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THE FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT

UNITED STATES <DW52> TROOPS.


GETTYSBURG:
J. E. WIBLE, PRINTER, NORTH-EAST CORNER OF THE DIAMOND.
1866.




INTRODUCTION.


No apology can be necessary for the publication of the following
pages, as it is no unworthy or mercenary object they seek to obtain.
They have been elicited by request of numerous friends of the officers
of this regiment and of the <DW52> troops, designed for their own
use; and their object is not simply to give succinct statements of
individual military history, or of any single command of the 
Troop, but to furnish, also, at the same time, an unanswerable
argument on the subject of this Troop, as an element in the military
service on the side of Freedom and the Union; their extraordinary good
discipline, efficiency and bravery, and the fact that they are very
susceptible of intellectual and moral culture. We present it in
compliance with the request that has been made, subservient to this
purpose.

    J. M. MICKLEY,
    _late Chaplain of the Regiment_.




COMMISSIONED OFFICERS

FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT

UNITED STATES <DW52> TROOPS,

INCLUDING A BRIEF HISTORY OF THEIR MILITARY CAREER.


BREVET BRIG. GEN. S. B. YEOMAN.

This officer, formerly Colonel Commanding this Regiment, is a native
of Washington, Ohio. His great-grand-father, James Yeoman, served
with distinction as a Captain in the war of the Revolution, and his
grand-father as a First Lieutenant in the war of 1812.

Before entering the United States service the General was a sea-man,
whose experience of nautical life extends over a decade of years. He
started as a sailor before the mast at fifteen years of age. His first
voyage was on a whaling expedition of three years in the ship
"Alexander," which was wrecked on the South Island of New Zealand. The
boats, to which all fled for safety, became unmanageable; and not
until after suffering great hardships on the deep, he with a few
others were accidentally rescued. After this he made several voyages
to South America, Asia and Africa; and returned shortly before the
outbreak of the Rebellion. He at once determined to remain and
identify himself with the cause of the Union and its Free
Institutions.

He volunteered as a PRIVATE in Co. F. 22nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry
April 20th 1861, and was afterwards appointed First Sergeant of his
Company. With this command he continued in Western Virginia, under
General Rosencrans until it was discharged by reason of expiration
of term of service. At home he immediately commenced the work of
Recruiting; and returned again to the field September 15th 1861 as
CAPTAIN of Co. A. 54th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

At Corinth, General Yeoman, then a Captain, was particularly selected
by Maj. General Sherman, to take command of ten picked men, and with
these to penetrate the Rebel lines in order to ascertain their forces,
and more especially the movements they were inaugurating. The task was
a perilous one; but he accomplished it with entire success, returning
with very valuable information, for which he obtained the hearty
thanks of the General in command and of the Department.

While gallantly in the discharge of duty he has received the following
wounds, viz.: In the battle of Shiloh, April 6th and 7th 1862,
slightly wounded in the breast and left leg; in the battle of Russell's
House, June 1862, wounded again in left leg; wounded in arm and
abdomen on different occasions on the picket line; in the battle of
Arkansas Post, January 10th and 11th, 1863, while in command of his
Regiment, severely wounded by a shell in right arm, almost entirely
severing the arm below the elbow. Amputation became necessary
immediately on the field; and after this he was conveyed to a Hospital
Boat on the Mississippi River, and finally reached home. For his
distinguished services he was appointed Major of his Regiment, but
such was the condition of his wound that any attempt to return to the
field was considered unadvisable, and he, therefore, respectfully
declined the promotion. He resigned on account of his serious loss.
This officer won an estimable name in his services with the Western
Army.

He was appointed Captain in the Veteran Reserve Corps, Commanding 6th
Co. 2nd Battalion, on duty in Cincinnati. In May 1864, he received
from the President of the United States the appointment of COLONEL of
this Regiment. Instead of reporting immediately to the command, he was
detailed by order of the War Department to Camp Casey, Virginia, as
_Superintendent of Recruiting Service_ and _Chief Mustering officer of
North East District of Virginia_. He continued in this office until
November 29th, 1864, when he rejoined this Regiment in the field, then
on the Bermuda Front, Virginia. He led this command in all the actions
after that date, including the triumphant capture of Richmond, April
3d, 1865. He has also been _Commanding Officer of 3d Brigade 1st
Division 25th Corps_.

He was promoted by the President of the United States to BREVET
BRIGADIER GENERAL OF VOLUNTEERS, "for gallant and meritorious
services during the war," to rank as such from the 15th day of March,
1865.

The following are engagements in which he has actively participated,
viz.: Shiloh, April 6th and 7th, 1862; Russell's House, June, 1862;
Easel's House, June, 1862; heavy skirmish at Corinth, July, 1862;
heavy skirmish at Holly Springs, July, 1862; Chickasaw Bayou, (lasting
six days,) December, 1862; Arkansas Post, January 10th and 11th, 1863;
siege of Vicksburg, July, 1863; capture of Richmond, April 3d, 1865
and in, at least, fifteen other different skirmishes not mentioned in
the above.

BREVET BRIGADIER GENERAL YEOMAN is an officer of ability and
experience in the active service, who has greatly distinguished
himself in action. He now carries the empty sleeve of his right arm as
the unmistakable mark of his devotion and valor.


BREVET COL. H. SEYMOUR HALL.

BREVET COLONEL H. SEYMOUR HALL, formerly Lieutenant Colonel
of this Regiment, and a native of Providence, Saratoga county New
York, is the only son of a very patriotic widow. His grand-father,
Moses Hall, was a soldier of the Revolution of 1776, and served his
country during the entire period of that eventful struggle. The
Colonel was pursuing a Scientific course in Genesee College, New York,
when the intelligence of the Rebel guns against Sumpter was
communicated to the North. With others of his collegiate companions he
immediately tendered his services to the Country, and was enlisted
April 24th, 1861, as a volunteer PRIVATE in Co. G. 27th
Regiment New York Volunteers, which Regiment was first commanded by
Colonel, now Major General Slocum, whose successor in the command was
Lieutenant Colonel, now Major General J. J. Bartlett. Upon the
organization of the Company he was chosen ENSIGN. He
afterwards was appointed SECOND LIEUTENANT, and then promoted
to CAPTAIN.

In the battle of Gaines' Hill, June 27th, 1862, he received a wound in
his left thigh by a musket ball. On account of his distinguished
services in that engagement he is specially spoken of by the
commanding officer of his Brigade, who in submitting names of officers
whose good conduct and gallantry, particularly in that action,
deserved mention, states: "H. Seymour Hall, Captain of Co. G. 27th New
York Volunteers, for coolness and intrepidity in the battle of Gaines'
Hill; and for displaying the traits of a good officer at all times."

January 15th, 1863, he became _Acting Assistant Inspector General_
on the staff of Brigadier General Bartlett, commanding 2nd Brigade
1st Division 6th Corps; and for his services in the battles of
Chancellorsville