134th
Pennsylvania
Lawrence Guards – Company B
[roster]
Those who write to soldiers should
direct as as follows:
“Private _____ ______, __th Regt.
(Col ____’s,) Co. __, Capt. ____, at Camp Scott, York,
Pa. Postmaster forward after the Regiment.”
In such case the letters will go from
Colonel to the Captain, and at once to the men. Do not
forget that Col. Campbell’s is the Twelfth Regiment, in
which the Lawrence Guards are placed.
MORE FROM LAWRENCE.
Another fine company from Lawrence
County, under Capt. M’Cready,
of New Wilmington, left this place by canal boat yesterday
morning. This makes the fourth company on a call for two.
We are getting used to parting scenes in Lawrence County;
but every time, there is something occurring to move the
stoutest heart to tears. We noticed a scene yesterday
morning, not to be forgotten soon. A husband and father
stood upon the boat with a sweet little girl in his arms,
and the wife and mother stood on the wharf. – The little
pratler could have no idea why her father was leaving
home; but instinctively she clung to him, and with her
little arms around his neck, many fervent kisses were
exchanged, while hot tears, sent up from a strong heart,
fell upon the angel cheeks. It was a sight to move all
hearts to sympathy, as that father bent forward to resign
the little one to its mother’s arms and then drew back
for another last, parting embrace, as though he could not
tear her from his heart. Twice did he essay to give the
little one up, and twice drew back, and when at last he
did consign it to its mothers care he turned round and his
strong frame trembled with emotion. Ah! there are partings
the outside world knows nothing of. Words are tame things
to express the emotions caused by such a scene. God
protect them all, and bring them back to their loved ones.
Sword Presentation.
As our two companies were on their
way to Harrisburg, the Mayor of Allegheny met them at the
Pittsburgh Depot, and presented Capt.
O’Brien with a beautiful sword.
A few days later, at Camp Simmons,
Harrisburg, Mrs. Clark, of
this county, presented to her son
Walter, First Lieutenant of Capt. O’Brien’s
company, a fine sword. Wm. M.
Francis delivered the sword with a neat and
appropriate speech. When
mothers put the weapons of war in the hands of their sons,
we may look for good fighting.
CAMP CASEY, Near Washington,
August 21st, 1861
Dear Courant: Deeming that a line or
two regarding the “bold soger boys” who left Lawrence
county for the seat of war, would be acceptable to your
readers I have addressed myself to that duty this evening.
As you will probably learn, before this reaches you, we
were armed and equipped at Harrisburg on Tuesday last and
on Wednesday morning, at 7 o’clock, we bade farewell to
Camp Curtin, and to Harrisburg; our destination,
Washington. We took the railroad, via Baltimore, at which
place we arrived at about 4 o’clock, P. M. We changed
cars here, walking, as near as we could guess, one and a
half miles to the train which transported us to
Washington. As we passed through the city, Capt.
McCune, who was appointed Colonel of the day,
halted the regiment in front of the Eutaw House, and
called for Col. (now General) Corcoran, who was stopping
there, to appear, that the boys might obtain a sight of
that gallant hero, and allow them to show him some slight
evidence of their appreciation for his noble services, and
of the high esteem in which he is held by Pennsylvanians.
General Corcoran made his appearance on the balcony of the
hotel, and immediately was greeted by three such rousing
cheers as only our boys can give. He then proceeded to
address the men in a few remarks which though brief, you
may be assured were strictly to the point. As soon as he
was through, he retired, and three more thundering cheers
went up m the heart of that celebrated city uttered by
Pennsylvania throats, and we marched on. At every corner,
and along every street, we received many demonstrations of
loyalty. The greatest peculiarity of the place which we
observed, was the great number of colored gentry it seemed
to us that at least one-half, if not more of the
inhabitants of that city were colored. This feature of the
place drew from our boys the universal remark, “What a
place for niggers.” Arrived at the station, we again
haulted and the regiment was provided with supper, by
Uncle Sam, of course. Just a nightfall, we started for
Washington, where we arrived at midnight, and were
quartered in a large building convenient to the station,
and in the morning were provided with breakfast. While
waiting for breakfast, many of us took the advantage of
running up the Capitol building, only a short distance
off, to endeavor to obtain a glimpse of that edifice. We
were amply paid for our pains, though we did no more than
get a mere glimpse of the huge architectural pile, in
which we, as Americans, have a considerable interest –
Breakfast over, we took up our brief march for our present
location, four miles west of Washington, and across the
celebrated Potomac. The march was one of about seven
miles, three of them through the city of “magnificent
distances.” As we passed through, we were the observed
of all observers. One man asked where we were from? Capt.
Shaw answered, “From Pennsylvania.” “Good Lord”
said the man, “are there any more to come from there?”
