Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 33

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036

USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Altoona > Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 33

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After the capture of Fort Fisher the Seventy- sixth moved to Wilmington, and thence to Raleigh, N. C., where it remained until July 15, when it moved to Wilmington, and from thence the men of the regiment returned by sea to their homes in Pennsylvania.

SEVENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.

This regiment was organized in October, 1861, by Col. Frederick S. Stumbaugh, and was joined by a Blair county company, desig- nated as F, under the command of Captain Daniel Shock of Claysburg, after it had been in service for three years and five months. The regiment saw service in the west and was joined by Captain Shock's company in East Tennessee in the middle of March, 1865. About the last of April the regiment returned to Nashville, where it was assigned to the First brigade, First division, Fourth Army corps. In June it left Nashville and passing down the Mississippi by boat to New Orleans, went into camp at Plaine Chalmette, Gen. Jackson's old battle-ground, 1815. It subse- quently was assigned to duty in Texas, re- maining there until December, 1865, when the men were embarked and proceeded by sea to Philadelphia. Arriving there on the 16th of January, 1866, they were duly discharged and

returned to their homes and the vocations of civil life. Miles Zentmeyer was first lieutenant of Company F and J. O. Brookband second lieutenant.

EIGHTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.

The Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania volun- teers probably contained as many Blair county men as any of the others. Its com- mander was a Blair county man who lost his life on the field of battle, and its long and arduous service has given it a place in the hearts of Blair county people possessed by no other. It was raised in the summer and fall of 1861, and organized under the following field-officers: Colonel William G. Murray of Hollidaysburg; Lieutenant Col- onel Thomas C. McDowell and Major Wal- ter Barrett. The rendezvous of the regi- ment was established at Camp Crossman, near Huntingdon, but it was removed from there to Camp Curtin about the first of De- cember following. The companies compos- ing the regiment were recruited in the counties of Cameron, Clearfield, Columbia, Blair, Dauphin, Lycoming and Westmore- land. Of these Blair county furnished two full companies, A and E, and a large pro- portion of two other companies, C and I, the former of these two being partly raised in Westmoreland, and the latter partly in Clearfield county.

Robert L. Horrell was the first captain of Company A. He resigned July 24, 1862, and was succeeded by Jonathan Derno, who had been first lieutenant. The second lieu- tenant at organization was Charles Reem, who was killed at Winchester, March 23, 1862. Sergeants Joseph Delehunt and Jo- seph W. Daugherty were promoted to lieu- tenancies.

Abram J. Crissman, B. M. Morrow, Wil- liam Logan and James J. Wirsing were the captains of Company C, while the grade of lieutenant was held by Archibald Douglass, Charles Mummey, Charles O'Neil, William M. Gwinn, William Hays and Joseph Mc- Master.

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Patrick Gallagher, the first captain of Company E, was killed at Winchester. His successors were Patrick F. Walsh, Alexan- der Dobbins, Albert A. Steinman and Rob- ert Johnson. The lieutenants were Alex. H. Taylor, John Maloney and John C. Wolf.

Company I had four captains, Joseph L. Curby, John H. Comfort, Arthur G. Gilbert and John R. Ross. The lieutenants were Isaac Hooper, Clarence. L. Barrett, John B. Ferguson, George S. Good, John W. Paul- ley and Alban H. Nixon.

The regiment was mustered into service on the twenty-fourth of October, 1861. On Wednesday, November 27, it left Camp Crossman for Harrisburg, where it arrived the same night, and on the following day pitched its tents at Camp Curtin. On the twenty-first of December the state colors were presented to the regiment by Gov- ernor Curtin. The flag was received by the colonel, and by him placed in charge of Color-Sergeant Stokes, who, on receiving it, said: "Governor and Colonel, if I don't re- turn this flag, 'twill be because Ned Stokes will occupy five feet eight on the ground."

On Tuesday, December 31, the regiment left Camp Curtin for Williamsport, Md., proceeding by railroad to Hagerstown, Md., whence it marched to Clear Spring, camp- ing there on the night of January Ist. Mov- ing forward the next morning, it arrived at Hancock at 3 o'clock p. m., and was quar- tered in the town for the night. On Friday, January 3, it crossed the Potomac, and marched to Bath, Va., reaching there at I o'clock p. m., and on the following day had a sharp skirmish with the enemy at that place, the Eighty-fourth being supported by the Thirty-ninth Illinois, with a section of battery and a small body of cavalry. The enemy, a part of Stonewall Jackson's forces, drove in the Union skirmishers at 8 o'clock a. m., but was held in check until 3 o'clock, when the Eighty-fourth and other troops were compelled to retire before the superior Confederate force, and marched by way of Sir John's run to Hancock, crossing the

river at about dark. General Lander ar- rived at Hancock the same night, and on the following day assumed command of the troops at that place.

