MILITARY: One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Second Regiment, Bucktail Brigade, Chapter 2 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB & JP Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm An html version of the book with graphics, may be found at http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/military/cw/150-bucktails/150-bucktails.htm ________________________________________________ HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS, SECOND REGIMENT, BUCKTAIL BRIGADE. BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL THOMAS CHAMBERLIN, HISTORIAN OF THE SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION. REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION, WITH COMPLETE ROSTER. PHILADELPHIA: F. McMANUS, JR. & CO., PRINTERS, 1905. PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS 25 CHAPTER II. TO HARRISBURG - REGIMENTAL ORGANIZATION. ON Monday, September 1, Companies A and B broke camp and marched to West Philadelphia, where they took train for Harrisburg. Collis's Zouaves had already gone, their departure hastened, no doubt, by the condition of affairs before Washington, where Pope - more from others' fault, perhaps, than his own-had conducted a hopeless campaign. On Tuesday evening, September 2, about eight o'clock, Companies E and F followed the example of their comrades, and, marching to West Philadelphia, started by rail for Harrisburg about half-past eleven, arriving there at daylight and rejoining the first two companies at Camp Curtin. If, in speaking of the command, the four Philadelphia companies have been designated A, B, E, and F, it is not that the designation of any company had, as yet, been absolutely fixed. A tacit understanding seems to have existed that Widdis's and Jones's companies were to occupy the flanks, and to be A and B respectively. As already stated, the regimental organization was borne upon the papers of the Adjutant-General's office as the 143d. Sufficient evidence of this may still be found in the pigeon-holes of the War Department, and, if further proof is needed, it is found in a certificate still in the possession of Sergeant William R. Ramsey, which appears to have been written in Philadelphia, dated after the company reached Harrisburg, and endorsed still later by Colonel Wister. This document originally read I do certify on honor that William R. Ramsey is a member of Company C, 143d Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. H. W. GIMBER, Commanding Company C. PHILADELPHIA, September 3, 1862. 26 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH As it now appears, the "C" is crossed, and the figures "150" are marked over 143. This certificate is another evidence that Colonel Wister originally contemplated the formation of a purely Philadelphia regiment, whose framework was duly laid but which failed to reach the fulness and symmetry of a perfect structure. It also shows that Captain Gimber's company expected to occupy the position of "color" company in the battalion. Indeed, without any intention of censuring its ambitions, it may be remarked that the Quaker City element of the regiment seems to have been willing to accept whatever places of honor or profit were going. Six more companies, however, were needed to round out the organization, and until these were secured the alphabetical designations necessarily remained uncertain. About the time of the arrival of the first instalment of the Philadelphians there reached Camp Curtin four companies from Crawford County, which had been recruited under proper authority for the Bucktail Brigade by Captain Henry S. Huidekoper, of Meadville, in person, or with his co-operation. Three of these were from Meadville, commanded by Captains H. S. Huidekoper, John B. Fay, and J. W. H. Reisinger; the fourth came from Titusville, commanded by Captain John W. Sigler. A fifth company had been raised at Conneautville, in the same county, by Captain A. J. Mason, avowedly in Huidekoper's interest; but for some unexplained reason it was assigned to the 145th Pennsylvania. Much less difficulty seems to have been experienced in recruiting in Crawford County than in Philadelphia, though nearly the same inducements were held out at each end of the State. The machinery for drafting was almost ready to be set in motion, and this fact was skilfully used to hasten voluntary enlistments. On August 6 this handbill was struck off, and within a day or two posted throughout Crawford County:- PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS 27 BUCKTAIL BRIGADE. 600,000 MEN CALLED OUT! Drafting commences Aug. 15. H. S. HUIDEKOPER has been authorized by Gen. Stone to raise a Battalion of FOUR COMPANIES FOR THE BUCKTAILS. All Companies, parts of Companies and Recruits reporting immediately AT MEADVILLE, will be provided for and be sure of a place in the Bucktail Brigade. Enlist Now and Receive the Bounty of $25, one month's pay in advance, and $75 at the end of the war, and not wait to be drafted into a poor regiment and receive no bounty. The County will probably give her Men $50 apiece. H. S. HUIDEKOPER WISHES 100 MEN TO FORM A SELECT COMPANY. The Battalion will probably receive its arms, etc., immediately, and be encamped in Meadville for four weeks. All men enlisting in this Battalion will be sure of the best care, and can have money at all times transferred to their families free of charge. MEADVILLE, PA., Aug. 8, 1869. (Journal Print.) 