Bedford County Honors Andersonville Prisoners
25 January
2006
Bedford County Honors
Prisoners
One hundred years
ago, on 7 December 1905, dedication ceremonies were conducted
for the Pennsylvania memorial erected by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
in the National Cemetery at Andersonville, Georgia.
On 7 December 2005,
the 100th Anniversary Commemoration of that historical event was
held. The focus was on honoring all 4,987 of the Pennsylvania
Civil War Veterans who were imprisoned in the Andersonville Prison;
of which 1,849 would die there. In cooperation with the National
Park Service, the rededication was organized by the Sons of Union
Veterans of the Civil War, Department of Pennsylvania, Gettysburg
Camp # 112.
William Roy Mock,
is a local resident and at the time, Commander of the Gettysburg
Camp. He is also a member of the Color Guard "Gettysburg
Blues." Mock, who usually carries the Pennsylvania flag relinquished
it to another member whose great-grandfather died at Andersonville
prison. Bill's great-grandfather, Aaron Mock and cousin, Emamuel
Harbaugh, both of Company D of the 138th Pennsylvania Volunteer
Infantry, were captured in the battle of the Wilderness, May 5-6,
1864 and sent to Andersonville. They were imprisoned for over
six months. Both survived and according to family record, Mock
said, "they were in terrible shape and had to be carried
out." Company D, E, and F of this regiment were recruited
in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.
Mock expressed,
"being able to participate in the Color Guard is indeed,
a very high honor, but in my mind, I thought about how I might
do something more for this "once in a life time" event."
The situation prompted Mock to initiate a proposal to the Bedford
County Historical Society to have a reproduction made of the 138th
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry flag.
The Society granted
Bill permission to request donations and have fund raisers for
the production of such a flag. A flag committee had been formed
and the 138th Flag Fund was established. An "official registry"
was established for the donations and information on Civil War
ancestors.
In addition, any
individual, group or organization that collectively made a donation
of $100 would qualify to have a streamer made reflecting their
ancestor's regiment. The streamer would be suspended from the
top of the staff of the 138th PVI flag for the 100 year commemoration.
It was not necessary to have had an ancestor imprisoned at Andersonville
to qualify for such a streamer. This would certainly add a personal
touch, especially to those descendents that were not able to attend
the ceremony.
- The Bedford County
Historical Society was very pleased with the county wide participation.
Proud descendents of Civil War ancestors responded which yielded
the production of 28 streamers. Each streamer listed the ancestor's
name on one side; the regiment and company of the individual
on the other.
- (more
about the streamers project)
Bedford County pride
was well represented with the streamers displayed in honor and
remembrance of ancestors, from the top of the staff of the 138th
PVI. As on May 6, 1864, in the Battle of the Wilderness, the 138th
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Flag on December 7, 2005, once
again, "for another moment in time, moved to the front."
The 138th flag represented not only all Bedford County "boys
in blue," but all Pennsylvanians who were imprisoned and
died at Andersonville.
There was a "March
of Honor," which began at Providence Spring, adjacent to
the original North Gate entry to the stockade and continued approximately
3/8 miles to the Pennsylvania Monument. Participants carried one
or more small Pennsylvania state flags. Each flag carried the
name of each of the approximately 200 Pennsylvania regiments represented.
- Photo courtesy
of Michelle Marie (Mock) Ryba.
 |
At 1:00 p.m., under
the command of 1st Lt. John Price II, the Sons of Veteran Reserve,
"Gettysburg Blues," stepped off leading the procession.
Their steps in unison echoed from the pavement of Cemetery Road.
Continuous stiff breezes forced the color bearers to lean forward,
applying force to the staff as the flags proudly displayed their
honor of the occasion.
Arrival at the Pennsylvania
Monument was such as to allow the "Ceremony" to begin
at 2:00 p.m.; as exactly 100 years before. The ceremonial agenda
began with the Presentation of the Colors, singing of the National
Anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, and Invocation.
- Photo courtesy
of Michelle Marie (Mock) Ryba.
 |
A number of individual
speeches were delivered. In his personal speech, "Something
More," Commander Mock remarked, "that the sight of the
"Colors" being carried from the stockade to the Pennsylvania
Monument
without one word being spoken
would speak louder
and more eloquently than anything I could possibly pen or say!"
In a spiritual gesture,
as a tribute to "those who who wore the blue," but never
returned home, Bill took a packet of Pennsylvania soil that had
been taken from the grave sites of his ancestors which were imprisoned
at Andersonville and spread it at the base of the Pennsylvania
Monument. In effect, all would be reunited and become one with
their homeland.
A Proclamation by
the Honorable Edward G. Rendell, Governor of Pennsylvania was
read. Thereafter, representatives of the Allied Orders of the
Grand Army of the Republic and a local camp of the Sons of Confederate
Veterans laid wreaths at the monument.
- Photo courtesy
of Michelle Marie (Mock) Ryba.
 |
The spiritual atmosphere
could be felt throughout the singing of "Amazing Grace."
The hymn was followed by the Middle Georgia Honor Guard providing
the "firing," and playing of "Taps." The Benediction
was held and the "once in a life time" ceremony was
concluded.
_______________________
Announcement/s:
The Bedford County
Historical Society 138th Regimental Flag Committee will present
the reproduction of the 138th PVI Regimental Flag to the board
of trustees on Sunday, January 29, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. at Heartland
Hall's Garden Room. An honor guard for the flag will be provided
by Hampton's Battery F. 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery. A video
of the re-dedication ceremony commemorating the 100th Anniversary
of the Pennsylvania Monument at Andersonville, GA will be shown.
The public is invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served.
____________________
Within the last
month, the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies announced
that a $500 grant would be awarded for the 138th Pennsylvania
Volunteer Infantry Flag project.
The Bedford County
Historical Society would like to take this opportunity to both
recognize and express their appreciation to the Community Foundation
for the Alleghenies. Their generous gift, as well as, genuine
interest in this project will help to better educate future generations
concerning achievements and sacrifices of the 138th PVI regarding
its role in local, state and national history.
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- The Pioneer Historical
Society Library is located at 242 E. John St., Bedford. Tel.
814 623-2011,
- E-mail bedfordhistory@embarqmail.com
- The library is
open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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© 1999 - 2007 Pioneer Historical Society of Bedford County,
Inc.