The Death of Col. Seneca Simmons

Col. Seneca G. Simmons was born on December 27, 1808, in Windsor County, Vt., the son of Alfred Simmons and his wife Deborah Perkins. He was brought up on his father’s farm, receiving the limited education obtained at the country school. At the age of fourteen he entered the military school of Capt. Alden Partridge, then located at Middletown, Conn., subsequently accompanying the school on its removal to Georgetown, in the District of Columbia. In July, 1829, he entered West Point, from which institution he graduated with distinction, in 1834, and was assigned to the 7th U.S. Infantry as a 2^nd Lieutenant.

Simmons was assigned to topographical duty and assisted in the surveying expeditions in Florida and Maine. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant January 19, 1837, and served as an aid to Gen. Matthew Arbuckle, commander of the Department of the Southwest. In 1842 his regiment saw service in Seminole War in Florida. Following his service in Florida he was stationed at Fort Pike, La., where he served as post commissary and quartermaster. At the outbreak of the Mexican War he assigned as assistant commissary and quartermaster at Matamoras. In 1847 he received his commission as Captain and rejoined his regiment in the field, distinguishing himself at the Battle of Haumantla, on October 9, that year.

At the close of the war he was stationed at Jefferson Barracks, Mo. and Fort Leavenworth, Kan., before returning to Florida. In 1850, while stationed at Fort Leavenworth, he received a severe injury, which for a time placed his life in a critical condition, and from the effects of which he never fully recovered. Lame, and on crutches, he was ordered to Pottsville, Pa., on recruiting service. While stationed there recovered enough to return to active service, and was sent to the command of Fort Arbuckle upon the frontier. His regiment was soon afterwards ordered to Utah where he remained for four years. In 1859, due to his previous injuries, he sought and obtained a furlough, and joined his family at Harrisburg, Pa.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, Simmons was mustering officer for the Pennsylvania volunteers. On June 21, 1861 he was commissioned Colonel of the 34^th Pennsylvania Volunteers (5^th Pennsylvania Reserves). Simmons’ regiment was assigned to McCall’s division.

On December 20, 1861 he participated in the action at Drainesville, Va., and until May of the following year his command was performing guard duty on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. During the Seven Days’ battles before Richmond he took a decisive part in the actions at Mechanicsville and Gaines’ Mill. At White Oak Swamp on the June 30^th, 1862, while leading the First Brigade of McCalls’ Division he fell mortally wounded. Gen. McCall, who was captured on the evening of the battle while reconnoitering, sent to Mrs. Simmons the following account of her brave husband’s death:

It is not to say that I mourn the loss of a friend that I write to you, although twenty years knowledge of his worth, and very many most estimable qualities, had truly endeared your husband to me; nor is it to attempt to offer consolation in your bereavement, which One above alone can give you. I write to inform you that after Col. Simmons, who on the 30^th of June, commanded the first brigade of my division, was wounded, he was captured by the enemy, carried to their hospital, and laid by the side of Captain Biddle of Philadelphia, my Assistant Adjutant General, who was also severely wounded and a prisoner. During the night of the 1^st of July, as I am informed, the Colonel sank under the effects of his wound, and calmly expired at Biddle’s side. This I have from Biddle himself, who is here in the hospital.

I have only to add that the Colonel’s body has been brought to this city and is interred here, where it may be conveyed to his friends at the proper time.

Believe me dear Madam, very truly and sincerely, your friend and obedient servant,

Twenty years after her husbands death Mrs. Simmons received the following letter from Confederate Captain R.L. Lewis of Pickens County, S.C.:

It was on the 30^th of June, 1862, in one of the fights around Richmond, that our brigade was called on to make a charge on a battery of twelve pieces, supported by a brigade from Pennsylvania, commanded by Col. Simmons, acting as Brigadier General. Col. Simmons’ brigade was stationed in a field to the right of the battery, his right resting on or near a house. The place was called Frazier’s Farm or Glendale. Our brigade marched right across the field with fixed bayonets, against his. We did not fire a gun until we were within twenty or thirty paces. When Col. Simmons brigade gave way or broke ranks, he sat on his horse trying to rally them, until he received a fatal wound and fell from his horse. We gained the field and took the battery, but suffered severely. Our loss was heavy; I had twenty-five men wounded, six killed, and one lieutenant wounded. Some companies lost more. After the fight I went on to the battlefield to look after my men. I found your husband lying where he had fallen from his horse. He told me who he was, that he was badly wounded, and then asked me to help him. I called some of our ambulance corps and had him carried to a vacant house near by. I took off his spurs and sword, which he gave to me, placed him upon a bed, and gave him all the help I could. He asked me who was commanding the fight. I told him General Q.U. Anderson. He said, “I know him, I was with him in the Mexican War.” He then asked me to tell the General that he would like to see him. I conveyed the message to General Anderson, but he said he could not see him. The next day I called to see how Mr. Simmons was doing, but found him in a comatose state. He could not communicate anything. When I placed him upon the bed I noticed he had on a watch, I think a guard or chain made of hair, but it was gone. Someone had taken it. As I had to go out to the Malvern Hill fight, I saw no more of him, but made inquiries concerning him, and was told that he was carried to the field hospital, where he died. Dr. Gaston, our brigade surgeon, took from his person three medals, one for services in the Mexican War, one from the State of Pennsylvania, and one from the United States for gallant services. Colonel Sims, our Adjutant General, said he took a pin from his shirt, marked with the letter ‘G’. I presume it was a Masonic emblem. I gave the Colonel’s sword to Gen. M. Jenkins. He was killed in the Battle of the Wilderness on the 5^th of May, 1864, with it on. I presume his family have it.

Poet N.P. Willis observations of Col. Seneca Simmons:

“I had never before thought that water could embellish a soldier. As we sat in our hack, at the outer edge of the encampments, watching an incipient rainbow, and rejoicing in the prospect of holding up, a general officer rode past with his aid and orderly, on the return to his tent just beyond. Of a most warlike cast of feature; his profuse and slightly grizzly beard was impearled with drops, and with his horse and accoutrements all dripping with water, he rode calmly through the heavy rain like a Triton taking his leisure in his native element. It was the finest of countenances and the best of figures for a horseman. He looked indomitable in spirit, but unsubject also to the inconveniences of humanity – as handsome and brave when tired and wet, as he would have been when happy and dry! I was quite captivated with the picture of such a man, and did not wonder at the comment which was appended to the reply by a subaltern officer, of whom I inquired his name. ‘General Simmons,’ said he, ‘a man whom anybody would be glad to serve under.”


Gen. George McCall wrote to Simmons' widow from his prison cell.	Confederate Gen. Micah Jenkins was wearing Col. Simmons' sword when he was killed at the Battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1864