A bit of house work

Hi all,
There are many who know me and know me well. I love to share what I learn. However, I also know from the past experience of friends that there are folks who will plagiarize from blogs and websites. It has happened t several times to dear friends.

Having said that, I will say this... All of the information I will refer to here can be found in different places.
However one will have to dig to get to a great deal of it. A lot of it has been gathered over hours and hours of research and travel. Its a passion of mine. It has taken 6 years of reading, and researching. One can do it.

Here is a brief reference list of where a large portion of it can be found.

The New Jersey State Archives: The manuscript collection of all of New Jerseys Units in the War of rebellion.
The Robert McAllister Collection, Alexander Special Library, Rutgers University Library.
The History of the 11th New Jersey Regiment of Volunteers -Thomas Marbaker Longstreet Publishing
The Getysburg Atlas Maps - Phil Liano
The Gettysburg Guide J. David Petruzzi and Steve Stanley
The Official Records of the War of Rebellion- DVD and Gettysburg 3 volumes
The War Time Letters of Robert McAllister- James I Robertson
The Belividere Apollo Feb 26 tto March 6,1891 Warren County Library Archives
New Jersey in the Gettysburg Campaign - Sam Toombs - Longstreet Publishing.
Gettysburg  Regimental Strengths and Loses - Dr David Martin and John Busey - Longstreet Publishing
The Schoonover Papers and family Geneology- Stroudsburg Pa.
New Jersey in the Gettysburg Campaign- Dr David Martin (to be published spring 2012)
Emails with various LBGs and park historians.
Emails Dr David Martin
Emails Joe Bilby
Atlantic County Historical Society- Manuscript collection
The New Jersey National Guard Museum and Library  Sea Girt NJ  Manuscript Collection all regiments

This is only a portion but it will get one started.
Again, if you borrow from this, please ask me first. DO NOT JUST COPY AND PASTE!

Thanks again for reading my blog.....
Back to sharing.
Jim

The 11 th New Jersey Regiment of Volunteers at Gettysburg Part III - A controversy

Or better known when the ground doesn't match the After Action Report. 


During the later afternoon hours of July 2,1863 the III Corps is ordered to advance to a line that begins just south of the Cordori Farm, extending down the Emmitsburg Rd ridge line, through the Peach Orchard, then makes a turn back towards the Rose Farm, extending through the Wheatfield and ending on Devils Den.

The 11th NJ is part of those who are ordered along with its Brigade under Joseph Carr to the Emmitsburg Rd by the Klingle Farm complex. The units with it are the 12th New Hampshire, 2 Massachusetts regiments, and the 120th NY. The 5th NJ is ordered there as well (We will touch on the 5th in another post).  Two artillery battery's are ordered there as well.

This photo is what creates the controversy.
That is little old me. Over my left shoulder is the Trostle Barn. The side to us is the north side of the barn. Over my right shoulder is the Trostle house. With the other out building in between. So ok whats the problem. Notice whats to my immediate left and actually to my right. Boulders right?  Where I am standing is just WEST of Plum Run. During the time of year when the advance would have taken place, this is filled with thorn bushes, and scrub and other growth  what I refer to as trash. Then in this area there are other boulders, some of them as big as a standard 8'X8" room in a house! With some even larger mixed in for giggles.

The controversy is this. It is reported in several AARs that the units who marched out to not only the Peach Orchard but the Emmitsburg Road marched THROUGH this garbage in battle formation with flags flying and bands playing. Now we all know Civil War combat formations were basically linear. That means rows on rows of men, shoulder to shoulder.. The problem is the rocks and the boulders and all the other trash would have hindered this great display in spades. Then on top of all this. as one would get out of the little valley that is Plum Run there is a row of thick brush, along a fence line (According to the Warren map its there at the time of the battle) that would have been intertwined with the undergrowth. Not very conducive to the combat formations of the period.

Oh yes I almost forgot.. There is Plum Run itself. Its described in the writings of the period to be much as it is today. Meandering, through the little valley, at times wider then about 8 feet with sections of it up to a mans waste. At the time of the battle it was a trickle of what it would be AFTER the battle, but still, thousands of feet marching through it, would have after only a few had passed through it, a slippery mess on the western bank of it...

