USA > West Virginia > History of the Fifth West Virginia Cavalry > Part 5
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Hutchinson, Jas. R.
66 Pro. to 2d Lt. Aug. 18,'63, Capt. Cheat R. Sep. 25,'63. Pri. to close of war. Pro. to C. S. July 29, '61.
Given, George WV.
Smith, Harrison.
Cap. Cheat River Sep. 25, '63. Prisoner till end of war.
Singer. Franklin H. Campbell, Michael. Scott, Samuel.
66 Cap. Cheat River Sept. 25, '63. Exch.
Gray, Hannam. Breen, John.
Corp Capt. Cheat River Sept. 25, 63. Exch.
Graham, Wm. H.
Wounded at Rocky Gap Aug. 26, '63.
Britch, Chas. Croco, Samuel K. Ray, William.
Curtis, Charles R.
Bls'h Wounded Second Bull Run.
Priv. Wounded Cheat River Sept. 25, '63. Re-enlisted Jan. 5,'64.
66 Died Consumption Nov. 10, 63.
Wounded Beverly April 24, '63.
60 Capt. 2d Bull Run. Exch.
Discharged June 20, '61.
66 Discharged June 20, 61.
Discharged May 25, '63.
66 Re-enlisted Jan. 5, '64.
Re-enlisted Jan. 5, '64.
6: Wounded Beverly; wounded 2d Bull Run. Died from wds.
66 Died in Andersonville prison.
Wounded Allegheny Mt. Dec. 13, '61.
66 Wounded Huntersville. Died from wounds.
66
6.
Captured at Cheat river September 25, '63. Exch. Captured at Cheat river September 25, '63. Exch.
George Dixon
66
Harmon Deinhart
66 Reenlisted January 5, '6.4.
Died of typhoid fever June 24, 61.
Patrick Daly Michael Donohue Thos. S. Eichbaum Conrad Eicholtz
66 66
Woun'd at Alleg'y Mount. Dec, 13, '61. Re-enl. Jan. 5, '64. Reenlisted January 5, '64.
Adam Glistner Daniel Green WVm. Heine Louis Heinrich
66
Wounded at Cross Keys. Died in Andersonville.
Captured at Cheat river September 25, '63. Exchanged.
Wm. Happoldt
٠٩
John Johnston
Reenlisted January 5, '64.
Wounded 2d Bull Run. Cap. Cheat riv'r Sep. 25, '63. Ex. Capt. Cheat river Sept. 25, '63. Exch.
Jacob Kuenzler
66 Discharged Nov. 4, '61, disability.
Henry Kotlers
Discharged Nov. 4, '62, disability.
John B. Kelly -
66 Killed in action, battle Cross Keys.
Alex. Lane Jesse Lloyd
. Discharged June 23, '61, disability.
Discharged.
Wounded at 2d Bull Run. Cap. Cheat R. Sep. 25, '63. Exch. Capt. Cheat River Sept. 25, '63. Exch.
Tm'r 66 Deserted May 20, '63.
Kincaid, James. Benj. F. Ackelson. Marvin Annis. Fred. Baxmeyer. William Bowser.
66 WV'd Alle'y Mt. Dec. 13,'61. Cap. Cheat R. Sep. 25,'63. Exch.
66
Discharged for disability March 12, '63.
Fred. H. Brann. John Bailey. Frederick Baird. Amos M. Barbin. Joseph D. Croco. Matthew Coates. James Conway. James Carrigan. John Campbell. Alexander Campbell William Dever John C. Dalzell Casper Diehl Fred'k Dickroger
66 Died of pneumonia May 12, '63.
66
Wm. H. Jones John Koehnlein Patrick Kelly Benj. F. Kurtz Philip Kirsch
66
66
West, Oliver R. Smith, David L.
2d Lt Pro. to 2d Lt. Co. D. July 7, '62.
Kirkpatrick, Geo. H. Sergt
44
COMPANY A.
NAMES.
RANK.
RECORD OF SERVICE.
WVm. Ludaking
Priv.
Died in Andersonville prison.
