Armstrong County in The War of the Rebellion

Chapter 2
Armstrong County in The War of the Rebellion
159th Regiment - Fourteenth Cavalry

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-NINTH REGIMENT -- FOURTEENTH CAVALRY.

August 18, 1862, Lieut. James. M. Schoonmaker, of the 1st Maryland Cavalry, but a citizen of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was authorized by Secretary of War Stanton and Gov. Curtin to recruit a battalion of cavalry of five companies. Recruits came in so rapidly that on the 29th the authority was extended to the recruiting of a full regiment of twelve companies. The companies were composed chiefly of men from Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Erie, Fayette,Lawrence, Washington and Warren counties. Companies K and L were principally, and Company M entirely, composed of Armstrong men, and for that reason, a brief outline of the history of the regiment is here inserted. The regiment rendezvoused first at Camp Howe and subsequently at Camp Montgomery, near Pittsburgh, where, on November 24, organization was effected, with the following officers: colonel, James M. Schoonmaker; lieutenant colonel, William Blakeley; majors, Thomas Gibson, Shadrach Foley and John M. Daily. On the same day, the regiment moved toward Hagerstown, Maryland, and from thence to Harper's Ferry, where it remained on picket duty, varied with an occasional skirmish with the guerrilla bands which infested that region, until May, 1863, when it was sent to Grafton, on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and attached to the mounted command of Gen. Averill. The service at this time consisted in holding the towns of Beverly, Phillipi and Webster against a body of the enemy's cavalry. The 14th was held at Phillipi, and the remainder of the command at Webster and Beverly. The force at the latter place was surrounded by a brigade of the enemy. The 14th marched to their relief, and after a toilsome march reached the town early in the morning. A short skirmish took place and the enemy was compelled to withdraw. After this time, Gen. Averill's command was engaged on the Upper Potomac during the Gettysburg campaign; also at the Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, where the 14th distinguished itself by repulsing three detemined charges of the enemy. It was in the Droop Mountain raid and some smaller engagements. At Craig's creek, where Gen. Averill and his command seemed doomed to certain capture, he skillfully eluded the enemy, and no less than seven times in twenty-four hours the artillery was dragged by hand through the creek, which was deep and filled with floating ice. In November, 1863, the 14th by the destruction of the bridge over the Jackson river, was cut off from the main troops, and Gen. Early sent in a flag of truce demanding its surrender. Although surrounded by adverse circumstances, the men of the 14th reg. were not the kind to weakly yield, but setting fire to the train and fording the river, they made their escape and rejoined the command, which swam the Greenbrier that same night, crossed the Alleghenies by an old bridle-path, and, finally, after a march of five days over almost impassable roads, where the men were compelled to walk, reached Beverly. From this point, the command went to Martinsburg and into winter quarters. In recognition of the great service which the command had performed, the War Department gave to each man a new suit of clothes as a gift from the government, the only instance of the kind during the war. The command was engaged on picket duty all of that winter, and arduous duty it was, too. In the spring of 1864, Gen. Averill's command undertook a movement through Virginia, which was successfully accomplished after great difficulty. While on this march, the soldiers of the 14th, on one occasion, were without food for five days, and many died from hunger. The last portion of the service in which this regiment was engaged included the battle of Moorefield and those brilliant engagements under Sheridan, which have made his name famous. April 20, 1865, the regiment went to Washington, D. C., and on June 11, to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where it was consolidated into a battalion of six companies. The date of the muster out was August 24, 1865, and the companies returned in a body to Pittsburgh, where they disbanded. During all the campaigns in which it was engaged, the 159th lost about eighty men killed and more than 200 wounded, besides many reported missing.

