Soldiers of the 48th: Private Robert Wood, Co. F

Private Robert Wood

Company F

Since I launched this blog last November, I have been contacted by a good number of descendants of soldiers who served in the 48th Pennsylvania, all of them very generous in sharing with me information on their ancestor. A few weeks ago I was contacted by a descendant of Private Robert Wood, who not only shared her information about the soldier but sent along a photograph of him as well.

Robert Wood was born in Pottsville in either 1838 or 1839. He was young when his family moved to Danville, and it was here that Robert would grow to maturity. He found work at the Montour Iron Works, where he was injured by a boiler explosion at the age of 13. When the Civil War broke out in April 1861, Robert, now 22 years old, volunteered his services. He stood 5'4" in height, had a "Light" complexion, "Grey" eyes, and "Sandy" hair. He enlisted as a private in Company F. Private Wood served with the regiment along the coast of North Carolina throughout the winter of 1861 and into the summer of 1862. He fought at 2nd Bull Run and at South Mountain, but by this point, he had fallen seriously ill. Private Wood spent a long time at army hospitals before finally being discharged for "general disability" on February 3, 1863. He returned to Danville and to the Mountour Iron Works for a time. He was suffering from consumption, and he applied for a pension, which was denied. It was decided that Robert's condition was caused by the boiler accident when he was just 13 years old. Robert appealed the decision, and was able to secure an affidavit from his doctor who stated that Robert's illness was caused by his wartime service. During the appeal, Robert's condition got worse. He died in Danville on January 10, 1868. He was not yet thirty years old at the time of his death. Elizabeth Wood, Robert's wife, received a pension following the death of her service, which she received every month until her death in 1926.

{I would like to thank Ms. Anne Lowery for her generosity in sharing this information with me as well as the photograph of her ancestor, Private Robert Wood}

The 48th Pennsylvania & 2nd Bull Run: Part 6: Casualties

The 48th Pennsylvania suffered 155 casualties at the battle of 2nd Bull Run, including 42 men killed or mortally wounded.
The following is a comprehensive list of the 48th's casualties at 2nd Bull Run:

Killed in Action/Mortally Wounded {42}

1st Sergeant B. G. Otto (Co. A) MW Died October 15, 1862
Corporal John Brobst, (Co. A) MW Died 9/17/1862
Private John Leiser (Co. A) KIA
Private John Springer (Co. A) MW Died October 3, 1862
Private Lewis M. Reece (Co. B) KIA
Private Nicholas Shitehour (Co. B) MW Died January 1863
Sergeant Oliver C. Hatch: (Co. C) KIA
Private John Wiser (Co. C) KIA
Private Barney Gettley (Co. C) KIA
Private James Low (Co. C) MW Died October 30, 1862
Sergeant William Bambrick (Co. D) MW Died September 12, 1862
Corporal George Ramer (Co. D) MW Died September 6, 1862
Private George Hartz (Co. D) MW Died December 20, 1862
Private Charles Miller (Co. D) KIA
Private John Sullivan (Co. D) MW Died October 8, 1862
Sergeant Stafford Johnson (Co. E) MW
Corporal William Mackey (Co. E) KIA
Private John Baker (Co. E) KIA
Private James Farrell (Co. E) MW Died September 25, 1862
Private William Moose (Co. E) MW Died in Pottsville
Private Thomas Major (Co. E) MW Died October 31, 1862
Private Michael Brennan (Co. E) KIA
Private Hugh McFeely (Co. E) KIA
Private Simon (or Samuel) Moyer (Co. E) KIA
Corporal Henry Jenkins (Co. F) KIA
Corporal William Hopkins (Co. F) KIA
Private Thomas J. Thomas (Co. F) MW Died January 1864
Private John J. Morrison (CO. F) MW Died October 23, 1862
Private Peter Quinn (Co. F) KIA
Private Michael Killrain (Co. F) KIA
Private John Haggerty (Co. F) KIA
Private James Muldowney (Co. G) MW
Private William Smith (Co. G) MW Died September 14, 1862
Private John Farne (Co. G) MW Died November 8, 1862
Private William Nagle (Co. H) KIA
Private Paul White (Co. H) KIA
Sergeant Samuel Petit (Co. H) KIA
Sergeant Thomas Kelly (Co. H) KIA
Private Hesgian Link (Co. I) KIA
Private Charles F. Leiser (Co. I) KIA
Captain Henry A.M. Filbert (Co. K)
Sergeant Roland D. Filbert (Co. K) KIA
Corporal Patrick Handley (Co. K) MW Died October 25, 1862

Wounded {56}

Lieutenant John D. Bertolette (Acting Assistant Adjutant General)

Private George Albright (Co. A)

Private William Betz (Co. A)

