"Sir: Take Notice that You Are Drafted for Nine Month's" A Civil War History of the 167th Regiment of Pennsylvania Drafted Militia by James H. Henry FOREWARD In 1991, I became interested in my family history and I began collecting information from government offices, libraries, and distant relatives. On one occasion I visited the small town of Bally, in Berks County, Pennsylvania. My father told me that his grandfather had been born there in the mid 19th century. There’s a very old Catholic Church and cemetery there, and I knew that there was a good chance that I could uncover some information. I walked into the old church yard and after searching for a while, I came upon the worn marker of one of my ancestors. The headstone was engraved in German: GEBOREN: 1818 and STURB: 1909. I also noticed that there was a small metallic sign in front of the stone, planted in the ground. It was facing backwards and appeared to have been broken. When I turned it around I could see the word, "SOLDIER". The sign was a Veteran of War marker that had been placed there by the American Legion; it had been broken by a lawnmower but was still identifiable. From the dates, it seemed likely that my great, great grandfather had served in the Civil War. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this was the beginning of my research into the history of the 167th Pennsylvania Drafted Militia. A subsequent trip to the County library yielded a another piece of information: My ancestor had been drafted. I didn’t know much about the drafted Regiments, so I continued to research the subject. What I found was that the draftees had met with little success. "Few saw any combat action", one author wrote, "[and] hundreds more deserted when given the chance." Another author described the activities of these men as "the forgotten campaign". This was somewhat disappointing, but I decided to continue to find out what I could. The best source of information that I found was the Reading Eagle newspaper. At the time of the 50th Anniversary of the war in 1911 the paper had interviewed some of the surviving elderly members of the regiment and had written a few fairly detailed accounts of their activities. The articles told an interesting story and I became so absorbed by the subject that I traveled to Suffolk, Virginia to uncover the rest of the story. There I found good local sources of information and was able to walk in the footsteps of my immigrant ancestor. All of this led to my decision to complete this short regimental History of the 167th Pennsylvania Drafted Militia. This is the story of a group of German Berks County farmers who were drafted by the U.S. Government in October, 1862. The story is not one of a glorious campaign, but rather of common people who were caught in an uncommon situation. You will see that this regiment was hastily thrown together and perhaps even more hastily thrown into battle. This is a human story of ordinary men who, while desiring to serve their country, found themselves unprepared for the reality of war. Perhaps unlike military stories of great valor, it is one in which we can all more easily see ourselves. I. THE FIRST DRAFT IN THE CIVIL WAR In 1861, at the start of the Civil War, many Northerners thought that the Union would win quickly and easily. They saw all the advantages as on their side. The North was populous and rich; it had an established government and military, as well as a vast industrial base. The South was less populous and poorer; it’s new government and military were disorganized and untested. The southern economy was based on farming, not on the heavy industry that would be needed to supply a war effort. To many, the Confederacy seemed an unworthy opponent for the North. Because of this optimism, when the two armies clashed for the first time at Bull Run creek in Virginia many Northern spectators turned out to watch the battle as if it was a sporting event. They packed picnic lunches and dressed in fancy clothes. They were there to cheer on a great Union victory that would send the rebels fleeing back to their farms and end the war. What they witnessed, however, would send shock waves through the North. Southern spies in Washington had tipped off the Confederate Army of the coming attack and these reports had allowed the Rebel Army to out man and overwhelm their attackers. At the end of the battle, many of the men in blue had simply turned and run. The Northern newspapers called it "the great skedaddle". The dejected soldiers of the Union Army slowly made their way back to Washington and there was fear that the Southern forces might even follow them and take the city itself. Something needed to be done, morale in the Union army was dangerously low. To regain confidence, President Lincoln appointed a charismatic young General, George B. McClellan, as Supreme Commander of all the Union forces. He was given the highest military rank of any officer since George Washington. His challenge was to rejuvenate the army and to create a plan that would quickly crush the Southern forces. To accomplish this, he immediately set out to reorganize and retrain the men. For month’s rigorous training and drilling exercises were carried out and slowly the Northern army seemed to regain confidence. A glorious amphibious sweep down the Potomac and overland to Richmond, it was thought, would now surely finish the Confederacy. This plan also ended in failure. The new "Army of the Potomac" managed to capture the southern Virginia ports of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Yorktown but then had stalled on it’s way to Richmond. The theater of the war had now shifted into northern Virginia and the Union Army was now facing General Robert E. Lee who was given overall command of the Confederate troops. Lee quickly proved to have an uncanny ability to outguess the frustrated Yankee commanders, winning southern victories with numerically inferior forces. For the North, the war was dragging on depressingly with no conclusion in sight. It was amidst these pessimistic days, in August 1862, that President Lincoln called on the states to produce 300,000 more volunteers to reassert the Union effort. Each State was given a quota to fill and the President was prepared to back up his request with a draft. In Pennsylvania, Governor Andrew Curtin called on the people to respond to the call. In Reading, the Eagle newspaper headlines shouted out for Berks Countians to "Jump on your horses and rouse your