\ UBRABY OF CONGRESS 014040 992 3 615^4 ^J4 MRIAL DATS, SEPTEMBER 11 AND 12, 1889. ff}£ 25fH fEHl^SYLVANlA VOLU|\lf££j^S. 1-4— ^#»— »-^ ADDRESS OF THOMAS V. COOPER, PRIVATE OF CO. C. Comrade t, and Survivors of the 2Gth Pennsylvania Volunteers : We are gathered here upon an occasion made doubly patriotic by the law and the pride of our State to perform a most patri- otic wurli — to dedicate a monument to the valor of our dead comrades and the hero- ism of a regiment which was the first of the three year organizations, and which, if patriotism can be measured, hrst saw that tiie war for the Union meant continued hardship, sacrifice and bravery. Almost iis entire membership came from Phila- delphia and the adjoining county of Dela- ware. The record of its intentions stands out as the grandest, in its example to the other long term commands which quiclily followed. The record of its deeds is syu- ou^'mouswith that of the Army of "the Potomac, save at Gettysburg, the greatest battle known to mod rii history, and here it excelled all other Pennsylvania ret^i- ments in its lossf-s in liilled and wounded, in proportion to the number engaged, and the losses of the Pennsylvania commands excelled those of any other in the Union Army. You all remember how, during the long march through Virginia and Mary- laud to the battle lield, at the uigbdy biv- ouacs every element of Slate pride and likewi.se evei'y feature of JNaiional love were summoned to support the universal proposition that there would be no reces- sion upon Northern soil. Hisioiy records the fact that there was none, and it is within the personal knowl- edge of all the survivors of the 26th that the Third Corps, to the last man, stood its ground, and even refused to lall bacw when the right of the evening of the second day was hottest to ground suited to the align nieut sought by General Meade, and not until the shades of night had fallen and the battle had lulled, and an under- standing of the situaHon had been gather- ed, did it do so. Gettysburg was the deadliest of the great battles of modern history, and for an or- ganization like our own to stand out as the one losing most in actual battle, is a dis- rtiuction which tuesurviving members can- not forget while memory ol the struggle lasts. It is understood that those chosen to de- liver the orations peculiar to this day, shall confine themselves to a brief descrip- tion of the part played by the command immediately before and during the battle —this with a view tc enable the Memorial Association to compile detailed historical information. Ail of our comrades who participated re- call the march on June 11th, 1863, to Hart- wood church, over the familiar lines of the Rappahannock ; thence on the 12th to Bealstou, with Humphrey's division, (Hooker's old and our own) advanced to the river, where we heard bv our camp- fires the stories of skirmishes a't Newtown, Uedarville and Middletown. On the 14th our march from Bealeton to Mana.ssas is remembered as one of the hottest, many of the division and corps falling from sunstroke, so that when night came the losses, if they had been compiled, would have hela comparison with a battle. At Manassas we had to rest until the partially disabled recov- ered, and on the 17th we moved quietly to Ceutreville, over ground made famil- iar by the battles of Bristoe and Bull Run , of the previous yea --. At Centreville we could hear the clash of arms at Aldie, and ttje next morning received the news of skirmishes in our front at the Point, o* R(.