The troops comprising this regiment were
recruited in the city of Philadelphia, and in the counties of
Venango, Erie, Juniata, Franklin, Washington, Fayette, Centre,
Wyoming, Susquehanna, Bradford, Tioga, Columbia, Delaware,
Northumberland, Union, Mifflin, Perry, and Dauphin,
representing, as will be thus seen, nearly every section of this
broad Commonwealth. They rendezvoused at Camp Simmons, near
Harrisburg, and subsequently at Camp M'Clellan, where an
organization was effected, on the 18th of November, 1862, with
the following field officers: John Irvin Gregg, Colonel; Lorenzo
D. Rodgers, of Venango county, Lieutenant Colonel; William A.
West, of Fayette county, William H. Fry, of Philadelphia, and
John Stroup, of Mifflin County, Majors. Colonel Gregg had served
in the Second Pennsylvania Regiment, in the Mexican war, and
afterwards in the Eleventh United States Infantry, where he rose
to the rank of Captain, and subsequently in the State Militia.
Soon after the breaking out of the rebellion, he was elected
colonel of the Fifth Regiment of the Reserve Corps, but accepted
instead, a commission as captain in the Sixth United States
Cavalry, from which position, after having passed through the
campaigns of the Peninsula, and of Maryland, he was selected to
command this regiment.
On the 23d, the regiment was mounted and
equipped, and on the 30th7proceeded to Camp Casey, near
Bladensburg, Maryland, five miles from Washington. On the 3d of
January, 1863, it broke camp and proceeded to the front, joining
the main army near Falmouth, and was assigned to Averell's
Brigade. It went into camp near the Potomac Creek Railroad
Bridge, and was engaged during the winter in picket and guard
duty on the right flank of the army, the line extending from the
right of the infantry up the left bank of the Rappahannock, and
thence towards the rear. This line was nearly eight miles from
camp, and the duty was severe. On the 25th of February, it lost
two men killed and a number of prisoners, by a raid upon the
picket, line, made by the cavalry brigade of Fitz Hugh Lee.
Familiar with every road and by-path, Lee's troopers crossed the
river, and stealthily gaining the rear of the Union pickets,
proceeded, in the garb of Union soldiers, to relieve, them, and
lead them away captive. Its first battle was at Kelly's Ford,
on, the 17th of March. It here occupied the extreme right of the
line, and when the attack was made, seeing the enemy move to
turn its flank, Gregg dismounted his men, and screening them by
buildings in his front, awaited the rebel advance. A
well-directed volley soon sent him out of carbine range, when
Gregg boldly advanced his line three hundred yards, to the cover
of a stone wall. A charge by thirty men, gallantly led by Major
Fry, scattered a squadron of the enemy posted in a wood in
front. At night the regiment returned to camp, having suffered
only slight loss.
On the 13th of April, the regiment left
winter quarters, to enter upon the spring campaign. Proceeding
to Bealton Station with the division, it marched and
countermarched, within a circle of fifteen miles, for the space
of two weeks, all the time threatening the enemy with immediate
attack. The object of these demonstrations having been attained,
it moved on the 28th towards Kelly's Ford, where it arrived on
the following day, and found the Eleventh and Twelfth corps
crossing, on their way to Chancellorsville. The division crossed
in the afternoon of the 29th, and moving out towards Brandy
Station, attacked the enemy's cavalry, desultory skirmishing
being kept up until nightfall. On the following morning, it was
discovered that the enemy had fled, and the command moved on by
Culpepper, to the railroad crossing of the Rapidan, where
skirmishing commenced; but the Sixteenth, being upon the picket
line, did not participate. On the 2d, the division moved down
the left bank to Ely's Ford, arriving at evening, and just as
the camp fires had been lit the enemy attacked from the opposite
shore, pouring in a rapid fire, guided by the blazing fagots.
For a moment there was confusion in the camp of the brigade, the
horses breaking from their fastenings, and running wildly about.
The fire was returned, and soon heavy volleys were poured in,
routing the enemy, and insuring quiet for the night. The
Sixteenth had one man killed. On the following day, the division
crossed and joined the army under General Hooker, and three days
after, returned to its old camp.