neighborhood! Show that the Spirit of ‘76 is alive yet!" Despite these efforts, the numbers the Governor requested did not come forward. In accordance with the President’s orders in October, Federal Marshals issued the following draft notices: [Picture/Object of Draft notice sent to Jacob Stauffer, Company H, 167th Pennsylvania drafted Militia Regiment, October 17th, 1862 (USAMHI)] It was the first draft since 1812. Fifteen-thousand Pennsylvanians between the ages of 18 and 45 were summoned for service. They formed 15 militia regiments and would be mustered and trained in rendezvous camps across the state in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, York, Gettysburg, Chambersburg and Reading. The 167th Pennsylvania Drafted Militia was thus created, calling on 1,000 men from all over Berks County. They were from the city of Reading, Wommelsdorf, Wernersville, Oley, and Stouchburg; communities such as Maidencreek, Ontalaunee Spring, Lower Heidelberg, and Brecknock townships. Finally, a group was chosen from Washington township and the area around a small town there called Churchville. It was from here that my immigrant ancestor became an involuntary participant in the Civil War. II. THE GERMAN CATHOLICS OF CHURCHVILLE [Picture/Object] Father Augustine Bally In 1862, there was a small town in the northeast corner of Berks County called "Churchville", so named because it had both Catholic and Mennonite houses of worship situated among it’s dirt roads and cornfields. The town was populated by Pennsylvania Germans, many of whom farmed the fertile land there. Catholic missionaries had come to the area early in the 18th Century. These Jesuit had founded a small chapel and bought several tracts of land in the surrounding area in what was then one of the colonies of the Crown of England. Later, in the 1850’s, the Church had split up these tracts and sold them to many Catholic families who then moved to the area and settled. The Catholic Pastor, Father Augustine Bally, was thus building a substantial congregation in and around the town. The Priest, as one of the primary founders of the community and was held in high esteem by the townspeople. Jacob L. Essig was not a member of one of these early migrating Catholic families. He was a Lutheran and was born and raised in Baden, Germany. In 1850, at age 32, he left his homeland to come to America. He came with the crowds of Germans who immigrated at this time fleeing overcrowding and poverty in Europe. His search for a better life eventually bought him into this small farming community, perhaps very reminiscent of his homeland. Here, he became a U.S. citizen and eventually converted to Catholicism, being baptized by Father Bally. He married Anna Kemp in 1852 and made his living as a carpenter. He purchased a home and property down the road from the Mennonite Church. When the Civil War began, Jacob and Anna had three children, Augustine, Mary, and William. In the draft of October, 1862 one hundred men were selected from the area around Churchville. Twenty-five of the men were Catholics from Father Bally’s congregation. Forty-three year old Jacob Essig was one of the older men called. The news of their induction had to have brought with it a sense of foreboding. Just a month earlier in nearby Antietam, Maryland the country was shocked to hear of 23,000 casualties in a single day’s fighting. Just after Antietam, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves. He said on the occasion, "If my name ever goes into history, it was for this act." To some, the conflict had now been elevated from a war over state’s rights to a war to end the atrocity of slavery. The 25 Catholic draftees of Churchville apparently felt it was their duty to serve. They attended a Mass at the Catholic Church given by Father Bally. The Priest and the congregation offered prayers for their safe return. They next day they left for Reading and reported for duty at the Commissioner’s Office. There, they were directed to the rendezvous camp where they would be "mustered in" and trained. Their regiment was the 167th Pennsylvania Drafted Militia commanded by Colonel Charles A. Knoderer. Knoderer was an immigrant from Baden, just like Jacob Essig. III. A FELLOW GERMAN IS CHOSEN AS COLONEL "A refined gentlemen, scholarly in attainments and one thoroughly in love with the institutions of the United States and the overpowering sentiment of liberty in this country... Tall and of commanding appearance, somewhat stout, of florid complexion, light hair and blue eyes, with a broad forehead. In fact, a typical German, he commanded attention in any assemblage." So was described Charles A. Knoderer, the man who was chosen to lead the Berks County men of the 167th Regiment. Knoderer had been born in the state of Baden, in Germany in the early 1820’s. He grew to manhood and attended a Polytechnic School there in Carlsruhe. He studied engineering and military science and graduated with high honors. After his education he served the government as a civil engineer and worked on projects such as lock construction and other improvements of the rivers and waterways in his homeland. Later, he turned his attention to military science. He was so well respected for his abilities as a soldier that he was given a commission as an officer in the army of the Grand Duke of Baden. He continued to serve in the military until 1849, at which time political events altered the course of his life. After years of upheaval stemming from poverty and class struggles, a group of democratic patriots formed a rebellion against the Grand Duke. Knoderer switched his allegiance and joined the rebellion. He joined Franz Sigel, Carl Schurz, and others in an effort to seize power and establish a constitutional government. The revolution, however, was quickly crushed by the Prussian Army and hundreds of the insurgents, including Sigel, Schurz, and Knoderer, were forced to escape to safety in America. It was natural that Knoderer chose Reading, Pennsylvania as his new home, it being the center of largely German Berks County. He was fortunate to be able to continue his profession as an engineer through a business called the Schulkyll Navigation Company whose office was at the foot of Chestnut street. He contributed his knowledge of waterway improvements to the company through the 1850’s. But there was a growing conflict in the country. The decade was seeing increasingly heated political debate between the North and South. Violence