USA > Pennsylvania > Martial deeds of Pennsylvania, Vol. 2 > Part 10
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In the first assault upon the works before Petersburg, on the evening of the 16th of June, while gallantly leading his brigade amid the crash of musketry, and a terrific fire of artillery, he received a serious wound from the fragment of a shell, inflicting internal injuries, and cutting a ghastly gash in the side. Again was he confined to the hospital for weary weeks. Eager to be with his men at the front, he left it before he had entirely recovered. He chanced to reach the field just as his division
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was preparing to go into battle at Reams' Station, and at once : assumed command of his brigade. The fighting here was of unparalleled severity. Round shot and shell ploughed the field. Assault followed assault without decided advantage, and neither party was disposed to yield. In their desperation the combatants came hand to hand, and the crossing of bayonets and deadly thrusts were of frequent occurrence. In the midst of this terrible strife, as though some demon was its guide, he was again struck by the fatal missile, and so shattered was his right limb that amputation above the knee had to be resorted to. Possessed of temperate habits, he was able to withstand the shock, and soon recovered his accustomed health and vitality.
On the Ist of August, 1864, he received the brevet rank of Brigadier-General, as a recognition of valuable services rendered while commanding his brigade at Cold Harbor. After the close of the war he returned to his home at Bellefonte, and resumed the practice of the law. He was married, on the 26th of Decem- ber, 1865, to Mary A. McAllister, daughter of H. N. McAllister, of Bellefonte. In person he is five feet ten inches in height, and previous to entering the military service was of a delicate or- ganization, but became more robust and healthy while in the field -- a vigor which he still retains. Sincerely devoted to the interests of his country, he displayed remarkable tenacity of purpose in the discharge of his duty, and though singularly unfortunate in having been often the mark for the shafts of the foe, was enabled to render signal service at a period when the most desperate and continued fighting of the whole war was in progress.
ANGHORNE WISTER, Colonel of the One Hundred and Fiftieth regiment, and Brevet Brigadier-General of volunteers, was born at Germantown, Philadelphia, on the 20th of September, 1834. He was the son of William and Sarah Logan (Fisher) Wister. His boyhood was spent in the country, where a natural fondness for out-door life had full play. He was educated at the Germantown Academy, which he left at the age of eighteen to engage in business.
He received no military education, but on the 19th of April,
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scarcely a week from the firing upon Fort Sumter, entered the service. He was successful in recruiting, and when the noted Bucktail regiment was formed he joined it with a company of which he was elected Captain. At Dranesville, where he first met the enemy in close combat, he stood with his company in a position where he was the object of the severest fire experienced by any of the Union troops on that field, and received the warm commendations of the commander of the regiment. His single company had two killed and four wounded. Six companies of the Bucktails, including Captain Wister's, under Major Stone, were sent to join Mcclellan on the Peninsula, and reached him in time to take the advance in the movement upon Mechanics- ville. They were the first to meet the enemy as he came out to offer battle, and with wonderful skill and daring held him in check, skirmishing gallantly until the main line of battle was formed behind Beaver Dam Creek, and rifle pits completed. In the engagement which ensued, and in the subsequent retreat to Gaines' Mill, no troops could have acted with greater steadiness, or have rendered more efficient service. To the Bucktails was given the difficult and dangerous duty of skirmishing with the enemy, on the morning of the 27th, while the main body fell back. In all these manœuvres and hard fighting Captain Wister was among the most reliable and trusted of a battalion that was a special object of regard throughout the whole army. In the battle of the 27th, he received a severe contusion of the right ankle, but was able to keep the field, and at Charles City Cross Roads, where the Reserve corps for a third time in the Seven Days' fight was put at the fore-front, and made to bear the brunt of the battle, sustained his part with the same unflinching valor as on the preceding fields.
Soon after the retirement of Mcclellan's army from the Penin- sula, the formation of a Bucktail Brigade was ordered, and Cap- tain Wister was selected to head one of the regiments-the One Hundred and Fiftieth. The reputation which he had gained as a leader of one of the old Bucktail companies inspired confidence, and made it from the outset almost the equal of a veteran regi- ment. He was stationed a while at Washington, whence he was ordered to the Army of the Potomac, then lying about Falmouth.
