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PA Civil War > First Defenders > Washington Artillery

PA Civil War Volunteer Soldiers

First Defenders - First Five Companies

Recruited in Pottsville, Pennsylvania

Mustered on April 18, 1861, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Washington Artillery of the First Defenders

The Washington Artillery was organized at Pottsville, in July, 1842, under Captain (since Brigadier General) James Nagle. At the breaking out of the Mexican war, its services were tendered to the Governor, and accepted. Its ranks being immediately recruited to the maximum number, it was, on the 15th of December, 1846, mustered into the service of the United States at Pittsburg, as company " B," 1st regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers.

Francis M. Wynkoop, hitherto a private in the ranks of the Artillerists, was elected Colonel of the regiment. Retiring from Mexico with thinned ranks, the company was mustered out, at Philadelphia, on the 27th of July, 1848, and the scarred veterans were received at Pottsville with honors befitting the brave.

Cherishing 'esprit du corps', and proud of their history, the organization and drill of the company was studiously maintained, their ranks being continually recruited from the young men desirous of emulating their valor. On several occasions the company was called out to assist in quelling disturbances, which the civil authorities were unable to repress, and always performed this disagreeable duty in a manner to command the confidence and gratitude of all law abiding citizens.

Captain
James Wren

First Lieutenant
David A. Smith

Second Lieutenant
Francis B. Wallace

First Sergeant
Henry C. Russell

Second Sergeant
Joseph A. Gilmour

Third Sergeant
Cyrus Sheetz

Fourth Sergeant
William J. McQuade

First Corporal
Delaplain J. Ridgway

Second Corporal
Samuel R. Russel

Third Corporal
Charles Hinkle

Fourth Corporal
Reuben Snyder

Quartermaster Sergeant
G. H. Gressang

Musician
Albert F. Bowen
Thomas Severn

Privates
Auman, William     
Alspach, Henry L.
Bannan, Frank
Bates, William
Bratton, G. Wilson
Betz, Joel H.
Brobst, Henry
Beck, Charles E.
Bobbs, Henry
Bartolett, Richard
Brandt, Jeremiah B.
Brown, David B.
Barth, J. F.
Burns, Anthony
Bowen, Alexander S.
Brown, William
Bosbyshell, Oliver C.
Beard, Samuel
Boyer, David
Clemens, William W.
Cole, William
Curry, John
Corby, Thomas
Christian, Daniel
Christian, Benjamin C.
Christian, John C.
Christ, Frederick
Degan, William
Dentzer, Philip T.
Dentzer, Henry
Drake, Nelson
Dewees, Francis P.
Douglas, Lewis
Downing, Henry K.
Eagan, William
Engle, John
Evans, Charles
Fyant, Joseph
Frailey, Peter H.
Feger, William J.
Fisher, Peter
Glenn, Charles A.
Grow, Peter
Hill, George H.
Hetherington, James R.
Hardell, William H.
Heffner, William
Huntzinger, Alfred
Hesser, Charles A.
Hoffa, John
Heffner, Benjamin
Hartman, George H.
Hammer, Thomas F. B.
Hanley, Patrick
Hill, Henry H.
Hause, Charles
Hause, Frank
Hodgson, Richard M.
Hetherington, John J.
Irwin, Thomas
Jones, Thomas
Johnson, Thomas
Jones, Benjamin F.
Jones, John
Kear, Joseph
Loeser, Charles P.
Lesher, William
Leonard, Godfrey
Leib, Edward J.
Moser, Daniel
Meyers, George
Major, Nelson W.
Maize, William F.
Maurer, Charles
Myers, Franklin
Nagle, Edward
Nagle, John
Noble, John
Potts, Charles P.
Pass, John
Price, Richard
Petherick, Thomas, Jr.
Potter, Robert F.
Pott, Richard
Potts, William Ramsey
Patterson, Theodore H.
Pollock, Curtis C.
Reed, Joseph
Reese, Augustus
Rice, George
Rice, Richard
Riley, William E.
Shoener, Samuel
Silliman, James S.
Smith, Robert
Seltzer, Francis A.
Slingluff, Charles
Severn, Isaac E.
Severn, Edward L.
Sticher, Valentine
Shippen, Edward J.
Stevenson, Hugh
Snyder, Lewis T.
Snyder, Reuben
Spence, William
Thomson, Heber S.
Thomson, Alba C.
Titus, Ambrose H.
Van Horn, Charles
Wernert, Victor
Weaver, John C.
Whitfield, Albert G.
Williams, David

Roster Source: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902.: History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

Contributed by George Rapp

First Defenders

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