o V .^'% Wf^' /\ •.^- .^'% -.^ ^ <•> •■ft ^-^ ^ • '^Vv A* *^ ^^1 JOURNAL-HISTORY SEVENTY-TBIRD OfllO mUKTEER INFANTRY; BY SAMUEL H. HURST, LATE COMMANDER OF THE REGIMENT. CHILLICOTHE, OHIO 1866. ^S7 . S 6 > /- Jt.€*-Jl,M^--' <'■'»-' Tins volume has been prepared at the request of the Officers and Men of the Regiment whose history it attempts to record. Doubtless it has many errors and imperfections. The history of a regiment is so completely interwoven with the history of its brigade, division, corps, and army, that a general view of the movements of all is necessary to a just appreciation of the part borne by a single battalion. The writer presents the result of his labors, to the members and friends of the regiment, with the hope that it will be a val- uable record. CONTENTS. Organization of the Regiment, 5 Ordered to the Field, 11 Forced Marches on Romney and Moorfield, 12 Return to, and Encampment at, Clarksburg, 14 Change of Position to Weston, 15 March across the Mountains, 15 Battle at McDowell, 17 Position at Franklin, 20 The Army of the Mountains, 21 Battle of Cross Keys, 24 Return to Strasburg, 24 Encampment at Middleton, 25 Crossing the Blue Ridge, 26 Camp Life at Sperryville, 27 Battle of Cedar Mountain, ^ The Rapidan and the Rappahannock, 36 Battle of Freeman's Ford, 31 Artillery Duels, 33 Vi CONTENTS. Movements of the two Armies, 33 Battle of ''Second Bull Bun," 35 In Front of Washington, 44 On the War Path Again, 46 Fairfax and Germantown, 47 March to Falmouth, 48 Battle of Fredericksburg, 48 Encampment at Falmouth, 49 " Burnside Stuck in the Mud," 50 Move to Stafford Court House, 52 The Spring Campaign, 53 Battle of Chancellorsville, 55 Back to the Hills of Stafford, 61 The March into Maryland and Pennsylvania, 63 The Battle of Gettysburg, 6Q Return to Virginia, 78 From Manassas Junction to Bridgeport, Ala., 81 The Situation, 82 Up the Tennessee River, 84 Midnight Charge at Lookout Valley, 86 g; ttle of Mission Ridge, 91 Campaign of East Tennessee, 98 Veteran Re-Enlistment, 106 Homeward Bound, 108 Back to Lookout Valley, 110 CONTENTS. Vii Camp at Raccoon Riclgc, 110 The Aruiy Moves, 112 Rocky Faced Ridge, 113 Battle of Resacca, 116 On to Cassville, 121 Flanking Allatoona, 125 Battle of New Hope Church, 125 Engagement near Lost Mountain, 132 Battle Days in Front of Kenesaw, 134 At the Powder Spring Road, 135 Across the Chattahoochee, 138 Battle of Peachi Tree Creek, 139 Siege of Atlanta, 142 Sherman's Tactics, 146 Atlanta Ours, 148 Camping at Atlanta, 149 Sherman's Grand March to the Sea, 153 In Front of Savannah, 161 Savannah Surrendered, 1 64 In the "Palmetto" State, 167 Through the Carolinas, 168 Battle of Averyboro', 171 Battle of Bentonville, 173 At Gol dsboro', I77 Advance on Raleigh, 178 Vlll CONTENTS. 1 RO The March to Washington, 181 The Great Review, Transfer to Louisville, Ky., ^ ■" Mustered Out, Military Histories of Officers, 1^^ Military Histories of Enlisted Men, 199 254 Summary JOURNAL-HISTORY OP THE SEfENTY-TIIIRB OHIO I'OL. INFMTRY. ORGANIZATION OF THE REGIMENT. In September, 1561, a group of young men at Chil- licothe, Ohio, discussed the possibility of raising a new regiment of volunteers, under the first call of the Presi- dent for three hundred thousand men. After due con- sideration, they determined to make the attempt, and invited Captain Orland Smith, of the " Chillicothe Greys," to accept the colonelcy, and Jacob Hyer, Esq., of Greenfield, the lieutenant-colonelcy of the regiment. These gentlemen accepted the positions tendered them, and at once gave themselves to the work of recruiting and organization, A number of conditional commis- sions were issued by the Governor, and, by the middle of October, the work of recruiting was fairly begun. The new regiment was to be called the Seventy-third Ohio, and was ordered to rendezvous at "Camp Logan," near Chillicothe. Recruiting stations were established in Ross, Highland, Pickaway. Jackson, Pike, Afhens and Washington counties ; and company encampments 2 10 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE ■were opened at Hallsville, Clarksburg and Massieville, in Ross county. At this period in the history of the war recruiting was very difficult. The first outburst of the people's patriotic indignation had somewhat sub- sided. The disaster at Bull Run had cast a deep gloom over the country. It was, indeed, a period of darkness and discouragement. More than twice " sixty days " had passed, and the rebellion, instead of being crushed, was growing stronger every day. Our people were not yet aware of the magnitude of the work they had undertaken, in the war for the integrity of the repub- lic ; and the