Saml. Mitchell
66
Discharged Nov. 11, '61, disability.
Enoch C. Miller
66
Discharged April 17, '63, disability.
Walter S. Marshall
66
Reenlisted Jan. 5, '64.
John S. Miller
66
Died Dec. 14, '61, typhoid fever.
Adam Moninger
66
Deserted Mar. 2, '63.
Jacob Miller
66
Louis Metz 66
Capt. Cheat river Sept. 25, 63. Exch
John McClarren 66
-
F. H. McCleane
..
Wounded at Droop Mt. Nov. 6, '63.
David C. McCuen
66
Discharged Mar. 7, '63, disablity.
John A. McCrea Richard Pyburn
66
Reenlisted Jan. 5, '64.
Nicholas Rumple
Re-enlisted Jan. 5, '64.
Peter Komiser
Michael Robel
66
Died in Andersonville prison.
Saml. L. Reynolds John Stone
66
Capt. Cheat River Sept 25, '63.
Exch.
Thos. H. Swain
66
Deserted Sept. 25, '62.
Henry C. Stevens
66
James Sloan
66
Chas. Schmitz
66
Wounded at Elkwater.
Joseph Swartz
66
Discharged March 7, '63, disability.
Gustave Steider
Killed in action Allegheny Mt. Dec. 13, '61.
Edward Saladin
Died in Andersonville prison.
Jacob Slayer
Killed by bushwhackers.
Wm. S. Taylor
66
Capt. Cheat River Sept. 25, '63. Exch.
George Wilson
Capt. Cheat River Sept. 25, '63. Exch.
Charles Werner
66
Capt. Cheat River Sept. 25, '63. Exch.
John Washington
Wounded 2d Bull Run. Capt. Cheat R. Sept 25,'63. Prisoner till end of war.
Louis Wagner
Re-enlisted Jan. 5, '64.
S. Weisenberger
66
Wounded at Bull Run. Died of wounds.
Henry Wagner
Died in prison at Richmond.
L. H. Webster
Died, returning from prison.
W. W. Youngson
66
Re-enlisted Jan. 5, '64.
CAPTAIN ALBERT C. HAYES.
Albert C. Hayes, the first captain of Company A, was born in Pitts- burgh, in the year 1837, being only twenty-four years of age when he as- sumed command in April, 1861. He had been but lately married to an exceedingly bright and handsome young lady, and on the evening be- fore departing for the seat of war, he marched the company up to his residence, where his wife, on behalf of herself and other ladies, pre- sented the company with a handsome bunting flag, which their own fair hands had made. This flag was carried by the company through its three years term, and is now in the custody of comrade Wm. H. Graham, of that company, to whom it was given by Cap. Oliver R. West, who brought the company home in June, 1864. Cap. Hayes served as com- mander of the company during Gen. McClellan's successful Western Vir- ginia campaign. and resigned July 22, 1861. After returning home, he engaged in the planing mill business in Pittsburgh. He represented
John Ramsey
66
Capt. Cheat River Sept. 25, '63. Exch.
Henry Stubbs
66 66
Killed Cheat River Sept. 25, 63.
Hugh McMannis
Transferred to Co. D, Aug. 1, 63.
Robt. R. Morris
JAMES BLACK, SECOND LIEUTENANT.
JAMES R. HUTCHINSON. SECOND LIEUTENANT.
45
COMPANY HISTORY.
that city in the Legislature of Pennsylvania in 1874. He removed to the West about 1886, and his present whereabouts are unknown.
CAPTAIN WILLIAM OTTO.
William Otto, Company A's second captain, was born in Germany in 1828, and came over to this country when a young man. He enlisted in the regular army and served ten years on the western plains. Shortly before the war he left the army and accepted a position as first mate on an Ohio river steamer. While his boat was lying at the Pittsburgh wharf, Fort Sumpter was fired upon, which aroused the old martial spirit in him and he enlisted in Cap. Hayes' company. On account of his army ex- perience and knowledge of tactics, he was elected orderly sergeant. He was an excellent drill master and a brave officer, and upon the resigna- tion of Cap. Hayes, he was commissioned captain and served as such until March 13, 1862, when, owing to a misunderstanding with a superior officer, he tendered his resignation. He afterwards served as an officer in Hancock's Veteran Corps, until the conclusion of the war, when he went back to his old employment on the Ohio river, and if now living his whereabouts are unknown.
