Independent Engineers
Company C
Pennsylvania Volunteers

AUTHORITY for recruiting this Company was issued by the War Department, on the 2d of June, 1862 and on the 9th of August it was organized and mustered into service, at Camp Struthers, Philadelphia, with the following officers:
  • Henry E. Wrigley, Captain
  • Albert S. White, First Lieutenant
  • William Penn Gaskill, Second Lieutenant
It was composed of skilled artizans, comprising in its ranks a party of sailors, of blacksmiths, and of carpenters, and among its non-commissioned officers accomplished draftsmen and mathematicians. For the transportation of its out-fit of tools, forges, machinery, and material, six army wagons were required. The men were armed with short earbines, which were kept constantly slung across the back, even when at work.

Soon after its organization, it was transferred to Washington, where it reported to General Barnard, and was assigned to duty upon the fortifications on the Virginia shore, under the immediate command of General Whipple. While on duty here, six miles of defenses, stretching from Chain Bridge southward to Fort Albany, near Alexandria, besides detached works, were constructed. Into these defenses General Pope's army retired after the second battle of Bull Run, and found ample protection behind their well planned and elaborately constructed folds. The advance rebel cavalry, after pushing on and penetrating as far as the Leesburg Road, was stopped by the fire of the artillery from behind the epaulement, into which field batteries could wheel and completely rake every approach and ravine.

After the battle of Antietam, the Company joined the army at Harper's Ferry, and in the advance through Loudon Valley, re-built a number of bridges along the turnpike, which had been destroyed by the enemy on his retreat. On reaching Lovettsville, it was ordered back to Harper's Ferry, to re-build the suspension bridge across the Shenandoah River at that point, and to construct defensive works on Maryland Heights. Early in December, Lieutenant White succeeded to the command of the Company, Captain Wrigley having been transferred to the corps of Topographical Engineers. When the head of the rebel army made its appearance before Harper's Ferry, on its way for the invasion of Pennsylvania, all the bridges in the neighborhood, which the enemy could use were destroyed, besides much government property, to prevent its falling into his hands, after which the Company proceeded to Washington, and reported at the headquarters of the Engineer Brigade.

Not long afterwards, the rebel army returned, crestfallen from Gettysburg, and re-crossed the Potomac, and the Company was ordered back to Harper's Ferry, and placed in charge of the pontoon train of the Potomac. When the Eleventh and Twelfth corps were transferred to the Army of the West, a detachment of this Company was sent to lay a pontoon bridge across the Ohio, opposite Belleair, over which the troops passed. The headquarters of the Company remained at Harper's Ferry during the remainder of its term, though detachments were kept out in charge of pontoon trains at different points along the Potomac and further west, during a greater portion of the time, one squadron remaining nearly eight months at Fairmount, and another for several weeks at Clarksburg.

The Company was mustered out of service at Harper's Ferry, on the 20th of June, 1865.