sympathy of England and France with those who were trying to break up our government, and the encouragement given the insurgents by a very large party in the Northern States, gave prestige to the pretended Confederacy, and, to many minds, in- sured the ultimate success of treason and secession. The firstj reverses of the war had taught us some- thing of the spirit and purpose of our enemies ; and the loyal nation paused, in grief, to weigh the value of the Union, and count the cost of its salvation. Love of country and of right sat umpire, and fixed in the hearts of all true men the desire — the hope— the determina- tion, that, at any cost, the union of these States should be preserved — the nation should live. It was this de- termination that prompted the men who now gave themselves to the country : exchanging the pursuits and associations of peaceful life for the dangers, hard- ships and privations of the field. On the 12th day of November, the first company ("A" was organized; and, on the 16th, came into camp with SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 11 a full one hundred men. November 20th, companies "B" and "F" were organized; and company "G" on the 13th of December. In the meantime a number of parts of companies were brought into camp by the re- cruiting officers, and all were being drilled in the school of the soldier, the company and the battalion. On the 30th of December, a consolidation of these detachments was arranged, by which the formation of ten minimum companies was completed, and the regi- ment organized, and mustered into the "service of the United States. The work of drilling and of preparing an outfit for the regiment went steadily forward, and, by the time it was ordered to the field, the discipline, drill, and apparent efficiency of the regiment were alike creditable to the officers and the men. ORDERED TO THE FIELD. On the 24:th of January, 1862, having orders to report to Gen. Rosecrans (then commanding the de- partment of West Virginia), the regiment left Chilli- cothe, and proceeded {via the Marietta and Cincinnati, and Baltimore and Ohio railroads), to Fetterman, a village near Grafton, in Western Virginia. Here the Seventy-third remained in camp eight days. We met, at Fetterman, the Fifty-fifth, Seventy-fifth and Eighty- second Ohio regiments, like our own, just entering the field. j2 JOTONAL-HISTOKY 0¥ THE February 8d, the Seventy-third and Fifty-fifth Ohio were moved by rail to New Creek, and there reported to Gen. Lander for dnty. We found, at New Creek, three regiments of Virginia infantry, a battery and a detachment of cavalry. lORCED I.IAKCHES ON ROMNEY AND MOOBJIKLD. Searcelv had the regiment occupied its new camp on the bank of the North Branch of the Potomac, when all the men able for such ^-'y ^^^lof'!'' ^^ZZ expedition to Romney, thirty miles distant. Ihe rou e ay ver a mountainous country, now almost impassable wfth snow, ice and mud. It was a rough introduction To campaign life, but our eager men entered upon i lith hearty enthusiasm. The expedition was under the riband 'of Col. Dunning, of the Fifth Ob^o, who w s also commandant of the post at New Creek. The en emy retired from Romney before Col. Dunning s forces arrWed; and, as the river was much ™»nen the exp - dition did not cross, but returned, on the third day, to camp at New Creek. Another expedition was soon planned; and, on the 12th of February, a force of eighteen hundred men in- cluding the Seventy-third Ohio, was sent agamst Moor- field, still further up the South Branch of the Potomac ^'BwrZ; midnight of the 13th, when the head of our column reached the river at the ferry, four miles SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 13 below Moorfield, and found that the ferry-boat had been destroyed. The column halted, and the men began to build fires along the road, the night being quite cold. Suddenly a volley of rebel musketry, scarcely three hundred yards to our left front, startled the entire column. The balls came whistling sharply among us, wounding one or two men of our regiment. The de- tachment of cavalry in advance came tearing back through the column, almost producing a panic; but the infantry stood to arms, and, in a minute, our skirmish- ers were replying to the enemy's fire, which was promptly silenced. Here was the first gun fired by the Seventy-third Ohio, and the first man of the regiment wounded. The column was now moved to the right ; and, just at daylight, approached the river again, opposite and in sight of Moorfield. Col. Harness held the town with a force of militia, numbering from five to eight hundred. We could plainly see them drawn