An Organization was effected, by the appointment of non-Commissioned
officers, on Tuesday June 11th as follows:--
W. W. Stewart, 1st Sergeant, and J. J. Duey, Peter H. Henry, and H. N.
Minnigh, Sergeants, in the order named; also, the following
Corporals:--J. D. Sadler, P. L. Houck, Jacob Resser and D. D. Bailey.
The Record will prove whether these were judicious selections or not.
"After muster into the State service, our progress in the drill was so
marked, that Col. Roberts, on account of the character of the men and
their proficiency, selected us as Company B, of the Regiment," says
Capt. McPherson in a recent letter, "an assignment which was overruled
by Gen'l McCall, when the regiment reached Washington. The Union
guards of Lancaster, which had originally been Co. B, was thereby
restored and we were made, as at first, Co. K, which position had
naturally fallen to us, having been the last company of those forming
the First regiment, that arrived in camp."
Well! we have the consciousness today, that as a company we were not
inferior to any other command in the regiment, and Company K. never
did and never will, ask for unmerited favors.
On June 18, a slashing and cutting affray took place in camp, for on
that day a general vaccination of the members of the company was
ordered. Probably the Surgeon wanted to get a little practice. He got
there.
June 20, the ladies of our native county, sent us a full complement of
Havelocks, and a useless appendage they were. Barney D. said, they
were "Moighty noice to corrie me tobaccy in." We sent home thanks and
threw the "head-bags" away.
Drill, drill, drill! was the order of the camp, and we soon became
proficient in all company movements, principally under the command of
Lieut. Bailey.
Col. Roberts took command of the Regiment, and also of the camp, on
June 20th, and on the 21st, Capt. McPherson visited Gettysburg,
returning on the 25th, bringing five recruits for the company, which
added to the 69 who had passed the examination previously, increased
our number to 74.
June 28th, we again received a donation from home, consisting of
needle-cases, which were very convenient, but one of the boys said, he
wished his sister, or somebody else's sister, had come along to do his
mending.
On Monday, July 1st, the regiment was partly uniformed; white duck
pants and flannel shirts, furnished by the state, and a fancy gray
Jacket, sent from home, while Caps and Overcoats, were issued by the
government; arms and accoutrements, were also distributed.
"The Glorious Fourth," came on, and with it came an invitation to a
neighboring grove, where the good people of Westchester furnished us
with a No. 1. dinner. After dinner the "shoulder straps" gallanted the
girls, while the "low private" soldiers looked on, or perhaps thought
of "The girl I left behind me." Some took a bathe in the Brandywine.
July 5th, an order was issued, requiring all companies to be filled up
to the maximum number, by recruiting officers, sent out for that
purpose. It should have been stated before, that at the original
examination, a number of men had been rejected, on account of physical
defects, even the slightest, as only men of perfect physique were
taken to fill the quota.
Sergeants Stewart and Minnigh were detailed accordingly, leaving camp
on the 8th, and returning on the 19th, with twenty recruits, who were
mustered in on that date, increasing our numbers to 94 all told.
While we still lacked seven of the full quota, the very best material,
however, composed this command, men of muscle, nerve, and courage, as
well as brain, men of whom Gov. Curtin could well say, "They are the
flower of the state." All volunteers, none forced into service, no
bummers, no bounty-jumpers.
Another fact should be stated here; the men in the ranks were not
inferior, in physique or social standing to the officers. Hence, the
duty performed, and the work done by this command.
Every battle-field on which the Army of the Potomac was engaged, from
Mechanicsville, June 26. 1862, to Bethesda church, June 30. 1864,
drank of the noblest blood, the state could afford, when these men
fell.