The enemy who had been fought at Bath following the retreating Union troops to the Potomac, and shelled the town from the south side of the river. The Union troops were formed in line to resist the enemy should he attempt to cross; but it was found he had no intention of doing so, his advance being merely a feint to cover his real design against Romney, Va. Discern- ing this, General Lander made a counter- movement, marching his regiments to Cum- berland, Md., where other troops of his command were concentrated, and where the Eighty-fourth arrived on the twelfth of January. During the winter the regiment was posted successively at the railroad bridges over the north branch and south branch of the Potomac and at Paw Paw tunnel.

On the second of March, General Lander died, and the command devolved on Colonel Kimball. On the fifth the regiment moved to Martinsburg, Va., arriving there at mid- night on the sixth. On the eleventh the First, Second and Third brigades were or- dered to Winchester, and moved towards that town, arriving at a point within two miles of the Winchester on the night of the twelfth. There the information was received that the town had been evacuated by the Confederates, and thereupon the regiment went into camp, which was named Camp Kimball. Here Colonel Kimball was suc- ceeded by Gen. James Shields. On the eigh- teenth of March the regiment moved south- ward about seventeen miles, passed through Middletown, and bivouacked one mile south of the town.

On the nineteenth the Eighty-fourth marched southward, its advance-guard skir- mishing with Ashby's cavalry, and losing slightly in wounded. That night it biv- ouacked one mile south of Stransburg. On the twentieth it left this camp and marched

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back to Camp Kimball, two miles north of Winchester, which it reached before 8 o'clock p. m., having marched twenty-three miles without a halt for rest. On the evening of the twenty-second of March it moved through Winchester southward to meet the forces of Stonewall Jackson, who was reported to be approaching the place. The regiment marched about four miles, and bivouacked two miles south of Winchester. On Sunday morning, March 23, the Confederate army under Jackson, 11,000 strong, and having twenty-eight pieces of artillery, moved for- ward to a point near the village of Kerns- town, something more than four miles south of Winchester, where at about II o'clock a. m., they attacked General Shield's advance brigade, which retired in good or- der towards the main body. The Eighty- fourth stood in line supporting a battery. The enemy moved up rapidly with infantry and artillery, advancing through a piece of woods on the right. The Eighty-fourth be- ing ordered to charge, moved quickly for- ward from the high ground on the Kerns- town road across open ground and entirely without cover to the place where the enemy held a strong position behind a stone wall and partially covered by woods. From this position a most destructive fire was poured in at close range upon the advancing column, but the Eighty-fourth moved for- ward unflinchingly through the leaden storm. Colonel Murray leading with great gallantry, officers and men falling on every side, strewing the ground with the dead and dying. In the midst of the struggle his horse was shot under him. Extricating himself, he renewed the charge on foot. A little later his cap-cover was shot from his head. The carnage was now terrible, the enemy screening themselves behind the stone wall and curtain of wood. But, noth- ing daunted, Colonel Murray led on his regiment, and just as it was entering the grove which crowned the summit, while rushing on, with sword in hand, and ex- claiming, "Charge, boys! charge !" he was

struck by a rifle-ball, which crashing through the bugle of his cap, carrying away the figures "84" with it, passed through his brain, tearing away the top of his skull. After the loss of Colonel Murray, the regi- ment partially gave way and fell into some disorder, but rallied under the command of Captain George Zinn and held its ground. An advance was then made all along the line and soon the enemy was forced back through the woods by a fire as destructive as ever fell upon a retreating foe, falling back in disorder upon the reserve. There they took up a position for a final stand, and made an attempt for a few minutes to re- trieve the fortunes of the day, but again there rained down upon them the same close and destructive fire. A few minutes only did they stand up against it, when they turned dismayed and fled in disorder, leav- ing the Union forces in possession of the field, their killed and wounded, 300 prison- ers, two guns, four caissons and a thousand stand of small arms. Night alone saved them from total destruction. The Eighty- fourth went into the battle with only 260 fighting men, and lost ninety in killed and wounded.

