Chapter 13 - In Baltimore

Adah Isaacs Menken was born near New Orleans about 1835.  Facts concerning her family name and early life are obscure.  She was left in poverty at an early age, and appeared on the stage in New Orleans and in other US cities.  In 1856 she married Alexander Isaacs Menken, and thereafter bore his name through various matrimonial ventures, including marriage to heavyweight fighter “Benicia Boy.”  While on the stage in San Francisco, Adah knew many local writers, including Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and Joaquin Miller.  In 1864 she appeared in Astley’s Theatre, London as Mazeppa.  In this role she appeared almost nude, strapped to a running horse.  In England and France Adah became intimate with many literary men – Algernon Swinburne, Charles Reade, and Charles Dickens, to whom she dedicated a volume of verse, Infelicia.  Adah Isaacs Menken played other Dickensian roles, including Pip in Great Expectations.  Nicholas Nickleby was performed for her benefit in New York City in 1862.

CHAPTER XIII

IN BALTIMORE

The train stopped at the upper Depot, the company marched through the city to the other depot.  Here our officers learned that we would in all human probabili­ty be compelled to remain in the city over night, marched us to the So1d1ers Rest.  Here under the auspices of a number of patriotic ladles, a repast was soon set before us, and we partook of a hearty meal, consisting of bread, coffee, meat, cold tongue, pickled cabbages, pickles, &c., &c.  After we had partaken of the good things placed before us, “we fell in” and marched to a Market shed unoccupied near by where we unslung knapsacks, and prepared for a stroll thro’ the Monumental city.  It will not be out of place to mention that the “three Regulars,” as we were called were each plac­ed under a corporal, and under his charge we were kindly permitted to do the city.  It fell to our lot to be placed under the, prevalence of Corporal Freddy Ulrich and together we saw the sights. We visited the Monuments for which the city is noted, stood in awe under the shadow of the shot tower; feasted our eyes upon the sight of the guns that frowned upon the city and to sea-ward from Fort McHenry, watched the soldiers drilling on Federal Hill, visited the Franklin House kept by our old and respected former townsman Gideon Leisenring, sauntered along the dock and examined the construction and equipment of the various description, and crafts from the fishing smack to the three masted king of the sea, riding upon the majestic breast of the Chesapeake; we partook of a number of stews of oyster at “only 10 cents a bowl,” as well as several glasses of something stronger, to invigorate the inner man and to prevent “change of water doing us any harm,” as Freddy put it..

After taking in all the sights we turned our steps towards the place where the company, or at least our traps were stored.  After several mishaps, and at length by the aid of several policemen, we finally turned up at the place we had started from in the morning.

Soon alter our arrival the boys took up a collection and with the proceeds, some 90 cents, purchased two bushels of fine shell oysters, which by the aid of pepper, salt and vinegar did not go so bad.  Thus the day was spent, and in the evening we were again treated to a number one supper at the home, after which we were taken into a large brick house, near the corner of Howard and Franklin streets, and which bad been previously used as a Fur­niture Warehouse, but during the war was used for quartering troops that remained in the city over night, so that the condition in which we found it, will be readily appreciated by those who are posted in the way such places are generally kept.

Here we were told that we must remain for the night.  A number of the boys obtained permission to go to the theater.  Among those who were granted passes, we now remember  Lewis C. Schroyer, U. P. Hafley, Will Keller, Freddy Ulrich, Elias Millhoff, Will Fausnacht, Dan W. Gross, Jake Riegel, J. P. Ulrich and ourself.  We visited the two Theaters, Holiday and Front Sts., and examined the bulletin boards to see which one offered the greatest attractions.  At the Holiday Street theater they were running “Mazeppa,” or the Wild Horse of Mantary, with Adah Issac Menkin in the role.  This play we concluded would be the best, and when comparing notes with those who attended the other play, we found that it was.

