Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/486

 COI.UMBIA A.D MOKTOUR COUNTIES a volunteer company, and w as there chosen and commissioned captain o f Company A, 6th Pennsylvania Reserves. H is subs^uent promol ions for gallant services, worthy o f spe­ cial note, in the three years o f his arm y life gained him considerable renown and were a credit to the State. A fte r the battle o f A n ­ tictam he was promoted to m ajor, Sept. 2 t, i 8 6 i; after Fredericksburg to lieutenant colo­ nel. M ay 1. i8(>j. to rank from March 26th; a fte r Gettysburg to colonel in Ju ly, 1863, ranking from M ay 2 3 d; to brigadier general, United States *iiluntcers, M arch 13, 1865, for gallant conduct at the battles of the W il­ derness. S|>ottsylvania Court I louse, and Uethc.sda Church, V a., in which latter engage­ ment he was wounded; his favorite w ar horse, "H illy" (which died Sept. 15, 1884, at the age o f twenty-nine years, six m onths), had a por­ tion o f his fetlock shot off during the thickest of the fight there, but received no other in­ ju ry. A t this battle General E n t's regiment was three times outflanked and compelled to retreat, and on each occasion Billy s whin­ nying served as a signal to rally the men. C ^ e r a l Ent serx’cd in the 3d Brigade, Mc­ Call’s Division, Pennsylvania Reserves, Sept. 16, 18 6 1; reconnoitercd beyond Dranesville, Va.. Oct. 19 -2 1. and took part in the battle at Dranesville,-Dec. 20, 186 (. In 1862 he w*as with the 2d Brigade, 2d Division, ist Corps, A rm y of the Potomac, taking part in the ad­ vance on M anassas, March loth, advance on Falmouth, M ay 2d, ordered to Peninsula. June 13th, with 3d Brigade, Seynw ur's Division, 5(h Corps, guarding supplies at Tunstall’s Station. V a.. and in the action near by at Whitehouse, June I4th-29th. On Ju ly 4th he w as transferred to the ist Brigade, 3d Di­ vision. 1st Coips, and ordered to reinforce the A rm y of 'irginia with that comiiund in A u g u st: was in the engagements at Gaines­ ville, Aug. 28th: Groveton, Aug. 29th; Bull Run. Aug. 30 th; South Mountain, Sept. 14 th; Antietani, Sept. lO th-iyth; Fredericksburg (w here he w*as in command of the r a im e n t), Dec. iith -J5th . H e was in Burnside's second cam]>aign. Jan . 20 and 24, 18 6 3; with the 22d C orps in defense o f Washington, Feb. 7th to Ju n e 25th. and with the ist Brigade, 3d Di­ vision. 5th Corps, Ju n e 28th. H e w as at the battle o f Gettysburg, Ju ly 2d-4th; Bristoc Sta­ tion. V a.. Oct. 14 th; New Hope Church, Nov. 26 th; Mine Run. N ov. 26th-30th; Wilderness, M ay 5th-7th: Spottsylvania, M ay 8th-rath; w as in command of the 3d Brigade, 3d D i­ vision. 51I1 Arm y C'orps, M ay 10, 1W 4; at S)>ottsylvatua Court House. M ay I2th-20th;

427

Hanover, M ay 23d and 26th; North Anna river. M ay 24th-27th; and Uethcsda Clmrch, M ay 30th. General Ent surveyed and laid out the first "signal cam p" in the arm y (General Fisher, o f Pliiladcli^ia, being placed in command of sam e), and himself served for a time in the signal corps. H e w*as mustered out Ju n e t i, 1 8 ^. On Ju n e ist he had been appoinied caplain nnd brigade paymaster, 1st Brigade. 9th Division. C. P., and on Scp^. 28; 1864, the govcm or appointed him to visit the Arm y of the rotom ac to receive the soldiers’ votes for the presidential election. General Knt’s cxiiericnccs in the arm y were not only those o f arduous duty but dangerous and thrilling. H e had two horses shot under him. and at Dranesville the hcci o f his lioot w as shot off. During the battle of the W ilder­ ness he w as without food for three days and four nights, except fur the berries he gathered. On Feb. 2 2 ,18 6 3, he wrote to Capt. C. H. Pot­ ter, Assistant A djutant General, Hertzleman's Corps, as follow’s : " S ir — I have the honor to represent that I have been in the Prince Street Hospital, A lexandria, V a., since the loth inst., most of the time dangerously ill, and rccucst that an order be issued allowing me to be transfcrrcori to D r. Clynsicr for medical treatment. Most respect fully your oticdient servant. WetUNCTON H . E x t, S la jo r Sixth Regiment, P. R. N . C .” A fte r his return from the arm y General Ent continued to make his home in Columbia countv, being employed for some time in an iron Airnacc at Light Street. In (868 he was nominated for surveyor general o f Pennsyl­ vania. but suffered the general fate o f his party tlu t year. In 1869 he w as elected protho­ notary o f Columbia county, and died Nov. 5, 18 7 1, before the expiration o f his term. He made an honorable record, and w as one of the most respected officials of the county. He w as nude a Knight Tem plar 19, 1864, and at a r ^ u la r conclave o f Crusade Com­ mandery, No. 12. (he following resolutions were presented and unanimously adopted: W h e r sa s . P ru vi4 eiKC lu s seen fn to rem ove by d esd i fro m our A iy U im o u r late esteem ed S ir K n ia lu W elltnirton H . E ot. and aliHouah no w o rd o r deed o f ours can now avail o u r brother w h o has t^ cn ealled to ai>pear w here the rishteousncss o f Jesus C hrist alone can secure everlastin g life, yet in respect fo r the m em ory o f one w h o was realnus in the advancement of the interests o f o u r order, w e d o resolver T h a t in the humble submission o t G s^ 's w ill w e deplore the loss o f a w o rth y ollicer o f our com m andery and a tieloved member o f our order.