CHAPTER VII
MILITARY HISTORY
POTTER COUNTY IN THE CIVIL WAR- ENLISTMENT OF VOLUNTEERS- RELIEF COMMITTEES, ETC.- FORTY- SIXTH, P.V.I.- FIFTY- THIRD, P.V.I.- FIFTY- EIGHTH, P.V.I.- ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY- NINTH, P.V.I.- TWO HUNDRED AND TENTH, P.V.I.- NEW YORK STATE REGIMENTS- LISTS OF ALL SOLDIERS WHO ENTERED THE SERVICE FROM POTTER COUNTY- THE BATTLES IN WHICH THEY WERE ENGAGED, ETC.- MISCELLANEOUS.
IN April, 1861, Thomas L. Kane came to Coudersport to recruit, accompanied by Dr. Freeman, of Smethport, and F.B. Hackett. The meeting, held at the court- house, was addressed by Gen. Kane and the popular leaders of Potter county. In response to their appeals, several men (eighteen) enlisted, among whom were Sherman Baker, Perry Brigham and Erastus Lewis, who elected A.E. Graves captain. The little command moved to Harrisburg, where, on account of delays in organization, the Potter county men scattered, some enlisted in New York regiments, others returned home, and some enlisted in Pennsylvania commands or waited to enter the original Bucktails. In April, 1861, the commissioners appropriated $1,000 to aid families of volunteers. In September the commissioners and associate judges formed a board of relief. On August 9, 1862, a loan of $5,000 was authorized- the money to be expended in relieving soldiers. John S. Mann was appointed to receive this loan from Isaac Benson, and distribute it among volunteers actually mustered in at the rate of $50 each. In February, 1864, the commissioners agreed to give a bounty of $300 to each volunteer required to fill the county’s quota. Under this last resolution 293 men enlisted who received $87,300 from the county between March 7, 1864, and July 15, 1868, the bounty being payable in three yearly installments of $100 each.
FORTY- SIXTH REGIMENT, P.V.I.
The 46th Regiment, P.V.I., dates its beginning to April, 1861, when five companies responded to the governor’s call for troops to defend the Capital. The Logan Guards of Mifflin county was the leading company of the old three months’ regiment, and, when reorganized for three years, that company entered as Company A. The regiment assembled at Camp Curtin September 1, 1861, when Joseph F. Knipe was elected colonel; James L. Selfridge, (captain of the Northumberland Guards or Company C in the three months’ regiment), lieutenant- colonel, and Arnold C. Lewis, major. Maj. Lewis, while engaged in carrying out discipline, was shot and killed, September 22, 1861, by a soldier, when Capt. J.A. Matthews was promoted major. John Laneham, the soldier mentioned, was court- martialed and executed December 23, 1861. The command joined Banks’ Army of the Shenandoah in September, being assigned to the Second Division of Crawford’s First Brigade, under Gen. Williams. In January the regiment moved with the brigade to support Gen. Shields in his pursuit of Stonewall Jackson; and when the pursued turned on the pursuer at Kernstown, three companies of the Forty- sixth, under Matthews, were present and contributed to the defeat of Stonewall, who, however, won the day at Cedar Mountain, where the Forty- sixth lost heavily, Lieuts. Robert Wilson, S.H. Jones and W.P. Caldwell being killed; Col. Knipe, Maj. Matthews, Capts. Lukenbaugh, Brooks and Foulke, and Lieuts. Matthews, Craig, Caldwell and Selheimer being wounded. September 17 this regiment lost Capt. G.A. Brooks and five others, killed. Soon after Col. Knipe was promoted brigadier- general; Lieut.- Col. Selfridge, colonel of the Forty- sixth, (Maj. Matthews being commissioned colonel of the One Hundred and Twenty- eighth); Capt. W.L. Foulke, lieutenant-colonel and Capt. Cyrus Strouse, major. At Chancellorsville, Strouse and Lieut. O.R. Priestly were killed with two others of the command. At Gettysburg the regiment suffered lightly and afterward, to the close of the year, was fortunate in the success of service and lightness of casualty list. At Resaca, in May, 1864, the regiment lost only three killed and five wounded, Lieut. Knipe, of Company I, being among the killed, while the affairs around Dallas and Kenesaw Mountain caused a loss of fourteen killed, including Capt. D.H. Cheeseboro and Lieut. J.W. Phillips. July 20, 1864, the regiment lost ten killed and twenty- two wounded, Capt. S.T. Kettrer, of Company E, Lieuts. Sam Wolf, D.C. Selheimer, H.J.Davis and L.R. Whitman being among the killed, also Sergt. C.C. Cavanaugh, of Company G. On Hood renewing the attack, the command lost six men, killed. On the surrender of Atlanta, September 1, 1864, the regiment’s fighting days ended, leaving it the glory of sharing in the closing battles of the war under Sherman. When Johnson surrendered, April 26, 1865, the regiment returned, being mustered out at Alexandria, Va., July 16, 1865. Potter county was represented in this command by Company G and Company H. The following tells the story of Company G: Capt. James H. Graves mustered in September 13, 1861, resigned October 5, 1862. November 1, D.H. Cheeseboro was appointed, and served until killed at Dallas, Ga., May 25, 1864. W.L. Shattuck was commissioned captain July 27, 1864 (having been a prisoner from August 9 to September 18, 1862, the position of second lieutenant awaiting his return), and served until muster out in 1865. Lieut. Truman Bacon resigned September 11, 1862; Lieut. James M. Miller died at Harrisburg June 18, 1863; Horace C. Jones, of Company C, was promoted to second lieutenant, in March, 1862, and to first in September, 1863, resigning in 1864; James H. Cole was commissioned May 22, 1865, and was mustered out in July with rank; M.M. Rathbone, the original second lieutenant, was discharged Feb. 15, 1862.
