Civil War Veterans from Bedford County

As a point of interest, I wanted to know more about the 'Hopewell Rifles'. In reviewing Bates History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, vol. 1, page 774, we found the names of all who were members of Company ‘F’ 8th Reserve in the 37th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserves. No where is there mention of the title of 'Hopewell Rifles. It seems this was just a title given to these men.

Most of these men were mustered into service near Pittsburgh June 28, 1861. Although some were sworn in on June 11 for a three year term. Following the names of each member, under the column of 'Remarks' is the date of promotions, date of discharge, date of death and reasons for, and if the member remained in service, the name of his new unit. The 37th Regiment was made up of companies 'A through K'. Counties represented included Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Greene and Washington. As previously recorded the companies were mustered out May 24, 1864.

In addition to the 37th Regiment, men from Bedford County were mustered into Company 'G' 13th Regiment on April 25, 1861 under Captain John J. Filler.

In Volume 11 is listed the famous 55th Regiment. Companies 'D, H, I, and K' were made up of Bedford County men. Company 'H' was mustered December 4, 1861 with George Mullin and John A. Livinston, captains. Company 'I' was made up of Bedford and a few from Blair counties. They were mustered in on September 20, 1861 with David Madara and Benjamin Rough, Captains. Company 'K' was mustered November 5, 1861. Joseph Filler and Hezekiah Hammer were Captains. Company 'D', mustered in on October 12, 1861, had Thomas H. Lyons and Soloman Metzger as Captains.

The 76th Regiment contained Company 'E'. These Bedford County men were under three Captains Henry Rice, C.R. Miller and R.P. Pickington. Date of mustering in was October 9, 1861.

In Volume III, page 616, we found listed Regiment 101, Company 'D'. It, too, was made up of Bedford County soldiers under Alexander Comper as Captain. They were mustered in on February 13, 1862. Company 'G' consisted of men from Allegheny and Bedford Counties. This unit was mustered in February 20, 1862. William Sprague and David Mullin were Captains. (vol. III, page 616).

If additional recruits were mustered in units beyond the 105th Regiment, we could not identify them as the names and locations of recruitments were not identified by counties. Readers interested in looking up the names and units may go to the County Library and refer to the references mentioned. Also, we might mention that Waterman's History of Bedford-Somerset and Fulton Counties, 1884, pages 137 to 171 inclusive lists the names of men from Bedford County who served in the Civil War. We must state, however, that these four books cannot be removed from the Library. They are available for references only.

Mr. Frear, Editor, was fortunate in obtaining a copy of a discharge of one Richard Wolf, Company 'H', 55th Regiment P.V.I. Mr. Wolf entered the Service of the U.S. February 29, 1864 for the term of three years or during war under Captain John A. Livingston and Col. Richard White.

He was assigned to duty in '4th' Brigade, 1st Division, 24th corps Army of the Potomac and participated in the following battles:

Old Town Creek, May 9, 1864

Proctor's Creek, Va., May 13, 1864

Dury's Bluff, May 16, 1864

Bermuda Hundred, Va., June 1, 1864

Petersburg, Va., June 15, 1864

Cemetery Hill, Va., July 30, 1864 f

Chapins Farm, Va., Sept. 29, 1864

Signal Hill, Va., Dec. 10 1864

Hatcher s Run. Va., Feb. 5 7, It SS

Fall of Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865

Rice's Station, Appomattox C.H., Lee's Surrender.

He was mustered out with the company August 30, 1865.

Mr. Frear was also loaned a copy of the Military Register of Company 'K', 55th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. This unit was mustered into service at Harrisburg, Pa., November 5, 1861. They re-enlisted as Vet Vols at Beaufort, S.C., January 1, 1864.

The roster included:

Richard White,

Colonel Frank P. Bennett, Lt.

Colonel John H. Filler,

Major George H. Hill, Adjutant

David Merrit, Surgeon

J. Sylvester Ramsey, Asst. Surgeon

F.M. George, Quartermaster

Company officers for Company 'K', 55th Regiment, Penn’s Volunteers, 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 24th Corps were:

Hezekiah Hammer, Captain

John Imler, First Lt.

Also included were several hundred names of men from Bedford County whose ranks were from privates to sergeants.

