Capt.William Rombough Bissell - 8th Virginia Infantry,Co.A

upton j.

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While doing genealogy I came across this man,my Family Tree Maker says he is my 2nd cousin 5 x removed. Anyone have any more info.or pictures of him? He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1811 married to Margaret Webster he was the Captain of the 8th Va.,Co.A. In Garnetts Brigade at Gettysburg he was mortally wounded in the side during Picketts Charge on July 3rd he died about 2 weeks later on July 17th at a hospital there and was buried in the Churchville Cem.,Harford Co.,Md.
 
While doing genealogy I came across this man,my Family Tree Maker says he is my 2nd cousin 5 x removed. Anyone have any more info.or pictures of him? He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1811 married to Margaret Webster he was the Captain of the 8th Va.,Co.A. In Garnetts Brigade at Gettysburg he was mortally wounded in the side during Picketts Charge on July 3rd he died about 2 weeks later on July 17th at a hospital there and was buried in the Churchville Cem.,Harford Co.,Md.
Do you already have his CSR? If not, I can grab it for you on Fold3.
 
Baltimore Sun, 23 July 1863:
Sun_1863-07-24_[4].png
Same paper, the following day:
Sun_1863-07-24_[2].png

Before the war he was a Justice of the Peace in Bel Air, Md.
 
While doing genealogy I came across this man,my Family Tree Maker says he is my 2nd cousin 5 x removed. Anyone have any more info.or pictures of him? He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1811 married to Margaret Webster he was the Captain of the 8th Va.,Co.A. In Garnetts Brigade at Gettysburg he was mortally wounded in the side during Picketts Charge on July 3rd he died about 2 weeks later on July 17th at a hospital there and was buried in the Churchville Cem.,Harford Co.,Md.

I researched Bissell's wounding and burial in an appendix for my book "Three Cheers for the Chesapeake! History of the 4th Maryland Artillery in the Civil War," to distinguish his burial from that of the Chesapeake Artillery's commander, Captain William Brown; these men were the only two captains in the ANV with the initials "WB" to be killed at Gettysburg. Here is the text from a footnote devoted to Bissell on page 225; there is more on Bissell in the book that I think you'll find interesting as well:

"William R. Bissell was forty-nine years of age when he enlisted as Drill Master in the 8th​ Virginia Infantry Regiment in April, 1861. Born in Virginia, he was a wealthy hotel keeper in Bel Air, MD, at the start of the war, married with five daughters and two sons ranging in age from two to twenty-two. He was wounded in the side at the battle of 1st Manassas, and was elected captain of Company A in April of 1862. As a member of Garnett’s Brigade of Pickett’s Division, Bissell received a gunshot wound in the shoulder at Gettysburg during Longstreet’s assault of July 3rd​, 1863. His arm was amputated, but he died on July 16th​ at the age of fifty-three. His wife had made her way to Gettysburg and was at his side at the time of his death. Bissell was originally buried at the Presbyterian Graveyard on High Street in Gettysburg, and later removed to the Churchville Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Harford County."

Here are the sources for your reference. I think you'll be particularly interested in Chrismer's article in the Harford Historical Bulletin; if you get in touch with the Harford Historical Society, they should be able to source a copy for you:

William Bissell, 1860 Census, RG 29, NAB; William R. Bissell CSR, RG 109, NAB; James E. Chrismer, “A Saga of the Civil War: William and Margaret Bissell,” Harford Historical Bulletin 60, [Spring, 1994], 51-94; O’Neal Journal, GNMP, 48).
 
Page 2030 is viewable. A paragraph about him.
 
Captain William Rombaugh Bissell's arm was amputated at the shoulder by C. S. Wood of the 66th New York on July 16, per Confederate Casualties at Gettysburg, 3:1501. That source indicates he had initially been stunned by an exploding shell and was subsequently struck in the leg, twice in the head and also in the upper arm by "bullets," which in that day could mean any small projectile fired either by infantry or artillery. Bissell's remains were initially buried in the "Presbyterian Graveyard" near Gettysburg (presumably on Baltimore Street), later (presumably after the war) in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, and finally reinterred in the Churchville Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Harford County, Maryland.

