Seventy-fifth Infantry.-Cols., Henry Bohlen, Philip
Schapp, Francis Mahler, Lieut.-Cols., Francis Mahler, Alvin
Von Matzdorff, Majs., Alvin Von Matzdorff, August Ledig. The
75th regiment originally known as the 40th, composed
principally of German citizens from Philadelphia, was mustered
into the U. S. service at Camp Worth, Philadelphia, in Aug.
and Sept., 1861, for three years. Many of the members had
seen service in European armies; Col. Bohlen was a veteran of
the Mexican war, and Lieut.-Col. Mahler had been an officer in
the Baden revolution. On Sept. 26, 1861, the regiment, about
800 strong, left for Washington, and there its ranks were soon
recruited to the maximum number. It was assigned to Blenker's
division and encamped at Roach's mills until Oct. 12, when it
went into winter quarters at Hunter's Chapel. A regimental
band, led by Rudolph Wittig, which joined the command on the
31st, was discharged by general order on Aug. 16, 1862. In
March, 1862, it moved with the army on the general advance,
reaching Warrenton Junction on the 26th, when it was ordered
to report with its division to Gen. Fremont commanding the
Mountain Department. In an attempt to cross the Shenandoah
river in an old ferry boat on April 15, Capt. Wyck and Sergt.
Tiedemann of Co. K, Lieut. Winter of Co. I, and about 50
enlisted men of the two companies were drowned. The regiment
was encamped at Winchester from April 18 to May 6, recruiting
from its severe marches and exposures. While here Col. Bohlen
was promoted to brigadier-general. On May 14, the command
reached Franklin and the latter part of the month hastened by
forced marches in pursuit of Stonewall Jackson. It was in
reserve at the battle of Cross Keys and after the battle moved
to Mount Jackson, where it was assigned to the 2nd brigade
(Col. Kryzanowski), 3rd division (Gen. Schurz), 1st corps
(Gen. Sigel), Army of Virginia. Sigel's corps arrived too late
to share in the battle of Cedar Mountain, but a few days later
it was engaged in a brisk skirmish at Freeman's ford, where
Gen. Bohlen was killed. It was in action at Groveton and the
second Bull Run, losing in the two days' fighting, 2 officers
28 men killed, and 5 officers and 98 men wounded, among whom
was Lieut.-Col. Mahler. Color-sergeant Robert Jordan of Co. A,
formerly an officer in the army of Schleswig-Holstein
displayed conspicuous courage and died while bearing aloft the
colors. The following were officially reported for gallantry
shown: Sergts. Haserodt of Co. A Weigand and Maurer of Co. B,
John Emleben of the same Co., who took the flag from the hands
of Sergt. Jordan as he fell, though he was himself wounded,
Louis Mahler and Jacob Pauley of Co. D, George Brueckmame of
Co. F, Henry Schmull of Co. H, and Andrew Schmidt of Co. I;
also Corps. Schweigert, Hanner, Abraham and Rosenthal, and
private Jacob Ullman. The 75th was not again engaged until
the battle of Chancellorsville the following year. It reached
the Rappahannock too late to participate in the battle of
Fredericksburg and had wintered at Stafford Court House and
Hartwood Church. Meanwhile its strength was much increased by
recruits and returning convalescents. At Chancellorsville it
formed part of the 2nd brigade, 3rd division, 11th corps, the
brigade being commanded by Col. Kryzanowski. Its loss here
was 1 killed 1 officer and 6 men wounded, and 3 officers and
48 men captured, Lieut.-Col. Matzdorff being among the
prisoners. Returning to its old camp on the Rappahannock, it
remained there until it embarked on the Gettysburg campaign in
June. It arrived at Gettysburg on the morning of July 1, and
lost during the battle, 31 officers and men killed, 100
wounded, and 6 taken prisoners. Its heaviest loss was
sustained on the first day, when it was severely engaged north
of the village and to the right of the Carlisle road. During
the next two days it was posted on the Cemetery hill and
suffered somewhat from the enemy's shells. It shared in the
pursuit of Lee and in the various maneuvres of the army until
Sept. 24, when it moved to Bridgeport Ala., the 11th and 12th
corps having been ordered to Tennessee. Upon arriving there
it was ordered to join the 3rd brigade (Col. Hecker), 3rd
division, 11th corps, which shared in the operations for the
relief of the army of the Cumberland. Crossing the Tennessee
river at Chattanooga on Nov. 22, it participated in the
fighting around that city, including the battles of Lookout
mountain and Missionary ridge. On Jan. 2, 1864, it reenlisted
as a veteran organization and was given the usual furlough of
30 days. Seventy-five men, who failed to reenlist, were
temporarily transferred to the 82nd Ill. The veteran
regiment, reinforced by many recruits, was back in camp at
Nashville by the end of July 1864. While here, details
guarded the Northwestern railroad, and a reconnoissance
against guerrillas was made in October. A part of the 75th
was under fire at the battle of Franklin, but was not
especially active. Co. E, stationed several miles below
Nashville on the Tennessee & Alabama railroad, was captured.
