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E 536 5 12th H49 1892
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HISTORY of the Twelfth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry By WILLIAM HEWITT 1
" The Part It Took in the War of the Rebellion 1861-1865
Published by the Twelfth West Virginia Infantry Association
WVM. HEWITT 1860
WM. HEWITT, FIRST LIEUT. 1868
WM. B. CURTIS, COLONEL
HISTORY
OF THE
Twelfth West Vir- ginia Volunteer Infantry
The Part It Took in the War of the Rebellion
1861-1865 By WILLIAM HEWITT
Published by the Twelfth West Virginia Infantry Association
E536 5 12th , H49 189.2
6
CODY
1322D 9F62
90-164093
TO the Surviving Comrades and the Families of the Fallen of the Old Twelfth this work is Respectfully Dedicated
PREFACE
COMRADES :
You conferred upon me at our reunion, held at New Cumberland, in 1889, the honor of selecting me to compile a history of the Twelfth. The matter was taken into consideration afterward by me, and owing in part to the magnitude, burden and difficulty of the proposed task, my inexperience in this kind of undertaking, and because I believed that there were other survivors of the regiment much better qualified to write the history, it was concluded to forego the undertaking. But at our next reunion, be- cause Col. Curtis was disappointed that nothing had been done in the matter of the history, and was anxious that it be written, and for the reason that the comrades present again expressed a desire that I should undertake the work, I promised to attempt it and do the best I could. Labor- ing under the unavoidable difficulties that it has been thirty years since the old Twelfth was making its history in the field, the almost total lack of official records pertain -. ing exclusively to the regiment, and the uncertainty of memory at this late day, I have tried with reasonable fidelity to fulfill my promise. In reason more should not be expected.
If you, the survivors of the Twelfth, be pleased with the history, this fact will be a sufficient reward for my labors ; but, on the other hand, if it shall not come up to your expectations, you should be charitable to its faults and short comings, remembering that however great its imperfections you, yourselves, are largely responsible, for the task was not one of my own seeking, but was rather thrust upon me.
The plan aimed at in writing the history is to not go outside of our own organization in what is related, ex-
cept to give a brief account of the operations of the vari- ous armies to which we belonged, and to intersperse the work with incidents, anecdotes, and matters mainly per- sonal to the members of the regiment.
Whatever possible merit may be found in the history is largely due to the assistance of comrades in furnishing valueable data. Some of them were quite liberal in their contributions. And where there is failure to make men- tion of incidents worthy of record, or of daring deeds of individuals or detachments, it is because they were not known, or are not remembered by the compiler. Reasona- ble effort was made to get all such details. A card was inserted in various newspapers, and letters were written to different comrades asking that they be furnished. If comrades shall fail to find, as no doubt they shall, a record herein of certain incidents worthy of mention, they will be forbearing toward the historian when they consider that there is a number of such matters herein given that they did not know of or have forgotten.
The comrades will all feel like thanking Mrs. McCaff- rey, formerly Mrs. Bengough, wife of the late Lieut. Bengough of the Twelfth, for the vivid and stirring story of the capture, detention and final release of herself and sister-in-law as prisoners by the Rebels, kindly furnished for this history.
Surviving Comrades, this attempted record of the his- tory of the old Twelfth is now submitted to your charita- ble consideration, and may your days be long, peaceful, pleasant and prosperous.
WILLIAM HEWITT.
June 20th, 1892.
INDEX
CHAPTER I.
The Circumstances Under Which the Twelfth Was Or- ganized-The Character of the Men Composing it-The Organization.
CHAPTER II.
March to Clarksburg-Marches and Operations in West Virginia in the Fall of '62-Incidents.
CHAPTER III.
The Movement into the Shenandoah Valley-Stationed at Winchester Under Gen. Milroy-Moved to Berryville -- The Capture of Capt. Lapole-Joke on Sergt. Porter- From Berryville to Clarksburg-The March Through Charlestown.
CHAPTER IV.
The Battle of Winchester-The Retreat-The North Mountain Girl-Halted at Bloody Run, Pa .- Marched to Bedford-Left Bedford for Loudon-Milroy's Men Capture One of Lee's Trains and Many Prisoners- Marched to Hagerstown - Anecdotes - Marched to Sharpsburg-Thence to Martinsburg.
CHAPTER V.
Col. Klunk's Resignation Accepted-Troops Pass from the Army of the Potomac to Grant-An Incident about Van and Tom-Capt. Bristor's Capture of Spy-Capt. Moffatt's Capture of Gilmore's Men-Lieut. Blaney's Ob- servation-An Incident Concerning Adjt. Caldwell-Mrs. Bengough a Prisoner-Her Story.
