NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF THE 50TH PA VETERAN

MILITARY ORDER OF THE LOYAL LEGION OF THE UNITED STATES – PA COMMANDERY
March, 2013
NOTES ON THE HISTORY
OF THE 50TH PA
VETERAN VOLUNTEERS
by
Companion Ellis Adams, Great Grandson
of
Captain James H. Levan
What Union infantry regiment (1) began its
service with a disaster at sea? (2) missed the
Battle of Gettysburg but still had a prominent
role there? (3) served in 8 different states and 3
separate theaters of the war? (4) had James H.
Levan in its ranks?
Re (1): From recruitment in eastern PA in
1861 to war’s end in 1865, the 50th was on the
move. Starting with the Port Royal campaign
on the southern Atlantic coast, it was then ordered to the 9th Corps for service in Maryland
and Virginia. After Fredericksburg, the 9th
Corps was sent west to support the siege of
Vicksburg and the Knoxville campaign
(thereby missing Gettysburg), and ultimately
returned to the Army of the Potomac for the
battles that led to Appomattox. But the 50th’s
odyssey began with a disaster at sea on its way
south to the Carolina coast. Samuel P. Bates, in
his History of Pennsylvania Volunteers 18611865, summarized that as follows: “On the
19th of October the regiment embarked upon
transports, the right wing, companies A to E
inclusive under command of Colonel Christ on
the Winfield Scott, and the left wing on the
Ocean Queen. On the night of the 1st of November a heavy gale was encountered off Cape
Hatteras, and the Scott, which proved to be an
unseaworthy craft, was in imminent peril. Her
masts were cut away, the freight and camp equipage were thrown overboard, a portion of her
officers and crew deserted her, and everything
was given up for lost. She was finally saved
through the superhuman efforts of the soldiers,
who had been left to their fate without food or
water.”
Re (2) and (3): After marching in the Grand
Review in May 1865, the 50th served as the
honor guard for the July 4, 1865 formal re-
LINCOLN BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATION
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Group Photo Courtesy David Scott
Companions and Guests
Commandery of Pennsylvania
Annual Membership Meeting
1:00 PM, June 9, 2013
Corinthian Yacht Club
Essington, PA
(continued on Page4 -50th PA)
www.loyallegion.pa
MOLLUS LEADERSHIP
PARTICIPATES IN MORIAH
CLEANUP EFFORTS
On a hot August weekend MOLLUS Commander, Adam
Flint, participated with volunteers and Friends of Mount
Moriah Cemetery in a cleanup of neglected plots which includes the Civil War veterans plot originally owned by
MOLLUS.
GETTYSBURG
REMEMBRANCE DAY
CEREMONY AND PARADE
SATURDAY, NOV 17, 2012
The Remembrance Day celebrations, an annual event held in
conjunction with the Gettysburg Address, attracted thousands of people from all over the United States. It offered a
large and diversified schedule of activities and attractions
including presentations by nationally known scholars, living
history performances, exhibits by major artists, awards cere-
Volunteers and Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery participate in a cleanup effort
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The MOLLUS plot was so overgrown with weeds and brush
as to be completely inaccessible. Commander Flint with the
help of a rented “Brush Hog” and a friend was able to clear
much of the brush away. Another work session was planned
Plot before clearing
Plot after clearing
for Saturday, September 22. Many volunteers including students from Villanova University turned out to help. Volunteers are needed in the future, not only for help in the clearing of weeds and brush, but in the researching and documentation of veterans’ grave sites. If you can help, contact Commander Flint at: Adampflint@aol.com.
Commander Adam Flint and Past Commander Joe Coleman
monies, a naturalization ceremony, luncheons, banquets, book signings, orchestral and band music, an illumination at the Soldier's National Cemetery and a parade.
MOLLUS Companions met at the Woolson Monument near
the Cycloramic Center and Ziegler's Grave for a wreath laying ceremony, followed by a parade of Civil War living history and heritage groups. MOLLUS members walked in the
parade as a group with the MOLLUS flag. MOLLUS Companions of the Pennsylvania Commandery were represented
by Commander Adam Flint , Joe Colman, Jim Loudon, Ellis
Adams and Paul Lader.
Call for New Members
Now during the celebrations of the 150th
anniversary of the Civil War is a great time to
interest, brothers, cousins, nephews and
friends in joining MOLLUS as a Hereditary or
Associate member.
Buy that grandson a life membership.
For more information visit the MOLLUS PA
WEB site at loyallegionpa.org
Registrar Bob Lynch makes MOLLUS 2012 Award to NROTC Midshipman3C Daniel Twigg at Carnegie Mellon University .
