USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 40
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S. P. Cravener, Co. K, Fourteenth Cavalry, died.
Private Law, Company C, Second United States Sharpshooters, died of wounds.
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Capt. W. W. Wise, Company I, Fifteenth U. S. I., killed.
Andrew Love, Samuel Rhodes, Jacob Shaf- fer, Russell Vantassel and John Custard, Com- pany F, Eighteenth U. S. I., killed.
Robert Webster, Company H, Sixth United States Colored Troops, killed; Peter B. Enty and Peter F. Enty, died.
Samuel McElhose, Company B, Fifty- seventh Pennsylvania Emergency men. died.
William H. Fishel. Joseph Bowdish, Peter Bish, Eighty-second Pennsylvania, killed; Matthew Keys and Henry Doverspike, died.
Gabriel Vasbinder, Company E, Seventy- sixth, killed.
Israel W. Marsh, Company C, Second Bat- talion, Six Months' Volunteers. died.
LINCOLN STORY
Some Interesting History Concerning a Local Boy
In September, 1863, George J. McKnight, a boy fourteen years and two months old, large for his age, was working with, and on the farm of, the late James Dennison, Esq., of Washington township, Jefferson Co., Pa. This boy, sorrowing for the death of his father, who was killed May 3. 1863, at the battle of Chancellorsville, Va., ran away to Pittsburgh and there enlisted, September 24, 1863, for five years, not as George J. Mc- Knight, but as "John Scott," a private in Com- pany A, Fourteenth Regiment, United States Infantry. The boy, as he desired, was then completely lost to all his friends, from this manner of enlistment, and he was never found or heard from until he was arrested by the Government for desertion. "John Scott" served in General Sykes' Brigade of Regulars, Fifth Army Corps of the Potomac. After over ten months' service the boy tired of mili- tary life and battles, was told by his soldier companions that he could not be held in the service as he was a minor, and instead of de- manding his discharge in a proper way walked unceremoniously to the city of Baltimore, Md., where he was arrested as a deserter, returned to his regiment, court-martialed and sentenced to be shot.
Mrs. Cordelia Arthurs, now living in East Brookville, then a nurse in the army about Baltimore, learned these facts in some way and communicated them to me. This was the first word I had of and about the boy, who was my nephew, being the natural son of my brother, the late Col. A. A. McKnight.
Alarmed, I immediately put forth legal and military efforts to save his life. His trial and conviction was not as George J. McKnight, but as "John Scott," and this is what caused us so much trouble and confusion. During his service of ten months and eighteen days he was known only as John Scott. I employed Puleston & Crisswell, of Washington, D. C., prominent attorneys, to look for him. I also had my cousin, Colonel Craig, of the One Hundred and Fifth, Congressman Schofield and others, try to locate him, all of which failed, when I wrote a letter of inquiry to the Adjutant General's office, as the following answer will explain :
Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., April 28, 1864.
Sir :- I have the honor to acknowledge the re- ceipt of your communication of the 9th ultimo, requesting the discharge of George J. McKnight from the military service of the United States, of the Fourteenth United States Infantry, on the ground of minority, and to inform you in reply that he is now under arrest for trial by court- martial for desertion, and no action can be taken for his discharge, or that will prevent his punish- ment if found guilty.
I am, sir, very respectfully,
THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assistant Adjutant General. W. J. MCKNIGHT, Brookville, Pa.
Frightened by this letter I traveled from Brookville to Washington, D. C., on June 7, 1864, to see Secretary of War Edwin M. Stan- ton. The Republican National Convention was in session then in Baltimore. I stopped off a day to attend the nomination of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson for president and vice president, and here I met for the first time and was introduced to Hon. Simon Cam- eron, and from that day to the day of his death I received many courtesies and kindnesses from him. Cameron was a great and good man, loyal and true to his friends and his country.
Upon arriving at Washington I called on our Congressman, G. W. Schofield, to intro- duce me to Secretary Stanton, but he was very busy and had no time. It might be well to state that Washington at that time was the busiest spot on earth. The departments and streets were full of strangers, soldiers were tramping constantly, cavalry galloping, drums beating and bands playing night and day, and while I considered myself a man of some im- portance at home I was a mere pigmy at this place. In Washington one human being was nothing.
