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11th Pennsylvania bearers of state colors

In the History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, ed. by George Dallas Albert, which can be found online, is a complete list of personnel from the 11th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers who carried the state colors during the war. The regiment also carried a flag made by the ladies of Martinsburg which they had presented to the regiment in mid-1861. On 20 November 1861, Governor Curtin presented to the regiment its stand of colors provided by the state, placed in the hands of Sgt. Charles H. Foulke, Co. A, who carried it until 11 Aug '62 when he was accidentally wounded in the foot at Cedar Mountain. Sgt. Robert H. Knox, Co. C, carried it at Rappahannock Station Aug 21-24, Thoroughfare Gap, Aug 28, and at Second Bull Run Aug 30 where he lost his right leg. 1st Sgt Samuel S. Bierer, Co. C, took up the colors but was immediately wounded. Next 2Lt Absalom Schall, Co. C, took them briefly until severely wounded, and Bierer took it again and carried it to Centreville. Daniel Matthews carried it at Chantilly Sep 1, South Mountain Sep 14, and Antietam Sep 15/16 where he was severely wounded. Private William Welty, Co. C, took it but was immediately killed, then Cpl Frederick, Co. C, who was soon severely wounded. The colors lay on the field some time, all of the men around it having been killed or wounded. 2Lt Edward H. Gay, Co. F, found them but fell with two gunshot wounds and bravely passed it to Sgt. Henry Bitner, Co. E until the end of the fight. At Fredericksburg 12/13 December, Cpl John V. Kuhns held the colors until he received three severe wounds. Cyrus W. Chambers, Co. C, took them but was killed, then Cpl John W. Thomas, Co. C, who fell severely wounded. Capt Benjamin F. Haines, Co. B, brought the colors off the field. Cpl John H. McKalip, Co. C, carried them Apr 30 to May 5 1863 at Chancellorsville, and the first day at Gettysburg, 1 Jul, where he was severely wounded in a charge on Iverson's NC Brigade. The flag fell among some bushes and was found by Private Michael Kepler, Co. D, who carried it the rest of the fight and at Mine Run Dec 1. In April '64, Kepler being sick and absent, they were carried by Cpl J. J. Lehman, Co. D May 5/6 at the Wilderness and May 8 at Spotsylvania when he was killed. 2Lt McCuthen, Co. F, brought it off the field. An unidentified bearer held them until wounded at Spotsylvania on May 12. Then Cpl William Matthews carried them for the rest of the war (North Anna, Cold Harbor, Bethesda Church, in front of Petersburg, Weldon RR, Hickford Raid Dec '64, Hatcher's Run and Dabney's Mills Feb 6/7 1865, Quaker Road, White Oak Ridge, Five Forks, and Appomattox), until his discharge May 28, 1865. John C. Scheurman, Co. A held them until the regiment was mustered out July 7, 1865, when they were delivered to the State authorities in Harrisburg, and on July 4, 1866, the state colors were formally returned to the Governor at Philadelphia, upon occasion of the public return of all the state flags.

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