During the balance of its service it was chiefly engaged in
guarding trains, scouting and provost duty. It was mustered
out of service at Murfreesboro, Tenn., Sept. 1, 1865, and on
the 9th left for Harrisburg, where it arrived on the 12th 236 strong.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 1
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Gettysburg after battle report:
Report of Maj. August Ledig, Seventy-fifth Pennsylvania Infantry.
Hdqrs. Seventy-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers,
July 28, 1863.
Sir: In compliance with an order received from division headquarters
to report the recent operation, I send you the following:
The regiment, with the corps, left camp near Brooke's Station June
12, on account of a threatening invasion of the enemy into Maryland
and Pennsylvania. After different marches, we arrived at Emmitsburg,
Md., June 29.
On the 30th, we rested.
July 1.--At 5 a. m. we left camp, and proceeded to Gettysburg.
We arrived there at 1.30 a. m. We were immediately ordered to
the north side of the town, where the regiment was placed as follows:
On my left (the extreme left of the Second Brigade), the Eighty-second
Ohio Volunteers; on my right, the One hundred and
nineteenth New York Regt., in line of battle. Here we received a
heavy fire from the enemy's 10-pounder rifled guns, which caused a
loss in the regiment of 1 killed and 2 wounded.
About 2 o'clock, the whole brigade advanced nearly one-half mile,
which was greatly interrupted by fences, which had to be taken down
under a heavy fire of musketry from the enemy. When within 100
yards of them, in a wheat-field, we charged upon them and drove them
back. We halted, and opened fire on the enemy. The Eighty-second
Ohio, on my left, was flanked, and gave way. Col. F. Mahler's horse
was shot, but he [the colonel] got up again, and went forward to
direct the fire to the left flank, which was now unprotected, and the
enemy threatening to cut off our retreat. He was already within 40
yards of our left and rear.
Col. Mahler at this moment received a severe wound, and was
disabled, so I took the command, and directed at once the fire left-oblique,
and began to retreat behind a fence, which I could only pass
by the flank, moving my left flank through first, so as to give the
enemy battle on my left and front.
During this short period--say fifteen minutes--I lost 111 killed
and wounded.
I began now to retreat about 200 yards into an orchard. The One
hundred and nineteenth New York Regt., on my right, suffered
also heavily from the flank attack, and moved backward also in the
garden. I received orders to fall back on the town. Here the Second
Division arrived and went into the engagement. Shortly after
this, a new line behind the town was ordered, and formed by my
regiment in the best of order. I was ordered in a corn-field behind
a stone wall, below the Evergreen Cemetery, the Eighty-second Ohio
on my right, the First Brigade on my left.
On July 2 and 3, the regiment was not actively engaged. I lost
here 3 men killed and wounded by the heavy bombardment.
On July 5, I was ordered to march to Emmitsburg; from there to
South Mountain Pass.
On July 8, we passed through South Mountain Pass, and arrived
at Boonsborough, where we were drawn up in line of battle.
Next morning, July 9, I was ordered to fall behind the town, in
order to get a rest.
The Sixth Corps having relieved us at 10 a. m. July 10. I was ordered
to march toward Hagerstown, and arrived at 5 o'clock within
3 miles of Hagerstown, where we took position on the right of the
turnpike.
On July 11, we rested.
On July 12, we marched toward Hagerstown, within one-half mile
of it, and, taking position, during the night rifle-pits were put up by
my men.
On July 14, we marched toward Williamsport.
On July 15, marched back to Middletown.
On July 16, marched to Berlin. There we rested two days.
On July 19, early in the morning, left camp, and crossed the Potomac
River, and marched to Hamilton, Va.
On July 20, marched to Mountville.
On July 21 and 22, rested.
On July 23, we marched to New Baltimore.
On July 24, two patrols of my regiment reconnoitered about 2 miles
in front of our picket lines.
On July 25, we marched to Warrenton Junction and made camp.
The men are greatly fatigued; hardly able for another campaign at
present.
I remain, your most obedient servant,
AUGUST LEDIG,
Maj., Comdg. Regt.
Col. W. Krzyzanowski,
Comdg. Second Brigade.
Series I. Vol. 27. Part I. Reports. Serial No. 43
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JANUARY 16-FEBRUARY 20, 1865.--Scouts about Franklin, Tenn.
Reports of Lieut. Col. Alvin Matzdorff, Seventh-fifth Pennsylvania Infantry.
