Letter from Philippe d’ Orleans - The Count De Paris To Porter Farley Captain in the 140th NY. Vols Regarding the Battle of Gettysburg / SOLD
Letter from Philippe d’ Orleans - The Count De Paris To Porter Farley Captain in the 140th NY. Vols Regarding the Battle of Gettysburg - Inventory Number: DOC 183
Madrid January 24th 1878
Dear Sir:
Your letter dated December 7th & 28th were duly received and I beg you to accept my best thanks for the very interesting and valuable information for which you have taken the trouble to supply me with, in addition to your excellent account of the companies of the 140th N.Y. Vols. The letter of Mr. Roebling is a striking and unexpected confirmation of your account, although, as you remark, he must have made a mistake about the position of the remainder of the Weed Brigade at the time he rode from Round Top to the Peach Orchard. If I wrote a monography of the battle of Gettysburg it would afford me great pleasure to give a detailed account of all the incidents which are so graphically described by yourself and some other eye witnesses. But, my space is limited: the whole battle must be condensed into some fifty or ninety pages. And therefore every sentence must be reduced to its minimum, an art of heroism worthy of the admiration of the world must be quoted in a single word. The documents which are in my hands will enable me to give each word a real value but I feel it is a pity not to be able to do more out of these. Nevertheless my task is already large enough and I cannot alter it.
Believe me dear,
Yours truly,
P. d’ Orleans, Ct. de Paris
Address : Chateau J Eu
France
Porter Farley:
Enlisted on 8/30/1862 at Rochester, NY as a 2nd Lieutenant at 22 years of age
On 8/30/1862 he was commissioned into "G" Co. NY 140th Infantry
He was discharged for disability on 8/4/1864
Promotions:
* 1st Lieut 1/1/1863
* Quartermaster 10/28/1863
* Capt 1/16/1864
Intra Regimental Company Transfers:
* 1/16/1864 from company G to company B
NEW YORK ONE HUNDRED AND FORTIETH INFANTRY (Three Years)
One Hundred and Fortieth Infantry.-Cols., Patrick H. O'Rorke, George Ryan, Elwell S. Otis, William S. Grantsyne; Lieut.-Cols., Louis Ernest, Isaiah F. Force, Elwell S. Otis, William S. Grantsyne, W. James Clark; Majs., Milo L. Starks, Benjamin F. Harman, William J. Clark, Willard Abbott, Isaiah F. Force.
The 140th, the "Rochester Racehorses," was recruited in Monroe county, organized at Rochester, and there mustered into the U. S. service on Sept. 13, 1862, for three years. In June, 1863, it received by transfer the three years men of the 13th N. Y., and in Oct., 1864, the veterans and recruits of the 44th.
The regiment left the state on Sept. 19, 1862, proceeded to Washington and joined the Army of the Potomac in November, being assigned to the 3d (Warren's) brigade, 2nd (Sykes') division, 5th corps. With this command it was under fire for the first time at the battle of Fredericksburg, where it lost a few men wounded and missing.
The 5th corps was only partially engaged at Chancellorsville, though the 140th lost 21 killed, wounded and missing in that disastrous battle. Describing this gallant, fighting regiment, Col. Fox says: "Col., O'Rorke was killed at Gettysburg while leading his men into action on Little Round Top, where their prompt action aided largely in seizing that important position, the regiment losing their 26 killed, 89 wounded and 18 missing.
The 140th was then in Ayres' division-the division of regulars. In 1864 the regulars were brigaded in one command under Ayres, and the 140th was placed in the same brigade; the division was commanded by Gen. Charles Griffin. But in June, 1864, the regiment was transferred to the 1st Brigade of Ayres' (2nd) division.
This brigade was commanded in turn by Col. Gregory, Gen. Joseph Hayes, Col. Otis, and Gen. Winthrop. The latter officer fell mortally wounded at Five Forks. The regiment was in the hottest of the fighting at the Wilderness and suffered severely there, losing 23 killed, 118 wounded and 114 captured or missing; total 255.
Three days later it was engaged in the first of the series of battles at Spottsylvania, in which action Col. Ryan and Maj. Starks were killed. At Spottsylvania the casualties in the regiment were 12 killed and 48 wounded; and at the Weldon railroad, 4 killed, 19 wounded and 51 captured or missing. The regiment was composed of exceptionally good material; the men were a neat, clean lot, and in their handsome Zouave costume attracted favorable attention wherever they appeared."
