The National tribune., 1885-04-09
THE BUCKTAILS."
In Interesting Sketch from a One.Legged Com

An Interesting Sketch from q One-Legged Comrade.
To THE EDITOR: In the early part of Janu-
airy last my attention was called to your paper
by Comrade James Beale He told mo it was
the best soldiers paper published, and advised
me to subscribe for it. l did so at once, and
have been more than pleased with it; my only
regret now being that was not subscriber long
ago In my first paper Jan. 15) found, IN
the Condensed Letters +" column, the address
of a comrade of my old regiment whom L had
neither seen nor heard of since May, 1864. L
wrote to him and yesterday received an
answer; and right here, Mr.. Editor, allow me
to tender you my thanks for having, through
your valuable paper, put me IN communlca-
ton with one of my old comrades, James w.
Marshall of the 150th Pa (Bucktaiis)
Conrade Marshall forwarded to me an article
which appeared in TRIBUNE of Dec. Is, 1884,
headed The Pennsylvania Buclltalls.' as L
lost a leg while wearing bucktail, l am
naturally interested in anything pertaining to
the Buckta!lS, and, If you can spare me the
necessary space, / would like TO supplement-
the report of Round Top.
There were three Pennsylvania Bucktail
regiments viz, the Kane Rifles, the 1i9th and
15Oth. In regard to the manner Ill which
the Kane Rifles obtained their name of Buck
tails, Bates, Volume /, pages 907, 9OS and 9O9,
says: The men, for the most part lumbermen
came clad in their red flannel shirts, bearing
their trusty rifles, and wearing each III his hat
a bucktail Upon their arrival at
Harrisburg from the insignia in their hats,
they were at once recognized and known as the
Bucktais. The regiment started
into service with 4 variety of prenomens: The
42d of the Line, the 18th Reserve, the Rife the
1st Rifle the Kane Rife, and the Bucktail
The latter was the popular name known and
read of all. p A special order was
issued from Headquarters, No. 80, and approv-
ed and made of record by the War Depart
,nnt aba ha M frnr a
ment of the Pennsylvania Reserve to that OF
Kane Rifle Regiment of the Pennsylvania Re
serve which accordingly became the Official
designation"
1t was one of the finest regiments in the
service and made for itself name which Will
last while history endures. 1t fought its last
battle on the 30th of May, 1864, and was mus
tered out of service at Harrisburg on the 11th
of June, 1864; the veterans and recruits hav-
ing been previously transferred to the 19Oth Pa.
In regard to the formation of the 149th and
150th regiments, Bates, Vol ~, p. Gil, says:
1.-The efficient service rendered by the orig inal
Bucktails as skirmishers and sharpshooters
during the first year of the war, caused de-
sire that mere troops like them should be
brought into the field. So marked was their
bravery that they had become the pride of our
| own soldiers and the terror of the foe.
"Col McNeill, in writing to Gov. Curtin from
Earrison's Landing, few days after the close
Of the Seven Days fight, says: "A Bucktail bri-
gade of light infantry would reflect additional
! honor on the old Commonwealth
"In conformity with this sentiment, which
was iterated by many general officers, the Sec
retary Of War authorized Maj. Stone to proceed
| to Pennsylvania in July, 1862, for the purpose
of raising Bucktail brigade. In less than 20
days 90 companies were organized, and soon
afterwards the 1i9th and 150th regiments were
| formed. At this juncture, and while other
| lo,,, Ix- ifa6 md
reporting at the general camp of rendezvous at
| Harrisburg, and fair prospect existed OF hav-
| ing third and even fourth, regiment IN the
| brigade, the rebel army invaded Maryland, and
| these two reg iments were suddenly ordered to
| Washington. This action frustrated the conf
| pletiOn of the bri gade, rs had been originally
| purposed Il The men were well formed,
| of hardy habits, skilled in the use of the rife,
! and wore the hucktal, as did the men whose
name they adopted"
The new Bucktail regiments reached Wash
| ington Sept. 8, 1862, and on the afternoon OF
| that day took up the line of march for Mary
| land towards evening they were ordered back,
| and were placed on guard duty in and around
| the city. On Feb 15 1863 they were ordered
to the front, and proceeded to Belle Plain, Va,
where, with the 143d Pa they constituted the
| Second Brigade of the Third Division, First
| Corps. Col. Roy Stone, of the 149th, Qate Major,
| old Bncktails,) commanded the brigade, Col.
Langhorn Wister Qate Captain Co. b, old Buck
| tails) being in command of the 150th regiment.
The brigade continued to form part of the Army
| of the Potomac, participating in all Its cam
paigus Except Mine Rum, until about the
middle of February, 1865, when what was left
| of it was withdrawn from the front. The 149th
and 150th were sent to Elmira, N. Y, where
they were placed in charge of the camp for
rebel prisoners, remaining until June, 1865,
when, on the 23d and oath, they were mus
| tered ont of service.
This statement of facts shows, think, pretty
concusively that there was a Bucktail regi-
ment in existence after June 1864. still have
in my possession two relics of the war-the
rebel bullet which caused the loss of my leg,
and the buclltail which / wore at the time
stopped the bulet.-WM. e. RAMSEY, Co. F,
150th (Bucktails) Pa.