yOA^i-^ /e^ 'ytj^cA^M. , G«tiy»burg toi-r'j^ Inttitute Civil War G€tty»lmT§, Gettysburg College Library GETTYSBURG, PA. Presenled By Ivlp, and Mrs, 1]. - . G-raraley Friend of the Library Accession Cjoi^'Bi ShelfdvIL WAR YSST. • S 6"\vw P HISTORY OF THE ElGHn-SElfENTH REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS, PREPARED FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS, DIARIES, AND OTHER AUTHENTIC SOURCES OF INFORMATION. BY GEORGE R. PROWELL, MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OP PENNSYLVANIA. PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION. ILLUSTRATED WITH OVER ONE HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS AND PORTRAITS. YORK, PA.: Press of the York Daily. 1903. 1— ^ <"" " rrii— , mrvn f — Getty$buro College Lj.ijiw*;' COLLEGE i Civil War Institute $nETTYS3URG Gettybur§, Pennaybfonim LGgtiys^jjrg, Pa. I - LIBRARY - I USit WAR INST. 5 PREFACE. THE plan of this work is to tell the story of the Eighty- seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, from the time it entered the service, in 1861, to the end of the great con- flict for the preservation of the Union. The first chapters de- scribe how the regiment was recruited and organized, and how the soldiers went to war. Then follows a mental picture of the daily life and acts of the men, portraying their sturdy courage and devotion to the country and the flag, their experience in camp, on the march, in battle, in the prison pen, and how the returning soldiers were welcomed home. To the comrades of the regiment, it is hoped the work will present a stereoscopic view, a panorama of their career in the army, which will take them back in memory to the time of their early manhood, cause their pulses to thrill, and help them to live over again those eventful years of the past For the non- military reader, the aim has been to make the history interest- ing, instructive and entertaining, and show how the soldier of the Civil War served and fought and endured to prevent the dismemberment of the Union. A comprehensive description of all the engagements has not been attempted, but the part taken by the regiment in every skirmish and battle in which it participated, is given in detail, as well as an account of its long marches, during the entire period of its service. The project to prepare and publish the history of the regi- ment originated at the reunion of 1897. It culminated in a GETTYSBURG COLLEGE | •f^^^l f _ LIBRARY - I IV reality, in 1900, through the enterprise of Captain W. H. Lanius, of Company I, whose earnest support and intelligent judgment made it possible for the appearance of the work. During the preparation of the history, Captain John Fahs, of Company A, and Lieutenant Stallman, of Company C, were added to the Historical Committee appointed at the reunion, and gave efficient aid and assistance. John C Hoffman, of Company G, was untiring in his efforts, and rendered faithful service to the author. The regimental papers were loaned by Colonel Schall: Lieutenant Colonel Stable gave a helping hand in many ways: Major Findlay L Thomas furnished material of hours in important value, and Edward J. Chalfant spent many aiding the author to collect and arrange the historical data. Many volumes of government publications were carefully read for official information. The diaries of Lieutenant Charles H. Stallman, Lewis I. Renaut, Captain Solomon Myers, Lewis Prey, Jonathan S. May, Michael Heiman, James Oren, Henry C. Pentz, George Blotcher and Captain George J. Chalfant, and the information furnished by Captain Maish, Lieutenant Strickler, Captain Blasser, Chaplain Eberhart, Corporal William T. Ziegler, Michael Smyser, Charles E. Gotwalt, Howard F. Andrews, Samuel B. Gray, H. L. Neuman, Philip M. Shive, and other comrades, have been of the greatest value in the pre- paration of the work, which it is hoped will be a valuable sou- venir to the members of the regiment and their friends. York, P.a., February i, 1900. G. R. P. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Introduction— Organization of the Regiment—Camp Scott. CHAPTER H. Guarding the Northern Central Railroad —Camp McKim at Bal- timore—Camp Jessie at New Creek, West Virginia. CHAPTER III. Campaign in West Virginia—Rowelsburg — Beverly — Clarks- burg— Elkwater— Crab Bottom. CHAPTER IV. From New Creek to Winchester—The Winter Encampment at Winchester. CHAPTER V. Campaign around Winchester—The Fight at Newtown—En- gagement at Bunker Hill — Ba tie of Carter's Woods. CHAPTER VI. Joining the yVrmy of the Potomac— Manasses Gap— Bealton Station — Kelley's Ford— Mine Run Campaign. CHAPTER \ II. Winter Encampment at Brandy Station — Reorganization of the Army of the Potomac—With the Sixth Corps. — — CHAPTER Mil. Going out of Winter Quarters—Battle of the Wilderness. CHAPTER IX. Battle of Spottsylvania—General Sedgwick Killed —General Morris Wounded— Colonel Schall in Command of the First Brigade. CHAPTER X. Movement to North Anna and Cold