Surgeon Charles Squire Wood, was the Chief Operator (operating surgeon) of the 1st Division, Second Corps (USA) from July 2-20, 1863. He had four assistant surgeons to help him. Wood personally attended 202 cases at the hospital of the 1st Division, which was moved back on July 2 from the Granite Schoolhouse to near the McAllister sawmill on Rock Creek to avoid enemy artillery rounds. Wood himself performed 120 major operations and 30 minor ones. He reported that the 1st Division hospital cared for about 800 Federal and 200 Confederate wounded. Wood had attended Genessee College Lima, New York and graduated in 1860 with a medical degree from Buffalo University Medical College.

Surgeon Wood also amputated the limb of 2nd Lieutenant John R. Presgraves of Company I, 8th Virginia on July 13, but Presgraves died of tetanus two days later. On July 2, Wood had initially examined Union Brig. Gen. Zook and pronounced his wound to be fatal.
 
While doing genealogy I came across this man,my Family Tree Maker says he is my 2nd cousin 5 x removed. Anyone have any more info.or pictures of him? He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1811 married to Margaret Webster he was the Captain of the 8th Va.,Co.A. In Garnetts Brigade at Gettysburg he was mortally wounded in the side during Picketts Charge on July 3rd he died about 2 weeks later on July 17th at a hospital there and was buried in the Churchville Cem.,Harford Co.,Md.

Eighth Virginia Infantry



Report of Col. Eppa Hunton, Eighth Virginia Infantry.

CAMP BERKELEY, NEAR BALL'S MILL, July 26, 1861.
COLONEL: On the 18th of July, by orders from headquarters, my
command, took up its march from Leesburg to join your command,
marching eighteen miles that day and ten miles the next, reaching your
headquarters about noon.

I was ordered by you to form in line of battle in front of your headquarters,
where we remained till the morning of the glorious and ever memorable
21st. Early that morning my command by your orders was put in mention,
and changing its position several times was ordered behind the woods near
to and northwest from your headquarters, to act as a support to other forces
more in advance. You directed me to hold this position, and I remained in
it for several hours, exposed to the fire of one of the batteries of the enemy,
which my men stood with much intrepidity, shot falling sometimes within a
few feet of their line and passing over their heads.

Later in the day, about two hours, by order of Gen. Beauregard, I took
my command into the conflict and formed in line of battle behind a wood
northeast of Mrs. Henry's house, through which the enemy was said to be
advancing in large force. At that moment a portion of our troops were
retreating in great confusion, and the general commanding directed me to
hold my line firm and assist in rallying the retreating forces behind. This
being done, the Eighth Regiment charged with great spirit the woods, driving
the approaching enemy back in disorder. I was then ordered to the fight
around Mrs. Henry's house where the Eighth made a most gallant and
impetuous charge, routing the enemy, and losing in killed, wounded, and
missing thirty-three soldiers. I them drew the men back to a ravine on the
east side of the house, to shelter them random shots, when I was ordered to
take a position near our first, to meet what was then supposed to be an
advancing column of the enemy, when it was found to be a retreat. I was
ordered immediately to Camp Pickens, which was reached at a late hour of
the night.

I cannon speak in too high terms of the intrepidity of the men under
my command, and where all did so well and acted so gallantly I will not and
cannon discriminate in favor of any. Two of the companies had only joined
the regiment on the day before leaving Leesburg. The whole regiment was
very much worn down by their fatiguing march from Leesburg, and
suffering from want of food and water on the field. Yet they stood all and
bore all with cheerfulness and obeyed every order with alacrity. They had
only meal during the 21st, and but little water.

I was most ably and efficiency support on the battle-field and during the
whole period of our absence Loundoun by Lieut. Col. C. B. Tebbs
and Maj. N. Berkeley, both of when displayed great gallantry on the field.
Acting Adjutant Elzey also rendered me valuable aid, as did my
sergeant-major is a prisoner. I feel his loss very sensibly, he was generous
and brave, and promised to make a valuable officer.

While mourning over the gallant fellows of the Eighth two fell on that
bloody field it is a matter of congratulation and thankfulness to God that so
few fell, and that no officer was either killed or wounded.
Below is a list of the killed, wounded, and missing.*

Very respectfully, colonel, your obedient servant,

EPPA HUNTON,
Col. Eighth Virginia Regiment.

Col. PHILIP ST. GEORGE COCKE.


Source: Official Records
PAGE 545-2 OPERATIONS IN MD., PA., VA., AND W. VA. [CHAP. IX.
[Series I. Vol. 2. Serial No. 2.]

