Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 6, 2014

A listing of the April 2014 posts on The Civil War Blog with direct links:

Harrisburg Burning – Yet Again

The Shamokin Soldiers’ Circle – Photographs 69 – 77 and Path

March 2014 Posts

The Shamokin Soldiers’ Circle – Photographs 80 – 92

Robert M. Palmer – Lincoln’s Minister to Argentina

The Shamokin Soldiers’ Circle – Photographs 93 – 101

The Shamokin Soldiers’ Circle – Photographs 102 – 110

The End of the Civil War Draft

The Great Shohola Train Wreck – Introduction to a Series of Posts

The Shamokin Soldiers’ Circle – Photographs 111 – 119

Benjamin Snyder – Killed After Attending Daughter’s Wedding

The Great Shohola Train Wreck – First Newspaper Reports

Charles T. Palmer – Resident Surgeon at Wills Eye Hospital, 1864-1865

The Great Shohola Train Wreck – A Local Newspaper’s Early Report

John Coffield of Schuylkill County – Died at Richmond

The Shamokin Soldiers’ Circle – Photographs 120 – 128

The Shamokin Soldiers’ Circle – Photographs 129 – 137

Events of the World: April 1864

Category: Overviews | Comments Off on April 2014 Posts
Tags: Table of Contents

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 5, 2014

The Williamstown-Williams Township Historical Society held its annual Open House yesterday, Sunday, 4 May 2014, at their headquarters and museum in Williamtown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.  Featured at the Open House was the presentation of a restored Civil War Officer’s Commission and an exhibit on Women and the Civil War.

Diane Schreffler, presented to the Williamstown Historical Society the 1st Lieutenant’s Commission of Daniel Chester (1841-1873) who served first in the 5th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I, as a Private, from 21 April 1861 through discharge on 21 July 1861.  Daniel then re-enlisted in the 55th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company A, on 1 January 1864, as a Sergeant. At the time of this second enlistment he was working as a mining engineer in Schuylkill County and living in Minersville.  Early in 1865 he received three promotions- to 1st sergeant, to 2nd Lieutenant, and finally to 1st Lieutenant – before his honorable discharge on 30 August 1865.  This final commission was kept in the family and passed down to Diane through her aunt, who married Daniel Bordner of Williamstown.  Daniel Bordner was a direct descendant in one of the Chester lines. Note: The officer’s commission was restored and archivally framed by Norman Gasbarro, of the Civil War Research Project.

Daniel Chester Grave in Williamstown

After the Civil War, Lt. Daniel Chester resided in Williamstown and worked in the mines as an engineer and in management.  He died young, at the age of 32, and is buried in Seybert’s Cemetery, a few blocks from the historical society building.

Two members of the Daniel Chester family were also present for the presentation.  At right (above) is Darlene [Chester] Schaffner, the great-great-granddaughter of Lt. Chester.  At left (above) is June Chester, Darlene’s mother and the wife of Robert Chester, the great-grandson of Lt. Chester.

Robert Chester, of Washington State, sent in photographs of his family for display.

Four Civil War soldiers with the surname Chester were mentioned – with the possibility that they were all brothers:  Joseph Chester ( 1828-1864), a mining engineer who died at Fredericksburg; Holden Chester (1833-1889), a blacksmith who entered the service as a private and rose to the rank of veterinary surgeon in the cavalry – later a mining engineer in Shamokin; John Chester (1834-1903), a mining engineer who lived in Wiconisco and Williamstown, and whose name appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument; and Daniel Chester, previously mentioned.  Another possible brother, Matthew Chester (1831-1892), also a mining engineer, registered for the draft, but was not called into service.   Extensive information files were donated to the historical society on each of these men.

In addition to the Daniel Chester Commission Presentation, a exhibit was opened on Women and the Civil War.  The exhibit consists of pictures and stories of over 170 women who were in some way connected to Civil War soldiers – mothers, daughters, wives, etc.  Nearly all the women portrayed in the exhibit had some connection to the Lykens-Williams Valley area.  Copies of the pictures in the exhibit are available on request from the historical society.  The exhibit will run through July with a special opening on Memorial Day in connection with the American Legion’s dedication of a Prisoner of War Memorial.  The museum and exhibit will also be open at other times as posted on the society Facebook page.

Janice Culton, President

Category: Museums | Comments Off on Williamstown Remembers the Civil War
Tags: Wiconisco, Williamstown

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 4, 2014

Officer’s Quarters at Elmira Prison Camp

Today’s post is a continuation of the series in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Great Shohola Train Wreck, which occurred on 15 July 1864.  At the time it occurred, it was the worst recorded train accident in history.

