Information compiled by William H. Coulter,
Leonard T. Coulter and Charles W. Coulter. Submitted by Charles
W. Coulter. Names in the document are highlighted.
Josiah
Coulter, son of Robert and Hannah Coulter
was born November 25, 1839 in Salem Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.
His roots began in the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania area. His Great grandfather,
Archibald Coulter was a land owner of note
just after the American Revolutionary War.
Military
records show that Josiah Coulter was enrolled
October 8, 1861 at Meadville,
Pennsylvania and was mustered in January 21, 1862 to date November 26,
1861 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as a private, Company I, 59th Regiment,
Second Pennsylvania Cavalry to serve three years.
In May of 1862 he
was listed as being on detached duty with the 1st New York Artillery at
Capital hill in Washington.
He was promoted to
Corporal on November 1, 1862 and was honorably discharged December
16, 1863 to enable him to re-enlist. He re-enlisted as a Veteran Volunteer
in the same Company and Regiment. He was promoted to Sergeant December 8,
1864. He was mustered out and honorably discharged July 13, 1865 at Clouds
Mill, Virginia, as of Company I, First Pennsylvania Provisional Cavalry to
which transferred by consolidation as a Sergeant.
Josiah Coulter’s
first battle was at Cedar Mountain on August 9, 1862, followed by the
Second Battle of Bull Run where he had a horse shot out from under him.
He was in two days of fighting on
August 29 and 30. On the night
of the 30th, the 59th Regiment
held the famous Stone Bridge at Centreville, Virginia. He then did scout
work and was in several skirmishes. His regiment took part in the Battle
of Chancellorsville, Virginia on May 2 and 3, 1863.
On July 1, 1863 he
arrived at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and was assigned as a guard at General
Meade’s headquarters. He
claimed to have fought on his Great Grandfathers farm which was
between the union lines at Gettysburg
and the cavalry battlefield. On July 3rd at 24:00HR his regiment was sent
with 2500 prisoners to Westminster, Virginia, returning on July 5. On July
7th they want across the Potomac River into Virginia. He was listed as
being ill at Finley Hospital in Washington during July and August of 1863.
On December 18, 1863 he was honorably discharged to enable him to
re-enlist. He re-enlisted in the same company and regiment receiving a
veteran’s furlough.
He returned to his
home and was married to Beulah Williams,
eldest daughter of John and Margaret Williams
on February 21, 1864. She was born in Greenwood township, Crawford County,
Pennsylvania on December 19, 1841.
He returned to his
regiment and fought in the Battle
of the Wilderness on May 5th through 12th during which time his
regiment flanked the enemy between the Wilderness and Richmond, Virginia
tearing up rail lines and retreating towards the James River. They
participated in the Battle
of Spotsylvania, Virginia on May 12 to 21, fighting more or less for
fourteen days before reaching gun boats on the James River. After the Battle
of Cold Harbor on July 12 the next battle was Petersburg, Virginia.
After fighting for one day and in the thick of the battle at Petersburg,
on July 12, 1864 his squad was fighting near a swampy stream trying to
cross a bridge ahead of the rebels. In a dash all except Josiah Coulter
made it. His horse was killed and he received a leg injury. He tried to
"fake" an appearance of being dead but the rebels examined him
to see where he was hit, found him alive and took him prisoner on July 12,
1864, at Lees Mill. His muster sheets show him taken prisoner at Reams
Station. He had received five slight wounds and had participated in eight
battles end eleven skirmishes.
The prison records
show he was first taken to Libby
Prison at Richmond, Virginia and was there one day, July 14, 1864.
From there he was taken to Andersonville
Prison arriving July 16, 1864. He was then transferred to Millen
Prison on November 13 and to Savannah, Georgia where he was exchanged
November 26, 1864 at the mouth of the Savannah River. There he took a ship
for Camp Parole near Annapolis, Maryland taking seven days for the trip.
It was one of these
injuries in the back of the leg which served to benefit him in gaining his
release from prison and subsequent exchange.
While at
Andersonville he and others attempted to tunnel out of the prison, using a
broken case knife to cut away
roots as “large as a man's leg,” and a pant
leg to carry away the sand. They had tunneled under the stockade and
had started toward the surface when the
prisoner exchange was made.
Josiah Coulter faked a contracted leg cord caused by his wound. An old
prisoner gave him a staff and bandages and helped in getting Josiah
Coulter released. Josiah Coulter was highly esteemed by his comrades and was
counted a good soldier and a hard fighter.
Again
arriving home December 19, 1864 he weighed only 92 pounds. When taken
prisoner he weighed 175 pounds. After recuperating he again started for
his regiment getting as far as Washington when General Lee surrendered his
army on April 9, 1865. On April 13, 1865 he was sent to Camp Distribution,
Virginia. He received an honorable discharge at Clouds Mill Virginia on
July 17, 1865.
He established his
home in Greenwood Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, raising a
family of five girls and four boys. He was a charter member of the Elijah
Thompson G.A.R.
Post No. 417 of Sheakleyville, Pennsylvania, organized in the fall of
1883, receiving their charter April 2, 1884.
He died May 13,
1913 and is interred, along with his wife who died September 18, 1919, at
Porters Corners cemetery east of Atlantic, Pennsylvania.
Information
compiled by:
William
H. Coulter; son
Leonard
T. Coulter; grandson
Charles
W. Coulter; great—grandson
War
Department letter of June 11,1937
A.G,
201 Coulter, Josiah (8-3-37)
ORD
WAR
DEPARTMENT; Adjutant Generals Office
Statement
of the Military Service of
JOSIAH
COULTER
By
authority of the Secretary of War
Lutz
Wahl
Major
General
The
Adjutant General
Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania
Department
of Military Affairs
Harrisburg,
Pa. Dated July 1, 1937 D/s
RE:
Coulter, Josiah