had even erupted in the new territories between abolitionists and state’s rights advocates. As these tensions increased, the Presidential election of 1860 became the focal point of the struggle. Abraham Lincoln’s election was viewed as a threat to the Southern way of life and secession seemed the only answer. Finally the attack on Fort Sumter inaugurated the Civil War. [Picture/Object CHARLES A. KNODERER German-born engineer and soldier. He was chosen to lead the 167th Pa. Regiment..] Back in Reading, an opportunity came for Knoderer to join the fight. His friend and countryman, Franz Sigel, had become a General in the U.S. Army. Sigel contacted Knoderer and asked him to be his Chief of Engineers in a campaign in Missouri. Knoderer agreed and joined him. He served there for a time under General Fremont. After completion of this service he returned to Reading and the navigation company, but he continued to look for opportunities to join the war effort. Early in 1862 he became actively engaged in recruiting companies for a regiment in Pittsburgh. This again was with his friend, General Sigel. This Pittsburgh enterprise, however, failed through a misunderstanding, and he abandoned it. When Pennsylvania was invaded in 1862 after the second battle of Bull Run, Knoderer was so eager to defend his state that he enlisted as a private, under Governor Curtin’s call for emergency troops. He went to Harrisburg and was elected Colonel of the 11th Pennsylvania Militia. There he became well known for his abilities in drilling and organizing raw recruits. Knoderer’s military talents and German heritage made him the natural choice to lead the drafted regiment from his home in Berks County. He was commissioned as Colonel and he began organizing the men who were arriving daily in the rendezvous camp just outside of Reading. The camp was named Camp Terrill after a fallen Union General who was buried in a nearby cemetery. IV. CAMP TERRILL: QUICK PREPARATION Colonel Knoderer’s "Camp Terrill" was located about 2 miles north of the city of Reading on a gently sloping hill and was about 1/3 of a mile square. The hill was mostly pasture land but had a corn field on the one side. There was a stream at the base of the camp that supplied the men with fresh water. (The area is immediately north of the Charles Evans Cemetery in what is now a part of the city of Reading.) By November 12, 1862, all of the men were in camp. They hurried to get good spots to pitch their tents. About 160 canvas tents quickly spread over the hillside; the 167th’s were setup on the smooth pasture land. There were a few companies from another regiment who were left to use the cornfield. There were "streets" formed between the tents that were about 70 yards long and wide. Some of the men drove in poles with painted boards naming them. There was "Broadway", "Chestnut Street" and "Penn Street". Six men shared each tent and the floors were blanketed with straw. On one of the Avenues, there was a Quartermaster’s tent and a boarded shanty for the cook. Officers were chosen from the men. Each Company of about 80 privates was commanded by a Captain. The Captain’s staff was made up two Lieutenants, five Sergeants, and seven Corporals. James Meredith of Company D wrote home and described the selection process: "some had wanted me for Captain, but my limited acquaintance and inability to speak German rendered it inadvisable to ask it." Obviously, many of the men of the 167th used German as their primary language. Meredith was made a Lieutenant and his company became known as the "Quaker Company" because of its many members of the Society of Friends. Company G of Washington Township chose William A. Schall as their Captain. Schall had conducted a coal, lumber, and grain business in Barto. His family, though non- Catholic, was acquainted with Father Bally of Churchville and so the Captain carried on a regular correspondence with the Priest during the course of the 167th’s service. On November 22, Private Jacob Essig of Company G was issued his uniform and camp gear from First Sergeant James Shearer. The Private, in his high collared blue uniform and cap stood 5 foot three inches and weighed 145 pounds. He had a dark complexion, with gray eyes and angular teutonic features. He signed his name "Jakob Essig" on the tally sheet. The camp soon settled into its’ daily routine. The men were constantly drilling and marching, to quickly prepare them for duty. Reveille was at 6:30 am and was followed by a battalion drill. From 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. the men received breakfast and the morning reports were given. This was followed by guard mounting and Company drill. Dinner was served at noon. In the afternoon there was drilling and parading, followed by supper at 5:30 p.m. Their daily rations were of fresh bread and beef, three times a day. They also had sweetened coffee and crackers. At 6:00 p.m., roll call was taken and at 9:00 p.m. was "taps". Despite the involuntary nature of their service, the morale in the Reading camp was good, one man wrote: "The drafted men with a few exceptions seem to like it. They are jolly and good humored, the song and jest abounds all around and at nights you hear the men singing in full concert. A very good sign that God will safely carry them through their unwilling 9 months campaign." Some of the men contemplated the meaning of the war. Lieutenant Meredith wrote an emotional letter to his family in Maidencreek from camp on November 30: "The thought comes to my relief, that it is a necessary conflict, and that it is the duty of everyone who is able, when called upon by the proper authority to take part., God grant that I may return in safety to my family; but if my life will aid in restoring my country, it will be cheerfully yielded." The 167th Regiment spent only about 4 weeks at Camp Terrill. On December 6 they were ordered to Washington, D.C. and from there they were transferred to Newport News and finally to Suffolk, Virginia. They were to assist in defending the southern ports that General McClellan’s army had captured the previous spring. V. ARRIVAL IN THE THEATRE OF WAR The 167th arrived at Suffolk, Virginia, in the heart of the Confederacy, on December 17, 1862. At that time, Suffolk had a population of about 2,500 but the entire able-bodied male population was absent in service of the Confederacy. The town lies on the peninsula that is formed by the York and the James rivers as they flow into the