./ Olo-i o„i„ tf J . T> •'iColonel, and became the Fifty-First Regiment armed, equipped, and sent forward to Perry- „ , . ,, , •' ° - __ . - •' I Wpnnsvlvftnin. v nliiiWoni-n WWli !t.3nnr»n ^^A Tille, in Maryland, thence to Annapolis, and finally' to ""Washington". Of his service in thia caffipaigri it is not necessary to speak, Pennsylvania Volunteers. With its name and achievements our hero maintained a qlose connection for two years, since he was its «;„— „,. ^^,i -^uu »i ill Header and its father, to whose care and per- smce iro action with the enemy took place " --» J Ttr u- i • 11 1 .,, , severance were due its ef5ciencv and disci- arcund Washington, as is well known, till the ,. ,.^ . . ^|c"t-j' uuu uisoi !pUne,,qualilying it to perform good service in FIRST BATTLE OF RULL RUN. I the great cause, and to occupy a place among The term of service of his regiment had ex- the best and foremost sons of our State. pired, &£d it was on the homeward march Valuing bis high qualities as a comrade and when the Battlaof Bull Run took place. The forward movemsnt of our army to' meet the leader, hie men soon learned to repose the utmost confidence in their Colonel. His coal rebels in that first grand encounter attracted black hair and moustache gave him the title Hartranft'a attention and he determined not of "black John," while regardless of youth- fo be left behind when, for the first time, his ful years they dubbed him with that other country needed hia services in actual battle. I nlark of a soldier's confidence, "OW Johnny." IN BURNSIDE'S CAMPAIGN. His regiment was assigned to Burnsitles Army, which was then organizing at Ann^i po- lls for service on the coast of North Carolinsi. It became a part of Reno's brigade, and p.ir posted on the Jei't of the C'cntrcrillevoad, prc»- tecting Graham's battery, till the retreat com- menced. When the brigade left the field It was divided, one regiment only rufirching witli General Ferrero, while the other two were rdered by anotbcr road under command of ticipated in the whole of Burnside's campaign. L-i„i u- , r. n .1 • .1 j- '^ . . . . . \(^oi- Hartranft. On this, as on the former The expedition left Annapolis early in Jauu joccasion, when everything was confusion, and ary, 1862, and on the 10th of the following! ,, „ , -.111 1 n i t •' ° all aroutiu were excited and alarmed. Colonel month Col. Hartranft led his men up through ,„ , e, • , 1 ,. . 1 j ^^ "^ "= Hartraurt retnaiut-d cool, collected, and sell- as svamp which the rebels had supposed im-l „i- , t 1 by railroad from that city to Cincinnati. At Under his direction a large dam was tlirown •that city Colonel Hartranft, still very much'across a stream called " First Creek," which prostrated by his attack in ^Mississippi, re-, falls into the Ilolston river, near the city, oeived a sick leave and returned to his homejThe water in the stream was raised to a con- st Norristown, to recover his shattered oner- siderable height, a thousand yards along the giea. front of our army, and for at least one half Having partially recovered he left again of that distance it became too deep and wide ■ for the field of action in October, and on thefto bo crossed by the enemy without bridges. i ICtb of November, found his Regiment at Lo-jit was therefore a most valuabla means of de (il 9 fefiee, and assisted not a little in repelling thelroadB. Here, on the 4th of January, thej assaults of the stubborn Longstreet. The siege continued for three weeks. Mean while the suffering of our men for provisions was very great. Supplies could not be brought through from Crab Orchard, as they had been, for the communication was cut off by the rebels. There was no resource but to de- pend on the country, and this was a rery poor reliance, for the people themselves had an insuflScient allowance of the barest neces- saries of life. At length, however, about the 7th of December, Longstreet gave up the siege and withdrew. Entirely baffled by Burnside, and fearful of being cut off by Sherman, who was marching from Chattanooga, he retreated in haste, abandoning the coveted prize of Knoxville, and the control of its great line 8f railroad. During all the hardships of the siege none had less idea of retreat or surrender than Hartranft. To some one who inquired our ability to hold out, he answered with his usual modest confidence, "Forty thousand men, sir, cannot