The 140th took part in nearly all the great engagements of the Army of the Potomac from Fredericksburg to the close of the war. It was actively engaged at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Bethesda Church, siege of Petersburg, Weldon railroad, Poplar Spring Church, Hatcher's run, White Oak road and Five Forks.
It was present at Fredericksburg, Bristoe Station, Rappahannock Station, in the Mine Run campaign, North Anna, Totopotomy, White Oak swamp and Appomattox. Other important losses incurred besides those above detailed were, 60 wounded and missing at Bethesda Church; 22 killed, wounded and missing in the first assault on Petersburg; 23 killed and wounded at Hatcher's run; and 57 killed, wounded and missing during the final Appomattox campaign.
Col. O'Rorke, when he was killed at Gettysburg, was mounted on a rock at Little Round Top, cheering on his men. He graduated at the head of his class at West Point in 1861 and was only 25 years of age when killed. The regiment was mustered out June 3, 1865, near Alexandria, Va., under Col. Grantsyne.
Its total enrollment during service was 1,707, of whom 533 were killed and wounded; 8 officers and 141 men were killed and died of wounds; 2 officers and 168 men died of disease and other causes; total deaths, 319, of whom 77 died in Confederate prisons.
NEW YORK ONE HUNDRED AND FORTIETH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY.
Monroe County Regiment; Rochester Race Horses. (Three Years)
August 8, 1862, Capt. Hiram Smith received authority to recruit this regiment; it was organized at Rochester with Patrick H. O'Rorke as Colonel, and there mustered in the service of the United States for three years September 13, 1862. June 26, 1863, the three years' men of the 13th Infantry, and October 6, 1864, the members of the 44th Infantry, not mustered out with their regiments, were transferred to it. June 3, 1865, the men not to be mustered out with it were transferred to the 5th Veteran Infantry.
The companies were recruited principally: A at Brockport; B, C, E, F and K at Rochester; D at Rochester, Brighton, Gates, Penfield and West Webster; G at Rochester and Churchville; H at Rochester, Brockport and Fairport; and I at Chili, Greece, Penfield, Rochester, Ogden, Henrietta and Parma.
The regiment left the State September 19, 1862; it served in the Provisional Brigade, Casey's Division, defenses of Washington, from September, 1862; in the 2d Brigade, 2d Division, 12th Corps, from October, 1862; in the 3d Brigade, 2d Division, 5th Corps, from November, 1862; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Corps, from March, 1864; in the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, 5th Corps, from June 6, 1864; and, under Col. W. S. Grantsyne, it was honorably discharged and mustered out June 3, 1865, near Alexandria, Va.
Chancellorsville, VA after battle report:
No. 196.
Report of Lieut. Louis Ernst, One hundred and fortieth New York Infantry.
NEAR FALMOUTH, VA., May 7, 1863.
SIR: I have the honor to report the following operations of this regiment:
April 27.--Marched to Hartwood Church.
April 28.--Marched to Crittendens' Mills.
April 29.--Marched to Ely's Ford across the Rapidan, having crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford; took a position on the south bank of the Rapidan.
April 30.--Took up march to the United States Ford, to cover the crossing of troops there, but found the enemy had evacuated; marched to Chancellorsville, Va.
May 1.--Advanced on the left of the Third Brigade in line of battle, about 1 1/2 miles, under severe shelling; had 1 man killed. Retired to our camp, where we had not been fifteen minutes when the enemy came down on us, and were repulsed by the Third Brigade; 1 man killed and several wounded. Remained in camp until after midnight.
May 2.--At 2 a.m. marched to a position farther on the left, where we built an abatis. At 5 p.m. were moved to the center line, where we were drawn up in line of battle at several points.
May 3.--Remained in position in rear of the Second Brigade, Second Division, supporting.
May 4.--In same place.
May 5.--Changed position to support First Brigade.
May 6.--At 2 a.m. marched to the United States Ford; drew up in line of battle to oppose the approach of the enemy in the rear; crossed the ford without casualties, and marched to present camp.
LOUIS ERNST, Lieut.-Col., Cmdg.
Capt. A. S. MARVIN, Jr., Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen., Third Brigade.
Prince Philippe of Orléans, Count of Paris (Louis Philippe Albert; 24 August 1838 – 8 September 1894), was the grandson of Louis Philippe I, King of the French. He was Count of Paris, and was a claimant to the French throne from 1848 until his death. He was styled as "King Louis Philippe II".
CDV 038 would pair nicely with this item!
Inventory Number: DOC 183 / SOLD