63d Regiment
Pennsylvania Volunteers
History of Company F
In July 1861, immediately after the disaster at Bull Run, Bernard J. Reid of the Clarion bar, began to recruit a company for the war. Two companies had already gone from Clarion County, and while he was canvassing for his company nine others were in process of formation in the same territory. So much competition made the work slower than was anticipated. He was encouraged and assisted by a number of his patriotic citizens, among whom were Hon. James Campbell, Col. Thomas M'Cullough, Hon. James Sweny, Daniel Delo, Robert Thorne, John C. Reid, and John G. M'Gonagle. The last named was the county superintendent of common schools, and resigned his office to assist in the work.Colonel Alexander Hays had received authority from the War Department to organize a regiment at Pittsburgh, and learning that Captain Reid was raising a company, he wrote on the 2d of August, inviting him to join his regiment, and the invitation was accepted.
When about sixty were enrolled, the captain fixed upon August 20th for the rendezvous at Clarion, to hold a three days' encampment on the fair grounds, and be ready to march on the morning of the 23d. The encampment was held, but when the hour for marching came, less than forty were ready to go. The courage of a few and failed them, and some were won away by canvassers for other companies.
The starting was then postponed till September 5th, with the hope that the ranks would be then nearly full. Accordingly, on the 4th of September, all the recruits, except those on or near the line of march, assembled at Clarion, and at 10 o'clock the next day fell into ranks. Judge Glenni W. Scofield, who was holding court at Clarion, swore the men in, and made them an eloquent and patriotic address. Then with “Right Face! Forward March!” the column moved off, escorted for a mile out of town by Guth's brass band and a large concourse of citizens.
When the recruits on the way were gathered in, the company numbered fifty. They were:
Bernard J. Reid, John G. M'Gonagle, Lawrence Egan, Joshua H. Delo, George W. Fox, John R. Guthrie, George W. M'Cullough, John Kuhns, James Waley, David R. Dunmire, David Irwin, Thomas H. Martin, Adam Potter, Ami Whitehill, Benjamin P. Hilliard, James Barr, Andrew Baslm, Thomas Bolton, John S. Crooks, John Cyphert, Isaiah K. Dale, James O. Delp, Jacob I. Delo, John B. Denslinger, William J. Dunlap, Isaac N. Fenstermaker, Thomas M. Frazier, Alexander Goble, William Greeawalt, William L. Hall, Charles Harpst, Henry L. Highbarger, Jonas Highbarger, John Johnson, Joseph Loll, William M'Caskey, Marcus J. M'Laughlin, John Newhouse, Daniel O'Neill, Alfred T. Rence, John Reed, Anthony P. Refner, George W. Rhees, Samuel K. Richards, Andrew E. Russell, Henry Shoup, Sylvester Straub, John A. Stroup, Abraham Wiles and David Woodruff.
At Curlsville, ten miles distant, a sumptuous out-door dinner awaited them, with scores of ladies and hundreds of citizens to welcome them and cheer them on. At Redbank, on the Allegheny River, after a march of twenty miles, the company was entertained for the night, without charge, at Captain W. P. Connor's hotel. A further march of fifteen miles next forenoon brought them to Kittanning, the then northern terminus of the Allegheny Valley Railroad.
A mile out from Kittanning, a delegation from Colonel Sirwell's regiment (Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers), then forming in Camp Orr, met the company and escorted it to their camp for dinner. Here a strong but fruitless appeal was made to the captain to join that regiment, in which there already were two Clarion County companies. Taking the afternoon train for Pittsburgh, the company reached the old Pike Street station after dark. By some mistake as to time of arriving, no one came to meet and conduct then to camp; and, uncertain of finding accommodations there for his men at so late an hour, the captain marched them to the Girard House (now the Central) for supper, lodging and breakfast. They entered Camp Wilkins the next forenoon, Saturday, September 7th.
