Biographical Profile: Pvt. Augustus Taylor Spence, Company G, Pennsylvania Volunteers, 100th Regiment
Written and Contributed by descendant J. Kurt Spence
Augustus Taylor
Spence, the tenth child of John Oliver and Martha (Steffey) Spence was born on
24 February 1847 in White Township, Indiana County, PA. Augustus was
seventeen-years old when he joined the militia as a substitute for military
service for Jacob Graff, Esquire of Blairsville Boro, Indiana County, PA. He
served with the 100th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Company G.
Young Augustus, who was described as five feet three inches tall, dark
complexion with brown eyes and auburn hair, mustered-in at Greensburg,
Westmoreland County, PA on 31 January 1865 for a period of one year. He was not
paid an advance bounty and given the rank of private. He went with a detachment
of men, first to Pittsburgh, PA and then on to meet up with 100th Pennsylvania
Volunteer Infantry, the famous Roundheads who were part of the Union front lines
near Petersburg, VA. So named because of their Scotch-Irish ancestry by
Secretary of War Cameron, these soldiers were known as the Roundhead Regiment.
They had seen battle in South Carolina, Second Manassas, Chantilly, Antietam,
Fredericksburg, the Wilderness Campaign and Cold Harbor and were now bivouacked
in the Virginia countryside near Fort Stedman, VA in March of 1865 as part of
the siege of Petersburg, VA.
On 25 March 1865, the 100th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry saw action in the
Union advance in retaking Fort Stedman, VA. The soldiers of Company G, of which
Augustus was one, were the first to plant the colors and claim victory. It was a
decisive defeat for the Confederates. Despite heavy casualties, the Roundheads
had won a substantial victory. Their final action occurred on the night of 29
March 1865 when a confederate artillery barrage was made on their line. Firing
continued until 2 am on the 30th.
Major N. J. Maxwell, Commanding Officer 100th Pennsylvania Volunteers filed this
report about the incident:
Hdqtrs, 100th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, April 9 1865
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of this
command from the 29th ultimo to 9th instant.
Immediately on the opening of the action of the 29th ultimo, two companies, B
and G, were sent into Fort Haskell, as per orders from brigade headquarters. On
the 1st instant a detail from the regiment was ordered to report to Captain
Carter for the purpose of charging the works of the enemy on Cemetery Hill. Four
companies, A, F, D, and H, under command of Capt. Charles Wilson, were held in
readiness to support the assault of Captain Carter. The regiment was engaged in
no other active operations.
On 3 April 1865, the Roundheads received marching orders and trekked through
Petersburg, over the Appomattox River and north along Chesterfield Road to
Wilson's Station. It was here that they learned of the wars end and surrender
by General Lee on 9 April 1865. Following Lincoln's assassination of 14 April
1865, the Roundheads and the rest of the 9th Corps were sent to Washington to
insure peace and tranquility in the Capitol.
Augustus became ill and on 15 May 1865, was admitted to Carver Hospital in
Washington, missing the Grand Review of the troops down the streets of
Washington on 23 May 1865. Because of his illness, Augustus was mustered out of
the company on 27 June 1865 in Washington, DC. Records show that he owed the
company a clothing allowance of $32.76 and he also owed the sutler, John Frame,
$5.00. There is no mention of any cash paid to Augustus. After his discharge, he
made his way back home to Indiana County to continuing farming. He was a pumper
of oil fields in 1879 in Butler County, PA. Later, he was listed on the census
in 1910 in Butler County, PA. He resided in Butler, PA. He died on 22 March
1919 in Butler, PA.
He was married to Nancy Ana Shakley on 6 February 1873 in East Brady, Clarion
County, PA. They were wed by Reverend Dodds. Nancy was born in 1851 in
Pennsylvania and died on 5 June 1914 in Venango County, PA. She was afflicted
with typhoid fever during the epidemic in Butler and never fully recovered from
it. She had been a patient at Polk State Institution for nine months and five
days. She was buried on 8 June 1914 in Bear Creek Cemetery, Fairview Township,
Butler County, PA. Augustus Taylor and Nancy Ana Spence had five boys, Lemuel
Webster, Thomas S., Orlando Roy and Clarence Augustus Spence.