Happy Independence Day!
As we all celebrate the 4th of July, lets take a moment to remember those who have come before us to secure the freedoms that we hold so dear.
On July 4, 1863 the men of the 142nd joined the rest of the Army of the Potomac in chasing the Confederate forces back down south of the Mason-Dixon. There are however, at least 11 veterans of the unit buried in Gettysburg. Burials are in the National Cemetery unless otherwise marked.
Samuel Campbell, Co. A
Samuel Coburn, Co. I
Alexander Collins, Co. H (Evergreen Cemetery)
Samuel Cramer, Co. B
Samuel Finefrock, Co. B
James Hill, Co. I
Joseph Jones, Co. A
William Reynolds, Co. I
James Taff, Co. D
William Van Buskirk, Co. K
Cyrus Walter, Co. B
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Gettysburg, Day Three
On July 3rd, the 142nd was held in reserve on Cemetery Ridge, near General George Meade's headquarters and the center of the Federal line. This was the spot that Confederate General Robert E. Lee chose to make his famed, and poorly named, "Pickett's Charge." They were close enough to the line that one man was killed during the Confederate artillery barrage that preceded the charge.
While this high drama and intrigue was happening south of town, back on Seminary Ridge the situation deteriorated into a bloody mess. Co. K's Lt. Jeremiah Hoffman was wounded and kept in the Seminary starting on July 1st. He wrote his recollections of his time there less than five years after the battle. The following are from the account that Lt. Hoffman wrote, and were part of a Gettysburg Magazine article by Michael Dreese entitled "Ordeal at the Lutheran Seminary Hospital."
"My first recollection of the hospital at Gettysburg Seminary is that our doctors had no instruments. They were taken prisoner, and in the hurry and excitement of the battle, neither of the parties recollected that it was necessary to attend to the wounded...On the first day, shortly after I was in the building, some of the men who were unhurt came in complaining that our own forces were firing upon the building in which we lay. The two armies had taken the people of the place by surprise, and everything was not packed away as nicely as it might have been. So it happened that our hostess, whose invitation to come in we could not receive, because she was not there, had left a generous petticoat of red flannel lying on a sort of lounge. The men asked what signal we could make to out army. I was the only officer in the room and the men turned to me. So we agreed that a red flag must be hoisted, and by dint of strict orders and threats of punishment in case of disobedience, we were able to persuade a soldier to mount the cupola, and to hoist thence the largest pieces he could tear from the garment. Thus, it happened during the fight and for some days after, the undergarment of our hostess floated over the building..."
"During the first night I was lying awake. I could not sleep for a long while after I was wounded. Col. Cummins was brought in soon after me...The Colonel was shot through the right lung. His agony was so great that one would have thought he was unconscious...While he was writhing and groaning with pain, he would cast his arms about wildly and sometimes sit up...Towards morning [Private Chester] Cammer came to me and said that the Colonel was sleeping. I asked him to watch him well, and soon he came and reported that the Colonel's feet and hands were becoming cold. I ordered him to hunt over the upper floors of the building and he would find some doctors. Just as day was breaking he came downstairs with two surgeons of our brigade. They looked at the Colonel as he lay, and ordered that he should not be disturbed as he was then dying. I could see him but could not speak to him. If he said anything on the subject, Cammer must have kept it to himself. They buried the Colonel the same morning in the garden..."
"On the morning of the Fourth, Capt. [Charles] Evans came to me and said the Act. Adjt. Tucker had died. Tucker had pushed me on his horse after I was wounded, he having been wounded through the arm. That was the last time I saw him alive. On that same day, the Fourth, they brought his body downstairs in a blanket. They roughly lined his grave with fence palings and buried him beside the Colonel. I as then lying on the bunk, and by lifting my head I could see into the garden. I could not assist in the burial but I could look on. They were holding the body over the grave when the head slipped over the edge of the blanket and the Lieutenant's beautiful, jet black hair dragged over the ground. The thought of his mother and sisters was called up, and surely it cannot be called unmanly that a few tears stole down my cheeks..."
Works Cited:
Dreese, Michael A. "Ordeal in the Lutheran Theological Seminary: The Recollections of First Lt. Jeremiah Hoffman, 142nd Pennsylvania Volunteers." Gettysburg Mag No. 23: pp. 100-10 (11 photocopied pages). E475.53G482no23. Includes info on civilians caring for wounded after battle.
While this high drama and intrigue was happening south of town, back on Seminary Ridge the situation deteriorated into a bloody mess. Co. K's Lt. Jeremiah Hoffman was wounded and kept in the Seminary starting on July 1st. He wrote his recollections of his time there less than five years after the battle. The following are from the account that Lt. Hoffman wrote, and were part of a Gettysburg Magazine article by Michael Dreese entitled "Ordeal at the Lutheran Seminary Hospital."
"My first recollection of the hospital at Gettysburg Seminary is that our doctors had no instruments. They were taken prisoner, and in the hurry and excitement of the battle, neither of the parties recollected that it was necessary to attend to the wounded...On the first day, shortly after I was in the building, some of the men who were unhurt came in complaining that our own forces were firing upon the building in which we lay. The two armies had taken the people of the place by surprise, and everything was not packed away as nicely as it might have been. So it happened that our hostess, whose invitation to come in we could not receive, because she was not there, had left a generous petticoat of red flannel lying on a sort of lounge. The men asked what signal we could make to out army. I was the only officer in the room and the men turned to me. So we agreed that a red flag must be hoisted, and by dint of strict orders and threats of punishment in case of disobedience, we were able to persuade a soldier to mount the cupola, and to hoist thence the largest pieces he could tear from the garment. Thus, it happened during the fight and for some days after, the undergarment of our hostess floated over the building..."
"During the first night I was lying awake. I could not sleep for a long while after I was wounded. Col. Cummins was brought in soon after me...The Colonel was shot through the right lung. His agony was so great that one would have thought he was unconscious...While he was writhing and groaning with pain, he would cast his arms about wildly and sometimes sit up...Towards morning [Private Chester] Cammer came to me and said that the Colonel was sleeping. I asked him to watch him well, and soon he came and reported that the Colonel's feet and hands were becoming cold. I ordered him to hunt over the upper floors of the building and he would find some doctors. Just as day was breaking he came downstairs with two surgeons of our brigade. They looked at the Colonel as he lay, and ordered that he should not be disturbed as he was then dying. I could see him but could not speak to him. If he said anything on the subject, Cammer must have kept it to himself. They buried the Colonel the same morning in the garden..."
"On the morning of the Fourth, Capt. [Charles] Evans came to me and said the Act. Adjt. Tucker had died. Tucker had pushed me on his horse after I was wounded, he having been wounded through the arm. That was the last time I saw him alive. On that same day, the Fourth, they brought his body downstairs in a blanket. They roughly lined his grave with fence palings and buried him beside the Colonel. I as then lying on the bunk, and by lifting my head I could see into the garden. I could not assist in the burial but I could look on. They were holding the body over the grave when the head slipped over the edge of the blanket and the Lieutenant's beautiful, jet black hair dragged over the ground. The thought of his mother and sisters was called up, and surely it cannot be called unmanly that a few tears stole down my cheeks..."