FIELD AND STAFF.
Lieutenant Colonel Wm. Blakeley, m. i. s. Nov. 24, 1862; res. June 6, 1865.
Lieutenant Colonel John M. Dailey, m. i. s. Nov. 24, 1862; pro. from Major June 28,1865; dis. Sept. 22, 1865.
Veterinary Surgeon Joseph Miller, m. i. s. Nov. 23, 1862; pro. from private Co. E Nov. 23, 1862; dis. by G. O. May 31, 1865.
Quartermaster Sergeant John W. Barclay, m. i. s. Sept. 30, 1862; pro. from Q. M. Sergt. Co. L Oct. 22, 1862; to 2d Lt. Co. C June 6, 1864.
Quartermaster Sergeant George S. Matthews, m. i. s. Feb. 25, 1865; pro. from private Co. L June 1, 1865; dis. by G. O. July 31, 1865.
Hospital Steward William Todd, m. i. s. Oct. 25, 1862; pro. from private Co. L Nov 9, 1862; dis. by G. O. July 31, 1865.
Hospital Steward Cyrus Goss, m. i. s. Nov. 23, 1862; pro. from private Co. K June 1, 1865; dis. by G. O. July 31, 1865.
COMPANY K.
[It will be observed that a large number of men in this company are marked "not accounted for" -- a circumstance which doubtless arose from an imperfection in the muster-out roll. As a matter of fact nearly all of these men were mustered out with the company, or discharged at the expiration of their term of service by General Order. The men were mustered into service November 23, 1862, except where otherwise noted.]
OFFICERS.
Captain David K. Duff, m. i. s. Nov. 14, 1862; captured and wounded with loss of arm at Ashly's Gap, Va., Feb. 19, 1865; dis. May 15, 1865.
Captain James L. Kelley, m. i. s. Nov. 18, 1862; pro. from 2d to 1st Lt. Jan. 26, 1865; to Capt. June 8, 1865; trans. to Co. B July 31, 1865.
Commissary Sergeant David Wright; not accounted for.
Sergeant David K. Armstrong, trans. to Co. B July 31, 1865.
Sergeant James G. Rankin, m. i. s. March 15, 1864; trans. to Co. B, July 31, 1865.
Sergeant Will C. Ames, m. i. s. Nov. 23, 1862; not accounted for.
Sergeant William R. Cowan, m. i. s. Nov. 23, 1862; not accounted for.
Sergeant Marsh Johnston, m. i. s. Nov. 23, 1862; not accounted for.
Corporal Henry F. Russell, m. i. s. March 3, 1864; trans. to Co. -- July 31, 1865.
Corporal Geo. S. Frailey, not accounted for.
Corporal Jos. Case, not accounted for.
Corporal Wm Morrow, not accounted for.
Corporal James J. Frazier, not accounted for.
Corporal David Maratin, not accounted for.
Corporal Henry P. Lewis, not accounted for.
Corporal Wm. Pears, not accounted for.
Corporal Moses Miller, not accounted for.
Farrier John E. Stoughton.
Farrier David McCullough, wounded at Gilmore's Mill, in charge, June 13, 1863; m. o. with Co.
PRIVATES
Aultman, John S., m. i. s. Feb. 24, 1864; trans. to Co. B July 31, 1865.
Akey, John, not accounted for.
Angie, Peter, died at Andersonville, Ga., May 28, 1864; grave 1436.
Anstead, John A., not accounted for.
Altman, Solomon, m. i. s. Feb. 23, 1864; not accounted for.
Burns, Wm. J., m. i. s. Sept. 10, 1864; dis. by G. O. June 23, 1865.
Briggs, Samuel W., m. i. s. Nov. 14, 1862; dis. by G. O. June 6, 1865.
Bowser, John F., m. i. s. Feb. 29, 1864; trans. to Co. B July 31, 1865.
Bouch, John G., died Aug. 23, 1864; buried in London Park Nat. Cem., Baltimore, Md.
Blakely, W.
Brown, John, not accounted for.
Bodenhorn, Jacob J., not accounted for.
Bellos, John, not accounted for.
Brown, Noah H., not accounted for.
Bodenhorn, H. J., not accounted for.
Barrett, Samuel E., not accounted for.
Cox, John R., m. i. s. Feb. 27, 1864; dis. by G. O. June 6, 1865.
Cougherty, John, trans. to Co. B July 31, 1865.
Caldwell, Samuel A., captured; died at Andersonville, Ga., May 19, 1864, grave 1206.
Cravener, Simon P., captured; died at Andersonville, Ga., May 19, 1864; grave 837.
