USA > Pennsylvania > York County > York > York County and the World War: Being a war history of York and York County > Part 24
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At a meeting of the court on Monday. April 22d, the president judge, Robert J. Fisher, in charging the grand jury. referred to the distracted state of the country, and urged upon them the necessity of providing 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 thousand dollars, and that the borough author- ities had appropriated $1,000, and recommended the grand jury to request the commissioners to make a liberal appropriation which would be legalized by the Legislature. Several members of the bar
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87th PA. REGIMENT MARCHING IN RAIN STORM
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also addressed the grand jury. The scene was a very impressive one. The grand jury the next day recommended that the commissioners appropriate $10,000, which was promptly done. Hanover and Wrightsville made liberal appropriations, aggregating about $15,000 in all. The Legislature sub- sequently ratified these proceedings.
The attack on Fort Sumter was the opening of hostilities between the two sections of the Union. Soon afterward four more states seceded, making in all eleven to form the Confederate States of America. The news of the progress of the war was watched with eager interest. Pennsylvania became one of the border States. The quota of sixteen regiments for the three months' service, was soon furnished by the Keystone State. At first it was believed that the war would end in a few months, but the battle of Bull Run, fought on July 21, 1861, gave encouragement to the South and a long war was imminent. It was then that Lincoln called for troops to serve for three years, or during the war. Pennsylvania showed her loyalty and furnished in all 366,000 men for the defense of the Union.
GO TO THE FRONT
Regiments were now being organized to be sent to the front. The Second Regiment. Pennsylvania Volunteers, enlisted in the three months' service was organized at Harrisburg, April 21st, under com- mand of Colonel Stambaugh of Chambersburg. The York Rifles under Captain Hay, with John W. Schall, First Lieutenant: Jacob Emmett, Second Lieutenant, was assigned to this regiment. On June Ist, it was sent to Chambersburg and became part of the Second Brigade, Second Division of General Patterson's army, which was charged with guarding the lines of communication with Washington, and operated against the Confederate forces in the Shenandoah Valley.
The Sixteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, was organized May 3, 1861, in Harrisburg with Thomas A. Ziegle of York as Colonel. The Worth Infantry was assigned to this regiment as Company A, with John Hays, Captain; Solomon Myers, First Lieutenant; John M. Deitch, Second Lieutenant; this regiment on June 8th, joined the army at Chambersburg.
Patterson was ordered to move his entire force from Chambersburg toward Winchester, Virginia. An army of Confederates under General Joseph E. Johnston had begun to concentrate forty miles southeast of Washington.
Stonewall Jackson with a brigade of well drilled troops were in the vicinity of Winchester. Mean- time the Union and Confederate armies concentrated at Bull Run on the Virginia side of the Potomac, not far from Washington. Patterson engaged a part of Jackson's force near Winchester, but the latter escaped to join the confederates and took part in the engagement at Bull Run, July 21st.
This battle resulted in a disaster to the Union forces. The Confederates at Bull Run were under the direct charge of Jefferson Davis, then president of the Confederacy. With the southern capital at Montgomery, Alabama, until the following year.
The three months' term of the regiments of Colonels Ziegle and Stambaugh expired July 17th, and they returned home. Most of the York troops re-enlisted for three years by joining the Eighty- seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers.
The next troops, one hundred in number, from this city and county joined the Thirtieth, one of the Banner Regiments of Pennsylvania Reserves, enlisted for three years on July 27th, five days after the Battle of Bull Run.
The thirtieth was assigned to MeCall's Brigade of the Pennsylvania Reserves. During the cam- paign under Mcclellan in his movement toward Richmond in 1862 this regiment did valiant service in the division commanded by General John M. Reynolds of Lancaster.
It distinguished itself at the battle of Malvern Hill within sight of the steeples of Richmond, then the capital of the Confederacy. In 1862, the regiment served in the battles of Second Bull Run and Antietam, and in 1863 at Gettysburg. In 1864 it served under Grant in his triumphant march towards
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Richmond, remaining in the service until the end of the war. The Thirtieth, or First Reserves, was one of the best trained regiments in the Union army.
The Forty-first Pennsylvania, or Twelfth Reserves, another gallant regiment was organized in June, 1861. Samuel N. Bailey of Dillsburg, this county, was chosen Lieutenant-Colonel. Company G, of this regiment was recruited in this county with Charles W. Diven of Stewartstown as Captain. Later he was promoted to Major and in 1864 became Colonel of the Two Hundredth Regiment.