On the 25th of May, the cavalry broke camp
and moved upon the Upper Rappahannock. At Brandy Station a,
severe battle was fought, between the cavalry of the two armies,
but the Sixteenth having just previous turned in its saddles for
exchange, and not having received a fresh supply, was not
actively engaged, but was charged with the care of the trains.
At Warrenton Junction, on the 11th of June, the Sixteenth was
assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division, Colonel J.
Irvin Gregg commanding the brigade, General D. M'M. Gregg, the
division, and General Pleasanton the entire cavalry corps. It
was here associated with the First Maine, Tenth New York, and
Fourth Pennsylvania regiments. A month previous, Lieutenant
Colonel Rodgers had resigned, and now Captain John K. Robison
was commissioned to succeed him, by whom the regiment was led in
the Gettysburg campaign. The march northward commenced on the
13th. At Aldie, the enemy was encountered and- pushed back. On
the 18th the regiment took the advance and from ten in the
morning until half-past three in the afternoon, it was warmly
engaged. It was then relieved by the Fourth, its ammunition
having been exhausted On the following morning the engagement
was renewed, the enemy contesting the ground with great
obstinacy, taking shelter behind stonewalls, and keeping up a
hot fire. The Sixteenth was led to the charge dismounted, and
gallantly drove the enemy from his well-protected positions. It
lost in the engagement, one killed, and ten wounded, Captain
Adam J. Snyder being among the latter. The 20th was Sunday, and
quiet prevailed. Early on the following morning, the Union
cavalry began to push forward and drove the enemy, after a
severe engagement, through Upperville and Ashby's Gap, into the
Blue Ridge.
In the battle of Gettysburg, Gregg's Brigade
was in position on the extreme right of the Union army, and
during the day and evening of the 2d, was partially engaged, and
during, the whole of the 3d, guarded the approaches to that
wing. The loss at Gettysburg was two killed and a few wounded.
On the 5th,the cavalry was put in motion in pursuit of the
retreating enemy, capturing some prisoners as it pressed his
rear guard. On the 15th of July, the division moved from
Boonsboro to Harper's Ferry, and on the 17th to Shepherdstown,
for the purpose of discovering the movements of the rebel army.
During the night the drums of his infantry columns were
distinctly heard, apparently on the road leading to
Martinsburg'. At noon of the 18th, the enemy's cavalry attacked,
and drove in the pickets of the brigade, advancing rapidly in
force. He was promptly met, and until night put an end to the
contest, the fighting raged without intermission. Charge after
charge was made in the face of a most withering fire. The rebel
artillery fire was at first concentrated on the right, then upon
the left, and finally upon the right centre, where the Sixteenth
stood. For eight hours, three regiments, the First Maine,
Fourth, and Sixteenth Pennsylvania, bore the brunt of the
battle, charging in the most gallant manner. Night finally put
an end to the carnage, and finding that the enemy was present in
superior force, the command was withdrawn under cover of
darkness. The loss in the Sixteenth was six killed, fifteen
wounded, and three missing. Captain John Fisher was among the
wounded.
After the army had crossed the Potomac, the
cavalry marched along the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge, and
crossing the tributaries of the Rappahannock, went into camp
near Amissville. On the 12th of September, the division crossed
Hazel River, and came in on the enemy's left, Buford, and
Kilpatrick engaging him in front. When the army commenced its
retreat on Centreville, the division moved to the front to cover
the movement. At two P. M. on the 12th of October, the enemy
came up with a part of the Second Brigade, and commenced a
furious attack, near the crossing of the Rappahannock. Gallantly
did the Fourth and Thirteenth Pennsylvania regiments, led by
Colonel Gregg in person, contest the ground, and hold at bay,
until nightfall, many times their number. The Sixteenth
supported a battery on the opposite banks and did not suffer. On
the 13th, the division marched to Auburn. At daylight on the
following morning, the enemy attacked, and during the entire day
the regiment was at intervals engaged, early in the day at
Auburn, later at Catlett's, and in the evening at Bristoe
Station, on the left of Warren's infantry. Lieutenant Colonel
Robison was wounded, and the regiment sustained in addition, a
loss of one killed, seven wounded, and three missing. The
division was complimented for its gallantry on this retreat by
General Meade, in an order issued after reaching Centreville.