Sergt. Consider E. Lovell was mustered out as second lieutenant in 1865, while Sergt. Jerome B. Stewart was discharged, on surgeon’s certificate, in December, 1862. Sergts. James I. Lockwood, William B. Clark, George S. Kennedy and L. Brizzee served until July, 1865; John C. Wilkinson was discharged in 1862; Charles A. Estes mustered out September 18, 1864; Hosea B. Harris died from wounds received near Atlanta, Ga., and C.C. Cavanaugh was killed there. Corps. E.A. Richmond, Wells Kenyon, George Markham, James P. McKee, O. M. Cavanaugh, F. W. Lovell, G. N. Manning and Eli G. Lovell served until muster out; H.H. Cheeseboro, and James Kenyon were mustered out under general order June 8, 1865; Noyes Snyder was discharged for wounds, April 26, 1862; Geo. W. Pearsall, was mustered out in September, 1864; Josiah T. Rathbone was discharged for disability in February, 1863, and Wm. J. Brown in June, 1862; Geo. H. Barnes was killed in the railroad accident of December 11, 1863; Samuel C. Grace, died April 11, 1865, and Thomas Kenyon left the service January 19, 1863. The musicians were Geo. Washington, discharged for disability February 4, 1863, and Lester Stone for the same cause. Jay cheeseboro and James Livermore were discharged June 15, 1865. The private troops, who died on the field or from wounds, etc., are named as follows: Collins S. Brigham, Nathaniel Bradley, Bosswell Burton, John W. Clark, Richard J. Everett, Walter Manor, Daniel S. Garnett, John W. Green, Wm. Wilcox, Wm. J. Brizzee, Enos Munson, John Hay, John Harris, James Hoyle, Geo. and Jacob Romigh, James Mulholland, David Marsh, Asa Shaber, Gilbert Kenyon, Orson Kenyon, John Phillips, Wm. Bobbins, Martin V. Ryan, Jeremiah Springer, Joel Terwilliger, and Fred Walters, nearly all of whom died from the effects of wounds received in action. Henry Cummings was killed July 20, 1864; Patrick McDermott, August 9, 1862; Newton Nelson, July 20, 1864; Isaac E. Seely, April 26, 1862; James H. Snath, July 20, 1864; Harvey J. Warner, at Winchester, Va., May 25, 1862, and Charles Walshe, at Cedar Mountain, August 9, 1862.
There were discharged on account of wounds, Noah G. Armstrong, wounded at Antietam, Henry Kinsey, Robert F. Harris, Albert Evans, Wm. A. lodge, Lafayette Johnson, Volney P. Sackett, H.M. Signor and Henry Terwilliger, and on account of disability on surgeons’ certificates: Silas Andrews, Peter Beatman, Simon Bryan, Ed. Bradshaw, Leonard Briggs, Chauncey Bryan, Ed.
A. Cobb, C.A. Gilbert, Alva A. Goff, Ichabod Graham, O.C. Hopkins, John S. Healy, M.H. Ingraham, David Mascho, H.M. Munson, H.H. Nichols, Titus V. Nichols, F.S. Olney, Fergus O’Connor, M.R. Phillips, Joe Reinhart, A.W. Bobbins, John G. Staysa, Andrew J. Swift, W.A. Whittaker, Wm. J. Wallace and Wm. Hysong.
The men discharged under general order of June 15, 1865, and other orders were A.S. Freeman, Wm. Annis, Geo. W. Bradley, A.P. Burdick, Sol. I. Bartges, Geo. Boyle, Martin Black, A.A. Brooks, Ed. Brizzee, Eli Bailey, Hosea B. Brooks, Sam. Belcher, James A. Bosworth, John W. Crawford, Wm. Carnagey, Thomas Cotton (sick at muster out), W.W. Dwight, John Dennis, James Dickson, Leander Eastman, Wm. M. Earl, A. Evans, Lorenzo P. Estes, Ed. Gilbert, Abram Goodnoe, Ezra A. Graves, A.N. Higley, Sam. Hunter, A.P. Hill, Tom Jackson, P. Kuhns, N.W. King, VanRens, Kenyon, Wm. Keck, A.H. Lambert, Joe Lawton, James H. Leach, J. Longnecker, I. Lyman, J.E. Meanor, R.J.H. Mace, Jacob Morgan, Benj. Miller, L.B. Mygrautz, Anthony Myers, Sol. Noble, C.A. Palmatier, Dave Potts, I. Phillips, Reuben Plants, James M. Poe, Albert Reed, Geo. Reynolds, H.L. Raught, I.C. Staysa, Sam. Smith, Steve B. Sweet, Lorin Shepherd, S.C. Shepherd, C.A.W. Swift (V.R.C.), Abelina Crane (V.R.C.), Tom Thompson, Jacob Wyland, John Williams and John E. Young, while Joseph Young was under arrest at date of muster out.
The men who returned without orders are listed as follows: S.G. Andrews, F. Brizzee, Napoleon Brockway, Reuben Collar, Alex. Holliday, Wm. Kibbe, Eben. Miller, Elias Pennoyer, F.A. Smith, John H. Symonds, and Hiram F. Warner.
