Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 10, 2015

The 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry Monument at Gettysburg is located west of the town of Gettysburg on Reynolds Avenue.  It was dedicated in 1889 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the first monument to this regiment at Gettysburg;  the second monument is located south of the town of Gettysburg on Hancock Avenue and was not dedicated until 1895.

The drawing of the 1889 monument pictured above is from a Philadelphia Inquirer article of 11 September 1889.

A picture of the monument can be seen on Stephen Recker’s Virtual Gettysburg Web Site which has more information about the monument and the 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry .

A full description of the 1889 monument, its GPS Coordinates, additional photographs, and some of the history of the 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry , can be found on the Stone Sentinels Web Site.  There is also a picture and information about the second monument.  In addition, there is information about Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant James M. Rutter from this regiment.

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The Philadelphia Inquirer of 11 September 1889 provided a capsule history of the regiment at Gettysburg.

About the First in the Fight.

The 143rd had bivouacked on the night of the 30th on March Creek, about four miles from Gettysburg, and was the first to meet the enemy next day, after Buford’s Cavalry engaged the enemy’s advance.  The 143rd formed on the railroad.  After the killing of Reynolds and the wounding of Colonels Stone and Wister, the brigade command devolved on Colonel Dana, and that of the regiment on Lieutenant Colonel Musser.  A terrific fire of infantry and repeated charged of ever fresh troops were repulsed with fearful slaughter by the 143rd.  When the retreat was ordered it was with difficulty, even after the enemy had flanked the position, that the men of the 143rd could be induced to face the rear.  This regiment was prominent in the complete repulse of the enemy from Cemetery Hill.

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Edmund L. Dana

The commander of the 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry at Gettysburg was Colonel Edmund Lovell Dana.   When the commanders of the brigade to which the 143rd was attached were “put out of action,” Colonel Dana moved to command the brigade and Lieutenant Colonel John D. Musser took command of the 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry .

Colonel Dana was mustered into the 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry on 18 November 1862.  After Gettysburg, he continued to lead the regiment until he was wounded and captured at the Wilderness, 5 May 1864.  On 26 July 1865 he was breveted Brigadier General and on 18 August he was honorably discharged with the regiment.

Edmund L. Dana died on 25 April 1889 and is buried at Hollenbach Cemetery, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.  No record has been seen that he ever applied for a pension.  Additional information about him can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.

John D. Musser

John D. Musser was born in Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, on 24 April 1826.  Not much is known about his life before the Civil War except that he is believed to have traveled to the gold fields in California in the late 1840s and had some financial gain from that experience.  On 1 October 1862 he began his service in the 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry as Captain of Company K.  On 8 November 1862, he was promoted to headquarters of the regiment as Major, and on 2 June 1863, one month before the Battle of Gettysburg, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

Unfortunately for Lieutenant Colonel Musser, he did not survive the war as he was killed at the Wilderness on 6 May 1864.  He is buried at Muncy Cemetery, Muncy, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.

Musser left a young daughter to survive him.  His wife who was also his cousin, Ellie E. [Bowman] Musser, died a few days after the birth of this daughter.  A pension application was made on behalf of the minor daughter,  Ellie M. B. Musser, by Joshua Bowman, Guardian.  The 28 pages of that application are available through Fold3.

A biography of Colonel Musser can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.

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Around the base of the Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg are a series of plaques which, by regiment and company, note the names of every soldier who was present at the Battle of Gettysburg.  The plaque for the 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry is pictured below.  By clicking on the plaque it should enlarge so the names can be more clearly read.  If a name does not appear, it could be that the soldier did serve in the 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry , but was not part of the regiment during its days at Gettysburg.  There could also be errors on the plaque.

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Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 9, 2015

The 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry Monument at Gettysburg is located west of the town of Gettysburg on Reynolds Avenue.  It was dedicated in 1889 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The picture of the monument (above) is from Stephen Recker’s Virtual Gettysburg Web Site which has more information about the monument and the 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry.

A full description of the monument, its GPS Coordinates, additional photographs, and some of the history of the 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry, can be found on the Stone Sentinels Web Site.

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A brief regimental history and summary of the dedication day program were the two areas covered by the Philadelphia Inquirer article of 11 September 1889:

It Was in the Artillery Duel.