The advance was soon after sounded, and the army was again
brought to the Rappahannock. The regiment had by this time
become much reduced, and some time was given to re-fit and
recuperate. After a month's delay, the columns were again put in
motion toward Mine Run, the division crossing the Rapidan at
Ely's Ford, and on the 27th of November, met the enemy on the
Fredericksburg Plank Road. The brigade was in advance and
received the first shock. It was, however, relieved by the Fifth
Corps, just at the moment that the Sixteenths, with, drawn
sabres, was advancing to the attack. On the 29th, it was again
engaged near, Parker's Store. In the progress of the battle, a
battery was in danger of falling into the hands of the enemy. At
the critical moment a squadron, led by Captain Rush, made a most
gallant charge, saving the guns, and routing the enemy. A brave
officer, Captain Ira B. Alexander, was killed in this charge.
The regiment lost two killed, eleven wounded, and three missing.
On the 2d of December, the regiment
re-crossed the Rapidan, and went into camp near Bealton Station,
the campaign having been abandoned. On the 21st, the brigade,
under command of Colonel Smith, of the First Maine, proceeded to
Luray, in the Shenandoah Valley, where factories and rebel
stores were destroyed, and on the 24th, commenced the return
march, reaching camp on the 31st. On the 1st of January, 1864,
the division, under Colonel Taylor, of the First Pennsylvania,
was led upon a raid to Front Royal. The march was attended with
great hardship and suffering, ice-bound streams, and rocky
mountain roads, frozen and slippery, rendering the way almost
impassable. It returned by way of Manassas, and on the 16tI,
went into winter quarters at Turkey Run, below Warrenton. Near
the close of February, a detail from this regiment, under
Captain A. J. Snyder, accompanied Kilpatrick in his raid upon
Richmond, in which Colonel Ulrich Dahlgren was killed,
participating in the hardships and hard fighting which were
encountered.
In the initial movement of the spring
campaign, the brigade followed the Second Corps, and at a point
about three miles beyond Chancellorsville, a body of the enemy
was met, which, after a brief skirmish, in which the Sixteenth
was the principal participant on the Union side, precipitately
retreated. On the afternoon of the 6th of May, and again on the
afternoon of the 7th, the division was hotly engaged, the
Sixteenth, dismounted, holding a line of hastily constructed
breast-works, a large brook just in front. At ten A. M., of the
8th,the brigade charged and forced the enemy's line, eight
companies of the Sixteenth, mounted, and with drawn sabres.
Captain Joshua M. Carey was among the wounded in this
engagement. On the 9th, the cavalry under Sheridan moved to the
left, around the right flank of Lee's army, striking his main
line of supply at Beaver Dam Station, effecting the destruction
of immense quantities of stores, and releasing a large number of
Union prisoners, on their way to Richmond. During the night the
enemy came up, and at daybreak opened briskly with cavalry and
artillery. The Union artillery answered, and with heavy
skirmishing on flanks and rear, the column moved on towards
Hanover, crossing the South Anna at dusk, and halting for the
night at Hanover Church. The brigade had the rear on the 11th,
and before the columns were all fairly in motion, the enemy
charged with great impetuosity. The First Maine, and Tenth New
York, were driven in; but at this juncture, the artillery,
loaded to the muzzle with grape and canister, was brought to
bear upon the impatient foe, which soon convinced him that the
Union cavalry was awake, and ready to receive him. Heavy
skirmishing continued throughout the entire day, and until long
after nightfall, the enemy hovering in clouds upon the rear. It
was in this day's fighting that the famous rebel cavalry leader,
General J. E. B. Stuart, was killed. At daybreak of the 12th,
the column entered the outer works of Richmond, turning from the
pike soon after crossing the Chickahominy, on a road parallel
with, and between the inner line and the river. A mile and a
half out on this road, the river bends to the right, the road
crossing it. On the further bank the enemy lay intrenched, to
the right and left of the bridge, which at this time had been
destroyed. The whole column was soon engaged, and in a critical
situation. The force in front, that rushing out from Richmond,
and that following from Lee's army, were pressing it on three
sides, the enemy's shells coming from front, right flank, and
rear. Sheridan, with Custer, directed the fight upon the front,
Wilson, and Torbert upon the flank, and Gregg upon the rear. In
a charge delivered by the Eighth, supported by the Sixteenth, a
gun was captured, and the head of the enemy's column was
successfully held in check. Towards noon, Custer forced a
crossing, and the command escaped the clutches of the foe.