CAPTAIN JOHN A. IIUNTER.
John A. Hunter, Company A's third commander, was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1831, and came to this country when fourteen years of age. He located in Pittsburgh and learned the trade of cabinet mak- ing. He had an extensive furniture establishment there when the war broke out. He and Cap. Alexander Scott, afterwards lieutenant colonel of the regiment, recruited Company F, and as second lieutenant accom- panied it to Wheeling, Va. He was promoted to first lieutenant and finally, March 20th, 1862, was promoted to captain and assigned to the command of Company A. He served with great gallantry during the Fremont and Pope campaigns. After the West Virginia campaign, August Ist, 1863, he was relieved from command and returned to Pitts- burgh. After the war he engaged in business in the Pennsylvania oil regions, Venango and Crawford counties, for a number of years, but afterwards returned to Pittsburgh and engaged in the grocery business. He was elected school director and served as such several terms. He married Miss Mary Fowler and has seven children, all living. He has now retired from active business, though still residing in Pittsburgh.
CAPTAIN OLIVER R. WEST.
Oliver R. West, the fourth and last commander of Company A, was born in Allegheny county, Pa., October 17th, 1829. He learned the trade of machinist, and was employed as such when the war broke out. He was elected second lieutenant of the company and participated in all the marches, campaigns, skirmishes and battles of the company dur- ing its three years hard service. He was promoted to first lieutenant March Ist, 1862, and finally captain August 18th, 1863. He had a con- stitution like iron, that enabled him to be always ready for duty, and on
46
COMPANY A.
hand in every fight. At the battle of Allegheny Mountain he was wounded in the knee, and narrowly escaped death. Lieut. Sickman, of Company G, who was temporarily acting as first lieutenant of Company A, was mortally wounded and died in his arms. His bravery and many sterling qualities endeared him to the men of his company, and he was familiarly termed by them "Old Standby." He brought the company home to Pittsburgh, and then settled down to his trade of machinist, and as such is still employed in Allegheny. He never married, but faithfully supported and resided with his aged mother until her death in 1890.
LIEUT. DAVID L. SMITHI.
David L. Smith was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, Feb. 4, 1826, and moved with his parents to Pittsburgh in May 1836. Hle was married to Elizabeth Gordon in September 1852, who died in 1877; was married to Helen M. Armstrong in 1879, and moved to Chester county in December 1881, where he now resides and is engaged in farm- ing. He was elected a member of the common council of Allegheny City in 1854, and served one year; was elected to the legislature of Pennsylvania in 1854 and served in the session of 1855. He was a clerk by profession, and in 1861 when the war of the rebellion com- menced, was chief clerk in the commissioner's office of Allegheny coun- ty. After the war, in 1867, he was again elected a member of common councils of Allegheny City, and a member of the school board, in which he served eleven years. At the election in 1867, he was again elected to the Legislature and represented .Allegheny county in the ses- sion of 1868.
He took an active part in forming and organizing a company of volunteers, then known as the Washington Rifles, of which he became first lieutenant.
At Grafton on the 25th of May, he was detailed as acting assistant quartermaster and commissary of subsistence, in charge of posts all over Western Virginia. In August 1861, on the resignation of Capt. A. L. Hayes. he was promoted to the captaincy of Company and went to Beverly to take command of the company, but General Mc- Clellan would not relieve him from his detail as assistant quartermaster, remarking that "good quartermasters were harder to find than good captains."
On the 19th of February 1862, he was appointed by the Secretary of War a commissary of subsistence, with the rank of captain. In June 1862 he was ordered on duty on the staff of General Sigel at Martinsburg, Va. In September 1862, he was assigned as acting chief commissary of subsistence of the Twelfth Army Corps, General Mansfield commanding. In March 1863 he was assigned to 5th Corps Head- quarters, General George G. Meade commanding, as acting chief com- missary of the Corps, and on the 25th of September 1864, was made
.