Never showed movies , which came much later than the Holiday Street Theatre, but after we found a old pic of the theatre, we had to share it.  - http://www.kilduffs.org/featuredtheatre/

We distinctly remember that Lewis C. Schroyer who had never before been in a theater, was wishing that he could see a play with thunder and lightning in it, and it so happened that his wish was gratified to its fullest extent, as all can testify who have had the pleasure of seeing this excellent play. We passed a very pleasant evening, and had it not been for getting lost, we would have returned to out quarters at a seasonable hour, but as it was we did not reach the warehouse until nearly two o’clock.  Here we related to our less fortunate comrades who were awakened by our coming in, what we had seen, and it was almost morning before we were successful in closing our eyes in sleep, and had scarcely succeeded ere we were awakened by reveille, done up in Dasher’s (Antes Ulrich) best style.  We were however fully awakened by some one caging one of Levi J. Romig’s No. 9 government shoes across the room hitting him “ker chuck” on the cranium.  Jumping up with anything but a Christian feeling he attempted to discover who was the guilty party, but no one knew who had threw it, and we pitched it to its owner.

After performing a hasty morning toilet, and answering roll call, we marched to the Rest, anxious to get breakfast, and glad to escape from the illy ventilated room of the almost intolerable stench that pervaded the building, and which had been strengthened by the doings of several of the roosters belonging to the company.

The breakfast prepared for us was similar to the other meals with which we had been regaled on the day previous and as could well be surmised we did ample just­ice to it.  The ”little one” and several of the boys were detailed to assist in waiting on table and the way that they served cold tongue was a caution to the commissariat of the Rest.

It has been decreed by fate that there is an end for all things, and that there must surely be an end to our pleasures as well as our sorrows, so the time for our departure for the front at length arrived, and we rather reluctantly bade adieu to the city of Baltimore.

We were marched to the depot and soon were seated in the cars.  A few sharp toots from the whistle, the throttle-valve was opened, with a hiss the imprisoned steam hastened to perform its function, slowly the ponderous iron wheels of the locomotive began to revolve, only to gain increased velocity with revolution until we were being carried towards our destination with all the rapidity possible.

Our company was entrusted with the Regimental Colors, and we carried  them with us to the regiment.  Little did we think as we gazed upon its silken folds for. the first time, with its beautiful Penn­sylvania coat of arms and its significant motto, “Virtue, Liberty and Independence,” upon its blue field, made radiant with the brightness of the stars, artistical­ly grouped around the same, of the many thrilling adventures that we should be called upon to undergo, while rallying be­neath its beautiful folds, and how many of those who at the time were anxious and willing to risk their lives in its defense, should be called upon to seal their devo­tion to the dear old flag, insignia of the noble free, with their heart’s best blood.

Yes, Company G carried the colors to the regiment, and upon every field upon which it was afterwards unfurled, it was heroically defended by the members of the company, whilst a number of them fell whilst gallantly following it on to victory, while those who were spared saw it float in battle for the first time upon the ill-fated field of Chancellorsville, as well as when in triumph for the last time it was unfurled in triumph in the fore-front of Sherman’s Army, near Durham Station, on the 30th of April 1866, when the Army of Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to the Army of Gen. Wm. T. Sherman, and the war was over.  How nobly Company G defended the colors entrusted to her care by the Governor of the State, it shall be our purpose to tell ere we finish the task we have undertaken to perform.

After the train had gotten fairly started the boys were somewhat surprised as well as pleased to discover Col. Simpson upon the train bound for Annapolis. The Col. in his characteristic manner shook hands  with the boys, and we all felt as though we had met a true friend.

As the train neared the Relay House the traces of the “unpleasantness” were becoming discernible.  Here and there we could see where the railroad had been torn up, and deserted picket fires were becoming numerous.  All these marks or signs of army life, whether made by foe or friend, were eagerly looked for by us.  At the Relay House, Col.. Simpson left our train, he taking the Washington train whilst we continued on our journey towards rebeldom.