The question was elicited,, most probably, by the fact
that very many of the regiments which had passed through
during the preceeding week were Pennsylvania regiments. We
are encamped just back of Arlington Heights, and only
about a mile and a half from Munson’s Hill, which is in
plain view.
Our regiment numbers nine hundred and
fifty men, and, as a correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer
wrote, “Is an uncommonly fine looking body of men
throughout.” We don’t know, as yet, who are to be our
field officers.
But this letter is already too long,
and I must close. For the present, until we are thoroughly
organized, our friends should direct their letters to the
134th Regt. Pa. Vol., Washington, D. C. Care of
Capt. ____.
Yours Respectively,
J. MOOREHEAD
Volunteers Gone.
Capt. Ed.
O’Brien and Capt. Wm. H. Shaw, left New Castle on
Thursday morning with full companies of volunteers for
Harrisburg, and on Friday afternoon, Capt.
M’Cune, of Harlansburg, left here with another
company for the same destination. The fourth company, Captain
M’Cready’s of New Wilmington, was prevented
from going in consequence of a telegram from Mr.
Blanchard at Harrisburg. Lawrence county is
patriotic and scorns the idea of having one of her sons
drafted in the service of the United States – ask at her
hands volunteers and they are at hand. The parting
ceremonies of the companies were solemn and interesting;
but we have neither the time or room to particularize.
Muster Roll of the New Wilmington
Volunteer Company.
Muster
Roll, Capt. O’Brien’s Company.
Muster
Roll of Capt. Wm. H. Shaw’s Infantry Company.
CAMP
CURTIN, Aug. 10, 1862
List
of the members of the “Durban Mess,” composed
of members of Captain Shaw’s Co. from Lawrence county.
CAMP
WARD, SATURDAY
SEPTEMBER
6TH 1862
DEAR DURBAN
Having a leasurehour this afternoon, I thought a
little talk with our numerous friends through your columns
would not be amiss. Before giving you any news concerning
the 134th allow me to correct one or two
errors, which I inadvertently made in my first letter.
First in justice to the citizens of Baltimore, we would
say that the supper with which we were provided when we
passed through that place, was not prepared by the
government as was stated, but by the soldiers Relief
Association of Baltimore. We deem this word of explanation
to be necessary, for the citizens of Baltimore have a
great under taking on hand when they provide all the
soldiers who pass through with entertainment, and not a
jot or title of the credit due them should be detracted
from them. – Second, we stated that we were encamped
back of Arlington Heights and only one and a half miles
from Munson’s Hill; we heard every one say so, but in
fact we were some five or six miles from that noted Hill,
and just about on the Arlington Hights. You would have no
idea, without being here, how difficult it is for us to
ascertain the distances between different places. Since my
first letter, we have moved twice. First we were ordered
to pack up and be ready to march in an hour. We did son,
and were marched down the Potomac to within a mile and a
half of Alexandria. We lay there three or four days and
were then ordered to march again, when we were moved some
five miles westward of Alexandria and we are now encamped
close to Fort Ward, which Fort we were brought here to
support. We are now engaged throwing up breastworks,
though we do not apprehend any immediate attack, nor in
fact do we apprehend any at all, though we understand that
information of a private character had been forwarded to
New Castle to excite the fear of our friends. We beg leave
to inform them that they need have no fears for our safety
at present for the enemy is at a considerable distance
from us, with Union forces between us and them. In regard
to army movements, and war news, generally you know more
than we do, for our facilities for obtaining accurate
information, are not very great. – The Roundhead
Regiment was encamped two or three days this week, within
a mile of us. You may be sure the two regiments were not
long in visiting each other. It was very painful to walk
among them and miss so many familiar faces. You know
doubtless ere this, that many of their officers are lost
to them for the present, either killed wounded or
prisoners. They had been on the march for twenty-one days,
had passed through several hard fights and were almost
completely worn out. They have moved, from their stopping
place, and all we know of them is that they went in the
direction of Washington. Chaplain Brown is a prisoner, but
he will doubtless be parolled and will stay with our
wounded who are in the hands of the rebels.
The health of our regiment is very
good no more of the men are unwell than perhaps would be
in the same number were they at home. The organization of
the 1 has been affected Col. T. M. Quay, Lieutenant
Colonel Edward O’Brian, Maj. John M. Thompson, Adjutant
John Kelly, Sergent Major George Perviance The three
latter are from Butler county Drum Major James M’Conahey
of New Castle.
Company A. Capt. Wm. H. Shaw,
Lawrence County; Co. B. Capt. James M’Cune Lawrence
County; Co. C. Capt. C. E. Anderson. Butler County. Co. D.
Capt. W. D. Clark, Lawrence County. Co. E, J. A. Vere,
Butler County. Co. F. Capt. W. O. Breckinridge, Butler
County – Co. G Capt. Riddle Butler County Co. H. Capt.