HDQRS. U. S. FORCES,
Franklin, Tenn., February 11, 1865.
GEN.: I have the honor to submit to you herewith the report of
two scouting expeditions ordered by me to clair the neighborhood of the
bushwhackers which infest it:
On the 16th of January I ordered Lieut. C. Haserodt, with a squad
of my mounted infantry, to secure the arrest of John Burke, a notorious
bushwhacker, who was reported to be with his gang on the Wilson pike,
fifteen miles from Franklin. At the house of a Mrs. Cherry Lieut.
Haserodt fell in with five mounted men, who he ordered to surrender,
three of whom did so at once, but the other two took refuge in the house.
On asking Mrs. Cherry whether she had seen said Burke she replied had
not, "but you are welcome to search my house." Lieut. Haserodt
then ordered Sergeant Mehring and two men to search the upper part of
the house, but before they reached the upper rooms they were fired
upon and Sergeant Mehring was fatally wounded.* Burke and another
man by the name of Birch were both wounded, but Burke made his
escape though a window in the back part of the house. Another of the
bands was killed instantly . After the affray Lieut. Haserodt ordered
the inmates to leave the house and set fire to the house.
On the 29th of January I ordered Lieut. Briggs to proceed with
twenty mounted men to the neighborhood of Spring Hill, Maury
County, in search of a band of guerrillas who were reported to be there
stealing horses and committing other depredations. Lieut. Briggs
with his men struck their trail three miles east of Spring Hill and
followed it up country to Leiper's Creek, in Williamson County. They
came up with Bob Riggs'gang (twelve in number) at Edmund
Dodson's, on Leiper's Creek. They fled at the approach of my men,
who pursued them three miles up the creek and succeed in killing the
leader, Bob Riggs, and another of his band, whose name could not be
ascertained. I regret that the small force at my disposal and the
numerous other duties required of them prevents me to scour the
country more frequently, which should be done almost every day to
exterminate the bushwhackers now infesting this neighborhood, and who
always commit their depredations when they know my men are
otherwise employed.
I have the honor, general, to remain, most respectfully, your obedient
servant,
A. MATZDORFF,
Lieut. Col. Seventy-fifth Pennsylvania Veteran Vols.,
Cmdg. Post.
Brig. Gen. R. W. JOHNSON,
Cmdg. Defenses on Tennessee and Alabama Railroad.
[Indorsement.]
HDQRS. U. S. FORCES,
Pulaski, Tenn., February 12, 1865.
Respectfully forwarded for information of the major-general
commanding the District of Tennessee.
I shall increase the mounted force at Franklin by 100 men.
R. W. JOHNSON,
Brig.-Gen.
HDQRS. U. S. FORCES,
Franklin, Tenn., February 20, 1865.
GEN.: I have the honor to report that immediately on receipt of
the information that the train had been attacked by guerrillas on the 16th
instant, I ordered a party of fifty mounted men, under command of
Capt.'s Kolomb and Hoffmann, to the pursuit of the gang. After
scouring the county pretty thoroughly to beyond Duck River, the
expedition returned on the afternoon of the 19th instant, having
succeeded inn killing two most notorious desperadoes, named Nathan
Eazell and-Lyons, and recapturing two horses and one mule that were
stolen from this post. The accompanying letter* was found on the person
of Lyons, while Eazell, one of Forrest's original cutthroats, had in his
pocket the also inclosed pass and oath of amnesty.* Eazell was also
recognized as one of the gang who preyed in the vicinity of Hollow Tree
Gap some ten days ago, and who robbed Mr. Brown, telegraph repairer.
Every honest and peaceable resident of this neighborhood will feel a
great that the daring career of these outlaws has thus been terminated.
Maj. Smith, of the Eighth Michigan Cavalry, who left here with his
command this morning, will report to you in due time, and on the way
to Pulaski have lookout for the bushwhackers that infest the country
about Duck River. In conclusion, I would most respectfully request you
to have Capt. Hoffman and command remain here for some time yet,
as only the utmost vigilance and constant scouring of the country will rid
the same of the bushwhackers that now infest it; but with the assistance
of Capt. Hoffmann and his men I flatter myself to make this place a
little too hot for bushwhackers.
I have the honor, general, to remain, most respectfully, your obedient
servant,
A. MATZDORFF,
Lieut., Col. 75th Pennsylvania Veteran Vol. Infantry.,
Cmdg. Post.
Brig. Gen. R. W. JOHNSON,
Cmdg. Defenses on Tennessee and Alabama Railroad.
Source: Official Records
PAGE 7-103 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. &C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA.
[Series I. Vol. 49. Part I, Reports, Correspondence, Etc. Serial No. 103.]
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