Relay House Occupied by Union Soldiers in 1861

The B&O Railroad was the only railroad into Washington DC until after the Civil War, thus it was an essential supply train route for the Union during that time. To prevent Confederate attack or sabotage of the Thomas Viaduct and Washington junction, the Sixth and Eighth Massachusetts regiments, as well as Cook's Boston Artillery Battery, took control of the railroad junction,  Relay House train station, and the Thomas Viaduct on May 5th, 1861. The Relay House itself became the occupying Union Army headquarters.  Read More here:

http://thomas-viaduct-relay-maryland.blogspot.com/2014/06/civil-war-history-of-thomas-viaduct_4967.html

The time was pleasantly passed by us in various ways whilst making the run towards Harper’s Ferry.  Several of the boys had succeeded whilst in Baltimore to secure several canteens of “oh be joyful” which served as a stimulus to encourage all  manner of didoes, which our officers no doubt thinking that we would soon be called upon to play soldier in good earnest, did not prevent but enjoyed with as much gusto as the men.  A very pleasant surprise for us, was the fact that the “little one” had filled his haversack with pickled tongue whilst acting as one of the waiters at Baltimore, and which he brought forward and generously dealt out amongst us, and for a time we just more than “tongued” it.

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From Wikipedia - Adah Isaacs Menken (June 15, 1835 – August 10, 1868), was an American actress, painter and poet, the highest earning actress of her time.[1] She was best known for her performance in the melodrama Mazeppa, with a climax that featured her apparently nude and riding a horse on stage. 

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 Fredrick Bergstresser Ulrich, "Corporal Freddy Ulrich", is 3rd from the left.  His name, and James  name, is misspelled as Werich in the caption - it should be Ulrich.

Chapter 20 - On The March

CHAPTER XX

ON THE MARCH

We soon had our supper prepared and about as hastily dispatched the same, after which we begin to make our preparations for the night.

Corporal Eby proposed that he would take his trick on duty, which would save him the necessity of remaining awake to post the relieves, and at the same time re­duce our duty to that extent. Giving Eby the preference on account of his stripes, he took post first, whilst the remainder of us wrapped our blankets around us and soon found repose and forgetfulness in profound slumber, which was not disturb­ed until we were aroused by one of the boys to take our station on duty.

To those who have paced the lonely beat, or stood silently watching for the approach of an unseen enemy, or perhaps crouched upon the earth with the organs of sight and hearing taxed to the utmost tension, to discover anything that might possibly be occasioned by the stealthy approach of the much dreaded bushwhacker, will be able to fully sympathize with us upon this occasion.  The various pick­et fires which in the earlier part of the night had blazed forth so brightly had almost disappeared when we took our trick, and only now and then as the dying embers were stirred up by some guard or half-frozen soldier, was there any fire vis­ible.  As is the experience of all soldiers, the two hours that we were on duty, were apparently much longer than the six we were off. At length however we heard the other pickets along the line being re­lieved, and after standing a little while longer we called McFall and again laid down to sleep, thankful that half of our trick had been faithfully performed.

Long before our time had come to go on post, we were awakened by old General Jack Frost, and when we got up we found that the old General had wakened up the rest of the boys, who had gathered around the fire and were endeavoring to coax some green twigs to burn, but which like the old woman’s chimney would do nothing but smoke.

After a number of ineffectual attempts to make the fire burn, we gave up in despair, and seated ourselves upon our ponchos, threw our blankets over us and tried to resign ourselves to our fate, but it was no use, the cold was too much for us.

At last a happy idea struck Eby, which was nothing more or less, than that we spread the four ponchos, or gum blankets, on the ground with one of the woolen ones and then use the other three blankets over us.  We did so, and were astonished to find how much warmer three blankets were than one.

Just as the east sky began to be streaked with the light gray tints of the morning, heralding the approach of the king of day, the division bugle announced that preparations for the day’s advance would now be in order.  Soon the Brigade bugles took up the strain and were soon responded to by the regimental drum corps.  The pickets began to pack up and prepare to join their respective commands.  It did not take us long to get ready to join the boys, but finding that we did not get relieved as soon as we expected we ate our breakfast, which like on the previous day consisted of crackers and speck.  We had some of the coffee left that had been given us on the previous day, and all that was needed was a proper vessel to boil it in.  While we were debating how to get one, an officer’s servant passed the post with a two quart coffee kettle dangling from his haversack.  Maxey McFall seized his gun, and aiming it at the darkey and commanded him to drop the kettle, this at first he refused to do.  “Click” went the hammer of the gun, as Maxey cocked it, and the darkey getting excited, handed over his kettle to us.