March, 2013
MOLLUS Members gather at the Gettysburg
Marker for former Companion, John Page Nicholson
1st Row: Tad Cambell, Jim Loudon, Linn Malazink , 2nd Row: Paul Lader, Jerry Carroon, Joe Coleman, Adam Flint, Jeffrey Burden, Rick Bury
Commander Flint Speaks at Ceremony
for John Page Nicholson on Remembrance Day Ceremony
Text of the talk given:
John Page Nicholson was born in Philadelphia in 1842. He
was a second generation bookbinder. His father started the
business, and wrote “A manual of the Art of Bookbinding,”
the first book published in this country about the craft. Until you bound them, you in a sense did not preserve them.
So a pamphlet unbound is just a piece of paper, a pamphlet
bound becomes a book. This idea reflects everything that
Nicholson did,
Nicholson’s homegrown impulse to collect and preserve
stayed with him during his service in the Union Army. He
joined as a private and within a year was promoted to quartermaster of the 28th Pennsylvania Vols. He fought in many
major battles of the eastern theater, including Gettysburg,
before his command was transferred West in 1863. He
made the famous March to the Sea. By the time the war
ended, he earned a 1st lieutenant’s commission and a brevet
to Lt. Col. He organized supplies like wagons, horses and
food …. and moved constantly around the battlefield.
That’s when he started to collect souvenirs like weapons,
badges and accouterments. It was during the war that
Nicholson started sending things home like interesting
relics and memories of the conflict. He would be starting
what would become John’s life long quest.
After the war Nicholson helped establish an association for
his regiment, which allowed the men to come together and
remember what happened during the war. In 1879, he
joined another veterans group, the Military Order of the
Loyal Legion.
MOLLUS had fallen into bureaucratic disarray. But when
Nicholson became its Recorder, he drew on his administrative prowess – corresponding with members, gathering
dues and revived the organization. Nicholson also recast
MOLLUS into a more patriotic group, organizing educational programs and laying wreaths at grave sites. He believed people had the tendency to forget.
Nicholson wanted the war remembered from the time it
began until he died. And so he made it his purpose to help
this happen. He encouraged people to write down, no matter who they had been, what they had done, write down
what they remembered. He wanted that preserved.
These materials provided the seeds for the MOLLUS collection and the War Library (continued on Page 5—Nicholson)
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50TH PA
4
(continued from Page 1)
dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where the
cornerstone of the Soldiers’ Monument was laid. They carried a new regimental flag at the event. On this flag were
embroidered the names of 32 engagements of the 50th, as
spelled on the flag: Port Royal, Beaufort, Port Royal Ferry,
Pocotaligo (SC); White Sulphurs, Bull Run, Centerville,
Chantilly (VA); South Mountain, Antietam (MD); Fredericksburg (VA); Siege Vicksburg, Jackson (MS); Blue
Springs, Houghs Ferry, Lenoir Station, Campbells Station,
Siege of Knoxville (TN) and finally, all in VA: Wilderness,
Ny River, Spottsylvania, North Ann River, Shady Grove,
Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon
R.Rroad, Ream Station, Popler Grove Ch, Hatchers Run,
Fort Steadman, and Petersburg (second time around). The
50th also campaigned in Kentucky, and was briefly billeted
in Ohio and Illinois.
Re (4): Letters home from men in the ranks provide unique
personal insights into the horrors of war. So I’ll elaborate on
(4) by summarizing James H. Levan’s service, and close
with an excerpt from his
letter of May 21, 1864, published in the Pottsville, PA
Miners’ Journal. He served
in the 5th PA Vols as a musician, then enlisted in the
50th as a private in Co. C,
was promoted to sergeant in
Co. C, reenlisted in early
1864, and was promoted
later in 1864 to Captain of
Company I, 50th PA Veteran Volunteers.
Levan
was wounded at Petersburg
but returned to duty. He
came home in 1865 to
Schuylkill County, PA as a
hero, and was active in PA
GAR Post No. 17.
In part, the Official Records describe the May 12, 1864 charge of the 2nd Brigade,
3rd Division, 9th Corps at Spotsylvania as follows: “in front
of the 50th PA, was a dense growth of pine timber difficult to
pass in line of battle…[the Confederates] struck the 50th PA
Vols on the left of this brigade…doubling then [sic] up in the
thick pine woods…A small portion of them, however, rallying
around their colors, gallantly fought their way out”. Here is
the aforementioned excerpt from James Levan’s letter, describing some of his experiences on May 12: “The bayonet
and the butt of the musket were brought into play, for there
was no time to load. They came around us like bees … I
pray that I may never see such a slaughter again. I was
taken prisoner twice before I got out of the woods. The first I
knew of our being surrounded was when I heard someone
say, ‘Surrender you Dammed [sic] Yankee, its [sic] all up
with you’. I looked up and saw a terrible big officer swinging his sword over my head. My blood ran cold. I thought of
the horrors of Libby Prison and then I thought of home. The
last thought gave me courage and strength. So I jumped for
him and took him in the pit of his stomach. I then gave a yell
and started on the run. I thought I was free, when another
greasy Johnny presented his gun in my front, which caused
me to halt. ‘Drop that gun, its all up with you’ he said when
all of a sudden someone took him along side of the head,
which caused him to drop mighty sudden, and away went I
and if I did not do some tall running there is [sic] no snakes.