take Knoxville." We have before us, as we write this, a letter from the veteran officer of a Massachusetts regiment, who for- gets his State pride, and writes thus appre- ciatively of our Pennsylvania soldier ; — *' Here, in Tennessee, at the beautiful battle of Campbell's Station, where we were twice outflauked by the enemy, Col. Hartranft was the man who, by cba.ging with his Division, relieved our peril. This was done nobly, promptly, quietly, and in order, thus saving the army from confusion and disaster. At Knoxville, his majiagement and actions seemed to me equal if not superior to those of any othtr officer, and this is saying much, where all did so well. I regard Colonel Hart- ranft as entirely competent to command a Brigade, a Division, or even a Corps " RE-ENLISTMENT OF HIS REGIMENT. The country never needed men worse than she did in the great campaigns of 1864, and in the winter previous the Crovernment, with admirable judgment and forethought, began to make preparations for the contingency by offering inducements to the three years' regi- ments, whose time would expire in the sum- mer and fall, to re-enlist for another term. Many regiments did so, and among them ■Colonel Hartranft's Fifty-first P. V., which since the siege of Knoxville liad been station were mustered, and all but a few men agreed to re-enlist. The "veterans" received their usual furlough, and the Regiment was ordered home to recruit. At Norristown, on the 9th of February, at the formal reception given to Colonel Hart- ranft and those companies belonging to Mont- gomery county, they were welcomed by B. E. Chain, Esq., an old Democrat like Colonel Hartranft, but the determined friend of hia country, instead of partizan politics. One paragraph from Mr. Chain's remarks may properly be quoted here : — " It is to you. Colonel, the regiment owes the character it bears. Your discipline in the camp, your foresight on the march, your cool" ness, bravery and judgment on the battle- field, have won their confidence and love, and made them heroes in the fight. They knew you never ordered when you did not lead. Your pledge has been more than redeemed. Your actions have spoken louder than words," PREPARING FOR THE NEW CAIVIPAIGN. The furlough having expired Col, Hart- ranft's regiment rendezvoused at Harrisburg, on the 10th of March, and remained at Camp Curtin,. under charge of Lieut. Col. Schall, till the 19th, when they were sent forward to Annapolis. Here the soldiers of Burnside's command were once more assembling to em- bark, as was supposed on some new expedi- tion to the South. The Camp here was very extensive, for many of the regiments had been recruited to their maximum strength, and there were a num- ber of new organizations, among them the colored troops. Col. Hartranft was made act- ing Brigadier General and placed in command of the post. The remainder of March, and most of April, was spent in organizing, drill- ing and disciplining the new men, embracing not only the new organizat ions, but the recruits in the old ones. Soon after. Col. Hartranft received his long merited promotion, as Brigadier of volun- teers. He fairly earned it at Antietam, and nothing but his modest determination not to urge his own claims had prevented him from receiving it long before. He was placed in command of the 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 9th Army Corps, consisting of six regiments: — the 2d and 8th Michigan and 51st Penna,, all «d in the vicinity, principally at Blaia's cvos»)v«t.eran regiments, and the lith Michigan, i'^. 10 lOOtli N. y., and 27th Michigan. His com-j On the 7th the men were principally occu- ir:'.:'ion as Brigadier dated from May 12th 'pied in intrenching, though there was consid- 1''C4. n ■■ ■'•■ 1 ■ • erable skirmishing with the enemy, and on the :;rL^:S"T% ''i3R')ii>?LTl Wi^ TRE^AspJir-IStli thoy again moved to the left in pursuance THE "WILDERNESS.'' ■''""'^.'