Soon the regiments began to move, but by some oversight we were not relieved until after 9 o’clock, when we were pushed rapidly ahead.  The road was filled with teams, artillery and troops, and we found it very difficult to make very much progress.

Whilst on our way to overtake the line, Gen. Geary and his staff came riding up.  The General halted us and upon learning where we belonged and how we had been left behind, ordered us to move forward briskly until we should join our regiment.  We had heard of the General’s hasty temper, as well as of his big boot, and were all somewhat nervous when he first talked to us, and we just more than made haste as long as he remained in sight.

We came up to the regiment at about 5 o’clock, and soon after our Division moved into a field and cooked dinner.   Here the Colonel found fault with the company for the first, and we believe only time, we were ordered to stack arms, and our company not having any arms before the day previous, we were naturally a little awkward, and since the greater part of the Division officers witnessed our blunder, and being anxious to have his regiment show up well, was naturally a  little nettled, and riding up the company on a gallop said: “D—m you Captain Davis, will your men never learn to stack arms?”

“Wait and see Colonel,” was the quick reply of our Captain.

The Colonel road to the rear of the regiment amidst the smiles of those who had heard the reply.

The boys soon had a roaring fire going and, Laubenstine coming up, the coffee kettles were hung over it, and in less time than it takes to tell it we were ordered to fall in for coffee.

We lay in the field for several hours, when the bugle again sounded the advance and we moved forward again being greatly refreshed by the rest and dinner.  On passing a farm house in the course of the afternoon, the boys discovered some chickens in a field and immediately started in hot pursuit.  The Colonel called the men back, one of our boys having almost succeeded in capturing one, was rather slow to give up the chase, and the result was, in the evening after the regiment had gone into camp, he was sent for to carry wood for the Colonel’s fire, as a punishment for violating the order prohibiting foraging, and how the Colonel knew the boys name will be easily understood when we inform the reader that the forager carried a knapsack that bore the following inscription:

“J. C. Long, Co., G, 147^th, P. V. I.”

Considerable trouble was also occasioned by the fact that we did not know our guns as yet, which difficulty was increased by several parties, Lot Ulrich in particular, who had his name written upon the strap of no less than half a dozen guns, so that he would be able to claim, and also prove the claim by showing his name, which he had no trouble to do.  So well did this become known that when he claimed his own gun he had trouble to keep it.  It frequently happened that some one of the boys, bent on a little fun, would steal his gun and when Lot would claim the gun, the matter would be left to the company, which certainly would decide against him, and the fun would commence.  Lot would go from gun to gun and before he was through would claim a dozen, and at least one of someone else’s and cut or write his name upon the strap.

Those who have carried a musket or a knapsack during the late unpleasantness or any war, will bear us out that the assertion that growling soon becomes ­chronic, and that some one can be found at all times who upon the slightest provocation will furnish the “chin music” for the benefit of his comrades.  We at least have no hesitancy in stating that old Company G had a sufficient number of growlers to stock a brigade.  We had our marching growlers as well as our camp growlers and cowardly skulking growlers, in short we had them of all kinds.  Foremost upon the list of marching growlers came Jeremiah Moyer.  He always carried one of the heaviest knapsacks, never played out or skulked, but he had a terrible habit of fault finding as soon as we started on the march.  If the command moved slow Jerry would say, “I wish they would a march, if they a going to.”  Whilst on the other hand, if they marched fast, Jerry would say, “die verflucht kelver sie dadet une behauf dote marche eb sie uff geva.”  Thus after marching several hours Jerry would begin to find fault and universally end with a threat to soon fall out if the column did not halt to rest.  A threat which he never once put into execution, being always on hand for any emergency.

At about 4o’clock we came in sight of Leesburg, and went into camp about half a mile from town, having marched about 14 miles.

Chapter 27 - In Camp

CHAPTER XXVII

IN CAMP

It had been customary for the cook to serve the best meat, the largest potatoes, before we had them, in short to give officers double rations of the very best we had.  This finally gave rise to much dissatisfaction and no small amount of growling as was the natural result.

Early on the morning in question, Steve Templin the officer’s cook, made his appearance at the cook-house and began to fill his dish with the choicest “Murphies.”  Whereupon Freddy, who was standing nearby, said:

See here, Templin, that’s played out, no more feeding the officers upon our rations.”

