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Statement of Military Service of Josiah Coulter, Sergeant Company I, Second Pennsylvania Cavalry and Pennsylvania Provisional Cavalry during the Civil War |
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Josiah Coulter 1839 - 1913
Reunion photo Company I, 2nd PA Cavalry
Josiah Coulter is buried in Porters Corners Cemetery |
Information compiled by William H. Coulter, Leonard T. Coulter and Charles W. Coulter. Submitted by Charles W. Coulter. Names in the document are highlighted.
Military records show that Josiah Coulter was enrolled
October 8, 1861 at Meadville, Pennsylvania and was mustered in January
21, 1862 to date November 26, 1861 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as a
private, Company I, 59th Regiment, Second Pennsylvania Cavalry to serve
three years. In May of 1862 he was listed
as being on detached duty with the 1st New York Artillery at Capital
hill in Washington. He was promoted to Corporal on
November 1, 1862 and was honorably discharged
December 16, 1863 to enable him to re-enlist. He re-enlisted as a
Veteran Volunteer in the same Company and Regiment. He was promoted to
Sergeant December 8, 1864. He was mustered out and honorably discharged
July 13, 1865 at Clouds Mill, Virginia, as of Company I, First
Pennsylvania Provisional Cavalry to which transferred by consolidation
as a Sergeant. Josiah
Coulter’s first battle was at Cedar Mountain on August 9,
1862, followed by the Second Battle of Bull Run where he had a horse
shot out from under him.
He was in two days of fighting on August 29
and 30. On the
night of the 30th, the 59th Regiment held the famous Stone Bridge at
Centreville, Virginia. He then did scout work and was in several
skirmishes. His regiment took part in the Battle of Chancellorsville,
Virginia on May 2 and 3, 1863. On July 1, 1863 he arrived at
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and was assigned as a guard at General Meade’s
headquarters. He
claimed to have fought on his Great Grandfathers farm which
was between the union lines at Gettysburg and the cavalry battlefield.
On July 3rd at 24:00HR his regiment was sent with 2500 prisoners to
Westminster, Virginia, returning on July 5. On July
7th they want across the Potomac River into Virginia. He was listed as
being ill at Finley Hospital in Washington during July and August of
1863. On December 18, 1863 he was honorably
discharged to enable him to re-enlist. He re-enlisted in the same
company and regiment receiving a veteran’s furlough. He returned to his home and
was married to Beulah Williams,
eldest daughter of John and
Margaret Williams on February 21, 1864. She was born in
Greenwood township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania on December 19, 1841. He returned to his regiment
and fought in the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5th through 12th
during which time his regiment flanked the enemy between the Wilderness
and Richmond, Virginia tearing up rail lines and retreating towards the
James River. They participated in the Battle of Spotsylvania, Virginia
on May 12 to 21, fighting more or less for fourteen days before
reaching gun boats on the James River. After the Battle of Cold Harbor
on July 12 the next battle was Petersburg, Virginia. After fighting for
one day and in the thick of the battle at Petersburg, on July 12, 1864
his squad was fighting near a swampy stream trying to cross a bridge
ahead of the rebels. In a dash all except Josiah Coulter made it. His
horse was killed and he received a leg injury. He tried to "fake" an
appearance of being dead but the rebels examined him to see where he
was hit, found him alive and took him prisoner on July 12, 1864, at
Lees Mill. His muster sheets show him taken prisoner at Reams Station.
He had received five slight wounds and had participated in eight
battles end eleven skirmishes. The prison records show he was
first taken to Libby Prison at Richmond, Virginia and was there one
day, July 14, 1864. From there he was taken to Andersonville Prison
arriving July 16, 1864. He was then transferred to Millen Prison on
November 13 and to Savannah, Georgia where he was exchanged November
26, 1864 at the mouth of the Savannah River. There he took a ship for
Camp Parole near Annapolis, Maryland taking seven days for the trip. It was one of these injuries
in the back of the leg which served to benefit him in gaining his
release from prison and subsequent exchange. While at Andersonville he and
others attempted to tunnel out of the prison, using a broken case knife to cut away
roots as “large as a man's leg,” and a pant leg
to carry away the sand. They had tunneled under the stockade and had
started toward the surface when the prisoner exchange was made.
Josiah Coulter faked a contracted leg cord caused by his wound. An old
prisoner gave him a staff and bandages and helped in getting Josiah
Coulter released. Josiah
Coulter was highly esteemed by his comrades and was counted a good
soldier and a hard fighter. Again arriving home December
19, 1864 he weighed only 92 pounds. When taken prisoner he weighed 175
pounds. After recuperating he again started for his regiment getting as
far as Washington when General Lee surrendered his army on April 9,
1865. On April 13, 1865 he was sent to Camp Distribution, Virginia. He
received an honorable discharge at Clouds Mill Virginia on July 17,
1865. He established his home in
Greenwood Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, raising a family of
five girls and four boys. He was a charter member of the Elijah
Thompson G.A.R. Post No. 417 of Sheakleyville, Pennsylvania, organized
in the fall of 1883, receiving their charter April 2, 1884. He died May 13, 1913 and is
interred, along with his wife who died September 18, 1919, at Porters
Corners cemetery east of Atlantic, Pennsylvania. Information compiled by: William H. Coulter; son War Department letter of June
11,1937 A.G, 201 Coulter, Josiah (8-3-37)
ORD WAR DEPARTMENT; Adjutant
Generals Office Statement of the Military
Service of JOSIAH COULTER By authority of the Secretary
of War Lutz Wahl Major General The Adjutant General Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Military Affairs Harrisburg, Pa. Dated July 1,
1937 D/s RE: Coulter, Josiah |
