Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 28

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930

USA > Pennsylvania > Indiana County > Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I > Part 28

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It was attacked again June 25th, when on picket duty, losing two killed and six wounded, and in the retreat to Harrison's Landing participated in the engagement at

diate front.

June 30th it was engaged all day in the battle of Charles City Cross Roads, hotly engaged most of the afternoon, losing fifty- six in killed and wounded; and again at Mal- vern Hill, July 1st, it lost one half of the entire available force of the regiment in killed, wounded and missing, in that fierce and terrible battle in which the bravery of our troops was equaled by the daring and terrible charges of the enemy. Yet our own arms were truly victorious, and the Union forces withdrew from the field the victors.

Resting at Harrison's Landing till August 14th, the regiment proceeded to Yorktown, thence to Alexandria, and on August 22d to guard the railroad from Manassas to Cat- lett's Station. Portions of the regiment bare- ly escaped capture. Companies E and K had but scarcely left Bristoe Station when Gen- eral Jackson's column reached it, capturing Captain Consor and his company (4). Com- panies E and K, returning towards Bristoe to reconnoiter, ran into the Confederate force, and the shrewdness of Sergeant Keiflim prob- ably saved them from capture, for, when chal- lenged, his reply, "First brigade of Kearney's division." was effective. The officers giving loud commands indicative of an advance of a full regiment, quietly ordered a retreat. The next day the regiment was in support of batteries. The morning light had discovered to them 10,000 of the enemy in battle array, which, members of Company K say to us, was The movements of the Rebels could be distinctly seen, and the danger for the time seemed to be forgotten in the interest in the panorama. The next engagement was that of Companies B and G. a detachment of the 87th N. Y. V., and a few pieces of artillery, when on guard at Manassas. Captain Craig and a portion of his command were captured after a brief struggle in the darkness of the night.

The entire regiment was brought into hat- tle at Bull Run. August 29th, lying all day under a heavy artillery fire, until five o'clock P. M., when it was advanced to the front, stubbornly fighting, gaining and losing by turns. and finally forced to retire. Still hope- ful of ultimate success, it stopped at the rail- road and renewed the fight. The Rebels in- terposed a force rearward, causing confusion in the ranks for a time, but the regiment reformed in the face of all this, and a second retreat was ordered. The loss was great. Some who fell have never been accounted for,

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and are supposed to have yielded up their county, was killed instantly; the loss of of- lives on this bloody field. It was still further ficers and men seventy-seven. After this bat- engaged on the 30th, under artillery fire, a tle the Kearney badge of honor was conferred terrible ordeal for infantry. There seems upon the commissioned officers, and those nothing in war so despicable as to be subject to a destructive fire that cannot be returned for lack of range. Under cover of darkness a retreat was effected, and the next day the regiment went into position near Fairfax C. H., where it participated in the fight of the day, in a raging storm, at Chantilly, and deployed as skirmishers on the line at night.

The regiment was now withdrawn to the defenses at Washington for recuperation, and did not participate in the Maryland cam- paign.

After the Antietam battle, the regiment participated in the subsequent marches up and down the Virginia valleys, and at the battle of Fredericksburg, December 13,' 1862, it was moved forward to support the Penn- sylvania reserves then engaged, but was too late to retrieve the disaster of the day to those noble regiments. It was moved for- ward in close proximity to the Rebel works, and for forty-two hours laid exposed to the fire of the Rebel sharpshooters and artillery, suffering a loss of three officers and eleven

non-commissioned officers especially men- tioned for bravery. Whether selecting a few in a regiment where all were brave was wise or not we cannot judge, but we know that the recipients of the badge afterwards did honor to themselves, the donors, and their counties. Among those of Indiana county the lot fell to Sergt. Robert Doty, afterwards killed at Gettysburg, Pa .; James Sylvis, pro- moted to second Lieutenant of Company B, and George J. Reed, who died of wounds re- ceived in the Wilderness, Va. Of Jefferson county, among others was Sergt. A. H. Mit- chell, who came home captain of his company, and after the war was for many years a resi- dent of Indiana county.