So how if the accounts are true do they get out there? I suspect Humphrey s division was split into two parts. One the Trostle lane which ends just north of the Peach Orchard and then there is in the Warren Map another farm lane that is in essence just south of the Cordori Farm. Now it makes sense if that is the case. But then again, that's not what I have read in the after action report.

Its quite possible I am making a mountain out of nothing. But this has had me thinking for quite a while.... And in the book as I have them advancing out there, to take up the position, I have them using the little lane just south of the Cordori Farm.

There are others who are more knowledgeable about this then me... But for now.. There is a controversy that I cannot sync up with the ground. Lt Col (ret) Wayne Wachsmuth has always said. "The Ground drives the battle".. In this case, the ground and the accounts don't sync up...
JIM

An Apology

Hi folks,
My very dear friend Steve Basic pointed out to me that I needed to slow down and reread my posts before I do so. They have been filled with misspellings and pronunciation errors.  In my eagerness to share what I have learned with you my audience, I have neglected to cross my ts and dot my is.
From now on I will do so..
Thanks Steve for bringing this to my attention.
JIM

The Old Electric Map at Gettysburg- thoughts on preserving it

http://www.civilwarlibrarian.blogspot.com/

The above link will take you to an article on the old electric map... Now I for one would like to see this thing saved and re-displayed. Actually I have always found it a better tool then what passes for explanation in the new Visitor Center at Gettysburg. It gives one a true sense of a couple of things.

1.) The vastness of the battlefield.
2.) How close it was to a Confederate Victory.
3.) The heroic efforts on both sides. And the different keys to it.

So I am in favor of finding a way to save this. There was a time when I was thinking about getting involved in trying to save it. But was discouraged from it. But hey, if the GPMA wants to.. GO FOR IT!!!!!!
JIM

New Jersey at Gettysburg The 11th NJ - Part II -C A missing hero

The  photo is of Capt Andrew Ackerman Co C.. KIA Gettysburg July 2,1863. Orginaly from Jersey City and musters into the regiment as a 2nd LT, he takes command of Co I, shortly after Chancelorsville.
A quiet man as noted by Marbaker in the regimental history of the 11th NJ, he was also a student of the bible, another religious man.  A fine officer fearless in battle, was in the front ranks of his company as it exchanged volleys with Barksdales boys.
Standing next to Schoonover,  there is the smack of a bullet and Schoonover turns to look into the vacant eyes of Ackerman as he sank to the ground with out a word.  There is no record of where on his body he was hit, but I think I have it pretty close to where he went down. Most likely some where behind the house.
After his death, his remains are transported back to Jersey City where he is buried. And then reburied again as the first cemetery fell into disrepair.
From there, no one knows what happened to his remains as that cemetery also went out of business.
Bob McAvoy thinks his remains are either in a mass grave in one of Jersey Citys main cemeteries or under a parking garage for a local hospital. No one is sure.
He photo is one of several from the 11th New Jersey found on the wall of faces in the Visitor Center Museum at Gettysburg.. I make sure when ever I am down there, if I can, I go, and pay my respects to him. His picture is in reach of my touch. And I also tap it to let him know he isnt forgotten.
He is unfortunately forgotten in our day and age. He doesnt deserve his fate. But then again, he died in my mind a hero.
Rest in Peace Captain.
JIM ;-(

The 11 th New Jersey Regiment of Volunteers at Gettysburg Part II B -Phillip J. Kearny

 

The OTHER Phil Kearny.... 

Most people who know any thing about New Jersey in the American Civil War, know of Major General Phillip J. Kearny.  But very few folks know that we had TWO Phillip J. Kearnys.  This photo is of the one who was the Nephew of the Major General. 

Like a number of others, he too entered into service with the 1st NJ Volunteers. But as the Master Sgt. 

When the 11th New Jersey musters in, he joins it as a 1st Lt, Co F . Rises through the ranks quickly as casualtys mounted in the regiment.. 

He is the Major of the 11th New Jersey at Gettysburg. And is second in command as it enters the fight at the Klingle Farm..  Now as most know regiment command structures during the Civil War where setup as follows.. Colonel, Lt Colonel , Major, then Company Commanders all Captains , the the SGT Major or Sargent Major of the regiment.  And so on and so fourth. Well the 11ths Lt Colonel Stephen Moore was back in New Jersey in a hospital with a very bad case of dysentery. So bad that it will cause him to resign his commission and leave the army in late July 1863. Because of this illness Kearny as major was second in command.  