[d^ Grant's grand plan of flanking, and march- 'f:; .r operations of Burnside were not to be i^S through Chancellorsville, encamped two c:M-.l,doninanynew "Expedition." Grant's ^"^63 beyond. The array was beyond "the plans assigned him an entirely different ficld|'^^'i'«3^''-°ess," and the first epoch of the fearfu of e.ryice. Late in April the arrangements, ^'^^'^gg^e was over, of Ihe Lieut. -General were all made, and hci SPOTTSYLVANIA. stood ready to engage in that terrible grapplej On the 9lh, Hartranft was again on the with the armies of the Rebellion, which will|nioye ^[i\^ jjig Corps. Near the Ny river the be celebrated in History for all time to come,|iiQe ^f battle was once more formed in the rear as the most fearful fighting ever done in anyjof Christ's brigade, which was at once thrown age. On the 23d of April, Burnside's forcesjacross the stream, and engaged the enemy, moved from Annapolis, marching across coun-,xhe rebels came down upon him in front and try to Washington, and Alexandria, wberejbegan to push his flanks severely, when Hart- they encamped on the 2.5th. They became a, ranft threw two of his regiments over the portion of Grant's army, actually in the field, 'stream, and the enemy was handsomely re- about the 29th. ipulsed with severe loss. Sickened by his se-' With Hartranft, active operations began on'yei.e reception he made no further attacks on the 4th of May, when he broke camp nearjour lines during the day. Warrentou Junction, and took up the line of Qn the 10th and 11th there was an advance march, crossing the Rappahannock and en-Lnd retrograde movement across the Ny, but camping a mile beyond. The following day Ln the 12th at daylight our troops again ad- he crossed the Rapidan at Germania Ford, Lanced beyond the river, and here ensued a and hurried forward with the rest of Burn- jgsperate engagement in the course of the side's forces to the support of the troops who day. The enemy opened on our troops with had been all day engaged at the Wilderness, artillery, but two guns of Captain Twitchell's The next day— Friday, May Gth— a move- battery soon silenced them. Pushing reso- ment was made toward the left, and Hart- lutely forward the enemy continually gave way ranft's brigade was placed on the left of the'and Hartranft won two small hills, where they 5th Corps. Farther still to the left was the2d^had attempted to stand. At 2 o'clock orders Corps. Here the enemy were soon encounter- were given to attack, and our troops moved' ed, and Burnside ordered Hartranft to carry gallantly forward. The position, like nearly the enemy's works in his front. They werejthe whole battle field, was wooded and over very strong, and the rebels were in force, grown with thickets. The movements of the The advance was made at 10 o'clock, in finejenemy could not be clearly perceived, and he style, and the works were carried and held for fe]l in greatly Euperior numbers on Hartranft's a moment, but a sudden panic seized the lefi^eft. There ensued a most desperate hand-to- of the line, and the whole brigade fell back, hand fight. Prisoners were taken by both A large number of prisoners were captured on sides. The General in his official report says both sides. Col. Graves, of the 8th Michigan of it: — Volunteers, was killed in the enemy's works. « xhe enemy's cannon poured their shot The attempt, however, was not relinquished ; through my lines from the front, and his in- the line was again formed, and at half-past'^'i°t'"y hcing in superior force on my left, my four in the afternoon Hartranft's men carried'^'^^ was compelled to retire. The enemy .. , , , ., , jwere wiihin a few feet of Wright's two guns , the work.^, though with severe loss, more men.Qn tbe left but the 2d Mich., under the com- hcing killed and wounded than in the charge niand of the gallant Capt. Farran, repulsed; in the morning. They gallantly held their po-]^'>« enemy most^ hands^omcly. ^ After all the sit: oihc tion. jof the piece he had so hastily manmMi. in the morning. They gallantly held their po-^"« enemy mosi nanusomciy. After all the, sit ion, however, and at dusk were relieved by^""""" were killed and wounded, he manned ' :' iihe guns from his regiment, but he was killed other troops, while they moved to a new posi->. soon after while bravely directing the fire tion. jof the piece he had so hastily manm-d." Six £111 gun3 further to the right and rear, under the personal' direction of the General Command- ing the Division, opened fire upon the enemy, and did good execution in driving him back. •This wns a repulse to my line, but the enemy fiiled equally in his object, with a slight ad- yantage of prisoners in his favor. My loss , in killed and vrounded was heavy. The 2d Brigade, under the command of Colonel Hum- phrey, moved upon the attack to my