CHAPTER VI.
An Attack Expected-March to Maryland Heights- Incidents-Brigaded with the Thirty-fourth Mass .- A Move up the Valley-Incidents-The Return-Incidents -- Followed by Early-Threatened Attack at Harper's Ferry-Moved to Cumberland, Md .- Comrade Haney's Story-Gens. Kelly and Crook Captured.
CHAPTER VII.
Under Gen. Sigel-March to Beverly, via Webster- March back to Webster-The Story of the Camp on the Rebel Farm-The March up the Valley-Two of Com- pany C Captured-The Battle of New Market-Gen. Sigel's Letter-Corpl. De Bee's Scout-An Incident- Comrades Miller and W. C. Mahan as Prisoners-Their Stories.
CHAPTER VIII.
Sigel Relieved-Hunter in Command-The Lynch- burg Campaign-The Battle of Piedmont-List of Killed and Wounded-Marched to Lynchburg-Anecdote- The Battle-The Retreat to the Kanawha-Hunter's Loss of Artillery on Way-The Men Hard rPessed for Food.
CHAPTER IX.
Back in the Valley-Threatening Eearly on His Re- treat from Washington-Battle of Snicker's Ferry- Marched to Winchester-Battle of Kearnstown-Our Retreat via. Martinsburg and Sharpsburg to Halltown- An Incident-R. W. Mahan's Prison Trials-A Large Army Concentrates at Halltown-The Wild-goose Chase Into Maryland.
CHAPTER X.
Sheridan in Command-The Move up the Valley-The Twelfth Charges Rebel Skirmishers-Sheridan Retreats to Halltown-Early Demonstrates Against Him-Early Withdraws-Sheridan Moves to Charlestown - The Fight at Berryville-Grant's Visit to Sheridan-The
-
Battle of the Opeguon-Anecdote of Sheridan-Battle of Fisher's Hill-Pursuit of the Enemy up the Valley- Destruction by Sheridan-He Falls Back to Strasburg- Battle of Tom's Brook-Our Brigade Starts for Martins- burg - Mosby Attacks an Ambulance Guard - The Twelfth Starts for the Front-Early Shells Thoburn's Camp-The Battle of Cedar Creek-The Twelfth on the Way to the Front-Sheridan on His Ride-Col. Thoburn Killed-Capt. Phil Bier Killed-The Twelfth Marches to Cedar Creek-Thence to Newtown.
CHAPTER XI.
The Army Moves Back to Kearnstown-Early Fillows Far as Middletown-Sheridan's Cavalry Drives the Rebel Cavalry-Early Returns to New Market-Anecdotes- The Twelfth Moves to Stephenson's Depot-Salutes for Gen. Thomas's Victories-The Twelfth Sent to the Army of the James-Put into the Twenty-fourth Corps-The Opposing Pickets-Lieut. Co. Northcott's Resignation- The Sinking of Rebel Gun Boats-Rebel Deserters-The Peace Commission-Grant Reviews Our Corps-Gen. Turner Commands the Division-It Moves to Aid Sher- idan-Asst. Surg. Neil's Lecture.
CHAPTER XII.
Part of Our Army Crosses the James-The Second Division at Hatcher's Run-The Capture of Fort Gregg -The Enemy Evacuates Richmond and Petersburg-The Pursuit-The March to Cut off Lee's Retreat-An Inci- dent-The Second Division and One Other Were the In- fantry Forces Cutting off the Retreat-The Surrender- Both Armies Cheer-Lieut. McCord-The Col. and Cit- izen McLean Talk-An Incident-Marched to Lynch- burg and Back-Thence to Richmond-Some of the Boys Presented with Medals-Mustered Out-Sent Home- Memorial-Conclusion.
CHAPTER I.
(1) The great War of the Rebellion had gone on for more than a year, and had assumed proportions of a grand scale, dwarfing any other ever fought on this continent, so far as there is any history; in fact, making all other wars on this side of the ocean appear, by comparison, to be Lilliputian in character ; and so far as the magnitude of its theater or geographical extent was concerned, the greatest war in the history of the world.
(2) Previous to our great war it had been supposed that modern times had only one man surely-possibly others-capable of efficiently handling a hundred thou- sand men-Napoleon Bonaparte. But this mighty con- flict was developing more than one man fully able to com- mand that number of men in action ; and at least one man capable of having a general supervision over fully a mil- lion of men in the field. We were exhibiting to the world new methods of warfare both on land and sea, and show- ing it that we had the most effective and intelligent sol- diers in the world.
