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In The
War For The Union by Abraham J.
Palmer, D.D. CHAPTER
X |
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COMPANY D
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| This company
was organized by its first commandant, Captain D. C.
Knowles, who, at the outbreak of the rebellion, was a
teacher of languages in a seminary at Pennington, N.J.,
and a clergyman. Under the impulse of duty and the stirrings of patriotism he early resolved to offer his services to the government should there be a call for volunteers, and began at once the study of military tactics, using for an imaginary company a set of chessmen; and to acquire a knowledge of the rules of war and regulations of the army. The name and reputation of Colonel Perry attracted the attention of Captain Knowles, and he received from him authority to recruit a company for a regiment to be under direct orders of the general government. By circulars and personal appeals, some of them made at religious meetings, dressed in uniform, he soon had in camp at Fort Hamilton the nucleus of a company. Within a month the maximum number was enrolled, and several additional recruits were turned over to other companies. The moral and social qualities of the men were far above the average. Several came from educational institutions. A majority were from the rural districts of New Jersey, and for this reason, Company D was known as the "Jersey Company," as well as the "Die-no-mores." This last sobriquet came from the refrain of the favorite song of some of its members, and clung to it long after the company had lost its reputation for piety. From the first the company took a high rank in the regiment both for discipline and drill. Particular attention was given to these qualities by Captain Knowles, heartily aided by Lieutenants Paxson and Bodine. On the ground of merit it ranked equal to any company, and therefore was assigned to the left flank in regimental formation. Company D was a typical body of American volunteers in the best and truest sense -- in intelligence, moral and physical worth. Its personnel compared favorably with the highest. None excelled it and few equaled it among the thousands of companies that followed the Union banner through the four years of the war. The descriptive list of the company shows that of the eighty-seven officers and enlisted men remaining after the transfer of fifteen to Company B at Annapolis, to equalize the companies of the regiment, seventy-eight were American born, fifty-eight being natives of New Jersey. Forty-seven were farmers, twenty-three were mechanics, nine teachers and students, and eight were engaged in the mercantile pursuits. The average age was twenty-one years and eight months, and the average height was five feet six and a half inches. Z. Sithen and J. M. Tantum were the tallest, and G. H. Richman, P. Parkin, and A. J. Palmer were the shortest in stature. R. R. Croasdale was the oldest and A. J. Palmer the youngest. The record of the company shows that of the original eighty-seven, twenty-four were killed in action or died of wounds, four succumbed to disease in hospital, and two starved to death in rebel prisons. Fifteen were discharged for disease contracted in the service, or on account of wounds in battle. These casualties were fifty-five per centum of the whole number. Several additions might be properly included of those who received their discharge in hospital at the expiration of term of service, and thus increasing the percentage of casualties. Fifteen were discharged at the expiration of term of enlistment, in September, 1864, and fifteen served until the regiment was mustered out after exactly for years of service. Twenty-eight re-enlisted and became "Veterans." Seven enlisted men became commissioned officers, and one was appointed a cadet at West Point Military Academy. One was promoted to non-commissioned staff. Thirty-one received wounds not fatal, several from two to four. Seven were captured by the enemy and suffered the tortures of Andersonville and Belle Isle. In ten days, July 10 to 18, 1863, the company lost fourteen killed and fatally wounded, and twenty-two were wounded and five taken prisoners; total, forty-one, or more than three quarters of the number engaged. Not one deserted, or failed to receive an honorable discharge. Such are the statistics of the original company. The history of the regiment is the history of the company, for it was inseparably connected with it. It was never on detached service. Wherever the regiment went, or even a battalion of it, There Company D was to be found. At the capture of Morris Island, in the assault on Fort Wagner, at Olustee, in the engagements between the James and the Appatomattox in May, 1864; at Cold Harbor, in front of Petersburg, in the batteries north of the James, in the two expeditions against Fort Fisher, and in the advance on Wilmington, Company D never failed to leave evidences of its valor in the loss of life and limb. |
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| ............................ | Company E