support. Lieut. Col. Sivitt 17lh Mich, was taken priso- ner, with the Colors of bis regiment, while ct- temptir.g to rally the same. Capt. Allebaugh, 51st, P. v., seized the colors of his llegiment after two color bearers had been shot, with determination to rally his men. The enemy appeared in overwhelming numbers and he was forced to yield." From the 13th to the 18th the Brigade made no movement. On the 19th it moved to the extreme left of the army and took up a posi- tion immediately on the left of the 6th Corps. On the 21st the flank movement was again per- formed, and marching all night it crossed the Po river at 4 o'clock and encamped at 6, A. M., on4he 22d. The 23d found our troops at .the North Anna, where they remained till the 27th and again moved off., The 1st of June found them near COLD HARBOR, ..and on that and the 2d there was severe skir mishing with the enemy. On the following' day Hartranft withdrew toward the left and formed line near Bethesda Church and once more engaged the enemy. Agreeably to orders, he assaulted the enemy in his front and retook a line which had been lost by our army the preceding evening. Theenemy fled precipitately from their position and Hart- ranft's men occupied the rifle-pits.- In the movement Lieut. -Col. Schall, of the 51st P. V. was killed. ;., i ..j;,. ; The position gained ■fras within two hun- dred yards of the rebel main line, and was expcsid to an enfilading fire from their in fantry, which told severely upon our ranks. To procure cover, in default of better en- trenching tools, the men used their bayonets, tincups and plates to scoop up the soil into earthworks, and thus partially protected them- selves. ACROSS THE JAMES. The successive movements by the left flank' brought the brigade of Hartranft across the Chickahominy on the 14th of June, and on the 15th the James was also crossed. On the 17th and 18th his command engaged the enemy with severe loss, the contest, on the latter day, being at the Norfolk and Peters- burg Railroad. At both places General Hart- ranft exposed himself with his usual gallant- ry, and at the latter, while the balls flew thickly about him, one Cut through the skirts of his coat and another tore his coat, vest and shirt, slightly grazing the skin. His position, carried from the rebels, on^the' 18th was the nearest to the enemy's lines occupied by any portion of our army on that day, and consti- tuted a most important portion of our works for the siege of Petersburg. Immediately in the rear of it the celebrated "mine" was worked into the hill, under the enemy's works. THE MINE EXPLOSION. In the unfortunate action at Petersburg, on the 80th of July, after the explosion of the mine, Hartranft again took part. Early in the morning his brigade advanced to the "crater ' caused by the explosion, and pushed as far to the left as possible to occupy that portion of the enemy's works not blown up. Here two guns, partially covered with the ex- ploded dirt, were dug out by. Hartranft's orders and turned upon the enemy. But it was impossible to get any further forward and the enemy began to press severely upon our men, who were rapidly becomjng exhausted. Two different assaults upon our lines were re- pulsed; in the latter the assaulting column, about five hundred strong, was almost ani- hilated. But, strange enough as it seems, no sup- ports were sent forward to assist in holding the ground, and there came instead an order to retire. This was done at a terrible cost, for the enemy's fii-e swept our troops in fl.ank as they fell back. Four regimental officers of the 1st Brigade were seriously, and one mor- tivJly wounded, and Capt. Shorkley, of Hart- ranft's Staff, lost his right hand. Two order lies in attendance upon the GeneraLwere killed GRANT'S OPERATIONS BEFORE RICH- MOND. It will be impossible, within the limits of this sketch, to do full justi'i'e to the grand op- erations of General Grant in the siege of Petersburg, and tha several movements by 1 which he extended his left across Lee's line 12 of coirniunications, the Weldon and Danville Railroads. To present a proper record of them, or even to-give the reader an intelligent Late in March, 1865, the nation was Vrait- ing patiently for the news of the surrender or capture of Richmond, ■when it was startled by idea of their full nature, would swell our de-|the report that Lee had assumed