Casualty of War : Sgt Martin Shaffner

Martin Shaffner

was born 4 March 1842, in East Hanover Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. He was the brother of Phillip Shaffner and the youngest of twelve children of Frederick and Catharine Shaffner. He was named after his grandfather, Martin Shaffner, who was the first of his paternal ancestors to be born in America. Martin's ancestors had emigrated primarily from Switzerland, part of the German religious migration in the 18th Century of the group known collectively as the Pennsylvania Dutch. Martin's family spoke German, but he probably learned English at an early age in school.

In July of 1862, President Lincoln called upon the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide three more regiments of cavalry to fight in the escalating War of the Rebellion. Martin answered the call. On 10 September 1862, he signed up in Lebanon as a volunteer for the 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry (also known as the 162nd Pennsylvania Volunteers), Company E, which was comprised primarily of other recruits from Lebanon County. Private Martin Shaffner was mustered in on 19 September 1862. The rendezvous was held at Camp Simmons at Harrisburg. The full regimental organization was completed on 18 October, under the command of Col. Josiah Kellogg. Several days later they marched to Camp M'Clellan, north of Harrisburg, to complete their training.

Most of the men had no prior military experience, but they were skilled horsemen, having worked as lumbermen and farmers, like Martin. At Camp M'Clellan, they were issued their horses and weapons. In addition to their sabre, they were outfitted with either Merrill or Smith single-shot carbines and either Colt .36, Colt .44, or Remington .36 revolvers. After a month's training, they left for Washington, DC, on 25 November, where they encamped at East Capitol Hill. Martin wrote a letter to his father:

Camp Duncan Dec 14, 1862
Dear Father
I let you know that I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you in the same state of health. we have good times here. we have not been on drill since we are here. we only lay about half a mile from the city on the Capitol hill. On Thursday me and Mathias Garnet were in town. I was in the Capitol and seen a good many things that I have not seen before and yesterday I was in from one end [to] the other on horseback which took me nearly all day. The Col got orders last night to take our regiment under Burnside or stay provost in the City this winter, and I think we will stay there as we are to green to smell the powder yet. We had rather a rough time of moving, but it is very nice and warm here in day time but after night it is cold, but it is not as muddy as it was when we came here. we will have a very nice camp in a few days. I must now come to a close, my last respects to Susan and Kate. dont forget to write soon and let me know how George Miller is getting along and how soon he is coming.
So much from your son
Martin Shaffner

Martin's assessment of their situation proved wrong. The command decided that they were not too green to "smell the powder". A few days later they were ordered to the front. Less than a week later, on 22 December, Martin and his comrades saw their first action, pursuing Confederates across Occoquan Creek. A month later they were joined with three other regiments to form the second brigade of the First Cavalry Division, under brigade commander, Col. Thomas Devin. During the Chancellorville campaign in the spring of 1863, the 17th moved with Major General Hooker's column. They were recognized for the impressive way that they thwarted a major offensive by Stonewall Jackson. Martin wrote a letter to his father:

Potomac Station May 8, 1863
Dear Father
I let you know that I am well at Present hoping you are the same. Father we had pretty hard time this while pasd. I never thought of seeing what we seen a few days passed. we were the first Cavelry that crossed the Rappihanoc & a rough time we had. we crossed at 11 O clock in the night, small squads of Rebles we did not mind. but in coming five miles below Frederick there we stopped & laid one day. at five O clock in the evening we were attacked by Jackson. the bullets come pretty thick. least they come so thick that we were obliged to fall back & leave six pieces of artillery. the field was covered with dead & wounded that were not able to run away. The fire was kept up all night. I seen our battery cutting down the Rebles that they laid three to four on a pile. I could tell you a great deal more if I would chuse. we only lost about seventy men in our Regiment, one in the Company & he run away when they opened fire on us. we were very lucky all along. horses we lost a good many but that we dont care for...
my best respects to Susan & Kate & all the rest of the friends,
Resp Yours son,
Martin Shaffner

A month later they crossed the Rappahannock and engaged the Confederate cavalry of Major General JEB Stuart in the Battle of Brandy Station. After the battle, the troopers of the 17th were charged with protecting the main column as it marched northward. Unbeknownst to them, the Confederates were marching a parallel path, and they would meet two weeks later. The regiment followed the base of South Mountain toward their home soil. As they crossed the Mason-Dixon Line, they all cheered and saluted the Keystone State. After a rigorous march, they finally encamped outside the village of Fairfield. Before dawn the next day, they resumed their march. They had an unexpected skirmish with some Confederates, but the column continued through Emmitsburg. On June 30th, Corporal Martin Shaffner rode with his regiment through the town of Gettysburg. They already knew that the Confederates were somewhere in the surrounding countryside, but they had no idea that they were about to become part of the most famous battle on American soil. The 17th was charged with protecting the high ground. Col. Devin set up the troopers to the northwest, north, and east of town. The next morning the first shots were fired. The 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry performed admirably, "preventing the advance of the enemy on every road it occupied," until they were finally relieved by the arrival of Union infantry and artillery of General Howard's 11th Corps. Later in the day, they regrouped near York Road and withstood another Confederate advance by rapidly firing their single-shot carbines. The next morning they engaged the enemy once again. At the time, the federals' main supply wagons still had not reached Gettysburg, so Commander Pleasonton ordered their cavalry Division toward Westminster, MD, to find and protect the supply train. The men of the 17th reluctantly left the battlefield, listening to the canon fire rage behind them as they rode south. But they were not out of the fighting for long. After the decisive battle, they pursued the retreating Confederate army, with skirmishes nearly every day for several weeks, until Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was able to escape into the Shenandoah.