At Gettysburg, on Pennsylvania's soil, the regiment won new laurels, if such could add . to its honor. It fought on the line of the Emmitsburg road, losing heavily, yet retir- ing in good order, the loss to the regiment being over one-half its number. Sergeant Doty, of Company F, was killed in the early part of the engagement by a sharpshooter (as supposed) while the regiment was in sup- men. We stop here to note the fact that the port of the skirmish line. During the en- gagement Lieutenant McHenry, of Company K, was wounded and disabled for further service. We would gladly mention others if space permitted, but we quote Colonel Craig, who said: "The 105th never fought better than at Gettysburg," and this was great praise, for of the battle at Fair Oaks Head- ley's history says : "Napoleon's veterans never stood firmer under a devastating fire." Fol- lowing this battle, General Sickles having lost

Rebels here positively refused to allow the wounded and dying to be removed under flag of truce, until many had died of exposure and lack of attendance. Excusers and apolo- gists for the Rebels have never given any valid reason for this, and here we began to realize how these Southern demons proposed to conduet the war, this being but the begin- ning of hellish acts of cruelty and inhumanity, which survivors of the war can never fully condone. And what a striking contrast the a leg, and became disabled for service, the tender care bestowed upon their dying left 2d and 3d Corps were consolidated, and the on the field at Antietam! After this the 3d Corps ceased as a distinctive organiza- regiment had its share of the discomforts of tion. the "mud march," and for the winter en- camped near Potomac creek, Virginia.

After Lee was driven South, in the retro- grade to Centerville, Va., the regiment became engaged with the Rebel cavalry at Auburn, Va., September 13, 1862. In the movement southward again, had a slight skirmish at Kelly's Ford, and a sharp one at Locust Grove; thence moved to Mine Run, and suf- fered the extreme cold and fatigue of that

At Chancellorsville, May 1, 1863, the regi- ment with its brigade formed in battle line near Chancellor House, receiving a severe shelling, and next day went on skirmish line, and on the 3d of May became hotly engaged with the foe, in the afternoon charging upon the works the 11th Corps and hastily evac- short but terrible campaign, and during the uated the day before. The first line was taken winter of 1863-64 nearly all the available force of the regiment reenlisted for the war, and the regiment was furloughed in a body. and held till the men were out of ammuni- tion, when it fell back to Chancellor House. In leading the charge, Colonel MeKnight fell; May 4, 1864, it crossed the Rapidan, and entered upon the Wilderness campaign, Captain Kirk, of Company F, of Indiana

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

passing over the field of Chancellorsville of ing stripped of all except clothing they were one year before. The men found the bones ordered to the rear. Picking up guns in the of their comrades exposed to the elements, rear somewhere they started for the Union for the Rebels had never buried them, only lines, encountering a company of Confed- erates between the two picket lines. By a throwing a little dirt or rubbish over the bodies where they lay, the skull of Captain little ruse on their part they succeeded in Kirk protruding from his sepulcher, and inducing the company to ground arms, and

some of his bones exposed to the air. His the two boys marched them prisoners to Gen- remains were recognized by distinctive marks. eral Hancock's headquarters. The General afterwards granted them a furlough of thir- ty-five days, but Gill in the meantime had been wounded and captured, his leg ampu- tated, and could not take advantage of the merited favor. Hazlett was of Georgeville, Indiana county, and Gill of Meadville, Penn- sylvania.

It is hard to write these things of "Southern chivalry," but all manly virtues seemed to have left the breasts of leaders and followers, and even now, when cooler judgment should rule, many of them glory most in what was most to their shame. On the evening of the 5th of May, the regiment became engaged in the Wilderness, having a severe battle, losing the colonel, badly wounded, and lieutenant colonel mortally wounded, and many brave officers of the line dead or wounded; among the latter we name Lieutenant William Kim- ple and James Sylvis. Again, on the 6th, the regiment was moved front and participated in the terrible struggle of the day, where none could tell the turn of battle except by sound, and on the 7th was in reconnoitering force, to ascertain the Rebel position. The remnant of the 63d Pennsylvania Volunteers was now assigned to duty with the 105th, and on the 9th, at the Potomac river, the regiment was severely shelled by the enemy, and after- wards, during the progress of the battle of days before Spottsylvania, was in the success- ful charge led by General Hancock on the enemy's works, Lieut. A. H. Mitchell, of Company A, capturing the flag of the 18th North Carolina Regiment; Corporal Kendig, of Company A, 63d, capturing the flag of an- other North Carolina regiment. The color bearer of the 105th being disabled, Serg. John W. Smith, of Company F, was appointed color bearer, and was killed at Petersburg a mouth later.