the offensive scription beyond the limits to which we must confine ourselves. During the movementa upon the Weldon Railroad, on the 19th, 20th and 21st of Au- gust, General Hartranfl commanded his bri- gade and did good service in the three days' fighting there. Major Belcher, of the 8th and had boldly attacked our lines. A few hours later, and the report was confirmed, but with the cheering and encouraging addition that our troops had most brilliantly repulsed the attack in one of the hardest engagements, for its duration, of the war ; that this magnifi- cent feat had been performed by a Division Michigan, was killed, and Major Hart, of the composed of new regiments only recently re Slst Pennsylvania, was three times wounded in the engagement. The brigade lost fifteen killed, seventy-nine wounded, and twenty- three missing. In the engagements near Poplar Springs Church, commencing on the 30th of September and ending on the 8th of the following month, Gen. Hartranft had command of the 2d Bri- gade, instead of the 1st, and participated. In the first day's fighting his little command was almost surrounded, the troops on the right having been forced to give way before su. perior numbers. The Brigade formed the ex. treme left of the army. Two regiments on the right came rushing toward his line in confu sion, but he cliecked them, restored order' and re-formed them near his command. The nature of the ground and dense growth of timber and sorghum prevented a view of thi operations of other troops. As a consequence the enemy had pushed back those on the right far in the rear of the position of Hartranffs brigade before he was informed of it. It was only by the greatest skill and resolution that he brought off his command in safety and re- joined our main body on the new line which had been formed. At Hatcher's Run, on the 27th and 28th of October, General Hartranft commanded the 1st Brigade of the 1st Division, 9th Coi'ps, which contained several of the old regiments previously under him in the 3d Division. THE BATTLE OF FORT STEADMAN. Grant's gigantic combinations and resolute perseverance were beginning to efi"ect the de- sired result. Richmond tottered to its fall, and the campaigns in which we had so long fought for its possession were about drawing to a close. But before giving up entirely, Lee made one more desperate cflTort, like the enraged bound of a savago animal driven to madness cruited from Pennsylvania, but disciplined, trained, and led by a Pennsylvania General, now, for his skill and courage, named "The Hero of Fort Steadman." Gen. Hartranft, at this time, was in com- mand of the 3d Division of the 9th Corps. It was composed, as just stated, of Pennsylvania regiments, raised for one year, and just sent into the field. To organize and discipline them no better man could have been selected than Hartranft, and his choice for the position was most appropriate and fortunate. Of the character of this battle we shall present some dea by copying from a General Order issued by Gen. Parke, commanding the 9th Corps: — "At four A. M., on March 25Jh, the enemy having massed three divisions in front of Fort S.'eadman, in the lines of the Third Brigade, First Division, of this Corp.«, by a sudden rush broke the picket line, and after a gallant de- fence by the garrison of Fort Steadman, over- powered it and gained possession of the Fort Mud a portion of the par:ip>t on either side. He then assaulted Fort Haskell and Battery 9, but was repulsed with much loss. He at- tempted to advance toward the Railroad, but was. speedily checked, and the First Brigade, Third Division, coming up, he was forced back to the fort. From thence he wa.s driven by a charge of the Third Division, and the Second and Tliird Brigades, First Division. wi;h the loss of many killed and wouiulcd, 1.049 pris- oners, including 71 commissioned oflicers, and nine stands of colors, and the entire line seized by him was reoccupied. "To Brig. -Gen. J. F. Hartranft, command- ing Third Division, who bad chjirtre of tiie as- sault, great credit is due; and his L'ivi.