Works Cited:
Dreese, Michael A. "Ordeal in the Lutheran Theological Seminary: The Recollections of First Lt. Jeremiah Hoffman, 142nd Pennsylvania Volunteers." Gettysburg Mag No. 23: pp. 100-10 (11 photocopied pages). E475.53G482no23. Includes info on civilians caring for wounded after battle.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Col. Robert P. Cummins
The 142nd PA Infantry's original commander, Col. Robert P. Cummins was mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg during the first day's fighting on July 1, 1863. He was wounded in the chest as his regiment fell back from an ill-fated charge into the 47th NC on Seminary Ridge.
Before he was Colonel of the 142nd, Robert Cummins was a captain in the 10th PA Infantry. He gained valuable military experience here, but came back to Somerset, PA when he was elected Sheriff.
The husband and father of seven helped to raise the three Somerset County companies of the 142nd, and in August of 1862 was elected their Colonel.
When Colonel Cummins heard that there was going to be a battle in Fredericksburg in December 1862, he left his hospital bed in Washington, DC and arrived to lead his regiment moments before they saw their first action. He had horses shot out from under him at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg.
His last recorded words in battle were an exhortation to his men, to encourage them along as their army was getting pushed back and their regiment in particular was getting raked with Confederate artillery. "Rally round the flag," came the shout from the Colonel. Moments later he caught a minie ball in the chest.
His soldiers did not want to leave him behind, and tried carrying his body off, but each one was shot. Finally, one soldier simply uncuckled his belt, grabbed his sword, and waved it above his head as he ran back to meet his regiment.
Col. Cummins was captured by the Confederate soldiers and taken to "Old Dorm", the main Lutheran Seminary building that had been turned into the largest field hospital of the battle. The colonel was in considerable pain, but still wanted to be able to sit up and dangle his feet from the bed. At one point, in delirium, he's recorded as shouting out "For God's sake men, rally! We can whip them yet!"
He died in the Seminary on July 2, 1863 and was buried in the yard. A week or so later his body was exhumed and taken home to Somerset, PA. It arrived on July 11, 1862. The next day, his body laid in a casket draped with an American flag and covered with flowers. The hearse was drawn by two white horses and had a military escort to Union Cemetery. Three volleys were fired in tribute.
Later, his troops raised money for a very large headstone.
In 1889, the 142nd held a reunion and monument dedication at Gettysburg. The granite cross lists the battles waged by this unit and the carnage felt by it on that battlefield.
In 2003, descendents of members of the 142nd and their friends raised money and had a monument to Col. Cummins and the 142nd erected in the Colonel's hometown of Somerset, PA. The monument is located by the old jail, which is where Robert Cummin's sheriff office was.
In 2013, on the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, Old Dorm, where Col. Cummins died, was turned into the Seminary Ridge Museum. This new museum tells the story of the first day's battle and of the hopsital that the building became. Col. Cummins played a key role in both of these stories.
Before he was Colonel of the 142nd, Robert Cummins was a captain in the 10th PA Infantry. He gained valuable military experience here, but came back to Somerset, PA when he was elected Sheriff.
The husband and father of seven helped to raise the three Somerset County companies of the 142nd, and in August of 1862 was elected their Colonel.
When Colonel Cummins heard that there was going to be a battle in Fredericksburg in December 1862, he left his hospital bed in Washington, DC and arrived to lead his regiment moments before they saw their first action. He had horses shot out from under him at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg.
His last recorded words in battle were an exhortation to his men, to encourage them along as their army was getting pushed back and their regiment in particular was getting raked with Confederate artillery. "Rally round the flag," came the shout from the Colonel. Moments later he caught a minie ball in the chest.
His soldiers did not want to leave him behind, and tried carrying his body off, but each one was shot. Finally, one soldier simply uncuckled his belt, grabbed his sword, and waved it above his head as he ran back to meet his regiment.
Col. Cummins was captured by the Confederate soldiers and taken to "Old Dorm", the main Lutheran Seminary building that had been turned into the largest field hospital of the battle. The colonel was in considerable pain, but still wanted to be able to sit up and dangle his feet from the bed. At one point, in delirium, he's recorded as shouting out "For God's sake men, rally! We can whip them yet!"
He died in the Seminary on July 2, 1863 and was buried in the yard. A week or so later his body was exhumed and taken home to Somerset, PA. It arrived on July 11, 1862. The next day, his body laid in a casket draped with an American flag and covered with flowers. The hearse was drawn by two white horses and had a military escort to Union Cemetery. Three volleys were fired in tribute.
Later, his troops raised money for a very large headstone.
In 1889, the 142nd held a reunion and monument dedication at Gettysburg. The granite cross lists the battles waged by this unit and the carnage felt by it on that battlefield.
In 2013, on the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, Old Dorm, where Col. Cummins died, was turned into the Seminary Ridge Museum. This new museum tells the story of the first day's battle and of the hopsital that the building became. Col. Cummins played a key role in both of these stories.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg
It's finally here. The best known and most discussed battle in the entire American Civil War is now celebrating its sesquicentennial. The small town of Gettysburg, PA is undoubtedly inundated with tourists and battle enthusiasts this week as the nation remembers the turning point of our bloodiest conflict.
Among this week's festivities is the opening of Gettysburg's newest museum, the Seminary Ridge Museum, which I've written about before on this site. Seminary Ridge is named for the Lutheran Seminary that sits on the west side of town and around where much of the first day's fighting took place, and it is the location that we will be focusing on today.
July 1, 1863. The First Day
This is the most of overlooked of the three days of battle. It does not have the memorable locations, such as Devil's Den or Little Round Top. It does not have the drama and personification of a movement that we see in Pickett's Charge. What it has are the awkward first steps of battle, like a child stumbling a bit before finding his rhythm. What it also has is the bloodiest and costliest day that the 142nd PA Volunteer Infantry would encounter.
After the battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia started moving northward. They crossed over to the west side of the Blue Ridge mountains to move through the Shenandoah Valley. By the end of June, they had crossed over into Northern territory, and on June 30, elements of the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac spotted each other west of the town of Gettysburg.
Confederate General Heth's infantry forces clashed with Union General Buford's Cavalry forces early in the morning on July 1st, while General John Reynold's Union 1st Corps made their way up from the south.
The 142nd was part of General Reynolds' 1st Corps, and spent the night just north of the Maryland line. That morning, while most of the Corps got up and hurried their way up the Emittsburg Road toward Gettysburg, the 142nd and the rest of the First Brigade, made its way along the back roads, notably Nunemaker Mill Road, approaching the town further west.
By the time the 142nd made it to Seminary Ridge around noon, the infantry battle was already in full swing. First Corps commander John Reynolds was killed a little after 10:00 am.
