Here’s a Civil War Date Document Signed by Two (2) Killed-in-Action PA Union Officers

HERE’S A CIVIL WAR DATE DOCUMENT SIGNED BY LARRIMER and SIMMONS – A PROVISION RETURN FOR FIVE NEW RECRUITS UNDER THE COMMAND OF LARRIMER WHILE AT CAMP PIERPONT - DATED OCT. 24, 1861. 

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BIOGRAPHY OF JAMES HARVEY LARRIMER

James Harvey Larrimer was born in Centre County, Pennsylvania; he read law in the office of Judge James Burnside, and was admitted to practice at the bar of Centre County. In the spring of 1854 he came to Clearfield and took up his residence. He practiced until 1858, when he became associated with R. F. Ward, Jr., as editors and publishers of the Clearfield Republican, and so continued until the spring of 1860, when he retired from its management and resumed the practice of law. He was also apparently involved in the PA State Legislature as well as the State Militia System.

At the outbreak of the Civil War he was appointed First Lieutenant of Co. E under Captain Loraine, of the Fifth Pennsylvania Reserves. Before arriving at the front he was promoted to Captain. He was subsequently promoted to Major, and transferred to the staff of General Samuel W. Crawford.

Major Larrimer was killed by Rebel guerrillas near Bristoe Station, Va., February 14, 1864. His remains were returned to Clearfield on February 20 where he was buried in the Clearfield Cemetery.

Larrimer Post, G. A. R., was named in honor of Major James Harvey Larrimer.

Maj James Harvey Larrimer

Major Larrimer resided in Clearfield County, PA, and enlisted in the Union Army on May 15, 1861 as a 1^st Lieutenant in “C” Co., 34^th PA. He was promoted to Captain of “E” Co. on July 12, 1861. He was promoted to Major in the field and staff of the 34^th  on May 1, 1863.

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BIOGRAPHY OF COL. SENECA GALUSHA SIMMONS

SENECA GALUSHA SIMMONS, Colonel of the Fifth Reserve regiment and Major of the Fourth United States Infantry, was born on the 27th of December, 1808, in Windsor County, Vermont. He was the son of Alfred, and Deborah (Perkins) Simmons. His boyhood was passed for the most part upon a farm, he receiving only such advantages of education as could be obtained from a country school. At the, age of fourteen he left his native state, and entered the military school of Captain Partridge, then located at Middletown, Connecticut, in which he remained several years, accompanying that school on its removal to Georgetown, District of Columbia. While there, he received from President Jackson, the appointment of cadet at West Point. He graduated with distinction in 1834, and was assigned to the Seventh Infantry. In the following August he married Miss Elmira Adelaide Simmons of Harrisburg.

Previous to joining his regiment, in the autumn of that year, he was assigned to topographical duty, under Major McNiell, and assisted in the survey of the harbor of Apalachicola, Florida. During the summers of 1835-36, he was engaged under Colonel Long upon surveys in the State of Maine; first on the coast, and then on a contemplated line of railway between Belfast and Quebec, Canada. In the winter of 1837, he joined his regiment, and shortly after received the appointment of Aid to General Arbuckle, then in command of the Department of the Southwest. He was also made Assistant Adjutant-General, which position he held for several years, retaining it after General Taylor assumed command, and until relieved by Colonel Bliss, the General's son-in-law. His regiment was then, the spring of 1842, serving in Florida, and thither he immediately repaired. At the conclusion of the Florida war, his regiment was detailed for duty in garrisoning Gulf posts, and he was stationed at Fort Pike, Louisiana, where he remained during the years 1842-43, transacting in addition to the duties of his position in his company, those of Commissary and Quartermaster to the Post. When his turn came for being detailed on recruiting service he was ordered to Syracuse, New York, and was engaged in that duty until the opening of the Mexican war. On his arrival in the enemy's country, he was immediately assigned as Assistant Commissary and Quartermaster at Matamoras. During the year 1847, he remained at his post; but on being promoted to Captain he rejoined his regiment then en route for the city of Mexico.