-.ion is specially congratulated on the distinguished success which their good conduct has met with in this, their first, engageuieut." The " charge" and " tbo assault," as it is termed by Gen. Parke, was tho grand exploit of the day, and that which will naturally most be dwelt upon, though the couriigw with which Hartranft rallied his troops and biulibornly 13 M held hfs position earlier in the day, was bo less of importance. By the first achievement disaster was averted, by the second a grand Tictory was obtained. .Gen. Hartranft, in his official report, thus describes bis assault upon the enemy, though he refers with less fullness than we could wish to its entire success: — ?*It was now about 7.30 A. M. when I re- ceived an order from General Parke, through one of his staff, to retake the line. My plan of attack was as follows : Orders were sent out that an assault would be made by my whole division in 15 minutes, and that the signal for the assault would be the advance of the 211th P. V. from the hills in the rear to- ward Steadman. " Captain Hodgkins was directed to advance with the 2d Brigade under Colonel Mathews — Major Bertolette with the 200th and 211th Pa. Tols. on the right, and as soon as the 211th P. V. could be^^put into position it was ad- vanced toward ^Steadman under the direction of Captain Watts, A. D. C, in full view of the enemy. This was done for the pxirpose of at- tracting the attention and fire of the enemy, and cover the movements of the balance of the Division, which was to carry the works. This ruse was a complete success. The ene- my, seeing the advance of this regiment num- beriug about GOO muskets, in such handsome manner, commenced to waver, when the bal- ance of the Division charged with a will in the most gallant style, and in a moment Steadman, Batteries 11 and 12, and the entire line which had been lost, was recaptured, with a large number of prisoners, battle-flags and small arms. " After the troops had commenced moving to make this assault, I received orders not to make it until a Division of the 6lh Army Corps, -which was on its way to support me, had arrived. But I saw that the enemy had already commenced to waver, and that success was certain. I therefore allowed the lines to charge. Besides this it was doubtful whether I could have communicated with the regiments on the flanks in time to countermand the movement. ' " From the reports of my subordinate com- manders as well as from my own obser ra- tions, at least fifteen hundred of the prisoners, and all the battle-flags capt\ired, were taken by and passed to the rear through the lines of my Division, but were afterward collected by other troops, wliile but one battle-flag was credited to my account. The officers and men were so eager to regain the lost ground, and Regimental comniailders so desirous to main- tain their several organizations, which had been somewhat broken after charging through the bomb-proofs and old works around the forts, that little or no attention was paid to •the trophies of this brilliant victory." At Fort Steadman, rlartranftwoft his Brevet of Major General, an honor well-deserved. A communication from Gen. Meade, command- ing the Army of the Potomac, to Gen. Parke, commanding the 9th Corps, was enclosed by the latter to Gen. Hartranft, rnd in sending it used the following compliinentary lan- guage :— "He [Gen. Parke] bids me [A. A. G.] say in connection therewith, that such prompt re- cognition of your services, on the 25th inst., by the President, the Lieutenant General, and the Major General commanding this Army, aflFords him the greatest pleasure, and he begs you will accept his hearty congratulations, on your well-deserved promotion." Gen, Meade's letter is as follows : — HeadQrs. Armt of the Potomac, March 27th, 1865. To Major General J. G. Parhe, Commanding Ninth A rmy Corps : General — The commanding General directs me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date, recommending Brig. Gen. Hart- ranft U. S. Volunteers for the Brevet of Major General of Volunteers, for his conspicuous gallantry in recapturing Fort Steadman, du- ring the action of the 25th inst., as well aa for bis industry and efficiency in organizing and disciplining his division composed of new regiments. In reply, I am directed to inform you, that before the receipt of your letter, a recommen- dation of this same effect had been made by I he Commanding General to Lieut. General Grant, to which a response was received, that this nomination had been made to the Secre- tary of War, and a telegraphic answer return- ed that the appointment should be made. Since then the Commanding General