The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-07-04
T he Carbon Advocate
SATURDAY, JUYL 4, 1891.
A GOOD SOLDIER HE.

The Excellent Record of Moses Rehrig in
the Late War. A Brave Soldier and a
Heroic Sufferer.
For every emergency God provides.
The echo of the first gun shot had
scarcely died ere the North rose al
most in solid phalanx ready to offer
themselves for the preservation of a
country that had taken so much to
establish. The men who fought the
great war of the Revolution left be-
hind a love of country, a purity of
patriotism that had been engrafted
into the generation that followed and
which lives to day in the hearts of
every loyal American from Maine to
California-and from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. and in all the by-ways that
span the space in the curitous route.
Thus it was that when the perpetuity
of the United States was threatened by
the southeran secessionists and an
attempt made to establish govern
ment of their own that the North, loyal
to the teachings of the past, rose in
body. and with President Lincoln's
earnest appeal, otferd themselves to
fight out the battles and undergo the
hardships and sufferings that the
grand old stars and stripes might con-
tinue to wave in every state and
territory Of the then threatened union.
In the history of the civil war no state
has a better record than the Keystone
and no county, size and population
considered, out ranks little Carbon for
the number of soldiers furnished, for
bravery, for patient sufferings, and
fortitude in all the trials consequent
to the great war that is written in
blood on the page of history. In our
own humble way we will try and
recount The story of how some of
those whom we know fought and
suffered and suffer still, broken in
health, crippled and deformed, that
the United States might remain IN
tact. The first person to form the sub
ject of these sketches is
MOSES REHRIG. N0
Every man and boy in Lehghton and the
community surrounding and eyeryold soldier
in the Lehlgh Valley, knows Moses RehrigAbut
few Of the former know the trials and sufferiAgs
which he endured with patient foititude while
a soldier in the late civil war. On the 25th day
of June, in the year Of our lord 1861 just tAirts
years ago, he enlisted in Company e., Regiment
2s, CaptIaned by L. F. Chapman and Gen. w
Geary IN charge. The regiment numbered
nearly or quite 1900 and was soon Afterwards
divided into the 2sth and 147-Col. Arlo Parde'
commanding the 147 Private Rehrig followed
destiny of the 2sth doing guard duty on tn
Maryland side OF the POtamic River betweei
Harpers Ferry and Point Of Rocks. NTH
early spring OF 1852 the regiment crossed tn
river into Virginia after which the first rea
aghting commepced with the noted Mosb
Guerullas through the Shenandoah an
Louden Valleys. While charging over fenc
on the town OF Mddleburg he was seriousl
injured and soor after was promoted to At
sergeant and honorably discharged on surgeon
certificate Of disability while at Dunfries, VI
1t may seem a strange coincidence, but Prlvat
Rehrle was made sergeant and discharge
from service the same day. which tact more tina
any other attests his faithfulness and good col
duct in the service.
On March 25, 1864, Mr. Rehrig re-enllsted; b,
ing in Tennessee, he entered the service as az
jutant's clerk TO Uapt. Wellington Jones' Con
pany g. ll6lh, Irish Brigade, then in eomman
OF Col. Muholand For the first few months /
was ON detached duty, following which he wei
direct 10 the front When General Grant move
on Petersburg, Rehrig saw eighteen days
continuous and hard 1giting and participate
in three desperate .arges on the fOruhcatio
tn one day, The history of the Irish Brigade
gOod one, the boys knew not what fear mea
aud were always where the fighting was q
thiekest and danger the most desperate. Lam
lIresAey, now Of Weatherly, was also a memb
of the famous Irish Brigade. In this memorial
battle Rehrig received q shell wound Ia d
knee and 10 this day he also carries a robel bi
in the same leg. or the 22nd day OF June, is
ilssu niuuihs after his re-enlistment, tho Iri
brigade was led into ambush near william
Farm, on the Orange and Alexandria Railw,
In front Of Petersburg, and the entire briga
was either killed. wounded or taken pnsone
OF the latter, Mr.. Rehng was one. lie was
bby Prison for about two weeks when he w
0ng with many others, taken to the fatal b
sland. Sometime later the prisoners we
transported by railway In box ears from b
sland 10 Andersonyille, as many as ninety
Shundred occupying a single car, with /
11dlt that every day Of the eighteen days whi
p ID took to make the journey, saw the death
some poor fellow who had herOioally dared {
iates Of wars bitter carnage. II beyond q
power OF pen 10 tell the suiferings entailed
TINS Journey, often without food or water, star
Ing, packed closely together In almost air-tp
cars on long journey through Southern swan
with the not sun OF summer pouring down
the cars as they sped on and on, each reyoluti
Of the wheels taking the prisoners farther a
farther away from hope aud life. We mi
leave Il TO the Imagination TO paint pictr
strong enough % show what they must ha
were nothing compared 70 what they had yet
endure IN the prison at Andersonyille. Ge0rg
where thousands and thousands of poor felO
starved aud without hope fell and died,
from home, far from friends and aid. Man
hero was dumped into the pit with ieerl
coarseness. there was no display or pOmp,
valley Of artillery to proclaim the death os sol
noble fellow, but every day was funeral day "a
lie quicker the dead bodies, bruised sore "a
beyond recognition with intense sufteTings Wi
under ground Tie better. 10 would take
inach space TO tell OF the life In that prison ID
let IL sumce that not one ray OF auglt
misery, dark and drear was With those 81
nlled the Yertbe hell ON earth Here sold
hehrig was a prisoner until within few da
Oi the close the war-almOsJ one year Fir
a strong, hearty robust man, fun of life cOura
and YlgOr weighing almost 900 hounds he n
Feduccd 10 a tall, guapt skeleton OF less thin
pounds, broken IN health aud ful OF dseaie ie.
was released Just In time 20 be saved tr
following those who had gone over the gr,
deYide before
- Soldier Rehrlg was born I'm East Penn 20,
y ship, this county In the year 1895, and on
18th day ia the month Of February. lie
lived ln this county continuously with the
ccption OF "a few years in the west and l
absent 10 war. He has regalned a fair b
portion OF former ygQr though he still sui
innch 40 umes. lie IS q member of John
heriolciic Post. tsi, q. "A. q. OF town, CIV.