USA > Pennsylvania > York County > The Historical Sketch, and Account of the Centennial Celebration at York, PA., July 4, 1876. > Part 6
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10
On the 15th of July, 1844, there was a call for vol- Philada. unteers from York for the suppression of Riots. the great Native American riot in Philadel- phia. 'The three companies of York already men- tioned, the Washington Artillerists, the Washington Blues, and York Pa Rifles, together with companies from the county, in all 3000 men, under the command of General A. C. Ramsay, marched as far as Wrights- ville but returned the same day. The report of the Auditor General, in 1845, gives the expense to the
82
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
state by the Philadelphia riots at $45,252,72. The York County troops cost $7,367,50, and there was paid to the R. R. Co. for transportation $512,20.
This adventure, brief as it was, is remarkable for the expenseit occasioned. Though our troops were not required to suppress the riot, there was bloodshed in Philadelphia before quiet was restored. It was not long, however, before the military power of the na- tion had to be tested.
There have been many phases of American politics The
Mexican and every presidential election has agitated WVar. the people with the discussion of new issues. Those who adhere to the old ones get behind the times. Four years after the election of General Harrison the absorbing questions that had so excited whigs and democrats were weakened in popular es- timation by events of national concern. The result of the election of 1844, quieted the issues preceding it, and the new administration of President Polk soon became involved in questions of a different character. Texas had declared independence in 1836, and was ac- knowledged an independent republic by the United States. That independence had been achieved by American settlers, so that it came asking for admis- sion at the first congress in the new administration and was made one of the states of the union in 1845. The year following found the government embroiled in a war with Mexico. Volunteers were asked for and all parts of the country quickly responded.
York county furnished her proportion of brave men to carry the flag of the United States to the halls of the
.
-
83
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Montezumas. Several volunteers left the borough of York for the Mexican war, who were attached to the first Pennsylvanian regiment under Colonel Francis M. Wynkoop, Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Black, in Company C. Captain William F. Small. There were nine of them and they participated in many bloody but victorious battles, under the great chieftain, General Winfield Scott, from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico, through the battles of Cerro Gordo, Churubusco, National Bridge, Molino del Rey, Chapultepec, Contreras, Huantla, where the renown- ed Captain Samuel Walker was killed, and at the siege of Puebla, where William Eurich one of their number was killed and Jacob Danner died. Peter ' Ahl Esq., is the only survivor of this band of brave men. Colonel Thomas A. Ziegle was one. The others were Albertus Welsh, Daniel Craver, William Patterson, Robert Patterson and Samuel Stair. Weirich Pentz was in the 4th Ohio, Colonel Brough, and David Hays was in one of the Ohio regiments.
Edward Haviland was a member of the Philadel- phia Grays, Captain Scott, attached to the first Penn- sylvania volunteers. Colonel Albert C. Ramsay, a resi- dent lawyer of some distinction, commanded a regi- ment, in which were some men from York county ; it was the 11th regiment of the line. George John- son a soldier from York in that regiment was killed at the battle of Molino del Rey. Theodore D. Coch- ran was a captain of voltigeurs attached to the same regiment.
There were officers of the regular army from York
84
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
in the Mexican war. Major Granville O. Haller was captain of the 4th infantry. William B. Franklin, a graduate of West Point, of 1843, was Ist lieutenant of topographical engineers. H. G. Gibson, a graduate of 1847, was 2d lieutenant of the 3rdartillery. The offi- cers of the navy from York who served in that war, were George P. Welsh, Samuel R. Franklin and Wil- liam Gibson.
In York and in the county there are several survivors of this notable war, the results of which have since been appreciated. It added to the Union immense tracts of territory and rich states, the gold- en land of California and the silver mines of Nevada, and opened for us that great transit across the conti- nent to the Pacific, with still more momentous politi- cal results to the government and nation.
The Mexican war ended in 1848. But the politics and the wars of the United States do not impede the progress of the people at home. York has always kept pace with the times in public improvements, and all those needful municipal regulations and conveni- ences which belong to well built cities. Though not incorporated asa city, it has been virtually made one, in all but the name, by supplements to the original charter.
The supply of conveniences has been afforded by
York individual enterprise. To give light to our Gas people a supply of gas was furnished to Company.
them on the first of January, 1850, by the York Gas Company, which had been incorporated on the 9th of February, 1849.