In the afternoon Colonel Hays sent back Captain Reid and George W. M'Culloch to recruit more men, leaving those in camp in charge of John G. M'Gonagle, who, by common consent was to be First Lieutenant.
On Monday, September 9th, at Clarion, the captain issued handbills, fixing the following Monday for the rendezvous and, Tuesday, September 17th, for the march. In the interim he canvassed the northern end of the county and M'Culloch the southern, and on the 17th, according to the program, they marched with forty-four recruits as follows:
John Baumgardner, Henry Beer, William Blair, Franklin Cathers, William Campbell, Emanuel Cussins, Philip Daum, Joseph S. Elder, Robert S. Elgin, Finady Eshelman, Bernard Faroust, John Gilford, John A. Griffin, Philip D. Griffin, James Hamilton, David S. Keiser, Michael Kempf, John Lawhead, Gregory Lawrence, Joseph Lichtenberger, Jacob Mentzer, Preston H. Moodie, James M'Cammon, Francis P. M'Closkey, James M'Bride, James M'Donald, Hugh P. M'Kee, George W. M'Michael, Peter Nugent, Peter O'Neill, William A. Paup, George W. Remel, John G. Richards, James Sample, Alden Slocum, Christian Smathers, John Stewart, John Thompson, William M. Thompson, Anthony Torry, John Tyler, John Vorhauer, William Williamson, and Curtis C. Zink.
The march was overland to Redbank the first day, and the next morning the squad floated down the river on an oil flat to Kittanning, and thence by cars to Pittsburgh. At Camp Wilkins it was found that the regiment had gone off to Washington, leaving Adjutant Corts to look after in-coming recruits. The next afternoon, September 19th, Captain Reid was sent forward in charge of his own recruits and a number of other companies, and after a day's delay at Harrisburg, waiting for a troop train, rejoined the regiment at Camp Hays, in the northern suburbs of Washington, on Saturday, September 21st.
On the 23rd the company election was held:
B. J. Reid and John G. M'Gonagle were unanimously elected Captain and First Lieutenant, Lawrence Egan and George W. M'Culloch competed for the Second Lieutenancy. The choice fell on Egan. Joshua H. Delo and Curtis C. Zink were a tie for orderly, and the former was appointed. The other appointments were as follows: Second Sergeant, C. C. Zink; Third Sergeant, G. W. Fox; Fourth Sergeant John R. Guthrie, Fifth Sergeant, George W. M'Culloch; First Corporal, John Kuhns; Second Corporal, R. S. Elgin; Third Corporal, James Waley; Fourth Corporal, David R. Dunmire; Fifth Corporal, David Irwin; Sixth Corporal, Thomas H. Martin; Seventh Corporal, Adam Potter; Eight Corporal, John Stewart. Musicians, Ami Whitehill and B. P. Hilliard. Teamster: P. H. Moodie.
Here the company received its letter and place in line—the centre of the left wing, between D and H—and its arms, but no uniforms. On Saturday evening, September 28th, the regiment was ordered across the Potomac to the Virginia side. It was first assigned to Franklin's brigade and went into Camp Shields, about three miles from Alexandria, on the Leesburg turnpike, where it remained two weeks. Here the company received its uniforms, and on the 9th of October was formally mustered into the United States service by Lieutenant C. W. Tolles, Thirteenth United States Infantry.
On the 14th the regiment moved south four miles to Camp Johnson, beyond Fort Lyon, on the road from Alexandria to Mount Vernon. We were now in Jameson's brigade of Heintzelman's division, holding the extreme left of the Union line.
During the fall six new recruits entered the company, viz: Stewart W. Fulton, Eliphas Highbarger, Anthony Greenawalt, and Jacob Rinard, from Clarion County, and Joseph B. Kiddoo and David Shields, from Sewickley, Allegheny County. When these latter two reported to Colonel Hays as recruits for his regiment, he assigned them to Company F, which they joined a privates. The roll of the company shows an exceptionally honorable record for both. Shields was discharged in 1864, with the rank of captain, at the age of 20, for wounds received in action; and Kiddoo rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the Regular Army.