The body of Colonel Murray was moved from the battle-field and taken to Harris- burg, where it was received with imposing ceremonies, the governor, heads of depart- ments, the two houses of the legislature and military and civic societies moving in the sad procession. The body lay in state at the residence of his mother, and was viewed by great numbers. From the capital it was taken to Hollidaysburg, where even more universal sorrow was manifested and tok- ens of respect shown. At the residence of his father-in-law, John Dougherty, Esq., thousands of sorrowing friends and rela- tives gathered, eager to take a last look at the fallen soldier. At St. Mary's church high mass was celebrated, and a most touching and eloquent discourse was de- livered over the remains by the Rev. John Walsh. He was finally laid to rest beside

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his wife, whom he had but a few months be- fore followed to the grave.

Colonel Murray was born July 25, 1825, at Langford, Ireland, and came to America when but nine months old. He served as a private soldier in the Mexican war, and was delayed in entering the service of the Union by the illness of his wife, who died in Aug- ust, 1861. He then devoted his attention to recruiting troops and was commissioned colonel of the Eighty-fourth by Governor Curtin. He was a man of large, active be- nevolence, warm and ardent in his impulses, though singularly calm and equable, and energetic and untiring in the path of duty. In person he was six feet in height, with a large and muscular frame. He was of light complexion, brown hair, eyes of bright gray and expressive, features prominent, move- ments quick, and to courage of the highest order was united a strong sense of religious responsibility.

Col. Samuel M. Bowman succeeded to the command of the regiment, which remained in the Shenandoah valley during the spring and into the summer, taking part in the demonstrations of the armies under Shields, Banks and Fremont against the Confeder- ates under Jackson, and participating in the battle of Fort Republic. In August it was attached to the army of Gen. John Pope and took part in the second disastrous Bull Run battle. The position of the regiment was first on the right and afterwards on the left of the line. It was very heavily engaged during the afternoon and remained on the field until after dark, at which time it occu- pied an extremely exposed position far in advance of the other troops, and was in im- minent danger of being cut off by a Confed- erate division, but finally succeeded, though with great difficulty, in withdrawing from the field and crossing Bull Run in safety. The Eighty-fourth moved that night to Centreville, and from there on the follow- ing day to the defenses of Washington. The strength of the regiment had by this time been reduced to eighty men and during

the fall it was largely increased by acces- sions of recruits and the return of convales- cents. In October it joined the Army of the Potomac, being made a part of General Franklin's grand division, with which it took gallant part at the great battle of Fredericksburg, losing heavily in killed and wounded, and receiving complimentary mention for its bravery and steadiness from General Carroll in his official report of the operations of the twelfth and thirteenth of December. On the following spring it took

part in the battle of Chancellorsville.

took no part in the battle of Gettysburg, be- ing posted at the time of Westminster, Md., as a guard to the trains of the Second corps. After the retreat of General Lee from Get- tysburg it crossed the Potomac in Virginia, in Virginia, where, during the remainder of the season of 1863, it fought at Wapping heights, July 23 and 24; at Thoroughfare Gap, October 10; at Bristoe's station, Octo- ber 14 and 19; at Kelly's ford, November 7; at Locust grove church, November 28; and Mine Run, November 30, and in several other minor engagements, but suffered only a slight loss in killed and wounded. After the close of the Mine Run campaign the regiment went into winter quarters near Brady Station, Va., where a large number of its men re-enlisted for the war and received the usual "veteran furlough."

On the opening of the spring campaign of 1864, the Eighty-fourth joined the army un- der General Grant, taking part in all the desperate battles fought during the sum- mer, beginning at the Wilderness. During the month of December, 1864, the men orig- inally enlisted in the Eighty-fourth were mustered out of service, except those who had re-enlisted as veterans, who, with the recruits of the regiment, were organized into a battalion of four companies. On the thirteenth of January, 1865, the battalion was consolidated with the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania under Colonel Zinn, pre- viously lieutenant-colonel of the Eighty- fourth. The Fifty-seventh was mustered

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out of service June 29, 1865, having served honorably through the campaign which was ended by the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox court-house.

NINTH CAVALRY.

The Ninth cavalry contained no Blair county company, but one, Company M, commanded first by Captain George W. Patterson and later by James Bell, Thomas S. McCahan and Doctor A. Shelp, was recruited in Huntingdon county and contained a number of Blair county men. George W. Kuhn, at present residing in Altoona, was mustered in as first sergeant, and later was commissioned second lieutenant. Other Blair county men in the regiment were Harrison T. Stiffler, Jacob J. Noffsker, Wil- liam Harpster, John P. McGinnis, Samuel C. Tussey, George Bleiler, and William Irvin, the latter being promoted from first sergeant to first lieutenant.