Chesapeake Bay. It is a sandy, lowland country, the seat of Nansemond County. A few miles south is the entrance to the Dismal Swamp, a lowland brackish area that extends 1,000 square miles into North Carolina. One Yankee described the town as a "small filthy town of great antiquity, small population, little trade, and a great deal of Virginia dirt and Virginia pride." [Picture/Object] General John J. Peck Suffolk and it’s neighboring port cities, Norfolk and Portsmouth had been seized by General McClellan’s army the spring before in the Peninsula Campaign. With Mclellan’s withdrawal, the Union presence on the Peninsula came under the command of Major- General John A. Dix. More particularly, the forces at Suffolk and vicinity were commanded by General John J. Peck. Peck was charged with defending the approaches to Norfolk and Portsmouth. It was thought that with the Union Army concentrating on defending a possible invasion in the north, the Rebels might attempt to reclaim these two southern ports, important outlets to the sea for their ironclad vessels and foreign trade. The 167th was assigned to General Henry D. Terry’s brigade. The Union force that it joined totaled about 14,000 men. For the remainder of December and into in the first days of 1863, the men were engaged in building and perfecting the fortifications around the town. These fortifications consisted of between 8 and 12 miles of covered ways, rifle pits and field works and they were designed to hold the position against the attack of a much larger force. Throughout January, the men continued building their defenses. Meanwhile, the Confederate’s Commanders were planning a strategy of their own. Their intent was to recapture southeastern Virginia. Their Corps commander, General James Longstreet, was assembling his force west of Suffolk along the Blackwater river. His numbers were increasing daily until an estimated 40,000 Confederate men were menacing the town. One of the rebel Brigade commanders, General Roger A. Pryor began a series of reconnoitering missions, probing the Union position. (Picture/Object: A May, 1863 issue of Harper’s Weekly showed this engraving of Suffolk looking south across the Nansemond River.] VI. THE ENGAGEMENT AT DESERTED HOUSE On Thursday, January 29, information reached the Union Command at Suffolk that a large Confederate contingent under General Pryor had encamped a short distance away at Holland’s Corners, Virginia the previous night. General Peck sent out Captain Ward of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, to gather information and to watch Pryor’s movements. Late in the afternoon, Ward reported that Pryor and his men were going in the direction of the "deserted house", a landmark 12 miles west of the town; they had about 2,000 infantry, 500 cavalry, and a number of pieces of artillery. Union scouting parties were sent there and returned about 8 p.m. with information that the Confederate troops had arrived. [Picture/Object: Brigadier General Michael Corcoran.] General Peck decided to confront Pryor and force him into a fight. He immediately organized a special force of 4,800 men, which he placed under the command of Brigadier General Michael Corcoran. Peck’s orders were to "proceed cautiously, ascertain the locality of the enemy and force him from his position, inflicting all the loss possible." The Berks County men of the 167th, despite their inexperience, were chosen to participate. The force also included the 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry under Colonel Samuel Spear, Follet’s Battery (4th U.S. artillery), Davis’ Battery (7th Massachusetts), two mountain howitzers; the 13th Indiana, the 6th Massachusetts, the 130th New York, the 69th New York, the 155th New York, and the 165th Pennsylvania. The Union men assembled on the South Quay road outside of town and began moving in a column toward the deserted house just after midnight. Colonel Knoderer, and the other officer’s of the 167th, led the Berks County men from horseback. They marched down the road for three hours, stopping once in a clearing near the Nansemond County Poor House. Then, about 3:20 a.m., the Union cavalry, which was leading the column, came upon the rebel picket line. The cavalry immediately charged and killed some of the rebels and took some of them as prisoners. Two more companies of Union cavalry then drove the outposts further back and into the enemy’s main line of battle. The two sides now positioned for an artillery fight. Union canons were pushed forward into the clearing in front of the enemy. The 167th’s Pennsylvanians were placed near the artillery. The Union battery then opened fire and was immediately replied to by all of the Confederate guns: [Picture/Object: Initial Position at Deserted House, 3:30 am, January 30, 1863] There was a terrific fire of shot and shell. The Confederate Commander called it "the most furious cannonade I have ever witnessed." It continued incessantly in the early morning darkness. The men of the 167th being near the artillery were in a perilous position. Spread out over an area of about a quarter acre, they had no cover from the enemy guns. Colonel Knoderer, who was on horseback and himself in great danger, recognized the situation at once. He ordered his men to lie flat on the ground. The order saved many lives, for as the men laid down the artillery shells passed harmlessly over their heads. The Colonel himself, however, was not so fortunate. While he was directing the men, an artillery shell struck and killed the horse that he was riding. The explosion tore away the Colonel’s left hip and inflicted a deep wound in his side. Private Schmehl, of Company C witnessed the Colonel’s wounds soon afterwards and described the sight as "most horrid." At the same time, the horses of Lieutenant-Colonel Davis and Major Worth were also struck and killed, temporarily incapacitating the 167th’s remaining Officers. The Berks men remained pinned down by the incessant fire. Artillery shells were passing so closely overhead that 23 of the 24 regimental horses had been struck and killed. One of the men recalled that, "to have attempted a movement just then would have meant great slaughter." Despite this, shortly after 5:00 a.m., General Corcoran ordered the 167th to advance upon the enemy. The order was twice repeated and not executed. The General gave the order a third time and then went in person to see to the regiment. There he found the 167th, in its condition without a single field officer. During the artillery fight, a Regiment of Cavalry had fallen back on the 167th in the darkness. Still lying on the ground, the men were almost stampeded by the horses. They had scrambled and in the confusion became mixed up with the other regiments, filling up the road. Corcoran asked for any Officer to take charge of the regiment. Adolph Kiefer, the 167th’s Adjutant, promptly responded and tried to get the men forward, but did not succeed. Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph DePuy Davis, then having recovered, approached Corcoran and requested permission to take his battered troops to the rear to restore confidence. The General agreed and the regiment reformed in a new position in a corn field. It was 6:00 a.m. when the artillery fire ceased and the men began attending to the casualties. Some of the injured were attended to on the field; others were taken to a nearby structure that was used as a hospital. On the field, Private Schmehl, a native of Reading, held a lantern for one of the surgeons of the 167th while he dressed the wounds of an officer of another regiment. The Officer had an arm shot off and his side was penetrated by a piece of shell. The man could not withstand it and died of shock. The heroic Colonel Knoderer was too badly wounded to be kept on the field and so it was ordered that he be taken back to Suffolk. Some of the men of the 167th took up the Colonel and began carrying him the 12 miles back to town on a stretcher. The Colonel was in intense agony the entire distance, and whenever a misstep was made he cried out in pain. Back at the deserted house, the two battling forces were regrouping for another round of fighting. General Corcoran was determined to charge the enemy with the bayonet. He ordered two pieces of artillery to be placed in the road and formed two infantry regiments on the right and left, supported by cavalry. They all moved forward under the command of Colonel Spear. The other regiments, including the 167th (now under Lt. Colonel Davis) were formed in successive lines of battle. The enemy rapidly retreated and were pushed until Corcoran’s infantry advance was stopped by thick woods and marsh: [Picture/Object: 2nd Position at Deserted House, Daybreak on January 30, 1863] The Confederate artillery was now positioned at a distance of about two miles. A regiment of skirmishers was sent forward and were met by the enemy "with their peculiar yell." The rebels were quickly driven back, three times in succession. Two pieces of federal artillery then took position and opened fire on the rebel force. Artillery supplies, however, were getting short. By mid-morning, the Union men needed a rest, having been up all night and without food. They were halted for breakfast and to await a fresh supply of ammunition. The Colonels and chiefs of command consulted on their next movement. A short time later Colonel Foster arrived with reserves from Suffolk, a fresh regiment of men and three more artillery pieces with ammunition. General Corcoran placed Foster in command of the entire infantry. At Noon, the whole force again moved forward to engage the Rebels. A few artillery pieces and some of the cavalry men were left behind to hold the position at the deserted house. The enemy retreated and the Union men pursued them towards the town of Carrsville. Another skirmish ensued at a nearby creek and the rebels were finally driven off by artillery fire: [Picture/Object: Final Position near Pecosin Creek, Early Afternoon, January 30, 1863] Having achieved their objective, the Union men returned to the deserted house for rest and food, and then returned to Suffolk, arriving at 1:00 a.m. on January 31st, having marched some 32 miles in 24 hours. They were in high spirits, though they had suffered 143 casualties. For the men of the 167th it had been a baptism of fire. General Peck’s report to General Dix included an analysis of the events: "The demoralization of the 167th Pennsylvania undoubtedly arose from a complication of unfavorable circumstances rather than from any determination to disobey orders. It had never been under fire, its position at the head of the column near the artillery (exposed to the enemy’s fire for nearly two hours, in the darkness without being engaged), and the fact that the Colonel was desperately wounded and the Lieutenant Colonel unhorsed, were conditions well calculated to create confusion. From this it recovered, and no complaint was made of it during the subsequent operations." VII. THE REGIMENT MOURNS Colonel Knoderer had been taken to the regimental hospital at Suffolk. His wife was notified and she immediately came from Reading to be at her husband’s bedside. The Colonel’s condition was grave. Lieutenant-Colonel Davis went to visit Knoderer and found the incoherent and delirious Colonel still expressing concerns about the men. Davis reported to the regiment that "you men were never long absent from his thoughts." For two weeks he lay agonizing and semiconscious and then, on February 15, the young Colonel died. The men of the 167th Regiment mourned the loss of their esteemed commander with the knowledge that his selfless act had saved many of their lives. They were formed in color lines on their company streets, the Officers were in full dress uniforms and the men wore their waste belts and bayonets. They accompanied the remains of the late Colonel from the hospital to the train depot for transportation back to Reading. General Alfred Terry issued an order announcing his death and spoke of him in the highest terms: "Let his sacrifice be an occasion for every soldier to renew his vows to the Constitution and the Union, and an incentive to sustain with new vigor the old flag, wherever it may be borne." Lieutenant-Colonel John De Puy Davis spoke for the men of the 167th: "Only month’s ago he was a stranger to most of you all. Yet in that short time his noble qualities were so well appreciated that it may be truthfully said that no regiment in the service entertained for it’s commanding officer greater respect, confidence, and love than did our regiment for Colonel Knoderer...cherish his memory as that of a dear friend and make his character your model. The more you imitate him the better soldier, the better man, you will be." Lieutenant-Colonel Davis was promoted to Colonel and led the regiment for the remainder of its’ service. For the next month the men of the 167th wore black armbands as a sign of mourning. Colonel