Company H of the Forty- sixth Regiment was recruited in Potter county, and mustered in September 13, 1861, with Wm. D. Widger, captain. On his resignation December 27, 1861, Nathaniel J. Mills was commissioned, and after his discharge in June, 1862, Alex. W. Selfridge (transferred from the Twenty- eighth Regiment as second lieutenant in February 1862) was commissioned captain December 21, 1862, brevetted major in March, 1865, and mustered out with company July 16, 1865. L. Hinninghauser, the original lieutenant, resigned in August, 1862; Thomas B. Gorman, sergeant, was first lieutenant in February, 1862, and discharged in March that year; Orlando J. Bees was promoted second lieutenant, then first lieutenant in February1863, and discharged in August, 1864, while absent in hospital; Norman M. Vance rose gradually,
being appointed first lieutenant December, 18, 1864, and served to the close; Geo. W. White, a second lieutenant, was discharged in February, 1862; in June, 1862, Merrick Jackson was promoted second lieutenant, but dismissed in May, 1864; Charles N. Barrett entered the company as corporal, was promoted to first sergeant, then reduced, wounded near Cassville, Ga., and re- promoted to second lieutenant, and served until July 16, 1865; Sergt. Joseph H. Austin died at Hancock, Md., in February, 1862; Bonneville Schlegel, a sergeant, was mustered out in 1865, also Daniel P. Tompkins, Wm. F. Green, Charles Riant and Elno E. Burdick; Sergts. C. Darling and A. Reed were discharged for disability; Elisha S. Horton was discharged by special order, in January, 1865, L.E. Sinsabaugh, in 1864, and Daniel H. Judd, in 1862; Corps. James Quigley, W. Hollenbeck, John W. Axx, W.A. Butler, Oliver J. Parker, H.J. Epler, Allen Jordan, John G. Hollenbeck, John S. King, Michael Dunn (wounded May 26, 1864, at Pumpkin Vine) and Amos R. Stillman were discharged in July, 1865; Geo. W.M. Heister, in 1862; Henry Rogers, C.H. Rusher (wounded) and Ben. F. Bishop, in 1863; Steve Darling, transferred to V.R.C., in 1863; Seth McMullin, killed at Winchester in May, 1862; Philo S. Baker, died at Atlanta, October 21, 1864; Geo. A. Post, wounded at Peach Tree Creek, died July 29, 1864; Ransom R. Higley, died at Alexandria, Va., February 27, 1864, while John W. Crosby was not enrolled. The musicians, Michael H. Mengis and Milton Patterson, were mustered out July 16, 1865, and A.G. Leonard was discharged for disability in 1862.
The private troops killed in battle were D.B. Baker, J.P. Deremer and Lewis H. Yeomans, at Cedar Mountain August .9, 1862; Mahlon Deremer, at Kenesaw Mountain, June 16,1864; Nicholas Palmatier, at Chancellorsville, May 2 1863; Horace R. Pratt, at Pine Knob, Ga., June 15, 1864; William Ross, near Dallas, Ga., May 25; Sylvester Morrison, at Resaca, Ga., May 15; Hezekiah J. Wright, at Peach Tree Creek, Ga., July 20, 1864; and Robert M. Crawford, near Fayetteville, Tenn., December 21, 1863.
The deaths from wounds, etc., recorded during the war are as follows: Marcus A. Bliss, at Decherd, Tenn., October 18, 1863; G.W. Barr, at Hancock, Md., February 27, 1862; Niles K. Bessy, at Atlanta, Ga., October 26, 1864; George N. Cooper, May 28, 1864, at Chattanooga; Dan. Clark, wounded at Cedar Mountain, died August 20, 1862; Henry W. Con, at Resaca, May 18, 1864; John Dingman, at Nashville, Tenn., June 25, 1864; G.S. Keighlinger, at Chattanooga, August 8, 1864; Chester Miles, July 15, 1864, Ben. F. McCoy, at Alexandria, Va., September 23, 1863; John P. McCahan (wounded at Peach Tree Creek), July 20, 1864; Sam Patterson, at Atlanta, September 26, 1864; Cassius M. Strong, died at Indianapolis, April 9, 1864; Henry Sear, died at Chattanooga; Andrew J. Ward, at Hancock, Md., January 28, 1862; John Peet, at Muddy Branch, Md., December 21, 1861; Adam Stellar, March 15, 1865.
The private troops discharged in 1865 were Robert Allen, John Adams, L.S. Baker, I.B. Baker, Joe Butler, George Burdick, Ransom Beardsley, H.H. Cronk, Eben Cain, William F. Card, George Clinton, J.C. Dickson, William Dingman, Anderson Dye, Isaiah Eddy, A.H. Farrand, Charles Gray, James Green, John Gibson, John Homer, William M. Holmes, W.H. Harrison, John Havlin, Edward E. Kelly, George W. Kenyon, C.H. Lilley, John Luce, R.E. Munnell, J.D. Marshall, William Muer, wounded; Nei Marshall, Phillip Mead, J.C. Mushall, H.L. McCandless, C.S. Nelson, John Nesbitt, A.H. Ostrander, E.D. Ostrander, John Oliver, Sid. L. Parker, R.N. Preston, wounded; A.P. Pickering and William. L. Peoples, sick at muster out; Orson Rossman, Amos Rouse, Josiah A. Rumsey, F.A. Sheldon, Birney Stillman, Eph. Schlesser, Andrew Stanley, Wash Snodgrass, T.M. Sinsabaugh, A.C. Scoville, Dave Smith, Joe Tuttle, J.B. Vanmater, Jacob Vanmater, C. Warren, J.H. Wolf, A.H. Warren and G.S. Youngglove. Among other members were Phil. L. Jones, wounded December 18, 1864, in hospital in 1865; William James, missing after the affair at Middletown, Va.; John Luce, sick at the time; William Muer, absent on account of wounds; Thomas J. Mills, H.F. Stoner, Clark A. Lamont, David B. Lawrie, James I. Ryan in 1864, on expiration of service term; Lerger Smith, sick at this time; William Smith; Anson J. Cone, not mustered into the United States service; Charles Ayers and R.M. Anson discharged for disability in 1862; John Adams, in 1865; Sylvester Belden, Orrin Courtwright, D. Courtwright, E.R. Dimmick, Henry.Feasten, Stephen B. Green, C.H. Wykoff, William Wirt, Charles Swank, Reuben M. Post, James J. Palmeter and Luther P. Quick, for disability, in 1862, and D.F. Ritchey, in 1864. Emanuel Stukey left the 46th and joined an Indiana regiment, and served to the close of the war. John W. Crosby enlisted for service in the 46th, but was transferred at once to a regiment of N.Y.H.A.
