MERCER COUNTY PAGenWeb Project


 


 

Statement of Military Service

of Josiah Coulter, Sergeant

Company I, Second Pennsylvania Cavalry

and Pennsylvania Provisional Cavalry

during the Civil War


 

 

 

Josiah Coulter

1839 - 1913

Click to enlarge photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reunion photo Company I, 2nd PA Cavalry

Click to enlarge photo

 

 


 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.

 


Josiah Coulter, son of Robert and Hannah Coulter was born November 25, 1839 in Salem Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania. His roots began in the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania area. His Great grandfather, Archibald Coulter was a land owner of note just after the American Revolutionary War. 

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
Leonard T. Coulter; grandson
Charles W. Coulter; great—grandson
 

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


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