Born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, December 2, 1844. Enlisted in the United States Volunteer Army at Reading, Pa., on Aug. 5, 1862, for nine months, in Co. A (Capt. F. R. Smucker), 128th Pa. Vol. Inf. On Sept. 14, 1862, six weeks after enlistment, the regiment went into the battle of Turner's and Crampton's Gap, or South Mountain, Md., a bloody battle, as we there lost 3,555 killed, wounded and missing, losing Major-General J. L. Reno, U. S. A., killed. With little or no rest the regiment went into the terrible conflict of Antietam, or Sharpsburg, Md., where we lost in killed, wounded and missing 12, 469, and the rebel losses were 25,899. Brig. Gen. J. K. F. Mansfield, U. S. A. killed; Brig.-Genl's Rodman, Weber, Sedgewick, Hartsuff, Dana and Meagher, U. S. A., wounded; Maj.-Genl's Hooker and Richardson, U. S. A., wounded; Confederate Genl's L. O'B. Branch, G. R. Anderson and W. E. Starke, killed; Genl's R. H. Anderson, Toombs, Lawton, Ripley, Rodes, Gregg, Armistead and Ransom, wounded. This is evidence sufficient to prove the fact that a mighty and bloody conflict raged for the two days. No sooner had the noise of battle, the roaring of cannon, the rattle of musketry, the awful shrieks of the dying and wounded, ceased, than the regiment was pitched into heavy skirmishing at Harper's Ferry, which was sharp and decisive. After this, marching hither and thither was the order until they went into winter quarters on Maryland Heights. Comrade Hole was here taken sick and was absent from his company about one month and rejoined them again at Stafford's C. H. Then after a short time came the long roll for the battle of Chancellorsville, May 1, to 5, 1863. The preparation for the battle was like the gathering clouds before the storm, Brigades and Divisions were moving about in a mysterious manner, yet all centering on the field of action. May 1 some minor engagements and skirmishing was going on. May 2 Jackson's forty thousand swept down upon Gen. Sickle's men in overwhelming numbers, and for a time the day looked dark for the Union troops. Towards evening, Major-Gen. Hooker rode into the midst of the battle and his orders flew thick and fast, and soon Jackson's forty thousand under command of Gen A. P. Hill (Gen. Jackson had been shot by his own men, not only he but a part of his staff. All had been fired upon, supposing them to be Union troops advancing in the darkness, for it was nigh to or wuite 10 o'clock, p.m.) were checked, and the battle raged with great fury till low twelve when the Confederates began to fall back, and fighting ceased until 5:30, Sunday morning, May 3. General A. P. Hill was wounded shortly after Jackson. After Hill was wounded, Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, the famous Cavalry General, took command. Lee came up with sixty to seventy-five thousand men at the hour above named, and they made the attack in solid massed columns. Our men were ready and hurled the grape and canister from the batteries, and the furious tornado of bullets from the forces of Generals Berry, Birney, Whipples and William's melted away column after column of the Confederate troops, who went down to death with almost unparalled bravery. After repeated efforts they gave away and retired and advanced again until long lanes within the troops filled with dead men, where grape and canister had done its awful work. Fighting continued on the 4th and on the 5th the armies rested. The result figures up as follows: Union loss, 16, 030 killed, wounded and missing, losing also Maj. Gen. Berry and Brig. Gen. Whipple, killed, Gens. Devan and Kirby wounded. Confederate loss, killed, wounded and missing 12, 281, and losing Gen. Paxton, killed, Generals Jackson, A. P. Hill, Hoke, Nichols, Ramsear, McGowan, Heth and Pender wounded. This nine months of Comrade Hole's service was full of stirring events, and now the remnant of the regiment returns to Harrisburg and was mustered out May 19, 1863.

After resting a few weeks, Comrade Hole enlisted again in Co. I, 42nd Regiment, Pennsylvania State troops, to serve 90 days from June 30, 1863. This regiments left Reading, went to Lebanon, then to Carlisle, then to Chambersburg, then to Gettysburg, passing through this conflict, followed the Confederates up the Potomac and returned to Reading and was discharged from the Commonwealth's service, Aug. 11, 1863. (Comrade Hole enlisted for the third time, but on account of delay in procuring the particulars, the record of the rest of his service does not appear in connection with this account. It will be given further along in this book.-Historian)

PERSONAL RECORDS--Comrade Hole enlisted in the three years' service and was in many of the ups and downs of the Army of the Potomac, in all the seven days' fighting in front of Richmond, and almost constantly his regiment was kept on the move through Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida, and after a hard and laborious service, including four months sickness with fever, while up in northern Virginia. They were sent on a long trip down around Florida and up the Mississippi river, making their way to Chattanooga and Nashville, then to Fort Henry, and finally, with decimated ranks and almost worn out with service, they were sent back to Harrisburg, Pa., and there discharged in 1865 and returned to the duties of civil life.

(Note: We are sorry that we did not receive the full particulars of Comrade Hole's three years' service in time for the press, as he had a long and honorable service that it would have been a pleasure for us to have given in full.-Historian)