The regiment was organized in the fall of 1861, under command of Col. Edward C. Wil- liams. It first operated in Kentucky against Morgan's guerillas, later joining the main army of the West under Buell and later Rose- crans, and participating in the various battles, including Perryville and Chickamauga. It afterwards joined the army of General Sher- man, participating in all the engagements at- tending the march to the sea and in the subse- quent battles against General Johnston's army, including Bentonville, Morrisville and Averysboro. It was the Ninth that received the flag of truce which brought a letter from the confederate commander, Gen. Johnston, to Gen. Sherman, proposing a surrender of the southern army. A detachment of the Ninth escorted Gen. Sherman when he advanced to meet Gen. Johnston to arrange the terms of sur- render. The terms were agreed on, the sur- render made accordingly, and the war thus ended; the Ninth being engaged in the last battle fought east of the Mississippi. The regi- ment was mustered out of the service on the 18th of July, 1865.

TWELFTH CAVALRY.

The Twelfth cavalry, designated as the One Hundred and Thirteenth of the Pennsylvania line, contained one company raised in Blair and Cambria counties, viz .: Company G, Cap- tain Adam Hartman. The regiment was or- ganized at Philadelphia, under Colonel Wil- liam Frishmuth, in November, 1861. Col. Frismuth resigned soon afterwards, and Lewis B. Pierce became colonel, Jacob Kohler lieu- tenant-colonel. and Darius Titus, James A. Congdon and William Bell majors. The regi- ment moved to Washington about May I, 1862, and in June crossed the Potomac into Virginia, though the men were not mounted until the latter part of July. Joining Gen. Pope's army of Virginia, it was engaged with the enemy at Bristow station, where it was sur- prised by the confederates, who made a fierce assault, resulting in a loss to the regiment of 260 of its men killed, wounded and taken prisoners. The remainder escaped to Centre- ville, whence they were ordered to Alexandria and from there to the north side of the Poto- mac to picket the line of the river as far up as Edwards Ferry.

In the Antietam campaign the regiment joined Pleasanton's division. At the battle of South Mountain it was in reserve and not en- gaged. On the 16th of September two squad- rons, one of which was under the command of Captain Hartman of Company G, while on a reconnoissance towards Hagerstown, became engaged with the enemy's cavalry at Boones- boro, taking a considerable number of prisoners. In the latter part of the month of September it was placed on duty guarding the line of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad above Harper's Ferry. It took part in several cav- alry raids-anl fought in an action at Fisher's hill, suffering some loss but driving the enemy from his position.

On June 12, 1863, the Twelfth led the ad- vance of a reconnoissance towards Front Royal, soon discovering heavy masses of con- federate infantry moving towards the Poto- mac. This was the first knowledge gained of

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the actual movement of Gen. Lee's army from the Rapidan to the invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania. Encountering the cavalry of the enemy's advance, the regiment skirmished sharply in the neighborhood of Winchester, and fought on two or three successive days at Apple Pie ridge, but being of course over- powered by the enemy's infantry, retired to Winchester, where the troops were entirely surrounded by Lee's army. The brigade man- aged to cut its way out, most of them reaching Harper's Ferry. When Lee's army was on the retreat from Gettysburg, the Twelfth, with the First New York cavalry attached his trains at Cunningham's Cross Roads, captur- ing a guard of 640 men, three pieces of artil- lery, 125 wagons, and more than 500 horses and mules. During the remainder of the year and through the ensuing winter the regiment was engaged in picket duty, with occasional skirmishes.

When Gen. Early moved north in 1864, with a force of 20,000 men, intending to capture the city of Washington, the Twelfth formed part of the cavalry forces that harassed the confederate advance. It fought at Cramp- ton's gap, Pleasant valley, and several other points. Early having advanced to within sight of the city, was driven back by a rival of the Sixth corps from Petersburg, and retreated into Virginia as far as Berryville, but from there turned back towards the Potomac. On the 20th of July the Twelfth fought a part of his forces at Winchester, capturing several guns and a considerable number of prisoners. Again, on the 23rd and 24th, it fought dis- mounted, and was repulsed with heavy loss. On August 2Ist the regiment, then forming a part of the Army of the Shenandoah under General Sheridan, took part in an action with the enemy's cavalry, losing slightly. In No- vember it was stationed at Charlestown, Va., but its ranks were sadly thinned and the greater part of the men dismounted. During the winter it was on duty guarding the rail- road between Harper's Ferry and Winchester, and frequently engaged in skirmishing. In the spring of 1865 it took part in an expedition

against the guerrilla bands which infested the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge, and on the 23d of March was closely engaged with the enemy at Harmony, Va., losing twenty-five killed and wounded. In a raid on Lynchburg it had a brisk fight with the enemy at Edin- boro. This was its last battle and it was mustered out on July 20, 1865, at Winchester.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY.