up in line, as if ready to give us battle. Two or three shots from one of Capt. Winan's brass guns conveyed the compliments of the visitors, and Col. Dunning sent in a flag of truce, with a demand for the surrender of the place. Col. Harness replied that the town would be defended to the last. Capt. Winan sent over a few more shells, and the infantry was ordered forward. The river was much swollen, and was barely fordable by horsemen. It flowed through several channels at this point, and the first of these, about half a mile from the town, was crossed by carrying the infantrymen over on the cav- alry horses. As soon as the head of our column had 14 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE crossed this stream, the rebels opened fire from the nearer houses of the town, where they had posted a hundred men to dispute our crossing. But when two or three batallions had opened a brisk fire in reply, the chivalry fled from the town. Our forces crossed the other streams, and occupied Moorfield, while Col. Harness and his militia beat a hasty retreat toward Winchester. Col. Dunning did not wish to hold the town, and his forces accordingly recrossed the river, and started back to New Creek ; and, on the 16th, reached camp again. These forced marches to Romney and Moorfield, over a mountainous country, and through the snow and mud of mid- winter, were severe experiences for new troops, and a great many of the men fell sick. RETURN TO AND ENCAMPMENT AT CLARKSBURG. On the 18th of February, our regiment was ordere back again to the command of Gen. Rosecrans, and took the cars for Clarksburg, Va., where we arrived on the 19th. The regiment remained at Clarksburg for a month. The health of the men grew rapidly worse. Our forced marches and exposures told with wonderful effect, so that, in two weeks, three hundred men of the regiment were sick in hospital, and one or more died almost every day. There was no organized rebel force in this section of the State, but the citizens seemed about equally divided SEVENTY- THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY, 15 in their sympathies for the Union and Rebel cause. Those having aristocratic pretentions were usually against the government, but were so discreet that no disturbances occurred during our stay. CHANGE OF POSITION TO WESTON. About the 20th of March, the Seventy-third Ohio moved from Clarksburg to Weston, a pleasant town, twenty-five miles up the Elk river. Here we went into camp again, and remained three weeks, when the regi- ment was ordered across the mountains to join Gen. Milroy. A number of ofiicers and men were left here, also, in hospital; and here died, on the 15th of April, our first officer — Adjutant Frederick C. Smith — leav- ing behind him the record of a generous and earnest manhood. MARCH ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. The movement of the regiment, with all its baggage and supplies, was, at this time and season of the year, no small undertaking. Having a full outfit of camp and' garrison equipage, and enough personal baggage to have organized a sanitary commission, it required no less than thirty-seven wagons to meet the wants of the regiments — the men, in the meantime, carrying their own heavily-laden knapsacks. The regiment marched 16 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE by way of Buchanan and Beverly, Huttonsville and Cheat Mountain — 120 miles — to Monterey : crossing, in its route, Buchanan, Rich, Greenbrier, Cheat and Allegheny mountains ; delayed, however, by floods of water and roads almost impassable. A few days after our arrival at Monterey, a large foraging party from Gen. Milroy's command was sur- prised, by rebel cavalry, near Williamsville. A number of our men were either killed, wounded or captured, and the train, with its supplies, taken charge of by the captors. A force of several hundred men was sent to this vicinity, to endeavor to retrieve the loss. The re- maining force at Monterey soon moved forward, twelve miles, to the village of McDowell, at the foot of Bull Pasture mountains ; and two regiments were pushed out fifteen miles in advance of that, and across the Shenandoah mountains. The expedition from Wil- liamsville rejoined the command at McDowell, on the 4th of May, bringing in large quantities of supplies. Gen, Milroy had here now about 4,000 men, and re- inforcements were expected from Franklin. On the morning of May 7, the enemy fell upon the two ad- vanced regiments, and, with overwhelming numbers, drove them back toward McDowell, with the loss of some prisoners and almost all their camp equipage and baggage. Learning of their rapid