FIFTY- THIRD REGIMENT, P.V.I.
The 53d Regiment, of which Company & was recruited in Potter county, was formed in September and October, 1861, and organized at Camp Curtin, with John R. Brooke, colonel. November 7, 1861, the command moved to Washington; March 12, 1862, it was at Manassas Junction, and April 3, it was transferred to McClellan’s army, participated in the siege of Yorktown, in the affair at Fair Oaks, June 1, where Maj. Yeager was killed, and where ninety- six men were lost in killed, wounded and missing. At Gaines’ Mills on the 27th, Peach Orchard on the 29th, at Savage Station and White Oak Creek, all in June, 1862, the 53d maintained the honor of Pennsylvania. July 1 the command was at Malvern Hill, and on the last day of that month at Centreville, protecting the exposed flanks of the retreating Union army, barely escaping capture at Chain Bridge. It was held in reserve during the battle of South Mountain, but on September 17, shared as leader in the fight at Antietam Creek, losing twenty- eight men in killed and wounded. On December 11 the regiment was before Fredericksburg, crossed the river on the 12th, marched into the city on the 13th, and made that terrible charge, losing 158 men, Lieuts. McKernan, Cross and Kerr being among the killed. Returning to Falmouth, the command remained there until February 1, 1863, when three companies were assigned to participate in the Wilderness campaign. After the affair at Chancellorsville we find the command at Falmouth. On July 2 it arrived at Gettysburg, where six were killed, sixty- seven wounded and six missing in the terrible fights of that and the succeeding day. At Mine Run, in the fall of 1863, at Rappahannock and on other fields, it closed the year’s work, and was furloughed. In May, 1864, the 53d re- entered the field at Chancellorsville; was in active service to the close of the year, and in April, 1865, was in front at the surrender of the Confederacy; in May participated in the great review at Washington, and was mustered out June 30, 1865.
Company G of the 53d Regiment was raised in Potter county, under Arch. F. Jones, commissioned captain, October 29, 1861. On his discharge, July 24, 1864, Jason W. Stevens took command, and served until muster out, June 30, 1865. Reuben Z. Roberts, the first lieutenant, was discharged June 12, 1864, and W.W.Brown commissioned, who served until January, 1865. Benjamin J. Cushing succeeded, serving until April, and in May, George W. Stevens was promoted, who was mustered out with company, June 30, 1865. Matt. O. Crosby, the first second lieutenant, died January 10, 1862; Harry Baker, his successor, resigned in 1863, when Arthur B. Mann was promoted from the ranks, and served until August 3, 1864. Asa Toombs, the first sergeant, served until muster out, and John A. Wykoff was discharged for disability May 1, 1864. The sergeants were George Musto, John A. Fleck and Albert C. Evans, mustered out in June, 1865; G.W. Butterworth, promoted to sergeant-major in June, 1865; Martin Weimer, killed at Cold Harbor; Charles H. Barr, wounded at Spottsylvania; Lewis A. Wood, R.L. Burnside, A.W. Wright and Orange A. Lewis, not on the muster- out roll. The record of corporals gives the following facts: C.W. Gridley (wounded in March, 1865, discharged), George F. Cole, J.H; Foster, Daniel Eastwood, William Snyder, L.W. Tompkins, Lyman J. Jones, Edwin H. Bassett; George W. Davidson, L.W. Cushing, H. McKerg, C.H. Loucks, George H. Shutt and A.W. Joseph were mustered out in June, 1865, while Eason Hyde, S.P. Finch and S.F. Hamilton, with musicians O.B. Gould and F.M. Jenkins were not on the roll at the time of disbanding.
