Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-11-03
The NiMosy-Seventh Pennsyivania
volunteers.

"The History OF the Ninoty-Seventh Regi-
ment Volunteer Infantry"is is magnificent octave
volume of 610 pages which has been in our
bookcase for longer period than we care to
admit, waiting time of leisure when it might
receive the full, careful, and elaborate notice
which it every way deserves. The Nineiy-Sev-
enth Pennsylvania was Union regiment whose
members were from the adjoining county OF
Chester; commanded during most Of the war by
Col. Henry n. Guss, of West Chester, after his
resignation, by General G.. A. Pennypacker, U s.. |
A. and led to the heroic attack on Fort Fisher,
in January, 1865, by one now our townsman.
Colonel John Wainwright. 1t was one of the |
first regiments which Pennsylvania sent to the |
War to defend the assailed Union aud that is |
high praise and the history OF it's career has |
been pre- served and recorded by the author o |
this work. Major Isaiah Price, of West Chester |
who was one of the field officers, in manner so |
interesting and so complete that we unhesta-
tingly declare his history the best among many |
similar volumes that we have seen. 1t is a full
historical record of the Regiment, priyates as
well as officers nothing has been omitted that
would properly come into the book.
Major-now Brevet Colonel-Price has done
plains that it is written not to foster in the
minds of our cohntry's youth an undue love for
glory in military achievements, but more that
future generations may not be unreminded what
were the sacrifices and cost of our country's lib
erty, permanence, and peace. He dedicates the
volume to the memory of those who fell, giving
their own lives for the Republics life, and who
returned not to meet the glad home welcome.
He was, himself, an example, Of the most posi-
tive sort, OF that class of American citizens who
have no love for but every antipathy to the life
| Of warrior, who went to the field at a call 80
strongly presented to their consciences that they
| believed it the highest act Of duty.
The Ninety-Seventh was organized in the
Summer Of 1861. Hon. II. Jones Brooke, OF
Media had suggested to the Secretary Of War
that authority be granted to raise three-year
regiment in the 7th Congressional District
Chester and Delaware counties and accordingly
| Secretary Cameron on July 25th, authorized
Captain Guss, then Just mustered out OF the
| three-months service.to do 80. Co. A.command-
ed first by Gialusha A. Pennypacker, and raised
| at West Chester was fully mustered on on Aug
| 30th. Co. B was raised near Parkesburg and
Cochranville, and commanded first by Captain
| Wm. B. Mccoy Co. G was recruited from var
ious parts Of Chester county, by Isaiah Price OF
| West Chester, and mustered in with him as
| Captain Co. D was recruited in Delaware Co. by
| it's Captain, William S. Mendenhall, of Chadd's
Ford, who had served under Col. Lockwood in
the First Delaware (three-months) regiment Co.
z was recruited by its Capt.W. Mcdonnell, from
different sections OF Chester county, the men,
bsrs, like its gallant captain being mostly ma
| tives of Ireland; Co. Il IVES recruited by it's Cap
tain De Witt Clinton Lewis, of West Chester,
descendent OF the Revolutionary patriot McKen-
mans. well known in our Delaware annals Co.
G was recruited in Delaware county by Jesse L.
Cummins, who when the war broke out was stu
dent in tho law Office of John NJ Broomall, at Me-
dia; Co. II was raised mainly by Capt. Chas. Nc
| nvaine, about Springton, Waynesburg, and the
villages along the Conestoga Valley; Co. was
recruited in Delaware county, by its captain,
George W. Hawkins OF Chester, assisted by
Sketchley and Annesley N. Morton, who became
respectively First and Second Iieutenants; and
Co. K was raised by Capt. William Wayne, of Pa
| oil, descendent of mad Anthony" OF Stony
Point and the occupant of the old estate and mail
sion at which the Revolutionary hero lived. This
last company, completing the organization OF
the regiment, was partially mustered in by the
time the regiment left West Chester ON Novem-
ber 10th, 1861.
Without entering INTO any details we may
| briefly say that the regiment served in the De-
partment Of the South, in the Carolinas, Geor-
gia, and Florida. until April, 1864 Joined the
| forces under General Butler operating OH the
| James, for month then took part under Gen
eral Grant in the battle of Cold Harbor, and the
operations in front of Petersburg and later
constituted part of the force engaged in both
the attacks on Fort Fisher--the first, under But
Ter, which failed ; and tho second under Ter nv,
which succeeded This included some OF the
most arduous and dangerous service performed
during the war, and throughout all of it, this
splendid regiment won the highest praises OF
the different Generals under whose command i,
was placed
Major Prices book is one of real value as a
contribution to history, rs well as memento to
be highly priced by all who were connected with
the 9th Regiment. 1t is not only creditable
for its fullness and evident accuracy, but its
| literary merits are noticeable, and it contains
seven elegant full page steel portraits, and six.
| ty three excellent wood engravings which illus
trate the narrative. Copies of the work are in
| the ands Of, will be obtained by, Col Joh
Wainwright OF this city for those who may de-
| sire them.
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