is in- formed by telegraph that Brig. Gen. Hartranft is brevetfed Major General, and the appoint- ment has been forwarded by mail. Your re- commendation is, however, forwarded to com- plete the record. I am, General, very respectfully. Your Obd(. Servt., ^Signed) GEO. D. RUGGLES, Asst. Adjt. Gen. THE FINAL ASSAULT. In the final grand assault on Petersburg, when the " Confederacy" of traitorj crum- bled away at last, like a rotten shell. General Hartranft bore once more a distinguished part. On the 2d of April, in command of his Di- vision, which had fought so well at Fort Steadman, asd assisted also by the 1st Brigade of the 1st Division, under Colonel Harriman, he assaulted the enemy's works in front of 14i;r Fort Sedgwick, his column having formed on'burg, abng the line of the South Side Rail- the right of the Jerusalem plank road. At i road, as guard to the wagon train of the army. 4.30 A. M., just at dawn the attack was made. Until Lee's surrender his men were employed On (he left was Gen. Potter's Division. TheJin guarding different parts of the line of rail- works in front were known as "Miller's Salient" and were very strong, protected by every device of engineering skill. They ex- tended' over a line of about five hundred yards, but all fell into our hands in Hart- ranft's impetuous charge. The pioneer part- ies cut and tore away the ahattcs, and chavaux de-frise, with great difficulty, but complete success. AM the guns in the works, three road, having moved as far as Nottoway Court House, where they arrived on the 8th of April. DETAILED AT WASHINGTON. Among the many gallant men who had done the country signal service during its hours of trial, only a few could be retained after the rebellion succumbed at Burkesville. Among those whom the Government desired to remain in the service was General Hart- battle flags, and a considerable number of^^^^^, He was specially detailed by Presi prisoners fell into our hands. " Three determined ch.irgos to retake the " works,'' says Ilartranft in his report, " were " made by the enemy during the day, one at " 11.15 A. M.j the second at 1.05 P. M., and ^- the last at 3. In the last charge the left of " (he line held by my command was forced to -'retire fo? a short time, owing to the fact " that part of the works held by 2d Division ■" were retaken by the enemy, giving a sweep- " ing flank fire on my left, but upon the aJ- " vance of fresh troops on the left, my men " regained confidence and the line was re- " established." dent Johnson to take charge of the arrange- ments for guarding the Military Commission which sat for the trial of the Assassins of the President, and to execute its mandates. In the performance of this unpleasant but important duty he succeeded, as ever, admira- bly. He entered upon the charge of the ar- rangements at the Arsenal, when the Com- mission commenced its sittings early in May, ind under his direction, as subordinate to General Hancock, the wretched malefactors, who had incurred the highest penalties of the law, received their merited punishment. All who had occasion to meet Gen. Ilartranft dur- Later in the day a brigade of the 6th CorpsK ^ j^j^ attendance on the Commission, testify under General Hamblin, was placed under Hartranft. During the night the position was strengthened, the chcvaux-de-frise taken from the rear being placed in front. At 3 o'clock next morning skirmishers were thrown out, but found no enemy. The rebels had fled. Grant's assault on Petersburg was successful, for that stubborn city was evacuated. Gen. Hartranft's command entered the suburbs a few minutes before five A. M. His skirmish- ers reached the city at 4.15, a short time befure. Some little question as to who is entitled to the Imnor of first entering Petersburg, need not be argued here. Hartranft says "I iim "satisfied that my skirmishers were the first " Union troops in the city, and Colonel McCal- *' mont's brigade [of Gen. H.'scommand] was "the first which entered the limits of the citj "in a body." CONCLUSION OF THE CAMPAIGN. General Hartranft and his command saw no more fif.iting during the campaign. On the 3d of .Ipril he marched through Peters- to the faithfulness, politeness, and vigilance of his conduct. Even the wretched Harold and .