When I got [to] a clearing I laid down to rest for a few minutes. I then started to hunt up the regiment. I soon found the
Captain of Company B. We got eight men together, when the
Lieut. Colonel came along; we formed a line and rallied the
stragglers.” In closing his letter, after the Wilderness, Nye
River, and Spotsylvania engagements, Levan summarized
the losses in Co. C of the 50th up to May 21st as follows:
“42 men killed and wounded, besides eleven whom we can’t
account for…I am the only sergeant out of five left. The
whole eight corporals are killed or wounded.” He continued, “The regiment is very small. Our loss is 333. The
greater part are from the first five companies. We have left
[sic] but five commissioned officers left for duty in the regiment.”
Imagine the emotions of the folks back home in Pennsylvania reading this letter, fearing daily that the names of their
loved ones might appear in
the next casualty reports.
I’ve toured many venues
where the 50th PA fought,
including the Wilderness and
Spotsylvania. While retracing their footsteps in these
once ravaged landscapes many of them parks shaded
by mature trees, with footpaths, lawns, and barely discernible mounds marking
trench lines - I often think it
could be easy to underrate
what happened there. But a
more perfect Union was
formed here, say the ghostly
voices borne on the breezes
that stir the leaves and ruffle
the lawns. We suffered and
died here so you could walk these paths in peace, and live as
free men and women in a uniquely great nation. The voices
speak the truth. We must never forget.
Jim Loudon
Resigns as Recorder
Jim Loudon announced his plans to resign as Commandery Recorder, a position which he has held
since 2005. Jim has made some world travel plans
for the near future which will preclude him from
effectively fulfilling his duties.
Companion Michael Coleman will assume the responsibilities of that position.
Nicholson (continued from Page 3)
and Museum, established by members in 1888. The Museum became repository for the physical remembrance of
the war, as well as the materials to read and learn about the
war. Nicholson was absolutely essential in that process.
Before the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg,
Nicholson spoke at a meeting of the Loyal Legion. Struggling for words, he talked about the memory of the officers
whose lives he sought to commemorate and the nostalgic
touch of the past. “There is something in the Loyal Legion.
It has been something, it has been more than something, if
you only will call over the names of the original members,
just recalling their names, and the touch of the vanished
hand comes back to you.”
A brief listing of the organizations Nicholson was involved with includes: chairman of the Gettysburg National
Park Commission, president of the Valley Forge Park
Commission, and vice president of the Soldier’s and
Sailor’s Home in Erie. In addition, he was a member of
the GAR and at least 7 other veterans’ and hereditary
groups. But he unquestionably saved his greatest efforts
for MOLLUS. A fellow companion remembered that
when Nicholson became recorder-in-chief, he did so
“when the treasury was empty and embarrassed by
debt.” To rectify those problems, Nicholson embarked
on a massive correspondence campaign, writing companions across the country and urging them to become active
in the order. When Nicholson took over as recorder in
1879, MOLLUS consisted of 8 active commanderies.
From 1879 to 1904, thanks in part to Nicholson’s efforts,
14 more commanderies were chartered.
Companion Andy Waskie, as General Meade,
readies troops at the Philadelphia Union
League for the Lincoln Birthday parade.
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Nicholson died in 1922, at age 79, he was in reality a professional veteran who devoted all of his time to the affairs of former soldiers.
New PA Members over the past year.
John R. Conrad, Hereditary
Alfred C. Carty, Assoc.
William L. Shade, Assoc.
Robert J. Dormer, Hereditary
David A. Scott, Hereditary
Todd Jones, Hereditary
William Olver, Hereditary
Eugene G. Mortoff, Assoc.
Donald Lynch Hereditary
William White, Hereditary
Scott Kerns, MD. Hereditary
Daniel Coleman Bethard, Hereditary Jr. Comp.
Maxwell C. Roccia, Hereditary Jr. Comp/
Companions Ellis Adams (left) and Mitchell
Schmidt participate in Lincoln Birthday Wreath
Laying Ceremonies at Independence Hall.
Photo Courtesy of Capt. Jack Lieberman, Union League
Article and pictures
on
Lincoln Dinner
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MOLLUS PA Companions participate in Wreath Laying Ceremony at Lincoln Memorial.