The official report of the transport of prisoners to Elmira Prison Camp from Point Lookout, Maryland, including the train wreck near Shohola, Pennsylvania, was written by Captain Morris H. Church and submitted to camp commander, Col. S. Eastman on 22 July 1864.  It was printed in The War of the Rebellion, Series II (Prisoners), Volume 7, pages 489-450, and later reproduced by Clay W. Holmes in 1912 in The Elmira Prison Camp.

Barracks No. 3, Elmira, N.Y., 22 July 1864

[To:] Lieutenant Colonel Eastman, Commanding Depot.

Sir: As officer in command of guard in charge of prisoners of war from Point Lookout, Maryland, I have to report that we left on steamer Crescent with a guard of 125 men and three commissioned officers, and 833 prisoners on the eve of 12 July.  Arrived at New York at 3 P.M., 14 July, and disembarked at Jersey City at 4 A.M. on the 15 July. Left Jersey City via Erie Railway, and at 3 P.M. came in collision with a coal train near Shohola, Pennsylvania, causing a complete wreck of the train and killing fourteen of the guard and forty of the passengers instantly, mortally wounding three of the guard and eight prisoners, all of whom have since died, and wounding sixteen of the guard and ninety-three prisoners.  Neither all of the guards on duty were either killed or wounded and I immediately caused the reserve to be poste around the wreck and prisoners to prevent their escape.  The wounded were extricated as soon as possible and taken to Shohola, where every attention was rendered by the citizens and guard.  The wounded all being cared for, the dead were buried in the immediate vicinity of the accident, and each grave properly designated.  The prisoners were removed to Shohola, where we remained until 11 A.M., 16 July, when we proceeded on our way, arriving at Elmira at 9:30 P.M.  Many of the prisoners killed were so disfigured that it was impossible to recognize them, and five escaping whose names are unknown, I am unable to give you a correct list of killed.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

MORRIS H. CHURCH

Captain, 11th Veteran Reserve Corps, Commanding Guard

A summary of the Church report is presented in the table below:

According to the Church report, the train left Jersey City with 125 veteran guards plus three commissioned officers.  There were 833 prisoners on board.

The reasons for not being able to make an accurate list of the dead were stated as follows:  “The five who escaped were unknown, and the bodies of the dead being mostly mutilated beyond recognition, it became a hard matter to prepare a list, with absolute accuracy.  The death roll, however, is fixed at 48 prisoners and 17 guards.  Of the wounded, 86 were moved at once and 7 later, making 93 as reported.”

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The report of Captain Church is found on pages 32-33 of The Elmira Prison Camp: A History of the Military Prison at Elmira New York, July 6, 1864 to July 10, 1865, by Clay W. Holmes, published in 1912 by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, New York.  It is available as a free download from the Internet Archive (click on title for access to free download).  The Brady photograph of the Officer’s Barracks is also from that volume.

For a listing of all other posts in this series, with direct links, click on ShoholaTrainWreck.

Category: Research, Resources, Stories | Comments Off on The Great Shohola Train Wreck – Official Report of Captain Morris H. Church
Tags: Railroad

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 3, 2014

Today’s post on the Shamokin Cemetery’s Soldiers’ Circle features seven graves in the second circle, fourth quadrant, beginning with photograph 138.  The photographs in this segment are numbered 138 through 144.  All of the stones in this section are sequenced in the order of the death of the veteran.  For each of the veterans, the best determination of the name is given and where possible some information about the military record.  Some errors may be noted where the information on the stone may not match other records.  Each grave photograph may be enlarged by clicking on it, and in some cases, readers may be able to identify or clarify some of the unknown information.  Comments can be added to this post or sent by e-mail to the Civil War Research Project.  The collected information on soldiers buried in the circle (including some military records, pension files, photographs, etc.) is available free-of-charge to veterans organizations, historical societies, and other non-profit groups.  Inquiries may be sent by e-mail or by regular mail, to the attention of Norman Gasbarro, P.O. Box 523, Gratz, PA  17030.

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#138 – Peter Miller

This Peter Miller‘s full name was Peter William Miller.  He was born in Pennsylvania on 22 Jun 1845 and died at Danville on 10 November 1918.  This is the Peter Miller who was previously reported in the Veterans’ List of the Civil War Research Project.  Peter served in the 93rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company B and possibly also Company F, as a Private, from either the 20 January or 26 January 1865 through discharge at the end of June 1865.   In 1890 he was living in Tower City, Schuylkill County, but for some unknown reason that fact was reported on the census page for Wayne Township, Dauphin County.  He was married to the former Sevilla Gilbert.