Knoderer was laid to rest in the Charles Evans Cemetery, next to the grounds of the former "Camp Terrill". VIII. LONGSTREET ATTACKS Longstreet’s Confederate forces were distributed in two groups, one on the Blackwater river and one between the river and Petersburg near the railroad. This distribution enabled him to concentrate his forces in twenty-four hours within a few miles of Suffolk. False reports were circulated by the Confederate’s that suggested that Longstreet was in South Carolina and Tennessee with all of his forces in the hope of throwing the Union defenses at Suffolk off guard. For a while, the feints succeeded. Then the Union command at Suffolk prepared for an imminent attack. Behind the fortifications, the 14,000 men were stretched out for 12 miles around Suffolk: [Picture/Object: Map showing the location of the defensive forces in Suffolk. The 167th’s camp can be seen left of center. (Spring, 1863)] It was about this same time that Father Augustine Bally, Pastor of the Catholic Church back in Churchville, began writing to Captain Schall of Company G. He assured the men that their families were well cared for over the winter. He also relayed his wishes to the men about traveling to visit them. "I would willingly do so," he wrote, "but as I am rather unwell, I do not trust the weather as yet. Please tell the men that I surely will come between the 5th and the 10th day of May, and will stay with them 3 days and all our men can take their Easter and I will keep Church for them." Unknown to the priest, the situation was becoming more threatening. Early in April, word came to General Peck that troops were moving toward the Blackwater river and that many bridges were being constructed and a pontoon train had been brought from Petersburg, presumably for the purpose of moving a large mass of Confederate troops on Suffolk. On April 10, General Peck was informed that Longstreet’s attack was imminent and that he had at his command from 40,000 to 60,000 men. The 14,000 Union men braced for attack. The Siege of Suffolk began. The attacks came repeatedly and for many days there was an almost incessant bombardment of the fortifications. There were skirmishes on the roads leading to the town and each time the rebel forces were checked as they came within range of the Union artillery. The batteries and gunboats on the river also served to hold the enemy at bay. The Union men were well protected from the confederate shelling behind their fortifications but the proximity of the lowland marsh and the close quarters spawned an outbreak of Typhoid fever throughout the camp. The cases were mostly of a mild form, but some were more severe, and a number of deaths occurred in hospitals at Suffolk, Newport News and Fortress Monroe. Eight of the men of the 167th died from the disease during this period. Private Essig was sent ill to Hampton Hospital, where he remained until the end of June. He was probably stricken with fever. Isaac Beidler of Company E described to his parents the conditions during his stay in a Yorktown hospital: "I had a good bed and a nice room to lay in. But the victuals are poor. In the morning we get bread and coffee, and at dinner we get tea and bread with a little potato soup. And in the evening coffee and bread. Only one small slice of that. And so you may think my dear father and mother if we ever do recover pretty fast, why it takes pretty long to get strength enough to carry a knapsack." Altogether, 16 men of the 167th Regiment would die of disease during the 9 month service. At Noon on April 15, a large artillery exchange took place between Union batteries and batteries of a large force of rebels below the mouth of the Jericho Creek. The rebel battery was silenced and the equipment of one of the Confederate regiments was captured. On the 17th, the rebel attack came from the south and was held off by Union cavalry forces at South Mills. There was much skirmishing on all of the avenues of approach with field artillery. The day’s engagement involved the forces under the direction of General Terry, the 1st Division of the 7th Corps, of which the 167th Regiment was a part. There were some casualties suffered among the Union men, but General Peck reported that "the enemy was signally punished." At this time, Private Mathias Adam, a member of Father Bally’s congregation and of Company G of the 167th, sent a correspondence to the priest warning him of the "threatening position and possible engagements" that the regiment was facing at this time. Adam advised the Priest to delay his visit for a while. Father Bally heeded the warning and asked to be informed by Captain Schall when the danger was over and the men were in a permanent place. Only Official visits were granted, President Lincoln’s Secretary of State, William Seward, visited the area at this time. More attacks came during April and each time the Union defenses held. On May 1, there was sharp skirmish involving the 167th and General Terry’s Corps in the late afternoon. A heavily reinforced contingent of Confederates were held at bay by the Union guns. On May 4, Longstreet was forced to abandon the siege and retreated back beyond the Blackwater river, being pursued by Union forces. The Siege of Suffolk had ended. The Union forces at Suffolk had successfully repelled the attack. [Picture/Object: These Five Privates of the Sixth Massachusetts Infantry were among the thousands of Union troops who occupied Suffolk. They were also present with the 167th Pa. Regiment at the battle at Deserted House.] [Picture/Object: The Commodore Barney, one of the larger gunboats that engaged the Confederate batteries during Longstreet’s siege of April and May 1863.] IX. REPAIR OPERATION During the Siege of Suffolk, General Longstreet’s Rebels had damaged a section of the Seaboard-Roanoke Rail Line that lay outside of Suffolk. When the Siege ended, Union workmen were sent out to repair it. The 167th participated in the force that was sent out to guard them against attack. The section that needed to be restored was between Suffolk and Carrsville and covered about 36 miles. From May 12 to the 14, the Confederate’s kept up a lively artillery fire on the workmen. On the 15th, the enemy advanced within canister range, but were driven back with considerable loss. The enemy did damage a Union caisson and Union losses included one horse and 9 men injured. Seventeen of the rebels were killed and from 30 to 40 injured according to General Peck. The General deemed