Overview & Description of the Civil War
America went to war on 12 April
1861-- it was a war for freedom and independence. For the first time in
the history of the United States of America; states in the North were fighting
states in the South. A war in which fathers fought against fathers and
brothers fought against brothers.
The states in the North were called the Union and the states in the South were
called the Confederacy. The Union fought for the freedom of black people
from slavery and for their belief that the United States should remain together
as one nation. The Confederacy fought for those who supported slavery and
for the right for their state to leave the Union.
The war changed America forever, but she remained a single nation.
The Civil War began with fighting at Fort Sumter, South Carolina and officially
ended on 9 April, 1865, when General Lee surrendered his army at the Appomattox
Court House.
Confederate States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Newspaper Articles: The following newspaper articles were obtained from the Perry Historians.
People's Advocate & Press; Vol. 12; Wed.; 23 Nov. 1864
ELIAS RICE was one of the brave and patriotic young men who volunteered from Landisburg and vicinity and joined Company B, 7th Reserves. his surviving comrades will drop a tear to the memory of their brave comrade in arms, who breathed his life out for his country in a loathesome Southern prison, and forced to endure the bitter malignity and barbarity---even unto starvation---invented by the Southern traitors.
VAN BUREN EBY, son of J. W. Eby of Carlisle, was a member of Co. A. When the alarm of war sounded he was ready to do and die for his country. Although most too young, he importioned his friends to let him share the lot of a soldier---Sergt Eby was one of the noble young men who left Carlisle on the 6th of June, 1861, as a member of the Carlisle Fencibles(?), commanded by Capt. R. M. Henderson. With that Company he participated in the memorable Seven Days Battles in front of Richmond and afterward in the battles of Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg, behaving in every engagement with a steady coolness and courage, which won the warmest commendation of his commanding officers. In camp and on the battlefield he was like a true & faithful soldier. He was promoted from the ranks to a Sergeants position and nobly did he deserve it. Sergt Eby had passed through battle after battle, and soon the time of his enlistment would be ended when he could return home to enjoy rest after his long and perilous service. But in the battles in the Wilderness he along with almost the entire 7th Regiment were taken prisoner and marched south ward to endure the heathen barbarity of southern traitors and slavedrivers after months of hopes and fears news last reached the patriotic father that his brave son had fallen a victim to the hellish cruelty practiced in Southern prisons upon our noble sons and brothers. It was a hard stroke to lose a brave boy and an affectionate son---to linger and die by the slow torture of starvation in a southern prison but like a true Christian and patriot the father meekly bowed to the will of the Ruler of the Universe and exclaimed, "he died for his country--the will of the Lord be done."
From the Advocate & Press
Camp nr. City Point, Va., Nov. 12
FRIEND SHEIBLEY-Dear Sir:
As everything is quiet along the line to-day, I will drop a line for the Advocate on the evening of the 10th we had orders to be ready for a sudden move. An attack was expected on our picket line by the Johnnies but all remained quiet that night. We waited patiently all night for orders to move but they came not. The boys were all in good spirits and ready to meet the enemy. If they had made an attack, I think they would have met with a pretty warm reception.
Rev. J. Linn Milligan, Chaplain of the 140th PA Reg't., now in front of Petersburg, visited and took dinner with us yesterday, he says things are moving along finely in that vicinity.
Below I give you a list of the officers and members of Co. F, 208th Reg't. P. V.
Captain- G. C. Palm
1st Lieut.- Henry Shreffler
2nd Lieut.- Francis A. Campbell
1st Sergeant- T. J. Sowers
2nd Sergeant- M. H. Fuhrman
3rd Sergeant- R. H. Campbell
4th Sergeant- William Berrier
5th Sergeant- Hugh Smith
1st Corporal- Samuel G. Smith
2nd Corporal- George Bistline
3rd Corporal- Geo. W. Reiber
4th Corporal- Frederick Shull
5th Corporal- J. K. Stump
6th Corporal- John A. Newcomer
7th Corporal- Daniel T. Ritter
8th Corporal- Samuel S. McKee
Musicians- John A. Ettinger, Geo. Hane
Teamster- Samuel F. Sheaffer
Samuel A. Johnson promoted to Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant.