GROUNDS OF THE YORK COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
/
85
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Charters for railroads had been procured. The Railroads. York and Cumberland Railroad, incorpo ra- ted as early as 1846, had progressed to con- struction and was opened for travel in February, 1851, and in 1854 it was, by consolidation with the York and Maryland Line and the Baltimore and Sus- quehanna railroads, incorporated into the Northern Central Railway, one of the great commercialarteries.
The Hanover Branch Railroad was incorporated in 1847, and was formally opened for business on the 22d of October, 1852. This road has proved a very successful enterprise. The Gettysburg Railroad was subsequently built, in 1856, and these roads are now consolidated as the Hanover Junction, Hanover & Gettysburg Railroad.
In the year 1851, an enterprise was started which
Agricul- has proved highly important and benefi- tural cial to the people of this county. Its found- Society. ers say that "the field for beneficial opera- tions and influences was then rather uninviting, and the undertaking to establish a society with hopes of giving it permanency and success was somewhat of an adventure." The York County Agricultural So- ciety was duly organized on the 5th of January, 1852, and held its first exhibition on the commons in the month of October, 1853, and the second was held the October following. They were successful and the society in the meantime having purchased their own grounds, held their third annual exhibition there in the year 1856. These grounds cover an area of about fifteen acres, easily accessible to the throngs of
.
86
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
people who annually visit them. The buildings are well designed for their purposes, and all the im- provements are well calculated for the display and examination of the articles exhibited.
We read in old chronicles of certain joyful institu- Ancient tions known as fairs. A part of the charter Fairs. of privileges from the proprietaries to the inhabitants of the town and county of York, was the grant of the privilege to "have and keep in said town two fairs in the year, the one of them to begin on the ninth day of June yearly, to be held in High street, and to continue that day and the day following ; and the other of the said fairs to be held, in the aforesaid place, on the second day of November, every year, and the next day after it, with all the liberties and customs to such fairs belonging or incident." The History of York says : "This charter was received as a high and peculiar blessing. Travelling dealers in small wares found themselves with punctual devotion, at their semi- annual congregations. But as the num- ber of stated merchants increased, our ancient and venerable institutions began to be shorn of their glory. Yet when in 1787, the town was erected into a bor- ough, the legislature particularly continued this priv- ilege of our fathers unto their children. But man- ners were changing ; one part of the community was growing more refined, and another more corrupted; fairs had degenerated from the primitive purity of former years, and became but a scene of a wild mer- riment or of a riotous commotion. At last on ac- count of the degeneracy of the times, the legislature
87
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
on the 29th of January, 1816, prohibited the holding of fairs within the borough of York, and declared such holding to be but a common nuisance. Yet so great is the inveteracy of ancient custom, the form- er stated days are even now (1834) but too punc- tually observed. A few years hence the observ- ance of these institutions will have ceased to our county ; those who succeed us, may, proud in their own belief, look upon these days as times of a rude and unpolished wilderness."
Common parlance gives the designation of fairs to the annual exhibitions of the York County Agri- cultural Society. But the exhibits of industrial art and of articles of produce by that society are a won- derful advance upon the fairs of our ancestors .- They draw crowds of people from town and country; but it is to instruct and elevate them, and encourage and develop the agricultural resources and mechan- ical skill of the people. These agricultural fairs were interrupted during the years 1861, '62, '63 and '64, by the war, during which the grounds were occupied as a military camp.
The immense acquisition of territory brought by The war the Mexican war, the admission of California for the Union. as a state, and the question of the territorial powers of the great region of country com- prising Kansas and Nebraska, caused intense politi- cal excitement in the elections for some years, cul- minating in the attempted secession of certain states and the great war for the union. The events of that war are too recent for comment; but the part taken
88
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
by our people and what transpired here are a part of the history of York, which was marked as a point of hostile demonstrations.
The news of the firing upon Fort Sumpter, which occurred on the 12th of April, 1861, followed by the proclamation of President Lincoln, on the 15th, call- ing for seventy-five thousand troops, aroused the patriotism of our people. Governor Curtin made a requisition upon the organized companies of Penn- sylvania, and the citizen soldiers of York, consisting of the Worth Infantry, Captain Thomas A. Ziegle, and the York Pa. Rifle, Captain George Hay, res- ponded unanimously to the call and obeyed with alac- rity the order of the governor.
