THE COMPANY IS ORGANIZED
Chapter 1 (September 12, 1862)
(By Sergeant Michael S. Schroyer)
This is to be a history of Company G, 147th, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, the only company of Civil War soldiers credited to Snyder county, that was sworn in for three years in that terrible war between the North and the South.
To effect our organization we held meetings in Port Trevorton, Beavertown, Salem and Kratzerville. This was in August and the early part of September, 1862. On September 12 we were sworn in by John Emmitt, Esq., right opposite the Keystone Hotel (now the Hotel Sterner).
We immediately assembled for the purpose of electing officers, and these officers were chosen: Captain, Charles S. Davis: First Lieutenant, Nelson Byers; Second Lieutenant, William H. Schroyer.
Other members of the company were:
Non-commissioned officers – First Sergeant, B. T. Parks; Second Sergeant, James E. Lloyd; Third Sergeant, George W. Townsend; Fourth Sergeant, Henry W. Baker; Fifth Sergeant, Frank M. Stuck.
First Corporal, Isaac D. Whitmer; second corporal, John R. Reigle; third corporal, Francis W. Wallace; fourth corporal, Frederick B. Ulrich; fifth corporal, Henry H. Shrawder; sixth corporal, Jeremiah Malick; seventh corporal, Samuel H. Bower; eighth corporal, George W. VonNeida; Musicians-Lewis C. Schroyer, and Antes Ulrich.
Privates-Solomon App, Jeremiah App, John F. Bingaman, Asa B. Churchhill, H. J. Doebler, Amantes M. Eby, Daniel Ehrhart, Edward Fisher, W. E. Fausnaucht, George D. Greggs, Jacob Garman, Daniel W. Gross, William Henninger, William H. Herbster, Thomas Herbster, Allen Hassinger, Uriah P. Hafley, Daniel Herbster, John P. Haas, Jeremiah Hathaway, Samuel Jarrett, Jacob Krebs, William S. Keller, Henry Kreamer, Franklin Knarr, Daniel W. Kreamer, Fred H. Knight, Peter Lahr, Daniel D. Lahr, John C. Long, Joseph A. Lumbard, Jacob Lieder, John T. Mark, Elias Millhoff, Louis Millhoff, John Millhoff, Elias Miller, Jeremiah Moyer, John Mull, Reuben Miller, John Matter, William McFall, Isaac A. Knapp, Jacob Nerhood, Elias Noll, George Noaker, Calvin E. Parks, Martin L. Parks, John Reed, Isaac E. Reed, Levi J. Romig, Jacob J. Reigel, Isaac B. Reed, M. S. Schroyer, Henry E. Schreffler, John K. Stuck, James W. Smith, William Spade, Jacob Swab, William Seesholtz, John A. Swartz, Adam S. Sholly, Michael Schoffer, William H. Schaffer, Stephen Templin, Joseph S. Ulsh, James P. Ulrich, Lot Ulrich.
Hardly had we been sworn into service until the body of the first Selinsgrove soldier, who died in the war, was brought home at 4 o’clock that afternoon. The deceased was Henry J. Miller, of Co. F, 131st, P. V. I.
A goodly number of the company marched over to Isaac Miller’s residence, opposite the poorhouse (now the Isle of Que school house) and viewed the corpse.
Next morning, the 13th, we lined up in Market Street near Pine, ready to depart for the front. Before we left Market Street each member of the company was presented with a “housewife,” donated by the ladies of the town. The gift consisted of a sewing kit, and during the time of our service recalled many pleasant recollections.
Headed by the Selinsgrove band we marched to the river and there boarded flats to be ferried across the stream to the Junction, where we were delayed several hours on account of the lateness of the train. It was at that time that the Rev. Messrs Hall, Domer and Parks delivered addresses, and Rev. Domer baptized the company as the “Keystone Guards.” A rather humorous incident occurred when Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Owen, of Hagerstown, Md., then a student in Missionary Institute (now Susquehanna University), delivered an address to us. At the height of his oratory the stones on the mountain side, where he was standing, began to slide, and the young orator made a sudden and unceremonious descent, cutting short his excellent speech.
We boarded the train at Selinsgrove Junction and arrived at Harrisburg in the afternoon of the above date. To the music of drum and fife we marched up Market Street to Third, and from Third to Ridge avenue, out Ridge avenue to Camp Simmons, where we camped.
This was my first visit to Harrisburg, and the march up Market Street and out to camp was one of the proudest days of my life. My age was 19 years and five months. So proud was I that I hardly think General Jackson’s overcoat would have made me a jacket.