Steve emptied his dish and at once headed for the officers’ quarters and duly stated what the insolent corporal had had to say.

Whereupon the officers sailed down on Freddy like a swarm of bees, whilst the others who had found just as much fault as he all slunk to their tents and allowed the anger of wrath, to fall upon the Corporal’s unlucky head.

For a time it looked as though the fracas would end in blows, but prudence directed a different course and those in authority satisfied themselves by threatening to jerk the chevrons from Freddy’s arms.

Kevic’s blood was now up, and extending his arms he replied:

“Hu, hu, jerk off them stripes just as soon as you please, I didn’t ask for them when you gave them and I won’t cry for them if you take them from me.”

The officers did not reduce him but he was never advanced any further in the line of promotion and we have always believed that it was owing to the course he took in reference to the officers rations upon the occasion just narrated.

Freddy’s action had the desired effect and from that time on, our officers found their own rations, just like those of the other companies did.

Among the amusing incidents which transpired here, that we now call to mind was the great growling match about a pound of cheese.  Mess No. 1, or rather several of the members of it, had purchased some cheese, and while attending roll-call, it was taken out of Sergeant Whitmer’s haversack by some one and consequently when they came to dine upon it, it was among the missing, then the fun commenced.  One accused the other of having taken it until they were ready to quarrel about it, the fuss was kept up until the messes nearest to them became involved in the dispute, and after all the fuss they were unable to saddle the blame upon any one.

A similar occurrence took place in the morning following, Reuben and Elias Miller, father and son, messed together and Reuben, the father, purchased a loaf of Dutch bread, as it was termed, off a suttler, and was just making a breakfast of it when the drums beat for drill, placing the remainder in his haversack he fell into ranks, whilst his son who was on camp guard was not compelled to drill and remained in the tent, the better to protect the bread.

The drill was a long one and Miller frequently referred to the fact that he would just more than demolish his share of the loaf just as soon as the drill was over.

At 1ength the drums sounded the recall and with arms at a right shoulder shift, we marched to camp and were dismissed.

Miller hastened to his tent, took off his accouterments and placed his gun in a safe and handy position, then removing his cap, brushed hack his hair and wiped the sweat from his brow after which he took down his haversack and reaching into it to get his bread discovered that like Whitmer’s cheese it had disappeared.

 Turning to his son, who having been overcome with the fatigues of the duties of the night, lay innocently sleeping ignorant of the loss which had befallen the ill-fated loaf of bread, and called:

“Eli! Eli! Eli!” and though the last call was made in a tone of voice loud enough to arouse one of the seven sleepers, Eli did not move and it required sundry shakes and kicks from the old man before Eli was fully roused up, when something like the following dialogue took place:

Old Man —“Eli, where is my cake?”

Son —“Why you put him in yer haversack.”

Father —“I know I did but it is gone now, I guess you eat it.”

Eli —“I didn’t eat him, I sleept all the time you vas out, I guess Lumbard got him.”

Father —“No Lambard was out on drill, I guess you got it.”

By this time the boys gathered about Miller’s tent, and each one had something to say to Eli, when he capped the climax by coming out of his tent and facing the boys said:

“I didn’t take that cake by d—m, do you sink I’d say a swear to my pap?”

The last speech satisfied the boys of Eli’s innocence (?) and they dispersed leaving the father and son to settled the difficulty as best they could.

It appeared that the stealing mania was contagious and whilst we were encamped here a number of other petty larcenies were committed, one more of which we deem worthy of notice.

Corporal Harris Bower missed a large black handkerchief and several other articles, he reported his loss to the officers, who without any previous orders “commanded the company to fall in” in light marching order.

We fell in wondering what was the matter, since none of the other companies appeared to have any orders.

We did not remain long in ignorance as the Captain soon informed us why we were thus drawn up in line, and than the Captain accompanied with the Orderly and Bower, entered the tents and inspected the knapsacks.  Suffice it to say that the missing articles were found and returned to their rightful owner.

After the ranks were dismissed the boys were busy surmising as to whom the guilty party was, and this was all that it amounted to, and a long time elapsed ere it was positively known in whose knapsack the missing articles were found.