Cooper, Jeremiah, died at Frederick, Md.; buried in Mt. Olivet Cem.
Cable, Montgomery, not. accounted for.
Clark, Loven G.
Chamberlain, Jacob, not accounted for.
Feit, John, not accounted for.
Frailey, Daniel, not accounted for.
Farringer, Philip, not accounted for.
Grim, Adam W., died Nov. 13, 1864; buried in Nat. Cem., Antietam, Md., sec. 26, lot F, grave 607.
Gardner, Geo. W., not accounted for.
Garner, William, not accounted for.
George, David A., killed at White Sulphur Springs, Va., Aug. 26, 1863.
Goheen, James M., not accounted for.
Goss, Cyrus, pro. to Hospital Steward Jan. 1, 1865.
Gibson, Samuel M., not accounted for.
Geiger, Benj. D., not accounted for.
Hepler, Milton, m. i. s. Feb. 25, 1864; trans. to Co. B July 31, 1865.
Henderson, John A., not accounted for.
Hankey, James M., not accounted for.
Hankey, Benj W., not accounted for.
Hayes, Jas. F., not accounted for.
Hetrick, Joseph C., not accounted for.
Haas, John, not accounted for.
Harman, Andrew J., not accounted for.
Henderson, Jacob, not accounted for.
Harvey, Redick, not accounted for.
Hefflefinger, V. S., m. i. s. Feb. 20, 1864; captured; died at Andersonville, Ga., July 28, 1864; grave 4136.
Hefflefinger, Wm., m. i. s. Sept. 8, 1862; died at Philadelphia, Oct. 19, 1864.
Irwin, John, m. i. s. March 29, 1864; trans. to Co. B. July 31, 1865.
Irwin, Robert, not accounted for.
Johnston, John A., not accounted for.
Johnston, David, not accounted for.
Jellison, Washington, not accounted for.
Kness, Martin, not accounted for.
Krider, Wm. A., not accounted for.
King, John, dis. by G. O. June 9, 1865.
King, Thomas, m. i. s. April 7, 1863; dis. by G. O. June 9, 1865.
Kilgore, James, not accounted for.
King, David, not accounted for.
King, Hamilton, not accounted for.
King, Abraham, not accounted for.
Keiffer, Joseph, not accounted for.
Lytle, Robert J., not accounted for.
Lytle, Morrow, not accounted for.
Martin, John F., captured; died at Andersonville, Ga., April 4, 1864; grave 361.
Mathews, John W., not accounted for.
Milller,Philip, trans. to 3d Co., 1st bat. Vet. Res. Corps; dis. by G. O. Sept. 1, 1865.
Miller, Silas, not accounted for.
Miller, John, not accounted for.
Miller, Jacob S., not accounted for.
McGregor, Joseph, m. i. s. Feb. 29, 1864; trans. to Co. B July 31, 1865.
McClure, Jos., not accounted for.
McCracken, R. A., not accounted for.
Nolf, Zachariah, not accounted for.
Nichols, Wm. A., not accounted for.
Pontious, Levena D., not accounted for.
Pickering, Thos., not accounted for.
Ritchie, James, m. i. s. Feb. 25, 1864; trans. to Co. B July 31, 1865.
Reddick, James E., m. i. s. March 10, 1864; died at Staunton,Va., July 6, 1864; buried in Nat. Cem.., sec. A, grave 44.
Rhodes, Solomon, not accounted for.
Ross, Joseph, not accounted for.
Rupert, Wm. B., not accounted for.
Shaum, Wm. B., m. i. s. Feb. 23, 1864; trans. to Co. B July 31, 1865.
Steffey, James H., m. i. s. Feb. 18, 1864; trans. to Co. B July 31, 1865.
Speedy, Alexander, m. i. s. Nov. 23, 1864; not accounted for.
Stockdill, Jacob, died at Annapolis, Md., Aug. 18, 1864.
Sell, Wm. H., died Aug. 17, 1864; buried in Nat. Cem., Antietam, Md., sec. 26, lot F, grave 606.
Stallman, David, not accounted for.
Sims, Robert, not accounted for.
Stoughton, Joseph, not accounted for.
Thompson, Thos. W., not accounted for.
Todd, George, not accounted for.
Underburgh, H., not accounted for.
Wissinger, Levi S., not accounted for.
Westwood, John, not accounted for.
Young, William, not accounted for.
Young, Robert, killed at White Sulphur Springs, Va., Aug. 26, 1863.

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