|
1862
The regiment was organized in November 1861, by the choice of
the following field officers: William Frishmuth, Colonel; Lewis B.
Pierce, of Bradford couuty, Lieutenant Colonel; Jacob Kohler, of
Philadelphia Darius Titus, of Warren, and James A. Congdon, of
Harrisburg, Majors. On the 20th of April, 1862, and before leaving
camp for the field, Colonel Frishmuth resigned; where upon,
Lieutenant Colonel Pierce was made Colonel, Major Kohler, Lieutenant
Colonel, and Captain William Bell, of Juniata county, Major. Soon
afterwards, the regiment proceeded to Washington, where it received
arms, and remained in camp until the 20th of June, when it was
ordered to Manassas Junction, and was employed in guarding the
Orange and Alexandria Railroad. It was past the middle of July
before the command was mounted, and little progress had been made in
training and discipline, before active operations commenced. At
mid-day, of 26th of August, Colonel Pierce received a telegram from
General Sturgis, at Alexandria, acting under the direction of
General Pope, then in command of the Union army in northern
Virginia, directing him to proceed to White Plains! and ascertain
the strength and position of the enemy in that locality. Colonel
Pierce, who was in a feeble state of health, and in the absence of
Lieutenant Colonel Kohler, placed the regiment under command of
Major Titus. The regiment was scattered along the road, a distance
of twelve miles, on guard, and it was six o'clock before the forces
could be assembled, and in readiness to start. Darkness soon came
on, and being without reliable guides, and having a distance of
twenty miles to traverse, in an enemy's country, some difficulty was
experienced in keeping the direct route. Company G. was left at
Pope's Run, and a battery of two pieces, at Manassas. In the
neighborhood of Gainesville, a rebel picket was captared, who
disclosed the fact that half the rebel army was in its immediate
front, Jackson having turned the right of Pope's Army,his advance
guard having ulready reached Manassas Junction.Soon, firing heard at
Manassas and a great light, showed but too plainly that the enemy
was already in possession. Without stopping for rest, the column
retired towards Bristoe;but as it approached the town, found it
already in possession of Jackson,with his artillery and infantry in
commanding positions. To escape the enemy's clutches, seemed
impossible; but determined to cut his way through, or sell his
command at severe rebel cost, Major Titus turned toward Manassas.
Discovering his designs, the enemy opened with his artillery and
infantry, and closing in upon it, inflicted a loss of two hundred
and sixty, in killed, wounded, and prisoners-Major Titus being among
the latter. The command now devolved on Major Congdon, who ,withdrew
his shattered command to Centreville. He was immediately ordered to
retire to Alexandria, where he reported to General Mc'Clellan, in
person, giving the first reliable intelligence of the presence of
Jackson, at Manassas. On the following day, the regiment was ordered
to cross the Potomac, and patrol and picket the north bank of the
river, from Chain Bridge, to Edwards' Ferry, in which duty it
continued until the enemy crossed above, to enter upon the Antietam
campaign. In the meantime, drill and discipline were studiously
prosecuted. Upon the advance of the Union army into Maryland, Major
Congdon joined the cavalry division under General Pleasanton and
took the advance. In the engagement at South Mountain the regiment
was assigned to duty with the corps of General Sumner, and was held
in reserve. On the evening previous to the battle of Antietam, two
squadrons, under command of Captain's Hartman and Linton, were
ordered to scour the country in the direction of Hagerstown. At a
point two miles beyond Boonsboro, a party of the enemy was met, and
some prisoners were taken. On the day of the battle, the regiment
was deployed in rear of the right and centre of the army, and was
active in bringing up stragglers, and in checking disorder. On the
day following the battle, the regiment was ordered to move by the
right of the rebel army, on a reconnoissance. Though suffering from
fatigue and privation, it moved without a murmur. At Harper's Ferry,
a few paroled prisoners were met, from Colonel Miles' command, and
the fact ascertained that the enemy was retreating. hastily
retracing his steps, major Congdon arrived at headquarters, at
eleven A.M., and reported the withdrawal to general Pleasanton, who
at once conveyed the intelligence to the commanding general.
On the 25th of September, the regiment was brigaded
with the First New York Cavalry, under command of Colonel Andrew T.
M'Reynolds, and assigned to duty on the line of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, with headquarters at Sir John's run and bath. It
participated in the raid made by General Elliott to Moorefield, in
which some prisoners were taken, and upon its return, joined the
Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, under Colonel Galligher, in an
expedition to Woodstock, encountering the enemy at Fisher's Hill,
and sustaining considerable loss. With the aid of a portion of the
Eighty-seventh infantry, the enemy was driven and the dead and
wounded in the encounter were brought off.
Information from [Samuel P.
Bates]
"History of Pennsylvania volunteers,
1861-1865"]
TOP
|
|
Dan's Web Templates