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Regtl. Staff Shiloh 2020
Asst. Regtl. QM Stones River / Franklin 2022
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- Dec 9, 2017
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- North Mississippi
The dedication of the monument of the 77th Pennsylvania Infantry took place on November 12, 1903 with Colonel Thomas. E. Rose, delivering the dedication address. As the 77th did not file an Official Report of its action on April 7. 1862, I have decided to post this oral history of its service at Shiloh and during the War. Colonel Rose was a former commander of the regiment and was present during the battle. Rose later gained fame being the leader of the Libby Prison Escape in February of 1864.
The 77th Pennsylvania was the "odd man out" of the Army of the Ohio being the only eastern unit but they conducted themselves well. They served in the west during the entire war and were mustered out of service in December in Texas.
Regards
David
Part 1
COMRADES OF THE 77TH REGIMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA:
It affords me greater pleasure than I can summon words to express to be able to meet so many comrades of the did 77th at this historic spot on an occasion so fraught with interest as this. We have come here to-day to dedicate a monument which our countrymen of the State of Pennsylvania have caused to be erected at this place as a lasting memorial of the services, which we, the soldiers of the 77th Regiment of Pennsylvania, rendered to our beloved country when she was in the throes of dissolution. It was indeed kind of our countrymen towards us to do this, and it was particularly kind and good of them to provide us with free transportation from our homes to this place to enable so many of us to assemble together on great occasion. Our countrymen of the Slate of Pennsylvania, by these acts have given a very clear and expressive token of their gratitude to us for our faithful services which we rendered to our country not only on this historic field but on many other hard fought fields.
On behalf of the regiment, I take sincere pleasure in thanking our countrymen of Pennsylvania for thus honoring us.
My Comrades, as we are assembled here now today, we are a very different body of men in appearance, as well as in circumstances from what we were when we formed line on the banks of yonder river on the morning of the 7th of April, 1862 with a powerful and victorious foe before us. We were then strong in numbers, in the bloom and vigor of youthful manhood, full of life's young blood, and of ardor for battle preparing to grapple with armed foes. Now we have dwindled to a small parcel of old men, decrepit and tottering under the weight of years and drawing very near to the banks of another and silent river, beyond which, in the language of Shakespeare, is that undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns. Then we had a tremendous battle right on our hands. On every side was the clash of arms and the smoke of battle. As we stood that morning on this spot, we were in the midst of a disrupted country, with the prospect of a long and exhausting war before us; how long no man could then foresee.
On the evening of that day, the enemy was driven from the field; and the battle of Shiloh was won, but the war was not over; it was but the beginning of the war, and though we were elated by our great victory, we still looked with gloomy foreboding's at the dark and bloody prospect before us, for we, the soldiers of the 77th Regiment of Pennsylvania intended from the beginning to fight the war to a finish, and we could easily foresee that there was many another fierce and desperate battle to be fought; many another long and toil- some march to be made (we had already marched from Louisville, Ky to this place); many another night of shelterless exposure to cold and snow and rain to be endured, and many thousands of other appalling dangers to be encountered before our country could be freed from its awful peril. Such was the outlook on the evening of the 7th day of April, 1862, the last day of the great Battle of Shiloh.
But more than forty years have rolled away since that day. And now, as we dedicate this monument, the War of the Rebellion is over. It is long past, and many of its incidents are forgotten. The foes with whom we so fiercely struggled from '62 to 'Go have become our friends, and the old battlefield on which we are now standing is no longer in a disrupted country, but is in the midst of a great united and glorious country.
On every side, instead of blood and carnage and the smoke and roar of battle, is peace and joy and safety — such is the wondrous change. None but those who went through that mighty struggle from first to last, endured its hardships and privations and fought its battles, can fully realize it; and none can realize it better nor more fully than the surviving soldiers of the gallant regiment, to the memory of whose services this fine monument is dedicated.
The 77th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers was mustered into the service of the United States in October, 1861, and discharged and sent home in January, 1866, having virtually served through the whole war; for its enrollment in October was but the continuance of the service of officers and men who entered the three months service in April when the war began. The regiment was composed principally, if not entirely, of that class of officers and men.
The original Colonel was F. S. Stumbaugh, of Chambersburg, Pa., who served as its Colonel for a little more than one year, when he was appointed by the President to be a Brigadier General. The second Colonel was Thos. E. Rose of Pittsburg, Pa., who was promoted from Captain of Company B., and then served as its Colonel a little more than three years to the end of the war, and until the regiment was disbanded and sent home. Its original Lieutenant Colonel was Peter B. Housum, of Chambersburg, Pa., who served as its Lieutenant Colonel for a little more than one year. He was killed at the Battle of Stone River, December 31, 1862. The second Lieutenant Colonel was F. S. tie end of the war and until the regiment was disbanded. Its original Major was Stephen N. Bradford, of Scranton. Pa., who served as it’s Major for a little more than one year until he was physically disqualified for further service and honorably discharged. Its second Major was Alex. Phillips, of Scranton, Pa., who was promoted from Captain of Company G., and then served as its Major
The 77th Pennsylvania was the "odd man out" of the Army of the Ohio being the only eastern unit but they conducted themselves well. They served in the west during the entire war and were mustered out of service in December in Texas.
