Cannonball

In the early stages of the Gettysburg Campaign, many Pennsylvanians believed the only danger would come from Confederate guerrilla raiding parties, such as that shown above. Little did most residents know that the Army of North Virginia was coming.
In downtown York, Pennsylvania, recruiting officers scrambled to sign up volunteers for what was to become the First Battalion, Pennsylvania Six-Month Infantry (later part of the 187th Pennsylvania).
Here is an account of these long ago volunteers from York.

Captain David Z. Seip, a Philadelphian, commanded the York County volunteer company which helped guard Harrisburg and later policed the Gettysburg battlefield after the opposing armies withdrew.
DURING the second year of the war, 1862, the southern border counties of Pennsylvania felt the hand of the Confederate raiders. They descended first upon Chambersburg, Franklin county, under “Jeb” Stuart, with such stealth and celerity that they decamped with their spoils without resistance of any kind. This spread alarm among the people of those counties, so easily accessible to such inroads, and proved to be the precursor of other incursions, later the same year, and early in 1863, by the notorious McCausland and other predatory bands, who finally burned down the fair city of Chambersburg [in July 1864].
The defeat suffered by the Army of the Potomac at Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville, led to ambitious plans on the part of Lee, and it was conjectured that he would assume the offensive. The cavalry battle of Brandy Station revealed this intention, and the army of Northern Virginia soon began to enter the upper defiles of the Shenandoah Valley; but its movements were screened by advance forces of cavalry appearing on the upper Potomac and in Maryland. This indicated a possible invasion of Pennsylvania.
Accordingly, as a precautionary measure, and that the North might be prepared for the worst, by order of the War Department, of the 9th of June, 1863, two new military departments were established; one with headquarters at Pittsburg, to be commanded by Major General William T. H. Brooks, and to be known as the Department of the Monongahela; the other to have headquarters at Harrisburg, to be known as the Department of the Susquehanna, and to be commanded by Major General Darius N. Couch. These officers were authorized to organize Departmental Corps, and on assuming command they issued orders calling upon the people of the State to volunteer. To aid in this work, Governor Curtin issued the following proclamation on the 12th day of June, 1863:
In the Name and by the Authority of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Executive Department, to all to whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:
Proclamation.
Information has been received by the War Department, that a Rebel force composed of cavalry, artillery and mounted infantry, has been prepared for the purpose of making a raid into Pennsylvania. The President has therefore erected two new departments, one in Eastern Pennsylvania, to be commanded by Major General Darius N. Couch, the other in Western Pennsylvania, to be commanded by Major General William T. H. Brooks. I earnestly invite the attention of the people of Pennsylvania to the General Order issued by these officers upon assuming command of their respective departments.
The importance of immediately raising a sufficient force for the defence of the State cannot be over-rated. The Corps now proposed to be established will give permanent security to our borders.
I know too well the gallantry and patriotism of the freemen of this Commonwealth, to think it necessary to do more than commend this measure to the people, and earnestly urge them to respond to the call of the General Government and promptly fill the ranks of these Corps, the duties of which will be mainly the defense of our own homes, firesides and property from devastation.
GIVEN under my hand, and the Great Seal of the State, at the city of Harrisburg, this twelfth day of June, in the year of our [great Seal.] Lord, one thousand, eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Commonwealth the eighty-seventh.
Andrew G. Curt1n.
By the Governor:
Eli Slifer,
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
But few enlistments had been made under this call, when Lee’s army had reached the borders of the State, and the emergency call for ninety-day volunteers was made, which, in a few days, brought 40,000 men into the field. Seven companies had enlisted under the first call, which were organized as the First Battalion, Pennsylvania Six Months Volunteers. These companies were enlisted from different sections of the State and were mustered into the service on the following dates:
Company A, Captain George W. Merrick, Tioga county, June 21, 1863.
Company B, Captain David Z. Seip, York county, June 23, 1863.
Company C, Captain John R. Miles, Philadelphia, June 23, 1863.
Company D, Captain Joseph F. Ramsey, Montour county, June 20, 1863.
Company E, Captain W. F. Robinson, Philadelphia, June 24, 1863.
Company F, Captain Joseph A. Ege, Cumberland county, June 26, 1863.
Company G, Lieutenant Samuel Boyd, Lancaster county, July 8, 1863.
The Battalion was at once formed with the following officers:
Lieutenant Colonel, Joseph F. Ramsey.
Major, William F. Robinson.
Adjutant, Thomas E. Little.
Quartermaster, Theophilus J. Foley
Assistant Surgeon, Joshua R. Hays.
Quartermaster Sergeant, Albert Hay.
The Battalion was at once placed on duty in and around the city of Harrisburg, and was kept busy day and night. It looked after the large amount of Government stores at Camp Curtin, and other points in the city. It assisted in building Fort Washington, on the heights above Bridgeport, on the opposite side of the river, and several times it was sent up the Cumberland Valley to resist any advance made by the Rebels.
After quiet had been restored along the border, and General Lee had returned to Virginia with his army, the Battalion was sent to different parts of the State to do guard and provost duty. Companies A, D, and part of Company F, were sent to Sunbury; and Companies C and E to Pottsville and vicinity, to suppress disturbances connected with the draft.
Company A was later attached to General Couch’s headquarters at Chambersburg, Pa. Companies F, B [the York County company] and G were sent to Gettysburg, and assisted there in the care of the Government stores that had been left on the field at the time of the battle. Companies D and C were sent to the Antietam battle ground, where they remained for several weeks doing picket duty along the Potomac river, from Harper’s Ferry to Shepherdstown. They remained there until late in November, when they were sent to the “Buttonwood” Barracks, in Philadelphia. Companies B and E were mustered out of the service on the third day of October, 1863.
The above text is from the History of the First Battalion, Pennsylvania Six Month Volunteers and the 187th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (1905), pp. 17-19.