The first man in the regiment “wounded in action” and pensioned for it, was Private John Lawhead, of this company. He was order by the sergeant of the guard to assist in arresting Private Connolly, of Company H, who was drunk and disorderly. In the struggle, Connolly kicked him in the eye so severely that he was sent to the hospital and finally lost his eye.
First Picket Duty
Company F was the first of the regiment detailed for picket duty. On the last night of October, Captain Reid was ordered to report in the morning to General Jameson with three Lieutenants, 100 men and two days' rations, to be sent to relieve a company of Colonel Lujeane's regiment, on the picket lines, near Accotink Creek, eight miles out. Lieutenant Taylor, of Company C, volunteered as the third lieutenant, and some men were borrowed from other companies to make up the one hundred. In the morning General Jameson furnished the captain with printed grand-guard instructions, and said that in the afternoon the brigade officer of the day would visit the lines to give the countersign and other special instructions.The day was beautiful and the march out was like going on a picnic. The eleven posts to be relieved covered about a mile of front. The officers and men were distributed among the posts as directed, with a lieutenant, sergeant, and sixteen men as a reserve at the headquarters' post. Night came, but no brigade officer or countersign, so a countersign was improvised for the emergency, and the captain made the rounds, to give it, with other cautions, to the men. The darkness was intense, a cold rain began to fall in torrents and the wind blew a furious storm. He had hardly returned from the rounds when a shot was fired at the first post on the right, occupied by some of the borrowed men. Going to learn the cause he was told that a man was seen in front who did not halt when challenged. He doubted the story, knowing that with green men, on such a night, a waving bush, a ghost-like stump or a falling twig might be mistaken for an enemy. Renewing his cautionings he returned to headquarters, and soon heard two shots at the same post. Again he went to investigate. The story of seeing men in front was repeated. He repeated his cautions, with hints of a court-martial if there were any more false alarms. In another half hour four shots in rapid succession were heard at the same place. The reserves were put under arms, but the silence that ensued was proof that it was only another false alarm, and they were dismissed to sleep, if sleep were possible without shelter in such a night. The mischief had now been done, and began to bear its dreaded fruit. As all the men were alike, raw and untried, other posts caught the contagion, and the firing became pretty general. In the morning the captain relieved the borrowed men at the post where the firing started, distributing them among other posts, and on the second night there was no false alarm. After one night's experience the men of Company F became veterans on picket. The next company sent out from the regiment had a much worse experience. In consequence of a similar panic, they brought back a private killed and a sergeant wounded.
About the middle of November Second Lieutenant Egan resigned, and on the 22nd, Sergeant George W. M'Culloch was promoted to fill the vacancy.
On November 28th Company F was again sent out on picket to the same place. The farm houses of Pollman and Cash were just inside the picket line. These families were suspected of being in correspondence with the enemy on the Occoquan, a few miles beyond our lines. On this occasion Captain Reid had special instructions to let nobody out without a pass of even date, signed by General M'Clellan. Towards evening two ladies and a boy drove up on their return from Alexandria, having gone in that morning. They presented a pass signed by General Montgomery, in command, at Alexandria, “good for the month of November”. The captain refused to pass them. They expostulated, but to no purpose. They put for the night at Cash's, and in the morning sent for the captain and renewed their eloquent pleading to be allowed to proceed to their homes. One of them said she had left an infant at home and that it was inhuman thus to keep a mother from hew child. The captain replied that as he had left five infants at home, he could sympathize with her, but could not disobey orders. He offered, however, to have her baby brought to her if she would write an order for it, but she rejected the offer with disdain. In making it he strongly suspected that the alleged babe was a myth. The prisoners were detained at Cash's until Major Dick, of the One Hundred and Fifth, the brigade officer of the day, came along in the afternoon, and were then turned over to him.
