History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

SEVENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.
EARLY in the summer of 1861, when the government was in pressing need
of troops, the design was formed of recruiting in Pittsburg and vicinity,
a regiment to be composed of German citizens. A spirited appeal for pecuniary
aid to prosecute the enterprise, in an editorial of the Evening Chronicle, so
aroused the public feeling that in a single day the requisite funds were secured,
the Economy Society contributing, unasked, the sum of five hundred dollars.
Having received theyproper authority from the War Department, the committee
in charge, headed by I. I. Siebeuck, Joseph Abel, Joseph G. Siebeuck and
Charles M1Knight, citizens of Pittsburg, commenced recruiting, and in three
weeks' time had a regiment of nearly the requisite number ready for acceptance
by the government. It was composed largely of trained soldiers. As fast as
enrolled the men rendezvoused at Camp Wilkins, near Pittsburg, and on the
14th of September were mustered into the service of the United States, as the
Thirty-fifth Pennsylvania Regiment. Entirely disinterested, and only anxious
to secure the most efficient field officers, the committee obtained the services
of Alexander Von Schimmelfennig, of Philadelphia, a Prussian staff officer,
possessed of fine scientific attainments, and large experience in the art of war,
and withal an ardent lover of liberty and the Union, as Colonel, and to him,
with the line officers, was left the selection of the remaining field and staff.
On the 19th the regiment left Camp Wilkins and proceeded to Philadelphia,
where it was joined by'a considerable body of recruits under Captain Von
Mitzel. While here Colonel Schimmelfennig was badly injured by the fall of
his horse. Soon afterwards the regiment moved to Washington, and went into
camp near the Capitol, where it received arms, uniforms and equipments. A
week later it marched to Roaches Mills, Virginia, and subsequently to Hunter's
Chapel, where it went into winter quarters. Here the number of the regiment
was changed from the Thirty-fifth to the Seventy-fourth, and a company which
had been raised in Philadelphia, under Captain Yon IHartung, and had been
on duty at Fort Delaware, was added to its strength. It was attached to
General Blenker's Division, was assiduously drilled during the winter months,
and performed a large amount of -fatigue duty upon the fortifications. Colonel
Schimmelfennig formed a school for officers, in which particular attention was
given to outpost duty, and skirmishing, which had formed the subject of his
special studies in the staff school of the Prussian Army at Berlin, and his
practical duty in the war of Schleswig Holstein and the Revolt of Baden in
1848-9.
Upon the opening of the campaign on the 10th of March, the regiment
broke camp and moved to Fairfax Court House, where after two weeks' delay,
during which the greater part of the army of the Potomac retired to Alexandria,
and thence proceeded to the Peninsula, the division marched to Centreville,