Unaided, I repeatedly sought Mr. Stanton's
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office, only to be repelled by him and his clerks. 1 found the Secretary haughty, cold. austere and unapproachable ; his clerks were strictly like him. Perhaps these rules of the war office were necessary to prevent intrusion and facilitate business. My errand was one of life and death, and I was urgent even to impudence. For days I wandered around and accomplished nothing. Finally one day I ran across Amos Myers, then a Congressman from the Clarion district. I told him my troubles. He said the only thing for me to do was to see the President, and that he had influence enough to introduce me. I said, "For the Lord's sake, take me at once," which he did. The President immediately received us. and by some sign given him by Mr. Myers he dis- missed some very important business with men there, asked me to be seated, and told Mr. Myers he might retire. I went to President Lincoln with a very sad heart. I had heard him denounced verbally and in the newspapers as Lincoln the rail-splitter, Lincoln the ape, Lincoln the gorilla. the tyrant, the butcher, the murderer, the black Republican, the negro worshipper, the abolitionist and "Old Abe." He was at that time perhaps the busiest man in the world. He said to me: "Dr. Mc- Knight," with pathos and sympathy in his voice, "tell me wha and all you have to say. but do it as short as you can. I am so busy." He listened patiently to my story and then said: "Is all this true, Dr. MeKnight, that you have told me? Will no one here listen to you?" I replied. "Yes, Mr. President, it is all true." lle arose, reached for his hat and remarked to me. "I'll be a friend to that father- less boy." He put his arm in mine and walked with me to Stanton's office, and, after a few minutes' talk with the Secretary, he turned to me and said, "You can go home, Doctor, and if that boy has not been shot, you can rest assured he will be discharged." In due time. after my return home, I received by mail the following :
Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., July 16, 1864.
Sir :- I have the honor to inform you that, by direction of the President, George J. McKnight, alias John Scott, Fourteenth United States Infantry, was discharged from the military service of the United States, by special orders No. 204, Par. 25, current series, from this office.
I am, sir, very respectfully,
SAMUEL, BRECK. .Assistant .Adjutant General.
Washington at this time was the greatest panorama of war in modern times. It took me days to secure an audience with Mr. Lin- coln. I was then, and am yet, perhaps too ultra and bitter a Republican, but after this humane act of President Lincoln I was as bitter a partisan as ever, and, in addition to that, a personal admirer of Lincoln from the crown of my head to the end of my toes.
After Mr. Lincoln ordered the boy's dis- charge I received the first and only letter I received from him.
Camp near Petersburg, Va., July 19, 1864. Dear Uncle :
Yours of the 13th inst. came to me last evening and found me enjoying good health. I have never received any of your letters until this one, the mail is very irregular, only now and then a letter reaches its destination. You will confer a great favor on me by sending me a little money as I am completely destitute of that article.
I have been to visit the 105th on several occasions, saw Col. Craig and a great many of my acquaint- ances, they are all getting along well. Our brigade was packed up last night to move, but the order was fortunately countermanded.
It is raining here pretty briskly and we hope it will continue a one of that article has been here in this part of the country since some time in June.
The Sanitary committee is giving us a supply of vegetables and other things, which add to our com- fort no little.
I am now with the 105th, I came over this morn- ing. The regiment is out on fatigue.
If you can conveniently I would like very much to have you send me the Republican as I never re- ceive any papers from that place. I must place a little amazing news at your hands, the Rebels and our men get water at the same spring and are as a general thing quite sociable, no hostile demon- strations being manifest, all seem to be in harmony and peace.
I must now close, give my love to all, Your loving nephew,
GEORGE J. MCKNIGHT, Co. "A" Math Regt. U. S. A., Washington, D. C.
DR. W. J. MCKNIGHT, Brookville, Pa.
To secure his regular discharge from the Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, I had to send twenty-five dollars through Puleston & Crisswell. Mr. Lincoln kindly had Mr. Stan- ton give him a discharge with the words "A good character" contained therein. This final discharge was dated, "In the field, near Peters- burg. Va .. August 1. 1864. By order of the President," etc., and signed by the Secretary of War.
After his return home, upon being asked why he had run away from the army, he re- plied. "I wanted to see Baltimore."
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
DUTIES OF A SOLDIER
Daily Routine of Camp Life Days During Rebellion
On September 27, 1861, with about ten others, I enlisted or was recruited for the One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers. The Rev. Steadman was one of the party. We left Brookville on Monday, September 30th, arrived in Indiana on Tuesday evening, and missing the train that left there had to lay over until Wednesday evening. We left In- diana at five o'clock p. m., and each ate a roll and drank a pint of coffee at Altoona, Pa. We arrived at Harrisburg at half past one Thurs- day morning and enjoyed a sleep on the bar-
some future McKnights. His word was law in the regiment and he estopped my "muster in and assignment." I remained with the regi- ment about six weeks, when one day the Colo- nel gave me a soldier's transportation to Brookville and ordered me to go home. I had to obey.