Past Commander Joe Coleman on far left. Commander Adam Flint not shown. Past Commander Ben Frick rear left.
WIN A MEDAL!
MOLLUS PA Needs Your Help
and Involvement
Awarded to a companion
who brings in three or more
new members within a one
year period.
Write for, edit, do mailings for the Commandery Newsletter
Maintain contacts, organize, plan
ROTC Presentations
Help in contacting and
soliciting new Members
Volunteer at Mount Moriah
Join us for Memorial Services
and laying of wreaths
Contact Commander Flint at:
adampflint@aol.com
Park Day
Remembering Gettysburg
Mount Moriah Cemetery
Saturday, April 6
Park Day, sponsored each year by the Civil War Trust,
the History Channel, and the National Park Service, has
become a tradition within the Civil War history community since 1996. It is a day set aside for volunteers to help
clean up and restore Civil War battlefields, historic sites,
and cemeteries.
On Park Day, April 6, the Friends of Mount Moriah
Cemetery will be hosting their 2nd annual event at one of
the largest cemeteries in Pennsylvania. The cemetery
includes the Soldier’s Home and Cooper Shop burial
plots of 96 Civil War veterans maintained by the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
Another section contains the graves of 404 Civil War
soldiers who died during the war at Philadelphia’s military hospitals.
The Naval Asylum Plot, adjacent to the MOLLUS plot, is
the final resting place of many sailors and marines from
the Civil War, including most of the cemetery’s Medal of
Honor Graves. A “Lost to History” Medal of Honor
grave recently discovered is believed to be that of the first
Navy Medal of Honor recipient.
Registration for the event will begin at 8 AM, Saturday
morning, April 6 (rain date April 13), at the cemetery’s
gate, 6201 Kingsessing Avenue, Philadelphia, PA. Volunteers are requested to dress appropriately: long pants,
long sleeved shirts, and hiking/work shoes. Tools and
work gloves will be provided, and you may also bring
your own power tools or loppers. Volunteers will receive
a Park Day t-shirt and patch. Several guided mini-tours
of historic Civil War graves are planned throughout the
day.
For additional information, please contact Sam Ricks, at
mricks9015@aol.com . Updates will also be posted on
the Internet at www. fo mmc.o r g and at
www.facebook.com/groups/fommc .
MOLLUS PA Historical Documents To Be Featured At New
Heritage Center in the Union
League.
Past commander, Joe Coleman, member of The Board
of Governors of the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia,
reports that work continues in the development of a
first class historically significant museum within the city,
to replace our beloved 1805 Pine Street. The board is
actively pursuing several exciting possibilities for the reestablishment of the museum, focusing on the Independence Hall historical district. MOLLUS PA continued
their support of this effort with a $2500 donation in
2012.
With the closing of 1805 Pine Street, the three dimensional items were taken to a conservation facility in
Carlisle where preservation efforts were undertaken to
stabilize and restore the items before being transferred
to the museum storage facilities at the new visitors center at Gettysburg. All of the books and MOLLUS records were moved to the Historical Society of Philadelphia to be catalogued. The thousands of volumes of
books collected over the years have now been prepared
for placement in the Sir John Templeton Heritage Center of the Abraham Lincoln Foundation at the Union
League. Our MOLLUS archieves are in the final stages
of preparation to be included in the research section of
the Heritage Center and, when completed, will represent one of the finest, if not the finest collection of Civil
War materials anywhere in the country. We are in the
final stages of completing the agreement with the Abraham Lincoln Foundation at the Union League for the
use of the materials. The Union League just started the
final stages of construction efforts to complete its massive project of renovations and upgrades to one of
Philadelphia’s premier institutions.
In mid-June, the Gettysburg Visitors Center will launch
its celebration of the 150th anniversary of the battle.
They will open an exhibit with the centerpiece being
the MOLLUS items belonging to the Civil War Museum
of Philadelphia, not seen in public since the closing of
1805 Pine Street.
Junior Vice Commander and Treasurer, Tee Adams,
requested a transfer to the Commandery of DC. He
will be replaced in his position as Treasurer by Bob
Lynch
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MOLLUS-PA
% Heritage Center
The Union League of Philadelphia
140 S. Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
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Brochures Available
MOLLUS PA Wins
2011-2012
Dougherty-Thompson Cup
The
DoughteryThompson
cup
was awarded by
the Commanderyin-Chief to the
Commandery
with the largest
total increase in
Hereditary Membership for the
2011-2012 Year
Do you know of a local community center or location where spaces are available to display a 9” by 4”
MOLLUS brochure? We can use your help in distributing them. Let Registrar Bob Lynch know and he
will see that you receive a bunch.