| Early in the Civil War the customary practice of officer
selection for regiment and company leadership was political. This often
resulted in commanders who were untrained and ill prepared for the severe military
tasks which lay ahead. In addition to poor leadership and discipline, the soldiers
were often not properly trained. As a general rule, officers and men started out
together in equal ignorance and blundered along. The 2nd PA HA battalion was just such a unit. In a "Regimental History" of the 112th, Ward (the author) mentions the many instances of lax discipline, abuse of privileges, and the general distrust of and disobedience to officers of the regiment. One can imagine how a large group of green recruits who were having their first experience away from home almost degenerated into an unruly mob. This situation was quickly noticed by political leaders and "regular Army" officers. The 2nd PA HA battalion was always in flux because they were often assigned to "independent company" duty in various locations. Early in the regiment's formation batteries (companies) D, G and H were sent to Fort Delaware (see map on right) for garrison duty in January 1862. The remaining 9 batteries were kept at the training camp (blue dot on map) in New Jersey until February 25, 1862. That is when they were assigned to be part of the northern fortifications of Washington, D.C. Once assigned to the Washington defenses a purging of the sub-par officers took place. Colonel Angeroth was discharged from the service and Augustus A. Gibson, former regular army captain of the 2nd U.S. Artillery in the Mexican War, was commissioned to succeed him. Shortly following this reorganization, the 2nd Pennsylvania "Heavies" were introduced to the Reverend "Father" Thomas P. Hunt. The good reverend soon ended Colonel Gibson's hard swearing and the pair ended the regiment's hard drinking, neighborhood foraging, and abuse of passes. With the return of discipline and order during 1862, families of the regiment's men were willing to join their soldiers at their permanent camps. |
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