Detail of Company E of the 17TH Pennsylvania Cavalry Plaque, at the Pennsylvania Monument (left inset) at the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Throughout the fall and winter, the 17th had numerous engagements in Virginia. They received a special commendation from the Division commander for their action at Raccoon Ford, where the men of the 17th rushed to the aid of the 4th New York Cavalry. Finally, they set up winter camp at Culpepper, but remained on picket duty. Martin wrote a letter to his father:

Culpepper Jan 8, 1864
Dear Father
I will inform you that I am well at present hoping these lines may find you in the same health. The whether is very cold. last night it snowed all night. this morning when I got up the snow was about four inches deep. it is just cold enough to lay by a warm stove now but we cant always make it suit for that. yesterday I was on duty I thought I never seen it so cold as it was then. the ninth NY Cavalry is just now at the depot getting ready to go home. our hole Brigade is gone on furlough. they all have reinlisted excepting our Regs. we aint in service long enough to reinlist. we want get the chanse, yet still we aint very anxious neither. Those that aint gone home are all in winter Quarters. decerters are coming in every day. if they keep on like they did these last few weeks we will have half of Lees army till spring. I have more of an idea now that this war will be closed till summer than I ever had because the north Carolinians will all desert if they get Privilege. what is the talk about draft at home. is their going to be another draft in Hanover & who is going to move where we live & where is Geip going to or aint he living with Kate any more & what is David Brown doing... this is about all I have to write at Present. Father Please send me a good silk hankerchief. I will close hoping to hear from you soon
yours Truly son
Martin Shaffner

In the spring and summer, the regiment continued the fighting throughout Virginia and notably led the charges at Yellow House and Meadow Bridge. The regiment suffered many losses in troopers and officers. At some point, Cpl. Shaffner was promoted to Sergeant. In August, 1864, the regiment was ordered to the Shenandoah Valley. Control of the area of Harper's Ferry, Front Royal, Shepherdstown, and Winchester, was a ceaseless struggle, with skirmishes and battles breaking out constantly. In one particular battle near Stevenson's Depot, just north of Winchester, on 16 November 1864, Company E suffered 7 casualties: 4 men killed and 3 wounded. Sgt. Martin Shaffner was among the dead.

His body was returned home, and he was buried in his father's plot at the Ebenezer cemetery, north of Lebanon, between his mother and his grandmother. His headstone bears witness to his service, a large insignia of crossed sabre and sheath over an American flag. The main inscription is fading but appears to read:

In Memory MARTIN SCHAFFNER Sergeant Co E 17 Pa Cav Born March 4 1842 Killed at Stevenson Depot Va Nov 16 1864 Aged 22 Years 8 m & 12 d The inscription at the bottom of the headstone is mostly illegible. However, the original design paper remains in the collection of the National Archives, and it's likely that the additional inscription was taken from that text: He became a devoted Patriot to his Country's Service September 10th 1862 and participated in the following Engagements, honorable to his Country and Survivors: Chancellorville Va – Beverly Ford Va – Upperville Va – Gettysburg Pa July 1st 1863 – Falling Waters Md – Culpepper Va Augt 1st 1863 – Raccoon Ford Va – Stevensburg Va – Brandy Station Va – Berriville Va – Cederville Va – Kerneysville Va – Smithfield Va – Opequon River Va – Winchester Va – Stevenson Depot Nov 16th A.D. 1864

In October 1881, Martin's father, Frederick Shaffner, finally applied for Martin's pension, based on the fact that, at the time of Martin's enlistment, Frederick had no other means of support and was wholly dependant on Martin, his only child still living at home. In addition to official documents regarding Martin's service in the War of the Rebellion, Frederick submitted various notarized letters, tax records, and legal briefs to support his dependency claim. He also included some personal documents, such as the design paper for Martin's headstone, which is quoted above. Remarkably, Frederick also sent several personal letters, including the three transcribed above, that Martin had written to him from the field. His application for pension was approved 18 October 1884, effective retroactively to October 1881, for Eight Dollars per month. Frederick died three years later.

References

1. 1850 Census of Dauphin County lists the names and ages of children living in the household of Frederick Shaffner, including 19 year old Philip and 8 year old Martin.
2. Article from the Dauphin County Genealogy Transcription Project describes the family of Frederick and Catherine Shaffner, and mentions that a son, Martin, was "killed in the army."
3. Roster of Company E, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry, lists the dates of Martin Shaffner's service.
4. History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Vol. VIII, by Samuel P. Bates, pp 1001-1041. Original copyright 1870, B. Singerly, Harrisburg. Copy in the collection of the Lebanon County Historical Society.
5. Personal visit to the Ebenezer cemetery to photograph and transcribe the headstone.
6. Personal visit to the Pennsylvania Monument at Gettysburg to photograph and transcribe the Regimental plaque.
7. Civil War Pension Record of Martin Shaffner on behalf of Frederick Shaffner. National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives Building, Washington, DC.

NOTES: The facts of Martin Shaffner's rank in the 17th Cavalry are based on the references cited above. He is listed in the Bates History and on his tombstone as a Sergeant. The plaque at Gettysburg lists him as a Corporal. The Pennsylvania Civil War Service Index in the National Archives lists him as Pvt/Duty Serg., which supports the conclusion that he was mustered in as Private and was promoted to Corporal and then to Sergeant. His date of death is consistently reported as November 16, although one official document included in Reference 7 states that he was wounded in action November 16 and succumbed the following day. It's likely that he died overnight and was deceased by roll call.

» Read about my research at the National Archives.