Our tine at Occoquan was employed in drilling and doing camp-guard and picket duty, and a pleasant time of it we had.  Well do we remember the broad-sword exercises of old Fox, a member of Company H, and an old German soldier who had seen years of service in the armies of the old world, besides the frequent discussions while seated and around the fires of the reserve post, upon politics and religion as well as on all other questions as varied and diversified as the human mind could conceive.

Company G: Epilog

Company G: Epilog

Of the Original 88 men from Snyder County who left in the fall of 1862, 14 never returned to the life they left behind. Four others received wounds severe enough to alter the quality of their lives, or returned with health so broken as to shorten their lives. But all who returned wore determined to get on with their lives.

The two most notable trends in the civilian lives of the Co. G veterans wore that every one of them married (of those not already married), and a number of them moved away from Snyder County, even though their families had been in the same area for two or more generations. Just how much impact the experiences of war may have had to do with it Is difficult to say, but within twenty years of muster out, the boys of Co. G could be found in the following places:

            Wiliamsport      East Lake, Florida

            Hazieton           Carey, Ohio

            Philadelphia      Mt Vernon, Washington

            Muncy Alma, Kansas

            Gowen City      Claypool, Indiana

            Danville            Harlan, Iowa

            Milton              Akron, Ohio

            Easton              Paris, Michigan

            Mazeppa          Lincoln, Nebraska

            Pine Hall           Elkhart, Indiana

            Ligonler            Juniata, Nebraska

            Elizabethvllle     Three Rivers, Michigan

            Sunbury            Oberlin, Kansas

            Russell, Kansas                        The Dakota Territory

It would appear they saw nothing, on their march through the sunny South that appealed to them since none of them relocated to any state through which they had marched. Or did they know they wouldn’t be welcome in those unreconstructed Southern hearts just yet?

The war experience did have an obvious influence in one interesting area -children born to these men after the war wore named after former commanders or President Lincoln. Nelson Byers had no sons so he named his daughter Nellie Sherman. Samuel Jarrett had William Tecumseh (and a George Washington) and Isaac Napp and Elias Miller both had a William Shermans. (No wonder they didn’t move south!). Levi Romig had Siegel McClellan, and Lumbard always did think big he had George Meade. Fred Ulrich had a William Slocum (his great-grandson told me he always wondered where that name came from), and John Riegel didn’t have enough kids to go around so he named one William Abraham Lincoln Riegel (he became a doctor), B.T. Parks had a son named Theodore Byers and one named Sumner (no, I didn’t make a mistake; Parks’s first enlistment was in the 35th PVI and during his time in the Penninsular Campaign his commander was Gen. Sumner). The most prudent one was Michael Schroyer, who named his only son after his future father-in-law who took him in and gave him a job.

Speaking of family, we know that a large number of the Co. G boys were related to each other, but ft started to get more complicated when they began to marry each others’ relatives.

Francis Wallace married Henry Shrawders sister and Harris Bower married Sam Jarrett’s sister.

Fred and James Ulnchs’ younger brother Charles married Capt. Davis’ daughter Laura. Calvin

Parks married Agnes Ryan, daughter of Capt. George Ryan (who died at the Battle of Fredncksburg) and when Parks was killed in a construction accident, she married James Ulnch.

Her sister Annie was already married to James’ brother Fred. Michael Schroyer married his landlord/boss’s daughter, and upon her death, he married her sister. James Smith married Jerry Moyer’s sister, Emma. L wonder how many of them met at the bean soups.

  

For these men who walked (marched?) over 5,000 miles through 8 states, fought a war with muzzle loaders, and read newspapers by lantern light and candle flame, it must have been truly incredible to see life change as they watched it happen. They saw a nation divide, and then reunite (with their help). In their lifetime, three presidents were assassinated, and one spoke to the nation for the first time over radio waves. They witnessed the invention of automobiles, telephones, radios and phonographs, not to mention electric light bulbs. They lived to witness two more wars - ones in which men fought from airplanes and tanks, using machine guns and poison gas. They saw life change so quickly and completely. Yet they lived long enough to know that people wouldn’t forget, as they grew old and passed on, what they had done for them and their country. And we’re not going to let change, are we?