The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-10-15
PENNsYLvAH1A RESERVES.
What They We're. and Some of the Fighting They
Did

PENNsYLvAH1A RESERVES.
What They We're, and Some of the Fighting They
Did.
To THE EDITOR: In THE NATIONAL TRIB-
UNE of Sept. 3 NJ. t." Fort Madison, Iowa. to
settle a dispute, wishes to know eff the So
called Pennsylvania Reserves were really
nothing but reserve corps, or did they serve
at the front, and what. battles did they partici-
pate in?" You answer: 1.-THE troops known
as the Pa. Reserves list to 18th infantry regi-
ments) served from the Summer of 1861 to the
Summer and Fall of 1864 With the Army of the
Potomac, participating in numerous heavy
battles and losing heavily in officers and men.
In fact, their historyof service is that of the
Army of the Potomae.itself etc.
Now Mr. Editor, the above is very true; but
does it settle the dispute in question? The
"Old Guard" of Napoleon served at the front,
but were held in reserve; nothing but the
direst necessity could induce the Emperor to
send them into battle. They participated in
the heaviest battles and were almost annihi-
lated.
/ took part in all Of the battles in which the
First Brigade pa. Reserves was engaged, and
would give more lengthy description were it
not for taking UP too much valuable space in
your paper.
When the first call of the President was made
quota was so promptly filled and so many vol
unteered in excess of the number called for,
that the State Legislature, at the suggestion of
Gov. y. u. Curtin, created the Reserve Vol
unteer Corps of the Commonwealth, "-13 regi-
ments of infantry, one of cavalry and one Of
artillery. These troops were put into camps of
instruction III different parts of the State, and
formed into division of three brigades, desig
mated, 1.-The Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer
Corps; were sworn into the State service for
three years, etc, subject to call from the
General Government. Just before the advance
of McDowelfs army the services of this organ
lied body of men were offered to the authorities
at Washington, but they were not accepted be-
fore July q, the date of the hattie of Bull Run.
The following telegram speaks for itself:
WASHINGTON July 81, 1861.
Gov. CURTIN: Get your regiments at Harrisburg,
E,ston and other points ready for immediate ship
me rent Lose no time preparing Make things move
to the utmost. THos A. SCOTT,
Assistant Secretary of War.
Other urgent dispatches from the same source
and also from Winfield Scott, were sent to Gov.
Curtin on the same day. The division of Pa.
Reserves was promptly forwarded to Washing
ton and sworn into the United States service
Up TO this time they were indeed reserves for
the United States Government to call upon;
but now they constituted part of the Army of
the Potomac. subject to active duty the same
as all other troops of that army. Instead of
being held as reserves in the field, they were
considered rs being charging division, fire.
quently opening engagements. They were
very heavily engaged III most Of the battles
fought by the Army of the Potomac The fol-
lowing are some of their battles, viz. Dranes-
vile, Mcchanicsville, Gaines's Mill, New Mar
ket Cros5-r roads Malvern Ill., Second Bull Run,
South Mountain, Antietam Fredericksburg,
Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsyl-
vania, North Anna, Bethesda, etc.
In reply to John 3. Mason. 1st s. c. Rifles, I
viii state that the regiment that charged them
at Gaines's Mill on June 81, 1852. was the 9Th
n. Y. Duryea's Zouaves). They were relieved
by our regiment. 1t needed but glance to
take in the situation. Two parallel lines of the
dead-one of red pants, the other of the gray
attested but too plainly that two brave regi-
ments met, and both stood the charge. After
maintaining the fight for two hours, and being
relieved by other troops, we marched a short
distance to the rear for ammunition. 1t was at
this time Git being late in the afternoon) that
the break occurred at the front. Our regiment,
in connection with the Sth Ia. Reserves, (Which
regiment was also just relieved,) Immediately
formed into line, as a nucleus for the disorgan-
lied troops to rally around. The situation was
appalling. Being without! ammunition, the
bayonet was our only reliance. Soon, however,
the cheers of the Irish Brigade were heard roll
ing up from the Chickahominy Gen. French's
Brigade, side by side with the fighting Irish
men, moved to the front The enemy, however,
hearing that re- endorsements were coming up,
ceased firing. and the battle ended.
l cannot inform your correspondent if it is
true that "the Zouaves on this occasion were
given three gills of whisky and gunpowder
about 10 minutes before they made the charge"
but this reminds me of hearing some of our
men say that at the battle of New Market
Cross roads Nelson's farm June 80, they found
some Confederate eanteens containing whisky
and gunpowder, and thought this accounted
for their repeated and desperate charges on our
division, frequently charging up to the lannon's
mouth, only to be hurled back again with fear
full slaughter. Gen. Mccall commanded the
Pa. Reserves during this week of battles, but
although the division was too small to fully
occupy the battle-ground above mentioned, it
held its ground without any reserves to depend
on from 3 p. H. until after sunset. In short
time every regiment was fercely engaged, but
no troops came to relieve our exhausted di.
vision before dusk, and the battle was then
virtually over.
Knight write about other engagements but
the above only came in incidentally in answer
to your correspondents GEo. X. SwopE, Co.
&, LIST Pa. Reserves, Linwood, Delaware Co., Pa.