(3) Several hundred thousand men had been called into the field, armed and equipped. Men and money had been lavishly expended. There was a willingness on the part of the loyal people to spend the last dollar and fur- nish the last man, if they could see any evidence of pro- gress on the part of our arms, or have any assurance of final success in the suppression of the Rebellion.
(4) The war on the part of the Government, however, had been begun with an entirely inadequate idea of the magnitude of the undertaking. It is well known that one* high in the councils of the nation had predicted before hostilities actually began that there would be peace in sixty days, and even the good President seemed to think
*Secretary Seward.
HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT
that all the threatening aspect of affairs would pass away if a little time were allowed for the passions of the people to cool. There seemed to be a want of comprehension on the part of the loyal people generally, and not less so on the part of those holding the reins of government, of the terrible earnestness and deadly determination of those who had taken up arms to disrupt the Government.
(5) Hence the first call for troops to cope with what was to prove to be the most determined and formidable rebellion recorded in history, was for only seventy-five thousand men, and what was worse, for only the short terms of three months, as though the suppression of the Rebellion was comparatively a trivial affair.
(6) There was some reason, however, aside from the supposed sufficiency of the first call for troops, for not calling out a greater force, namely, the lack of arms and other munitions of war; but this excuse could not be of- fered for the deplorable blunder, which all now can see, of making the term of the first enlistment only three months, many regiments' time expiring when they were sorely needed.
(7) In the outset of hostilities and actual conflict of arms, there was a remarkable lack of earnestness and the customary severity, which is generally supposed to char- acterize grim-visaged war, shown by some of our generals in the field. In some instances the first prisoners were merely sworn to not take up arms again against the Gov- ernment and then let go-"a process," says Greely in his · American Conflict, "about as imposing and significant, in their view, as the taking of a glass of cider." This treat- ment of prisoners soon became a by-word and jeering jest among the soldiers. It is related that during the Three Months' service, when a comrade had captured a snake and was holding it up by the tail, a fellow soldier called out to him to swear him and let him go.
(8) There was greate tenderness, too, in the begin-
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WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
ning of the war, shown by professed friends of the Union, for the people of those States which assumed to be out of the Union; and for the people of the States which were nominally within the Union, yet whose loyalty was of an exceedingly questionable kind, as was manifested by their objecting to the soldiers of our country marching under our common flag, setting foot upon their soil. It was alleged by these professed friends that, by treating the Rebels with severity, the people of the seceded States would be so exasperated thereby that all hope of restoring the Union would be forever destroyed. Just as though they were not already inflamed to the highest pitch, and enraged to the last degree, when a timid, halting policy of being afraid of hurting them, was only bringing the Government into disrespect, encouraging the enemy, and making more Rebels every day; and when a decided, vig- orous course toward the traitors was needed to sharply draw the line between the enemies and friends of the Gov- ernment.
(9) There was also a halting, half-hearted policy shown in the disposition and handling of the eastern army -a dissipation of its strength which resulted in bringing only little more, if any force, on the Union side, than about one-half of the available strength in the first battle of Bull Run, fought July 21st, 1861, and resulting in a humiliating defeat, which defeat had the effect of stimu- lating and vitalizing the Rebellion into tremendous vigor, and giving it high hope and great energy.
(10) This defeat at the time was universally regarded as a great calamity, though it is now seen, in view of the fact that it necessitated the prolonging of the war, thereby compelling more extreme and radical measures for the suppression of the Rebellion, and consequently making a more substantial and durable peace, that that reverse to our arms was a blessing in disguise.
(11) It was followed by the calling out of five hundred
3
HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT
thousand more troops, and the next spring, by General McClellan's dilatory, sluggish and worse than abortive attempt to take Richmond with the Grand Army of the Potomac. And this failure of this magnificent army tended to still further encourage the Rebellion. At the end of that campaign the Rebels were as full of the spirit of determination and as sanguine as ever. And although some substantial progress had been made by our arms in the Southwest, yet the results of the war so far were not satisfactory, nor at all equal to the great expenditure of men and money.
(12) Under this condition of affairs, and in this exigency, "Father Abraham" called on Jusly 1st, 1862, not for "three hundred thousand more," but for six hun- dred thousand additional soldiers. And it was in response to this call for more defenders of the Union that the Twelfth West Virginia enlisted and was mustered into service along with the other reinforcements, to do what it might to keep the Old Flag aloft, and "that government of the people, by the people, and for the people might not perish from the earth."