>ck,s, f horoughiare Gap and Middle- burg. On the 19th we moved to Gum Springs, where'we remained until the 25th, then crossed the Potomac upon pon- toons at Edwards' Ferry, and there began" the unprecedented forced march over the long tow-path to the mouth of the Moto- cacy. No man who participated in that inarch can over forget the driving rain, the slipperj' and narrow pathway, with water to the right of us, v/atar" to the left of us, vvater above, water below without opportunity to halt, or rest, or eat or drink, until the late hours of night found us at our destination. On the 26th we reached the Point of Rocks, the 27th Middletown, while on the 28th we rested near Woodsboro, with news of skir- mishes near Rockville and Wrightsville, Marylaod, and at Oyster Point, Penn- sylvania — where blood was tlowing upon tbe soil regarded as peculiarly our own. The 29lh saw us at Tanejtowu, the 30th 5^ o I at Bridgeport, with ever-coming^ news of skirmishes and actions on front and flank. On July 1st we moved from Bridge- port via Emmettsburg to ttie field of battle, and wnile our gallant 1st Brigade was en- route, late in the night, with the 26th at the head of the column, we marched into the Confederate lines near ihe Black Horse Tavern, quietly gathered in the only picket post in sight, about-faced in majes- tic silence, and resumed the right road to Gettysburg, iu time to assume our place upon tbe second day of the battle. In fact we arrived at the midnight closing the tirst and opening the second day, and after what proved Liut a nap, our command was awakened, cooked all the coffee and ate the few crackers that remained of our ra- tions, then stacked arms, deployed as un- armed skirmishers, and tore down the fences between the Baltimore pike and the Ecimettsburg road— a novel proceeding, but a fit precursory to the slaughter whicb followed. About 3 p. m., our Third Corps moved to the front, with our Brigade at the celebrated Peach Orcbard, and our regiment covering the rigiit hank of the Division, separated from Hancock's Second Corps by a gap which proved inviting to the enemy, for here immediate and re- peated attempts were made to pierce our lines bj' bold dashes and charges. All of them were resisted, and but one came near accomplishing its destructive pur- pose. This was late in the evening, when a large rebel force, covered by smoke of the gtms, quickly crossed the Emmetts- burg road, and protected by the depression at the right of the little and now demolish- ed stone house which flanked the Peach Orchard, wltb sudden rush and yell plung- ed itself upon our already depleted ranks. Thou the 26th and the Ist Massachusetts, our gallant Yankee companions upon many battle fields obeyed the order of Col. Blaisdell and Major Bodine, and changed direction by tbe right flank, in the very face of overpowering numbers. In this way tbe cbarge was cliecked, and tlie enemy were kept closely engaged until a division from the Second Corps came to our relief and saved the line. This strug- gle V. as the most deadly of the day and of the entire battle, and as well of any battle Known to the war. Its teri (he force is seen in the unprecedented numbers of killed and wounded, and the high courage ol the 26th is shown by the fact that no man ran, and but 7 were captured and missing out of 213 lost in a total number of 365 engaged. In the repeated cLarges ot the second day nearly two out of every three of our regi- ment engaged, fell with a greatly superior number of the enemy close about them — and what lew remained hold their ground. These frightful losses were laigely due to the heroic change of direction made by the two regiments named, while under fire and at close quarters— the most difficult movement known to military tactics, and the one above all others calling for quick intellitience and high courage. Patriotic com i>arisou8 are not odious, as