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Adjutant and Brevet Major Richard Lewis Ashhurst, U.S.V.
Adjutant And Brevet Major Richard Lewis Ashhurst was born at Naples,
Italy, of American parents, February 5, 1838. He graduated from the
University of Pennsylvania in the class of 1856, receiving the degree of
Bachelor of Arts, and delivering the Greek oration. He studied law in the
office of Hon. W. M. Meredith, and was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in
June, 1859.
In July, 1862, he took part in the raising and organization of the One
Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers (Second Bucktails),
Colonel Langhorne Wister, and on August 28, 1862, was mustered into the
service as first lieutenant and adjutant. Major Ashhurst continued in
active service with the One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment (except during a
period when he was detailed as acting assistant adjutant-general for the
Second Brigade, Third Division, First Corps, to which his regiment was
attached) until after the battle of Gettysburg, July, 1863.
During this period he took part with his regiment in the battles of
Chancellorsville and Gettysburg and some minor engagements. He was
brevetted captain for meritorious service at Chancellorsville, Virginia.
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At Gettysburg the First Corps
stood the brunt of the first day's battle, and the One Hundred and
Fiftieth took its full share 'of the honor and suffering of the day,
losing in killed and wounded two-thirds of its numbers. Major
Ashhurst was seriously wounded in the afternoon of that day by a
bullet through his shoulder, while the regiment was in its furthest
advanced position, but nevertheless kept with the regiment until the
final retreat. By the successive disabling of his superior officers
he was left the ranking officer and commanded the regiment, when, in
conjunction with the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Pennsylvania, under
Colonel Dwight, it made the last rally on Cemetery Hill and saved
the battery there stationed.
For his services at Gettysburg Major Ashhurst received honorable
mention in the reports of the brigade, division, and corps
commanders, and, on recommendation of General Meade; was brevetted
major " for distinguished gallantry at Gettysburg," |
Major Ashhurst was ordered to Philadelphia after the battle for
treatment of his wound, and shortly afterward resigned. He has since been
engaged in the practice of law in Philadelphia.
Source: Officers of the Volunteer Army and Navy who
served in the Civil War, published by L.R. Hamersly & Co., 1893, 419
pgs.
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