On the evening of Thursday, the 18th, in pursu- ance of a general call, the people of York assembled in great numbers in the court house, for the purpose of expressing their sense of the condition of the na- tional government, and to offer aid to those called into the service. John Evans, Esq., was called to the chair, and other prominent citizens were made offi- cers of the meeting. Patriotic resolutions were adopt- ed, and measures taken to provide means for the sup- port of the families of volunteers. The borough au- thorities appropriated one thousand dollars for this purpose, the commissioners were recommended to make an appropriation of five thousand dollars, and committees were appointed to collect money by vol- untary subscription from our citizens, and over two thousand dollars were contributed. The union feel- ing in York was intensely strong. Flags were sus-
89
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
pended from the principal buildings, places of busi- ness and private residences, and poles were erected from which the stars and stripes floated proudly to the breeze. The ancient borough of York was not behind any of her neighbors in patriotism and zeal.
Events thickened and aroused intense feeling .- The sixth Massachusetts regiment while passing through Baltimore, on the 19th was attacked by a mob and the passage of some of the cars obstructed. ·The soldiers who were obliged to form for the pur- pose of marching through the city, being assaulted with increased violence, fired upon the crowd. Two of the Massachusetts soldiers were killed and seven persons in the crowd, some rioters and some who were looking on. On that night a portion of the track of the Northern Central Railway was torn up between Cockeysville and Baltimore, and a number of the bridges on the road were set on fire and burned down, for the purpose of impeding the passage of troops from the north.
The military companies from this place received orders on Saturday evening, the 20th, to hold them- selves in readiness to march, and at eleven o'clock at night they left in a special train, going towards Bal- timore, and were stationed in squads at the several bridges along the route of the road, and some at Cockeysville. Ten or twelve trains with troops pass- ed through York on Sunday, from early in the morn- ing until late at night, proceeding as far as Ashland and Cockeysville, concentrating some three thousand men at those points. But on Monday these several
90
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
regiments returned to York and encamped on the fair grounds.
At the meeting of the court on Monday, the 22d, the president judge, Hon. Robert J. Fisher, in charging the grand jury, referred to the distracted state of the country, and urged upon them the necessity of pro- viding for the comfort and support of those who had so promptly obeyed their country's call. He stated that the citizens of York had subscribed several thou- sand dollars, and that the borough authorities had appropriated a thousand dollars, and recommended the grand jury to request the commissioners to make a liberal appropriation for the same purpose out of the county funds, and said that he had no doubt the appropriation would be legalized by the legislature. Several members of the bar also addressed the grand jury. The scene was a very impressive one. The grand jury the next day recommended that the com- missioners appropriate ten thousand dollars, which was promptly done. Hanover and Wrightsville made liberal appropriations, making about fifteen thousand dollars in all. The legislature subsequently ratified these proceedings.
The troops which had passed through York to Camp Cockeysville on Saturday and Sunday, were
Scott. the first, second and third regiments of Penn- sylvania volunteers, for the three months service, composed of organized companies from nearly all the cities and principal towns in the state, the mili- tary companies of Easton, Allentown, Reading, Har- risburg, Lancaster, Chambersburg, Gettysburg, Co-
91
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
lumbia, Bloomfield, West Chester, Bellefonte, Holli- daysburg, Altoona, Johnstown, East Liberty, and other places-some unattached-together with our own military companies who were as early as any of them in the field. They came from comfortable homes and were unaccustomed to exposure and hard- ship. The commissary arrangements were not suf- ficient for so large a body of men suddenly thrown together, and they depended to some extent on vol- untary supplies from our own people.
The hospitality of the citizens of York, on this oc- casion, extended to these new recruits, has frequent- ly been mentioned by them in complimentary terms. The encampment here was for the purpose of in- struction and was called Camp Scott in honor of the veteran commander in chief of the United States ar- my. The town assumed a warlike appearance .- Other troops came on the 26th of April, the 12th and 13th regiments from Pittsburg arrived, and by the 7th of May there were five thousand five hundred men in camp here. In addition to these was Cap- tain Campbell's battery of twelve pieces of artillery.