every soldier realizes in talks^,of the war with surviving comra es. Each and every man loves to tell his story of daring, and as fondly loves to hear a better one from his comrade. And none of the 78 Commands of Pennsylvania, which this day dedicate monuments in honor of their fallun heroes, will deem odious the comparison which history hands down as to the brave deeds and the unexampled sacrifice of tbe 26tb Pennsylvania in the battle of Gettj^sburg. Rothermel's great painting selects the charge of Pickett's division and the stone angle guarded by the Second Corps under Hancock, as the dramatic point of the struggle, and it was upon tbe third day, but neither this point nor Little Round Toi>, nor Culp's Hill, norBiiford's famous dismounted men, stood a shock like that hurled against Humphrey's division of the Third Corps, and especially against our first Brigade, and even more particularly airainst the 26th Pennsylvania,which held the right of the line. Only the 124th, 140th and 72nd Pennsylvania, and the 111th and 126th New Yorli in Hancock's Second Corps, approached the losses of the 26th Penn- sylvania, and a truthful history will show that the valor and sacrifice at and near the peach orchard equalled any ever known to the world upon any battle field. The 121st, 142d, 151st, 143rd, 149th and 150th Pennsylvania Regiments were all of the First Army Corps, and tiie losses of these regiments, while very great, were not so great in killed and wounded, in proportion to the number engaged, as the 26tb, and yet those which I have named suflered more than any other portion of the Union Army. They were not the subject of any paintiner, but if patriotic blood, shed upon this field, were needed to color the canvas, the great supply woiUd come from them, our Pennsylvania commands, and if reasons were asked for this wonderful heroism, they would be found In the determination of our Keystone boj's not to take one step back- ward npon their native soil. In support of these statements I place in appendix form the losses of all the Pennsylvania commands in the battle, and as accurate an account as I could ob- tain of the list of killed and wounded of the 26ih Pennsylvania, with Hospital Steward Brown's description of the nature of the wounds — nearly all of them the gun-shot, showing that they were receiv- ed in close action and directly under ritte fire. When night had fallen upon the second day our Corps obeyed the command to fall back and straighten the line. The or- ators of several anniversaries here, and the military critics have given much dis- cussion to the position of the Third Corps in the battle, being advanced in the shape of a horse-shoe much beyond the main line. It is not necessary that we should enter into or enlarge upon this discussion. It is sufficient for us to know that one fact rises upon all criticism ; while our losses were great, we gave as great to the enemy, and'weakoned them for the third and final day. On the second and third days our divi- sion lost 2100 out of 4,900, far the greater portion of the losses occurring in the- scenes here so crudely described. The 26th lost few on the third day, and most of these by the explosion of a caisson at a ^ time when the bowels of the earth seemed i^ to be shaken by the noise of the 240 guns \V on eaoh side which were then ushering in .jQ the tiual and fatal charge of Pickett's divis- ion. ^■•^ I need not describe what followed the . great battle — the burial of the dead, the "''' rest, the pursuit and finally the unharmed ^vtraversing some of the old ground in Vir- ^, ginia. The old but ever new story of the greatest event known to the lives of all the surviving members of the 26th Penn- sylvania, is