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In the preliminary movements to the battle of Chancellorsville, this brigade performed a leading part, marching to Port Conway, for a feint, afterwards operating with the First corps to which it belonged at the lower crossing before Fredericksburg, and finally joining the main army in the great battle itself, occupying the right of the line, and meeting every advance of the enemy with cool courage.
At Gettysburg Colonel Wister led his regiment upon the field at a little before noon of the first day, where the gallant Buford had presented a bold front and had held the enemy in check, covering the town until the infantry should come up. His posi- tion was upon a slight ridge, a little in rear of that held by Buford, and in advance of Seminary Ridge. Here, exposed to a fierce artillery fire, and the frequent assaults of the enemy's infantry, he held his men, changing front to meet every advance, until Colonel Stone, who commanded the brigade, was badly wounded and borne from the field, when he assumed control, turning over the regiment to Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper. The situation was every moment becoming more and more criti- cal, as the enemy, having already brought up the main body of his forces, began to close in on all sides and to press heavily in front. With remarkable skill Colonel Wister manœuvred his small body- of men to meet the masses brought against him, when he also was wounded, a Minie ball striking him in the face and shattering the jaw. "Colonel Wister," says Colonel Stone, in his official report, "though badly wounded in the mouth, while command- ing the brigade, and unable to speak, remained in the front of the battle."
In recognition of his gallantry, General Doubleday made honorable mention of him in his report, and recommended him for promotion to Brevet Brigadier-General, which rank was con- ferred by the President and confirmed by the Senate. He resigned his commission in February, 1864, and resumed the business which he had left on entering the army-that of manu- facturer of iron at Duncannon. A resolute purpose and un- daunted heroism characterized him from his first entrance to military life, and the Bucktail corps had no more worthy or valiant representative.
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CHAPTER VIII.
OHN FREDERICK HARTRANFT, first Colonel of the Fifty-first regiment, Brigadier and Brevet Major-General, and Governor of Pennsylvania, was born in New Hanover township, Montgomery county, on the 16th of December, 1830. He was the son of Samuel E. and Lydia (Bucher) Hartranft, both of German origin, their ancestors having emi- grated to this country in the first half of the last century. He received his elementary training in his native county, from the lips of those esteemed educators, John F. Evans, Philip Cressman, and Samuel Aaron. At the age of nineteen he en- tered Marshall College, and at the end of one year passed to Union College, Schenectady, New York, where he gradu- ated in 1853. He distinguished himself in mathematics and civil engineering, and was popular among his fellows, being selected as their leader for society positions likely to be hotly contested, and, as in later years when on the broad arena of State and national politics, was sure to come out of the struggle bearing the palm.
He practised his favorite employment, civil engineering, for a time, having been engaged in running the line of the Mauch Chunk and Wilkesbarre Railroad, and subsequently of a proposed route from Chestnut Hill to Doylestown or New Hope. In 1854 he was made Deputy Sheriff of Montgomery county by the in- cumbent of the office, M. C. Boyer, though of opposite politics, Hartranft's business tact and popularity commending him above all others who were eligible. In this position he continued for nearly two terms, a period of four and a half years, in which he had a good opportunity for the development of his capacity for settling intricate business transactions, this being one of the largest counties in the State, and its interests varied. In the meantime,
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he read law with James Boyd, and finally in the office of A. B. Longacker, and was admitted to practice in 1859. The citizens of Norristown, where he now dwelt, manifested their confidence in him, thus early, by electing him a member of the Council, School Director, and President of a fire company-offices of little or no emolument, but demanding judgment and sound discretion.