In the evening of that second day, with all his caution, Captain Reid was thrown off his guard and surprised on picket. Returning from his rounds to the central post at dusk, he was told by the sergeant that a farmer living across the fields, outside the lines, had called an hour before and left word that he wanted to see the officer in command, that evening, on important business. He had declined to disclose anything to the sergeant or to any one but the commanding officer in person. It was growing dark and the captain had not yet had supper. Over his coffee his mind kept running on the mysterious message of the farmer. To go see him might be to fall into a trap and be captured; yet not to go might be to reject proffered intelligence of vital importance to our army. Tomorrow might be too late. He decided to take the risk and go. In the dim starlight he took with him a sergeant and fifteen men fully armed, and crossed the fields to the orchard near the farm house. Here he stationed the sergeant and nine men, as a reserve. He left four at the gate, and remaining two on the porch, with orders to burst the door in on a given signal. Close to the house yawned the wooded ravine of Accotink, dark and gloomy,--just the place for an ambuscade. Adjusting his revolver belt, he knocked and was admitted. No one was visible inside but the farmer, his wife and children. Declining an offered seat, the captain said he preferred to receive standing any communication his host had to make eyeing, at the same time, an interior door that stood ajar. Then said the farmer: “The company that was here before you'uns, borrowed my axe and didn't fetch it back. I want you to see General Heintzelman and ax him about it, as I need it bad.”
With a promise to “ax about it” the captain gravely bade good night, and marched back with his detachment without the loss of a man—but never made any official report of how he was surprised on picket.
Skirmish drill in the fine fall weather created a demand for buglers. Company F proved to have a first-class one in the person of Private Joseph Lichenberger, whose proficiency attracted notice, and he was soon promoted to brigade bugler. In this capacity he rendered valuable services, not only as a bugler, but also as an efficient aide or orderly, as occasion required.
Early in December, as the weather grew colder, this company set the example of converting their A tents into comfortable winter quarters, by means of an underpinning of poles built log-cabin fashion, and by fire places and chimneys of brick, sticks and mortar. With snug raised berths and other ingeniously contrived fixtures, their quarters became quite cozy and home-like.
The last days of December, Company F picketed on the extreme left, near Mount Vernon. The house of Mr. Wright, a Quaker and staunch Union man, who had suffered much at the hands of the rebels before our lines were extended, was near headquarters, and the officers go their meals there. While picketing here, a man giving his name as Planchet came to the lines asking protection. The captain suspected him to be a spy, but Mr. Wright vouched for him as a true Union man who had escaped from a Richmond prison. He was turned over to General Heintzleman and became very useful as a guide.
1862
January 11, 1862, the whole regiment went on picket for three days, covering seven miles of front. A detail of twenty-five men from Company F, under Orderly Delo, with similar details from other companies, went on a midnight scout nearly to the rebel camps on the Occuquan, and brought in twelve prisoners.On the 20th of January, 1862, Captain Reid, of this company; Sergeant R. Howard Millar, of Company E, and Sergeant William M'Leary, of Company K, were ordered to report at Harrisburg to Captain R. I. Dodge, Eighth United States Infantry, superintendent of recruiting service for Pennsylvania. By Captain Dodge's order they established a recruiting station at Clarion, and Captain Reid sent the sergeants to establish branch stations in Allegheny and Mercer Counties.
During February there were newspaper rumors of impending movements, and Captain Reid made repeated requests to be relieved from recruiting service. The order finally came just in time to enable him to rejoin his company at Alexandria when embarking for Fortress Monroe, on the 17th of March.
Among the recruits thus obtained for this and other regiments, William Minser, Jonanthan M'Curdy, Barney M'Cunn, Martin Castner and Andrew M'Donald, off from Clarion County, were assigned to Company F. Alpheus A. George, also from Clarion, joined a month later.
