Bvt. Col. John Harper

~• rose to leadership of the 95th through attrition... Lead the Reg't during the Appomattox Campaign in April 1865

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9584229/john-harper

funeral was from St. Timothy's Church 5720 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA
Was a book keeper after the War in Roxboro

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/95th_Pennsylvania_Volunteer_Infantry

after the War he worked as a book keeper with his wife's family's from of McCallum, Crease and Co.
source: https://archive.org/stream/leveringfamilyhi00byuleve/leveringfamily... as follows:

Children of (lOit) Amanda' (Hagy) and Alfred Crease.
2756. I. Mary Louisa': b. Dec. 10, 1842; m. Mch. 16, 1865, to

Col. John Harper, of Philad., who was born in London,
England. He was of the firm of McCallum, Crease &

■ ^ Co., of Philad., for several years. He d, in Roxb. Sept. K 22, 1875. (5505)

see also: https://www.newspapers.com/image/167936537/ (the review parade in Washington DC in June 1865)

"The regiment arrived in Washington at the moment of direct necessity, and just in time to assist in the repulse of the enemy at Fort Stevens. From this time to the 22d of September it took part in all the movements of the Sixth Corps, then attached to the army of the Middle Military Department operating on the Potomac and the Shenandoah Valley, including the battle of Fisher's Hill, in which it sustained a loss of one man killed and five wounded. It afterwards moved up the valley to Harrisonburg, and encamped there until October 6th, when it proceeded to Middletown. On the 15th, the original term of service having expired, such of the officers and men as had not re-enlisted and whose term of service had expired, in pursuance of orders from Francis J. Randall, to Philadelphia, where they were mustered out of service. The veterans and recruits, numbering nine officers and three hundred and ninety-three men, were organized in a battalion of four companies, under command of Captain John Harper. By special order of the War Department, No. 352, of 1864, the battalion of the Ninety-Sixth Pennsylvania was transferred to that of the Ninety-fifth, and the consolidated force, numbering six hundred and three men, with the proper complement of officers, was designed the Ninety-fifth Regiment.

Early on the morning of the 19th of October, the regiment was aroused from its encampment at Cedar Creek, by furious cannonading and heavy musketry firing. Hurriedly forming, it moved on the double quick to the front, encountering numbers of the Eighth and Nineteenth corps, which had been surprised and driven from their encampments. Rapidly moving into position on the left of the Sixty-fifth New York, the regiment halted, and the men took shelter under a partially dismantled stone fence, by which they were in a measure protected from the enemy's fierce musketry fire. Orders were finally received from Colonel Hamblin, commanding the brigade, to fall back "by the right of battalions," which was done in good order. As it went back, in passing an eminence on which a Union battery was posted, in imminent danger of being captured, the commanding officer being in the act of giving the word to spike the guns, Captain Harper ordered a halt, and, rallying a portion of his men around the colors, attempted to defect it; but the enemy soon came on in overwhelming force, and the Captain was compelled to fall back under a most galling fire. Proceeding to the rear, it again halted, formed line, and hastily constructed breastworks of rails and stones, where it remained for a short time, but again fell back in good order, to a point near Newtown. Here a line was established and held, and finally, a charge was made, which swept the enemy back from point to point, until the entire ground, which had been lost in the morning, was re-gained, an the troops slept that night in their camps of the previous night. The loss in the engagement was nine killed, and fifty-seven wounded and missing, Captain Thomas Burns being among the killed.

By the victory at Cedar Creek the mastery in the valley was secured to the Union commander, and the regiment remained quietly in camp near Middletown until December 1st when the corps returned to the lines in front of Petersburg. It here went into camp relieving a portion of the Fifth Corps. It took part in occasional demonstrations upon the enemy's right, at Hatcher's Run, during the winter, but for the most part remained quietly in camp until the 25th of March, 1865, when active operations commenced. On the morning of April 2d the regiment joined in the general movement on the enemy's works, which resulted in the evacuation of Richmond and the flight of the rebel army, and in the subsequent pursuit, being actively engaged in the final battle of the corps at Sailor's (AKA SAYLER'S) Creek, where Captain James J. Carroll was killed, and until the final surrender at Appomattox Court House on the 9th. It afterwards accompanied the corps to Danville, in order to co-operate with General Sherman; but upon the surrender of Johnston, returned to Richmond without being called into action, and thence marched to Washington, where, on the 17th of July, it was mustered out of service. Proceeding to Philadelphia, under command of Colonel Harper, it was paid and finally discharged on the 24th.

Source: Bates, Samuel P. History of the Pennsylvania Regiments, p. 1861-1865."