WILLIAM H. GRAHAM.
FRANKLIN H. SINGER.
47
COMPANY HISTORY.
chief commissary of the Fifth Corps, with the rank of lieutenant- colonel. He served on the Fifth Corps staff until the corps was dis- banded in September 1865, and was honorably discharged on the 16th of March 1866, having remained on duty as post commissary of subsistence at Baltimore, Md., until that date, when he was relieved. from duty by one of the officers of the regular army, thus serving con- tinuously from May 19th 1861 to March 16th 1866 or 4 years, 9 months and 27 days.
LIEUTENANT JAMES BLACK.
James Black was born in Canada, in 1826, and followed lumbering most of the time. He was sojourning in Pittsburgh when the war broke out, and enlisted as a private in Company A; was elected fifth sergeant and gradually worked his way up until March Ist, 1862, he was com- missioned second lieutenant. He was a brave officer and served with credit through the campaigns under Gens. Fremont and Pope. After the battle of Antietam the regiment was transferred to Western Virginia, and while lying at Beverly, May, 30th, 1863, he returned to civil life. After the war he removed to Big Swamico, Brown county, Wis., where he engaged in the lumbering business and is still residing there. He led the squad while at Beverly, 1862-63, that captured Hornet, a bush- whacker in the mountains, and was with the picket at Beverly bridge, when the confederate force attacked our camp in April, 1863.
LIEUTENANT JAMES R. HUTCHINSON.
James R. Hutchinson is a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., born in the year 1838. After receiving a common school education he worked in a printing office for a number of years. He then served an apprentice- ship of four years at the engine works of Robinson, Minis & Miller. After thus learning his trade, he was employed on locomotive work in the Connellsville Railroad Shops. While serving his apprenticeship in 1857, he joined a volunteer rifle company and drilled faithfully in the manual of arms, marching and skirmish drills, thus obtaining that knowledge that was of such great service afterward in the dark days of the sixties. The opening of the war found him employed at the engine works of Nuttall & Kirkpatrick, in Allegheny. He promptly enlisted and was mustered into the service for three years in Company A as first duty sergeant. By strict attention to duty and bravery in action, he was promoted to orderly sergeant, and August 18th, 1863, to second lieutenant. He richly merited and deserved promotion to first lieuten- ant, and would undoubtedly have received it, but unfortunately was sent out, September 25th, 1863, to an exposed and defenseless picket post on Cheat river, thirteen miles from nearest support, with a small force of thirty men, where he was surrounded and surprised at night by a rebel battalion commanded by Major Lang, and after brief resistance, during which one of his command was killed and several wounded, he and the rest of the squad were captured. He was kept a prisoner until
48
COMPANY A.
close of the war, being transferred from Richmond, Va., to the follow- ing rebel prisons: Danville, Va .: Macon, Ga .; Charleston and Colum- bia, S. C .; Goldsboro, Raleigh, and Charlotte, N. C. Lient. Hutchinson was a universal favorite, not only in the company, but also in the regiment, on account of his good humor and jollity. He always had a smile or joke ready to enliven the gloomiest march. He was married April 26th, 1866, to Miss Mary E. Corken, whose father was a soldier and was killed in the battle of Cedar Mountain, Va. After Lieut. Hutchinson returned to civil life, he started in the steam engine and machine busi- ness, in Allegheny, and still continues at it. He has been commander of Post 88. G. A. R., and also commander of Encampment No. 1. Union Veteran Legion.
CORPORAL GRAHAM.
