November 6, 1860 - Abraham Lincoln received 180 of 303
electoral votes. December 20, 1860 - South Carolina seceded
from the Union. February 9, 1861 - Confederate States of
America was formed. Jefferson Davis was named President. March 4, 1861 - Abraham Lincoln was
sworn in as 16th President of the USA. April 12, 1861 - Confederates fired
upon Fort Sumter. The Civil War began. April 15, 1861 - Proclamation called
for 75,000 militiamen (16 regiments). Volunteers for 25 regiments responded within
a week. April 16, 1861- Robert E. Lee declined
request to command the Union Army. April 17, 1861 - Virginia seceded
from the Union. October 1861 - The Second Pennsylvania
Heavy Artillery was authorized. January 8, 1862 - The Second Pennsylvania
Heavy Artillery (2nd PA HA) was mustered (assembled) and
made part of the 112th Regiment. February 24 through March 19, 1862
- Companies A, B, C, E, F, I, K (also called batteries) were stationed at
Fort Totten, Fort Bunker Hill, and Fort Lincoln to help defend Washington DC. June 2, 1863 - William H.
Yarnall and Catherine Sullivan were married at St Thomas the Apostle
Church in Ivy Mills section of Aston, PA by Father William Coyle. Henry Hennissy
and Bridget McHale witnessed the marriage. July 1-3, 1863 - General George Meade
defeated General Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg, PA with 158,000 forces engaged (83,000
Union and 75,000 Confederate). There were 51,000 casualties (23,000 Union and
28,000 Confederate). Until this battle the Confederates were steadily advancing
into the North. August 3, 1863 - William
H. Yarnall (age 23) enlisted in Company F
of the 2nd PA HA and was stationed near Washington DC. His soldier's certificate
number was 688510. His enlistment was for a three year term. Some records erroneously
listed him as William D. Yarnall and William R. Yarnall. Most of his records were
incomplete. It is not clear where he was stationed. Different companies from the 2nd PA HA were at Ft Marcy, Fort Totten, and Fort Ethan Allen. March - May 1864 - The 2nd PAHA grew, was split, and was moved toward the action to capture Richmond. May 31, - June 5, 1864 - The 2nd PAHA marched
from Port Royal, VA to Cold Harbor, VA. (covering about 65 miles in 6 days) with artillery
- heavy artillery. May and June 1864 - Grant tried to
outflank Lee from Spotsylvania to Cold
Harbor to capture Richmond. June 3, 1864 - One of the greatest
defeats of the Union Army was at Cold Harbor.
About 7,000 Union soldiers were killed in the first twenty minutes of the battle.
A man from Massachusetts described in his diary what took place that day. He included
a comment that he felt he would be killed. He was. There were a total of 15,000
casualties (13,000 Union and 2,000 Confederate). There were 170,000 soldiers engaged
(108,000 Union and 62,000 Confederate). General Grant commented in his memoirs
that it was the only attack he wished he never ordered. June 7, 1864 - Very likely William
H. Yarnall was one of many assigned to remove and bury the dead from
the battlefield during a truce. October 24, 1864 - Private William
H. Yarnall was returned to Philadelphia. His discharge paper had a marginal
notation that he suffered a self-inflicted wound to his right hand at Cold Harbor
to get clear of duty. Discharged on December 22, 1864. November 8, 1864 - Abraham Lincoln received 212 of 233
electoral votes. April 9, 1865 - Grant met with Lee
in the town of Appomattox Court House, VA. The Civil War ended.
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