retreat, the Seventy- third Ohio regiment and Hindman's battery were or- dered to their support. It was six miles across the BullPasture mountains; and four miles out we met the retreating column in a narrow mountain road. It was some time before our gun-carriages and wagons could SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 17 be turned around, so that we might return to McDow- ell, Three miles away, we could plainly see the rebel column winding down the Shenandoah mountains, close upon the heels of our men. A battery was opened across the narrow valley, checking their advance; and our force reached McDowell without disturbance. BATTLE AT m'dOWELL. The position of our little army at McDowell was on a low range of hills, parallel with, and about six hun- dred yards from the Bull Pasture river, which runs at the foot of the mountain ; our left resting on the village. Early on the morning of the 8th of May, Gen. Milroy made disposition for battle, and awaited the cominf^ of the enemy. Our position was overlooked by the moun- tain, whose summit, at the distance of a mile and a half, aiforded a complete view of our forces, position and movements. Here, on a commanding point, the enemy appeared during the morning, and seemed to be movino- into position and planting batteries. Our artillery opened upon them at once, and our skirmishers engaged theirs on the mountain side. A section of artillery was also sent across the river, and took position on a spur of the mountain north of the pass. Supported by two regiments, it worked vigorously on the enemy's posi- tion. 18 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE. Gen. Schenck arrived from Franklin, at noon, with reinforcements, swelling our numbers to about 6,000 men. Though senior in rank, Gen. Schenck did not at once assume command. Skirmishing and artillery firing continued throughout the day, and, late in the afternoon, Gen. Milroy deter- mined to make a sortie upon the enemy's position, to drive him from it, if possible, or, at least, to develop his strength. Three companies of the Seventy-third Ohio were engaged on the skirmish line during a part of the day, while the larger portion of the battalion was in po- sition on the extreme right, guarding the flank of the army. Four regiments were moved across the river, and up the slope of the mountain, through the woods on the right of the pass. Nearly a mile of woodland intervenes between the river and the summit of the mountain, where there are open fields. It was just sunset when our attacking party emerged from the woods, moving upon the enemy at close range. The attack was most daring, and evidently impressed the enemy (as was, perhaps, intended) that we were ready and able to dispute their further advance. But in vain did our forces try to drive them from their po- sition. The enemy kept bringing forward fresh troops, and all efforts to. dislodge them were fruitless. Two additional regiments were sent to the support of the attacking party ; so that nearly half of our army was engaged. An incessant roll of musketry was kept up until an hour after dark, when, by common con- sent, the firing ceased. Our forces at once retired across the river, carrying their wounded with them. SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. REGIMENT. 19 Information, gathered from prisoners and other sources, went to show that the rebel generals, Jackson and Johnson, had combined their forces, and were now 18,000 strong; while the Union forces were scarcely 6,000 — were far from any base, and had but limited supplies. It was determined to fall back toward Frank- lin, under cover of this spirited attack ; and accordingly the retreat began about midnight. Our skirmish lines were held until near daylight ; and so quiet was the movement, that the enemy did not know of it until the morning revealed to them our burning and deserted camps. Ten men belonging to the Seventy-third Ohio, who were on picket, could not be found in the darkness of the night, and, not knowing of the movement of our army, remained at their post, and fell into the enemy's hands. The army moved rapidly, but in good order, carrying away all its effects for which transportation could be furnished, and burning the remainder. We were halted for dinner in a commanding position, twelve miles out on the road to Franklin. While here the enemy's cavalry made a dash, and captured a por- tion of our rear-guard. Gen. Schenck made dispositions for battle, supposing the enemy was close upon us in force; but, after waiting for several hours without be- ing attacked, the march was resumed. We arrived at Franklin on the afternoon of May 10. Here our generals determined to make a stand, until the arrival of Gen. Fremont, who was expected with large reinforcements. 