The 2nd regiment, Colonel Stumbaugh, of Cham- 2nd. P. V. bersburg, had been organized on the 21st of
April .. The York Rifles, George Hay, cap- tain, John W. Schall, Ist Lieutenant, and Jacob Em- mitt, Jr., 2nd lieutenant, were attached to it here as company K.
The material of which the 16th regiment was form- ed was also encamped on the fair grounds. 16th P. V. Five companies were from Schuylkill county,
92
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
one from Mechanicsburg, Captain Dorsheimer's, the first company in the state that enlisted for three years, and four companies from York county. These were, company A (Worth Infantry), captain, John Hays, Ist lieutenant, Solomon Myers, 2nd lieutenant, John M. Deitch ; company F, (Marion Rifles of Hanover), captain, Horatio Gates Myers, Ist lieutenant, Joseph Renaut, 2nd lieutenant, Jacob W. Bender, company G, (Hanover Infantry), captain, Cyrus Diller, Ist lieu- tenanant Henry Morningstar, 2nd lieutenantJoseph S. Jenkins; company H, (York Voltiguers), captain, The- odore D. Cochran, Ist lieutenant, Michael Gallagher, 2nd lieutenant, Andrew D. Yocum. The regiment was organized at Camp Curtin on the 3rd of May, by the se- lection of Thomas A. Ziegle as colonel. A. H. Glatz was made quarter master and Charles Garretson, assistant quarter master.
The regiments here were all ordered to Chambers- burg and left about the first of June, with every dem- onstration cf encouragement, amid cheers and wav- ing of handkerchiefs-the Rifles leaving with their regiment ; but the 16th remained for a few days .- This regiment had already acquired great proficiency of drill under the care of its accomplished comman- der. On Saturday, the 8th of June, it marched into town to take its departure for the seat of war. In the morning a flag was presented to the regiment by the ladies of York. A perfect storm of flowers fell upon the soldiers as they marched through the streets, every one had a bouquet in his musket.
The 16th was in the brigade of Colonel Miles, U.
93
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
S. A., Ist division, and the 2nd regiment was in a brigade of the 2nd division, of the army of General Patterson in the campaign of the valley of the Shen- andoah. They moved from Chambersburg to Ha- gerstown and Williamsport. At the latter place, Albertus Welsh died on the 27th of June, the first soldier from York who died in the war. He was a member of the Worth Infantry, and as already men- tioned was one of the nine veterans from here in the war with Mexico. The Potomac was crossed on the 2nd of July by fording it, and an advance made to Martinsburg, arriving about the middle of July at Bunker Hill, driving in Johnston's advance guard. The regiment then made a forced march towards Harper's Ferry, the enemy's pickets retreating before them and encamped at Charlestown, on the 17th of June. They were constantly threatened with attack but no action took place. When their term of service expired the 2d and 16th regiments returned to Har- risburg and were mustered out. The Worth Infan- try and York Rifles arrived home on the 27th of July, where they were welcomed by the ringing of bells, firing of cannon, speeches and a banquet. The Vol- tiguers arrived home on the 2d of August, their commander, T. D. Cochran, was subsequently ap- pointed a captain in the regular army. Captain H. G. Myers, of the Marion Rifles, had been left ill at Hagerstown, where he died on the 8th of August .- Thomas Brannon, a member of his company, died at the same place, on the 17th of July.
Thus ended the campaign of the three months men.
94
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Though our soldiers were not engaged in battle, and we were glad to see them home safe and sound, events showed that they might have been. The de- monstrations of Johnston in the neighborhood of Harper's Ferry were only feints, as was proved by his opportune arrival on the battle field of Bull Run, on Sunday, the 21st of July. Instead of the army of General Patterson engaging him and preventing him from reinforcing Beauregard, he was permitted to retire with all the appearance of a retreat. The
great embarrassment under which General Patterson labored, and perhaps an altogether sufficient excuse for him, is found in the fact of the expiration of the term of enlistment of so many of his men just at the time of that battle, which after all, some have consid- ered a Providential reverse.
There had already been a call on the part of the
1st & 12th government for men to serve for three years Penn'a. unless sooner discharged. The 30th regi- Reserves. ment of Pennsylvania volunteers, otherwise known as the First regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, organized on the 9th of June, 1861, at Camp Wayne, Chester county, was represented by company D, recruited in Lancaster and York coun- : ties. The 41st regiment, the 12th Reserves, was first raised for the three months service. Samuel N. Bailey, of York county, was made lieutenant colonel. Company G., Captain Charles W. Diven, afterwards major, was recruited in York county. To enumerate the battles of this renowned corps would be to relate the greater part of the history of the war. It is suf-
95
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
ficient to say that York county had men in the Penn - sylvania Reserves.