The troops composing the 142nd Regiment rendezvoused at Camp Curtin August 1862, where they were mustered into service, and on 2 September effected a regimental organization.  Early in October it reported to General Meade and was assigned to the Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel Albert L. Magilton.  It marched to Brooks Station on the Acquia Creek Railroad.  On 9 December they joined in the several movements of the army to cross the Rappahannock and offer battle.  Colonel Cummins, who had been at the Washington Hospital, arrived on the field in the nick of time to take command of the battle which followed.  There in an exposed position the regiment held its stand until 250 of its 550 men were shot down.  Its next important work began with the march which ended at Gettysburg, where it was formed to the left of the wood, where Reynolds fell.  The regiment held the right of the First Brigade’s position on the first day when driven back.  Colonel Cummins was there mortally wounded.  Near him fell Acting Adjutant Lieutenant Tucker.

On the third day the regiment was exposed in the terrible artillery duel.   The loss of the the regiment at Gettysburg was 15 killed, 126 wounded and 84 missing.  Among the killed were Colonel Cummins, Captain Flagg, Lieutenants Andrew Gregg Tucker and Edward Hurst.  About Christmas, the 142nd was consolidated with Stone’s Brigade and the following May moved into the Wilderness Campaign.

In the morning the regiment will form in the square near the McClellan House, under command of Colonel H. N. Warren, and march to the site of the monument on Reynolds Avenue.  The dedicatory services will consist of prayer, by Judge O. P. Shaver; historical address, by Colonel H. N. Warren, and brief remarks by the veterans.  The regiment will then march to the grove, near the seminary, and hold a reunion.

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Robert P. Cummins

The commander of the 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry at Gettysburg was Colonel Robert Parson Cummins.  After he was mortally wounded on the first day of the battle, Lieutenant Colonel Alfred B. McCalmont took over command of the regiment.

Cummins joined the 39th Pennsylvania Infantry (10th Pennsylvania Reserve) in July 1861 at Harrisburg as Captain of Company A, but resigned on 8 January 1862.  At the time of his muster in that regiment, he was 34 years old and was a printer living in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.  On 1 September 1862 he was given the rank of Colonel in the 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry and on 1 July 1863, he was mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg.  Colonel Cummins died the next day in a field hospital.  He is buried at Union Cemetery, Somerset, Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

Colonel Cummins was survived by a widow, Sarah J. [Meek] Cummins, who applied for pension benefits on 15 August 1863 for herself and the couple’s minor children.  Fold3 has all 24 pages of the pension application file available on their site.  These pages include proof of marriage and proof of birth of each of the minor children as well as certification of the death of Colonel Cummins at Gettysburg.

More information about him can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.

Alfred B. McCalmont

Alfred Brunson McCalmont joined the 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry at headquarters as Lieutenant Colonel on 1 September 1862.  He took over the regiment at Gettysburg on 2 July 1863 upon the wounding of Colonel Cummins.  On 4 July 1863 he was promoted to Colonel and on 12 September 1864, he was transferred to the 208th Pennsylvania Infantry as its Colonel.  On 13 March 1865 he was breveted Brigadier General and on 1 June 1865 he was discharged with his regiment.

When the widow of W. W. Shelmadine, of Company I of the 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry, who was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg, applied for a pension based on her husband’s service, Colonel McCalmont provided a statement in support of her claim.  That statement (1 page) is available on Fold3.

No record has been seen to indicate that Colonel McCalmont ever applied for a pension for himself or that any eligible survivor applied based on his Civil War service.

Colonel McCalmont died on 7 May 1874 and is buried at Franklin Cemetery, Franklin, Venango County, Pennsylvania.  More information about him can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.

Extracts from Letters Written by Col. Alfred B. McCalmont, 1862-1865, published in 1908 by family members, contains 90 letters written by Colonel McCalmont from the front during the war.  The Diary of Alfred B. McCalmont, kept while he was attending Dickinson College, 1842-1826, is available in the special collections of its library.

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Around the base of the Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg are a series of plaques which, by regiment and company, note the names of every soldier who was present at the Battle of Gettysburg.  The plaque for the 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry is pictured below.  By clicking on the plaque it should enlarge so the names can be more clearly read.  If a name does not appear, it could be that the soldier did serve in the 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry, but was not part of the regiment during its days at Gettysburg.  There could also be errors on the plaque.