Wm. H. Graham, corporal Company A, was born in Allegheny, Pa., August 3d, 1844. He attended the public schools until fourteen years of age, when, owing to the death of his father, he as the oldest son, was compelled to leave school and seek employment, to help support his widowed mother and family. He was in the employ of Maffit & Old, brass manufacturers, when Fort Sumpter was fired upon, and although not seventeen years old, he managed to get enrolled in the Washington Rifle Guards, afterwards Company A, and was mustered into the United States service for three years. He participated in most all of the en- gagements, scouts, and campaigns with his regiment. Was wounded in the right arm in the battle of Rocky Gap, and after a few months so- journ in the West Penn Hospital, at Pittsburgh, rejoined his regiment in time to start with the expedition under Gen. Averill, culminating in the brilliant victory of Droop Mountain. Upon the expiration of his three years term, he accepted service in the quartermaster's department, and was attached to Gen. Sheridan's headquarters during that dashing gen- eral's brilliant campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, resulting in the great victories of Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, where Sheridan made his famous ride. He also accompanied Sheridan in his march across Virginia and ride around Richmond, joining Gen. Grant at Petersburg; thence Gen. Sheridan, with his cavalry and the Fifth Corps of Infantry, swung around Lee's flank and fought the decisive battle of Five Forks, breaking Lee's line and capturing Petersburg, and compell- ing the evacuation of Richmond. During these operations and the vig- orons pursuit of Gen. Lee's army, he served as a volunteer aid, and it was while carrying a message to Sheridan, the eventful 9th day of April, 1865, that he rode out between the two lines of battle to the little village of Appomattox, and there, in the house of Mr. Mclain, had the rare good fortune to be one of the few spectators that witnessed the memor- able interview between the two great generals, that terminated in the surrender of Gen. Lee. After taking part in the grand review at Wash- ington he returned to civil life. He was engaged in the wholesale
BENJAMIN F. KURTZ.
FRED H. BRAUN
49
COMPANY HISTORY.
leather business in the firm of Graham & Spangler, then became chair- man of Mansfield & Co., Limited, brass manufacturers. He also took an active part in Republican politics, being elected a member of com- mon councils, AAllegheny. in 1873, member of select councils 1874, and member of the House of Representatives, Pennsylvania, 1875, 1876, 1877 and 1878. He was elected recorder of deeds of Allegheny county in 1881, and is now serving his ninth year in that office. He was mar- ried September 30th, 1869. to Miss Sadie K. Shields, and they have had six children.
FRANK H. SINGER.
The subject of this sketch is a native of Armstrong county, Pa., boru at Freeport, October 11, 1838. He received a common school education, and removed to Johnstown in 1859, where he engaged in the manufacture of fire brick until the spring of 1860, and then went to Miltenberger, Fayette county, Pa., and was employed as foreman in the Miltenberger fire brick works until he enlisted in Pittsburgh, becoming a member of Company A. He served his full enlistment, and was a brave soldier, almost to rashness, and as true as steel. He was a uni- versal favorite, on account of his unfailing good humor, and good qualities as a man. When mustered out, he re-enlisted in an Independ- ent Battalion of Pennsylvania troops, and served until November 14, 1864. when he was honorably discharged. He was so crippled with rheumatism that he had to give up the manufacture of fire brick, and accepted a position as salesman in the Cambria Iron Company's store, Johnstown, l'a., where he has been for nearly 21 years.
COMPANY B.
The "Grafton Guards" were organized shortly after the firing on Fort Sumpter, the leading spirits in forming the company being George R. Latham, Daniel Wilson, Bailey Brown, F. A. Cather, and others, the company being fully enrolled on May 20, 1861. At the time of forming the company, the confederates were camped on the bridge across the Tygart's Valley river, on the Northwestern Virginia turnpike, nearly two miles below at Fetterman. When eighty men had been enrolled the company organized by the election of George R. Latham captain, F. A. Cather first lientenant, and Daniel Wilson second lieutenant.