During this six weeks of free service to Uncle Sam and in the regiment I tried to make myself useful and believe I did render much service, to wit, in the quartermaster's depart- ment and other places. Sleeping in the Colo- nel's tent and living off his hospitality, I hoped by my persistent service to change the Colo- nel's views and to be allowed to remain, but he was imperious and determined, and finally
Riamen de
INTEdet 1861
1
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Har tuit hond
dell Minikit
room floor of the "United States Hotel." At daylight we were turned out from here to root and hunt for our own breakfast. We had a poor one. Some of our squad were loud in denunciation of this treatment, but I took the philosophical view that our reception and entertainment was the best that the city could do. We passed through Baltimore in daylight and as there was no connection between . the railroads we had to march on foot through the streets about a mile. One of the strange sights that met my view was a sign on one of the business houses : "Oats and Onions, Deal- ers in Produce and Groceries." When I ar- rived at Camp Jameson, Virginia, I found my brother, the Colonel, opposed to my entering the service in any capacity. He and I were the only members of the Mcknight family, just two of us. He was single and expected to be killed in battle, and was reconciled to what he believed to be his fate. I was married and his wish was that I stay at home and rear
when the weather began to get cold I had to leave for home. Being a kind of freebooter in the regiment and having lots of time at my own command. I learned many little things and usages about the regiment. I was not an idler, I performed considerable service in the organization of the regiment, traveling to Washington and other points. To do this I had to have passes to get out of, in and through the lines. All other soldiers had to do the same. I saved a number of these passes and 1 print one here as a curiosity.
Camp Jameson, near Fort Floyd, IIth Oct., 1861.
The Guards will pass Dr. W. J. McKnight to Washington and return on important regimental business for three days.
A. A. MCKNIGHT, Col. Pa. Vol.
Approved : C. D. JAMESON,
Brig. General Commanding 3d Brigade, Heint- selman's Division.
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
The seventh war of the United States was the war against Spain declared by an act of Congress approved .April 25, 1898, when it was announced that a state of war had ex- isted between Spain and the United States from and including April 21, 1898. The date of ratification of the treaty of peace with Spain was December 10, 1898. Number of United States soldiers called into the service, 281,923; number of total troops actually en- gaged, about sixty thousand. Hostilities ceased August 13, 1898. American losses : Killed-243; deaths from disease-2,565; total, 2,808.
For the Sixteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Third Battalion, Pennsyl- vania Troops, Company L, of Punxsutawney, was recruited in Jefferson county. The com- pany was enlisted and mustered in on the 14th and 15th days of July, 1898; entire company mustered out December 28, 1898. Roster, one hundred and ten officers and men. Cap- tain, John D. Croasman ; first lieutenant, H. Boyles: Patrick M. McMahon, appointed First Sergeant July 15, 1898, commissioned second lieutenant July 28, 1898; mustered in as second lieutenant August 31, 1898; first sergeant, Herbert R. Burns, appointed Ser- geant July 15, 1898; sergeants, Elmer A. Ma- han, William C. Shaffer, Frank M. Torrence, John G. Warnick, John D. Young ; corporals, James W. Chambers, William H. Hall, Wil- liam McDonald, Fenton McAfee, William R. McCartney, Jesse C. Rearick, Joseph 1. Rob- inson, Henry M. Torrence, Walter D. Wil- liams, Maxwell M. Wilson (appointed corpo- ral July 15, 1898, died November 1, 1898, at Punxsutawney, Pa., of typhoid fever), Asa W. Sykes, Robert St. Clair; privates, James E. Murray. George A. Meyles, Carl North, Frank S. North. Edward Phillippi, Daniel Ponteous, Robert T. Powers, Walter J. Pres- ton, William H. Rakestraw, Gideon Reitz. Levi I .. Rosenberger, Watson T. Rosenberger, David E. Rudolph, Louis E. Schucker, An- drew Scott, Franklin Scott. Elmer C. Scull. Hugh B. Torrence, Bruce M. Tweed (died August 23. 1898. at general hospital. Fortress Monroe, Va., of typhoid fever), George H. Varner, James 1. Wachób, John G. Warnick (appointed quartermaster sergeant July 15, 1898), Joseph G. Warnick, Edward J. Weaver, James A. White, William Wilson, Atmore Shaffer. George V. Shaffer. David R. Smith, William Schaffer, Thomas J. Smith, Archibald Smitten, Isaac L. Smouce,
Ilarry F. Stauffer, Robert St. Clair, (appointed corporal July 15, 1898). . \1- bert C. Stear, Edwin J. Stitzer, Ethber Tay- lor, Carrier Thompson, Floyd O. Winslow, John M. Winslow, John M. Woods, Thomas M. Iloover, David H. Hynd, Norman C. King, Julius H. Kremkau, William Laidlow, George D). Lanzendorfer, Edward B. London, Gor- don G. Lowther, Miles L. Marshall, John W. Martin. Joseph R. McFarland, Harry McGee, Alexander McKay, James T. Mitchell, Charles B. Montgomery, Alva B. Moore, Winfield B. Moore. William H. Morgan, Daniel M. Moser, Timothy Mull, Arthur Murray, Mitchell M. Murray, David Abbot, Edward G. Barger- stock, Charles Baylor, James L. Bowersock, William J. Brown, John Enterline, Jay W. Evans, James L. Foley, Robert Frame, John B. Gearity, Oscar L. Gear, James T. Hall, Russell W. Hall, James F. Heckethorn, Frank L. Carter, John Corbett, Frank B. Cricks, Guy Delaney, Frank Draugalis, Angus J. Edder. Bert A. Edwards, Frank Hennigh (appointed teamster July 15. 1898). John Hillsdon.