it best to press the work, "Making that the object rather than engaging the enemy at that distance." On May 16th, enemy guerrillas managed to capture the Union medical director and a Captain who were stationed in the rear of the troops. Sometime during this operation, Father Bally came down to the area to visit the men of Company G from Washington Township. He got as far as Fortress Monroe but was prevented from going to Suffolk by the Provost Marshall because the men were engaged in fighting at the rail line site. He eventually returned to Churchville, disappointed, not having seen the men. On May 26, the expedition commenced and the men returned to camp at Suffolk. Their mission was accomplished. X. GENERAL DIX’S PENNINSULA CAMPAIGN In June 1863 General Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia was on the move toward the Shenandoah Valley in Maryland from where it would make it’s most provocative threat of the war to the Northern States. At this crucial time, General Dix received orders to concentrate all of his available forces to threaten Richmond. This move would prevent Lee from drawing reinforcements from his forces around the Confederate Capital. The orders included the destruction of railroad bridges over the North and South Anna rivers, above Richmond, separating Lee from his supplies in the Confederate capital. To accomplish this task, General Dix ordered General Peck to have his command around Suffolk in readiness to move as there was no longer a credible threat to Norfolk. On June 18, several brigades, including the 167th Regiment, were transported from Suffolk to Norfolk by railroad. At Norfolk they boarded transport boats bound for Yorktown. Private Beidler of Company E of the 167th wrote home to his parents in Reading of the trip: "That night we went about 2 hours and then we ran on a sandbank, got fast and then we laid until the next day. At 9 o’clock we got off. That was on the 19th of June and our company was laying on the deck of the boat and it was raining pretty near all day. We arrived at Yorktown landing at 3 o’clock the same day. And then we marched about one mile on the other side of Yorktown and struck our tents. It was night until we got done." The men of the 167th remained in Yorktown for one week, and finally were transported to Whitehouse Landing, on the Pamunkey river, on June 27. The force at Whitehouse Landing numbered about 20,000 men. [Picture/Object: General Erasamus Keyes] The plan was now made to destroy the vital railroad bridges and break the Confederate supply lines. The effort would be two-pronged. General Getty would march with a force of 10,000 to seize and destroy the railroad bridge over the South Anna river. To cover his movements, Major-General Erasamus Keyes would take three brigades, some 6,000 men, along the Richmond road and attack the enemy at Bottom’s Bridge, a crossing of the Chickahominy river. Keyes was to post his artillery in position to command the bridge, and open fire on the enemy. This would occupy the enemy and give General Getty time to complete his mission. The 167th Regiment, still in Terry’s brigade, was a part of the force under General Keyes. Both forces left Whitehouse landing on July 1. General Keyes set out for Bottom’s Bridge, but the poor road conditions and hot weather prevented him from reaching his destination that night. Instead, his force halted for the night at Baltimore Cross-Roads, short of Bottom’s Bridge. Shortly after arriving, some rebel infantry appeared and a short skirmish took place. With this attack, General Keyes mistakenly became convinced that he was facing a superior force of the enemy. The next morning, without receiving orders, he fell back to Baltimore’s Store rather than pressing on to Bottom’s Bridge. That night, the enemy again advanced upon Keyes and fired between 100 and 150 ineffectual shots. Keyes chance to achieve his objective was now lost. Meanwhile, General Getty’s force had continued to the railroad bridge over the South Anna river. The heat was so oppressive, and the passage so difficult that by the time he arrived, on July 4, a large number of his men were found unfit for duty. In addition, he found there a large rebel force covered by earthworks. The rebels, having not been occupied by General Keyes, had time to hurry to the defense of the bridge. General Getty, believing that the success of an attack against this force was doubtful, decided to destroy as much of the track as possible. The rails below the bridge were bent and the ties burned. He also sent a detachment of cavalry towards Richmond and accomplished destroying rails and supplies for this same railroad. General Getty was severely critical of General Keyes in his report, although the general goals of the mission had been accomplished. During the skirmish at Baltimore Crossroads that had rattled General Keyes, a number of Union men were captured, including the 167th’s Quartermaster, Morgan Kupp, of Birdsboro. Kupp’s cousin would relate the story in an article in the Reading Eagle 50 year’s later. XI. THE 167th JOINS THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC While the 167th Regiment was involved in General Dix’s Peninsula campaign, the two large armies of the North and South had met in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and the Confederacy suffered its most severe blow. Robert E. Lee’s desperate effort had ended in failure and his wounded army was limping back south, being pushed by the North’s Army of the Potomac under General Meade. There was no longer a need to tie up Lee’s reserve forces around Richmond and so, on July 8 the 167th and other units were sent to Washington. On July 13, the 167th was reassigned, this time to join the Army of the Potomac in pursuit of General Lee. They were assigned to the 1st Brigade, First Division, of the First Army Corps. The First Army Corps was under the command of General John Newton, the First Division under Brigadier General Lysander Cutler, and the First Brigade was under Colonel William W. Robinson. The Brigade was made up of Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin Regiments and when the 167th made junction, it was posted "in line of battle at the presence of the enemy" at Funkstown heights. During this time, the 167th Regiment with the First Army Corps participated in the march in pursuit of General Lee through Maryland and Virginia. The huge force marched from Williamsport and to Crampton’s Pass and Berlin. Then, they