now retold, in a too general and too feeble way, but some of the points mentioned will awaken in your minds a fresh recollection of the day, of its sacri- fice and of its glorious results. Let me re- call an incident in closmg. On the even- ing of the second day, with a view to ex- cite the hopes and enthusiasm of our troops, telegrams were read to us announc- ing Grant's capture of Vicksburg, and the cheers were loud and long. The news was premature, but two days afterward it came in full truth, and it was Vicksburg and Gettysburg which made inevitable the triumph of the Union. All, alter these battles, was but useless sacrifice, which came through the lack of discernment or stubborness of the head ot the Confed- eracy. More than a quarter of a century has passed since the battle we are here to commemorate. None of us can ever see its like again. If each and all could fiud the elixir of youth, and carry his life down the coming centuries, he could not again see the like ot Gettysburg in civil- ized warfare. The inventions sin<;e made in deadly explosives — in dynamite, mil- lenite, structite — explosives which are a thousand-fold greater than any which deafened our ears upon this field, where the roar of 480 caonon were heard, and the sharp rattle of 100,000 rifles— a battle like that of Gettysburg is no longer possible. Though effective beyond our power to measure at the time, it is well that it is the last of its kind. It served a purpose, now indisputably established, and let us hope that il was, to our people, at least, the final proof of the poet's lines, where- in he says :— "Som6 things are worthless, some so good That nations which buy buy only with blood." APPEND, X. The members engaged and the losses of the Pennsylvania commands at the battle of Gettysburg. Reg't Present. Dead. Wounded. C. & M. Total. 132 14 213 HI 28 66 46 87 2 24 5 5 41 Reg't Present. Dead. Wounded. C. & M. Total. O. M. 0. M. O. M 11 292 10 62 60 23 688 1 1 12 26 365 1 29 10 166 7 27 824 2 7 3 23 1 75 28 303 6 1 19 2 29 485 2 13 43 8 30 444 13 3 30 31 273 9 2 25 1 34 334 2 35 380 3 1 20 38 377 5 39 420 2 3 40 393 1 4 3 33 41 320 1 1 42 349 2 9 8 27 2 46 262 2 1 9 1 49 318 None 53 135 7 11 56 6 56 252 1 16 5 53 1 54 80 130 O M. O. M. C . M. 57 207 2 12 9 34 3 55 115 61 400 1 1 2 62 426 4 24 10 97 40 175 63 296 1 3 26 4 34 68 383 3 10 9 117 13 152 69 329 5 44 7 64 2 15 137 71 331 2 23 3 51 3 16 98 72 458 2 60 7 121 2 192 73 332 7 27 34 74 381 2 8 4 36 2 58 110 75 258 3 16 5 84 3 111 81 190 9 5 40 8 62 82 320 6 6 83 308 1 9 3 42 55 84 240 Not engaged 88 296 7 3 49 4 47 110 90 20S 1 10 3 40 1 39 94 91 268 4 2 13 19 93 270 1 1 8 10 95 356 1 1 2 96 356 1 1 «8 406 1 2 8 11 99 339 1 24 4 70 11 110 102 286 None 105 274 2 13 13 95 9 132 106 3*5 2 10 8 43 1 64 107 255 16 8 43 6 92 165 109 149 3 6 1 10 110 152 16 6 31 53 111 259 5 1 16 22 114 312 13 1 81 3 57 155 115 182 3 18 ^ 24 116 66 3 10 1 8 22 118 332 1 2 3 16 3 25 119 466 2 2 121 306 20 5 93 1 60 179 )S9 511 1 3 2 14 20 140 590 3 50 8 120 3 57 241 141 209 1 41 5 81 21 149 142 362 4 27 10 100 2 68 211 143 465 2 34 10 116 91 253 145 228 3 21 6' 50 10 90 147 298 1 5 14 20 14S 468 2 25 5 88 5 125 149 450 1 65 14 145 4 107 3:^6 150 397 3 50 9 125 4 73 264 151 467 2 79 9 172 4 71 .337 If 3 569 1 40 7 117 46 211 155 424 6 2 11 19 JAVALRY. 1 418 2 2 2 1 1 3 394 1 5 9 6 21 4 304 1 1 6 466 3 7 2 12 8 391 Not Engaged. 16 411 2 4 17 448 4 18 599 2 4 8 1 ARTILLERY. B. 1st 114 3 1 8 12 F. " G. " 144 7 1 12 3 2? O.ind 105* 1 3 7 3 !