The 105th performed an active part in the battles before Petersburg, Va., June 16th to 30th, and we give the summing up of its losses in the summer campaign by quoting from the history of the 105th Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteers : "During the months of May and June the regiment lost three commissioned officers, killed, fifteen wounded and one missing ; sixty-one enlisted men killed, 168 wounded and twenty missing; total 268. When they started in the campaign they had 331 guns and twenty-one officers; at this date, July 4th, they had 121 guns, the entire force. The list of killed did not include those who died after being sent to Northern hos- pitals."

In July, 1864, by additions in recruits for- warded by Governor Curtin, the regiment was enabled to hold its organization, and the 63d Pennsylvania Volunteers, by its own choice, was consolidated with it in preference to all others, having served in the same brig- ade for three years, and as a part of the regi- ment for the spring and summer. Thus the brave and reliable 63d ceased to exist as an independent organization.

We cannot follow the regiment in the ardu- ous work and duties of the siege of Peters- burg more than to say that it was frequently engaged with the enemy, in each instance keeping up its well-earned reputation for bravery and efficiency.

The regiment participated in the battles from May 9th to 18th, and in the subsequent movements reached the North Anna at Tay- lor's bridge, and charging on the enemy without firing drove him, capturing some of the works, and held the position until night; In the closing campaign of the war at Hatcher's Run and Sailor's Creek it did ex- cellent service in the battles, and in the cap- ture of men, ordnance and supplies after the assault and victory at the latter place. By this time William Kimple had by a series of thence by way of Hanovertown on the Pa- munky river. Salem Church, and Tolopotomy creek to Cold Harbor, taking position in gen- eral line at a point near the Mechanicsville road, and having part in the series of battles at Cold Harbor. It is told of William W. Hazlett and Charles Gill, of Company F, promotions become captain of Company F, that during Hancock's charge of the Con- and in like manner Milton W. Adair captain, federate line they were taken prisoners. Be- and John M. Bruce first lieutenant, of Com-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

pany K; all three of these men had enlisted as privates in 1861.

135th Pennsylvania Volunteers .- This regi- ment was organized and mustered for nine months' service in the latter part of August, 1862. James R. Porter, of Indiana county, was appointed colonel, and the staff officers partly from the three Indiana county com- panies, A, D and I, commanded by Capts. Samuel T. Nicholson, John G. Wilson and John A. Kinter.

front, and we find their names in the 40th, 41st, 55th, 61st, 67th, 78th and 105th regi- ments; also in the 4th and 14th Cavalry ; those remaining going into the 206th regiment for one year's service, or assigned to the 67th and 74th regiments, and we find it almost im- possible to glean out of all this list the re- maining ones. We presume that the same statement is true in regard to Companies F and G from Westmoreland and B from Jef- ferson counties, for most all of the list of regiments we named received reeruits largely from these counties.

The regiment was composed of excellent men, and with the patriotic spirit evidenced, no doubt desired to make a more effective record, but General Wadsworth, upon its ar- rival at Washington, assigned it to duty in

joined the forces on the Rappahannock near Fredericksburg, and was assigned to duty with the 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 1st Army Corps.

April 29, 1863, the regiment had an intro- duction to genuine warfare in a sort of long range duel with sharpshooters on the op- posite bank of the Rappahannock; by a brisk fire preventing them from picking off our gunners at the batteries in position near the pen ean describe the scene at Gettysburg- author and artist both have failed, and the name Gettysburg indicates daring, bravery and slanghter we cannot portray.

river. During the day the regiment lost some wounded. It remained in support of the bat- teries until ordered to join Hooker's force at Chancellorsville, where it participated, los- ing a few men prisoners when on duty as skirmishers in front of its brigade, but did not become engaged.

This regiment did all duty required of it at any time, and many of the men after- wards served in the hard-fought battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania C. H., Cold Har- bor and Petersburg, in all of which some of the above named regiments were hotly en- gaged. Quite a number of cripples and dis- abled ones can refer to the 135th regiment as the preparatory school through which they passed.