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Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 8, 2015

The 141st Pennsylvania Infantry Monument at Gettysburg is located south of the town of Gettysburg at the Peach Orchard.  It was dedicated in 1889 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The picture of the monument (above) is from Stephen Recker’s Virtual Gettysburg Web Site which has more information about the monument and the 141st Pennsylvania Infantry.

A full description of the monument, its GPS Coordinates, additional photographs, and some of the history of the 141st Pennsylvania Infantry, can be found on the Stone Sentinels Web Site.

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The heavy losses of the 141st Pennsylvania Infantry were noted in the Philadelphia Inquirer article of 11 September 1889:

Lost Seventy Per Cent of Its Men.

The 141st reached Gettysburg coming from Emmittsburg, 1 July 1863, after dark, and on the 2nd took position on Emmittsburg Pike to the right of the Peach Orchard, where it was engaged in support of batteries.  The angle formed in Sickles’s line at this point was the most exposed part of the field.  Save for a shielding cut in the road leading out to Round Top the regiment would have been annihilated by the enemy’s terrific artillery fire.  At length the infantry advanced.  It had reached the fence skirting the peach orchard on the south, counting on the easy capture of the Union guns when the 141st, which had lain concealed from view, leaped the wall, dashed upon the bewildered foe and held an advanced position while the horseless guns could be dragged to a place of safety.  Here in the repeated overwhelming attacks of the 141st, though fearfully torn, maintained a bold front and lost 70 per cent of its men.  The beloved Major Spalding was killed and all the captains but Captain Horton.  The latter remained on the field, though wounded.

General Henry J. Madill, Colonel in command in the conflict, will deliver the oration at the monument.

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Henry J. Madill

The commander of the 141st Pennsylvania Infantryy at Gettysburg was Colonel Henry Joseph Madill.  Madill, an attorney from Towanda, Pennsylvania, joined the 35th Pennsylvania Infantry on 22 June 1861 as Major at headquarters, but when the 141st was formed on 30 August 1862, he transferred there at the rank of Colonel.  After Gettysburg, he was breveted Brigadier General on 2 December 1864.  He was wounded at Petersburg on 2 April 1865 and on 13 March 1865 he was again breveted, this time as Major General.  His discharge came on 11 June 1865 and was backdated to 25 May 1865.

In his later years he returned to his law practice and was elected to several offices including County Recorder and Registrar and the Pennsylvania General Assembly representing Bradford County.  He applied for a Civil War pension on 6 September 1871, which he received and collected until his death.

Colonel Madill died on 29 June 1899 at Wysox, Bradford County, and is buried in the Wysox Cemetery.

For further information about him, see his Findagrave Memorial and an article entitled The 141st at Gettysburg which was published in the Daily Review of Bradford County.

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Around the base of the Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg are a series of plaques which, by regiment and company, note the names of every soldier who was present at the Battle of Gettysburg.  The plaque for the 141st Pennsylvania Infantry is pictured below.  By clicking on the plaque it should enlarge so the names can be more clearly read.  If a name does not appear, it could be that the soldier did serve in the 141st Pennsylvania Infantry, but was not part of the regiment during its days at Gettysburg.  There could also be errors on the plaque.

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Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 7, 2015

William E. Miller (1636-1919)

For his actions at Gettysburg, Captain William E. Miller was awarded the Medal of Honor and he is recognized at the Pennsylvania Medal of Honor Memorial in Harrisburg:

During the Civil War, William E. Miller served only one enlistment and that was with the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry.  He was mustered into service at Washington, D. C. on 17 August 1861, at age 25.  His residence at the time was Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and he gave his occupation as farmer.  At muster, he was a 2nd Lieutenant in Company E, but at some date not recorded in the records, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant of the same company.  On 1 September 1862, he was promoted to Captain of Company H, the position he held at the Battle of Gettysburg.  His service record is shown on his Pension Index Card (shown below from Fold3, which also notes his date and place of death, as 10 December 1919, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

William E. Miller first applied for a pension on 14 June 1880.  The Pension Index Card also has the designation “Medal of Honor Roll.”

Two obituaries tell more of the story.  The first is from the Harrisburg Telegraph of 10 December 1919:

CAPTAIN WM. E. MILLER, FAMOUS VETERAN OF CIVIL WAR IS DEAD

Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 10 December 1919 — Captain William E. Miller, 84 years old, former State Senator and well known Civil War veteran, died at his home today from debilities incident to old age.  He is credited with having won the Battle of Gettysburg by disobeying orders for which service he has since been rewarded by the award of a Congressional Medal.