RELIEF FUND OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
In the fall of 1861 it was found that a great many of those who had volunteered in the army from this county had left their families without adequate support. To relieve the wants of these wives and children of the vol- unteers, a relief fund was raised by special taxation. The relief board was composed of the associate judges and commissioners of the county, who furnished aid to all families of absent soldiers in need of such assistance.
PENSIONS
Up to June 30, 1910, the United States gov- ernment had paid out in pensions to soldiers : For the Revolution, $70,000.000; war of 1812, $45,808,676.74; Mexican war. $43.956,768.72 ; Civil war, $3.637.488,171.42; Spanish-Ameri- can war, $30,191,725.12.
Liberal pensions were granted to the sol- (liers of the war of 1812, fourteen days of ser- vice in that war entitling a soldier to a pen- sion. From 1866 to 1916 the government has paid out over four billion dollars in this way. In the last two years it has cost the govern- ment about two hundred million dollars an- mually to pay pensions, and this year it costs more owing to the new "dollar a day" pension law which has become effective. Last year the outlay was about one hundred and fifty-four
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million dollars, which included the upkeep of the pension office.
The average age of the Civil war veteran to- day ( 1915) is seventy-one. According to the average death rate of the veterans of that con- flict it is estimated that there will be forty thousand less Civil war pensioners next year than there were this year, and that the deaths for 1915 will number approximately fifty thousand. In ten years, pension office officials declare, the United States will be paying no more pensions to Civil war veterans. In five years it is expected there will be no more Mexi- can war veterans.
PIONEER MILITIA LEGISLATION
AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE FORMATION OF THE MILITIA OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
"\ FURTHER SUPPLEMENT OF THE ACT EN- TITLED 'AN ACT FOR THE REGULATION OF TIIE MILITIA OF THIS COMMON- WEALTH'
"Section I. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the part of the Ninety-ninth regiment of the Fifteenth divi- sion of Pennsylvania militia, lying within the county of Jefferson, shall form a separate bat- talion, and shall be entitled to elect one lieu- tenant colonel and one major, and the election of the officers thereof shall be held as soon as convenient, agreeably to the act to which this is a supplement : the field officers of this bat- talion shall, as soon as practicable. proceed to organize said battalion into companies, so that the number of officers, non-commissioned of- ficers, and privates in the several companies thereof may, if they think it expedient, be re- duced to fifty.
"Approved April 10, 1826."
The election under this act was held at Port Barnett, November 6, 1826, when the follow- ing officers were elected for the pioneer bat- talion of Jefferson county : Lieutenant colo- nel, Hance Robinson; major, Andrew Bar- nett.
There appears to have been no company numbered One, but the officers elected for company No. Two were as follows: Captain. Obed Morris ; first lieutenant, John Hess ; sec- ond lieutenant. Benoni Williams. This was a company from and around Punxsutawney.
Of the third company, Samuel Jones was captain ; Thomas Robinson, first lieutenant ; John Walters, second lieutenant.
Fourth company, Frederick Hetrick, cap-
tain ; Caleb Howard, first lieutenant ; James Crow, second lieutenant.
About 1828 the second election was held for this battalion, when Andrew Barnett was elected lieutenant colonel, and James Corbet was elected major.