For several years he had been active in a militia organization, serving in various grades up to that of Colonel, in which capacity he was acting when the war broke out. Though opposed to the policy of the new administration, his resolution was at once formed. It was enough for him to know that the flag of his country had been fired on, and that its government
was in peril. He proceeded to Harrisburg and tendered the services of his regiment, which were promptly accepted, and it became the Fourth of the line. Its term of three months expired just previous to the first battle of Bull Run, and it was mustered out; but Hartranft returned to the field and was assigned to duty on the staff of General Franklin. On that terrible day, when the hopes of twenty millions of people were dashed, and hosts of brave soldiers went down, he was in the hottest of the fight, encouraging the brave and holding the wavering, himself a tower of strength. "His services," says Franklin, in his report, "were exceedingly valuable to me, and he distinguished himself in his attempt to rally the regiments-Fifth and Eleventh Massachu- setts-which had been thrown into confusion." And McDowell, in a letter afterwards addressed to him, said: "I always regretted that I did not make an exception in your case in my report of the battle of Bull Run, and name you for your good conduct, instead of leaving it with General Franklin. I regret this the more as General Franklin's report was not printed."
Some time previous he had sought and obtained permission to recruit a regiment for three years or the war. The fires of Bull Run had only tried, not weakened his ardor to serve his country, and before the smoke of that awful struggle had cleared away, he was on his way to Pennsylvania to call his trusty followers of his old command about him. An organization was speedily com- pleted, in which he was Colonel, and it was sent under Burnside to the coast of North Carolina. The troops had a stormy pas-
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sage, and were with difficulty landed. The enemy was found intrenched on Roanoke Island. To attack in front was to entail disaster. Hartranft was, accordingly, sent to lead his men through a swamp, which the foe had supposed was impassable, and to storm the works. The result was a signal victory, nearly the entire rebel force being captured. It was the key-note to the campaign, and inspired all with hope. The mainland was reached on the 13th of March, 1862, and an advance at once commenced upon Newbern. The place had been well fortified, the approaches being guarded by thirteen finished redans, well provided with artillery to sweep the ground for miles around. Skirmishing commenced early in the day, and at noon the battle became general. For three hours the roar of artillery and the crash of small arms was incessant. Finally, the Fifty-first was ordered to lead in a charge on the works. It was planned with judgment and executed with gallantry. A redan was carried from which the enemy fled in precipitation. It was the signal for a general advance, and the whole rebel line of works was soon waving with the stars and stripes. The city fell without further struggle, and the entire North Carolina coast was under the power of the Union arms. Hartranft was not present in the affair at Camden, the only engagement in which his regiment had a part while he remained at its head in which he did not partici- pate. Sickness in his family induced him to ask for a furlough of twenty days. Two of his children died, and after committing them to the grave he hastened again to his post.
It was about this time that he was asked by his political friends to accept the nomination for Surveyor-General of the State. His answer discloses the feeling which actuated him in going to the field, and of what manner of man he was : "I thank you," he says, "and my friends in Blair county, for your kind intentions ; but I do most positively decline to have my name brought before the public as a candidate for office. I desire to serve my country in no other position, during the continuance of the Rebellion, than that in which it has been my fortune to act since President Lincoln issued his proclamation for 75,000 men."
On the 22d of July, 1862-Burnside having returned to Vir- ginia with his troops, except Foster's division, and Stevens
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having joined him with a division from Port Royal-was organ- ized the Ninth corps, with whose career-a long succession of glorious achievements-Hartranft and his regiment were iden- tified. It was hurried forward to the relief of Pope, who was beginning to feel the weight of the enemy's power. Hartranft was sent with the brigade-Ferrero, its commander, being absent -to dispute his crossing the Rapidan. Without attempting to force a passage the enemy moved above, and soon had turned the right of Pope's army. Hartranft was ordered to retire across the Rappahannock, and act as rear-guard to the column in its movement back. A few days of manoeuvring and fight- ing brought the two armies upon the old battle-ground of Bull Run, Hartranft's position on the line being almost identical with that on which he had fought in the former battle. It was at a critical moment in the struggle when the Union forces, broken and overborne, were being forced back, that Ferrero's brigade was posted in support of Graham's guns, to check the oncoming foe. Three times with desperation the enemy charged; but he met an unyielding resistance. Finally Ferrero with one of his regiments retired under a misconstruction of orders; but Hartranft, who had received his commands from General Reno, held fast his ground with the two remaining regiments, until the way was clear, when he withdrew with his guns unmolested. No less calm and considerate was his conduct at Chantilly. He had posted his guns where they would be particularly effective, when he was ordered by Reno to withdraw them. This he refused to do until he had seen that officer and explained his situation. Relying upon his judgment Reno directed him to remain; and when, in the progress of the fight, the fiery missiles of that bat- tery rolled back the torn columns of the foe, it was seen how clear and correct was the judgment of Hartranft.