Privates-
Thomas A. Adams Loyd A. Kistler
Wm. H. Armstrong Simon Kern
Robt. A. Blackburn Charles W. Kline
David B. Brickly Jacob S. Lowe
----- Bucket Samuel K. Morrow
Solomon Bistline James Meminger
Thomas Berrier A. J. Mumper
S. K. Boltosser Thomas Messiner
Jacob R. Bender Philip McElheny
S. W. Bernhisel Sylvester McElheny
Peter Berrier William Morrison
Henry Berrier John H. Mathers
William Boltosser Jonathan Peckard
Joseph Bistline Samuel Rinesmith
John H. Bryner Robert Reed
George S. Bryner James D. Rhea
Joseph C. Collins Wm. H. R. Seager
Barnard Conner George Shoff
Frederick Daum William Sheibley
Reuben Dillman George Sheibley
G. W. Droneberger Andrew Shearer
John Delancy Samuel Smith
Daniel Ernest Wm. H. Seager
James English John Swaber
George Emory Benj. F. Shoemaker
James Foose William Stroup
James Finley Jacob Shearer
Jacob Fritz David E. Saylor
John Getz Wm. D. Seibert
Jacob Gutshall Andrew B. Shreffler
William Garland Elias Shope
William H. Garber Henry Shope
Michael Hoffman Charles S. Shields
David A. Hoffman John G. Snyder
William A. Hull John H. Titzel
David A. Hollenbaugh Samuel Welch
Wm. C. Hollenbaugh Sinnary Wentzel
Andrew Hohenshilt Daniel Wilt
Daniel S. Henry Henry Waggoner
John B Hench Philip Zeigler
Yours Truly,
T. J. Sowers
Orderly Serg't Co. F., 208th P.V.
Letter from J. W. Eby
MR. EDITOR:--Mr. Jacob Hess (of our county) a member of Company A, 7th Reg't. Pa. Vol. Reserves, who was a prisoner in Sumpter Prison at Andersonville, Georgia, has kindly furnished me with the following list of deaths in the Regiment up to the 12th September, 1864, at which time he made his escape while on their removal to Florence, South Carolina. he also adds, that they were taken prisoners at Spottsylvania, Va., on the 5th of May last, and marched to Orange C. H., then to Culpepper, and on the 7th removed to Lynchburg---on the 12th & 13th to Danville, Va.--from which latter place they were taken to Andersonville, Georgia, in which place to tell of their sufferage as related by Mr. Hess and other escaped prisoners, would only be a repitition of facts already published in the various papers, one in the NY Tribune of Nov. 4, under the heading of "Horrors of Andersonville, Libby,", &c. As the companies were generally from this and the adjoining counties you would, no doubt, confer a great favor on many friends of the soldiers by giving it publicity in your paper.
Yours, &c.
J. W. Eby
Carlisle, Nov. 14, 1864
Co. A:
Van Buren Eby; died July 10, 1864
Edward Walker; died July 27, 1864
Patrick Brennan; died Aug 22, 1864
Frederick Rife; died Aug 24, 1864
C. Jeremiah; died Aug 25, 1864
Co. B.:
Elias Rice; died Sep 2, 1864
Co. C:
W. Wyke; died July 22, 1864
John Mellinger; died Aug 31, 1864
Co E:
J. Doughtery; died July 27, 1864
James Steelman; died July 29?, 1864
Co. F:
J. Steele; died June 18, 1864
C. Owens; died July 29?, 1864
B. Martin; died Aug 1, 1864
A. Smith; died Sep 4, 1864
Co. G:
John Steiner; died Aug 1, 1864
H. Hobson; died Aug 19, 1864
Co. H:
J. Chapman; died June 18, 1864
J. Hestor; died July 18, 1864
T. Atches; died July 22, 1864
S. F. Hoover; died Sep 2, 1864
Co. I:
M. Darly; died Aug 3, 1864
T. Ford; died Aug 24, 1864
Co. K:
P. Ledbeater; July 26, 1864
W. Wilson; died Aug 7, 1864
C. M. Giggin; died Aug 25, 1864
C. Guyler; died Sep 4, 1864