The Twelfth Reserves were conspicuous for valor under MeClellan at Antietam and Fredericks- burg in 1862. They were under General Crawford at Gettysburg, and took part in the hard fought battles under Grant in the Wilderness and Cold Harbor, remaining in the service until the end of the war.
The Forty-third Regiment, First Pennsylvania Artillery, entered the service at the opening of the war. One battery of six guns and two hundred men was organized at York by Captain Alferd E. Lewis a member of the local bar. The entire regiment had ten batteries or sixty guns. Later the batteries were assigned to different regiments. Battery E, after 1862, was commanded by Thomas G. Orwig of York County. In 1864 it was assigned to the Army of the James under Butler at Drury's Bluff and the siege of Petersburg. It was the first battery that entered the city of Richmond after the evacution of 1865.
The Seventy-sixth Regiment P. V. I., organized in August, 1861, contained two York County companies. One of them was recruited by Captain H. C. Melntyre of York, and the other by Captain Cyrus Diller of Hanover. Charles C. Garrettson of York was appointed quartermaster, and later became a captain in the regular army. Captain McIntyre was succeeded in order by captains Jacob J. Young, Frank J. Magee and Harrison Stair; and Captain Cyrus Diller by William S. Diller and Charles L. Bittinger.
The 76th assisted in capturing Fort Pulaski, at the mouth of the Savanah River, and was noted for its gallantry in the famous attack on Fort Wagner when it suffered a heavy loss in killed and wounded, including 130 men and 5 commissioned officers; in a second assault on Fort Wagner the regiment sustained another heavy loss.
In May, 1864, this regiment was ordered to Virginia and assigned to the Department of the James. At Drury's Bluff Captain Young was killed. Later the Seventy-sixth was transferred to the Potomac Army and took part in Cold Harbor, Deep Bottom and the heavy engagements before Petersburg. In January. 1865, this regiment lead the charge on Fort Fisher in North Carolina, one of the hardest contests of the south. It was mustered out at Harrisburg July 23, 1865, after continuous service of nearly four years, ranking as one of the bravest commands in the Union army.
Captain Frank J. Magee of Wrightsville became a Brigadier General of the National Guards of Pennsylvania.
87THI REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
After the defeat of the Union forces at the battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, President Lincoln issued a call for 500,000 troops to serve for three years or during the war. In response to this call the 87th Regiment was organized in York with George Ilay as Colonel; James H. Stahle, Lieutenant Colonel; Charles H. Buehler, Major, and Jacob Emmett, Adjutant. Recruiting began all over York County and the companies rendezvoused on Penn Common and the Fair Grounds.
The Ellsworth Zouaves, drilled by Captain Stahle, hecame Company A, with John Fahs as captain. Company B, formerly the Washington Guards came from Newberry Township under Captain Crull. Company C was recruited in Hopewell, Chanceford and Windsor by Captain Andrew J. Fulton. Captain Noah G. Ruhl, who served five years in the regular army, recruited Company D, in Shrewsbury and vincinity. Company E was recruited by Captain Solomon Myers of York. Company F came to York from Gettysburg under Captain Buchler. Company G was recruited at Hanover by Lieutenant
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Morningstar. Company H came from Warrington Township under Captain Harmon. Company ] from New Oxford under Captain Pfeiffer and Company K from York under Captain John W. Schall.
The regiment when fully armed and equipped contained 1040 officers and men, and nine-tenths of its membership were young men from York County. many of whom had been in the three month's service. Owing to the fact that danger still existed in the destruction of bridges south of York, the 87th was distributed along the line of the Northern Central from York to Baltimore. It was here that Colonel Hay and his men remained on guard duty from Sept. 16, 1861 to 1862. It was then trans- ferred to Keyser, West Virginia. and remained there in drill and discipline.
Late in the fall of 1862, the 87th with other regiments began a romantic march across the hills and mountains of West Virginia to drive out confederates who were carrying on guerilla warfare. In December, 1862, the 87th returned to Keyser where it was placed in the brigade of General Cluseret, a French officer of note and marched across the mountains in a snow storm arriving at Winchester, Virginia, just before Christmas, 1862.
This regiment began its active career in the Battle at Carter's Woods near Winchester in June. 1863. General Lee had begun his march northward on the Gettysburg campaign. Milroy commanded the Federal troops at Carter's Woods and was routed by superior force of the enemy.