Regards
David
Part 1
COMRADES OF THE 77TH REGIMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA:
It affords me greater pleasure than I can summon words to express to be able to meet so many comrades of the did 77th at this historic spot on an occasion so fraught with interest as this. We have come here to-day to dedicate a monument which our countrymen of the State of Pennsylvania have caused to be erected at this place as a lasting memorial of the services, which we, the soldiers of the 77th Regiment of Pennsylvania, rendered to our beloved country when she was in the throes of dissolution. It was indeed kind of our countrymen towards us to do this, and it was particularly kind and good of them to provide us with free transportation from our homes to this place to enable so many of us to assemble together on great occasion. Our countrymen of the Slate of Pennsylvania, by these acts have given a very clear and expressive token of their gratitude to us for our faithful services which we rendered to our country not only on this historic field but on many other hard fought fields.
On behalf of the regiment, I take sincere pleasure in thanking our countrymen of Pennsylvania for thus honoring us.
My Comrades, as we are assembled here now today, we are a very different body of men in appearance, as well as in circumstances from what we were when we formed line on the banks of yonder river on the morning of the 7th of April, 1862 with a powerful and victorious foe before us. We were then strong in numbers, in the bloom and vigor of youthful manhood, full of life's young blood, and of ardor for battle preparing to grapple with armed foes. Now we have dwindled to a small parcel of old men, decrepit and tottering under the weight of years and drawing very near to the banks of another and silent river, beyond which, in the language of Shakespeare, is that undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns. Then we had a tremendous battle right on our hands. On every side was the clash of arms and the smoke of battle. As we stood that morning on this spot, we were in the midst of a disrupted country, with the prospect of a long and exhausting war before us; how long no man could then foresee.
On the evening of that day, the enemy was driven from the field; and the battle of Shiloh was won, but the war was not over; it was but the beginning of the war, and though we were elated by our great victory, we still looked with gloomy foreboding's at the dark and bloody prospect before us, for we, the soldiers of the 77th Regiment of Pennsylvania intended from the beginning to fight the war to a finish, and we could easily foresee that there was many another fierce and desperate battle to be fought; many another long and toil- some march to be made (we had already marched from Louisville, Ky to this place); many another night of shelterless exposure to cold and snow and rain to be endured, and many thousands of other appalling dangers to be encountered before our country could be freed from its awful peril. Such was the outlook on the evening of the 7th day of April, 1862, the last day of the great Battle of Shiloh.
But more than forty years have rolled away since that day. And now, as we dedicate this monument, the War of the Rebellion is over. It is long past, and many of its incidents are forgotten. The foes with whom we so fiercely struggled from '62 to 'Go have become our friends, and the old battlefield on which we are now standing is no longer in a disrupted country, but is in the midst of a great united and glorious country.
On every side, instead of blood and carnage and the smoke and roar of battle, is peace and joy and safety — such is the wondrous change. None but those who went through that mighty struggle from first to last, endured its hardships and privations and fought its battles, can fully realize it; and none can realize it better nor more fully than the surviving soldiers of the gallant regiment, to the memory of whose services this fine monument is dedicated.
The 77th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers was mustered into the service of the United States in October, 1861, and discharged and sent home in January, 1866, having virtually served through the whole war; for its enrollment in October was but the continuance of the service of officers and men who entered the three months service in April when the war began. The regiment was composed principally, if not entirely, of that class of officers and men.
The original Colonel was F. S. Stumbaugh, of Chambersburg, Pa., who served as its Colonel for a little more than one year, when he was appointed by the President to be a Brigadier General. The second Colonel was Thos. E. Rose of Pittsburg, Pa., who was promoted from Captain of Company B., and then served as its Colonel a little more than three years to the end of the war, and until the regiment was disbanded and sent home. Its original Lieutenant Colonel was Peter B. Housum, of Chambersburg, Pa., who served as its Lieutenant Colonel for a little more than one year. He was killed at the Battle of Stone River, December 31, 1862. The second Lieutenant Colonel was F. S. tie end of the war and until the regiment was disbanded. Its original Major was Stephen N. Bradford, of Scranton. Pa., who served as it’s Major for a little more than one year until he was physically disqualified for further service and honorably discharged. Its second Major was Alex. Phillips, of Scranton, Pa., who was promoted from Captain of Company G., and then served as its Major