At the southern pass near Turner's Gap of the South Mountain, he again met the enemy. They were screened from view, and as he led on his regiment to the support of troops who had been ordered before him, and where he supposed a line had been established, he was suddenly assailed by a powerful force. Fall- ing back to a wall near by he opened in reply, and by steady and stubborn fighting held his assailants in check until reinforced.
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The bridge of. Antietam has come to be celebrated with that of Lodi. It is on that part of the Antietam field, where it was necessary for the left of Mcclellan's forces to cross in order to reach the foe. Burnside with the Ninth corps was there, and he had ordered parts of Crook's and Sturgis' divisions to carry it. It is a stone structure of three arches, and the causeway leading over it was commanded by artillery which swept it from end to end, while infantry crouching behind the walls that skirt the roads leading above and below, and in the wooded thickets overhanging, were ready to shoot down any force which should approach from the Union side. Crook made a good fight but was beaten back. Sturgis charged gallantly, and his men reached the head of the bridge ; but they also were unable to stem the tide of destruction setting against them. Is that bridge to defy the whole Ninth corps, glorying in valor, and never defeated? Shall a half of McClellan's army lie idly by, and see their comrades upon the right devoted to destruction for the lack of a crossing? It was not in the nature of the stubborn Burnside to bend to this humiliating alternative. When told that two determined attempts had been thwarted he exclaimed : "What ! not carry that bridge ! I will see ! Ride to Ferrero's brigade, and tell Hartranft that I order him to open a passage." From a sheltered position Hartranft had watched all that had been done, and when the order came from his chief his plan was already matured. Avoiding the highway which leads up the bank of the creek, and where he would be exposed to a withering fire in reaching the bridge, he led his command along the bluff till he had come to a point opposite its head, when he burst like an avalanche upon it. Scarcely had the enemy time to point his guns before Hartranft was already upon the bridge. The Fifty-first New York, Colonel Potter, was advanced rapidly to his assistance, and though torn by shot and shell and many of his bravest stricken down, no destruction nor danger could deter his troops, and that narrow causeway, obstructed by the mangled and the dying, was crossed and the enemy dispossessed. "It was not till after Lodi," said Napoleon, "that I was struck with the possibility of my becoming a decided actor on the scene of political events. There was first enkindled the first spark of a lofty ambition." The triumph at
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this bridge may not have inspired such ambitious desires, but it was no less signal and complete.
When Burnside, then in command of the Army of the Potomac, crossed the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg to offer battle, he put the Ninth corps upon the right centre; and here Hartranft manifested the same sterling qualities as on other fields. It was from the start a struggle against hope; but he faced the terrible storm with the intrepidity inspired of success.