Company E, 148th Pennsylvania Volun- teers .- This company was recruited in In-

The term of service expired at a time when drilled and effective men were needed at the diana county by John F. Sutton, assisted front, and were relieved of service when in by J. HI. Benford, but was partly made up of presence of the enemy which had twice de- men from Jefferson and Armstrong counties. feated the Union forces in the attempt to Sutton had some military experience, having effect a permanent lodgment south of the enlisted for three months' service in the 19th Rappahannock. A number of the men of Ohio Volunteers, participating in the defeat the Indiana county companies, after a short of the Rebels at Rich Mountain, W. Va., and visit to their homes, reenlisted in the also in driving them from Beverly. He had regiment of the three-year men at the also assisted in recruiting Company G, 103d

Pennsylvania Volunteers. The company was fully organized and mustered into service September 2, 1862, and assigned to the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Col. James A. Bea- ver, of Center county. Charles Stewart, cap- tain of the company, was wounded at Chan- cellorsville and resigned, Lieut. John F. Sutton succeeding to the captaincy.

The three companies from Indiana, Jeffer- son and Clarion formed a very effective force in the regiment, and did work for which Pennsylvania's history gives no credit, but it is our business to write of Indiana county soldiers, and we therefore correct errors only as far as Indiana county men are concerned.

The first battle was at Chancellorsville May 1, 2 and 3, 1863, a terrible initiation, but it came out of that unfortunate battle with detaehments as provost guard, prison guard, honors gained by bravery and duty; the loss and kindred duties, till April, 1863, when it in the regiment was 125 killed and wounded.

We omit the routine of marches, which were similar to those already written in the 61st, 40th and others, until we reach the field at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, where the 148th occupied a position in what was called the "wheatfield," near "Round Top." Here for one hour the regiment was engaged in a deadly contest, and again on the 3d came into action in the general attaek along the lines. No

In the advance down the valleys of Vir- ginia again, the regiment participated in all movements of the 2d Corps, to which it was attached.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

In October, during the retreat of the Army skirmishers with serious loss, and the regiment of the Potomac to Drainsville, the 148th was was finally compelled to fall back on its bri- in the engagement near Auburn Mills and gade, having lost 200 officers and men. Lieut. Bristoe Station. Upon the advance again to James M. Sutton was wounded, losing a south of the Rappahannock, it participated leg. Again in the terrible carnage of the 12th in the Mine Run campaign, one of short du- ration, but memorable on account of suffer- ing.

May 3, 1864, the regiment crossed the Rapi- the second line, losing twenty killed, and the dan, stopping on the ground fought over just one year before, Lieut. James M. Sutton sleep- ing on the same spot upon which he had slept one year before. During the two first days in the Wilderness the regiment was not called into action on the front, acting only as supports to the troops engaged on the night of the 7th, within range of the enemy's rifles, and was finally pushed forward on the skir- mish line. In the thicket of brush, which all so well remember, it was very difficult in

some instances to tell friend from foe, and inseparably connected, we ask the reader to here Lieut. J. M. Sutton, with Privates D. read all as though he read the history of one. Sutton and William M. Hallowell, were or- dered to discover the position. Creeping for- ward on their hands and knees to find who enemy's works at Petersburg, but the contest

was in front, they could distinctly hear the Confederates talking. In further recon- noissance they discovered a line proving to be a New York regiment, also in trouble, hav- ing no connection on the right. The two then joined, forming a line and closing the gap. This incident is but one of many such that occurred in troops getting into position in the woods in midnight darkness. On the night of the 8th the regiment, while on picket, got divided by a mistaken order none have ever been able to account for, and it again became the duty of Lieutenant Sutton to discover their position. In the light of the great fire of the Confederates' burning breastworks, it was a dangerous mission, and in the terrible rumbling of two moving armies a difficult one. Halted at one point, whether by friend or foe he knew not, he promptly answered, giving the name of the regiment when he found a detachment of a regiment, in command of a lieutenant, lost. and formed in hollow square, for protection from assault on any quarter. After much difficulty all was righted. and the movement continued towards the Po river. Such were the nights in the Wilderness, never to be forgotten by the participants.

Crossing the Po river on the 9th, the 148th drove the force of the enemy from the hill beyond, suffering some loss, and on the 10th was in the terrible fight best known as Spott- sylvania. The Confederates drove in their

the 148th was engaged, being in the successful charge of the morning upon the enemy 's first line of works, and in the after struggle at usnal proportion of wounded.