Name
Rank
Date of Muster
into Service
Remarks
George W. Durell Captain September 24, 1861 Discharged September 23, 1864, expiration of term
Henry E. Wrigley Captain August 9, 1862 Discharged November 28, 1862
Albert S. White Captain August 9, 1862 Promoted from 1st Lieutenant, December 16, 1862; died at Philadelphia, Pa., March 29, 1863
Wm. Penn Gaskill Captain August 9, 1862 Promoted from 2d to 1st Lt., December 16, 1862; to Captain, March 30, 1863; discharged on Surgeon's Certificate, July 5, 1864
Samuel C. Smith Captain August 9, 1862 Promoted to 1st Lt., March 30, 1863; to Captain, August 19, 1864; discharged by General Order, July 10, 1865
Thomas Greist 1st Lt. August 9, 1862 Promoted to 2d Lt., March 30, 1863; to 1st Lt., August 19, 1864; discharged by General Order, July 10, 1865
John Weir 2 Lt. August 9, 1862 Promoted from 1st Sergeant, August 19, 1864; mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Daniel Ross 1st Sergeant August 12, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Christopher C. Carr Sergeant August 8, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
John Wilson Sergeant July 28, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Williani Clifford Sergeant July 28, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
S. H. Cunningham Sergeant February 24, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Charles Gill Sergeant February 29, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Bickett Hutton Sergeant February 29.'64 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Thomas H. Jones Sergeant February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
William M. M'Minn Sergeant February 26, 64 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
George King Sergeant July 1, 1862 Captured at Falling Waters, Va., July 4, 1864
Wm. J. M'Cluskey Sergeant October 1, 1862 Promoted to 2d Lt., Regiment U. S. Colored Troops, October 28, 1864; mustered out, October 7, 1865
C. W. Hedenber Sergeant July 7, 1862 Died at Philadelphia, Pa., December 13, 1862
Randall C. Wood Corporal August 12, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Joshua L. Given Corporal August 12, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Arthur R. Lewis Corporal August 12, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Win. S. Bockius Corporal July 2, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
David P. Sheeler Corporal October 1, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
William Ross Corporal August 8, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Charles P. Jordan Corporal July 7, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Joseph W.Valentine Corporal June 21, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Wm. R. Bradford Corporal February 13, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Wm. C. Broomell Corporal February 24, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
James H. Buck Corporal February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Jeremiah T. Griest Corporal February 24, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
John Hillis. Corporal February 26, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Jacob Robbins Corporal February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
James Soper Corporal February 26.'64 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Thomas West Corporal February 2, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
John Ross Corporal July 31, 1862 Deserted August 20, 1862
Charles Jaggars Musician July 7, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Jacob S. Charles Musician July 7, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Airgood, George W. Private February 24, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Allbright, John G. Private February 26, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Allbright, Harry L. Private October 1, 1862 Deserted October, 1862
Brookly, John Private August 6, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Bard, Charies W. Private February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Beam, Thomas Private February 3, 1865 Discharged by General Order. July 11, 1865
Brown, George Private February 10, 1865 Deserted February 20, 1865
Borbidge, Thos. W. Private June 10, 1862 Deserted August 8, 1862
Baten, William H. Private June 26, 1862 Deserted, date unknown
Bowers, John Private July 15, 1862 Deserted October 22, l862
Burk, James Private July 9, 1862 Deserted August 8, 1862
Creamer, James Private July 25, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Cooper, Alpheus C. Private March 8, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Cooper, Granville C. Private February 24, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Cooper, Lewis K. Private February 24, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Cooper, Thomas L. Private March 8, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Campbell, William Private August 8, 1862 Deserted March, 1863
Cowden, Jerome W. Private July 7, 1862 Deserted September 17, 1862
Cubbler, Martin Private July 23, 1862 Deserted November 24, 1862
Daily, Joseph Private July 25, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Day, George Private August 8, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Dwyer, Michael Private June 28, 1862 Discharged October, 1862
David, John Private July 25, 1862 Died at Harper's Ferry, Va., November 2, 1862
Dobleman, John P. Private August 9, 1862 Deserted September 17, 1862
Engle, Samuel Private July 19, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Edwards, William Private August 8,`62 Died at Philadelphia, Pa., March 8, 1863
Fahrbach, Gottleib Private August 12, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Fahrbach, Jacob Private July 24, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Farris, Robert Private August 12, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Ferry, Samuel B. Private July 1, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Fisher, John Private August 8, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Ford, Dennis Private July 26, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Fraim, Isaac B. Private August 12, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Fraim, William W. Private August 8, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Fraim, Hamilton Private August 11, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Fries, Joseph Private July 12, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Fulton, Lewis D. Private August 8, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Farnsworth, W. C. Private February 16, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Finley, Charles Private February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Fury, James Private February 11, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Fayant, Joseph Private June 28, 1862 Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, date unknown
Foster, Samuel Private August 11, 1862 Died at Harper's Ferry, Va., October 27, 1864
Fizone, Mordecai Private July 19, 1862 Deserted August 8, 1862
Guinn, Malcolm Private July 2, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Gilliland, John Private February 24, 1864 Absent, sick, at muster out