Sheridan soon after returned, re-joining the main army on the
25th.
On the following morning, the divisions of
Gregg and Merritt moved down the Pamunky, and crossing, had a
heavy engagement at Hawes' Shop, in the afternoon of the 28th,
in which the Sixteenth sustained a loss of four killed and
twenty wounded, Lieutenant Colonel Robison, Captain A. F. Swan,
and Lieutenant S. A. Roberts, being among the latter. Early in
June, the division accompanied Sheridan in his expedition
towards Lynchburg, and was engaged at Trevilian Station, the
Sixteenth sustaining a loss of three killed and thirteen
wounded, Lieutenant Daniel C. Swank being of the latter.
Sheridan, unable to force his way to Lynchburg, returned to
White House, whence, with his own, and a train of eight hundred
wagons belonging to the main army, he marched on the 25th for
the James River. The enemy, beholding the tempting prize, made
desperate efforts to break through the Union lines and capture
them. Gregg's Division moved upon the right flank, covering them
from the direction of Richmond. At St. Mary's Church, the enemy
attacked with headlong impetuosity, and overpowering force.
Gregg made a gallant fight, and called for reinforcements; but
his messengers were captured, his extremities being thus
revealed, and no aid came. He disputed every inch of ground with
a stubbornness rarely paralleled, and succeeded in beating
backthe enemy, at a heavy cost, until the trains were safe. A
less resolute resistance would inevitably have resulted in
disaster. In this engagement the Sixteenth did gallant service,
repelling repeated charges, and preventing dismounted men from
being captured. On the 1st of July, the division was sent to the
relief of General Wilson, who was hemmed in between the enemy's
infantry and his cavalry, on the Weldon Railroad; but before it
arrived, Wilson had effected his escape, and it returned and
went into camp at Light House Point, on the James. From the
moment the regiment crossed the Rapidan until the present, it
had been almost constantly on the move, frequently meeting the
enemy in deadly conflict, and was greatly reduced, many of the
men being dismounted, their horses falling out by the way, and
large numbers disabled by fatigue and exposure.
Towards the close of July, the division, with
a large column of infantry, crossed the James, and made a strong
demonstration in the direction of Richmond, the Sixteenth
charging, mounted, near Malvern Hill, sustaining a loss of three
killed, and six severely wounded, Lieutenant Lockwood Caughey
mortally. It returned on the 30th, to await the result of the
Mine explosion, in favor of which the demonstration across the
James had been made. Early in August, Sheridan, with the First
and Third divisions of the cavalry, went to the Shenandoah
Valley, leaving General Gregg in command of the cavalry before
Petersburg. About the middle of the month, the division again
crossed the James. On the 16th, the brigade, which was now
composed of the Second, Fourth, Eighth, and Sixteenth
Pennsylvania regiments and Miles' brigade of infantry, moved up
the Charles City -Road towards Richmond, and met the enemy at
Deep Run, posted behind earth-works. The brigade charged, the
Sixteenth moving upon the main road, the only regiment mounted,
the infantry upon the right of the road, and the rest of the
brigade dismounted on the left, and drove the enemy.' "It was
here,"' says a member of the Sixteenth," that the Confederate
General Chambliss was killed. He came riding with two others
down a by-road, that led into the one on which we were moving.