The 43rd regiment, known as the Ist Pennsylva- Ist Penn'a. nia Artillery, was formed under the call for Artillery. volunteers of 13th April, 1861. One com- pany was recruited in York by Alfred E. Lewis, who at the organization of the regiment was made senior major." The colonel was Charles T. Campbell, who, it will be remembered, was here with a battery during the encampment of troops on the fair grounds. He had enlisted twenty or more men here who were attached to, battery A, commanded by Captain East- on, which performed gallant service at Drainesville, and Gaines' Mill, where Captain Easton was killed. The other company recruited here became battery E, Captain Thomas G. Orwig, and served in the Penin- sular campaign under McClellan, and in the army of the James, rendering valuable service at Drury's Bluff and Fort Harrison, and at the siege of Peters- burg and Richmond. It was the first battery that en- tered the capital, reaching there before the enemy's flag was pulled down and hastening the retreat of the vanguard of the enemy who had intended to fire the city.
Two companies of infantry for three year's ser. 76th P. V. vice were recruited in York county early
in 1861. One in York by H. Clay McIntyre, and the other in Hanover by Cyrus Diller, immedia- tely after his return from the three months service. These companies were attached to the 76th regiment, which was raised under a special order of the secretary
-
96
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
of war, and was known as the Keystone Zouaves, John M. Power of Cambria county, colonel. Charles Gar- ettson of York was made quartermaster, who, while serving with it, was appointed a captain in the regu- lar army. The captains of Company D were suc- cessively, Cyrus Diller, afterwards major, William S. Diller and Charles L. Bittenger; of company I, H. Clay McIntyre, Jacob J. Young, Frank J. Magee, and Harrison Stair.
On the 18th of November, 1861, the regiment re- ceived its colors from the hands of Governor Curtin, and proceeded to Fortress Monroe, sailed from there to Hilton Head, assisted in taking Fort Pulaski at the mouth of the Savannah River, participated in the attack on Charleston under General Wright, and engaged the enemy with heavy loss in an expedition to sever communication between Charleston and Sa- vannah. On the 6th of July, 1863, it moved to Morris Island, and on the 10th it took part in the memorable assault on Fort Wagner, which it charged in gallant style. They received the order to charge as the flash of the artillery fire was seen, knelt and permit- ted the discharge of the guns to pass over them, then started forward with a yell. The ranks were thinned at every discharge. The moat was reached and crossed, and many fell on the parapet beyond, I 30 men and five officers were left behind. A sec- ond assault took place on the 18th of July, with a similar result. Frank J. Magee acted as aid to Gen- eral Strong in the engagement. Company I went in with thirty-six men and but twelve escaped .-
97
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Twelve regiments were afterwards ordered to take the fort by storm, but were repulsed with great loss. Fort Wagner was a heavy sand fort, bomb proof, cov- ering several acres. It was ultimately demolished after a fierce cannonading of fifty days duration, when it was discovered that it had been abandoned by the enemy. This regiment afterwards fought at Drury's Bluff, where captain J. J. Young of company I was killed, and was with the 10th corps, at Cold Har- bor, and under General Terry, to whom Capt. Magee wasaid-de-camp, took part in the capture of Fort Fish- er, in January, 1865. It was disbanded at Harrisburg, July 23, 1865, after one of the longest terms of service in the war.
After the departure of the regiments quartered 87th P. V. here a company was organized by Captain James A. Stahle, called the Ellsworth Zou- aves, after the brave but ill-fated officer of that name. This company became company A of the 87th regi- ment. Captain George Hay immediately after the return of the Rifles on the 19th of August, 1861, re- ceived a commission as colonel. The project orig- inally was the raising of a regiment for the purpose of guarding the Northern Central Railway, in relief of other regiments recruited for the war. By the 12th of September there were five companies mustered in. John W. Schall was made lieutenant colonel and Charles H. Buehler, major. Eight of the companies were from York county and two from Adams. The officers commanding this regiment successively were Colonels George Hay, John W. Schall and James
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.