Harper, John F. L. Private July 3, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Harrison, William Private July 9, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Hillsley, Horatio Private August 11, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Hall, John A. Private March 8, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Hamilton, Thos. F. Private February 24, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Harlan, Thomas W. Private February 29, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Harman, Geo. W. Private March 8, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Hallowell, Joshua Private February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Horn, Joseph T. Private February 3, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Hutton, Gilpin O. Private February 29, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Halfman, William Private August 7, 1862 Discharged, date unknown
Harrison, Abraham Private February 11, 1865 Discharged by General Order, June 6, 1865
Herb, George Private July 21, 1862 Deserted September 24, 1862
Hollingsworth, Jas. Private June 23, 1862 Deserted July 4, 1862
Hunter, Charles W. Private July 12, 1862 Deserted August 7, 1862
Jaggars, William Private July 21, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Jenkins, Joseph H. Private June 20, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Jones, Isaac Private August 9, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Jones, Samuel Private August 2, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Jordan, Harmon Private February 11, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Jones, John Private August 2, 1862 Deserted October 10, 1862
Jones, Harry Private October 1, 1862 Not on muster-out roll
Kain, Hamilton H. Private February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Keller, George Private February 11, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Kemble, John W. Private February 16, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Kinckiner, Simon Private February 11, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Linker, John Private July 9, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Locke, Henry C. Private June 24, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Lambert, William Private February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Leech, John F. Private February 16, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Linker, John D. Private February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, June 23, 1865
Laurenz, John Private July 25, 1862 Deserted, date unknown
Long, Jasper Private July 21, 1862 Deserted August 1. 1862
Love, John Private July 5, 1862 Deserted, date unknown
Mattson, James P. Private July 8, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Mey, John Private July 17, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Martin, Allen Private February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Moore, Jesse Private July 12, 1862 Deserted August 1, 1862
Murphy, William Private February 23, 1864 Deserted, date unknown
M'Kinley, William Private July 19, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
M'Guigan, John A. Private February 16, 1864 Died at Frederick, Md., September 16, 1864
M'Kenna, Patrick Private February 22, 1864 Deserted, date unknown
Nell, Joseph Private August 12, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Peherdy, Enhrim Private July 14, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Peters, Henry Private July 19, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Printz, Abraham Private August 11, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Phillips, John T. Private March 8, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Powers, James H. Private March 5, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Pratt, Joseph T. Private August 14, 1862 Commissioned 2d Lt., December 24, 1862, not mustered; promoted to Captain, Company A, 32d U. S. Colored Regiment, March 4, 1864
Rapine, John Private February 11, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Ritter, Franklin Private February 3, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Roberts, George V. Private February 24, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Roberts, Joseph J. Private February 24, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Rowe, Jacob Private March 5, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Richards, Fred'k. Private July 22, 1862 Deserted August 5, 1865
Scanlan, Timothy Private June 20, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Seabold, Lewis Private August 9, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Shoesmith, James Private August 7, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Spratt, David Private August 6, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Steel, David E. Private July 15, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Shorer, William Private February 16, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Shinners, Luke Private February 11, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Smedley, Francis Private February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Smoker, Jacob K. Private March 5, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Stilfield, Thomas Private February 11, 1865 Discharged by General Order, June 23, 1865
Stiff, William F. Private February 29, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Sampsel, Benjamin Private February 13, 1865 Discharged by General Order, May 31, 1865
Shoesmith, Thos. Private August 7, 1862 Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, date unknown
Schneider, William Private July 19, 1862 Deserted August 5, 1862
Siesel, Moritz Private June 28, 1862 Deserted March 3, 1863
Smith, John Private August 4, 1862 Deserted September 20, 1862
Stout, Edward Private August 8, 1862 Deserted August 11, 1862
Tallon, John Private July 29, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Teaf, William H. Private August 11, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Thomas, John Private August 5, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Tracy, John Private July 19, 62 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Travis, Thomas J. Private February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Thompson, Charles Private August 9, 1862 Deserted August 19, 1862
Valentine, Davis Private June 21, 1862 Mustered out with Company, June 20, 1865
Vanhorn, Thomas Private February 4, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Waters, Joseph Private July 7, 1862 Mustered out with cormpany, June 20, 1865
West, Alexander Private February 24, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Wallace, Wm. H. Private February 24, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Wringer, Bernard Private February 11, 1864 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Ward, John M. Private August 11, 1862 Discharged by General Order, May 10, 1865
Waldenberger, Jno. Private July 24, 1862 Deserted August 19, 1862
Wilson, James Private July 10, 1862 Deserted August 19, 1862
Wrigley, Horatio N. Private September 17, 1862 Not on muster-out roll
Young, Alfred W. Private February 10, 1865 Discharged by General Order, July 11, 1865
Zimmerman, Peter Private July 23, 1862 Deserted November 19, 1862

Source:  Bates, Samuel P. History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg, 1868-1871.

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