 13, that Lieut. Col. Biddle, a Mexican war soldier, might be commissioned. On the same day the captains (Langhorn Wistar's name now appearing) petitioned for change of regimental name as hitherto stated. This newly organized command, with Simmon's Fifth Regiment and Barr's Battery, proceeded on June 21 to Mary- land, and on the 27th established Camp Mason and Dixon on the State line. About July 7, immediately after Col. Wallace's regiment left for Martinsburg to join Patterson's brigade, Kane's rifles returned to the camp; on the 12th a scout of sixty men under Lieut. - Col. Kane moved to New Creek, Va., where the first skirmish took place with McDonald's Confederate cavalry. Kane pursued the rebels to Ridgeville, and held that neighborhood until July 27, when the regiment returned to Harrisburg. On August 6 the Bucktails reported to Banks at Harper's Ferry, and on October 20 Companies A, G, H, I and K, under Lieut. - Col. Kane, encountered the Louisiana Zouave Tigers near Hunter's Mill, and drove them back. Col. Biddle resigned December 12, leaving Kane to command on the 20th, at Dranesville. At noon on that day the enemy was reported advancing on the Centreville road, when Ord's artil- lery was sent forward, and the Kane rifles were advanced to check him. A little later Kane discovered the enemy flanking him, and the movement which led to the occupation of the brick house, the flight of the rebels, the wounding of Col. Kane, another officer and twenty-six men, and the death of two men. In January, 1862, H. W. McNeil was chosen colonel, and in March attached to Gen. Reynolds' first brigade, four companies being detached, under Lient. - Col. Kane, for the purpose of drill under his new system until May, when the four companies reported to Col. Bayard, and were pushed forward to within a few miles of Hanover court-house. From May 25 to June 6 the Bucktails led Fremont's army, with such spirit that the effective force was reduced to 128 men. On June 6 Col. Kane and 104 men went forward to rescue the wounded of the First New Jersey Cavalry, who were reported to have fallen into an ambuscade near Harrisonburg. This little command came suddenly upon four Confederate regiments and a battery, and sending back a message, attacked, breaking their line. Recovering from the surprise the Confederate regiments prepared to advance, when Martin Kelly, volunteering to draw their fire, stepped from behind a tree, received a shower of lead and died next day in the glory of war. George McGowan was shot near him next day. While holding this

132

HISTORY OF MCKEAN COUNTY.

position against such terrible odds, the while waiting for Fremont's aid, the wounded Col. Kane directed the battle. Private Holmes, who lay close by mortally wounded, hearing Gen. Ashby, of the Fifty-eighth Confederate Vir- ginians (then in Stuart's rebel brigade), urge a bayonet charge, fired, killing the rebel general. The Fifty-eighth was repulsed, but Johnson pushed onward and drove the Federals from the bush, capturing the wounded Lieut. - Col. Kane and Capt. Taylor, latter of whom had returned in the face of the enemy to res- cue his colonel. Only then did the Confederates realize that the Bucktail rifles were the actors in this affair, the famous regiment losing fifty-two men in killed, wounded and missing, while killing or wounding 559 of the enemy.

On June 8 Fremont encountered Jackson at Cross Keys. The former was driven back, leaving the Bucktails to cover the retreat, but to the surprise of all this command cut its way through, and further carried with them the guns which they were ordered to support, receiving marked thanks for the exploit. While Lieut .- Col. Kane's four companies were thus engaged Maj. Stone, then in charge of the other six companies of 400 men, was engaged in the Shenan- doah Valley, In June his command arrived at Dispatch Station in the Penin- sula, and was found within four miles of Richmond, Va. On the 26th two companies were at the railroad and meadow bridge on Beaver Dam creek, and the other four in the neighborhood. Their fire checked the enemy's advance; but in the hurry, Stone learned that Simmons, who commanded the grand guard, had withdrawn the three Bucktail regiments in his rear, leaving the other three within the enemy's circle. Stone succeeded in bringing in Wis- tar's and Jewett's companies to the entrenchments, where were now the three companies formerly withdrawn, leaving Capt. Irvin's company within the enemy's lines. The latter withdrew to a swamp, where he held out for three days before surrendering. The Bucktails' loss in this affair was seventy-five in killed, wounded and missing. Maj. Stone's subsequent doings at Mechan- iesville and Gaines' Mills are matters of national history, his little force of Bnektails holding a whole division of rebels back and delaying the battle at Gaines' Mills until the Federal forces recovered strength to contest that field. It lost that morning and on the retreat half their men, being able to inuster only six officers and 125 men on its arrival at Gaines' Mills, where it suffered a loss of one officer and twenty-five men. On the 29th slightly wounded and missing members rejoined the remnant of the command, bringing the force up to five officers and 150 men, with whom were incorporated five officers and eighty-four men of the United States sharpshooters. The battle of Charles City Cross-roads took place July 30. There the "Bucktails " did some extraordinary fighting, and barely escaped capture. On the night of that day McCall rode into a rebel command and was captured, leaving Stone to escape under a shower of lead. The Bucktails lost two officers and ninety men killed, wounded and taken prisoners, and their United States sharp. shooter friends lost two officers and fifty-six men. At Harrison's Landing the work of bridging the river was assigned to the Bucktails. At 5 P. M. these for- esters began work, chopping the timber along the river. At sunrise, next morning, they had the 500-feet bridge ready for the artillery to cross. Soon after Maj. Stone resigned to take command of the One Hundred and Forty- ninth Infantry, and Col. McNeil, who had returned, resumed command. Then some of those captured at Mechanicsville were exchanged, rejoined their com- mand, and all were present at the Second Bull Run, August 29 and 30, where five were killed, nineteen wounded and three missing.

Returning to Col. Kane's four companies, they are found at Brandy Sta- tion on August 19, 1862, where Kane rejoined them after his term of imprison-

133

HISTORY OF MCKEAN COUNTY.

ment. At this time they numbered 160 men. On the morning of the 23d Capt. Winslow's guard of fifteen men were seeking shelter from a heavy thunder storm when Gen. Stuart's rebel cavalry rode over his tent, taking all prisoners. Col. Kane rallied his men to the number of sixty-eight, and with this small force performed some of the most daring feats known to military men. That night he charged, right and left, causing the stampede of the rebel army, losing only one man mortally wounded and four wounded of his sixty-eight warriors. Next morning they crossed the Cub run bridge, which they destroyed, and Gen. Pope's army was saved. On September 7 Kane was commissioned brigadier- general, Edward A. Irvine, of Company K. taking his place as lieutenant-colonel of the Bucktails, while A. E. Niles was commissioned major, rice Stone, now colonel of the One Hundred and Forty-ninth regiment.

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Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) comp. cn; J.H. Beers & Co., pub Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1320

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) comp. cn; J.H. Beers & Co., pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1320