The Peninsula Campaign
In the Peninsular campaign this company had its full share of hardships and casualties. On a reconnaissance made on the 9th of April, in front of Yorktown, by six companies of the Sixty-third, led by General Jameson, Colonel Hays and Lieutenant Colonel Morgan—Sergeant David Irwin of Company F, was killed—the first of our regiment to fall on the Peninsula.On the 11th of April the regiment was on picket, holding a line of three miles, in front of the enemy's works. At 3 o'clock, while Colonel Hays was gallantly repulsing an attack on the right wing at the Peach Orchard, a bold dash was made on the left, against that part of the line occupied by Companies H and F, opposite the enemy's earthworks at Wynn's Mills, about one thousand five hundred yards distant across cleared fields. The rebel skirmishers came across the field on the run, supported by reserves who opened a brisk fusilade on the pickets. This brought the reserves of those two companies to the front, and in a short time their well-directed fire drove the enemy back to cover. At sundown the assault was repeated with the same result. On both occasions our picket line was vigorously shelled from the earthworks in front. During the second attack, observing a body of skirmishers approaching under cover of intervening clumps of bushes, Captain Reid improvised a signal station by climbing a small tree at the edge of the field, to get a bird's eye view and to direct better the fire of his men. We had no casualties on the left. On the right, at the Peach Orchard, two of the regiment were killed and two wounded.
On the night of May 3rd, Companies B, D, F and H were detailed for the perilous duty of digging rifle pits, to be occupied by sharpshooters, at a spot selected within about 500 yards of the enemy's principal fort, to silence their heavy guns during the bombardment about to open. On two previous nights the details for the work had been driven off. Soon after dark General Jameson and Lieutenant Colonel Morgan led the little band in the causeway over Wormsley's Creek and halted it there till the mooon should set, near midnight. During those three hours a fierce shelling from the rebel works filled the air with screaming missiles. The luminous track of the shells and their bursting overhead or plunging into the pool nearby, was a grand sight. When the moon went down, the expedition moved up to the head of the creek, nearest the fort, passed our picket line and halted just under the crest, within 200 yards of the spot selected. Here Companies D and H were left as a reserve. Company B was furnished spades and shovels for the work, and to Company F was given the post of honor. It was deployed to clear the way and hold the ground one hundred paces beyond the pits until completed. When it moved off General Jameson said: “My God! It is hard, but it must be done;” so sure was he that a bloody encounter was inevitable. Captain Reid, by whispered orders, marched his men to the point indicated, and directed them to lie low and watch.
By 3:30 o'clock the pits were completed. Meanwhile the guns in the fort furiously swept the horizon with shot and shell. The fort was so near that the ramming of the guns and the orders to the gunners were distinctly heard. The pits were masked with pine boughs, and the sharpshooters, with their provisions and ammunition, placed in them and left to their fate. The four companies silently withdrew, and when once more sheltered in the ravine of Wormsley's Creek they received General Jameson's warmest congratulations on the success of their expedition. The camp was reached near daybreak, and shortly after the men had lain down for a nap vociferous cheering was heard through the camps. Yorktown was evacuated! The guns during the night had been worked by a small rear guard left in the fort as a blind, to cover the retreat which was going on all night.
Company F was the only company of the regiment that had supper or breakfast on the battlefield of Williamsburg the night of the 5th, and morning of the 6th of May. It had rained for twenty-four hours, and the passage of both armies had left the road in a dreadful condition. On the afternoon of the 5th, while marching to the music of the roar of battle, three miles distant, the regiment was halted and ordered to unsling knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, and blankets, and double-quick into action. After a run or two miles it was sent on a detour to the left, as part of a flanking column, and then countermarched to the front again on a double-quick, and pushed forward, arriving at the front just as night was falling. With the darkness the firing slackened and soon ceased, and we lay on our arms in line of battle, ready to reopen the fray at daybreak.