•> E. " 139 3 3 F. " 1 3 1 9 14 H. ;sd 52 1 1 *Effective force of Battery F. included. LIST OF WOUNDED OF THE 26TH PENNSYLVj<, NIA REG . AT THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBTJKG, JULY 2d and 3d, 1863. Wm. S. Small, Capt. K Wd. left thigh. James Kenny, C. Sg. C " breast. Thos. Lineham, Corp. C " right forearm. Jas. Durnell, Pr. D " fracture left elbow. Wm. Goodier, Pr. G " lip, frac. left jaw. Lewis Bail, Pr. K " nose, frac. bones. Wm. Wilson, Pr. K " left arm. Isaac P. Force, Corp. K " through left hand. Sam'lP. Morris, Sefg.K " fracture flbula,amp., died Juby 12th. Wm. Leech, Pr. B " right leg above knee. Syl'r Duboyce. Pr. I " right shoulder spent ball Wm. E. Reynolds, Pr. I " through right wrist. Jacob Elliuger, Pr. I " right side. Levi Robinson, Serg. H " left shoulder. Geo. Myers, Pr. H " through left arm. Fra's B. Bird, Lieu. H " left knee, di'd Phila Squire J. Alien, Pr. Casper Hecker, Pr. Win. S. Tonner, Pr. Thomas Btranz, Pr. Co. H H H H John Davis, Pr. H Mark J. Scull, Pr. H Joseph Carney, Pr. K Jos. Stevenson, Corp. C Hen. Goodfel'w, Cap. G Pairick Morris, Pr. F John Russell, Pr. A Charles Love, Pr. A John H. Garity, Pr. A "William Gordon, Pr. C Jai vis Thornton, Pr. B James Woodside, Pr. B Warren C. Hill, Pr. A Thr i C. Finley, Sergt. I Wpl. Morrison. Pr 1) Sam. F.WilUams, Cor. D Sam. G. Moffitt, <;apt. A Charles Ross, 1 Lieu. E Joseph Wilfong, Pr. A Hugh Gaitens, Pr. E Thomas Carson, Pr. b Geo W. Riddle, Pr. G «eo. Rosewelt, 1 Serg. K Geo. E. Cooper, Pr. C Charles Rose,Pr. D Henry Carroll, Pr. H M. Cunningham, Serg. E R. 0'Donnell,C Corp. H RuVien Haines, Pr. A John Carberry.Pr. F M V B Hutch' son, Serg.F Conrad Culliy.Pr. F P. Yankirk,Pr. A James McElwee,2 Lieu.B Lemuel W. Blair,Pr. D Edward Hughes, Pr. G Charles Johnson, Pr. E William Pillen.Pr. I James Patterson, Pr. I E. Montgomery, Serg. I John Longhran, Pr. H William Curran, Pr. H Theo. Morfltt, Corp. D Robt. Williams, I'r. D Dau. Fallen, Pv. A Jos. Carmichael, Pr. E Adam Potts, Pr. A Chas. Sinnex, Pr. A W. A. Hannah' ry,Pr. A John Taylor, Pr. A • ' x. Grant, Pr. A •nry Tuftus. Pr. G .w. Wilkinson, Pr. H ohn Flaunery, IP.H. D Thos.McOullough,Pr. E Nat. Roseufelt, riergt D S. W. Weiguer,S.Maj. Henry Walters, Pr. H ».'. Montgomery, Pr. D John ( arr, Pr. C Benj. Sutch, Pr. K Henry Bowles, Pr. B Andrew Sloss, Seigt. B . .^ ^ T^ B C K K B C C B A E Jolin Boyd, Pr Jas. Connelly, Pr. Wm. Kumbo, Pr. Geo. W. Wood, Pr. Archi/d Hayes, Cor. Miclr'i Rodgers, Pr. PhillinMcManus, Pr, ^^'m. Jathers, Pr. Henrv Wliitfleld, Pr. Wm. "Callau, Pr. Jos'^ph Connor, Pr. K Wm. Wiiliams, Pr. F Peter Langhran,Pr. F Michael McGrath, Pr. F T. J. Carman. J Lieu. F Solom in Moore, Pr. B C. Radabaugli, Corp. G Alber Bldredge, Corp. D George B. Gregg, Pr. I) John liatteity, Pr. D James Hammill, Pr B Wd. " right thigh. " through left heel. " through left arm. " left shoulder exit right side. " loft arm " right hip. " middle lore-arm. " through leg. " through r. fore-arm. " througli left side. " through left hip. " through left side " left scalp. " through left arm. " in back. " left fore-man, " left thigh. " througli right thigh. " contused lelt breast. " right tliigh. '• through right breast " left leg,!>ince amu'd. " through left thumb. " left neck, left cheek. " left calf. " through left hip. '• leg amputated. " risht thigh- " through neck. " lelt calf splintered. " left hand. " right arm. " shell wd. shoulder. " in abdomen, dead. " left groin. " tliroiigii right foot " left wrist. " " in back slight. " through thigh. " thigh, iieht scalp. " right scalp and leg. " side and fore-arm. •' thigh, right finger. " left arm amputated, and in back. ■' both thighs. •' right kn?e fractur- ing bones ; fore-arm. " shoulder and side. " fractured ulna. " right thigh. " right calf. " right foot. " right aim, amputa'd. " left forearm. " finger. " left side and back.kd '* right leg above knee " both thighs. " lower right