For 2 hours in the early afternoon, the 142nd was under a constant barrage of Confederate artillery fire, as well as infantry fire from the 47th and 52nd North Carolina regiments that were in very close range in front of them. Company B's commander, Daniel Wilkins stated that "We could almost see the whites of their eyes."
Hoping to somehow turn the tide of this battle, First Brigade Commander Col.Chapman Biddle grabbed the 142nd's colors and led a charge against the 47th NC. The charge did not last long and was quickly repelled, sending the 142nd retreating back toward the Seminary building.
It was during this charge that the 142nd's commanding officer, Col. Robert P. Cummins was mortally wounded. He was captured and taken to the hospital that was set up in Schmucker Hall, the Lutheran Seminary's building.
The 142nd retreated and ran back through the streets of Gettysburg, to Cemetery Ridge on the other side of town. Co. F's Sergeant-Major, Jacob Zorn described it in his diary this way:
"...unfortunately for us the Rebels come in on our left flank wich forced our line back. back back until at last the Whole Column broke to the Rear in confusion many going right for the City. and the Eleventh Corps retreating through the Streets caused the Streets to be Jamed full of Retreating Soldiers and Artillery and as soon as the Rebels got their Artillery in position they threw Greap and canister through the Streets Just Raking them from one end to the other the men broke out in evry direction through houses and any thing that come in the way. C.P.HEFFLEY & I Scurried up Main St to the upper end of town where we were cut off and had to Surrender..."
Sgt-Major Zorn was paroled a month later.
When the 142nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry arrived on the farm fields of Gettysburg on the morning of July 1, 1863, the regiment numbered 336 officers and men. By the end of the day, they lost 141 men who were either killed or wounded, and another 70 men missing or captured.
The 142nd reformed on Cemetery Ridge where they remained for the next two days, getting a front seat view to Pickett's Charge on July 3rd. On July 4, the 142nd joined the Union Army in chasing General Lee's army back down across the Mason-Dixon line into Maryland. That same day, General Grant defeated the Confederates at Vicksburg, securing the Mississippi River for the Union army. The momentum of the war, in both the Eastern and Western Theaters, shifted in the Union's favor, and all on the 4th of July.
Works Cited:
Croner, Barbara. A Sergeant's Story. 1999. Closson Press, Apollo, PA.
Downey, James W. A Lethal Tour of Duty. Master's Thesis. Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Dreese, Michael A. The Hospital on Seminary Ridge at the Battle of Gettysburg. 2002. McFarland & Company, Jefferson, NC.
Martin, David G. Gettysburg July 1. 2003. Da Capo Press, Cambridge, MA.
Warren, Horatio N. Two Reunions of the 142d Regiment, Pa. Vols. 1890. The Courier Company, Printers, Buffalo, NY.
Among this week's festivities is the opening of Gettysburg's newest museum, the Seminary Ridge Museum, which I've written about before on this site. Seminary Ridge is named for the Lutheran Seminary that sits on the west side of town and around where much of the first day's fighting took place, and it is the location that we will be focusing on today.
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| Schmucker Hall, Lutheran Seminary building with cupola in the background |
July 1, 1863. The First Day
This is the most of overlooked of the three days of battle. It does not have the memorable locations, such as Devil's Den or Little Round Top. It does not have the drama and personification of a movement that we see in Pickett's Charge. What it has are the awkward first steps of battle, like a child stumbling a bit before finding his rhythm. What it also has is the bloodiest and costliest day that the 142nd PA Volunteer Infantry would encounter.
After the battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia started moving northward. They crossed over to the west side of the Blue Ridge mountains to move through the Shenandoah Valley. By the end of June, they had crossed over into Northern territory, and on June 30, elements of the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac spotted each other west of the town of Gettysburg. Confederate General Heth's infantry forces clashed with Union General Buford's Cavalry forces early in the morning on July 1st, while General John Reynold's Union 1st Corps made their way up from the south.
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| General John Reynolds |
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| General John Buford |
The 142nd was part of General Reynolds' 1st Corps, and spent the night just north of the Maryland line. That morning, while most of the Corps got up and hurried their way up the Emittsburg Road toward Gettysburg, the 142nd and the rest of the First Brigade, made its way along the back roads, notably Nunemaker Mill Road, approaching the town further west.
By the time the 142nd made it to Seminary Ridge around noon, the infantry battle was already in full swing. First Corps commander John Reynolds was killed a little after 10:00 am.
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| Battle map, courtesy of The Civil War Trust |
Hoping to somehow turn the tide of this battle, First Brigade Commander Col.Chapman Biddle grabbed the 142nd's colors and led a charge against the 47th NC. The charge did not last long and was quickly repelled, sending the 142nd retreating back toward the Seminary building.
It was during this charge that the 142nd's commanding officer, Col. Robert P. Cummins was mortally wounded. He was captured and taken to the hospital that was set up in Schmucker Hall, the Lutheran Seminary's building.
The 142nd retreated and ran back through the streets of Gettysburg, to Cemetery Ridge on the other side of town. Co. F's Sergeant-Major, Jacob Zorn described it in his diary this way:
"...unfortunately for us the Rebels come in on our left flank wich forced our line back. back back until at last the Whole Column broke to the Rear in confusion many going right for the City. and the Eleventh Corps retreating through the Streets caused the Streets to be Jamed full of Retreating Soldiers and Artillery and as soon as the Rebels got their Artillery in position they threw Greap and canister through the Streets Just Raking them from one end to the other the men broke out in evry direction through houses and any thing that come in the way. C.P.HEFFLEY & I Scurried up Main St to the upper end of town where we were cut off and had to Surrender..."
Sgt-Major Zorn was paroled a month later.
When the 142nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry arrived on the farm fields of Gettysburg on the morning of July 1, 1863, the regiment numbered 336 officers and men. By the end of the day, they lost 141 men who were either killed or wounded, and another 70 men missing or captured.
The 142nd reformed on Cemetery Ridge where they remained for the next two days, getting a front seat view to Pickett's Charge on July 3rd. On July 4, the 142nd joined the Union Army in chasing General Lee's army back down across the Mason-Dixon line into Maryland. That same day, General Grant defeated the Confederates at Vicksburg, securing the Mississippi River for the Union army. The momentum of the war, in both the Eastern and Western Theaters, shifted in the Union's favor, and all on the 4th of July.
Works Cited:
Croner, Barbara. A Sergeant's Story. 1999. Closson Press, Apollo, PA.
Downey, James W. A Lethal Tour of Duty. Master's Thesis. Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Dreese, Michael A. The Hospital on Seminary Ridge at the Battle of Gettysburg. 2002. McFarland & Company, Jefferson, NC.
Martin, David G. Gettysburg July 1. 2003. Da Capo Press, Cambridge, MA.
Warren, Horatio N. Two Reunions of the 142d Regiment, Pa. Vols. 1890. The Courier Company, Printers, Buffalo, NY.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Pvt Lotwig Evans, Co. A
Lotwig Evans was a Welsh miner who immigrated to the United States in 1860. He sailed on the Bridgewater and landed in New York on June 19. While his journey from immigrant to soldier wasn't quite as drastic as the stories about Irish immigrants walking off the boat and into the recruiting office, it wasn't far off either. Lotwig fought with Compay A, 142nd PVI out of Mercer County, PA and was wounded twice during his service time.