The advance guard consisted of eight men of company E. Five of
them fired, as the general, who, discovering his mistake, was on
the point of wheeling; but too late, and he fell to the left of
the road, pierced but by a single ball. I was by his side in a
moment, but he was dead. His stars told his rank." The command
pushed on to White's Tavern, only a few miles out of Richmond,
where the enemy, who had been reinforced, compelled it to fall
back to the run. The regiment had less than two hundred engaged,
and lost seven men killed, and two officers, and twenty-two men
wounded. General J. Irvin Gregg was here wounded. Upon its
return, the cavalry was sent with the infantry for the
possession and destruction of the Weldon Railroad. On the23d,
the Sixteenth and Second regiments were sent towards Dinwiddie
Court House, and a mile out met the enemy, and became quickly
engaged. The rest of the division came to their support, and an
engagement followed, which for three days was kept up with
varying success, the Sixteenth losing on the 23d, six wounded;
on the 24th, one killed, and one wounded; and on the 25th, three
killed and one wounded. After the battle, the regiment fell
back, and encamped at Hancock's Station. On the 15th of
September, the Sixteenth and Second were sent out to reconnoitre
in front of the Fifth Corps lines. Advancing beyond Poplar
Spring Church, they skirmished with the enemy, developed his
strength and position, and returned without loss. On the
following morning, the whole division was sent in pursuit of the
enemy's cavalry, under Hampton, who had captured and driven off
the herd of beef cattle belonging to the army of the Potomac.
The enemy was found and engaged, but the beef was beyond
recovery. In the action at the Boydton Plank Road, on the 27th
of October, the Sixteenth was heavily engaged. It fought
dismounted, holding a position on the left of, and overlapping
the infantry line. It sustained a loss of three killed, and
twenty-eight wounded. Captain Isaac H. Ressler was among the
wounded. The brigade made a dash on Stony Creek Station, on the
1st of December, capturing a fort, with three guns and a number
of prisoners. The Sixteenth charged dismounted, being thus
enabled to pass over the works, and had the honor of taking
possession of the guns. On the 7th the cavalry, with the Fifth
Corps, started for a more complete destruction of the Weldon
Railroad. The enemy was driven to Bellefield, near the North
Carolina border, and the road completely destroyed. The regiment
returned to camp from this raid on the 12th, having suffered no
loss.
It now went into winter quarters, near
Hancock's Station, where it was engaged in the usual routine of
camp, drill, and picket duty, and with the exception of the loss
of three men killed, while out collecting forage, camp life was
little varied. On the 6th of February, 1865, the cavalry moved
around the right of the enemy, and came in upon his rear at
Dinwiddie Court House. From this point, the Sixteenth was sent
to reconnoitre the position of the enemy, and penetrated to his
camps, taking some prisoners, and returning without loss. The
entire cavalry force then returned and re-joined the infantry at
Hatcher's Run, where it became heavily engaged. The Sixteenth,
in the opening of the battle, charged dismounted, and until
nightfall was warmly engaged. The loss was two killed, and
thirteen wounded. Captain Henry H. Wilson, and Lieutenants
George W. Brooks and Russell R. Pealer were wounded. As the army
began to unloose for its last campaign, the cavalry was put in
motion, and on the 31st of March, had a severe engagement at
Dinwiddie Court House, the Sixteenth losing four killed, and
fourteen wounded, Captain Frederick W. Heslop being among the
latter. At Five Forks, on the2d of April, the regiment was again
brought into conflict, losing one killed and six wounded. The
campaign was now prosecuted with desperate earnestness, the
marching and fighting being almost incessant. On the 5th, at
Amelia Springs, and on the 6th, at Sailor's Creek, the Sixteenth
was closely engaged, losing one killed, and seventeen wounded,
Captain Henry H. Oliphant and Lieutenant William H. Everhart
being among the latter. At Farmville, on the 7th, Lieutenant
Colonel Robison, who had led the regiment in nearly all its
movements after the promotion of Colonel Gregg, was wounded
while leading a sabre charge, as was, likewise, Lieutenant
Norman J. Ball. To the last, this gallant brigade was at the
post of duty, and when on the 9tb, the white flag was displayed
in token of surrender; it was in position to compel the
surrender of large numbers of the enemy, in fair conflict. After
the surrender, the command returned to Petersburg, but was soon
after led to the North Carolina border, to the support of
Sherman. Hostilities having ceased, soon after, it again
returned to Petersburg, and thence the brigade was sent to
Lynchburg, where it was employed in preserving order, and taking
charge of property of the rebel government. This duty finished,
it proceeded, early in August, to Richmond, where, on the 7th,
it was mustered out of service. Until about the middle of
October, 1864, this regiment was armed with Sharp's carbine, and
from that time forward with the Spencer repeater.