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| Company E was mustered into the service at Camp Wyman, Fort Hamilton, N.Y., on the 27th day of August, 1861, its officers being -- (1) Wm. B. Coan, Captain, who at the breaking of the war enlisted as a private in the Seventh N.Y.S.M., serving thirty days, and on his returning home began recruiting this company. (2) Frederick Hurst, First Lieutenant, was a native of England and a resident of the city of Brooklyn, and also a member of the Seventh N.Y.S.M., serving thirty days as a private, and on returning home became interested in recruiting Company E with Captain Coan. (3) Robert S. Edwards, Second Lieutenant, was a native of New York City and a resident of Brooklyn, and was connected with the well-known firm of Richards, Haight & Co., of Barclay Street, New York City. At the breaking out of the war he offered his services and was accepted in this company. The company was recruited in New York City, its members being residents of New York City, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Captain Coan recruited 29 and Lieutenant Hurst recruited 60 members; total, 89. Therefore Company E left Camp Wyman with 89 enlisted men and its full compliment of officers. The members of this company, with one or two exceptions, were young men, their ages ranging from eighteen to thirty-five, and they were a credit to the regiment, as their record will show. At the issue of orders from Washington in 1863, calling on men who had served two years to re-enlist for three years more, 37 members of this company responded, and but 15 remained to be mustered out in 1865 with the regiment. Of those who did not re-enlist, but whose term expired in 1864, but 26 remained to be mustered out. It had 3 officers killed and 61 wounded, and 9 died prisoners of war in rebel prisons. It had one commissioned officer promoted to field-officer, and nine non-commissioned officers promoted to commissioned officers. Captain William B. Coan was promoted to Major, Lieutenant-Colonel, and afterward to Colonel in command of the regiment. He was a good and brave officer, and was wounded three times in the service with the regiment. Lieutenant Frederick Hurst was promoted to Captain of Company K. Although very young, he was a brave and daring officer, and met a heroic death. Second Lieutenant Robert S. Edwards was promoted to First Lieutenant of Company C. He was a brave and exemplary Christian officer. In fact, Company E was always well offered by good and brave men, who at all times commanded respect of its members, and the company ranked A No. 1 in drill and discipline. | ||
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COMPANY F
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Company F was
mustered into the United States service at Camp Wyman,
near Fort Hamilton, N.Y., August 31, 1861, with the
following officers:
Captain Green was born and educated in Troy, N.Y.
When war broke out he enlisted as a private in the
Seventy-first Regiment of New York for three
months. On his return to Brooklyn he at once
commenced to recruit a company for the Forty-eighth
N.Y.V., mostly from New York and Brooklyn.
Lieutenant Wallace brought a few men from the vicinity of
Nyack and Katonah. When the regiment left for
Washington Company F had only about forty-five men.
At Annapolis, Md., the companies were equalized by
transferring men from other companies that had more than
the average. Captain Green set to work with
tireless energy, and inspired his men with a respect and
love that the survivors of Company F retain to this
day. He was promoted to Major and
Lieutenant-Colonel, and killed in action in that terrible
night-assault on Fort Wagner, S.C., July 18, 1863, where
the gallant Forty-eighth lost two thirds of its men and
seven eighths of its officers in killed and
wounded. Captain Green was a brave officer,
respected by all and beloved by his men. His memory
ever lived with hs old company as a benediction,
inspiring them to courage and total service. |
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COMPANY G
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| Company G was
mustered into the United States service at Camp Wyman,
near Fort Hamilton, N.Y., August 26, 1861. The
company was organized by Captain Anthony Elmendorf of
Brooklyn, a young man twenty years of age, whose
proficiency in drill acquired in the Thirteenth Regiment
N.Y.M. obtained him his appointment as Captain in the
Forty-eighth, and to him was assigned the duty for a time
of drilling the officers of the regiment until this duty
was assumed by Colonel Perry himself. The officers of Company G were:
A majority of the men were recruited from New York and Brooklyn, and a number of towns up the Hudson River; about fifteen came from New Jersey, and the same number from Connecticut. In June, 1863, when eight companies of the regiment were sent to Morris Island, S.C., Company G was left behind to garrison Fort Pulaski, GA, and Company I on Tybee Island, and thus escaped the terrible slaughter of Fort Wagner, which accounts for its comparatively small casualty list. But during this time Company G was not idle, for Captain Elmendorf drilled his company to a high degree of perfection, which qualified them to do gallant service in all the remaining engagements in which the regiment participated. Second Lieutenant Nichols was promoted to First Lieutenant and Captain, and received several brevets for gallantry and good service. On Morris Island he was detailed to command a battery; he was afterwards promoted to Captain of Company E, and served with the regiment until the expiration of his term of three years, -- part of the time in command of the regiment. |