20 JOURNAL-HISTORY OP THE POSITION AT FRANKLIN. Our forces were advantageously posted around the town, and for two days a desultory cannonade and skirmish fire was kept up between the belligerents: the enemy all the time feeling, though not seriously press- ing our lines. On the 13th, Gen. Fremont and staff arrived. The army was drawn up to receive him, and gave him a most hearty welcome. On the following day, his army of reinforcement, consisting of about 10,000 men, came into Franklin, with drums beating, and bugles and bands playing, Among them was the celebrated Blen- ker's division, and it was novel as it was agreeable for our Western men, who had never been in a large army, to meet these men from the Potomac, to whom the life of the camp seemed as easy as the every-day life of home. Finding us able to cope with them now, the enemy withdrew from our front, and moved ofi" toward the valley of the Shenandoah. Our army remained here for sev- eral days ; but the question of rations became an alarming one. We had plenty of beef, but nothing else. Hard-bread grew so scarce, that a half-dollar was refused for a single cracker. Ofiicers, in some in- stances, took the corn from their horses, and gave to the men to parch. The sour wine and Limburg cheese of the Blenker sutleries were entirely exhausted, and our brave Teutons looked with sadness upon their empty " proadsacks." Still, the men bore these priva- SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 21 tions with commendable patience, though many fell sick for want of proper food. About the 22d of May, how- ever, supplies arrived from New creek, and starvation threatened us no longer. THE ARMY OF THE MOUNTAINS. The forces now gathered at Franklin were organized into an army, under command of Gen. Fremont, which was called the ''Army of the Mountains." Our regi- ment was now, for the first time, brigaded, being placed in the brigade commanded by Gen. Schenck. Gen. Fremont assumed command of the Mountain Depart- ment under circumstances calculated to inspire confi- dence that the summer campaign would not be fruitless of good. May 25th, our army left Franklin, carrying as far as Petersburg all our sick that could be transported. We moved through a pleasant country, and struck the splendid valley of the South Branch of the Potomac at Petersburg. From this point, sending the sick and wounded, and most of our baggage, to New Creek, the army moved on down the valley to Moorfield. Here our regiment had completed its first circle. With great glee we recounted our valorous achievements at the "battle of Moorfield," three months before, and with little effort persuaded ourselves that those three months had transformed us from raw recruits into real veteran soldiers. 22 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE May 28th, our army left Moorfield for the Shenan- doah valley. There had been trouble in the valley. Stonewall Jackson, after leaving our front at Franklin had suddenly fallen on Gen. Banks at Strasburg, and had driven him back — with no little disaster to our arms — through Winchester to Harper's Ferry and Maryland Hights. Our column reached the summit of the Branch mountains, and rested for a day. And very " beautiful upon the mountains " seemed that day of rest to us, as our eyes swept to the east or to the west, over the green ocean of wooded hills. On the next day our army moved on through Wardensville, where our ad- vance skirmished with the enemy's cavalry, driving them back toward Strasburg. At ten o'clock on the morning of June 1st, our ad- vance brigade, under command of Col. Cluseret, was attacked, and compelled to fall back. The main army was hurriedly brought forward, and disposed in order of battle. Our generals evidently expected an attack by the enemy in force. There was occasional artillery firing throughout the day on both sides, but no engage- ment occurred. Our brigade was in line in an open field, and during the afternoon we could plainly see the enemy's trains moving up the valley, along the Win- ehester turnpike ; showing us that they Avere falling back from Winchester. We were under orders to march at midnight, but did not move until next morn- ing, when we were hurried forward, almost on the double-quick, six miles, to Strasburg. The enemy had escaped up the valley, and our forces were pressing them, engaging their rear-guard. Just SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 23 as we reached Strasburg, a column of Gen. Shields' army, composed of cavalry and flying