In 1906, at the age of 68, he wrote a letter back to his family in Wales. Of his time as a Civil War soldier in his adopted country, he wrote:
"I was in the Civil War in this country. I was wounded twice. The first was a flesh wound in the left thigh. The second was pretty near the centre of the right leg between the knee and the groin. The bullet, a large one, hit the bone and flattened right out. I carried the bullet in my leg for 20 months and 18 days. I had to undergo a surgical operation. I was put under the influence of chloroform. When the surgeon started to use the knife I could feel it and I knew I was saying something. All at once I lost myself and when I awoke I could taste liquor on my lips and I felt pretty sick. I asked an American fellow (a Yankee) laying on a cot next me if the doctor had given some whiskey and he replied that they had given me liquor of some kind. He said they did not give you enough chloroform and when they started to cut at you, you tried to get up and hit the doctor and you was talking very patriotic in English. Then they put the chloroform to your nostrils again. You then started to curse in French like anything. The fellow thought that I was a Frenchman and I guess I was talking Welsh. Well, I was shot the second time in the first day's fight 1st July 1863 at the great battle of Gettysburg PA. I was taken prisoner in the Lutheran college becuase I could not walk. I was retaken by our men on the morning of 5th July 1863."
After the war, Lotwig married another Welsh immigrant, Sarah Bingham, and the two moved to Lawrence Township, Stark County, OH, where Lotwig continued mining and became a sheriff's deputy. Lotwig died on 20 April 1922 and is buried in Newman's Creek cemetery.
A special thanks goes out to Pvt. Evans' great-grandnephew John Jenkins, and to his extended family in Wales, for providing the information and letter about their ancestor.
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| Location of Mercer County, PA |
In 1906, at the age of 68, he wrote a letter back to his family in Wales. Of his time as a Civil War soldier in his adopted country, he wrote:
"I was in the Civil War in this country. I was wounded twice. The first was a flesh wound in the left thigh. The second was pretty near the centre of the right leg between the knee and the groin. The bullet, a large one, hit the bone and flattened right out. I carried the bullet in my leg for 20 months and 18 days. I had to undergo a surgical operation. I was put under the influence of chloroform. When the surgeon started to use the knife I could feel it and I knew I was saying something. All at once I lost myself and when I awoke I could taste liquor on my lips and I felt pretty sick. I asked an American fellow (a Yankee) laying on a cot next me if the doctor had given some whiskey and he replied that they had given me liquor of some kind. He said they did not give you enough chloroform and when they started to cut at you, you tried to get up and hit the doctor and you was talking very patriotic in English. Then they put the chloroform to your nostrils again. You then started to curse in French like anything. The fellow thought that I was a Frenchman and I guess I was talking Welsh. Well, I was shot the second time in the first day's fight 1st July 1863 at the great battle of Gettysburg PA. I was taken prisoner in the Lutheran college becuase I could not walk. I was retaken by our men on the morning of 5th July 1863."
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| Lutheran Seminary where Pvt. Evans and the 142nd fought, and where many were captured |
A special thanks goes out to Pvt. Evans' great-grandnephew John Jenkins, and to his extended family in Wales, for providing the information and letter about their ancestor.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Not REALLY about the 142nd...The Hon. Alexander H. Coffroth
A few months back I went to see Steven Spielberg's film "Lincoln". I know I'm going to write some things that sound contrary to this, but I had a great time and really enjoyed the film. I loved the feel, the look, and the tone of it.
None of the historical inaccuracies throughout are particularly important to the central theme of the film. My biggest complaint about the movie is not important to that theme of determination and justice either. My complaint is simply that of a "homer" who doesn't want to see any of Somerset County, PA's native sons shown in an unflattering light.
The day after I watched the film, in a fit of righteous indignation, I wrote a short essay defending US Rep. Alexander H. Coffroth from what I considered to be an incorrect attack on his reputation. I clicked "save" and said, "There, I feel better now." Realizing that no one else would read it, I filed it and went on with my life. I found it today cleaning off my desktop, and decided that even though Alexander Coffroth was not a member of the 142nd PA Infantry, three companies in that regiment shared the same county home with him, and that I would post it here.
Thanks for reading!
Alexander Coffroth was a Somerset Democrat who was born there in 1828. The son of John and Mary Coffroth, Alexander went to the Somerset Somerset Academy Somerset County
Somerset
President Lincoln began lobbying for a Constitutional amendment abolishing slavery during the first half of 1864. The Senate passed the bill, but it lost momentum in the House. Alexander Coffroth was one of the many Democrats opposed to this bill. In a speech to the House of Representatives on June 14, 1864, Coffroth stated:
At the time of his death at the Markleton Sanitarium on September 2, 1906, Alexander Coffroth was the last living pallbearer from Abraham Lincoln’s funeral. His is a uniquely American story. From his birth in the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania , to studying law under the Attorney General, to amending the United States Constitution so that no one in America
Works Cited:
None of the historical inaccuracies throughout are particularly important to the central theme of the film. My biggest complaint about the movie is not important to that theme of determination and justice either. My complaint is simply that of a "homer" who doesn't want to see any of Somerset County, PA's native sons shown in an unflattering light.
The day after I watched the film, in a fit of righteous indignation, I wrote a short essay defending US Rep. Alexander H. Coffroth from what I considered to be an incorrect attack on his reputation. I clicked "save" and said, "There, I feel better now." Realizing that no one else would read it, I filed it and went on with my life. I found it today cleaning off my desktop, and decided that even though Alexander Coffroth was not a member of the 142nd PA Infantry, three companies in that regiment shared the same county home with him, and that I would post it here.
Thanks for reading!
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| Alexander Hamilton Coffroth (May 18, 1828 – September 2, 1906) |
Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site estimates that as of 2012, over 15,000 different books have been written about Abraham Lincoln. That is an average of almost 150 books a year written about our 16th President. Since his death in 1865, President Lincoln has been portrayed in book, film, and stage; by reenactor, and as a wax figurine. Despite this market saturation, a book entitled “Team of Rivals” by renowned historian and author Doris Kearns Goodwin has recently captured the minds and imagination of America. Published in 2006, Steven Spielberg has recently brought the book to life in the movie “Lincoln”.
The book and movie both focus a lot of time and attention on the arduous task Lincoln had in creating the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States. The world of 1865 was much more nuanced than many popular historians would like us to believe. Just because someone would fight for the preservation of their country did not always translate into that person being an abolitionist. This made the task at hand far more difficult than it would originally seem.
The journey to ratify the 13th Amendment would take the work of the President, his advisors, and both houses of Congress. It would take political gamesmanship as well as some soul-searching for politicians. “Lincoln” has its own take on this process, and one of the politicians the movie portrays that would be absolutely essential in making slavery illegal was Somerset, PA native Alexander Hamilton Coffroth.