He is believed to be the first and only soldier of the nation to be rewarded for disobedience to military authorities.  He was a friend of the late Compte DeParis and other famous men.

But the Harrisburg Patriot of the next day was much more effusive in its praise of Miller:

CAPT. MILLER, HERO OF GETTYSBURG, IS DEAD AT CARLISLE

Disobeyed Order and Led an Attack Which Helped Turn Tide for Union Army – Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor

Capt. William E. Miller died at his home in Carlisle yesterday morning at the age of 83 years.  He is the man to whom many persons give credit for turning the tide at the Battle of Gettysburg, when he disobeyed orders and carried a Union attack to victory.  He was the only America officer that had ever been court martialed and decorated at the same time.

He was born at West Hill, Cumberland County, and his early life was spent on a farm near Carlisle.  At the beginning of the Civil War he enlisted in Company H, 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry.  He was commissioned as a First Lieutenant and later as a Captain.

Captain Miller and his men were ordered not to attack at the Battle of Gettysburg.  The Union boys did not like the command and when Pickett charged, Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry attempted to flank the Union lines.  Captain Miller and his men, disobeying the order, dashed away from the main body of the men and attacked the flanking cavalry.  Although his cavalry was nearly annihilated, he has been given credit for having broken the flanking movement and thus saved the day for the Union Army.  The Confederates themselves credited their loss to Captain Miller’s bold move.

Decorated by Congress

After the battle the Union hero was court martialed and decorated with the Congressional Medal of Honor.  At the close of the war he returned to Carlisle and engaged in the hardware business.  He continued in this business until 1898, when he became identified with a fire insurance company, in which he was actively engaged until several years, when forced to retire through ill health.

For a long time Captain Miller was prominent in Democratic politics at Carlisle, being County Chairman several times, as well as a member of the State Committee.  He was a former State Senator and was at one time Burgess of Carlisle.  For twelve years he was a member of the Carlisle Board of Health and served as its president for five years.  He was the first Commander of Colwell Post, 201, G.A.R., and served as Quartermaster of this organization for a quarter of a century.

For the last year he had been confined to his room, due to impaired health.  one daughter, Mrs. George K. McCormick, of Kentucky, survives.  The funeral services will be in charge of the Carlisle Post of the G.A.R., assisted by Camp 50, Sons of Veterans.

The death of William E. Miller was foreshadowed by a small article that appeared in the Harrisburg Patriot on 17 December 1916:

AGED VETERAN IS RELIEVED FROM POST

Carlisle, 17 December 1916 — After faithful service as Quartermaster of Captain Colwell Post 201, a post which he organized and served as its commander, William E. Miller was relieved of the duties of the office at his own request.  Mr. Miller is now in his eighty-first year.

A resolution to this effect was offered by Milton A. Embich and was adopted by the post by a rising vote.

Captain Miller is buried at Gettysburg National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania.  More information about him can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.

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The news clipping from the Harrisburg Telegraph is from the free newspaper resource, Chronicling America, available on-line at the Library of Congress.  The clipping from the Harrisburg Patriot is from the on-line resources of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

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Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 6, 2015

The 140th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument at Gettysburg is located south of the town of Gettysburg on Sickles Avenue.  It was dedicated in 1889 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the second monument to this regiment at Gettysburg;  the first monument is located at the same place and was dedicated in 1885 by the regiment’s survivors and friends.

The drawing of the monument pictured above is from a Philadelphia Inquirer article of 11 September 1889.

A picture of the monument can be seen on Stephen Recker’s Virtual Gettysburg Web Site which has more information about the monument and the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry.

A full description of the second monument, its GPS Coordinates, additional photographs, and some of the history of the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry, can be found on the Stone Sentinels Web Site.  There is also a picture and information about the first monument.  In addition, information is provided about Medal of Honor recipients from this regiment:  (1) Lieutenant James L. Purman; and (2) Sergeant James Pipes.

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The monument dedication ceremonies as well as a brief history of the regiment were included in the Philadelphia Inquirer article of 11 September 1889:

Lost One Half its Men.