artillery, came in from Front Royal ; and, as the two columns filed in to- gether, and moved rapidly up the valley, there were such cheers of greeting as lifted one's heart to hear. Our army followed closely in the footsteps of the re- treating rebels, through Woodstock to Edinburg, where we were detained by the burning of a bridge, and then on to Mount Jackson. There was almost constant skirmishing between our advance and the rebel rear- guard. Quite a number of wounded men and'prisoners were taken to the rear, and several squads of Banks' men, who had been captured by the enemy, escaped and came back to us. They were the gladdest men we had seen in the army. Our boys loaded them with hard-tack, and while they related their adventures, they ate as if they had been well-nigh starved. At Mount Jackson, the enemy crossed the river, and burned the bridge after them. Our forces remained here two days, while the enemy lay quietly just across the stream. The rain poured in torrents day and night, and the streams were swollen out of their banks. Gen. Fremont evidently expected Gen. Shields to move up the Luray valley, possess himself of the gaps in the Blue Ridge and of the bridge at Port Republic ; and, if possible, cut off Jackson's retreat. The enemy fell back through New Market and Harrisonburg, closely fol- lowed by our army. 24 JOURNAL-mSTORY OF THE BATTLE OF CROSS KEYS. Gen. Jackson made a stand at Cross Keys, where our forces came up witli him ; and a sanguinary, but indecisive battle was fought on the 8th day of June. In this engagement, the Sevanty-third Ohio supported a battery, and skirmished heavily with the enemy, los- ing eight men killed and wounded. We slept on arms during the night, fully expecting a renewal of the bat- tle on the following day; but when the morning came, the enemy had fallen back to Port Republic, and, having gotten possession of the bridge, crossed the river, and inflicted serious loss on the small detachment from Gen. Shields' army sent to co-operate with Gen. Freniont, and which had, at one time, held the position and bridge at Port Republic. Gen. Jackson having thus escaped across the river, moved through one of the gaps of the Blue Ridge, in the direction of Charlotteville. Gen. Fre- mont deeming it imprudent to follow him, aband- oned further pursuit. RETURN TO STRASBURG. On the 10th of June, our army began falling back to a position where it could be more easily subsisted. We rested a few days at Mount Jackson, from which point ambulances were sent back to Harrisonburg after SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 25 the wounded, for whom there had been no transporta- tion. The rebel cavalry followed our army closely, and were now scouring the country in every direction. Our generals deemed it prudent to retire still farther down the valley. They evidently anticipated an attack by the enemy, as we were, for several days, held in con- stant readiness for battle, and compelled to sleep on our arms at night. Accordingly, on the 20th of June we fell back to Strasburg. ENCAMPMENT AT MIDDLETOWN. After remaining at Strasburg two or three days, the army retired a few miles further down the pike, to the village of Middletown, and went into camp. Lieut.- Col. Hyer resigned, and Major Long was appoiated to fill his place. The convalescents and baggage left by our army at Petersburg were now brought forward, and we had for a while quietude and rest. The campaign of the valley had been a very laborious and severe one. For six weeks we had neither tents nor shelter of any kind ; and our marches, in the heat of early summer, had been most trying on the men. p While here. Gen. Fremont was superseded by Gen. Sigel; and the "Army of the Mountains" became the First Corps of the "Army of Virginia." Gen. Schenck was placed in command of our division, and Col. N. 0. McLean, of the Seventy-fifth Ohio regiment, became the commander of our brigade, which now consisted of 8 \ 26 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE the Fifty-fifth, the Seventy-third, the Seventy-fifth and the Twenty-fifth Ohio regiments. CROSSING THE BLUE BIDGE. Our stay at Middletown was, however, very short. We had scarcely gotten into comfortable encampment, when, on the 7th of July, our army was again set in motion. We marched to Front Royal, and from there moved along the main stream of the Shenandoah up the valley of Luray, to the town of that name. After halting for a day at this place, on the 10th of July we climbed the Blue Ridge, and from its summit looked down on "Old Virginia." We went into camp at the foot of the mountain, on the eastern side, at the village of