Openly White Supremacist Union Soldiers Identified, 1866

On July 24, 1866, the Harrisburg Patriot printed a petition with the names of Union veterans who had signed it, that called for a convention of returning soldiers at Harrisburg to select fourteen delegates in support of Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Heister Clymer and President Andrew Johnson. The wording of the petition clearly noted that the support for Clymer meant that those who signed it “opposed the doctrine of negro equality and suffrage.” All the soldiers who signed the petition were from Dauphin County and in most cases their rank and the company and regimental unit were included. Many of the soldiers were from the Upper Dauphin County area.

Much research still needs to be done on the individuals who signed the petition to determine the extent of their white supremacist beliefs, including whether they changed their views later in life. For some of the individuals, posts have been published on the Civil War Blog, and will be re-published here in the weeks to come.

The petition wording and the names of the signatories:

DAUPHIN COUNTY CLYMER AND JOHNSON SOLDIERS’ CONVENTION

The undersigned honorably discharged Union soldiers, believing that we battled in the late war for the Union of these States, and had successfully maintained it, view with alarm the persistent efforts of radical men who seem determined, practically, to destroy the Union we went forth to save.  They would have the community believe that Union soldiers are willing to give up in the hour of victory the great object to whom their sacrifices and toil and blood were given,  This persistent misrepresentation must be rebuked.  We again fall into line until the Union of these States is completely restored. 

Therefore, we unite in requesting all the honorably discharged officers, soldiers and seamen of Dauphin County who favor the wise and constitutional policy of President Johnson, who opposed the doctrine of negro equality and suffrage, and desire the election of Hon. Heister Clymer to meet in Mass Convention at the Democratic Club Room, Walnut Street below Third, Harrisburg, at 7 1/2 o’clock, on the evening of the 25th day of July, for the purpose of electing fourteen delegates to the Convention of Union Soldiers, which is to assemble in his city on Wednesday, August 1st.