At the close of the war, and the return of the troops, his regiment was stationed at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. A portion of the command, including his own company, was ordered for special duty to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. While here he received a severe injury, which seemed for a time likely to prove fatal, and from which he never entirely recovered. One knee was frightfully crushed, and the wound, after some years of intense suffering, resulted in permanent lameness; but not to such an extent as to unfit him entirely for duty. While yet upon crutches, he was, in 1857, sent upon recruiting service to Pottsville. While here he so far recovered as to attend to active duty, and was sent to take command of Fort Arbuckle, upon the frontier. His regiment was soon afterwards sent to Utah. As the labor was likely to prove too arduous for him in his crippled state, he sought and obtained a furlough, and joined his family in Harrisburg, where he was living at the outbreak of the Rebellion. When troops were called, Captain Simmons was made mustering officer for Pennsylvania volunteers.

Upon the organization of the Reserve Corps, he was chosen Colonel of the Fifth regiment, though personally unknown to any of the officers of that body. His first service was to march, in connection with the Bucktail regiment and some artillery, to the support of General Wallace in West Virginia, and thence to Washington, where he drilled his regiment and prepared it for service in the division. In September of this year, he was promoted to Major of the Fourth Infantry, but preferred to remain with the volunteer troops. He was at Beaver Dam Creek and Gaines' Mill, in both of which desperately fought battles, he escaped unhurt. At Charles City Cross Roads, on the 30th of June, 1862, while leading the First brigade with unexampled valor, he fell in the thickest of the fight, breathing his last upon the field of honor. No braver man drew sword in any cause. In person, he was nearly six feet in height, of strong and robust frame, florid complexion, brown hair, heavy beard, light-blue eyes; his face presenting ordinarily a calm and benevolent expression; but when excited, every feature seemed to flash fire, and woe to the man who, having disregarded his orders, attempted to persist in an improper course of conduct. To him, however, who was willing to acknowledge his fault, the Colonel at once relaxed his sternness, and received the offender as though no offense had been committed.

The poet N. P. Willis, in writing to the Home Journal, from a visit to the camps of the army, said: "I had never before thought that water could embellish a soldier. As we sat in our hack, at the outer edge of the encampments, watching an incipient rainbow, and rejoicing in the prospect of holding-up, a general officer rode past with his aid and orderly, on the return to his tent, just beyond. Of a most warlike cast of feature, his profuse and slightly grizzly beard was impearled with glistening drops, and, with horse and accouterments all dripping with water, he rode calmly through the heavy rain like a Triton taking his leisure in his native element. It was the finest of countenances and the best of figures for a horseman. He looked indomitable in spirit, but unsubject, also, to the common inconveniences of humanity - as handsome and brave when tired and wet, as he would be when happy and dry! I was quite captivated with the picture of such a man, and did not wonder at the comment which was appended to the reply, by a subaltern officer of whom I inquired his name, 'General Simmons,' said he, 'a man whom anybody would be glad to serve under.'"

Source: MARTIAL DEEDS OF PENNSYLVANIA by SAMUEL P. BATES. PHILADELPHIA: T. H. DAVIS & CO., 1876. Pg. 406-409 Part II. CHAPTER I.

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History of the PENNSYLVANIA THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT,

Fifth Reserve
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Thirty-fourth Infantry.—Colonels. Seneca G. Simmons, Joseph W. Fisher; Lieut.-Colonels, Joseph W. Fisher, George Dare, Alfred M. Smith; Majors George Dare, Frank Zentmeyer, James H. Larrimer, Alfred M. Smith, James A. McPherran.

This regiment was the 5th of the reserve corps, and was mustered into the U. S. service June 20, 1861, at Harrisburg, for a three years' term. With the Bucktail rifles it left Harrisburg the same day for Cumberland, Maryland. After the battle of Bull Run the regiment joined the reserves at Tennallytown, Maryland, and was assigned to the 1st brigade. It arrived at Dranesville too late to participate in the victory.

Early in March, 1862, it moved to Hunter's mills, Alexandria, Manassas, Falmouth and Fredericksburg. In June, it participated in the battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines' mills and Glendale, where Colonel Simmons was killed.

At the second Bull Run, South Mountain and Antietam the regiment did brave work, and then with the 3d brigade took part in the battle of Fredericksburg, losing heavily.

Ordered to Washington in February, 1863, the regiment remained there until the Gettysburg campaign, when it showed great bravery in the battle and took part in the pursuit which followed.

The winter was spent at Alexandria and in May, 1864, with the Army of the Potomac it took part in the Wilderness campaign. The 34th participated in the battles of that month and returned early in June, to Harrisburg, where it was mustered out on the 11th, the veterans and recruits being transferred to the 191st Pa. infantry.

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The document measures 9” x 5¼” and is in excellent condition.

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