*******************************************************************************

Antietam after battle report:

Report of Col. Eppa Hunton, Eighth Virginia Infantry, of the
battles of Boonsborough and Sharpsburg.

------, ------, 1862.

GEN.: I have the honor to report the following, as the action of my
regiment in the battles of Boonsborough and Sharpsburg:

On Sunday, September 14, the regiment, with the rest of the brigade, left
Hagerstown and marched toward the gap of the mountain near
Boonsborough. After arriving near the gap we were marched south several
miles toward another gap. When about to reach this last gap, we were
counter-marched and carried to the top of the mountain, on the north side of
the turnpike, under heavy fire of the enemy's batteries from the opposite side
of the pike. The brigade was thrown into line of battle (the Eighth Virginia
Regiment on the extreme right) in a wood. The regiment formed the line
within 50 yards of the enemy, and under a galling fire of musketry, which
opened on us while forming the line. The regiment, with great gallantry,
returned the fire of the enemy, and drove the advance on the enemy back.
We maintained our ground until the rest of the brigade on our left had fallen
back, and, finding that my regiment, consisting of only 34 men, had no
support on the right or left, and was opposed to a very large force of the
enemy, I retired my regiment to the rear of the fence, and was preparing to
make there a further stand, when orders came to retire the whole command.
My command sustained a loss of 11 killed and wounded.

That night we took up the line of march toward Sharpsburg, which place we
reached on the 15th, when we were formed in line of battle on the east of
the town.

On Tuesday the enemy made his appearance in our front and opened upon
our position with very heavy guns.

On Wednesday we changed our position a little to the north, and nearly all
day were exposed to the most terrific fire of artillery I have ever seen. We
were near the extreme right of the line of battle, Jenkins', Drayton's, and
Kemper's brigades being the only forces on our right.

The early part of this day was consumed by the enemy in their galling
artillery fire, under cover of which they endeavored to cross their infantry
over the Antietam Creek. Late in the afternoon the enemy threw large forces
over the creek and advanced upon us. The Eighth and Eighteenth first and
then the whole brigade were thrown forward to a fence in our front to meet
the column advancing upon our position, and nobly your little command
stood the shock of battle from greatly superior numbers. Not a man of my
command faltered; no one left the ranks except those who had been
wounded. We kept the enemy back, and the efforts of the enemy's officers,
plainly discernible, to force their men upon us, were all in vain. We could
have held this position with ease if our right had been equally successful;
but our right gave way--first Kemper's brigade, and then Drayton's. The enemy
had gotten beyond our line, and we were flanked by a very large force in
addition to that in front. Then you gave the order to fall back, and my
command retired with the rest of the brigade. The regiment numbered when
it entered this fight 22 men, and came out with 11.

It gives me great pleasure to speak in terms of high commendation of the
conduct of the regiment on these two occasions. It met my fullest
approbation; all, officers and men, behaved very handsomely. The casualties
have heretofore been specially reported.

I cannot close this report without mentioning the gallant conduct of our
artillery, which fought near us-the Washington Artillery first and Col.
Lee's artillery afterward. I am unable to give the names of the different
batteries. Capt. Squires' battery twice drove back the advancing column
of the enemy.

Respectfully reported.

EPPA HUNTON,
Col. Eighth Virginia Regiment.

Brig.-Gen. GARNETT,
Commanding Pickett's Brigade.

Source: Official Records: Series I. Vol. 19. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 27

 
Eighth Virginia Infantry



Report of Col. Eppa Hunton, Eighth Virginia Infantry.

CAMP BERKELEY, NEAR BALL'S MILL, July 26, 1861.
COLONEL: On the 18th of July, by orders from headquarters, my
command, took up its march from Leesburg to join your command,
marching eighteen miles that day and ten miles the next, reaching your
headquarters about noon.

I was ordered by you to form in line of battle in front of your headquarters,
where we remained till the morning of the glorious and ever memorable
21st. Early that morning my command by your orders was put in mention,
and changing its position several times was ordered behind the woods near
to and northwest from your headquarters, to act as a support to other forces
more in advance. You directed me to hold this position, and I remained in
it for several hours, exposed to the fire of one of the batteries of the enemy,
which my men stood with much intrepidity, shot falling sometimes within a
few feet of their line and passing over their heads.