The engagements of this unit were:

North Edisto, S.C., March 29, 1862

Pocotaligo, S.C., October 22, 1862

Old Town Creek, Va., May 9, 1864

Duray's Bluff, Va., May 14-16, 1864

Foster's Plantation, Va., May 20, 1864

Cold Harbor, Va., June 1-3, 1864

Petersburg, Va., June 15-18, 1864

Cemetery Hill, Va., July 30, 1864

Chapin's Farm, Va., September 29, 1864

We are certain there are many stories about the Bedford County Soldiers who served in the Civil War that remain to be told. Through the years many books have been written about the terrible experiences these men endured and recorded in their own personal diary.

If you talk to others about the various phases of the Civil War and how it affected certain communities, there will be comparisons of how one community or another suffered the agonies of war. Its people, its families and industries all suffered untold heartaches. Someone is bound to say 'thank God it never came to Bedford County'. We must point out that the Civil War did reach this county. In fact every county in Pennsylvania was touched by it. Hundreds of men and boys from every city and hamlet answered the call to arms. Many never returned.

There were instances when the Confederates were within a few miles of our borders. The canal and B & O Railroad east of Cumberland were damaged by General Imboden's raiders. He then turned north into what is now Fulton county. However the residents of Bedford and Fulton counties were previously alerted to the possibility of an invasion.

This came about on June 9, 1863 when the Northern cavalry under Major Pleasanton surprised J.E.B. Stuart's camp at Brady Station, Va. In the heat of battle and the height of confusion many confidential papers were left behind.

One story about this event was that a young soldier spotted several papers lying on the ground. He picked them up and passed them to his superior officer. These papers turned out to be General Lee's orders to invade Pennsylvania. The main points were to be Bedford and Blair Counties.

Bedford County's Morrison's Cove area was well known for its rich farms and iron making furnaces. Blair County also was rich in iron ore and furnaces, but more important it had the rail center and shops in Altoona.

The information on Lee's plans was forwarded immediately to Washington. Pennsylvania's Governor Andrew Curtin, upon receiving this news authorized an order to raise volunteers in Blair and Bedford counties at once. The response to this request and the fear of the invasion had great effect on the peoples of both counties.

Morrison's Cove had natural barriers which other areas did not have. First, there was the narrow valley at McKee. Second, Sloy's gap (Loysburg Gap) and last, the mountain which divided Snakespring and South Woodberry townships. All three points were thought to be very strategic defenses.

Volunteers from all sections of Blair county and almost every available man in the cove came to Pattonville (Loysburg).

In the two gaps, log cribbage and stone barriers were erected along the mountain sides. The large rocks would provide excellent protection to the gunners. Supplies had to be obtained quickly. The Pennsylvania Railroad only extended south of Altoona to Newry. The Huntingdon & BroadTop Railroad came as far as Hopewell. Therefore, arms, ammunition and food supplies that were shipped by rail, now had to be transported by horse and wagon to Pattonville.

The area around Buckstown (St. Clairsville) provided protection to the Cove and to Altoona. Fortifications were built along the mountain side. To provide an additional barrier, fortifications were thrown up south of Bedford near the 'Springs' as well as in the Narrows east of Bedford. Also Raver's Gap and Bloody Run.

General Milroy's army was almost trapped by the Confederates at Winchester Va., with one unit escaping by way of Harper's Ferry and the group with the General managed to outwite the Southerners by going North to Hancock, Md., and then to Bloody Run. The latter was to become within a few days, an important point.

General Milroy remained here with his cavalry while he tried to reorganize his small army, and at the same time obtain food supplies for his men and horses. Farmers from the Cove came to his rescue temporarily. The General, being a strict military man, had very little patience with the local recruits. Many had served time in military service prior to this, but had since terminated their time of enlistment. Therefore, militarily they were not now obligated to obey the General's orders.

A complaint was forwarded to Harrisburg of this matter. Therefore a recruiting officer was immediately dispatched to Bedford County to take the military oath of these men. However, by this time the danger of invasion lessened because all Confederate forces were called at once to the Gettysburg area.

The recruits were told they would be subjected to enlistment for no less than six months. Very few took this oath. Most of the men who left their farms in the Cove returned home with their horses. The men from Blair County returned to their jobs. Most were employed at the Railroad yards in Altoona.

This episode only lasted from June 13 to June 28, 1863, but it caused much fear in the hearts of thousands at that time.