The engagement at Carter's Woods resulted in the complete rout of the Federals, the capture of a Maryland and Connecticut Regiment and two hundred of the 87th. They were taken to Richmond and held as prisoners for six weeks and then paroled returning to their regiment.
In the Mine Run expedition during the mid-winter of 1863, the regiment under command of Colonel John W. Schall took an active part. Next this regiment was assigned to duty in the army of the Potomac under General Grant.
After remaining in winter quarters along the Rapidan River, in May, 1864, Grant began his famous march toward Richmond. The 87th Regiment now under Colonel John W. Schall was distinguished for valor in the Wilderness at Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor. In the last mentioned hattle Colonel Schall, then commanding a brigade, lead his men farther into the enemy's line than any other com- mander. The loss was quite heavy in these engagements. Captain Farrah was killed at Carter's Woods and Captain Pfeiffer at Cold Harbor. Colonel Schall was wounded in the charge at Cold Harbor.
On July 1, 1864. Grant heard that Early with a division of 20,000 men was marching down the Shenandoah Valley toward Washington. He despatched Rickett's division of the Sixth Army Corps to Frederick, Maryland. On July 9th, a terrible battle took place on the Monocacy Creek in which the 87th Regiment lost seventy-four men in killed, wounded and captured. Among the killed and mortally wounded were Adjutant Martin, Lieutenants Spangler, Haack and Welsh, and Captain W. H. Lanius. afterward a prominent citizen of York, was wounded in this battle while carrying an order for Lew Wallace in the Union army.
At Monocacy under General Lew Wallace the army held Early in check and prevented him from capturing Washington and the Treasury Department. After this battle the 87th Regiment was placed in the command of General Sheridan, and was in the thickest of the fight in the battle of Opequon near Winchester, Virginia, where Sheridan routed the entire army of Confederates and drove them up the Valley.
Soon after this event their term of three years had ended. Those who did not re-enlist returned to York, and were received with great demonstrations of joy. They marched from the station to Penn Park where a dinner was given in their honor and patriotic speeches delivered. The reorganized regiment took part in the battle of Cedar Creek where Captain Edgar M. Ruhl was killed.
The 87th had the reputation of being the best regiment on the skirmish line in the Potomac Army. Every company was noted for excellent drill and discipline. The regiment took part in thirty-eight battles and skirmishes during the entire period of service. It suffered the heaviest losses at Cold Harbor, Petersburg. Monocacy, Winchester and Cedar Creek, winning high praise for valor in those
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hard-fought engagements. The entire muster roll in four years was 1280 including recruits. The losses in killed were 10 commissioned officers and 90 men, about fifty died in southern prisons; Captain Fahs of Company A, Captain Morningstar of Company G and Lieutenant Stallman of Company C, were captured early in 1864 and were confined in Southern prisons for officers until the end of the war. Colonel John W. Schall who commanded the regiment for two years was living at Norristown at the age of 85 in 1919.
The 92d regiment, known as the Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, was organized in Harrisburg in August, 1861. About eighty soldiers from York County served in this command. It was sent to the Army of the Cumberland and took part in several battles in Kentucky and Tennessee including Chick- amauga. Roswell M. Russel of Hanover was lieutenant-colonel. In 1864, the Ninth Cavalry joined in the march under Sherman from Atlanta to the Sea. serving in Kilpatrick's Division of Cavalry until the end of the war, being mustered out in July, 1865.
The 93d Regiment was organized at Harrisburg September 1. 1861, and included about 100 soldiers from York County. Rev. McCarter, a methodist clergyman, was chosen colonel and was severely wounded while leading his men at Fair Oaks near Richmond in May, 1862. This regiment was con- spicuous for its valor at Antietam and Fredericksburg in the latter part of 1862. It served in the Sixth Army Corps at Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Cold Harbor. In the fall of 1864, it was assigned to Sheridan's command in the valley of Virginia. Most of the York County soldiers in this regiment came from the upper end.
The 103d Regiment, recruited in western Pennsylvania, enlisted for three years. It lost heavily in killed and wounded in the battles of Virginia and 132 of its men died in Andersonville prison in Georgia. Two companies from York County belonged to this regiment and were commanded respec- tively by George Shipp and Emanuel Herman.