calf. " right thigh. " below knee, ball in. " right hip, dead. " left shoulder. " ankle and thigh. " left hip, right thigh. " left thigh. " right thigh. " calf, two place.s. " left calf. " right leg. " back and left side. " leg ; died of tetqnus Contused internally. " lefi side and jaw. " left arm. " left foie-arm. " right leg above knee " breast, fingers and ankle, died of Teta- nus, July 11. " left breast. " left fore-arm. " ri^ht arm, dead. " left arm. " right thigh, ball ex. " con'sion of left el'w " both thighs, slight. " fore-arm Aabdomen. " right thigh. " right ankle. " shell wound, calf. Co. Wd. Edward Trader, Pr. B Joseph Haymen, Pr. A George Roan, Pr. K Anthony Camp, Pr. C William Gordon, Cor. I Henry Rodgeis, Pr. K Chas. Nippers, Pr. A John Bailey, Pr. A John F. Williams, Pr.H H Charles Miller, Pr. A. Bechten, Corp. J( hn Longherrv, Pr. John Devon, Pr. C. Wendell, Corp. J. Mc Williams, Pr. Joseph Maxwell, Pr. W. K. Dobbins, Pr. John Dalton, Pr. G. Conohay, Pr- Robert Creighton, Pr. H G. W. Smith, Pr. H Henry Waters, Pr. H James Ward. Pr. H C. Friger, Pr. K A Mar.«hall, Pr. K John Jordan, Pr. K E. McGrugan Pr. K W. Gradeu, Pr. K R.Simpson, Serg. E Robt. Johnson, Serg. K L. Sheppard, Corp. E James Stevenson, Pr. E John Scott, Pr. E T. McCullen, Pr. E A. Patterson, Pr. E John S. Lake, Pr. B Thos. Archer, Pr. B John Cunningh'm, Pr.B Hugh Hemphill, Pr. B Chas. Raisncr, Sergt. D James Conroy, Pr. D Wm. Swenk, Capt. D Daniel Gilbert, Pr. I Jas. D. Head, F. S. 1 Joseph Gueron, Pr. I John Craig. C. Corp. I John O'Kelly, Pr. I Lorenzo L. Bitter.s,Pr.C Donnis Hayes, Pr, C Thos. Newman, Pr. C Jos P. Young, Pr. C Harrison Clilton, Ser.A Chas. Giluin, Pr. A Benj. Wright, Lieu. A Rich'd Thomas, Cap. F James Caldwell, Lieu.F Geo. Gallagher, Pr. F Michael Sweeney, Pr. F MISSING John George Pr. B Russell, Pr. B Andrew Dougherty, P D Cas.S. Walters, Pr. D George Grant, Pr. F James Goldsmith, Pr. F James Wallace, Pr. G " right calf. " right arm, abdomen exit at back. Died July9tb. " hand, hip, died 13th. " right shoulder, ear. " right hip, left hip, right calf. Died 4th. " left breast. " through calf b legs. '' through lelt hand. " shoukler, riaht hip. " right fibula amputa- ted, died 10th. " left knee. " thigh amputated. " left thigh amputated died. " left thigh ; dead. " in left linee. " right hip. " left fore-arm. " back and hip, dead. " through left calf, "ill arm. " in right arm. " right shoulder'. " in side and arm. " right leg, left arm. " shoulder and arm. '■ right wrist, slight. " right elbow contused •' through right thigh. " back, exit groin. ' right thigh. " right hand and leg. " back and right leg. " right leg. " right thigh. " through lelt arm. " in back. " neck. " left scalp, slight. " right hand, " ' right wrist. ' right elbow. ' through foot. dead. " shoulder. " leg. ■' right calf. •' right ankle. ■' right arm. " insteo. " leg. ' several places; dead. " hip. " right hip. " foot. Shell wound of back in Richmond. Godfrey Smith, Pr. K Supposed to be killed, known to be wounded in stomach. John Beck, Serg. A, C. Nonemaker, Pr. C, Adam Bohnort, Pr. D, Chas. Webster, Pr. C, Geo. Cogswell, C.Cor. A,Samuel Lynch. Corp. D, JohnBoyles, Pr. D, James Mitchell, Pr. D, Samuel Allen, Pr. A, Peter McCahan, Pr. E, Pryor C.Jameson, Pr.D, David Davis, Pr. F, Henry C. Meisser, Pr. A, George Kee. Pr. H, D. Willingmeyer, Pi-. A, Francis Smith, Pr. I, John Wilson, Pr. A, Wm. Neil, Pr I, John Little, Pr. B, Jas. C. Gelston, Corp.K, Robert Kenredy, Pr. B, Nathan Vanhorn. " K, Thomas Menice, Pr. C, John Devlin, Pr. K, John Burns, Pr. C, Eliakam Brown, Pr. K. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 040 992 3 \ HBRARV OF CONGRESS 014 040 992 3 P6Rnulip6» pH8J5