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| Jeremiah S. Black |
It was during the trying times of civil war that Coffroth decided to get into politics. He was a delegate to the famous 1860 Democratic National Convention in Charleston SC
In 1862, Somerset County was part of Pennsylvania Bedford Franklin Fulton Adams Counties
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| US Capitol Building under construction in 1861 |
“If slavery is to be abolished, allow it to be done according to the principles of common justice. Allow the people in each State the inalienable right through their legally constituted authorities to control their own domestic institutions in their own way.”
A few months later, President Lincoln was reelected and he again pushed ahead for a Constitutional amendment to abolish slavery. But it was also during this election cycle that Coffroth found his political life in limbo.
When the votes were tallied in October of 1864, Coffroth had beaten his opponent, William H. Koontz by a few votes. Koontz thought that it was a little too close and contested it. The race was in fact so close that Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin would not certify the results. Finally, in July 1866, Koontz won the recount and took his seat in Congress.
[I recently ran across a blog called "Battlefield Back Stories" that digs in way deeper and does much more justice to the issue of Coffroth vs. Koontz than I did here. Please check those articles out HERE and HERE ]
[I recently ran across a blog called "Battlefield Back Stories" that digs in way deeper and does much more justice to the issue of Coffroth vs. Koontz than I did here. Please check those articles out HERE and HERE ]
“Mr. Speaker, I desire above all things that the Democratic party be again placed in power. The condition of the country needs the wise counsel of the Democracy. The peace and prosperity of this once powerful and happy nation require it to be placed under Democratic rule. The history of the past demonstrates this. The question of slavery has been a fruitful theme for the opponents of the Democracy. It has breathed into existence fanaticism, and feeds it with such meat as to make it ponderous in growth. It must soon be strangled or the nation is lost. I propose to do this by removing from the political arena that which has given it life and strength.”
The movie Lincoln tells the story (incorrectly, I believe) that Alexander Coffroth was bullied into changing his position and that he felt compelled to change parties to save his political life, but there is absolutely no evidence that this ever happened. He was a Democrat before he took office. He was a Democrat in Congress. He was Democrat when he was finished in office.
It does seem, though, that he was prepared for his Democratic colleagues and his constituents to be unhappy with his decision.
“Many of the honorable gentlemen of this House with whom I am politically associated may condemn me for my action to-day. I assure them I do that only which my conscience sanctions and my sense of duty to my country demands…If by my actions to-day I dig my political grave, I will descend into it without a murmur, knowing that I am justified in my action by a conscientious belief I am doing what will ultimately prove to be a service to my country…”
Coffroth’s vote, along with the few other Democrats that crossed party lines, helped pass the 13th Amendment by a count of 119-56, a mere seven votes above the necessary two-thirds majority. His vote garnered the attention of many. After the assassination of President Lincoln in April 1865, Coffroth was chosen from among all the Pennsylvania Congressmen to be the President’s honorary pallbearer.
After his removal from office in 1866, Alexander Coffrorth moved back to Somerset
His most famous post-political job was as defense for the Nicely Brothers in their 1889 murder trial. This trial gathered national attention and had such a monopoly on the local newspapers that the great Johnstown Flood of that same year played second fiddle to it. The Nicely brothers, David and Joseph, were later hanged in Somerset
At the time of his death at the Markleton Sanitarium on September 2, 1906, Alexander Coffroth was the last living pallbearer from Abraham Lincoln’s funeral. His is a uniquely American story. From his birth in the mountains of southwestern Works Cited:
Ancestry.com. The Indiana Pennsylvania Provo UT USA
Original data: The Indiana Democrat. Indiana USA
Biographical Review, Vol. XXXII, Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Bedford and Somerset Counties , Pennsylvania Boston
Blackburn, E. Howard and Wefley, William H. History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, Volume 3. New York
Coffroth, A.H. Speech of Hon. A.H. Coffroth, of Penna., Delivered in the House of Representatives, June 14, 1864. Digitized by Friends of The Lincoln Collection of Indiana, Inc.
Congressional Globe, 38th Congress, 2nd session (January 31, 1865), 524.
Doncaster, Jr, William Trall. Legends from the Frosty Sons of Thunder. White Stone, VA, Brandylane Publishers, Inc: 1999, pp. 63, 65-67.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
150th Anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg
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| General Ambrose Burnside, of facial hair fame. |
Most scholarship on the battle of Fredericksburg has centered around the Federal assault on the stone wall at the base of Marye's Heights that resulted in the destruction of so many Union troops. The 142nd was not involved in this action however. They were involved in an assault a few miles south of town, on what is now known as the Slaughter Pen Farm.
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| Battle map of Slaughter Pen Farm action, Dec. 13, 1862. 142nd is part of Magilton's Brigade . PhotoCredit:www.civilwar.org |
"At Seven oClock. we moved forward to the Left & front about a half mile when we were ordered to unfling Knapsacks. about this time the Reb Shells began to find us. which excited more than a little. Im sure we dodged when the Shells went high above our head. after unflinging knapsacks we moved forward. crossed. Bowlin green Road about 40 Yards beyond the Road and about twenty Steps in the Rear of our batterys we were ordered to lay down. after lying here Some time Col CUMMINS came riding into the field when least expected as he had been sent away Sick. hearing of the advance of the Army the Col left a Sick bed inorder to get to his Regt in time of nead but when come into the field the Regt gave three hearty cheers."
Further north, at Marye's Heights, Federal commanders kept sending wave after wave of troops to assault the stone wall that the Confederate forces used as cover. They never came close to breaking through the Confederate lines. The Slaughter Pen Farm was the only time the Union troops broke through southern lines. Under a helpful cover of dense fog, Federal troops under Gen. George Meade crossed the open fields and the railroad tracks. Sgt. Zorn wrote that "...the way the field was raked with Schell and canister is entirely beyond description."
The Union breakthrough was short lived, and soon the Federal troops were pushed back by the Confederate artillery batteries on the high ground. The 142nd fell back away from the field of battle to the spot the occupied two days prior.
Federal losses for the day were high: 12,600 casualties to the Confederates 5,300. The 142nd PVI lost 270 men, killed, wounded, or missing.
Two days later, they would cross the pontoon bridges and settle in Culpeper, VA for their winter camp as combat veterans. In 1889, at the unit's second reunion, the 142nd's final commander, Col. Horatio N. Warren spoke about his regiment's first battle:
"Here, my comrades, let me say, is where our first genuine experience of war commenced - here is where we passed the first ordeal that was calculated to try men's souls - here is where we heard the first rattle of musketry and knew and realized the leaden missiles, screaming past our ears, coming directly from the muzzles of well-aimed muskets, in the hands of our common enemy, must deal death and destruction to our ranks, and summon many a good friend and comrade to lay his life upon the altar of his country and manfully meet his God."
The Union loss at Fredericksburg was but the first faltering step taken by the 142nd PVI. This step would lead to a run that would end in Appomattox Courthouse, VA two and a half years later.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Camp A, Frederick, MD
In early October of 1862, the 142nd moved from their position at Ft. Massachusetts, on the outskirts of Washington, DC, to Frederick, MD. Following the battles of South Mountain and Antietam, in September, many of the Union wounded were moved to the hospitals located in this central Maryland city.