M’Cready. Lawrence County Co. I. Capt. John Hague.
Beaver County. Co. K. Capt. Edwin Lyon.
Capt. Hague and the greater part of
his company is from Lawrence county, but Beaver county
gets the credit owing to the circumstance that they would
not be accepted as a Lawrence county company, and rather
than not go out to the war, they resolved to go as a
company from Beaver.
Our friends should be here sometime
about eating time to observe the contrast between eating
here and at home. They would see us rallying from our
tents at meal time, with tin plate and cups, marching
doublequick to the cook’s quarters to receive our
coffee, meat, beans or rice, retreating to our tents
sitting down where-ever most convenient, tin plate and cup
between our knees, hard tack crackers or seabiscuit beside
us, and then, “Jim pass me that sugar,” “just wait
till I get some, will you. Any vinegar boys; let me have
some,” Come and get it. Branch don’t take all that
sugar.” Meantime Summerville is sitting by himself
reading or writing. Summerville you’d better go and get
your dinner.” Is it dinner time, I guess I will. This is
a very meager description of the scenes which are daily
enacted, and they can only be appreciated by those who see
them. We all enjoy ourselves hugely; especially those who
get letters from home, when the mail comes in. Our friends
should write often to us for nothing has such a
harmonizing effect upon soldiers as plenty of letters from
the dear ones at home. It can be equaled only perhaps by
the arrival of a box of nice things to eat.
Our mess especially can appreciate this fact, for a
box came directed to Messers. Leech Marshall and Branch,
who generously divided with the rest of the mess. The
butter and apples were freely discussed, and gave ample
satisfaction from the double fact that they came from
home, and that we get no such dainties here.
Hoping that this rambling effusion
may not prove unacceptable to your many readers,
I remain yours,
respectfully
JOS. MOREHEAD.
CAMP NEAR SHARPSBURG,
Sunday, October 12, 1862.
Dear Durban: - Our correspondence is
not very well connected nor very frequent but information
concerning us is conveyed private to so many of your
readers, that it seems to us almost unnecessary to
correspond with them thro public channels. However a word
or two occasionally concerning the 134th, and
officers generally would not, we are confident, be
rejected by you. Just at present all is not perfectly
“quiet along the Potomac.” The rebels have made a raid
into Pennsylvania and possession of Chambersburg, the
particulars of which, of course will reach you before this
does. A part of the army is in motion toward that point.
Two regiments of our brigade, (Gen Tyler’s) the 91st
and the 120th P. B., left here last night
at midnight for the scene of action, leaving tents and
every thing which would incumber their march behind. We
know not what may happen, but we are somewhat in
expectation of order for our regiment. The news of the
late raid of the “rebs” has excited a good deal of
interest among the troops. All that we know of the
particulars is obtained from rumor, which we long ago
discovered is almost entirely unreliable. The health of
the regiment generally, which has not been of the best of
late, is improving; yet a considerable number of men are
in the hospital, both here and in Sharpsburg. Two of Co.
A, Mr. Samuel Bowman whom we left at Washington with a
sore foot, are still behind. Also C. T. Reed who was left
at Frederick, but who, we since learned, was sent to
Washington. We hear that they are still unable to rejoin
their regiment.
The friends of Mr. James M. Randall,
of Co. A, will be pained to learn that after a short
illness of typhoid fever, he died in the hospital at
Sharpsburg, on the morning of the 10th inst.
Efforts were made by Capt. Shaw to have the body sent
home, but they failed, and he was decently interred in the
church yard in that place. He was esteemed by his
messmates and fellow soldiers as an attentive and apt
soldier, and his loss, especially as he was the first of
Co. a, to fall by the hand of death, was deeply felt. The
Company deeply sympathize with his bereaved family and
friends.
On the same day on which this
melancholy event took place, we received a mail. There is
usually nothing important attached to such a circumstance,
but when you are informed that but one very small mail had
reached us for three weeks, you will understand the
importance. It was, of course, very large. Each man
received from three to fifteen, and in some cases eighteen
or twenty, and one fortune individual received, we heard,
twenty-five letters. The boys had almost quit writing
until they would get the letters, but since their
reception, letter writing has revived.
There is a hospital close to our
camp, which was filled with wounded rebel soldiers; but
its numbers are sadly thinned. Many of them have died.
Their burying ground is only a few rods from our quarters,
and every day two or three, are interred in it. Their mode
of burial is perhaps rendered absolutely unavoidable by
their circumstances, but it is to dig a hole two or three
feet deep, wrap the corps in ? lay it in and cover it
____out any ce_e? any whatever. ____re seen some of the
effects of war, and the sight is not _ate all agreeable.
But we must stop. More anon.
J. MOREHEAD.
continued
