Fayette County PA Archives Biographies.....Abraham, Isaac M., Major November 13, 1817 - ????
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Marta Burns marta43@juno.com August 26, 2024, 7:41 am

Source: Gresham and Wiley, 1889: Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia, Fayette Co, PA, pg 487
Author: John H. Gresham & Samuel T. Wiley

Major ISAAC M ABRAHAM was born in Georges (now 
Nicholson) township November 13, 1817, and is a son of James 
Abraham, a soldier in the War of 1812, and served in a 
company from Fayette county under General Harrison. In the 
siege of Fort Meigs his horse was shot from under him.  

    His grandfather, Enoch Abraham, came from Chester 
county, Penna, and settled on York's Run, a branch of 
Georges Creek, in about 1780.  Isaac Morgan Abraham, brother 
of James Abraham, was murdered by the Indians at the mouth 
of the Cumberland river in 1790.  

    Enoch Abraham, the grandfather of the subject of this 
sketch, married Jane Hamilton, a sister of Judge Hamilton of 
Washington county, Penna, who figured so conspicuously in 
the whiskey insurrection, and was elected to congress while 
imprisoned in Philadelphia in 1794.  He was afterwards 
pardoned by the President of the United States.

    Major I M Abraham was married to Sarah Ann Showalter on 
March 16, 1843. Mrs Abraham was a daughter of John 
Showalter, who came from Rockingham county, Virginia, and 
settled on York's Run in 1806.  She died April 6, 1887, in 
her sixty seventh year.  She, an amiable Christian woman, 
held to the Presbyterian faith, and was the mother of eight 
children, five of whom survived her.

    Major Abraham was born and raised on a farm, and 
followed the occupation of farming until the breaking out of 
the Rebellion in 1861, when he joined the Union army as 
Captain of Company G, Eighty fifth Regiment Pennsylvania 
Infantry Volunteers, the history of which is his history, 
and want of space will not admit of our giving more than a 
glance at the record of one who served at the front for over 
three years.  We take the following from an article by 
Captain McHenry, formerly Captain of Company K and adjutant 
of Eighty fifth Regiment, in Philadelphia Weekly Press of 
July 3, 1886:

    "Major I M Abraham was a native of Fayette county.  He 
had recruited Company G, which he brought into the regiment, 
and had served continuously with it since its organization.  
A man of quiet, modest demeanor, but who did possess a large 
stock of good common sense, which, with his unquestioned 
courage and determination, enabled him to act with good 
judgment." 

    The Eighty fifth left Uniontown in November, 1861, with 
ten full companies of over one thousand men, encamped around 
Washington City, D C, through the winter of 1861 and 1862 
and landed at Fort Monroe April 1, 1862, and at once joined 
the Army of the Potomac, under McClellan in front of 
Yorktown, participating in all the principle battles of the 
Peninsula, losing eighty four men, killed and wounded.  

    At the close of that campaign in August, 1862, Captain 
Abraham was the only original captain with the regiment, all 
the others having resigned and gone home, except Captain 
Purviance who had been promoted to lieutenant colonel.  When 
the Army of the Potomac came North from Harrison's Landing 
the Eighty fifth Regiment was sent to Suffolk, Virginia, 
from where it made frequent raids to the Black Water, making 
skirmishes with, and annoying the enemy in that quarter.  

    On December 6, with Wessel's brigade, the Eighty fifth 
went to New Berne, North Carolina, and joined General 
Foster, who commanded the Eighteenth Army Corps, and 
immediately started to destroy a Rebel gunboat at Whitehall 
on the Nuce river, and burn a bridge at Goldsboro.  They 
defeated the Rebel army under Pettigrew at West Creek, 
Kingston, Whitehall and Goldsboro; succeeded in destroying 
the gunboat and burning the bridge.  

    In January, 1863, the Eighty fifth left its old brigade 
and sailed for South Carolina, arriving at Port Royal 
February 1st following.  the Eighty fifth took a conspicuous 
part in the siege of Morris Island and Fort Wagner.  At the 
latter place, Lieutenant Colonel Purviance was killed August 
30th.  No other field officer being with the regiment, 
Captain Abraham being the senior line officer assumed 
command of the same until the following May, with the 
exception of three weeks commanded by Lieutenant Colonel 
Edward Campbell of Uniontown.  

    After the close of the siege of Morris Island, the 
enlisted men of the regiment gave evidence of their 
appreciation by presenting Captain Abraham with a sword, 
sash and belt costing $350 dollars.  He knew nothing of the 
matter until its presentation, while the regiment was on 
dress parade.  "Captain I M Abraham from the enlisted men of 
the Eighty fifth Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers," is the 
inscription on the sword.  

    About this time Governor Curtin surprised Captain 
Abraham by sending him (unsolicited) a major's commission, 
dated September 8, 1863.  Although in command of the 
regiment, Captain Abraham declined being mustered, as he was 
the senior Captain of the Tenth Corps with which his 
regiment was then serving.  

    In April, 1864, after bringing his regiment back to 
Virginia, he was at the request of General Terry, commanding 
the division, mustered as a major, April 28, 1864, and with 
one single exception the Eighty fifth was never under fire 
without Major Abraham with them, that was on August 16, 
1864, when he was unable for duty because of a wound 
received near Deep Bottom the day before.  

    On expiration of term of service on November 22, 1864, 
his regiment was mustered out at Pittsburgh, Penna, Major 
Abraham at the time being detailed to assist Colonel Mulford 
in the exchange of prisoners at Savannah, Georgia.  When 
they arrived off that city, they found Sherman thundering at 
its gates, and they sailed for Charleston, South Carolina, 
where they received 15,000 exchanged and starving prisoners 
among whom was Colonel Andy Stewart of this county, 
returning with the exchanged men in a fleet of thirty two 
vessels to Annapolis, Maryland, and from there Major Abraham 
returned home December 25, 1864.  Major Abraham is a member 
of the "Jerry Jones" Post No 541, G A R at Smithfield, 
Penna.

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2000.

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