War from the Inside Part 32

FOOTNOTES:

[A] Now known as East Woods.

[B] This is from my diary, but investigations since the war make it evident that it must be a mistake; that the 5th Ga. was not in that road, but it was the 6th Ga., and this officer was probably Lieutenant-Colonel J. M. Newton of that regiment.

[C] Probably the 6th Ga.

[D] Lieutenant, afterwards Captain, Charles McDougal was a Methodist minister before he entered the army. If he could preach as well as he could fight, he was worthy of a commission in the church militant.

[E] This eye-witness was Captain Haviland, Company G, One Hundred and Forty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers, whose regiment was attached to the Pennsylvania Reserves, and which lost in that charge two hundred and forty-three men killed and wounded. Captain Haviland had been wounded, and was making his way with Major John Bradley, also wounded, to the hospital. They happened to be pa.s.sing Birney's head-quarters when Meade rode up, and heard the whole interview.

[F] This order was dated January 23, 1863, and can be found in the Annual American Cyclopaedia, 1863, page 79, with a copious extract from the report of the Committee of Congress on the Conduct of the War. It is there stated that this order was issued subject to the President's approval, and was sent to Washington for that purpose, General Burnside soon following and interviewing the President. It is also stated that it was not approved and was not published. How, then, did I come in possession of its main features, so as to note them in my diary at the time? And how should my recollection of them be so clear, as they certainly are, unless it had been made public. Possibly the press may have published it. It was certainly published in some form.

[G] Bates's History, Pennsylvania Volunteers, places here the name of "Charles A. Meylert, second lieutenant, promoted from private, Co. K, Feb. 23, 1863, missing since that date." Co. K's roll notes the transfer of this man to Co. A. His name is not on the original roll of Co. A, and is therefore omitted here. The following note received from Captain Charles C. Norris, Co. A, explains:

PHILADELPHIA, July 12, 1904.

Colonel F. L. HITCHc.o.c.k, Scranton, Pa.

MY DEAR COLONEL: ... I have a copy of the muster-out roll of Co. A, to which I have referred.... I would also state that Charles A. Meylert does not appear on the muster-out roll, nor was he at any time carried on the roll of Co. A.... On the march from Harper's Ferry to Warrenton, Va., about Nov. 1, 1862, Co. A held an election for officers to fill vacancies caused by the promotion of Captain Shreve to be major of the regiment. The following were elected: Chas. C. Norris, captain; Thomas Maxwell, first lieutenant, and Edward W. Roderick, second lieutenant.

The result of this election was forwarded through head-quarters to Governor Curtin. The commissions were not sent on until some time in December, 1862. Colonel Albright, commanding the regiment, sent for me one day and told me he had received a commission for Charles A. Meylert as second lieutenant of Co. A; that it was an outrage upon Co. A, and that he would send it back to Governor Curtin with a letter, which I believe he did, the result of which was Roderick's commission was issued in accordance with his election, and he was mustered in, and Meylert's commission was revoked. As the commanding officer of Co. A, I never received any official notice or record of Meylert's commission or muster into service; hence his name was never entered upon my company roll. How Bates came to place his name upon my roll, I do not know.

I am yours truly, CHAS. C. NORRIS.