143rd Pennsylvania

[ARW]

REUNION 0F 143d REG'T, P. V. (Daily Record, Aug. 29, 1895.)

The twenty-sixth annual reunion of the 143d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers was held at Shickshinny Wednesday. The town presented a regular holiday appearance, the streets being thronged with people gathered from the country for miles around. The hotels as well as the private houses were profusely decorated with flags and bunting. When the train bearing the survivors of that loyal 0ld regiment from Scranton and intermediate points pulled into the station it was met by the committees from Shickshinny Post, 257, G. A. R., and the Sons of Veterans. They formed rank and, headed by the Glenburn Drum Corps, which accompanied the Lackawanna delegation, marched to Riverside Park, where the exercises of the day were held. By the time the park was reached it was almost noon, and the business meeting. Which was scheduled for 11:45, was postponed, and the veterans and their wives sat down in the large pavilion and partook of a hearty meal which consisted not only of the prescribed pork and beans, but also of substantials and viands of all kinds. The table were presided over by the pretty daughters of Shickshinny's veterans, and the hospitality with which they received the 143d and its friends will not soon be forgotten. After the boys had satisfied their appetites they repaired to a large plat form in the rear, where the business meeting was held.

The history of the 143d Regiment, P. V., records one of the bravest commands of the war. No regiment that left Pennsylvania left so many brave men behind. Out of 1,300 men taken to the front, 363 is all that returned to tell the story. Another regiment with such a record as this would be hard to find. The regiment was organized at Camp Luzerne in October, 1862, with Col. E. L. Dana, Lieut. Col. George E. Hoyt and Maj. J. D. Musser in command. In November it went to Harris burg, thence to the fortifications around Washington. Feb. 17, 1863, they went to the front attached to the 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 1st Corps. April 29 they were under artillery fire on the Rappahannock just before the battle of Chancellorsville. Their first great engagement was at Gettysburg. The 143d was the first infantry to reach the field and formed a support of Buford's guns. Gen. Reynolds, corps commander, was killed at the outset, also Cols. Stone and Wister. The command of the brigade then devolved upon Col. Dana of the 143d. During the awful strugle of the brigade Sergt. Ben Crip pen, the color bearer, was shot and the colors fell. Maj. Conyngham shouted to rally around the colors. They did and the colors were recovered During the day the 143d lost in killed, wounded and prisoners 252 out of an enrollment of 465. The second and third day they were in the Union line on Cemetery Hill under Hancock, occupying part of the depression between Little Round Top and Cemetery Ridge. They supported Sickles in the disastrous operations in the peach orchard and wheat field. The third day they rushed out on Pickett's flank and helped break his charge into disorder. Their next bloody struggle was in the Wilderness in May,'1864. Co]. Dana was wounded and captured as also was Capts. Little and Gordon with part of their com panies. Lieutenants John C. Kropp and Musser were killed. At the battle of Laurel Hill in the Wilderness campaign the 143rd took part in a number of heroic charges and suffered terribly. May 13 Maj. Conyngham was severely wounded. The battles of the Wilderness and Gettysburg reduc'ed the 143rd to such small numbers as few regiments can claim. The command had some lively work before Petersburg and did hard service in the fall and winter of '64. At the lively fight of Hatcher's Run in February, '65, where Capt. Asher Gaylord and a number of brave fellows of the 142d were killed, the command saw about the last arduous service of the war. Three days later they were sent North and stationed at Hart's Island, New York. June 12 they were ordered to Harrisburg to receive pay and muster out, and on this journey they came through Wilkes-Barre, receiving an ovation.

 

[ARW]

THE 143RD AT GETTYSBURG.
The following poem was read by John S. McGroarty at the 143rd Pennsylvania Vols. reunion at Shickshinny.

Up from the valleys desolate in the track of bitter war, From their wasted hopes and ruined homes and lonely graves, afar, The cries of women, comfortless, above the silent slain Echoing still upon their ears in moans of endless pain, In deep despair of heart and soul, with sword and sweeping flame , Northward to Pennsylvania's fields Lee and the Lost Cause came. , Out like the shades of darkness from the gloom of sulen flight, Ghost of a mighty, vanished dream in the misted morning light, Scarred and worn from the dreadflil strife the old battalion stood, Like tigers bafiied from their lair by the hungering scent of bloo , Girded for one last onslaught, they crossed the hills to throw The last fierce chance upon the fields of Gettysburg, below. But well for the blue that battled 'gainst the onslaught of the gray, The patient North had sent its tried. and truest men that day, And well for the Union banner its own were brave and true And never a craven heart beat there in all the ranks of blue, And glory to every man of all who fought and would not yield, And glory to fair Wyoming's sons, the first to reach the field. For they were the first at Gettysburg— the men of Wyoming's vale— ' The first to bear the shock of the fight in that storm of leaden hall, The first to plant the Union flag in the face of the rebel foe, The first to give for its stars their blood in the battle's bitter throe, The first to strike, the first to die, their blood baptized the fray, While the winding river of their youth sang glory, far away. Brave men were on that bloody field, but ours the bravest still; 'Twas Dana led—the lion heart, the dauntless soul and will. His sword had drunk at foeman's blood in many a fight of old When the Spaniard hordes of Mexico like a bue Dana's voice rang courage throug the lines. Sore pressed were they in that dread hell of agony and pain, The foeman's hand was at their throats, fast fell their comrades slain On head and limb the saber stroke, and deep the cannon's roar Hushed the last moan of lips that would speak tenderly no more; - And ne'er again the dead's dull ears would hear, when done that day, The winding river of their youth sing to ' them, far away. But so they fought at Gettysburg—the first to reach the field— And so they faced the foe and bled and died, but did not yield. Few came they back—the many sleep among the hallowed dead. But fame has wreathed its laurels fair for every hero's head. And when they speak of Gettysburg in ages, far away, They'll marvel much at Dana's men whose blood baptized the fray.

 

[Scott Hann]

Nice painting. I would like to learn its history.

 

[Gettysburg Guide #154]

Interesting articles about the reunion at Shickshinny. And yes, I know where Shickshinny is. I have actually driven through it more times than I can recall.
I'm sure that the part of the article about the reunion is accurate enough, but as most students of the Battle of Gettysburg know, the 143rd Pa. was not the first on the field in support of Buford's cavalry. The honor of the first infantry volley of the Battle of Gettysburg belongs to the 56th Pennsylvania, who were part of Lysander Cutler's Brigade.
Having said that, the role played by the 143rd at Gettysburg was significant. Please check the account I posted on April 4, 2020, in the thread "Regiments That Fought at Gettysburg". The posting also include a photo of the mosaic image of Col. Dana as it appears in the Luzerne County Courthouse.