It then participated in the series of marches, skirmishes and battles on the line from the Wilderness to Petersburg; at Cold Harbor being in charge on the enemy's works, which was successful at the time, but could not be held, the entire line falling back and fortify- ing another line. For a further history of this we refer to sketch of the 55th Pennsyl- vania Volunteers. The work of Pennsylvania regiments in the Army of the Potomac is so

On the evening of June 16th the regiment, with others, was repulsed in a charge in the was kept up the 17th and 18th, until the enemy abandoned a portion of his works. From the 15th to the 30th it was continuons duty and fight, and on the 27th of July at Deep Bottom, north of the James river ; again, on August 25th, in a terrible engagement at Reams Station, when the Rebels made a des- perate attack, compelling the division to fall back. Colonel Beaver was here wounded for the third time, losing a leg, and Capt. J. F. Sutton commanded the regiment for some time at Fort Steadman.

The 148th was now armed with Spencer re- peating rifles, General Hancock designating the regiment for this special honor in its di- vision.

On the 27th of October a detachment of the 148th of 100 men was ordered to take a portion of the enemy's works. Captain Sut- ton was asked to command the storming party, but having just returned from two days' pieket in the swamps he could not run, hav- ing stood in the water of the swamps until his knees were stiffened. The work was un- dertaken by Capt. J. Z. Brown, a gallant officer. The enemy's works were scaled, and more men captured than there were in the assault, including four commissioned officers. The enemy now moved forward on him, com- pelling him to retire.

We now quote from Bates' History, Penn- sylvania Volunteers, correcting the quotation : "Upon the opening of the spring campaign

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

of 1865, the regiment moved with the brigade few more serving as commissioned officers not on the 25th of March, and participated in the included in the count. action at Hatcher's Run, and on the 31st at Adams' Farm. On the 2d of April it moved five miles through the enemy's lines, and came upon the South Side railroad at Sutherland's Station, the first division in advance, where the Rebel forces were posted and determined to stand. The 2d Brigade led, supported by the 4th, and as it approached the enemy's well-chosen position he opened a terrible fire whichi checked its advance, killing and wound- ing large numbers. Seeing the disaster Gen- eral Miles detached the 148th and, deployed as skirmishers, he ordered it to advance. With

159th Pennsylvania Volunteers-14th Cav- alry .- There were probably more Indiana county men in this cavalry regiment than in any other one, and while it is a great task to write the work of an active cavalry regi- ment for three years of service, we try to note a few things in which Indiana county men participated, and prefer to let the boys tell their own story. Up to 1879 there was a very incomplete record of the men of this famous fighting regiment. In Company K alone we find the names of seven men in suc- cession marked by Bates "not accounted Captain Sutton in command of the regiment, for," who were all killed, or died in the serv- it moved resolutely forward, and by a skill- ice. The death rate among Indiana county men were not large, however. fully executed maneuver, flanked the enemy's works and opened a well-directed and enfilad- The larger part of the men of this county went into service in 1862, at the time the regi- ment was organized, and passed through the ing fire from the repeating rifles. Stunned by the suddenness and severity of the blow, nearly an entire brigade threw down its arms most active service of the war. and surrendered, Major Ulmer of the 4th North Carolina surrendering his sword and pistol to Captain Sutton. On the following day General Miles issued an order commend- ing the gallant conduct of the regiment, an- nouncing the result of the charge to be 700 prisoners, two pieces of artillery and two flags." Its last battle was at Farmville, April 7th, but it participated in all the clos- ing movements of the campaign, including Lee's surrender.

At muster out, June 3d, 1865, Captain Sutton was the only officer with the regiment who had mustered into service with it in 1862, and he was commander of the regiment from March 28, 1865, to the close of its duties.

We now close with its battle record, in- cluding skirmishes and assaults upon it by the foe, so far as we have been able to gather the record: Chancellorsville, May 1 to 3, 1863; Haymarket, July 25, 1863; Gettysburg, Pa., July 2 and 3, 1863; Auburn and Bristoe Station, October 14, 1863; Kelly's Ford, No- vember 7, 1863; Mine Run, November 30, 1863; Wilderness, May 4 to 7, 1864; Po River and Spottsylvania, May 9 to 14, 1864;

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 28

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930