Evening journal., 1895-04-22
HERO OF THE REBELLION
VIM Make an Application for
a Medal of Honor.
SERVED ALL THROUGH THE WAR

A Soldier From sixty-one to sixty-five
when He Lost His Left Arm while
Leading His Regiment at Sailors
Creek-Appointed a Captain In the
Regular Army-Peter b. Ayars's Record.
Considerable has been said In the
papers recently about the veterans of the
late war, who have received, or are
entitled TO medals of honor for gallant
deeds, said veteran TO q reporter of the
EVENING JOURNAL.
II see by your paper that the soldier
boys Of this staie and Pennsylyapia
are advocating the conferring OF this
honor on Captain Peter Ayars Inspector
Of customs This is right | happen to
know something about his record and
can voueh for 1t that there wasn't
Drawer man In the army than he was
know IS fact that st Cold Hsrbor, the
battle for which General Mulholland got
the medal, that Captain Aysrs. with
ninety two men, held the line Of battle Of
the Confederates back until half his men
were dead, and they dropped at ten PAGES.
too. bis little command, from a Penn
sylvania regiment, think, was two days
and night inside the rebel lines before
they were forced from their position and
joined the regiment at Todd's tavern.
Ask him about his record "
The reporter saw Captain Ayars and
after Scme little solicitation got a brief
account Of the service done BY him. He
said among other things:
mad no intention of applying for 3
medal, bus 80 many of my friends who
served In the army have written ms
regarding 1t that l have concluded to do
so was looking through my papers the
other day and came across several docu
ments which have had much 10 do with
this determination. Where do you want
me to starti At the frst?
well when the war broke out l tried
TO enlist In regiment at home. but nv
people put their feet down and blocked
me In every way. | was determined how
ever and slipped up to PHILADELPHIA. en-
listing In q regiment there. the tbirtv-
second. l didn't know a man in the
regiment
This was early in 1851 l served with
them until their time was up. then rs-
enlls ed in the ninty-ninth Pennsvlvania
Veteran Volunteers and S. rved the entire
war out. lost my arm at what was
known as High Bridge, across Sailors
creek, Va, April 6, 1865. the last
engagement of the war. The bridge WAS
on tre and rebel battery of seventeen
guns the celebrated Richmond marine
artillery. was pouring shot and shell into
as. had command of my regiment. ali
my ranking officers being away, either
on account Of sickness or for other
reasons. My regiment was a part OF
humphreys division, Second Corps. and
We captured the seventeen gus. but /
lost my left arm
~ was in the United States hospital At
Annapolis. when order No. 224 was issued
May II, 1865 honorAbly discharging ali
ofncers then In hospitals, the war being
over and the government being desirous
Of cutting down it's forces. Unknown 10
me a petition was sent to President
Andrew johnson, signed by every 6sld
and line officer OF the Ninety ninth Penn.
lvania Veteran Volunteers. asking that
be restored to my position. that of
adjutant Of the regiment. | received
such an order but declined to be s0sIn
mustered in. Why?
'In the first place General K r BIles.
commanding, was wounded by a shot In
the groin on the last days 6ght before
Petersburg. March %, 1866 a wound
from which he died sometime after [
was adjntant, and as such on March 20
1865, signed for the arms and equip.
ments OF 262 new recruits sent US IL
was expected that we were to be ordered
to Texas to settle the trouble down
there. was wounded April 6, the war
ended and the order sending us to Texas
was rescinded. l didn't care. In the
condition l was, slowly recovering from
my wounded arm, to again muster In for
such a short period. SO didn't although
l got sn order from the secretary OF war
to that effect.
Later | received an order from Ed win
NJ Stanton, Secretary OF War. dated
0ctober 81, 1885 by order of the Presi.
dent OF the United States, appointing me
3 Captain In the Regular Army Of the
United States, in consideration of long
and continued service for four years ana
twenty one days Of the war, and for
especial gallantry at the battle Of Sailors
Greek, Va. / went before an examining
board, in parlor F, in the Continental
hotel, Philadelphia, of which General
U |ens was In charge. passed a credit
able examination and picked out the
Seventh United States Cavalry, com
manded by General Custer, and detailed
to the frontier. When went home, my
folks made strong objections. ! think
luis occasion was the second time | ever
saw my father shed tears, and the
consequence was that resigned all aspI.
rations for further life In the army aud
stayed at home
Poor Custer and the gallant Seventh
lost their lives az the hands of the Ia
dians so you see II had gone out With
him my bones would have been bleaching
on the Western prairies now, and
wouldn't be talking over those days I
blood ard battle with you.
Here are the documents referred to,
One is my commission ss second and
another as first lieutenant In the old
ninety ninth. both signed by Governor
Curtin; the petition sent by the line and
staff officers to President johnson and
the order Of appointment from Secretary
Stanton. Now l think that these docu-
ments should entitle me to one Of the
bronze emblems, especially when they are
backed by the statements of the men
who fought with me and who are still
living"
And IS tbs captain turned to pile Of
work waiting for him on his desk, he
remarked: II hadn't intended to talk so
much about myself but l am honest