Sperryville. CAMP LIFE AT SPERRYVILLE. We had a pleasant camp and a most welcome rest of nearly a month at Sperryville : a rest that was greatly needed after the long marches over the mountains and up the valley. The fruits of summer, such as cherries and blackberries, were here more abundant than we had ever seen them anywhere, and the troops feasted upon them with eagerness and delight. We grew very tired of the dry marching rations, and continually SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 27 longed for fruit and vegetables. Here we had abund- ance, and the health of the army was visibly improved. On the 16th of July the Seventy-third Ohio, with a force of cavalry and a section of artillery, was sent on a reconnoisance in the direction of Madison Court House. We marched about sixteen miles, through a pleasant farming district, when we halted for a day, while the cavalry pushed on to the Court House. A few prisoners were captured in the town, and our cav- alry returned. We filled a large train of wagons with corn, and returned to Sperryville on the third day. The plentifulness of corn and cattle in these farming districts of Virginia satisfied us that the rebellion would never starve, as some had hoped and predicted. The agricultural resources of the South were so great that she would, with slave labor, be able to feed all the fighting men within her borders. The news of McClellan's disastrous battles before Richmond came to us here, and produced gloom throughout the army. Gen. Banks moved his army from Little Washington to Culpepper Court House and beyond. Gen. Pope arrived at Sperryville, and as- sumed command of the Army of Virginia. Our corps gave him the usual welcome, and passed in review be- fore him. We had also a field-day at Woodville, a vil- lage six miles from Sperryville. It was the first occa- sion of the kind in which our regiment had participated, and was altogether a pleasant sham. While here we disburdened ourselves of a large amount of baggage and surplus stores, exchanging, also, our Sibley and wall tents for the ordinary shelters. 28 JOURNAL- HISTORY OF THE Finally, came the report that Stonewall Jackson was crossing the Rapidan river, near Orange Court House, and moving on Culpepper, and on the 8th of August, we hurriedly broke camp, and moved forward to join our forces with those of Gen. Banks. We left our pleasant camp with regret. That charming summer month, in our white tents, on the green-sodded hills of Sperry- ville — with long, bright days, and noble sunsets over the Blue Ridge, and evening serenades, and delightfully cool nights, made a picture pleasant to look back upon in our after history. We marched all night on our road to Culpepper, and at daylight on the morning of the 9th, lay down for a little rest. After breakfasting, we pushed on again, and arrived at Culpepper at noon. BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN. Scarcely had we arrived when, from near Cedar mountain, only six miles in our front, there came heavy sounds of cannon and musketry. Gen. Banks was en- gaging the enemy. We could see the smoke from the batteries and the bursting shells. We rest during the afternoon, and listen to the sounds of battle with trembling hearts. It seems like real earnest-work, not continuous, but growing fiercer on occasions. At sunset we are ordered forward, and march through the town with colors flying, taking the road to Cedar mountain. We immediately begin to observe the evi- SEVENTY- THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 29 dences of a sanguinary battle. There are ambulances loaded with wounded, some of whom are crying out as if in excruciating pain. There are groups of slightly wounded, walking back to Culpepper. There are some on horseback, and some in wagons ; and all tell of a bitter and bloody contest at the front. We move on four miles, and then turn aside into a field, and rest on our arms. Night has seemingly brought to an end the fiercer part of the conflict, but there are occasional outbursts of musketry and cannon, which tell that the two armies are still grappling in the terrible embrace of battle, probably to be renewed with fiercer and bloodier fight on the morrow. A little after midnight our brigade is roused up, and we proceed to the front. In the stillness of night, we pass groups of stragglers and camp followers, and parks of ambulances and artillery, and reserves of cavalry and infantry; and, two miles from our bivouac, we file into an open field, with only pickets in our front. We lay down to await the coming daylight. Just at dawn, a picket-post, within a hundred paces of us, opened with a