The private soldiers who fell on the field or died of wounds or disease are named in the following list: L. Armstrong, buried at Alexandria, March 25, 1864; James T. Blackman, killed at Wilderness; John T. Blackman, died April 30, 1864; Judson Brown, died in Andersonville, July 30, 1864, also Daniel P. Butler on same day; Ira Chandler was killed at Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864; Wilson Carson, killed in action, June 16, 1804; Al. M. Cheeseboro, killed at Gettysburg; Abel C. Card, died at Glendale, N.C.; Peter Davis, at Philadelphia, May 15, 1864; Simeon Ellis, in Andersonville, August 31, and Robert E. Foster, September 30, 1864; .W.S.C. Goodwin, killed on picket duty, October 16; William Haynes, at Spottsylvania, May 12; L.T. Hagadorn, died in Florence prison, October 29, and J.T. Douglass, September 15, 1864; Edward Houston, died June 8, 1865; George W. Haight, died at Alexandria, Va., December 15, 1863; Charles Johnson in Andersonville, September 2, 1864; Frank Kruk, Volney Mix, Samuel Stone, killed at Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864; Joe Khyle, killed at Gettysburg; Daniel Monroe, died May 3, 1864, buried at Washington, D.C.; Elijah McNamara died at Alexandria, December 11, 1863; William F. Stone, in Andersonville, July 12; George Vincent, killed in action, June 16; Henry Williams died June 16, at Arlington, Va., and Austin M. Weeks died in Andersonville, August 31, all in 1864; Alon J. Waggoner, killed in. action, March 24, 1865; O.I. Webb, died at Washington, D.C., January 14, 1863, and John H. Young, who died in Salisbury (N.C.) prison, February 2, 1865. There were twenty- seven drafted men accounted for at muster out, and seventeen substitutes. There were eleven of the men wounded in action named in the roll of June 30, 1865, while only three deserters are recorded.
FIFTY- EIGHTH REGIMENT, P.V.I.
The 58th Pennsylvania Infantry included Ira B. Carpenter, W. M. Hart, Jerome Harvey, Alf. Chestnut, in Company D; William Daniels, Ezra Daniels (who died at Fort Monroe), in Company H; J.Q. Merrick, Davis (of Pike township), James Booth, Jerry Coon, Hants Hansen, Ole Hansen, of Roulette, and others, such as Calvin Sheppard and Lieut. C.L. Tubbs. Z.B. Barnes, brother of Allen, who died in Andersonville, was also interred there, and has the last ration he drew in that terrible prison. It consists of a pint of corn and cob ground together, mixed with a little coarse salt. It is a grim relic of a grim fractricidal war.
ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY- NINTH REGIMENT, P.V.I.
The 149th Regiment (or New Bucktails) was organized to perpetuate the name and service of Lieut.- Col. Kane’s battalion of the 42d, who remained with McDowell in Virginia, and of Major Stone’s battalion, who served in the Peninsula, under McClellan. In July, 1862, the war department authorized Maj. Stone to raise a Bucktail brigade, and within twenty days twenty companies were organized and the 149th and 150th Regiments formed; but before the brigade strength was attained, the two regiments were ordered to Maryland to repel the Confederates- the 149th, under Col. Roy Stone, Lieut.- Col. Walton Dwight and Maj. George W. Speer. The companies were from Potter, Tioga, Lycoming, Clearfield, Clarion, Lebanon, Allegheny, Luzerne, Mifflin and Huntingdon, all wearing the terrible insignia of the old battalions. The regiment, with the 150th and 143d, formed the second brigade of the First Corps, and went into the Chancellorsville campaign in April, 1863, and the Gettysburg campaign in June of same year. On July 1, Lee’s advance appeared near the toll- gate on the Gettysburg and Chambersburg road, and was engaged with Buford’s cavalry. The Bucktails were four miles away, but were soon on the field, and without firing rushed from the second ridge beyond the Seminary, drove the enemy from the fence, and held the position throughout the day, although at noon the position was made the objective point for the enemy’s artillery; and later their advance toward it begun, and the new Bucktails began to show the rare stuff of which they were made, carrying all their points, but leaving two- thirds of their number dead or wounded on the field, every field officer (including Col. Stone), except one, being wounded. In retiring through the town from the barricade in rear of the Seminary, many were made prisoners, leaving the remnant of the 149th to reform with the brigade on Cemetery Hill. On the morning of July 2 the brigade assisted Hancock’s corps, and shortly afterward the 149th and 150th rescued two guns, and on the morning of the 3d looked on at the defeat of the Confederates, in the repulse of Pickett’s celebrated charge. On the 7th, the brigade moved forward with the army in pursuit of Lee (too late to effect immediate good), remembering that the 149th lost thirty- four killed, 171 wounded and 131 missing. During the fall and winter the command recruited, and in May, 1864, entered on the work of the Wilderness campaign, encountering the enemy on the log road May 5, and losing, heavily in the labyrinth. On the 6th the battle was renewed, when Division Gen. Wadsworth was killed, while at the front with the 149th, the regiment which later captured the hill at the forks of the Chancellorsville and Plank roads. In. the two days’ affair the command lost fifteen killed, ninety- nine wounded and ninety- two missing. On the 8th, the Laurel Hill battle opened, losing in the three days’ fight three killed and fifty- six wounded. On the 112th and 13th it sustained further losses in the terrible fight, and on the 21st joined in the advance of the army. At North Anna, on May 23, the regiment lost four killed, sixteen wounded, and ten prisoners, and on June 1, opened the affair at Bethesda Church, holding their well- won position until the 5th, with the loss of one killed, and eleven wounded. On the 18th, near Petersburg, one man was killed and twenty- two wounded, and from that day to August 18, when the command assisted in the assault, it was engaged in the siege of Petersburg, losing two killed, seven wounded and four missing in the assault. In the raid on the Weldon Railroad, December 7, one man was killed, eight wounded and three missing. After the three days’ affair near Dabney’s mill, the 149th and 150th of the brigade were detached from the army of the Potomac, moved to Elmira, N.Y., and guarded the prisoners’ camp there until muster out, June 24, 1865.
