By Larry Fryer
After the attack on Fort Sumter in the spring of 1861, nineteen year old Thomas Dornblaser was a farmer and part-time teacher in the eastern end of the Nittany Valley, Clinton County, PA. Prompted by his belief in the Union cause and a young man’s spirit of adventure, he asked his parent’s permission to enlist.
So on October 14, 1861, Dornblaser enlisted in Captain Israel Schaeffer’s company of cavalry at Lamar, PA. Schaeffer was Tom’s uncle and had been commander of a local militia outfit called the Nittany Dragoons. On October 29th they were mustered into the service of the United States for three years as Company E of the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry. The company counted 3 officers and 82 enlisted men.
Dornblaser, served throughout the war and left for posterity a well-written, humorous account of his participation in the war. During the war he wrote for the Clinton Democrat, telling the readers of the 7th’s doings. In 1884 he published Sabre Strokes of the Pennsylvania Dragoons, which your editor owns a copy of.
In discussing the 7th Pa Cavalry’s action at Rome, Georgia on October 13, 1864, Dornblaser wrote: “In looking over my army diary of October 13, 1864, I find a detailed account of a personal adventure, which, so far, has been related only to intimate friends; but, as such a story is likely to be exaggerated or perverted by passing from one person to another by word of mouth, the writer has concluded to lay before the reader the sum and substance of the occurrence, as translated from the original.”
“My clumsy sorrel lost his footing on the slippery rocks just in front of the rebel line. He was going at full headway when he dropped on his knees, and rolled over on his left flank. A mule and his rider came tumbling over my horse, and for half a minute both riders were pinned to the ground. Fortunately, neither of us had any bones broken. We re-mounted and hurried to the brow of the hill. We turned to the right, into the woods, which was swarming with bewildered “Johnnies.” Many surrendered without firing a shot. Several hundred prisoners were taken to the rear.”
“The bugle sounded recall. All our skirmishers fell back and re-formed column in the road. But as I had taken so little part in the fight, I did not obey the “call.” Before me was an open field, crossed by a ravine beyond which the rebel cavalry was forming line within range of my carbine. The temptation to empty the magazine of my Spencer was too strong to be resisted.”
“After firing a few shots, I saw a rebel officer leaping the fence twenty yards to my right, and starting to run across the open field to join his comrades. In his right hand he held a navy revolver, and in his left an officer’s sword. I leveled my Spencer and ordered him, sharply, to halt and throw down his arms, which he did. But seeing that I was altogether alone, he seized his weapons again, sprang to the stump of a broken tree, twenty paces from me, fired two shots from his revolver, and said in a defiant tone, “I’ll fight you!” To run was about as dangerous as to stand my ground, so I dismounted and prepared to fight on foot. He took advantage of this parley, and ran to a fence-corner only ten paces to my right. He laid his revolver between the rails and took deliberate aim. I could not get a sight at him. I had no ammunition to waste. I had only one cartridge left in the magazine, and I prayed God that it might not fail me in this hour of my extremity. Discretion, the better part of valor, suggested an immediate change of base. I took my horse by the rein, and made a left about wheel, two paces to the rear, taking position on the left side of my horse. My antagonist in the meantime, fired two more shots, wounding my horse in the hip; and mistaking my maneuvers for a retreat, he rushed forward and peremptorily demanded my surrender. He came to the fence, which was partly thrown down a few paces in front of me. He was in the act of stepping across when I ordered him a second time to halt. My gun was leveled; he raised his revolver with a threat. I fired! His arm dropped without discharging his revolver. His tall form sank to the ground as he exclaimed, “I’m a dead man.” At once I dropped my carbine, and offered him my hand; he gave it a friendly grasp and said, “You have killed a good man.” “I’m sorry for it,” said I “and why did you take up your arms again?” Said he, “I made a vow that I would never surrender to one man. You were the only man I saw, and I determined to fight you, and get possession of your horse. Then I could have made my escape. You did your duty, but you might have surrendered to me.”