The 107th Pennsylvania Regiment was organized by Colonel Thomas A. Ziegle of York, in March, 1862, for three years. It was sent to the Shenandoah Valley under Banks, and later to Warrenton, Virginia, where Colonel Ziegle died of fever. He was one of the most popular soldiers of the army, and had served as a sergeant in the Mexican War and as captain in the three months' service when the war opened.
The 107th took part in the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg. Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and in Grant's Campaign against Richmond, remaining in the army until the surrender of Lee in April 1865. In the siege of Petersburg, Lieutenant George C. Stair of Company A from York was captured and made his escape from prison. Oliver P. Stair of York was promoted to captain of Company A, and later to major of the regiment. George Crimmons of York was wounded at Antietam and taken prisoner at Gettysburg, but was soon parolled and promoted to second lieutenant. This regiment was noted for its gallantry in action.
The 108th Pennsylvania Regiment, first known as Harlan's Light Cavalry, was composed of men from Iowa, New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania, being one of the most interesting commands in the whole Union Army. It was organized as an independent regiment, but in 1862 assigned to this state as the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry. This regiment was noted for scouting duty, and during McClellan's Campaign before Richmond in 1862, made a raid into North Carolina and tore up the Weldon Railroad leading to the Confederate capital. Company I belonged to York County, under Captain Daniel Herr. Lieutenant Schriver of York was killed near Petersburg. The regiment re- mained under sheridan until the surrender of Lee in 1865.
The 130th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, answered the call of President Lincoln for 300,000 troops to serve for nine months. This occurred after the defeat of the Potomac Army under Pope at Second Bull Run in the summer of 1862. In all Pennsylvania furnished fifteen regiments for the nine months' service in answer to this call, namely. 23d to 137th, inclusive.
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Four weeks after the 130th entered the service, it took part in the battle of Antietam, sometimes called the hardest-fought one day's battle of the Civil War.
The regiment was organized with troops from York, Cumberland, Dauphin and two eastern Counties, August 17, 1862, with Levi Maish of York as Lieutenant-Colonel, and Henry I. Zinn of Cumberland County, Colonel. One-half of this regiment belonged to York County and included Company B, Captain H. I. Glessner; Company I, Captain Lewis Small; Company K, Captain David Z. Sipe, recruited at York, and Company C, by Captain Joseph S. Jenkins of Hanover.
At the battle of Antietam this regiment was assigned to French's Division, Sumner's Corps, being placed in the thickest of the fight at the famous angle near the Dunkard Church, where it maintained its position with remarkable bravery for nearly two hours under a withering fire from the enemy. The loss was heavy in killed and wounded. Gen. French in his report said, "The conduct of this regiment in action must take a prominent place in the history of this great battle. There never was better material in any army. The 130th lost in this battle thirty-two killed and one hundred forty-six wounded, many of whom died of their wounds. Among the wounded were Colonel Maish, Captain Jenkins, Captain Sipe and Lieutenant William Tomes of York County. The 130th also took a promi- nent part in the battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862, with French's Division in a charge upon the enemy's breastworks. The Confederates were heavily entrenched in the front. Similar conditions existed along the whole Union line and the Army of the Potomae was defeated.
The regiment in this engagement lost 62 men in killed and wounded. Among the killed was Colonel Zinn, who at a critical time in the battle siezed the regimental flag in his left hand and flashing his sword in his right, rushed forward saying; "Stick to your standard boys. The 130th never loses courage." He was struck by a minie ball in this charge, and instantly killed. Lieutenant Wilson of York County was also killed. At the battle of Chancellorsville this regiment displayed the same courage and determination that it did at Fredericksburg and Antietam.
Colonel Maish, who then commanded this regiment, was wounded. One week later the nine months' term of enlistment had ended and the regiment returned home. It was mustered out on the 21st.
After the war, Colonel Maish resumed the practice of law at York. For a period of six years he was a representative in Congress from York County. He died in 1901. Captain Joseph S. Jenkins of Hanover became Major of the 184th Regiment and was killed at the siege of Petersburg. Captain Sipe was afterward Major of the 187th Regiment.
Lieutenant John J. Frick of Company K escaped unhurt in all the battles. Since the elose of the Civil War he has followed the occupation of a banker, serving twenty years as the cashier of the York National Bank, the oldest financial institution in the city.
Edward W. Spangler was a prominent member of the York Bar for a period of forty years, and his brother, Dr. B. F. Spangler, for one-half century was one of the leading physicians of this city.