The 140th did its first important work at Gettysburg, when it met the enemy on the first day.  Its Colonel, Richard P. Roberts, was promoted to the command of the brigade, and was killed.  The regiment’s fighting occurred on the left centre, stretching away from the heights above the cemetery towards Round Top.  They swept the enemy back from the cover of the woods, and the ridge beyond the wheat field, a position of great natural strength, was gallantly carried.  The regiment lost half its men in that conflict.  Quartermaster Sergeant went into the fight, though not yet mustered in, and was killed.  Wounded Lieutenant Putnam gave a rebel his watch to lift him into the shade.  Captain Campbell’s sword was seized by a rebel as he fell.  Lying still the captain told the rebel he needed it, and when the rebels were driven back he got away.  The 140th fought its last battle at Farnville, 7 April 1865, two days before Lee’s surrender.  Lieutenant Colonel John Frazer was made colonel 4 July at Gettysburg.  Lieutenant Colonel Thomas B. Rodgers and Adjutant W. S. Shallenberger were captured there 2 July.

At 1:30 P.M., in the court house, the annual reunion of the 147th Pennsylvania Volunteers Regimental Association will be held.  The annual oration will be delivered by Rev. J. H. Boatman, after which the regiment will proceed to “the Loop,” where the monument, erected to the memory of the 241 comrades, is located.  J. H. Short will unveil the monument, Hon. W. S. Shallenberger will deliver the address detailing the history of the part taken in the battle by the regiment, Chaplain John Lynn Milligan will offer the dedicatory prayer, Comrade D. M. Pry will transfer the monument to the care of the Memorial Association, after which the benediction will be pronounced by the Rev. J. A. Wright.

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Richard P. Roberts

Colonel Richard Petit Roberts, an attorney from Beaver County, Pennsylvania, born 5 June 1820, commanded the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry at Gettysburg.  He was killed in action on the second day of the battle and Lieutenant Colonel John Fraser then commanded the regiment.

Carolyn [Henry] Roberts, the wife of Colonel Roberts, died after a lengthy illness on 4 February 1862, and at that point he began to think about temporarily abandoning his legal career and joining the army.  By 21 August 1862, he had helped recruit several companies of the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry in Beaver County, and took command of Company F as its Captain.  Controversy erupted in the ranks after Roberts was promoted to headquarters as Colonel of the regiment, 12 September 1862, when it was claimed by some of the company captains that Roberts was aloof and knew little about military affairs.  Perhaps it was these complaints about him that caused him to apply for several leaves to return to Beaver County to take care of personal and legal business.  The final leave was granted in late June 1863, but he returned from that leave in time to command the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry, and be killed in action on the Gettysburg battlefield.  The spot at which he fell is marked by a personal monument to him as well as the regiment.  No record has been found indicating that he left any survivors who were eligible to collect pension benefits.  He is buried at the Beaver Cemetery, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Additional information about Colonel Roberts can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.  See also, Richard P. Roberts, Civil War Hero of Gettysburg, by Mark R. Grago, Beaver County Writers Guild.

John Fraser

John Fraser was a Scottish-born American educator who joined the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry on 22 August 1862 and was mustered into service at Pittsburgh as Captain of Company G.  On 4 September 1862, he was promoted to headquarters as Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment.  After Gettysburg, he continued to lead the regiment but was wounded twice in May 1864, once at the Wilderness and once at Spottsylvania.  In June 1864 in the Siege of Petersburg, he was taken prisoner and sent to Charleston and then Libby Prison in Richmond.  Following his release, he returned to action where he was breveted Brigadier General on 13 March 1865 and honorably discharged with the regiment on 31 May 1865.

After the Civil War, Fraser became the third president of Penn State University, serving from 1866-1868, and later as chancellor of the University of Kansas, 1867-1874.  He died on 4 June 1878 at Pittsburgh but is buried at Green Ridge Cemetery, Kenosha, Kenosha County, Wisconsin.

For further information about him, see his Wikipedia article and his Findagrave Memorial.

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Around the base of the Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg are a series of plaques which, by regiment and company, note the names of every soldier who was present at the Battle of Gettysburg.  The plaque for the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry is pictured below.  By clicking on the plaque it should enlarge so the names can be more clearly read.  If a name does not appear, it could be that the soldier did serve in the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry, but was not part of the regiment during its days at Gettysburg.  There could also be errors on the plaque.

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