History of the Seventeenth regiment, Pa. volunteer cavalry or one hundred and sixty-second in line of Pa. volunteer regiments, war to supline the rebellion, 1861-1865;

Front matter

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THE JAMES VERNER SCAIFE

Preface

TMMEDIATELY after the Seventeenth Regiment, Penn- •■- sylvania Volunteer Cavalry, was mustered out of the service. Brevet Lieutenant-colonel Theodore W. Bean, of the regiment, issued "The Roll of Honor of the Seventeenth R.egiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry," which was to have been followed by a more comprehensive history. After waiting a reasonable time and the history not materializing, the author called on Brevet Lieutenant-colonel Theodore W. Bean, and was informed that, because the men who had composed the regiment were widely scattered, and because of pressing professional duties, the contemplated history, for the time being at least, was abandoned ; and before the project was again taken up. Colonel Bean had died.

In compliance with an Act of the General Assembly, approved June 15, 1887, to provide for the erection of monuments to mark the position of Pennsylvania commands in the battle of Gettysburg, the Seventeenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry Association was organized. And while the chief object of the association was to aid the Commission in locating, designing and erecting such a monument as the regiment was entitled to under the act, the subject of a regimental history was freely discussed, and it was confidently hoped that its compilation could be accomplished at the same time. But the design and material selected by the properly constituted committee for the monument exhausted the available funds; and, because the principal consideration then was the erection of the monument, the regimental history project, for the time being, was again abandoned.

By chance, while the author was visiting in the city of Washington, D. C, he met Lieutenant James A. Clark, who was at one time the adjutant of the regiment. We both deplored the fact that the regiment was without a regimental history. Lieutenant James A. Clark at once volunteered to edit the compilation of the history provided sufficient data could be secured to warrant its publication. But, un-

PREFACE

fortunately, Lieutenant Clark, like Brevet Lieutenant-colonel Bean, died before the work got under way, and again the project was defeated.

While these disappointments had a tendency to dampen the ardor of even the most enthusiastic advocates of the history, there was always a sufficient number of the members left who kept the project alive and advocated its consummation whenever opportunities presented themselves. And so, at a regimental reunion held at Gettysburg, September 12, 1909, the subject of a regimental history was again discussed, and the following committee on regimental history was appointed, viz : Brigadier General E. E. Wood, Brevet Major J. W. DeWitt, Captain I. N. Grubb, Lieutenant H. G. Bonebrake, Sergeants J. A. Loose, Joseph E. McCabe and Joseph C. Jones. H. P. Moyer was selected historian. The committee was authorized and instructed to publish a history, entitled "The History of the Seventeenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry."

And now, after a lapse of forty-five years and more, having served as a company bugler and knowing but little of what occurred outside of the author's company and regiment, and with nothing but a treacherous memory and a few scattered records, the author is painfully conscious of the many defects and errors which may be the natural consequences of hasty preparation. Several diaries of inembers of the regiment were resurrected, however, and exhaustive comparisons made with official records; and, while these did not always agree in minor details, the author feels justified in expressing the opinion that they are sufficiently accurate and comprehensive to convey a reasonably authentic history of the valor and devotion to country and flag of the gallant men who composed the regiment. The author aims to tell the story of the services of the regiment from the date of its muster, September i, 1862, until the date of its muster out, June 16, 1865.

He aims to tell of its marches, skirmishes, battles, incidents and reminiscences, leaving, however, abundant opportunity for fuller and more comprehensive histories or personal recollections to fill in missing Hnks. The work has

PREFACE

been, by no means, an easy task. It involved most arduous research of voluminous official reports and correspondence ; but it has been accomplished with a degree of completeness and accuracy which was hardly expected in the beginning. A friend expressed surprise that the author should be able to find the time necessary to perform so large an amount of labor in addition to the demands of his already overtaxed official duties. Deeply interested in the subject, the author has given close attention to the presentation of facts supported by personal experience rather than an attempted display of rhetoric.

Although histories of the war and its campaigns have been written by thousands, yet the history of the Rebellion can never be transmitted fully to future generations. No event has ever occurred in the history of the world of greater magnitude than the War of the Rebellion, — a conflict which has cost the United States of America over half a million lives and ten billion dollars, including pensions and war claims. This is an amount so fabulous that we can hardly grasp it. Possibly, a more striking way to put it would be to say, ten thousand million dollars. This amount, according to the census of the United States of 1910, would pay a dividend of over $100.00 to every man, woman and child of the United States. The physical wrecks, blasted hopes, ruined homes and other distresses that might be mentioned make up another item that cannot be tabulated or described; and, even if it could be described, the account would be regarded in the light of braggadocio rather than truthful statement. It was an enormous price that was paid to preserve our government and keep every star on the American flag. But who will say that we paid too much? The conditions that obtained at that time made it necessary.

And I firmly believe that, if a similar emergency would arise again, our present and future posterity would make the same and even greater sacrifices to maintain and perpetuate the best government the world has ever known. In the compilation of this history it would hardly be possible to give the names of the many comrades of the regiment who have rendered valuable assistance and encouragement

PREFACE

by contributing articles, papers, documents, and relating experiences which have been most helpful. Without such aid this work would have been devoid of its true purpose. To all such the author is under obligations, and takes this means of expressing warmest thanks. With the hope that these pages will not only be read with interest by the still surviving Veterans of the Seventeenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, but that their children may also read them and know, for all time to come, what regiment their fathers served in and the part they took in the suppression of the Rebellion.

H. P. Mover.

Lebanon, Pa., April i, 191 1.

Contents

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Appointment of History Committee 22

Colonel J. Q. Anderson 81