Officers and staff
CAPT. DAVID Z. SEIP was mustered out with Company B on October 3, 1863. He later became the major of the 187th Pennsylvania, a regiment whose core elements came from the Six-Months Volunteers of the Gettysburg Campaign.
FIRST LIEUT. MATTHEW McCALL June 29, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SECOND LIEUT. SAMUEL J. ADAMS June 29, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
FIRST SERGT. JOHN M. TORBET June 29, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SERGT. JOHN P. S. ASWALD June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SERGT. JONATHAN J. JESSUP June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SERGT. DANIEL KELLER June 23, 1863; promoted to Sergeant, July 1, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SERGT. WILLIAM W. TORBET June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
CORP. JOSEPH E. FREESTONE June 23, 1863; promoted to Corporal, June 25, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
CORP. JOHN A. CHANNELL June 24, 1863; promoted to Corporal June 25, 1863; mustered out with Company, Oct. 3, 1863.
CORP. FRANCIS A. BELT June 23, 1863; promoted to Corporal June 25, 1863; mustered out with Company, Oct. 3, 1863.
CORP. HENRY L. RHOADS June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
CORP. JOHN BRILLHART June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
CORP. WILLIAM C. FISHER June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
CORP. THOMAS RUPERT June 23, 1863; promoted to Corporal, August 1, 1863; mustered out with Company, Oct. 3, 1863.
CORP. HENRY T. GOODLING June 23, 1863; promoted to Corporal August 23, 1863: mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
MUSICIAN HOWARD WELSH June 23, 1863; absent sick at muster out.
MUSICIAN JACOB HARRIS June 23, 1863; promoted to Musician August 1, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
Privates
ARMPRESTER, GEORGE June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
AMIG, AUGUSTUS June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
ANDREWS, ALBERT J. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
ALOWAY, THOMAS June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863,
BLAIN, WILLIAM H. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
BRENNAMAN, H. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
BROWN, EDWARD C. July 17, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
COLLINS, JAMES C. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
CAMPBELL, JOHN June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
COX, STEPHEN June 23, 1863; deserted September 27, 1863.
ENGLES, JACOB June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
EBERSOLE, SYLVESTER July 28, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
FETHERS, OWEN June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
FREY, THADDEUS June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
FREESTONE, JAMES E. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
GROVE, GEORGE June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
GOOD, EPHRAIM June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
GROVER, CHARLES June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
GABLE, JOHN June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
HAY, GEORGE L. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
HUNTER, JOSEPH T. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
HAMILTON, WM. W. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
HARKINS, WILLIAM June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
HAY, ALBERT June 23, 1863; promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant July 15, 186.
JOHNSTON, OVID M. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
KiSLER, HENRY M. June 23, 1863; absent, sick at muster out.
KEEPER, SAMUEL June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
KISTER, JOHN June 29, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
KIBLER, CHARLES P. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
KAUFMAN, WM. H. June 23, 1863; deserted September 18, 1863.
LEHR, PHILIP June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
LIGGIT, ROBERT C. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
LIVINGSTON, JOHN June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
LEHMAN, CHARLES June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
LLOYD, MANASSAH June 23, 1863; absent on furlough, at muster out.
MEYERS, JOSEPH L. July 28, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
MILNER, LEWIS H. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
MEYERS, AUGUSTUS June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
MEYERS, ISAAC L. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
MEYERS, HARVEY M. June 23, 1863; discharged on Surgeon’s certificate, September 7, 1863.
McDERMOTT, WM. J. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
McPHERSON, S. A. W. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
RICKLEY, JOHN June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
ROWLAND, JOHN June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SOURBIER, SAMUEL June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SELTZER, JOHN June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SAUBE, FRANK L. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SHELLENBERGER, Jos. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
STRAYER, JOHN June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SHETRONE, MARTIN H. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SHELLENBERGER, J. B. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
SHEMBERGER, JOSEPH June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
TROUT, LEVIE June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
TORBERT, JAMES B. July 28, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
WILHELM, WM. H. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
WAGNER, Louis E. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
WOLF, JACOB H. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
WALES, THOMAS M. June 23, 1863; absent on furlough at muster out.
WALES, JOHN G. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
WOOD, HENRY June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
WILSON, HENRY June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
WILEY, JOHN S. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
WALTERS, JACOB H. June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
YOUNG, HENRY June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.
ZELLERS, Louis June 23, 1863; mustered out with Company, October 3, 1863.