Private Elias Britton (Co. A)
Private George Miller (Co. A)
Private Andrew Neely (Co. A)
Private Joel Marshall (Co. A)
Sergeant Thomas Johnson (Co. B)
Sergeant Jno. Bassler (Co. B)
Corporal Jacob Freshly (Co. B)
Private John Lucid (Co. B) ?
Thomas Whalen (Co. C) ?
Private Jonas Geiger (Co. C)
Private Solomon Strausser (Co. C)
Private Edward Brennan (Co. C)
Lieutenant Henry P. Owens (Co. D)
Private John W. Derr (Co. D)
Private Frank Dorward (Co. D)
Private Henry Gottschall (Co. D)
Private Philip Kantner (Co. D) ?
Private Peter C. Kreiger (Co. D)
Private David T. Kreiger (Co. D) ?
Sergeant J. H. Fisher (Co. E)
Fifer John Cameron (Co. E)
Private Michael Bohannon (Co. E)
Private James Berger, Sr. (Co. E) ?
Private James Berger, Jr. (Co. E) ?
Private Henry Lord (Co. E)
Private Abraham Kleckner (Co. E) ?
Private Robert Thompson (Co. E)
Corporal John Devine (Co. F)
Corporal George N. Douden (Co. F) ?
Private Stephen Taggart (Co. F)
Private John Powell (Co. F)
Private Thomas Lloyd (Co. F)
Private William Jenkins (Co. F) ?
Corporal Charles Evans (Co. G)
Private M. Berger (Co. G)
Private John Grace (Co. G)
Private Lewis Quinn (Co. G)
Private Joshua Reed (Co. G)
Private John Shaw (Co. G)
Private John Wonders (Co. G)
Private John Willingham (Co. G)
Private William Dreibelbeis (Co. H)
Private J.T. Wildermuth (Co. H)
Private George T. Eisenhuth (Co. H)
Private George W. Christian (Co. H)
Corporal Benjamin F. Kershner (Co. I)
Private Rudolph Rumble (Co. I)
Private Eli Fenstermaker (Co. K)
Private James Day (Co. K)
Private Milton Ludwig (Co. K)
Private James Cavanaugh (Co. K)
Private James Dullard (Co. K) ?
Private Joseph Burgess (Co. K)

Captured/Missing In Action {56}

Corporal John Taylor (Co. A)
Private Israel Britton (Co. A)
Private Henry Davis (Co. A)
Private William H. Koch (Co. A)
Private George Livingston (Co. A)
Private Daniel Leiser (Co. A)
Private Morgan Simon (Co. A) ?
Private F.W. Simon (Co. A)
Sergeant Philip Hughes (Co. B)
Private William Bradley (Co. B)
Private Henry Copeland (Co. B) ?
Private John Evans (Co. B)
Private Joseph Rahny (Co. B)
Private Samuel Stanley (Co. B) ?
Corporal John Roarty (Co. C)
Private Murt Brennan (Co. C)
Private John Jones (Co. C) ?
Private William Larkin (Co. C)
Corporal Leonard Shrishorn (Co. D) ?
Corporal Israel T. Vankannon (Co. D) ?
Corporal William Timmons (Co. D)
Private Mattis Bailey (Co. D)
Private Eli Derr (Co. D) ?
Private Isaiah Kline (Co. D)
Private Joseph Kuhns (Co. D)
Private Bodo Otto (Co. D)
Corporal D. McAllister (Co. E)
Private Alfred Barlow (Co. E)
Private Jefferson Canfield (Co. E) ?
Private James Greener (Co. E)
Private Joseph Lord (Co. E)
Private John McSorely (Co. E)
Private John Morrissey (Co. F)
Private Samuel Dunkerly (Co. F)
Private John Devine (Co. F)
Private Richard Littlehales (Co. F)
Private Thomas Lyshon (Co. F)
Lieutenant Henry Clay Jackson (Co. G)
Corporal Joel Betz (Co. G)
Sergeant Samuel Ruch (Co. H)
Corporal Thomas H. Sillyman (Co. H)
Private John Benedict (Co. H)
Private William Huber (Co. H)
Private Daniel Lauer (Co. H)
Private John W. Ray (Co. H)
Private Israel Schmehl (Co. H)
Sergeant Theodore Pletz (Co. I)
Private Christopher Seward (Co. I)
Corporal Thomas Brennan (Co. K) ?
Private David Boyer (Co. K)
Private W.D. Dress (Co. K)
Private Daniel Shaneley (Co. K) ?
Private W. Fenstermaker (Co. K) ?
Private Hiram Spears (Co. K) ?
Private William T. Reed (Co. K) ?
Private William Lavenberger (Co. K) ?

The 48th Pennsylvania & 2nd Bull Run: Part 5

Captain Joseph Hoskings,

Company F

An Incident of Battle

Sergeant William J. Wells, Company F, wrote of an incident of battle he witnessed while retreating through the thick Virginia woods at 2nd Bull Run:
“While running to the rear, I saw Captain Hoskings and a Rebel Major run into each other, both, sword in hand; the rebel’s in his left, he being left-handed, the captain’s in his right hand. Near me, running too, was young Dreibelbeis of Co. H, I think. Both of us stood fixed to the spot, though the woods echoed and re-echoed with the whistle of passing bullets, watching the sword duel then passing between the two officers. With tense earnestness we watched the play of swords, as, with rapid parry and thrust each tried to disarm the other. The contest was short, sharp and determined, and ended by the Captain throwing himself forward upon the rebel officer with such force that his antagonist’s sword flew from his hand over the head of the Captain. The Major immediately reached for and had his revolver in his hand, and it seemed to be all up with the Captain, when my comrade to the right who had evidently been waiting his opportunity, fired, and down went the rebel, his blood spurting in the Captain’s face and breast. This was a lucky shot, as there was great danger of shooting the Captain instead of the rebel.
“By this time, things were getting pretty warm in our neighborhood, and we resumed our running to the edge of the woods where we sought our regiment, feeling only too glad to have escaped capture. The rebel line appeared at that time to be only a strong skirmishing body, otherwise we could not have extricated our column from this death trap. “