\tzeroth returned thanks in their la«t mo- ments to him for the uniform courte.sy and justice of his conduct toward them. GENERAL HARTRANT'S SERVICES. In his statement of his services in tlie army, rendered to tlie War Department according to rder, in July, General Hartranft gives the . ccord of his participation in the followine b ittles: — On the Staff of Col. Franklin at 1st Bull ilnn, commanded Regiment at Roanoke Is- ::nd, Newborn, 2d Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, Am oImhi, Fredericksburg, Vicks- biirg (not engag ■>; commanded Brigade at Jackson; couiiiiaided Division at Campbell Station, and Siege of Knoxville ; commanded Brigade at the Wilderness, Spotts^lvania, North Anna, Cold ILirbor, Petersburg, Wel- don Railroad, Poplar Spring Church, and Hatcher's Run, No. 1; commanded Division at Hatcher's Run, No. 2, (not engaged,) Fort Steadman, and Assault on Petersburg. This 15 embraced a period of service from April, 1861, to April, 18G5, during which he received forty-five days' furlough and one sick leave, and except on these permits was never absent from the field. By a recent order of the War Department General Hartranft was assigned to duty under General Palmer, in Kentucky. NOMINATION FOR AUDITOR GENERAL. The Union State Convention of Pennsylva- nia, which met at Harrisburg on the 17th of September, was composed of the best men of the State, and had before it the names of nu- merous gentlemen in both civil and military life, for nomination to the positions of Auditor General and Surveyor General. The name of Hartranft had been mentioned in connection with the latter position, but he declined to ac- cept it. It then seemed to be the general de- sire of the Convention that he should ba the candidate for Auditor General, and having consented to become so, he was unanimously declared the choice of the Union party for that position, after one ballot, in which he bad a large plurality of votes. HARTRANFT SERENADED— A SPEECH. A few nights after his nomination a number of his fellow-citizens waited upon him at his re eidence, in Norristown, with a band of music An address was delivered on behalf of the party by Benjamin F. Hancock, Esq., father of Major General Winfield S. Hancock, and General Hartranft replied as follows: — My FdioiB Citizens: — r thank you nrost sfncerely for this co-mpliment to-night. Jt assures me that you endorse my past public life and thiitl hold your confidence .Tiid support in the public content soon to be inaugurated. I also thank ynu. Mr. Hancock, for the kind mention of my militarj- history. Of this I will not speak nor detain you but a moment. Asasoldierl feel it my duty to give my hurnble aid tothe great party which has duringthe rebellion so nobly supported the Government in the .struggle for its existence and national honor. It put forth its strong arm and assisted the- Oovernment in fill- ing our depleted ranks. If this- had not been done we would still be digging in front of Petersburg, or perhaps been compelled to accept a dishonorable peace. To do this in a righteoas cause would have been a disgrace to every .soldier. If the soldier is true to himself he must be- true to the Union party. His pension list, hi.s bounty for his early en- listment, his right of suffrage, his protection through life, all appeal to him I need not say that every effort should be mado now to protect and cnoourage- labor. You well un- derstand that it is the wealth of a nation. And, while this is so, also from patriotic eonsiderationa see that the returned soldier is honorably employ- ed. It is the highest favor that can be bestowed upon him or his country. He will then soon forget his camp life and become an industribas and pros- perous citizen. The military power of the rebellion is crushed, I may say forever, and the natron looms up amidst the rums more grand and powerful than it ever seemed before. But rcrtKmber the spirit of rebellion is still alive and must be most carefully guarded. Let it be shorn of all political power, for in that is concealed all its strength and danger. I hope soon to see the- hnmense armies of the North and South engaged in civil and peaceful pur- suits, all adding their energy to restore our happy, glorious country to its former wealth and prosper- ity. Allow me again to retura my thanks for your compliment. // // y // /// //// LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 700 299 1 LiBRAR"^ oor \ „Bf,ABV OF CONGRESS ^^^Z7^^\ •<«.>^.^a1<4»a