Company K, of the One Hundred and Forty- ninth, was raised in this district. Walton Dwight was captain until promoted lieutenant- colonel, August 29, 1862, when John C. Johnson, now representing Cameron county in the legislature, was promoted from first lieutenant. He was captured at Gettysburg on the first day of the battle, returned, and discharged May 15, 1865. Lieut. C.L. Hoyt, promoted from second lieutenant August 29, 1862, was discharged March 25, 1863; Lieut. Henry T. Reynolds, promoted May 1, 1863, was wounded at Gettysburg, and discharged in March, 1864; Charles F. Barclay, promoted second lieutenant in March, 1863, was captured at Gettysburg, returned, promoted lieutenant May 16, 1865, and mustered out in June; A.L. Hawley was sergeant when wounded at Gettysburg, promoted second lieutenant in April, 1864, and first lieutenant May 16, 1865, was mustered out in June; John V. Brown, sergeant when wounded at Petersburg, Va., was promoted second lieutenant in May, 1865, and mustered out.
Orrin Courtright, sergeant, prisoner from May, 1864, to February, 1865, was mustered out in June, while Sergt. John Bodler has the same record. Elisha Willoughby and Sylvester Cheeseboro, sergeants, were mustered out in June, 1865; Sergts. Robert H. Smith, N. Buck and P.L. Raymond were discharged for disability, and Joseph J. Carey, for wounds at Gettysburg, in 1863, and Leroy West, wounded at Spottsylvania, died at Washington May 27, 1864.
Corp. A.L. Rennells, wounded at Gettysburg, and again at Spottsylvania, was absent at muster- out, in June, 1865; Syl. Johnson and Lyman Merrill, wounded at North. Anna river; W.B. Yost, at Petersburg; A.D. Tillottson, Norman Chapman and Eph. E. Howe, at Gettysburg, were mustered out, also Seth S. Baker, William H. Hazen and Almeron Nelson; W.B. Lents, injured near Falmouth, Va., was transferred to V.R.C.; George E. Torey died at Washington in 1862; Isaac W. Rounds was killed at Gettysburg; L.P. Warriner died at Washington in 1863; Samuel R. Stilson, wounded at Gettysburg, died at Philadelphia, and Ben S. Higley was killed at the battle of the Wilderness.
The private troops killed were Austin J. Ayers, at Gettysburg, also Albert O. Card, David Dayton, and Washington Wilson. Frank L. Samber, Abram Courtright and James Delany were killed at the Wilderness. The private troops wounded are named as follows: Daniel Berchard, Jr., Abram Courtright (afterward killed), John Evlin, John Eastman, L.J. Carpenter, John J. Jones, Charles M. Phillips and Alonzo Shattuck, at Gettysburg; John M. Baxter, Albert Brown, Matt. Canning, Michael P. Parr, Joe Fessenden, William Goodman, Henry C. James, Isaac Dawley (terribly wounded and prisoner), Abram Lusk, Henry S. Miller and Sam. Ream, in the Wilderness battles; William H. Barkey, Ed. Taubert and John Weidt, at Spottsylvania; John E. Grandy, at Weldon Railroad, and Robert R. Kingsbury, at Laurel Hill. The private soldiers who died from, the effects of wounds, from prison life or other causes, were Jacob Carries, in Andersonville, September 19, 1864; Lewis J. Fisher, at Washington; William Marsh died in Andersonville September 20, 1864; William McKean died at Washington; M.V.B. Orwan, in Andersonville, September 20, 1864; Hosea Perrin, at Elmira, N.Y.; Henry Ream died in Andersonville August 21, 1864; John Stockton, at Culpeper, January 16, .1864; Daniel E. Smith, at Washington, October 22,1862; Arnold Shearer died in Andersonville August 12, 1864; Charles Wilson, at Washington, and John Haynes. The old soldiers of the company mustered out at the close of term, June 14, 1865 (except those’ named above), were Darius Ellsworth (promoted quartermaster), A.J. Heggie (promoted hospital steward), Partrick H. Bartron, S. Barley, J.V. Bowman, Sam. Bowman, David L. Campbell, Isaac Conrad, Adam Foust, Sam. S. Green, Lyman E. Heggie, Michael McCauley, Ben Norris, John Poff, William Reed, Charles L. Smith, G.R. Wilber, J.B. Carpenter, G.M. Estes, G.W. Ward, Jacob Wise, T.B. Webb and John V. Yeomans. There were fifty- one drafted men in this company, many of whom are named in the above lists of casualties, while the others were mustered out in June, 1865. Bassett Byron was discharged in 1863, also J.J. Carman, J. Cole, Hiram Cornell, Isaac Dawley and Asa Downs; Jossin Hoskin, in 1865; J.E. Harder, N.W. Herring, J.T. Harrison, C.T. Halleck, A. Knowlton, Joe Knapp, A. Montania (transferred to V.R.C.), W.L. Mayer (transferred to V.R.C.), F. Palmatier, I. Pearce, M.J. Quick, J. Roberts, M.W. Sackett, J.H. Stilson (transferred to V.R.C.), John Weimer. Among the unassigned men or recruits were seven substitutes, not one of whom was accounted for at muster- out; twenty- eight enlisted men were unaccounted for, and only the three drafted men were mustered out June 28, 1865.
TWO HUNDRED AND TENTH REGIMENT, P.V.I.
The 210th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry was raised in 1864 with A.T. Kinney, now sheriff of Branch county, Mich., commanding Company F. Among the Potter county men were Charles McKinster, killed at Five Forks, Va., John S. Pearsall, S.V. Warner, George Barnes, Julius Prindle, two or three of the Brizzee and three of the Estes families, also others whose names are not remembered by Capt. Kinney. G.F. Rowley was lieutenant in Company F, and Stephen Vanguilder, Willis Nichols, John Lockwood and James Bradley, privates, of the 210th, now members of the G.A.R. Post at Oswayo.