  • Edward P. Lescure, private, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Henry McGowan, private, Company F, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • James Forster, corporal, 78th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • James Henry, private, Company B, 45th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Peter Gardner, private, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Charles Woodall, quartermaster sergeant, 12th P. R. C.
  • Aaron Kincate, private, Company D, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • J. R. Weaver, corporal, Company E, 12th P. R. C.
  • H. D. Snyder, private, Company M, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • George H. Neuer, private, Company B, 12th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Oliver B. Millhouse, sergeant, 76th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John Stormfeltz, private, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Levi S. Grubb, private, 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Charles B. Creamer, private, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Benjamin Lundy, private, Company G, 55th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • F. O. Whitman, sergeant, Company I, 93rd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Samuel C. Miller, sergeant, Company D, 78th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John Rupp, private, Company F, 87th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • A. T. Goodman, private, Company A, 150th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • G. L. Rodgers, private, Company B, 50th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John W. Gelbaugh, private, Company B, 184th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Albert Loy, private, Company A, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Laldeman Hantz, private, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • William H. Wennel, private, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry & Company G, 55th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • J. W. Pelan, private, Company H, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Augustus Milhouse, private, Company G, 55th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Charles Wollerton, private, Company E, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • George Wolford, private, Company B, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • George W. Weist, private, Company B, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Jacob Rupp, private, Company B, 127h Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • B. F. Palmer, commissary sergeant, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • John Brinninger, private, 19th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • John Geiger, private, Company K, 6th P. R. C.
  • C. MacDowell, 2nd lieutenant, 84th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • F. B. Fehleisen, private, Company F, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Edward W. Glover, private, Company F, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • J. Edward Fought, private, Company A, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Louis P. Chester, private, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Luther R. Chester, private, Company G, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry
  • Edward Colder, private, Company G, 55th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Charles Oxburrow, private, Company H, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • J. S. Cramp, Company A, 1st Engineer Corps
  • John McWilliams, sergeant, Company F, 127th Pennsylvania.
  • James E. Corl, private, Company B. 87th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Frazier Clendenn, corporal, Company A, 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • William F. Bostick, corporal, Company K, 5th Pennsylvania Reserves.
  • Levi Heinn, private, Company D, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • D. H. Mumma, sergeant, Company E, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Henry A. Swartz, corporal, Company G, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • George W. Heller, corporal, Company I, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Edward W. Heller, 3rd assistant ensign, U. S. Navy.
  • Lewis Abel, seaman.
  • Theodore Wollerton, private, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Albert Loy, corporal, Company F, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • S. R. Dunlap, private, Company B, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • George W. Adams, sergeant, Company E, 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • James McCroskey, private, Company D, 47th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Christian Kline, private, Company F, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Herman Buehler, private, Company I, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • C. K. Dumars, corporal, Company I, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Theodore G. Thomas, private, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • James A. Jack, private, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • W. G. Reese, corporal, Company F, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Peter Fitzpatrick, sergeant, Company D, 78th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • B. F. Schefler, corporal, Company I, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Garrett Murphy, private, Company A, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John M. Doran, private, Company E, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Samuel M. Ebersole, corporal, Company E, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John S. Olsen, private, Company A, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • William H. Hipple, private, Company A, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • M. B. Black, private, Company A, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Samuel M. Hammill, lieutenant, Company D, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Alfred Bomgardner, private, Company D, 125th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • James F. Pond, fireman, U. S. Gunboat Louisiana.
  • William Shiffler, private, Company E, 194th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • George G. Egle, corporal, Company E, 15th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Frank Dean, private, Company I, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Reuben S. Reed, lieutenant, Company D, 101st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Chalres H. Sollers, private, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John P. Humphrey, private, Company K, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Samuel H. Hantz, private, Company E, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Charles A. Wilhelm, private, Company E, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • J. Mant Thomas, lieutenant, 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Jacob Smith, private, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Frederick Yingst, lieutenant, 194th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • LaRue Lemur, sergeant, Company A, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Patrick Finnigan, private, 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Philip Dorsey, private, Company I, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Thomas Forster, private, Company F, 127th Pennsylvania.
  • William D. Carson, lieutenant, Company B, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Thomas F. Mahoney, captain, Company F, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Andrew C. Woodall, private, Company G, 55th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Sobieski Leib, private, Company D, 78th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • William F. McCoy, private, Company E, 1st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • C. E. Barge, private, Company E, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • S. S. Davis, sergeant, 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Daniel Fester, private, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Charles McCarroll, private, Company K, 2nd Pennsylvania Artillery
  • Edward Stevens, private, Company D, 12th Pennsylvania Reserves.
  • J. Kacy, captain, Company H, 47th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • S. Murray Mitchell, lieutenant, Company D, 78th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John A. Hiltner, corporal, Company H, 133rd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • William Feist, private, Company D, 194th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Harry Gebhardt, private, Company D, 128th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Harry Grozier, U.S. Ship J. F. Chapman.
  • Augustus Banker, private, Company I, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • W. S. Hall, U.S. supply ship National Guard.
  • William D. Knighton, sergeant, Company D, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • E. Asbury Awl, colonel, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Edward L. Witman, colonel, 210th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John Gottschall, adjutant, 55th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • William McCarroll, captain, Company H, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • George W. Myers, lieutenant, Company G, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Mark T. Cash, lieutenant, Company C, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • J. Wesley Awl, lieutenant colonel, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John Bell, captain, Company I, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Albert J. Fager, lieutenant, Company B, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John H. Sweeny, private, Company A, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Godfrey Sammet, 2nd lieutenant, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • C. E. McFarland, private, Company D, 46th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • George T. Leebrick, private, Company D, 46th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Samuel Hamilton, private, Company E, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • John H. Shammo, 2nd lieutenant, Company E, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • C. D. Waldron, private, Company E, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • John S. Bottomstone, private, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John Prowdfoot, private, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Hanson Bottomstone, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John Hamilton, private, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • W. H. Meck, private, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John M. Brubaker, Company E, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Charles H. Geist, private, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Joseph M. Boyer, private, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Luther Pike, private, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Henry Smith, private, Company E, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • C. Zimmerman, private, Company I, 46th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Jacob Wanbough, private, Company D, 46th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Joseph Loudermilch, private, Company D, 46th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • William A. Loomis, private, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Joseph Sheits, private, Company D, 46th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Daniel Reisch, private, Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Joseph H. Snyder, private, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Joseph Simmers, private, 93rd Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Andrew Stipe, private, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Daniel Laughman, private, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • John Core, sergeant, 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • H. H. Parson, private, 210th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • S. H. Milligan, private, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Hamilton Sheaffer, private, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Jacob McKinney, private, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Lewis Wilson, musician, 195th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John H. Luis, private, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Leander Sanders, private, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Washington Stipe, private, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • Franklin Tulley, private, Company I, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Christian Gembe, private, Company K, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Frank Gembe, private, Company K, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John Geiger, private, Company K, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John Nagle, private, Company K, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John A. Gembe, musician, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Harry Kepple, private, Company H, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • James Toomey, private, Company C, 2nd Pennsylvania Reserves.
  • James F. Lowe, corporal, Company G, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • William Jay, private, Company E, 201st Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • John McAfee, private, Company K, 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
  • William Blessing, private, Battery F, 1st Pennsylvania Artillery.
  • Harry Goodheart, private, 128th Pennsylvania Infantry.
  • Solomon Martin, private, Company D, 49th Pennsylvania Infantry.

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Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.