Previous to this time, George \. Porterfield, of Jefferson county, Va., who had seen service in the Mexican war, was appointed a colonel by Governor Letcher, and sent into Northwestern Virginia to organize the companies being formed under the call of the State for troops. A com- pany from Marion county under the command of William P. Thompson, - which became Company A, Thirty-first Virginia, two companies from Taylor county, one under command of John A. Robinson, that became Company A Twenty-fifth Virginia, and one under G. W. Hansbrough, that was afterwards disbanded, rendezvoused at Fetterman May 20, and on the 22d were joined by the Harrison Guards of Clarksburg under
50
COMPANY B.
command of William P. Cooper, which became Company C of the Thirty-first Virginia. The whole force marched that evening to Grafton and then back to Fetterman. On the night of the 22d, Daniel Wilson and Bailey Brown walked down towards Fetterman, and encountered the rebel picket on the railroad in the east end of town, where Daniel W. S. Knight and George Glenn. of Captain Robinson's company, were on guard. Knight ordered them to halt. Instead of doing so, they con- tinued to advance, Knight repeating his order, until they got close to the pickets, when Brown fired his revolver shooting Knight through the ear. Knight, who was armed with an old-fashioned smooth-bore flint-lock musket, loaded with slugs, returned the shot, killing Brown almost instantly. There were three holes in Brown's body close together, in triangular shape, resembling wounds made by buck-and-ball cartridge, one slug passing through his heart. This occurred about 9 o'clock. When the firing took place Wilson retreated, receiving the load out of Glenn's gun in the heel of his boot. Brown's body was taken to the town hall by the rebels, which was occupied as quarters by the Harrison Guards, and properly cared for.
Major W. P. Cooper, Thirty-first Virginia, confederate, from whom some of the facts of this shooting were obtained, relates that the next morning, in explaining to Colonel Porterfield how the affair happened, Knight said he "halted Brown two or three times, but he didn't stop and came up and shot me through the ear, and it made me so mad I shot him. I hope I didn't do anything wrong, Colonel." The colonel told him that if he had done anything wrong it was in not shooting sooner, which seemed to relieve him very much.
A committee was sent to the confederate commander asking for Brown's body, which was refused. When the committee reported back the refusal to give up the body, Captain Latham's company started for more active measures, when they were met by the enemy nearly half way to Fetterman, with the body on a hand car.
Bailey Brown, thus early a victim to the act of secession, was the first enlisted man in the U. S. volunteer service, killed in the war. He was enrolled as a member of his company May 20, 1861, though the company was not mustered in until the 25th. His death occurred on May 22, while that of the gallant Colonel Ellsworth did not occur until the 24th, two days later.
The Guards now started for camp at Wheeling, making a detour of twelve or fifteen miles around the enemy, who were closely watching them and stopping and searching all trains, and reached the Valley River Falls, about eight miles by rail west of Grafton, whence they took the train for Wheeling, where they were mustered into the U. S. service on May 25. On Monday, June 3, the company received their guns and accoutrements and began drilling, being now in sole charge of Camp
5 1
COMPANY HISTORY.
Carlisle, which was relieved of all other troops then garrisoned there, which were pushed forward to the front.
In the latter part of June the company was ordered to the front, go- ing to Mannington, where they were in camp for two days. About the first day of July they went to Grafton, and on the 4th were ordered to Phillippi and were accorded the special honor of body guards to General Morris, commanding. On the night of the 6th the com- mand advanced on the confederates who were fortified at the foot of Laurel Hill, General Garnett in command, arriving there early on the morning of the 7th, remaining in front of the enemy until the 11th, when their forces being routed at Rich Mountain with a severe loss, our forces gained General Garnett's rear, when he attempted to make his escape through the mountains. Our command followed them, skirmish- ing with their rear several miles down Cheat river, overtaking them at Carrick's Ford, where a sharp encounter occurred on the 13th between the two armies, resulting, among other casualties on both sides, in the death of General Garnett, the first confederate general officer killed in the war.
The company then went to Beverly, where it joined other companies forming the Second Virginia Infantry, of which it became Company B upon the organization of the regiment.
Company B was then ordered to Bealington, where it went into camp and remained until January 25th, 1862, engaged in guarding the supply trains between Webster and Beverly and in sending scouting parties through the adjoining counties. One of the distinguishing features of the members of Company B was that they were crack rifle shots previous to enlistment, and were thus soon able to get all the effect out of an army gun, and they were more than ordinarily well equipped for the active and dangerous service that was required of them. Their efficiency as scouts was recognized and they were almost in constant service, in ferreting out the bushwhackers in the mountains.
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