NEW YORK STATE REGIMENTS.
The 37th New York Infantry was organized in June, 1861, by Col. Maccon, in New York City. In Company H of this command were Jerome Watterman and James Barlow. The former was wounded severely at Fair Oaks, Va., in May, 1862, and again at Chancellorsville in 1863. Barlow died in 1863, near Richmond. Little is known of his death, beyond the fact that he was sent to hospital near Fair Oaks and was taken prisoner subsequently. Nothing was ever ascertained relating to him. Eugene Colegrove, of the 161st New York, and Washington Jennings, went from this township, and Andrew J. Barlow, of 2d New York Dragoons. The 189th New York Infantry claimed H.N. Stone, A.S. and M.R. Swetland, N.W. Hubbard, A.P. Erway, O.L. Stone, the two Snyders, William Statham and John Daniels.
Company D, 85th New York Infantry, was mustered in September 7, 1861, with A.A. Kinney, captain; William L. Starkweather and J.E. Terwilliger (who died of wounds and is buried at Sharon Centre), lieutenants; and E.M. Bedford, first sergeant. Among the private troops from Potter were *B.F. Jones, P.C. Maxon (now cashier of bank at New Richmond, Wis.), *Henry Pierce, **A. Chappel, **L.R. Preston, **H. Mead, **J.D. Burbank, **S. Press, **W.H. Brighton, **Joe Pierce, **P. Rockefellow, **M. Hopkins, **Richard Matteson, **D. Terwilliger, **A.W. Kinney, **Edmund Duel, **J.W. Vesper, **C.H. Johnson, **W. Peterson, *Elisha T. Blanchard, **L. Allen, **Ed. Griffith, **Frank Norwood, **A.C. Barnes, **E.C. Gilbert, **M.C. Whitney, **George White, **H. Pierce, **W.E. Bockefellow, **W. Hopkins, **K. Snyder, **B. Terwilliger, **E.D. Kellogg, **H. Hitchcock, **S. Blanchard, **F. Vanliew, **W. Wheeler, **William S. Moore, **M. Sherwood, **John Peckow, **Thomas Terwilliger, George H. Leach. The company was captured at Plymouth, N.C., April 16, 1864, interned in Andersonville, where nearly all died. Capt. Kinney resigned on account of disability, but held his rank, and was attached to Gen. Foster’s staff from November 27, 1862, to February, 1864, when he was sent on detached service to Roanoke, Va., shipping store, and thus escaped the Plymouth catastrophe. In June, that year, he was discharged after nearly three years service. The captain was the organizer of this company, beginning enlistment immediately after the first Bull Run, under commission of Gov. Morgan, of New York. Col. Davis, who organized the regiment, resided over the State line, and won to his standard many residents of northern Potter county. Zalmon Barnes, now residing near Honeoye, was in Company C, with S.J. White; Boyce Kinney served in the 2d Iowa Cavalry, died after the war; Alanson T. Kinney served two years in the 85th New York Infantry, and was commissioned captain of Company F, 210th P.V.I.
In the foregoing record the great majority of soldiers from this county find mention, others are named in the sketches of Grand Army Posts throughout the county, while other names of men who died on the field or after the war, not given previously, are perpetuated on the monolith at Coudersport: Charles Heffrecht, M. Fretzer, F. Schultheis, Jacob Braun and Dan Bolligh, of Abbot; D.H. Judd, A.I. Nelson, John Ross, J.J. Burd, Geo. Cole, Henry and George Byam, W. Rogers, Perry Brown, Wm.. James, A. Hatch, J.D. Burd, C. Bunnell, H. Smith and Darius Brown, of Allegheny; Allen Bennett, L.H. Merrick, W.N. Howe, G.M. Perry, John Graham, E. Kile, V.C. Merrick, Levi Hann, Abram Williams, C.C. Crum, Calvin Morris and W.W. Eddy, of Bingham; John Staysa, D.S. Morey, H. Smith, O.S. Chandler, Geo. Wakely and Uriah Robinson, of Clara; B.F. Stebbins and Asa Toombs, of Coudersport; Wm. McCarn, R.C. Cannon, Loren Haggedorn, Sam Schofield, Uriah Glace, Lorentus Cole and Frank Crook, of Eulalia; John Amedon, Denis Clancy, J.M. Barlow, Roger Rooney, Ira Downs, John V. Plants and Matthew Roach, of Genesee; John Blackman, Ransom Fessenden, C.H. Hydorn, G.W. and Lewis Higley, F. Davis, L.J. Clark, A.W. Estes, Burdsell Harris, Geo. W. Luce, Martin White, Edward Bickford, Almeron G. Burdick, M. Monroe, N. Campbell, H. Hollenbeck, Wm. VanWickle, John Phillips, S.B. Finch, E. Vanwegen and Henry Ingram, of Hebron; A. Leach, Thomas, John and Rook Wilkinson, Warren and Joshua Owen, J. Abbott, James Brooks, W.W. Little, Francis Surdam, H. Button, J. Persing, O. Sunderlin, S.L. Loucks, Samuel Rogers, A. Martin and Sylvester Burdick, of Hector; Wm. B. Ayers, A.M. Cheeseboro, H. Hadley and G.C. Rossiter, of Homer; John A. Thomas, John Springer, John Harrison, James Colton, Geo. Kennedy, Geo. and Levi Ellis, A. and Burt Palmatier, Wm. H. Raymond, Menassa Courtwright; Geo. Kibbe, Samuel Stone, R. Springer, Leonard