The city of Frederick, MD was a crossroads town during the war. Because of this, they had three Confederate invasions, 38 skirmishes, and two major battles. The Union Army held a permanent general hospital there, but after the 1862 Maryland Campaign, many field hospitals were set up, using churches, businesses, and tents.
The 142nd was assigned to one of the tent hospitals, named Camp A. On October 2nd, Capt. Albert Heffley wrote: "This morn they gave our camp a name. They concluded to call it Camp Allen...To day about 300 wounded arrived, amongst which are some 10 or 12 Rebel prisoners, and 3 or 4 of them are very intelligent, & about as fine a looking set of people as I almost ever saw."
Camp A was the largest of the two tent hospitals in Frederick. It staffed 11 surgeons and assistant surgeons, 2 medical cadets, 4 stewards, 114 male nurses, and 18 cooks, with a patient capacity of 733.
The 142nd's duties during this time consisted of cooking, nursing, and policing. William Notson was the Surgeon in Charge of Camp A. He did not have kind words for the new recruits of the 142nd, stating that "To a perfect laxity of discipline upon the part of their officers may be added the natural inefficiency of the recruit."
The regiment spent only a couple weeks in Frederick caring for the wounded. Soon they would march off the Antietam and Harper's Ferry to join the rest of the Army of the Potomac that was massing for another drive into Virginia.
Works Cited:
Reimer, Terry. One Vast Hospital: The Civil War Hospital Sites in Frederick, Maryland After Antietam. National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 2001. pp. 94-98.
Croner, Barbara M. A Sergeant's Story - Civil War Diary of Jacob J. Zorn 1862-1865. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1999.
Berlin Area Historical Society. Civil War Diaries of Capt. Albert Heffley and Lt. Cyrus P. Heffley. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 2000.
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| Aftermath of the Battle of Antietam |
The 142nd was assigned to one of the tent hospitals, named Camp A. On October 2nd, Capt. Albert Heffley wrote: "This morn they gave our camp a name. They concluded to call it Camp Allen...To day about 300 wounded arrived, amongst which are some 10 or 12 Rebel prisoners, and 3 or 4 of them are very intelligent, & about as fine a looking set of people as I almost ever saw."
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| William Notson |
The 142nd's duties during this time consisted of cooking, nursing, and policing. William Notson was the Surgeon in Charge of Camp A. He did not have kind words for the new recruits of the 142nd, stating that "To a perfect laxity of discipline upon the part of their officers may be added the natural inefficiency of the recruit."
The regiment spent only a couple weeks in Frederick caring for the wounded. Soon they would march off the Antietam and Harper's Ferry to join the rest of the Army of the Potomac that was massing for another drive into Virginia.
Works Cited:
Reimer, Terry. One Vast Hospital: The Civil War Hospital Sites in Frederick, Maryland After Antietam. National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 2001. pp. 94-98.
Croner, Barbara M. A Sergeant's Story - Civil War Diary of Jacob J. Zorn 1862-1865. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1999.
Berlin Area Historical Society. Civil War Diaries of Capt. Albert Heffley and Lt. Cyrus P. Heffley. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 2000.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Pvt. Jesse H. Critchfield, Co. F
Today we meet Jesse Critchfield, a man born and raised in Somerset County, PA. He was born in that rural, hilly country on July 2, 1841 to William and Susannah Critchfield. Jesse grew up on the family farm, and married Rebecca Gessner of Berlin, Somerset County, PA on Dec. 3, 1861.
Less than two years later, on August 21, 1862, Jesse enlisted in Co. F, 142nd PA Infantry and was mustered into service four days later. Pvt. Critchfield (often misspelled "Scritchfield" in regimental records) saw action in the battles of Fredericksburg, Wilderness, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Laurel Hill, where he was taken prisoner, according to the records kept by his 1st Sergeant, Jacob Zorn.
Jesse then spent eight months in Andersonville Prison in Georgia. According to his pension records, he made his way back to his regiment March 2, 1865, and mustered out with them in Washington, DC on May 29, 1865.
After the war, Jesse moved back home and was a schoolteacher in Somerset County until 1881, when he went into the mercantile business. A few years later, Jesse and Rebecca moved to Ellersie, Allegany County, MD where he taught school again, was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, became Assistant Postmaster, and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He and Rebecca also had 7 children.
In 1902, the 142nd PVI held their 40th reunion in Berlin, PA, and according to the Berlin Record, Jesse was one of the veterans in attendance. Below is a picture of some Co. F veterans from that reunion.
Jesse H. Critchfield passed away on March 13, 1917, and is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Cumberland, MD.
A very big THANK YOU is due to Pvt. Critchfield's great-great grandaugher, Michele Doyle, for sharing all her research into Jesse and his family. Check out her blog at http://michelefamilyresearch.blogspot.com/
Works Cited:
Croner, Barbara M. A Sergeant's Story - Civil War Diary of Jacob J. Zorn 1862-1865. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1999.
Doyle, Michele. "Jesse Critchfield Collection."
Less than two years later, on August 21, 1862, Jesse enlisted in Co. F, 142nd PA Infantry and was mustered into service four days later. Pvt. Critchfield (often misspelled "Scritchfield" in regimental records) saw action in the battles of Fredericksburg, Wilderness, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Laurel Hill, where he was taken prisoner, according to the records kept by his 1st Sergeant, Jacob Zorn.
Jesse then spent eight months in Andersonville Prison in Georgia. According to his pension records, he made his way back to his regiment March 2, 1865, and mustered out with them in Washington, DC on May 29, 1865.
After the war, Jesse moved back home and was a schoolteacher in Somerset County until 1881, when he went into the mercantile business. A few years later, Jesse and Rebecca moved to Ellersie, Allegany County, MD where he taught school again, was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, became Assistant Postmaster, and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He and Rebecca also had 7 children.
In 1902, the 142nd PVI held their 40th reunion in Berlin, PA, and according to the Berlin Record, Jesse was one of the veterans in attendance. Below is a picture of some Co. F veterans from that reunion.
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| Photo Credit: A Sergeant's Story |
Jesse H. Critchfield passed away on March 13, 1917, and is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Cumberland, MD.
A very big THANK YOU is due to Pvt. Critchfield's great-great grandaugher, Michele Doyle, for sharing all her research into Jesse and his family. Check out her blog at http://michelefamilyresearch.blogspot.com/
Works Cited:
Croner, Barbara M. A Sergeant's Story - Civil War Diary of Jacob J. Zorn 1862-1865. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1999.
Doyle, Michele. "Jesse Critchfield Collection."
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Lt. John W. Dissinger, Co. K
Today's post is about an officer in Luzerne County's Co. K, John Weitzel Dissinger. John enlisted as a Private on Sept. 2, 1862 and moved quickly through the ranks, making Captain on Sept. 21, 1864. According to his obituary from the Dec. 4, 1919 edition of the Lebanon Daily News, John earned the rank of Captain before he was mustered out on May 29, 1865, but the regimental records do not show this.