Later in the day, about two hours, by order of Gen. Beauregard, I took
my command into the conflict and formed in line of battle behind a wood
northeast of Mrs. Henry's house, through which the enemy was said to be
advancing in large force. At that moment a portion of our troops were
retreating in great confusion, and the general commanding directed me to
hold my line firm and assist in rallying the retreating forces behind. This
being done, the Eighth Regiment charged with great spirit the woods, driving
the approaching enemy back in disorder. I was then ordered to the fight
around Mrs. Henry's house where the Eighth made a most gallant and
impetuous charge, routing the enemy, and losing in killed, wounded, and
missing thirty-three soldiers. I them drew the men back to a ravine on the
east side of the house, to shelter them random shots, when I was ordered to
take a position near our first, to meet what was then supposed to be an
advancing column of the enemy, when it was found to be a retreat. I was
ordered immediately to Camp Pickens, which was reached at a late hour of
the night.

I cannon speak in too high terms of the intrepidity of the men under
my command, and where all did so well and acted so gallantly I will not and
cannon discriminate in favor of any. Two of the companies had only joined
the regiment on the day before leaving Leesburg. The whole regiment was
very much worn down by their fatiguing march from Leesburg, and
suffering from want of food and water on the field. Yet they stood all and
bore all with cheerfulness and obeyed every order with alacrity. They had
only meal during the 21st, and but little water.

I was most ably and efficiency support on the battle-field and during the
whole period of our absence Loundoun by Lieut. Col. C. B. Tebbs
and Maj. N. Berkeley, both of when displayed great gallantry on the field.
Acting Adjutant Elzey also rendered me valuable aid, as did my
sergeant-major is a prisoner. I feel his loss very sensibly, he was generous
and brave, and promised to make a valuable officer.

While mourning over the gallant fellows of the Eighth two fell on that
bloody field it is a matter of congratulation and thankfulness to God that so
few fell, and that no officer was either killed or wounded.
Below is a list of the killed, wounded, and missing.*

Very respectfully, colonel, your obedient servant,

EPPA HUNTON,
Col. Eighth Virginia Regiment.

Col. PHILIP ST. GEORGE COCKE.


Source: Official Records
PAGE 545-2 OPERATIONS IN MD., PA., VA., AND W. VA. [CHAP. IX.
[Series I. Vol. 2. Serial No. 2.]

*******************************************************************************

Antietam after battle report:

Report of Col. Eppa Hunton, Eighth Virginia Infantry, of the
battles of Boonsborough and Sharpsburg.

------, ------, 1862.

GEN.: I have the honor to report the following, as the action of my
regiment in the battles of Boonsborough and Sharpsburg:

On Sunday, September 14, the regiment, with the rest of the brigade, left
Hagerstown and marched toward the gap of the mountain near
Boonsborough. After arriving near the gap we were marched south several
miles toward another gap. When about to reach this last gap, we were
counter-marched and carried to the top of the mountain, on the north side of
the turnpike, under heavy fire of the enemy's batteries from the opposite side
of the pike. The brigade was thrown into line of battle (the Eighth Virginia
Regiment on the extreme right) in a wood. The regiment formed the line
within 50 yards of the enemy, and under a galling fire of musketry, which
opened on us while forming the line. The regiment, with great gallantry,
returned the fire of the enemy, and drove the advance on the enemy back.
We maintained our ground until the rest of the brigade on our left had fallen
back, and, finding that my regiment, consisting of only 34 men, had no
support on the right or left, and was opposed to a very large force of the
enemy, I retired my regiment to the rear of the fence, and was preparing to
make there a further stand, when orders came to retire the whole command.
My command sustained a loss of 11 killed and wounded.

That night we took up the line of march toward Sharpsburg, which place we
reached on the 15th, when we were formed in line of battle on the east of
the town.

On Tuesday the enemy made his appearance in our front and opened upon
our position with very heavy guns.

On Wednesday we changed our position a little to the north, and nearly all
day were exposed to the most terrific fire of artillery I have ever seen. We
were near the extreme right of the line of battle, Jenkins', Drayton's, and
Kemper's brigades being the only forces on our right.