28 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH In less than three weeks of actual recruiting time the battalion was ready, and on August 27 the following poster appeared: BUCKTAILS! ALL MEN WHO HAVE ENLISTED IN HUIDEKOPER & DERICKSON'S CO., REISINGER & SHAW'S CO., J. B. FAY'S CO., or CAPT. ZEIGLER'S CO., MUST REPORT THEMSELVES AT MEADVILLE ON MONDAY, SEPT. 1st, TO BE IN READINESS TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY FOR HARRISBURG. Aug. 27, 1862. They reported, and reached Harrisburg on the 2d of September. With so large a body of men under his control, and with influential friends to assist him, Captain Huidekoper might properly have asked for, and could easily have obtained, command of a regiment, had he been so minded. In fact, he was sent for by Adjutant-General Russell and informed by him that upon the recommendation of Captain Tarbutton, commander of Camp Curtin, he was to have the colonelcy of a regiment then forming. This he declined on account of the engagements which he had entered into with his own men and the promises he had made to the parents of many of them. When, however, the Adjutant-General offered him the lieutenant-colonelcy of a regiment to be commanded by Colonel Wister, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS 29 to include the four companies from Crawford County, he at once accepted the proffered position, pleased with the prospect of being associated with a superior officer of excellent social standing, approved courage, and ample military experience. These two gentlemen had never met, nor had any correspondence passed between them, until they were brought together to arrange the details of the regimental organization. On the 4th of September these details were completed. Captain Henry W. Crotzer's company,* from Union County, recruited chiefly at Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, and Captain Horatio Bell's, from McKean County, were added to the eight from Philadelphia and Crawford, making the total of the command about 928. Entirely without his knowledge, and with no previous intimation from any quarter of the probability of such an appointment, Captain Thomas Chamberlin, of Company D, 5th Pennsylvania Reserve, was named by Secretary of State Slifer for the position of major and the proposition favorably received by the other field-officers. Captain Chamberlin, like Captain Wister, had served since the spring of 1861, participating in the Peninsular campaign, and was at this time in hospital at Baltimore, after a brief sojourn in Libby Prison, recovering from a severe wound received at the battle of Charles City Cross Roads (otherwise known as "Glendale" and "Fraser's Farm"). On the afternoon of the day on which the regimental organization was effected, Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper led the command to the arsenal, in Harrisburg, where it received its arms and accoutrements. The arms were Enfield rifles, a weapon of fair workmanship, and quite superior to the Harper's Ferry altered musket, with which so many of the Pennsylvania _____ *This company went to Harrisburg, August 26th, another company from Union County going by the same train. The latter was attached to the 142d Pennsylvania Volunteers, as Co. E. 30 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH troops were originally supplied. It was open, however, to some of the same objections, being a muzzle-loader, of too limited a range, and unnecessarily heavy. Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper receipted for these supplies, as he did for all stores of every kind drawn by the regiment, its nominal head being still a captain on recruiting service, from which he had not yet been relieved. Of state and national colors there was at that time an absolute dearth, and the regiment was not provided with standards bearing its numerical designation until a month and a half later. Sergeant William Adams, of Co. H, states that a bunting flag, six feet long and four feet wide, which was presented by their young lady schoolmates to the men of Co. H, about thirty in number, who were recruited at Cochranton, Crawford County, was used as the regimental flag until United States and state colors were furnished. It was then sent back to the fair donors, and was put in the care of Sergeant Adams at the close of the war. A choice of several numbers for the command was offered to Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper, who selected "150" (as he himself states) because it was a "'good round number". The old designation, "143", under which uniforms and rations had been issued to the Philadelphia companies, naturally fell away on their arrival at Camp Curtin; but its use for even so short a time was not without troublesome consequences. Another 143d Regiment was soon in the field, and the confusion arising from the mingling of the papers relating to the two commands, in the offices of the state and national War Departments, entailed no small labor on Adjutant Ashhurst, who accomplished the task of straightening the record during the autumn. Adjutant Ashhurst and Quartermaster Arthur S. Voorhis reached Harrisburg close on the heels of the four Philadelphia companies, and from that moment knew no rest. Dr. Michael O'Hara, a brother of Bishop O'Hara, of Scranton, had not yet PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS 31 been mustered as surgeon, but Assistant Surgeon James Fulton was present to relieve such pains and aches as fell to the lot of the men from the miscellaneous food and indifferent shelter of Camp Curtin. Marching orders speedily followed the distribution of arms, and the command was promptly in motion, overjoyed to learn that its destination was Washington. Portraits of the following appear here: COLONEL H. S. HUIDEKOPER. LIEUTENANT-COLONEL THOS. CHAMBERLIN. BRIGADIER-GENERAL LANGHORNE WISTER. MAJOR R. L. ASHHURST. SURGEON MICHAEL O'HARA.