“After making him as comfortable as I could with overcoat and blanket, I inquired his name and rank. He said his name was William H. Lawrence, Captain and acting Colonel of the 8th Alabama Cavalry.”
“He said he had a wife and two dear children living at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. His wife and daughter were devoted Christians, and he lamented that he had not lived a better life in the army. He did not feel prepared to die. He knew that he must die. The ball struck the corner of his belt-plate and passed through his body, inflicting a mortal wound. His mind was perfectly clear, and for one-half hour we were alone, undisturbed, and we wept and prayed together, invoking the Infinite Mercy of God to forgive us both. Seeing the bugler of our regiment at a distance, I called to him to bring up a stretcher to carry back a wounded officer. We carried him three-quarters of a mile to the field hospital, and had his wounds dressed. Before I left him he gave me his diary, and requested me to send it to his wife, and tell her that he died happy. After his death next day, the surgeon found on his person a ten-dollar gold piece, and a signet-ring with his wife’s photograph set in it, in miniature.”
“The officers at our brigade head-quarters persuaded me to give up the diary, and after examining it, they promised to forward it to Mrs. Lawrence.”
“At the close of the war, the writer addressed
her at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She
replied that she had not received the diary.
The writer informed her that he had in his possession a sword and
revolver which belonged to her husband, who fell in battle near Rome, Georgia,
and if she desired it, he would forward them to her by express. She said her husband wrote her on the morning of that fatal
day, and feared the results of the approaching conflict. She said her boy “Willie,” eleven years old, would like
to have his papa’s sword. The
sword and revolver were forwarded immediately, and a prompt answer came back,
with many thanks from the mother and her son.”
Thomas Dornblaser survived the war, published his memoirs, and served as a circuit preacher in Kansas for ten years. He visited Palestine in the early 1900’s and moved to Germany after WWI, returning home in the 1930’s. He attended the 75th Gettysburg Reunion in 1938, and died three years later at the age of 100 years and five months.
Sources:
"Thomas Franklin Dornblaser" by Jeffrey S. Mosser, Military Images, Nov-Dec. 1980.
"Sabre Strokes of the Pennsylvania Dragoons", Thomas Dornblaser, Lutheran Pub. Society, 1884.
The 8th Alabama Cavalry Regiment was organized 26 April 1864, at Newbern, by adding a company to the nine of Hatch's 9th Cavalry Battalion, Local Defense Troops, which had entered the service the previous winter. Recruits were from Choctaw, Dallas, Fayette, Greene, Marengo, Sumter, and Tuscaloosa counties. Ordered at once to Blue Mountain, the regiment was under Gen'l Gideon Pillow, assigned to C. G. Armistead's Brigade. Moving into north Georgia, the regiment was in the desperate encounter at LaFayette (24 June 1864), with a loss of 30 k and w,and about 75 prisoners. Shortly after, the 8th fought at Rome, losing about 20 men k and w. It was ordered to west Florida soon after, and it was in front of Union Gen'l Frederick Steele as he moved on Pollard. The 8th surrendered at Gainesville, 4 May 1865, after some further operations of minor importance.
Field and staff officers: Col. Elias P. Ball (Montgomery); Lt. Col. Lemuel D. Hatch (Montgomery; wounded, LaFayette, and captured); Majors William T. Poe; Richard H. Redwood (Mobile; KIA, LaFayette); and Adjutant J. Catlin Cade (Marengo). According to Willis Brewer, "Lemuel D. Hatch of Greene was entitled to the colonelcy of this regiment, having recruited it by authority. But Gen. Polk appointed Charles P. Ball of Montgomery colonel, L. D. Hatch leiutenant colonel, and Richard H. Redwood of Mobile major. Pending a discussion of the question, Col. Hatch was wounded and captured (and Major Redwood killed) at LaFayette, and Colonel Ball continued in command, though Hatch's commission as colonel was issued."