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#139 – Mathew Lambert

Matthew Lambert was a soldier in the 96th Pennsylvania Infantry whose company was merged into the 95th Pennsylvania Infantry on 18 October 1864.  Records indicate that he enrolled at Janesville, Pennsylvania on 22 September 1861.  At that time he was employed as a miner.  He re-enlisted on 8 February 1864.  On 18 October 1864, he was transferred to Company E of the 95th Pennsylvania Infantry.  Matthew was born at Pottsville around 1842 and died in Shamokin on 18 April 1919.  Following his service he was recorded as living in Shamokin in 1890, he applied for a pension on 8 June 1896, and his widow applied on 19 April 1919 from the District of Columbia.  His wife’s name was Elizabeth [Cauthern] Lambert.  Some records give the wife’s name as “Mary E. Lambert” – possibly indicating that she was the former Mary Elizabeth Cauthern?

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#140 – Henry Frain

Henry H. Frain (or Henry Frahn) was born in Ireland about 1840 and died at Shamokin on 18 May 1919.  He served in the 121st Pennsylvania Infantry, Company F, as a Private from 19 August 1862 through 2 June 1865.  In 1890 he was living in Shamokin.  On 16 May 1892, he applied for pension benefits.  In 1910 he was living in Shamokin and working as a cola miner.

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#141 – Samuel Kessler

Samuel Kessler was born on 20 March 1847 in Schuylkill County and died on 16 July 1919 in Shamokin.  During the Civil War he first served in Frank A. Murray’s Independent Cavalry Company from 17 June 1863 through the end of the emergency of 1863, when he was discharged on 11 August 1863.  Later he enrolled at Pottsville in the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, as a Private, and was mustered into service on 22 February 1864 and mustered out with his company on 17 July 1865.  On 1 May 1865 he received a promotion to Corporal.  At the time of his Civil War service he was a resident of Schuylkill County and was employed as a laborer.  The blogspot of the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry states that on 2 April 1865 he was reported as missing in action.  Samuel’s wife was Mary E. Kessler who applied for widow’s pension benefits on 30 July 1919.  Samuel’s pension application was made on 13 May 1885 and he received payments until his death.

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#142 – Christian Etzel

A relatively new government issue stone sits atop the grave of Christian Etzel – who is also found in the records as Christian Oetzel, Christopher Oetszel, and Christoph Etzel, as well as various combinations of the same.  He was born in 1844 and died at Shamokin on 29 August 1920.  On 21 March 1864, Christian was mustered into service in the 69th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G, as a Private (as “Oetzel”).  On the 27 March 1864, he was transferred to the 71st Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G (as “Oetszel”).  His service ended on 1 July 1865 with his honorable discharge.  Christian applied for a pension on 17 April 1888.  Not much else is known about him at this time..

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#143 – Tobias Koppenhaffer

Most Civil War soldiers with the name “Koppenheffer” can also be found in the records as Koppenhaver, Kuppenheffer, Koppenhiefer, Coppenheffer, Coppenhaver, etc.  Thus it is with Tobias Koppenhaver who was born in 1846 and died 30 August 1920 at New Berlin, Pennsylvania.  On 8 August 1862 at Northumberland County, Tobias enrolled in the 131st Pennsylvania Infantry, Company C, as a Private, where he served until 23 May 1863.  In less than a year, he re-enlisted at Harrisburg in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company A, as a Private, where he served from 27 February 1864 through 23 August 1865.  At this latter service he indicated that that he was born in Dauphin County, resided in Northumberland County, and was working as a blacksmith.  Tobias made application for an invalid pension on 16 July 1890, and after his death his widow, Mary Catherine Koppenhaver applied on 10 September 1920.  A minor’s pension was also applied for with the guardian registered as Andrew Kupenheffer.

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#144 – Henry Miller

Henry Miller died at Selinsgrove, Snyder County, on 1 October 1921.  He was born about 1842 in Perry County.  His Civil War service was in the 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company K, as a Private, from 9 March 1865 through 28 June 1865.  He was a boatman by occupation, probably on the Susquehanna River.  Henry was married to Sarah Zerby.  The pension files indicate that his mother had applied for a pension based on the service of a James A. G. Miller (possibly a brother?) whose alias was Garfield J. Miller who served in the 21st U.S. Infantry, Company F.  Further research is needed to find out more information, but because of the relatively common name of Henry Miller, it will not be easy.