When the first volleys are fired by the regiment, Kearny puts his hand on Schoonover shoulder, yells into his ear that "we are going to have one hell of a fight here". no sooner gets the words out of his mouth and a bullet hits him in the knee, spinning him like a top, landing 10 feet away from Schoonover.  He is carried from the field......... The second officer to go down...... 

The 11 th New Jersey Regiment of Volunteers at Gettysburg Part II a -Schoonover

Talk about a battlefield promotion. 

In the middle of this is the sketch of John Schoonover. Born in 1828 he raised by his parents in Bushkill Falls. 

When the war clouds begin to gather they find him living and working as a teacher. He attends the same church as  the McAllisters where while there is no mention of it, he steady personality and qualities that will surface during the Civil War, come under the watchful eye of Robert McAllister. When the war opens, he signs up as a Private in the 1st New Jersey Regiment of Voluntees. When the 11th New Jersey is form he is obviously asked by McAllsiter to join the 11th NJ where he becomes its in essence bookkeeper with the rank of 2nd LT.  Thats where he is when the 11th faces the elephant for the first time at Fredricksburg. With the 11th serving more as fire supports its not till the 11ths gets into the tough sport it finds itself at Chancelorsville that he earns the notierty that will eventually bring him the command of the 11th. He is lauded by the way in McAllsiters after action report for Chancelorsville.
Gettysburg while it tests the mettle of the regiment as a whole, ir brings Schoonover from bookkeeper to Lt Colonel in command of the regiment. How could that happen you may ask  ?
In a spand of roughly 15 to 20 minutes, the regiment loses all its officers above the rank of 2nd LT and command of the regiment falls to Schoonover, who even though wounded himself three times assumes command of it and retains command till the end of the war. Though not completely uncommon in the Civil War, to go from the secretary of the regiment to commanding it in an afternoon, must have had his head spinning.  Though once again its because of bravery and steadfastness that gives him the mantle of command. 

Part II The 11th NJ at Gettysburg Its Colonel

The man to your left is Colonel Robert McAllister.
Born in Juanita County Pa he raised on the farm of his father which he works into the 1830s. He meets his beloved wife and they marry and settle down to a farmers life.
However the farm fails and he and his wife leave, and begin to make there way east till they finally settle it first Oxford Furnace NJ and then eventually Belvidere NJ. They will call Belvidere home through the war period.

He gains the military knowledge that will serve him so well during the Civil War from commanding the local miliria first in PA and then New Jersey. Rising to the rank of Brig General of Militia.

Quiet, ,a man of incredible deep Christian faith, his soft spokeness is overwhelmed by a booming voice that could be heard above the din of battle and also over the training ground.

His philosphy of fighting from the front of the regiment, leading there was much as Stonewall Jacksons. When it was his time, God had preordanined that. So why would or should he worry about his demise?

When he took command of the 11th NJ, he was at every drill, every inspection, so meticulous was he, he would point out a button out of place, or a coat not just put on right or shoulder boards not just right or even if a non oms officers strips were incorrect. His men grumbled at this so much that they started calling him "Mother McAllister"... Even the camps had to be set up just right...

Then the regiment faced battle for the first time. And as other regiments melted away around them they stood firm. Their casualty counts showed that. But also the men began to realize that what he had been doing is instilling the discipline he knew they would need to survive. And that term of "Mother McAllister", became a term of deep endearment. One that will last the rest of his life..

At Gettysburg, he leads the regiment up to the Emmitsburg Rd.... Placed next to the Klingle house he notes in a letter not published that he wasn't entirely happy with it, but that's where they were....

When Barksdales 3 of 4 regiments advanced into the range of the regiments guns, he roars "FIRE!!!!!!!"
And the regiments 290 assorted guns roared as one sending their rounds down range...

However he doesn't see it to end of the battle.. He no sooner gets the words out then he goes down.. Hit twice......
JIM

Sick as a .........

Hi all,
Welllll I went and got myself so sick I couldn't lift a finger to write.. I haven't forgotten as well ....
So now that I am on the mend, I will post more...
Back at it we go!!!!!!
JIM