In the campaign before Vicksburg he led a brigade, and though prostrated by sickness, directed the movements in the march upon Jackson from an ambulance. But in no part of his career were his talents and military skill more conspicuous than in the management of the retreat from Loudon to Knoxville, Tennessee, previous to siege of the latter place by Longstreet. He had just risen from a protracted illness, and had been placed in command of the Second division of the Ninth corps. Longstreet, who had suddenly cut loose from Bragg before Chattanooga, had come upon a fragment of Burnside's force unawares, and was likely to sever and overwhelm it. His purpose was discovered in time to thwart it. And to Hartranft was given the difficult task. Longstreet had already got upon the most direct road to Campbell's Station, a point where several thoroughfares cross, and the party which should reach it first was sure to win. Hartranft had heavy artil- lery and long trains to move. The roads were sodden, and terribly cut by the passage of heavy pieces. All night long his men toiled on. A stout heart and never yielding courage triumphed. Hartranft reached the menaced point in advance, and deploy- ing upon the Kingston road was ready to meet the foe when they arrived. Burnside posted his artillery and infantry, as they arrived, in commanding positions, and as the masses of Longstreet came on, he hurled them back, torn and bleeding. But he was everywhere immensely outnumbered, and it was only for a little time that he could hold his ground. By retiring to new positions as often as turned out of the preceding, and at every turn fight- ing with the most determined spirit, Hartranft held Longstreet at bay until darkness set in, when the struggle was given over, and under cover of night the whole force with its guns and trains were brought safely into Knoxville. Here Burnside was closely
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besieged, and the troops were kept busy night and day fortifying for its defence. The place was invested by the foe and the siege vigorously pushed; but before Longstreet was ready to assault, the defences were measurably complete, and his best efforts to carry it were fruitless. At the point where Hartranft's division lay was a small stream, by damming which it was made to flood a considerable area, rendering his position secure. Finally the troops began to suffer from famine, and were driven, at last, to subsist on meagre and unwholesome diet; but they never for one moment faltered, and their endurance was at length rewarded with success; for Sherman, who had been detached by Grant at Chattanooga, came thundering upon the rear of Longstreet, caus- ing him to relax his firm grip, and make a hasty retreat towards Virginia, whither he was pursued and sorely harassed.
The three years for which his regiment had enlisted being now near its close, he returned home and was joyfully welcomed, " his foresight on the march, his coolness, bravery and judgment on the battle-field," being publicly recounted and commended. His regiment reënlisted and was strengthened with recruits, and he again entered, with the Ninth corps, the Army of the Potomac. At the Wilderness, where many of his troops were raw, he was fearful lest they might be thrown into confusion by the sudden attack of the enemy. To assure them, he freely exposed his per- son, riding down the whole front of his line while the battle was on, and just as they were ordered to make a charge, and pausing before each regiment to give a word of advice. Its effect was electrical, and he had no difficulty ever after in manœuvring them in the most exposed positions. Few troops were more con- spicuous for gallantry in the obstinate and bloody battle around Spottsylvania Court House than were those of Hartranft's brigade. He led them in a charge which shattered the rebel front, and for the time a marked advantage was gained, guns and prisoners falling into his hands; but the enemy rallying and receiving strong supports, checked him in his progress, and entailed a desperate struggle, in which both sides sustained terrible losses. From this charge dates Hartranft's commission as Brigadier-General. It had been fairly won at Bull Run, at Antietam, at Fredericksburg, and at Campbell's Station, each of
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which should have brought the promotion. But from none of these was the general advantage gained equal to the expecta- tions of the Government, and it was consequently slow in recog- nizing even conspicuous merit.
In the actions at Cold Harbor and before Petersburg, his con- duct was alike worthy of notice; but it is unnecessary as it is impossible to exemplify all of that brilliant series of actions with which his name will ever be honorably associated. During the excavation of the noted Petersburg mine, it was given to him to guard the engineers and working parties. Wilcox's division was chosen by Burnside to make the attack, and Hartranft's brigade was selected to lead; but before the explosion occurred, which gave to destruction an immense fort with all its heavy armament and garrison -- lifting the huge mass high in air, and then bury- ing all in undistinguishable ruin-the plans were changed, and what was hoped might result in the rout of the rebel army ended in ignominious failure, though not from any fault of the troops making the assault : for never did men behave with greater gal- lantry. General Hartranft led his command resolutely forward to the crater; but the movement had been so long delayed that the enemy had fully rallied from the surprise, and had concentrated his fire upon the men huddled together, and no valor would suffice to gain an, advantage. The only course dictated by wis- dom in the emergency was to get the troops back with as little loss as possible. Hartranft was the ranking officer, and when the order came to retire, he sent a messenger out requesting that the guns to right and left should be opened upon the enemy, under the fire of which he might move. For a long time he was held in painful suspense; but finding no indications of compliance, and discovering that the enemy was preparing to deliver a relentless charge, gave the order to fall back, as commanded. This he managed to accomplish, narrowly escaping with his own life, men falling on every side.
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