The One Hundred and Twenty-fifth in- fantry contained the largest number of Blair county soldiers. It was raised in July and August, 1862, under authority from Governor Curtin to Lieutenant-Colonel Jacob Higgins, of Blair county, to recruit a nine months' regiment as a part of the quota of Pennsylvania under the president's call of July I, issued on account of the disas- ters to the army of General McClellan on the the peninsula. Of the companies so raised, six were recruited in Blair county, viz .: Company A, Captain Francis M. Bell; Company B, Captain Ulysses L. Huy- ett; Company D, Captain Jacob S. Szink ; Company E, Captain William McGraw; Company G, Captain John McKeage; and Company K, Captain Joseph W. Gardner. Captain Szink was promoted to lieutenant- colonel in the organization of the regiment and was succeeded as captain by C. R. Hostetter.

The rendezvous of the regiment was at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, where it was or- ganized August 16th, under Col. Jacob Hig- gins, Lieut .- Col. Jacob Szink, and Major John J. Lawrence as field officers. The ad- jutant of the regiment was Robert M. John- ston. On the day of the organization the regiment left Harrisburg and proceeded to Washington, where it was made part of a provisional brigade, commanded by Colonel Higgins. Crossing into Virginia, it was en- camped first at Hunter's chapel, and was soon afterward stationed at Fort Barnard. It remained a few weeks on the line of the Washington defenses, engaged in garrison

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duty and infantry and heavy artillery drill. On the 6th of September it was ordered to the north side of the Potomac, in view of the imminent invasion of Maryland by Gen- eral Lee's army, and to Rockville, Md., where it was assigned to duty in Crawford's brigade of General Mansfield's division. The other regiments of the brigade were the Forty-sixth, the One Hundred and Twen- ty-fourth, and One Hundred and Twenty- eighth Pennsylvania, the Fifth Connecticut, Tenth Maine and Twenty-third New York. Marching from Rockville on the 9th of September, the regiment arrived at Antie- tam creek on the 16th. On the afternoon of that day General Hooker's corps, compos- ing the right wing of the army, crossed the creek, and opened the battle by an attack on the enemy's position at that point. Late in the evening the One Hundred and Twenty- fifth leading, the brigade took position in the front line and remained there during the night. Early in the morning of the seven-

teenth, the day of the great battle, the divi- sion was ordered forward to dislodge a body of the enemy who had taken cover in a strip of woods. This service was per- formed with great gallantry, the enemy be- ing driven a considerable distance up the road towards Sharpsburg; but the division sustained the loss of its noble commander, General Mansfield, who fell mortally wounded in the attack. Shortly afterwards the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth was again ordered forward to drive the enemy from a new position in the woods near the small Dunkard church building. The regi- ment went in with a ringing cheer, ad- vanced rapidly and with great steadiness through a storm of iron and lead, drove the Confederates in disorder from their posi- tion, and took a number of prisoners ; but in turn a heavy body of the enemy came up and charged the Union troops in front and flank with such impetuosity that they were compelled to retire, escaping from their perilous position with no little difficulty. The One Hundred and Twenty-fifth was

next ordered in support of a battery in an advanced and exposed position. It did so, repelling two successive charges by the enemy, who were determined to capture the guns. Through all the desperate con- flict at Antietam the officers and men of the regiment displayed the greatest courage and steadiness, though this was their first battle. The loss of the regiment at Antie- tam was 150, of whom only four were miss- ing, all the remainder being killed or wounded. Among the wounded were Captains Hos- tetter of D and Simpson of F company; Lieuts. W. F. Martin of A, and Alexander W. Marshall and P. S. Treese of D, William C. Wagoner of F, and George Thomas of I company. Five successive color-bearers were killed, and the adjutant, Lieut. Robert M. Johnston, was mortally wounded. He died on the 19th, and was succeeded by Lieut. John G. Cain of Company E.

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 33

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Number of Pages: 1036

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036