His obituary also lists a litany of wounds that Lt. Dissinger received while serving the Union.
"He was wounded at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862, by a shell fragment in the left knee. Later, in the Wilderness, on May 5, 1864, he was gun shot in both shoulders. At Spotsylvania Court House, on the night of May 9, 1864, he was again gun shot in the right shoulder."
After the war, John moved to Lebanon County, PA and lived in Lebanon, where he became a carpenter and an active member in the Hebron United Brethern Church. He and his wife, Louisa, had five children. At the time of his death, John also had 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
John Dissinger passed away on Dec. 2, 1919 at home in Lebanon, PA and is buried there beside his wife in Kimmerlings Cemetery.
His obituary also lists a litany of wounds that Lt. Dissinger received while serving the Union.
"He was wounded at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862, by a shell fragment in the left knee. Later, in the Wilderness, on May 5, 1864, he was gun shot in both shoulders. At Spotsylvania Court House, on the night of May 9, 1864, he was again gun shot in the right shoulder."
After the war, John moved to Lebanon County, PA and lived in Lebanon, where he became a carpenter and an active member in the Hebron United Brethern Church. He and his wife, Louisa, had five children. At the time of his death, John also had 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
John Dissinger passed away on Dec. 2, 1919 at home in Lebanon, PA and is buried there beside his wife in Kimmerlings Cemetery.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Fort Stevens, Washington, D.C.
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| Photo Credit: Library of Congress |
The regiment was sent to this location, along what was then 7th Street Pike, to help secure the main artery into the city from the North. Their time here did not consist of much drilling. Mostly, they dug rifle pits and cleared trees.
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| Lt. Col. Alfred B. McCalmont Photo Credit: Dickinson College |
In a letter to his brother John, dated Sept. 9, 1862, Lt. Col. Alfred McCalmont wrote, "Our men are all detailed to cut down the woods in front of the fort, and to work on the fortifications."
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| Capt. Albert Heffley Photo Credit: Berlin, PA Historical Society |
Capt. Albert Heffley of Co. F records the same in his diary: "After breakfast I detailed 50 men from the company to chop trees down about a mile from the Fort, so as to prevent the enemy from planting batteries. I had a great time with the boys. About one half worked exceedingly well, while the other half scarcely earned their salt."
It's difficult to imagine the need for cutting down trees around Fort Stevens if you see its 21st Century location. Due to years of urban sprawl, Ft. Stevens is now located in the middle of Washington, DC, completely encroached by development on all sides. In fact, the Civil War Trust, the nation's leader in battlefield preservation, named Fort Stevens as among the most endangered Civil War battlefields in 2010.
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| Photo Credit: Civil War Trust |
After a few weeks in the Nation's Capital, the 142nd left Ft. Stevens and moved to Maryland to help with the sick and wounded from the battles of Antietam and South Mountain.
Two years later, Fort Stevens would gain fame as being the only location where a sitting President of the United States ever came under direct enemy fire. In July 1864, Confederate General Jubal Early moved northward through Virginia and Maryland, and on July 11 arrived near Silver Spring, MD, just outside of Washington. He sent out skirmishers to test the city's surrounding fortifications. On July 12, President and Mrs. Lincoln came to Fort Stevens to see the action for themselves. After Confederate snipers took a few shots in his direction, the President quickly left for a safer venue.
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| Photo Credit: Wikipedia |
Works Cited:
United States Departmentt of the Interior brochure. http://www.civilwartraveler.com/maps/nps/CWDW-Interpretive-Brochure-2010.pdf
National Park Service Battle Summaries. http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/dc001.htm
Civil War Trust. http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/fort-stevens.html
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
150th Anniversary of the 142nd PA Volunteer Infantry
This week marks the sesquicentennial of the formation of 142nd PA Volunteers.
During the summer of 1862, Union victory in the War Between the States was anything but assured. In fact, until this point it was the Confederate forces who were racking up victory after victory on the battlefield. Federal losses during the Peninsular Campaign in Eastern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley in West-Central Virginia, and New Orleans and Shiloh in the Western Theater shed a dark shadow across the White House and the Governor's mansions of the Northern states during that spring and summer.
In response to the military losses suffered by the Federal Army, the Commander in Chief, Abraham Lincoln, made a call for 150,000 additional troops.
The capture of New Orleans, Norfolk, and Corinth by the national forces has enabled the insurgents to concentrate a large force at and about Richmond, which place we must take with the least possible delay; in fact, there will soon be no formidable insurgent force except at Richmond. With so large an army there, the enemy can threaten us on the Potomac and elsewhere. Until we have reestablished the national authority, all these places must be held, and we must keep a respectable force in front of Washington. But this, from the diminished strength of our Army, by sickness and casualties, renders an addition to it necessary in order to close the struggle which has been prosecuted for the last three months with energy and success. Rather than hazard the misapprehension of our military condition and of groundless alarm by a call for troops by proclamation, I have deemed it best to address you in this form. To accomplish the object stated we require without delay 150,000 men, including those recently called for by the Secretary of War. Thus reenforced our gallant Army will be enabled to realize the hopes and expectations of the Government and the people.
The 142nd PA was among the hundreds of new regiments that formed across the Union in the summer of 1862 at the urging of the President.
The next day's entry is no better: "Gov. CURTIN passed through Camp today and plenty of women visiting. but most of them are in my opinion doubtful characters" (sic)
Capt. Albert Heffley only briefly mentions Camp Curtin in passing, after the regiment has already been moved to Washington, DC. "Camp Curtin is a very dirty place. The boys did not like it there a bit."
Though they might not have enjoyed their time at Camp Curtin, it was the launching pad for the 142nd PVI. It is where they came together, elected officers, and received their gear to get them through the next four years of bloody and dirty conflict. This would be the most peaceful time of their military service. In only a few shorts months, bullets and cannonballs would do what they do in all wars: steal young men from their friends and family far too early.
Berlin Area (PA) Historical Society. Civil War Diaries of Capt. Albert Heffley and Lt. Cyrus P. Heffley. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 2000.
Camp Curtin Historical Society and Civil War Roundtable. History of Camp Curtin.
http://www.campcurtin.org/id5.html
Croner, Barbara M. A Sergeant's Story - Civil War Diary of Jacob J. Zorn 1862-1865. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1999.
During the summer of 1862, Union victory in the War Between the States was anything but assured. In fact, until this point it was the Confederate forces who were racking up victory after victory on the battlefield. Federal losses during the Peninsular Campaign in Eastern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley in West-Central Virginia, and New Orleans and Shiloh in the Western Theater shed a dark shadow across the White House and the Governor's mansions of the Northern states during that spring and summer.
In response to the military losses suffered by the Federal Army, the Commander in Chief, Abraham Lincoln, made a call for 150,000 additional troops.