With the men's rations three miles in the rear, the road an almost bottomless stream of mud and water, the night wet and cold, and the men worn out by double-quicking, the problem was, how they were to be refreshed for the impending battle of tomorrow? To solve it, Captain Reid called for volunteers to go with him to bring the haversacks and canteens. Ten of his men responded, and he led them through the deep mud and pitch darkness to the spot where three men of each company had been left to guard the cast-off rations and equipments. Here, after refreshing themselves with hot coffee, the little band loaded themselves up with the haversacks and fresh filled canteens of themselves and their comrades in the front, and, each armed with a long staff to steady himself through the holes and pools of the treacherous road—toiled slowly back, reaching their hungry comrades about 2:00 a.m. (For more information, see Captain B. J. Reid's letter, describing the trek to retrieve the haversacks and canteens.)
At Cumberland Landing, on May 17th, seven of this company were reported present sick and eighteen absent sick. On the 22nd, at Baltimore Cross Roads, fourteen were reported present sick and sixteen absent sick.
At the Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31st, only forty-seven all told, officers and men, were able to endure the double-quick march of four miles that took us into battle. Orderly J. H. Delo, Sergeant R. S. Elgin and Private G. W. Rhees were killed; Privates James M'Cammon, Peter O'Neill, Peter Nugent and Frank M'Closkey were wounded, the latter mortally; and James M'Donald, Andrew M'Donald and Jonathan M'Curdy were taken prisoners.
On June 15th, out of a total of 93, there were 3 present sick, 59 absent sick and wounded, 3 on permanent and 7 on temporary detached duty, and only 19 men and 3 officers present for duty. But on the 19th, 11 returned from hospitals, and with better weather the health of the men improved considerably.
On the death of First Lieutenant John G. M'Gonagle, at Division hospital, near Meadow Station, Va., June 21, 1862, Second Lieutenant George W. M'Culloch was promoted to First Lieutenant, and Sergeant George W. Fox to Second Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Colonel Morgan having been severely wounded at Fair Oaks, and Major Kirkwood being absent sick, Captain Reid served as major through the battle and movements that transferred the army from the Chickahominy to the James River. Lieutenant George W. M'Culloch taking his place of command of Company F.
In the advance of the Third Corps on the 25th of June, (the first of the “Seven Days Battles”), this company had Private William Greenawalt killed and Private Philip D. Griffin, John Johnson, and Anthony Greenawalt wounded, each of the last two losing an arm. There were no more casualties till the Battle of Glendale, June 30th, when Privates Charles Harpst, John Thompson and Jacob I. Delo were wounded, the latter mortally.
When the army lay at Harrison's Landing, Captain Reid was honorably discharged on the 1st of August 1862. First Lieutenant M'Culloch was promoted to Captain, Second Lieutenant Fox to First Lieutenant. Under Captain M'Culloch and his lieutenants, this company sustained its reputation for bravery, and discipline and endurance.
The deaths in Company F, (other than those already mentioned) from its organization till the army was withdrawn from the Peninsula, were as follows:
Christian Smathers at Alexandria, March 18th; Thomas M. Frazier, April 15th, and Franklin Cathers, April 22d, both in front of Yorktown; Corporal Dunmire, May 31st; David Woodruff, June 11th; William A. Paup, June 12th; and John Reed, June 24th, all at hospital near Meadow Station; John Baumgardner, June 30th, near Savage Station; Marcus J. M'Laughlin, July 3d; and Sergeant Curtis C. Zink, August 10th, both at Harrison's Landing. Sergeant George W. M'Michael, who was left sick June 29th at Division hospital, near Savage Station, (along with Private Baumgardner above named), unable to be removed, was captured and died at Richmond, September 20th; and Sergeant John Kuhns, sent sick from Harrison's Landing, died at Philadelphia, Pa., September 26, 1862. Private Henry Highbarger died Septenber 3, 1862, at hospital near Fortress Monroe.
William Elder and James Truby joined as recruits from Clarion County, August 18, 1862.
At Second Bull Run, August 29, 1862, Company F suffered severely. Sergeant John R. Guthrie and Privates Henry Shoup and John Thompson were killed, and First Lieutenant George W. Fox, Sergeant James Waley, Corporal Thomas H. Martin, and Privates Martin Caster, Joseph S. Elder, Eliphas Highbarger, Daniel O'Neill, Alfred T. Rence, John G. Richards and James Sample were wounded.
At Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862, Private Benjamin P. Hilliard was slightly wounded, and Private William M. Thompson taken prisoner.
1863
At Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863, Captain M'Culloch, Lieutenant Fenstermaker, Corporals A. P. Refner and Joseph Loll and Privates Steward W. Fulton and James M'Donald were wounded.At Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, Lieutenant Fenstermacker, Sergeant John A. Griffin and Privates Adam Porter and P. D. Griffin were wounded.
In September, 1862, twenty-five conscripts (drafted men from Western Pennsylvania in July and September) joined this company for duty, viz: Andrew Alderman, John F. Amment, Conrad Barstock, James Bryan, Robert H. Bruce, Thomas Bryant, Harrison Callen, James Curtin, John Donley, Adam Fry, Shadrach Fuller, James Gallagher, Archibald Gilchrist, George B. Hartzel, John Heffelfinger, Jonathan P. Johnson, William Klink, John Leech, James M'Geary, Joseph Orbin, Silas Shall, George Shivers, Philip Sutton, Adam Wentzel and James Wilson.
In November, 1863, Archy Jones joined as a recruit from Indiana County, and in January, February, and March, 1864, nine other recruits were assigned to this Company, viz: Michael Ferguson, John Gilchrist, John Huck, James R. London, Robert M'Bride, John M'Donald, David M'Kibben, Thomas M'Munn and James W. Shawl.
At Morton's Ford, February 6,1863, Lieutenant David Shields of this company, serving as aide to General Alexander Hays, was severely wounded.
In no battle of the war did this company suffer so severely as at the Wilderness, Va., May 5 and 6, 1864. Its late captain, George W. M'Culloch, promoted to major only a month before, succeeded to the command of the regiment in the second day's fight, and was killed while gallantly charging the enemy. The company casualties were Sergeant James Waley, Corporal James Hamilton, and Privates James Wilson and James Gallagher, killed; Sergeants A. P. Refner, John A. Griffin and William L. Hall, Corporals Joseph Loll, William Blair and James M'Bride, and Privates John Cyphert, Andrew Basim, Adam Fry, John H. Denslinger, William Elder, Harrison Callen, G. B. Hartzel, Gregory Lawrence, Archy Jones, Hugh P. M'Kee, Michael Ferguson, William M. Thompson, Anthony Torry and James R. Loudon were wounded. Of the wounded, Corporal Denslinger was missing, and Corporal Blair and Privates Basin, William Elder and Harrison Callen died soon after of their wounds. Private Jonas Highbarger was mortally wounded at Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864.
At North Anna, May 23, 1864, Privates J. O. Delp and Gregory Lawrence were wounded.In the operations before Petersburg, in 1864, only five of this company were wounded; viz: First Lieutenant Fenstermaker, June 16; Private Joseph Orbin, June 22; Private Adam Wentzell, August 14; Private Anthony Torry, in September, losing a foot, and Private William J. Dunlap, November 1st, losing an eye.
In an engagement at Boydton Plank Road, Va., October 17, 1864, Private Andrew Alderman was wounded, and Corporal Alexander Goble and Private Peter B. Hartzell were wounded and captured.
When the five soldiers last named were wounded they were serving in Company H, One Hundred and Fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, to which they, with thirty-two others of Company F, had been transferred. On the 7th of September, 1864, twelve members of Company F (all of the original members, who were present for duty and had not re-enlisted as Veterans) were mustered out with the regiment, their term of enlistment having expired. Those present for duty and not thus mustered out were transferred provisionally to the Ninety-ninth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and, on the 19th to the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment, in which they remained until finally discharged.
Source: Gilbert Adams Hays, Captain. Under the Red Patch: Story of the Sixty-third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1864. Published by the 63d Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment Association. Pittsburg: Market Review Publishing Company, 1908.
© Alice J. Gayley, all rights reserved
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