Late in the twenties, or early in the thirties, a volunteer militia company was organized in Punxsutawney, known as the Indiana and Jefferson Greens. I am unable to give precise dates, as these cannot be found on the records at Harrisburg. The pioneer officers were, Samuel Kerr, captain; David McPherson, first lieutenant ; Abraham Brewer, second lieu- tenant. This company had numerous other officers, and had an existence for seven years.
The second volunteer company organized in Punxsutawney, and distinctly belonging to Jefferson county, was the Jefferson Rangers. It was in the third battalion, One Hundred and Forty-fifth Regiment, Fifteenth division, and must have been organized in 1839. The pioneer officers were: James H. Bell, cap- tain ; William Long, first lieutenant ; John Weaver, second lieutenant. In 1842 William Long was captain ; James L. Perry, first lieu- tenant : John Simpson, second lieutenant. About 1846 or 1847 Phineas W. Jenks was captain ; Charles B. Hutchinson, first lieuten- ant ; James B. Miller, second lieutenant. This company, under Long, offered its services dur- ing the Mexican war, but was not accepted. Long was in office for seven years. It dis- banded about 1848.
The first volunteer military company of the county was the Jefferson Blues, organized at Brookville in 1836, and in existence for seven years. (See Brookville Chapter). .
The martial bands at every celebration and muster kept constantly beating the tune of all tunes that delighted the pioneer, "Yankee Doodle," and all militia marching was done to that tune or the "Girl I Left Behind Me." Marching was in single file. In drill it was "by sections of two, march." Instead of "file right" or "file left." it was "right" or "left wheel." Instead of "front" it was "left face."
The militia of Pennsylvania ceased to mus- ter in 1849, under the provisions of the act of April 17th, of that year, entitled, "An act to revise the military system and provide for the arming of such only as shall be uniformed."
For other military organizations see town- ship chapters.
PAY OF SOLDIERS
The first United States army pay schedule was set forth in the act of April 12, 1785.
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which fixed the pay of an infantry private at four dollars a month. By the act of .April 30, 1790, the pay was reduced to three dollars a month. The act of January 1, 1795. again made it four dollars, at which it remained for three years, but by the act of July 17, 1798, when we were preparing for a war with France, it was raised to five dollars. It re- mained at this for fourteen years.
By the act of December 12, 1812, when an army had to be raised for the second war with England, the pay was raised to eight dollars. It remained at this during the war, but as soon as peace came the act of March 3, 1815. reduced it to five dollars again. It remained at this for eighteen years, when the act of March 2, 1833, raised it to six dollars. The act of July 7. 1838. raised it to seven dollars, where it remained for sixteen years, and all through the Mexican war.
The United States paid during the Mexican war, to privates in infantry, seven dollars per month, and to privates in cavalry eight dollars per month.
In the war of the Rebellion the United States government paid, until August 6. 1861, to privates of cavalry, twelve dollars per month, and to privates of infantry, eleven dollars per month. The monthly pay proper of officers of infantry as established by the act of February 21, 1857, was: Colonel, ninety- five dollars ; lieutenant colonel, eighty dollars ; major, seventy dollars ; captain, sixty dollars ; first lieutenant, fifty dollars ; second lieutenant, forty-five dollars.
From August 6. 1861, until January 1, 1862, the pay of privates was thirteen dollars per month. Specie payment was suspended by the nation January 1, 1862, and all payments to soldiers after that were in depreciated currency. From January 1, 1862, until May 1, 1864, the pay of all privates in currency was thirteen dollars per month, equal to about eight dollars in gold.
From May 1, 1864, to the close of the war in 1865, the pay of private soldiers was thirteen dollars in currency (equal to ten dollars in gold) a month.
During the Spanish-American war the pay of soldiers per month was fifteen dollars for privates of cavalry, artillery and infantry.
The present salaries in the United States army are as follows :
Annual pay
Lieutenant General
$11,000
Major General
8,000
Brigadier General 6,000
Colonel
4,000
Lieutenant Colonel
3,500
Major
3,000
Captain
2,400
First Lieutenant
2,000
Second Lieutenant
1,700
Sergeant Major
480
Sergeant
360
Corporal
252
Private
180
Including allowance.
The daily pay of soldiers in the ranks in foreign countries before the present European war was:
Great Britain, thirty cents.
Italy, twenty-three and one-third cents.
Germany, twelve and two-third cents.
France, six and two-thirds cents.
Austria-Hungary, two and two-thirds cents. Japan, two and two-thirds cents.
Russia, one and one-third cents.
The American and British armies were the only ones on a volunteer basis, and American pay was still twice the British pay. Where compulsory training and service exists, as in all the other countries mentioned, the pay is hardly more than nominal.
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