crossed the Potomac River and continued on to Waterford, Virginia. From there they went on to Hamilton, Middleburg, White Plains, Warrenton, and Warrenton Junction. No contact with the enemy was made. On July 25, the 167th received orders to return to Reading for mustering out of the service. Their nine month’s service was completed. General Cutler extended to the 167th his "entire approval of the manner in which they have discharged their duties as soldiers since they joined the Division." He added that "the regiment has been a pattern of order and promptness in the fatiguing march of the last weeks." He then wished them a safe and pleasant return to their homes and friends. The regiment reported back to Reading, and was kept for a few days at a military camp that was set up at the Michael Haake farm in East Reading. On August 12, 1863, the discharge orders came through and the regiment was mustered out, the men returning to their civilian lives. During the service, the 167th Regiment had lost their Colonel and one enlisted man killed in battle. Twenty-two enlisted men had died of disease and 4 men were wounded in the line of duty. XII. AFTER THE WAR The men of the 167th Drafted Regiment returned and lived out their lives in quiet Berks County, Pennsylvania, but I’m sure they never forgot their experiences in the war. A few of the men gained positions as a result of their service. Many of the Company Captains were elected or appointed to political offices in Reading after the war. Captain William A. Schall, of Washington Township’s Company G served as County Commissioner for a time. He enjoyed a long life and was the only surviving Company Captain at the 50th Anniversary of the Civil War. He is buried in Charles Evans Cemetery, the same as the unfortunate Colonel Knoderer. Many of the other former soldiers served as Register of Wills, County Treasurer, and the like. In Churchville, Jacob Essig, having survived his three month bout with illness at Hampton Hospital, went back to his family and his carpentry work. He was eventually granted a pension at age 72 of $12 a month for his military service. He lived until 1909. Years later, his son, William, would enjoy telling his own grandchildren that he remembered when President Lincoln was shot. He never mentioned that his father was drafted by the Army. One of those grandchildren was my father, Robert Henry. Father Bally died in 1882, and the townspeople felt so indebted to him that renamed the town, "Bally", in his honor. It is still known by that name today. The success of the 167th Pennsylvania Regiment and others like it came not from great valor or brilliant military victories, for they were certainly inexperienced and under-trained as fighting units. Rather, their success came from the simple work ethic and dedication to their families and country that so many of these small town farmers and workmen possessed. In this instance, it was their hard work in building the sturdy fortifications around Suffolk that had proved sufficient to repel 40,000 experienced Rebel soldiers. Had the rebels regained these ports, the Northern victory certainly would have been that much more difficult and costly to attain. The war continued for another 18 month’s until General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Courthouse. I am sure my great, great grandfather and all of the former soldiers of the 167th watched with great interest in the final days of the war. I hope that they were proud of their contribution to it. I had the sign on Jacob Essig’s marker replaced, once again it says "SOLDIER". BIBLIOGRAPHY: Note: The following sources were used to create this Regimental history. I have not used footnoting in the text in order to improve the flow of the narrative as I did not wish to burden the reader. I do, however, wish to recognize and thank all of these contributors. Bates, Samuel P., History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865, Prepared in Compliance with Acts of the Legislature,. Singerly State Printer, 1869-1871, Harrisburg, Pa, Volume 4 Beidler, Isaac Y., (Enlisted man’s letter) July 9, 1863 USAMHI, Carlisle, PA Commager, Henry Steele, The Official Atlas of the Civil War Thomas Yoseloff Inc., New York-London 1958 Cormier, Stephen A. The Siege of Suffolk, The Forgotten Campaign April 11 to May 4, 1863 (1989) Davis, John De Puy, Lieutenant Colonel, 167th Pa. Drafted Militia Regimental Order No. 20 February 16, 1863 (BCHS, Reading, PA) Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion Compiled and arranged from the official records of the Federal and Confederate armies reports of the Adjutant Generals for the several States, the army registers and other reliable documents and sources, Volume 2, 1908 Des Moines Iowa Essig, Jacob, Account of Clothing during enlistment October 22, 1862 (BCHS, Reading, PA) Hobbs, Kermit and Paquette, William A. Suffolk, A Pictorial History The Donning Company, Norfolk, VA 1987 Melefsky, Edward A., "A Quaker Goes to War" (magazine article), Historical Review of Berks County Spring, 1968 Military and Pension records of Jacob Essig 167th Pennsylvania Drafted Militia National Archives, Washington, D.C. Peck, John, Major General General Orders No. 5 Suffolk, Virginia, February 5, 1863 (BCHS, Reading, PA) Quinter, Edward H., and Allwein, Rev. Monsignor Charles L., Most Blessed Sacrament Church, Bally, Pa. Unknown Publisher, 1976. Reading Eagle newspaper articles: "Reading Colonel’s Death at Deserted Farm", March 17, 1912 "Largest Regiment That Went To War", March, 30, 1912 Reading Journal newspaper article: Forward to Harrisburg, September 13, 1863 Scott, Robert N. Lt. Colonel, 3rd U.S. Artillery, Official Records of the War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies prepared under the direction of the Secretary of War. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1880 Stauffer, Jacob B., (Enlisted man’s draft certificate) October 17, 1862 USAMHI, Carlisle, PA. Sauers, Richard A., Advance the Colors!: Pennsylvania Civil War Battle Flags., Capitol Preservation Committee, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pa Vol. 2, 1991 Schuyler, William Bishop, Memoirs of the Rev. Augustine Bally, S.J. Reprint from the Records of the American Catholic Historical Society Reprint 1970 Unknown author, "Camp Kupp", (Enlisted man’s letter) 1862, (BCHS, Reading, PA) Ward, Geoffrey C. with Burns, Ric and Burns, Ken The Civil War Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1990