The early part of this day was consumed by the enemy in their galling
artillery fire, under cover of which they endeavored to cross their infantry
over the Antietam Creek. Late in the afternoon the enemy threw large forces
over the creek and advanced upon us. The Eighth and Eighteenth first and
then the whole brigade were thrown forward to a fence in our front to meet
the column advancing upon our position, and nobly your little command
stood the shock of battle from greatly superior numbers. Not a man of my
command faltered; no one left the ranks except those who had been
wounded. We kept the enemy back, and the efforts of the enemy's officers,
plainly discernible, to force their men upon us, were all in vain. We could
have held this position with ease if our right had been equally successful;
but our right gave way--first Kemper's brigade, and then Drayton's. The enemy
had gotten beyond our line, and we were flanked by a very large force in
addition to that in front. Then you gave the order to fall back, and my
command retired with the rest of the brigade. The regiment numbered when
it entered this fight 22 men, and came out with 11.

It gives me great pleasure to speak in terms of high commendation of the
conduct of the regiment on these two occasions. It met my fullest
approbation; all, officers and men, behaved very handsomely. The casualties
have heretofore been specially reported.

I cannot close this report without mentioning the gallant conduct of our
artillery, which fought near us-the Washington Artillery first and Col.
Lee's artillery afterward. I am unable to give the names of the different
batteries. Capt. Squires' battery twice drove back the advancing column
of the enemy.

Respectfully reported.

EPPA HUNTON,
Col. Eighth Virginia Regiment.

Brig.-Gen. GARNETT,
Commanding Pickett's Brigade.

Source: Official Records: Series I. Vol. 19. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 27
Thank You for posting this.
 
Captain William Rombaugh Bissell's arm was amputated at the shoulder by C. S. Wood of the 66th New York on July 16, per Confederate Casualties at Gettysburg, 3:1501. That source indicates he had initially been stunned by an exploding shell and was subsequently struck in the leg, twice in the head and also in the upper arm by "bullets," which in that day could mean any small projectile fired either by infantry or artillery. Bissell's remains were initially buried in the "Presbyterian Graveyard" near Gettysburg (presumably on Baltimore Street), later (presumably after the war) in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, and finally reinterred in the Churchville Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Harford County, Maryland.

Surgeon Charles Squire Wood, was the Chief Operator (operating surgeon) of the 1st Division, Second Corps (USA) from July 2-20, 1863. He had four assistant surgeons to help him. Wood personally attended 202 cases at the hospital of the 1st Division, which was moved back on July 2 from the Granite Schoolhouse to near the McAllister sawmill on Rock Creek to avoid enemy artillery rounds. Wood himself performed 120 major operations and 30 minor ones. He reported that the 1st Division hospital cared for about 800 Federal and 200 Confederate wounded. Wood had attended Genessee College Lima, New York and graduated in 1860 with a medical degree from Buffalo University Medical College.

Surgeon Wood also amputated the limb of 2nd Lieutenant John R. Presgraves of Company I, 8th Virginia on July 13, but Presgraves died of tetanus two days later. On July 2, Wood had initially examined Union Brig. Gen. Zook and pronounced his wound to be fatal.
I am not related to Capt. Bissel, but my mother-in-law Betsy Shaw Smith, is. She has taken me to see his grave in Churchville, and I am fascinated by her account of his wounding and subsequent death. The story was passed down to her orally and therefore can't be verified but I still want to post it here because, if it is true, it adds a significant element to the story. According to her, Capt. Bissel's wife did go to Gettysburg to see her husband and, while there, found Capt. Bissel's nephew, who was a Union surgeon, and implored him to save his Uncle. Unfortunately he was not able to do so, but the account of relatives fighting on both sides has always fascinated me.
 
I am not related to Capt. Bissel, but my mother-in-law Betsy Shaw Smith, is. She has taken me to see his grave in Churchville, and I am fascinated by her account of his wounding and subsequent death. The story was passed down to her orally and therefore can't be verified but I still want to post it here because, if it is true, it adds a significant element to the story. According to her, Capt. Bissel's wife did go to Gettysburg to see her husband and, while there, found Capt. Bissel's nephew, who was a Union surgeon, and implored him to save his Uncle. Unfortunately he was not able to do so, but the account of relatives fighting on both sides has always fascinated me.
Quite a few family members of Union soldiers journeyed to Gettysburg to see their wounded soldier. Confederate family members would not be accorded the same opportunity, but there was an exception: A number of Baltimore citizens who had sympathies to the South came to Gettysburg and looked after the Confederate wounded. Federal authorities kept close tabs on them, and it also caused some resentment among loyal citizens who might think enemy combatants were receiving better care on Northern soil than their own troops.

If we knew the name of the nephew - the Union surgeon, we could likely prove or disprove the core truth of the family memory.
 
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