Williams, L. Fletcher, Geo. Morgan, Wm. Corsting, Peter Van Sickles and ____Cady, of Harrison; Geo. Haight, of Jackson; Joe A. Dingee, of Keating; J.R. and Henry M. Munson, Benjamin R. and Nathan A. Goff, J.D. Barget, J.P. Miller, W. Hyatt, Jonathan Oles, Henry Snath, Orson Kenyon, John Brizzee, C.M. Cole, Ed. Morley, W.W. Bobbins, A.B. Harris, James Badger, Edgar Furman, Milton Merwin, Silas Andrus and Geo. K. lodge, Jr., of Oswayo; E.A. Kilbourne, Walter S. and Sam P. Youngs, C. McCumber, Geo. W. Howd, James Alvord, W.B. Trask and Hiram Wilcox, of Pike; Henry McDowell, A. Eastwood, John and Philip Haynes, of Pleasant Valley; Stephen Redson, of Summit; J.N.H. Bell and Gottlieb Hundredmark, of Sweden; M.B. Carson, James Logue and Geo. Cooper, of Sylvania; John S. Hulbert, C. Terrett, Cyrus Warner, Henry Maddison, Robert Bessy, Wm. Hitchcock, Geo. Wakeley, Henry Carpenter, Ed Burslem, John Haynes, W.S. Coats, Marvin Corwin (of Sickles’ brigade, killed at Cedar mountain), Roscoe Warner, W.H. Hanyan, L.A. Wood, J.B. Perry, C. Christman, Monroe Barnes, John Hay, John Tompkins, Hosea Perrin, Nicholas Bradley and John Covert, of Sharon; John Jordan, Jr., Dan Courtwright, Horace Taylor, Wm. Horton, Thomas Logue, George Cooper, Brewster Foster, Chris Corwine and Warren Mahon, of Wharton; O.A. Lewis, A. Byam, Abram Close, D. Whipple, Jr., O. Johnson, R. Calhoun, Edward, Melville and Nathan Torrey, Nelson Labar, James Haddock, Russell Perkins, Eph. E. Howe and A. VanGelder, of Ulysses; W.W. Wetmore, of West Branch; W.R. Pomeroy, John Maltby, J. Tompkins, F. Reed, George Barr, L.A. Fisher, M. Weimer, Riley Pomeroy, Almeron Lyman, John McDowell, Angelo Cropsey and Gardner Sheldon, of Roulette; C. Knickerbocker and James Thurston, of Stewardson.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The first soldiers’ memorial service was held at Coudersport May 31, 1876. The question of erecting a monument was discussed so early as September 20, 1869, but the column was not raised until December 20, 1874. It bears the names of 318 soldiers who died in battle or from the effects of war- all, with a few exceptions, belonging to Roulette township, who had passed away prior to that time pending mention. In April, 1887, the statue of a soldier was placed upon the shaft, and the ceremony of unveiling performed June 8.
Soldiers of foreign and Pennsylvania commands, now belonging to the G.A.R. Post at Oswayo, who were not charter members of that post, are W. Palmer, 109th N.Y.; A.W. Lee, 189th N.Y.; Michael Hamer, 1st Pennsylvania Artillery; Perry Wilcox, 71st New York; C. Scriber, 104th New York; John Morley, 3d New York Artillery; Frank Rowlee, New York Light Artillery; John Rooney, Dennis McGinnis, S.M. Bly, Bryan McGinnis and Patrick Clark, 170th New York; John Carney, 13th Ohio Infantry; I. Whitter, 64th New York; J.R. Higby, 72d New York; W.H. Sherwood, 76th Pennsylvania; James S. Barnes, 184th Pennsylvania; F.S. Gillett, 94th. New York; A.C. Sturdevant, 207th Pennsylvania; J.M. Buchanan, 64th New York; Eugene Colegrove, 161st New York; R. Swift, 136th New York; J.C. Hoflett, 179th New York; B.F. Lyman, 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry; A.P. Vaughn, 130th New York; L. Lowton, 93d Pennsylvania; W. Miller, 4th Artillery.
The county was still in its wilderness state when the devoted patriots of older counties were engaged in making those solid foundations on which the Republic rests. In later years some of the very men who took part in that struggle of patriotism against tyranny settled here, and later, before the echoes of Perry’s victorious cannon on Lake Erie died away, others made their homes here. The widow of Thomas Ryan, a soldier of the Revolution, died at her son’s house in Genesee township, in April, 1857, aged ninety years. Stephen Taylor, a soldier of 1812, died at Neri Taylor’s house in 1878, aged eighty- two years. Mrs. Ruth Gibbs, who died in Sharon in June, 1888, was the widow of a soldier of 1812, and an old resident of Potter county. The old soldier is buried at Sharon Centre. Sons and daughters of heroes of the Revolution selected the wilds of Potter county for homes, and as related in the pages devoted to biography, children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren of Revolutionary sires dwell here today, enjoying the liberty which their predecessors won for them.
* Died after the war.
** Killed, or died in Andersonville, or died on the field.
Source: Page(s) 1027-1039 History of Counties of McKean, Elk and Forest, Pennsylvania. Chicago, J.H. Beers & Co., 1890.
Transcribed March 2006 by Mary Bryant, Published 2006 by PA-Roots
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