Jacob Washington Haas

From Pottsville, he enrolled on 23 September 1861 in Company G, 96th Pennsylvania Infantry, and was appointed First Lieutenant. He was promoted to Captain on 5 March 1862.

He wrote of action at Crampton's Gap:

Sunday, September 14 - Fine day. Moved at 5:30 a.m. Crossed a mountain. Passed through Jefferson. Rested in a field near the outskirts. Loaned $15 of Capt. Filbert. We were sent forward as skirmishers to unmask the Enemy. Marched bout three miles and then deployed until we came within a half mile of Burkittsville. The Enemy shelled us for two hours, no one hurt. We lay in the road parallel to the mountain. While we lay, the men of B and G Companies stole milk, hams and preserves out of a house. At 2 P.M. we were ordered back to the Brigade. We marched through a cornfield to the rear and then behind the hills to the Brigade, the Enemy shelling us as we retired.

Pass through a ravine to the extreme right, then crossed over about six fences in line of battle. Came up and laid down and rested a few minutes, shells flying close.

General Bartlett came up and ordered us to charge. Went into action at 5 p.m. Charged over the fence into a meadow and cornfield. The fire was terrific. Crossed the field and drove the "Rebs" clean up the mountain. Rested on the mountain all night. We gave them hell after we had them on the jump up the mountain.

INCIDENTS: I made a narrow escape, the top of my canteen was shot off and knocked me down. Major Martin and Lt. Dougherty were killed. Ed. Moyer took a prisoner and gave him to the Colonel. One "Reb" shot at me out of a house as I crossed the fence. I had him in tight papers. I took him prisoner. Our Regiment bore the brunt of the fight. Our opponents were Cobb's Brigade. Very cold. Slept wihout rocking. Had marched about 20 miles.

He mustered out with his Company on 21 October 1864.

He 'prospected' and invested in the oil business in Northwest Pennsylvania (with William H. Lessig), and was a bookkeeper.

Basic information from Bates1. The quote above from his own Diary, transcribed and posted online by Jake Wynn. His gravesite is on Findagrave, source also of his photograph, posted by Bill Southam, from the US Army Heritage and Education Center Civil War Photograph Collection.

A collection of wartime letters [finding aid] are in the Harrisburg Civil War Roundtable Collection at the US Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC), Carlisle, PA.

His grandson James F. Haas compiled a brief history of the 96th Pennsylvania Infantry from his grandfather's wartime diary; it's also online [PDF] from the USAHEC.

06/25/1833; Pottsville, PA

06/23/1914; Shamokin, PA; burial in Shamokin Cemetery, Shamokin, PA