The 166th Regiment was composed of ten companies of drafted men from York County and served for a period of nine months. The Conseript Act was put into force in Pennsylvania in November 1862. This regiment was organized in York November 29th of that year, with Andrew J. Fulton of Stewartstown. Colonel; Geo. W. Reisinger, of York, Lieutenant Colonel: and Joseph Renaut of Hanover. Major.
The 166th was first sent to Washington, and from thenee to Suffolk, Virginia, and placed under command of General Peck with 14,000 men. Peck was opposed by a large Confederate force under Longstreet who soon afterward joined Lee on the march to Gettysburg. This regiment was then placed in the army of John A. Dicks of New York, operating between Suffolk and Richmond. It remained there until July 28. 1863, when the term of service had expired.
The 182d Regiment, the 21st Cavalry, entered the service June 23, 1863. It was composed largely of troops from York, Adams, Lancaster and Cambria Counties. At the time of the Confederate
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invasion, Captain Robert Bell of Gettysburg organized an independent company of cavalry, his men furnishing their own horses. His company met the enemy at the approach of Gettysburg on July 26th, when George W. Sandoe was killed, being the first soldier who lost his life in the Battle of Gettysburg.
Captain Bell's Cavalry and the City Troop of Philadelphia acted as scouts when Early approached York and Wrightsville.
Meantime one Independent Company of Cavalry had been organized in the lower end of York County. These joined Bell's command and they became Company A of the 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry. When the regiment re-enlisted for a term of three years February 1, 1864, Robert Bell was promoted major and Hugh W. McCall of York chosen captain of Company A. The 2Ist Cavalry performed valiant services in the army around Richmond in the spring of 1865 and was at the surrender of Lee at Appomatox. Of the entire muster roll of the regiment 117 were killed in battle or died of disease and 253 wounded, making it one of the bravest regiments of the army.
After the war Captain MeCall became a prominent lawyer at York and was living in 1919. Lieu- tenant Manifold served four years as sheriff of York County as a Republican.
The 187th Regiment, P. V. I., was organized at Harrisburg March. 1864, largely out of men who had previously served in the army. David Z. Sipe of York who had served as Captain in the 130th, recruited Company B with 100 men from York.
This regiment joined Grant's Army at the battle of Cold Itarbor in June, 1864. It became a part of the 5th Army Corps under General Warren. At the siege of Petersburg this regiment lost one-tenth of its number in an impetuous attack in getting possession of the Petersburg and Norfolk Railroad. Major Merrick and Jonathan Jessop of York each lost a leg in this engagement. After a service of nine months the war had ended. This regiment was sent to Philadelphia where it acted as a guard to the remains of President Lincoln, while his body lay in state in that city on its way to Springfield, III. Among the survivors of this regiment living in York in 1919 were Lieutenant Jessop, for eighteen years Postmaster at York, and Henry Gable, a highly esteemed resident of the city.
The 192d Regiment was organized at Harrisburg in the summer of 1864, for a term of one year. Rev. S. S. Richmond, a clergyman, recruited a full company of 200 men at Yocumtown in Newberry Township, and marched with it to Harrisburg. This company joined the regiment at Harper's Ferry and spent the remainder of the war in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. At first it was under General Sheridan and later performed guard duty at Staunton, Virginia, until the end of the war. Captain Richmond also acted as chaplain of the regiment.
The 200th Regiment, P. V. I .. organized at Harrisburg September 3, 1864, contained four companies of troops from York County, Colonel Charles Diven of Stewartstown recruited the regiment. He had been major of the 12th Reserves. Many of the men composing the four companies from York County had never been in the army, while others had proven their valor many times on the field of battle.
The regiment was sent to the front at once and assigned to duty in the Army of the James below Richmond. On November 17th, the 200th engaged in its first battle, showing great courage and helping to defend the Union line.
On November 28th, it was transferred to Hartranft's Division of Pennsylvania Troops in the 9th Corps under Parke, and Colonel Diven promoted to command a brigade.
At Fort Steadman, near Petersburg, the 200th was praised by General Hartranft for bravely scaling and retaking the fort from the enemy. It suffered a heavy loss in the engagement of April 3d at Fort Sedgwick. This regiment entered the city soon after it was evacuated. It was first to place the American Flag on the Court House. A few days later Lee surrendered and the war was over. Of the York County men in this regiment. Company A, was commanded by Adam Reisinger; Company D, by William H. Duhling: Company H. by Jacob Weist, and Company K, by Hamilton 1. Glessner.
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