To the Governors of the several States:
The capture of New Orleans, Norfolk, and Corinth by the national forces has enabled the insurgents to concentrate a large force at and about Richmond, which place we must take with the least possible delay; in fact, there will soon be no formidable insurgent force except at Richmond. With so large an army there, the enemy can threaten us on the Potomac and elsewhere. Until we have reestablished the national authority, all these places must be held, and we must keep a respectable force in front of Washington. But this, from the diminished strength of our Army, by sickness and casualties, renders an addition to it necessary in order to close the struggle which has been prosecuted for the last three months with energy and success. Rather than hazard the misapprehension of our military condition and of groundless alarm by a call for troops by proclamation, I have deemed it best to address you in this form. To accomplish the object stated we require without delay 150,000 men, including those recently called for by the Secretary of War. Thus reenforced our gallant Army will be enabled to realize the hopes and expectations of the Government and the people.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The next day's entry is no better: "Gov. CURTIN passed through Camp today and plenty of women visiting. but most of them are in my opinion doubtful characters" (sic)
Capt. Albert Heffley only briefly mentions Camp Curtin in passing, after the regiment has already been moved to Washington, DC. "Camp Curtin is a very dirty place. The boys did not like it there a bit."
Works Cited:
Camp Curtin Historical Society and Civil War Roundtable. History of Camp Curtin.
http://www.campcurtin.org/id5.html
Croner, Barbara M. A Sergeant's Story - Civil War Diary of Jacob J. Zorn 1862-1865. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1999.
"Curtin, Andrew Gregg." Online by Tara L. Belcher and Lindley Homol, Pennsylvania Center for the Book. http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Curtin__Andrew_Gregg.html
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Pvt. Andrew Jackson Rose
Andrew "Jackson" Rose was born in 1838 to Silvester and Sophia (Smith) Rose. In 1858, at the age of twenty, Jackson married Susanna Minerd at the Bethel Methodist Church above Paddytown in Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, Somerset County, PA, by Rev. Benjamin Price. The couple would go on to have seven children.
In August of 1862, Jackson joined his brother-in-law Martin Miner and cousin-in-law Ephraim Miner in the 142nd, and enlisted in Co. C.
The 142nd saw significant action on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. Pvt. Rose was among the Union soldiers wounded and taken prisoner from the battlefield. Jackson's right arm was amputated below the elbow due to the seriousness of his gunshot wound there. Pvt. Rose would later be exchanged and spend time in an Army hospital in Philadelphia before he went home.
A year after he returned to his home in Kingwood, Somerset County, Jackson, Susanna, and family moved to Fayette County, PA, where he worked as a farmer and a lay preacher, among other jobs.
Andrew Jackson Rose passed away on Apr 4, 1897 after suffering from lung and heart problems. Visiting at his deathbed was his brother-in-law and Co. C comrade Martin Miner. Pvt. Rose is buried in Normalville Cemetery, Fayette County, PA.
All pictures and info courtesy of Mark Miner. A much more robust biography of Pvt. Rose and his wife, Susanna can be found at Mark's extensive family website, minerd.com
In August of 1862, Jackson joined his brother-in-law Martin Miner and cousin-in-law Ephraim Miner in the 142nd, and enlisted in Co. C.
The 142nd saw significant action on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. Pvt. Rose was among the Union soldiers wounded and taken prisoner from the battlefield. Jackson's right arm was amputated below the elbow due to the seriousness of his gunshot wound there. Pvt. Rose would later be exchanged and spend time in an Army hospital in Philadelphia before he went home.
A year after he returned to his home in Kingwood, Somerset County, Jackson, Susanna, and family moved to Fayette County, PA, where he worked as a farmer and a lay preacher, among other jobs.
Andrew Jackson Rose passed away on Apr 4, 1897 after suffering from lung and heart problems. Visiting at his deathbed was his brother-in-law and Co. C comrade Martin Miner. Pvt. Rose is buried in Normalville Cemetery, Fayette County, PA.
All pictures and info courtesy of Mark Miner. A much more robust biography of Pvt. Rose and his wife, Susanna can be found at Mark's extensive family website, minerd.com
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Pvt. Lloyd Johnston, Co. H
Lloyd Johnston was born on his family farm near Vanderbilt, Fayette County, PA on Jan 31, 1838 to Anthony and Sarah (Argo) Johnston.
Lloyd was married to Catherine Cunningham in 1859, and the 1860 Federal Census lists his occupation as "Sugar Maker". Lloyd joined Co. H 142nd PVI later than many of his comrades. He mustered in in March of 1864 and was discharged in February of 1865.
After his discharge, Lloyd moved back home, where his wife passed away in 1874. Lloyd was remarried to Kate (Edna) Johnston sometime before 1880, as she is listed as his wife in the 1880 Federal Census.
Lloyd was involved in several occupations, but they all seemed to center around finance. A Fayette County history refers to a firm known as "Johnston and Norris," and there is also a reference to Lloyd Johnston, "a retired capitalist", and he was a director of the New Haven National Bank.
Lloyd Johnston passed away on Jan. 7, 1920 in Connellsville, PA and is buried in that city in Hill Grove Cemetery.
A big THANK YOU to Bruce Smith, Pvt Johnston's GG-Grandson,, for providing the picture and information on his Civil War ancestor.
Lloyd was married to Catherine Cunningham in 1859, and the 1860 Federal Census lists his occupation as "Sugar Maker". Lloyd joined Co. H 142nd PVI later than many of his comrades. He mustered in in March of 1864 and was discharged in February of 1865.
After his discharge, Lloyd moved back home, where his wife passed away in 1874. Lloyd was remarried to Kate (Edna) Johnston sometime before 1880, as she is listed as his wife in the 1880 Federal Census.
Lloyd was involved in several occupations, but they all seemed to center around finance. A Fayette County history refers to a firm known as "Johnston and Norris," and there is also a reference to Lloyd Johnston, "a retired capitalist", and he was a director of the New Haven National Bank.
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| Picture of Lloyd Johnston, a daughter, granddaughter, and great-grandson from 1915 |
Pvt. Daniel Heckman, Co. F
Daniel Heckman was born on April 10, 1843 in Somerset County, PA to John and Sarah (Sarver) Heckman. According the 1860 Federal Census of Alleghany Township, Daniel was a farm laborer on his family's farm and was the oldest of ten children.
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Like many of his comrades in Company F, Daniel enlisted on August 21 and was mustered into the Army on August 25, 1862. During the regiment's first combat action at Fredericksburg, VA, Pvt. Heckman was shot in his torso. The bullet went through his left lung and exited his body on his right side. The next several months were spent at Finley Hospital in Washington, DC. He was discharged from the service on a Surgeon's Certificate on March 9, 1863.
In 1865, Daniel moved to Dixon, IL, where he lived until his death on March 9, 1904. He is buried beside his wife, Mary Ann (Kelley) Heckman in Mt. Union Cemetery, Dixon, IL.
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A very special THANK YOU to Chris Krug, Pvt Heckman's GGG-Grandson, for providing the details of Daniel's service and wounding.
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