(13) The Twelfth was made up of exceptionally good material. The men were mainly American born and na- tive Virginians. They were a hardy, robust, vigorous, self-reliant class of men, mainly from the farming dis- tricts, of more than average size, many of them mountain- eers. They enlisted under trying and embarassing cir- cumstances, and in great measure from patriotic impluses, their surroundings and circumstances in many cases tend- ing to lead them to join their fortunes with the Rebel cause. It was a common thing for a West Virginia Union soldier to have friends and relatives in the Rebel army, and in some cases for brother to fight against brother.
(14) One of our faithful and efficient surgeons, of the Twelfth, F. H. Patton, now having the important and
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WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
responsible position of being in charge of the Soldiers' Home at Dayton, Ohio, at a reunion at Wheeling in 1886 paid the boys of the Twelfth the compliment of relating that he was sometimes asked why it was that there were so few West Virginia soldiers found in the Soldiers' Home at Dayton, and said that he replied to that question, that the boys of West Virginia were a self-reliant class of men, used to and feeling themselves fully capable of looking after and taking care of themselves during the war, and that he thought the same trait, characterizing them yet, of looking out for themselves, accounted for so few West Virginia soldiers being found in soldiers' homes.
(15) Another incident will further illustrate the char- acter of the men of this regiment. During the winter of 1864-5, the Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Fifteenth West Virginia regiments, along with some other regiments, were sent from the Valley of Virginia to the Army of the James, and organized into a small division, General T. M. Harris, commander. This division was afterward known as the Independent Division. It so happened that members of some of the regiments of the corps to which our division was assigned were so inclined to desert to the enemy when on the picket line, that it was not con- sidered safe to put those regiments on picket. Shortly after arrival, General Harris was asked by his command- ing officer if he would be responsible for his men's desert- ing from the picket line. Harris replied that he would guarantee that not a man of his would desert. His con- fidence was not misplaced. The men were put on picket and not a man of the Twelfth deserted. The same is true, it is believed, of the other regiments of Harris's com- mand. Of course the Twelfth, like other regiments, had its deserters; but that class was long since weeded out, and those left, the men in general, were determined to
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HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT
stand by the old flag to the end of their enlistment. They would rather die than desert.
(16) The Regiment was made up from the counties named bellow, as follows: Cos. A, B and €, in Marshall; Co. D, in Ohio County ; Cos. E and G, in Harrison; Co. F, in Marion; Co. H, in Taylor; Co. I, in Hancock, and Co. K, in. Brooke County.
(17) The Twelfth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry was mustered into the United States Service August 30th, 1862, at Camp Willey on Wheeling Island, and the organization completed as follows :
FIELD AND STAFF.
(Mustered in August 30th.)
Colonel-JOHN B. KLUNK. . Grafton
Lieut. Colonel-R. S. NORTHCOTT. Clarksburg
Major-F. P. PIERPONT.
Harrisville
Adjutant-GEO. B. CALDWELL Wheeling Quartermaster-N. U. THURBER Moundsville Surgeon-JOHN FRIZZELL. Wheeling
Assst. Surgeons. . DWIGHT RUGGLES Moundsville
)S. P. BRYAN. Limestone
Chaplain-THOMAS H. TRAINER. Moundsville
NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF.
Sergeant Major-JAS. W. DUNNINGTON . . Fairmont Q. M. Sergeant-DAVID B. FLEMING. Independence Com. Sergeant-WM. A. SCOTT. . Fairview Hospital Steward-CHARLES H. ODBERT Wheeling Principal Musician-GEORGE HAMMOND Grafton
COMPANY A. (Mustered in August 16th.)
Captain -HAGER TOMLINSON. Moundsville First Lieut .- T. S. MAGRUDER: Moundsville
Second Lieut .- WILLIAM BURLEY . Moundsville
Five Sergeants, eight Corporals.
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WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
COMPANY B. (Mustered in August 20th. )
Captain-MARTIN P. BONAR. Rosby's Rock
First Lieut-NATHAN S. FISH Rosby's Rock
Second Lieut .- JOHN C. ROBERTS. . Moundsville
Five Sergeants, eight Corporals.
COMPANY C. (Mustered in August 23rd. )
Captain-ERASTUS G. BARTLETT Rosby's Rock
First Lieut .- WM. L. ROBERTS. . . Moundsville
Second Lieut-JOHN B. LYDICK Rosby's Rock
Five Sergeants, eight Corporals.