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#145 – Path to Inner Circle

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#146 – Path to Inner Circle

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For all posts in this series, click on ShamokinSoldCircle.

Category: Queries, Research, Stories | Comments Off on The Shamokin Soldiers’ Circle – Photographs 138 – 144 and Path
Tags: Cemetery, Tower City, Wayne Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 2, 2014

In 1912, Clay W. Holmes wrote and published The Elmira Prison Camp:  A History of the Military Prison at Elmira, N.Y., July 6, 1864 to July 10, 1865.  The book is available free from the Internet Archive (click on title and follow instructions at left of page to download).

After the Great Shohola Train Wreck occurred on 15 July 1864, plans had to be made at Elmira to receive the Confederate prisoners who had survived.  In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the accident, this blog post series continues.  To see all the posts in this series, click on ShoholaTrainWreck.

William C. Wey, M.D.
Camp Surgeon

The story, as it appeared in The Elmira Prison Camp, appears below:

The morning of Saturday, 16 July 1864, brought to Elmira the startling news that there had been a frightful railroad accident at Shohola, a coal train having collided with the train bearing a detachment of prisoners of war.  The city was thrown into a whirl of excitement, and the officers at the prison camp were busily occupied in making such arrangements as were possible with the limited facilities at hand to care for the wounded prisoners on arrival….

A new train was made up as soon as possible and proceeded on its way.  It consisted of twenty cars, the first six containing wounded prisoners. The train reached Elmira at 9:30 P.M.  Colonel Eastman and Surgeon Wey were on the spot to direct the work of unloading the wounded.  All the U.S. baggage wagons at the post, twelve in number, were on hand lined up to receive the wounded, the bottoms all covered with hay, to make the journey as easy as possible.  The sick and the ailing who were unable to walk were also put into the wagons.  Those who could walk were marched to the camp, and on arrival were provided with a good comfortable meal to offset the enforced fast occasioned by the delay.

One of the barracks had been hastily emptied to provide the best possible quarters for the wounded.  The wounded guards were sent to the general hospital to be cared for by the nurses as best they could.  Surgeon Wey turned his attention immediately to the prisoners, and, with all the assistance he could procure, toiled patiently and steadily through that long Saturday night till daylight in his efforts to dress the wounds, but it was impossible to give attention to so many in so short a time.

The scarcity of lint and bandages crippled them in their work.  This supply had been ample for any ordinary requirement, but the extraordinary demand exhausted the supply to had in all the Government hospitals, and little could be done till more was obtained.  Surgeon Wey did not wait for official orders and requisitions, but in some way got word to all the city pastors, so that there went forth on Sunday morning, from every pulpit, a stirring appeal to the ladies for lint, bandages, and delicacies, with the request that any contribution be sent at once to his own residence, so that he might personally see that  they reached the prison camp in the shortest possible time….  The response was immediate and contributions were sent in, not only by the ladies of Elmira, but from many adjoining towns…

The Ladies Hospital Aid Association also responded quickly with liberal supplies of delicacies in addition to the dressings needed.  This Association had been organized in the early days of the war, to provide needed supplies to be sent to the front.  They responded with the same alacrity and cheerful spirit to the call for aid to the suffering Confederates which before had characterized their labors for our own wounded at the front….

The herculean task was not completed till Monday noon.  Some might say that in such an emergency other city physicians should have been called in to assist.  The situation was just this.  All the leading surgeons of Elmira, except Dr. Wey, were in active service at the front, and the sick citizens of Elmira were left to the mercy of what little attention Surgeon Wey might be able to render during his supposed hours of rest, assisted by medical students or nurses.  This statement is made to answer  the criticism of Mr. Keiley, in his book, charging a criminal neglect because some of the wounded prisoners were still unattended on Monday morning.   The evidence would indicate that everything possible was done to meet this startling emergency, with no thought or treatment different from that which would have been accorded our own soldiers.  As a matter of fact, the wounded guards were actually neglected and delegated to the care of inexperienced nurses, that the Confederates might receive the best attention possible under the circumstances.

Captain M. H. Church, 11th Veteran Reserve Corps, was sent to Shohola on 22 July 1864 to direct the conveyance of such wounded as could be moved to Elmira.  He returned with seven, brought on movable beds.

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The portrait of Dr. Wey is from The Elmira Prison Camp.

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Tags: Railroad