History of Butler County Pennsylvania, 1883-13, 14th

History of Butler County Pennsylvania - 1883

Chapter 13 -- Butler County During War of 1861-1865

Fourteenth Regiment, Militia of 1862

<<Previous Chapter | GO TO TABLE OF CONTENTS | Next Chapter>>

Transcribed by Pat Collins. For an explanation and caution about this transcription, please read this page.

Because this chapter is an extensive roster of military personnel, the surnames have not been included at the front of the chapter. The following abbreviations have been made use of in compiling the several rosters:   e., enlisted; dis., discharged; disab., disability; m., mustered in service; m.o., mustered out, m.o.w.c., mustered out with company; m.o.w.b., mustered out with battery; wd., wounded; m.wd., mortally wounded; nat. cem., national cemetery; P.V., Pennsylvania Volunteers; pro., promoted; Surg. cert., Surgeon's certificate; tr., transferred; vet., veteran; V.C., Volunteer Cavalry; V.I., Volunteer Infantry; V.R.C., Veteran Reserve Corp.


CHAPTER XIII

BUTLER COUNTY DURING THE WAR OF 1861-65

FOURTEENTH REGIMENT, MILITIA OF 1862

[p. 129]
This regiment was organized September 12-16, 1862. It proceeded to the front during the Antietam campaign, and after the dangers which menaced the State were passed, its members were discharged, on the 26th and 28th of the month and year above mentioned. Of its ten full companies, Company G was a Butler County organization, besides this county furnished two of the regimental field and staff officers. For these reasons, therefore, a brief resume of events which transpired during those terrible days, now long ago, is herewith appended.

Lee's rebel army had no sooner achieved its triumph in the second battle of Bull Run than it hastened northward and commenced crossing the Potomac. The southern borders of Pennsylvania lay in close proximity, its storehouses and granaries invited invasion, and its helpless condition became a subject of great alarm. Hence, "on the 4th of September, 1862, Gov. Curtin issued a proclamation, calling on the people to arm and prepare for defense. He recommended the immediate formation of companies and regiments throughout the State, and for the purpose of drill and instruction, that, after 3 P.M. of each day, all business houses be closed. On the 10th, the danger having become imminent, the enemy being already in Maryland, he issued a general order, calling on all able-bodied men to enroll immediately for the defense of the commonwealth, and to hold themselves in readiness to march upon an hour's notice; to select officers; to provide themselves with such arms as could be obtained, with sixty rounds of ammunition to the man, tendering arms to such as had none, and promising that they should be held for service, for such time only as the pressing exigency for State defense should continue. On the following day, acting under authority of the President of the United States, the Gov- [p.130] ernor called for 50,000 men, directing them to report by telegraph for orders to move, and adding that farther calls should be made as the exigencies should require.

"The people everywhere flew to arms, and moved promptly to the State capital. One regiment and eight companies were sent forward during the night of the 12th, and others followed as fast as they could be organized. On the 14th, the head of the Army of the Potomac met the enemy at South Mountain, and hurled him back through its passes, and on the evening of the 16th and day of the 17th, a fierce battle was fought at Antietam. In the meantime, the militia had rapidly concentrated at Hagerstown and Chambersburg, and Gen. John F. REYNOLDS, who was at the time commanding a corps in the Army of the Potomac, had assumed command. Fifteen thousand men were pushed forward to Hagerstown and Boonsboro, and a portion of them stood in line of battle in close proximity to the field, in readiness to advance, while the fierce fighting was in progress. Ten thousand more were posted in the vicinity of Greencastle and Chambersburg, and 'about twenty-five thousand' said Gov. Curtin, in his annual message, 'were at Harrisburg, on their way to Harrisburg, or in readiness and in waiting for transportation to proceed thither.'" *
* From Bates' History of Pennsylvania Volunteers.

The need of their services having passed, however, by the retreat of Lee to the Virginia side of the Potomac, the militia regiments, in accordance with the conditions on which they had entered the service, were, during the latter part of September, 1862, mustered out and disbanded. Following are the names, etc., of the officers and men from Butler County, who, as members of the Fourteenth Regiment, stood in line in Maryland during the battle of Antietam:

FIELD AND STAFF

Major, Charles McCANDLESS.
Assistant Surgeon, J. Newton McCANDLESS.

COMPANY G

Captain, James G. CAMPBELL.
First Lieutenant, Ebenezer McJUNKIN.
Second Lieutenant, Charles R. DUFFY.
First Sergeant, Isaac J. CUMMINGS.
Second Sergeant, John B. McQUISTION.
Third Sergeant, Joseph J. ELLIOTT.
Fourth Sergeant, Samuel SHAFFNER.
First Corporal, Abram McCANDLESS.
Second Corporal, John W. MITCHELL.
Third Corporal, David H. MACKEY.
Fourth Corporal, Arnold ROSENTHAL.
Fifth Corporal, Joseph PURVIS.
Sixth Corporal, Gottleib LANGBEIN.
Seventh Corporal, James A. SHANER.
Eighth Corporal, William S. ZEIGLER.
Commissary Sergeant, Walter L. GRAHAM.
Fifer, Abraham FLEEGER.
Drummer, Henry DICKEY.

PRIVATES

John AGNER, Isaac ASH, James A. BALPH, John BERG, Jr., Cavin BEATTY, James BREDIN, James M. BREDIN, Edward M. BREDIN, William BARTLEY, Harvey COLBERT, John C. COLL, John H. CRATTY, Obadiah CRATTY, Theodore CROWL, Samuel L. SEDWICK, Samuel W. STEWART, Conrad SMITH, John Q.A. SULLIVAN, Herman SCHWEITERING, James SPENCE, Alexander TROUTMAN, Casamer WEIS, John WAREHAM, George WALTER, Eli YEATTER, Michael ZIMMERMAN, Gabriel ETZEL, Joseph FLICK, Jacob FALLER, Robert GRAHAM, Alfred G. GLENN, James HASLETT, Richard HUGHES, Jr., Daniel A. HECK, Thomas A. HUTCHISON, Samuel P. IRVIN, W. Davis JOHNSTON, James W. KIRKER, George KNITTEL, Joseph LEIBLER, Jacob LAUX, George P. MILLER, Gabriel MOSER, Henry C. MOSER, Alexander MITCHELL, Harvey J. MITCHELL, William F. MILLER, James C. McCURDY, Simon S. MECHLING, Thomas MECHLING, John C. MOORE, Samuel MORRISON, James C. MILLER, Henry J. MILLER, J. David McJUNKIN, Custis A. McJUNKIN, D. Harper McQUISTION, James T. McJUNKIN, Elisha C. McCURDY, J. Lynn McABOY, William W. McQUISTION, Robert McCLUNG, John H. NEGLEY, Alfred G. NEGLEY, John P. ORR, Joseph PEARCE, Joseph PORTMAN, John N. PURVIANCE, John POTTS, Samuel PATTON, Abner PATTON, Nelson P. REED, John C. REDDICK, Christian SCHWILLIE, John A. SEDWICK, John McQ. SMITH, J. Newton STEWART, George W. STEWART, David SCOTT, Adam SCHREIBER, James STEPHENSON, Robert D. STEPHENSON.

[End of Chapter 13g--Butler County During War of 1861-65, 14th Regiment: History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Waterman, Watkins, & Co., Chicago, 1883.]

Chapter 13--Butler County During War of 1861-65, Miscellaneous
Chapter 14--Butler County Oil Development
1883 Butler County History Contents
Butler County Pennsylvania USGenWeb Homepage

Edited 27 Nov 1999, 17:58