COMPANY D. (Mustered in August 25th.)
Captain-W. B. CURTIS. West Liberty
First Lieut .- WM. A. SMILEY West Liberty Second Lieut .- DAVID M. BLANEY .. West Alexander, Pa. Five Sergeants, eight Corporals.
COMPANY E. (Mustered in August 26th.)
Captain-CORNELIUS MERCER. . Clarksburg
First Lieut .- OSCAR H. TATE. Clarksburg
Second Lieut .- JAS. R. DURHAM . Clarksburg
Five Sergeants, eight Corporals.
COMPANY F. (Mustered in August 26th. )
Captain-AMOS H. PRICHARD. Mannington
First Lieut .- THOS. A. FLEMING. Fairmont
Second Lieut .- THOS. H. HAYMOND Fairmont Five Sergeants, eight Corporals.
COMPANY G.
(Mustered in August 27th.)
Ctpain-JAMES W. MOFFATT Shinnston
.12 ry
HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT
First Lieut .- VAN B. HALL. . Shinnston Second Lieut .- ELAM F. PIGOTT Shinnston
Five Sergeants, eight Corporals.
COMPANY H. (Mustered in August 27th.)
Captain-J. H. BRISTOR. . Grafton
First Lieut .- DAVID POWELL. Flemington
Second Lieut .- THOMAS H. MEANS . Grafton
Five Sergeants, eight Corporals.
COMPANY I.
Captain-R. H. BROWN Fairview
First Lieut .- JOHN H. MELVIN . Fairview
Second Lieut .- THOS. W. BRADLEY ... New Cumberland Five Sergeants, eight Corporals.
COMPANY K. (Mustered in August 30th.)
Captain-THOMAS WHITE. . Wellsburg
First Lieut .- JOHN B. JESTER Wellsburg
Second Lieut .- J. R. BRENNEMAN. Wellsburg
Five Sergeants, eight Corporals.
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CHAPTER II.
(18) The Regiment did not remain long in Camp Willey. On the day after its completed organization it was ordered to Clarksburg, W. Va., which place was then threatened by a force under the Rebel General, Jen- kins, who was then on a raid through West Virginia. Clarksburg is an old town, the county seat of Harrison County, situated on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and distant by rail 122 miles from Wheeling. Clarksburg will be remembered by the great abundance, in its vicinity, of blackberries during the early fall of that year. They were so plentiful that there seemed to be enough for the Twelfth and the citizens of the town, too.
(19) The regiment arrived by rail at Clarksburg Sep- tember 2nd, and on that day a detachment of four com- panies under command of Lieut. Col. R. S. Northcott was ordered to Beverly, the county seat of Randolph County, lying in a southeast direction, and distant from Clarksburg 60 miles. The detachment arrived at Beverly September 5th. This place is a small town situated on the Tygarts Valley branch of the Monongahela River, at the western base of Cheat Mountain.
(20) The remaining six companies under command of Col. John B. Klunk were ordered September 4th to Buckhannon, W. Va., the county seat of Upshur County, distant 28 miles. Buckhannon is pleasantly situated in apparently a good country.
(21) The detachment under command of Col. North- cott marched from Beverly September 13th for Webster, Taylor County, distant 42 miles, arriving at the latter place the 15th. On this march the detachment was fol- lowed by slaves, some half dozen, who were striking for freedom, saying that they had run away because their master had threatened to sell them. They seemed to attach themselves to Capt. Brown's Company (I), and
HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT
appeared inclined to remain with it during the stay at Webster. One or two of these slaves were nearly white, and some of the boys inclining to talk to and hang around them, Capt. Brown concluded to get rid of them; so in a few days two of the boys going to Grafton, a few miles distant, he sent them with the boys.
(22) When the boys got to Grafton, a train of Ohio soldiers was about to start for Wheeling. One of the boys informed the colonel of the presence of the slaves and their story, and asked him if he would take them aboard of the train. He refused peremptorily. It looked blue for getting them off in that way. However, the Twelfth boys in passing to rear of the train-a long freight-caught sight of, as it appeared, some of the non-commissioned staff in the rear car, They were told what was wanted. One of them having an eye to the main chance, wanted to know how much money would be given to take the "darks" on board. In a few moments some money was paid, the Twelfth boys contributing in part, and quickly and slyly the fugitives were hustled aboard; and a little later the train was off. They were never heard of afterward. It is to be hoped, however, that the sweets of freedom were not a disappointment to them.
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