Harbor. CHAPTER XL Battle of Cold Harbor. CHAPTER XII. Change of Base— March to the James River— Before Peters- burg— Weldon Railroad. CHAPTER XIII. From Petersburg to Maryland— Battle of Monocacy. CHAPTER XIV. Campaign under General Sheridan in the Shenandoah \'alley Engagements at Snicker's Gap and Charlestown Battles of Opequon and Fisher's Hill. CHAPTER X\'. The Battalion— Battle of Cedar Creek— Sent to the army of the Potomac— Siege of Petersburg—End of the War. CHAPTER XVI. Southern Prisons —The March to Staunton in 1S63 — Libby and Belle Isle —One Hundred 87th Boys on the Way to Dan- ville— Their Prison Experiences at Andersonville, Millen, Blackshear. Florence and Salisbury. CHAPTER XVII. Return of the Regiment— Reception at York— Mustered out of the Service —Committees of Reception and Entertainment — Regimental Association and Reunions. CHAPTER XVni. Biographical— Roster of the Regiment. bist of 28 Sn^a^emenis. Nkwiown, Blxker Hill, Wlnlhesiek Carter's Woods, Manassas Gap, Bkaliox Siatiox, Kelle\'s Ford, Brandv Siaiion, Locusj Grove, Mink Run, Wilderness, Spottsvlvanl\, Laurel Hill, Po River, NoRiH Anna, Toloi'otomv, Cold Harp.or, Weldon Railr(jad, Petersijuro, Monocacv, Snicker's Gap, Charlesiown, 0i'E(jU0N, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, Kernskjwn, Seige ok Peiershuhg, Sailor's Creek. CHAPTER I. 1NTR(31)UC1I()N ORGANIZATION OI'" IHK REGIMENT. Union forces met with a reverse- on the 2 1 St of July, 1861, at Bull Run, where the first hard fight- ing- of the Civil War took place. The people who expected the war to end in three months, and were eager for a great battle, now looked upon the situation with anxiety and alarm. But the distressed ship of state had a firm hand at the helm. Presi- dent Lincoln, as masterful a man- as the world ever knew, was equal to every great occasion during those dark times in our country's history. When he is- sued his second call for troops ta defend and perpetuate the gov- ernment which our forefathers had brought forth on this Con- tinent, patriotic freemen from all the Northern States respond- ed with alacrity. Failure had not diminished zeal for a good cause; disaster had not abated devotion to country, and five hundred thousand men rushed to arms. It was this condition of affairs and of pul:)lic sentiment that gave birth to the Eighty- Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, to serve for three years or during the war. In the month of April, 1861, a few days after Fort Sumter was fired upon, the York Rifles, commanded by Captain George Hay, and the Worth Infantry, under Captain Thomas A. Ziegle, fully armed and equipped and under excellent drill and disci- pline, offered their services to Governor Curtin, of Pennsyl- vania. They were sent to Cockeysville, Maryland, to guard the Northern Central Railroad, a part of which had been torn up by Confederate sympathizers, in order to prevent the move- ment of Union troops to the defense of Washington. On the 20th of April, the day after the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment was attacked by a mob while passing through Baltimore, the York Rifles under Captain George Hay, with John W. Schall as First Lieutenant, entered the three months' service in re- sponse to Lincoln's first call for 75,000 volunteers, and became Company K in the Second Pennsylvania Regiment. A com- pany, raised by Captain Charles H. Buehler, of Gettysburg, joined the same regiment. The Worth Infantry, York Volti- quers, Hanover Infantry and Marion Rifles of Hanover entered the Sixteenth Pennsylvania Regiment, commanded by Colonel Thomas A. Ziegle. When these regiments returned from the three months' service in July, the war for the preservation ot the Union had only begun. The early enthusiasm which found its outlet in a short term of enlistment had died away. The re- verse at Bull Run showed the country what to expect, and the government at Washington was stirred to renewed activity. The Union sentiment in York was strong and found vent in public meetings, where resolutions of patriotism and loyalty to country were adopted and afterward published. On the 19th of August Captain George Hay received a commission as Colonel. Lieutenant John W. Schall was chosen Lieutenant Colonel and Captain Charles H. Buehler of Gettysburg, Major. Recruiting was begun at once and Camp Scott on the Public Common be- came the place of rendezvous and instruction. When fully or- ganized the regiment numbered 38 commissioned officers and 1000 enlisted men. Of the ten companies composing this regiment eight were from York countv and two from Adams. — 3 — COMPANY A. This company was originally the "Ellsworth Zouaves," a local military organization named in honor of that brave but ill- fated officer who gave his life to his country at the opening of the Civil War. The company was organized May lo, 1861, and met regularly for practice in the old Vigilant engine house which stood on the site of the Western National Bank, of York.