volley on a squad of rebel cavalry that had stolen up very near to us. The whole brigade sprang to their feet, and were, in a moment, ready for action. But the cavalry scampered away; and after standing to arms awhile, we were formed in the main line of battle, and awaited what the day might bring forth. There was an occasional shot from a skirmish- er's gun, but no engagement took place during the day. On the next day, a heavy reconnoisance was sent out on our left front, and a flag-of truce party was sent to 30 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE the battle-field to bury our dead. Gen. Banks having, on the 9th, suffered a temporary reverse, and been driven back for a mile or more, had left most of his dead and some of his wounded in the hands of the enemy. King's division now arrived from Fredericksburg, and took position on our left, and we felt quite secure. That night our camp-fires swept around in a magnificent semi-circle — a war picture to be remembered for a life. The next morning, the enemy had fallen back, and Gen. Milroy pushed out after him, stopping a few miles out to await the movement of the main army. Banks, with his shattered and mangled command, moved back to Culpepper, having fully illustrated again, in a most costly way, his want of military genius. THE EAPIDAN AND THE RAPPAHANNOCK. Two days later, Sigel's corps moved forward ten miles to the Rapidan river, on the Orange Court House road. The enemy's cavalry held the line of the Rap- idan ; and, from a mountain look-out at the left of our picket-line, we could plainly see the smoke of their camp-fires near Orange Court House. When we had remained here about a week, the enemy, under Jack- son, was reported moving down the right bank of the Rapidan, Avith the evident intention of getting between the city of Washington and the Army of Virginia. This made it necessary for our army to fall back ; and SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 31 accordingly, orders were issued to that eifect. Our corps moved slowly back through Culpepper, and on to the Warrenton White Sulphur Springs. Banks and King crossed the river at the Rappahannock station, closely followed by the enemy, who at once engaged our forces at the bridge. We afterward learned that our corps had, this last day, been marching on a road parallel to the enemy's moving column, and only five miles distant. ' Early the next morning, our corps moved down the river to the station, it being fully ex- pected that an attack in force would be made at once by the enemy. During the day, there were heavy artillery duels at the bridge, but no general engage- ment. Our army was massed near the bridge, and could have resisted a powerful column in any attempt to cross the river. The next morning, the enemy was observed moving to his left, and our division moved, early, four miles up the river to Freeman's Ford, it being determined by our generals, if possible, to hold the line of the Rappa- hannock. BATTLE AT FREEMAN S FORD. Our batteries were already in position, commanding the ford when we arrived ; and the enemy was also in force on the other side. A lively artillery duel was kept up nearly all day. Our brigade was massed near the ford, and our skirmishers deployed along the bank of the river. In the afternoon, Gen. Milroy crossed 32 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE the river with his body-guard, and reconnoitered the woods on our left front. Determining to develop the strength of the enemy here, three regiments were thrown across the river, and pushed out boldly into those woods. Coming at length upon a large force of the enemy, they were driven back in confusion and with considerable loss, Gen. Bolen, of Pennsylvania, in command of the brigade, being killed. Our men retreated from the woods, and huddled to- gether on the hill-side near the river. The enemy came out with shouts, and were only checked by a battery and line of infantry, on our side of the river, opening fire over the heads of our retreating comrades. The Union forces recrossed the river, and the infantry fire ceased. Desultory cannonading was still kept up, and the next morning, the Seventy-third Ohio was sent to the support of the principal battery engaged. Be- fore noon, however, we were called back to the brigade, and the whole corps moved rapidly toward the White Sulphur Springs. The enemy had gained possession of the ford at the Springs — had thrown a brigade or division across, and was fighting for a foothold on the north side of the river. But the impetuous Milroy was soon there, dis- puting their advance, and driving them back again. Our brigade swung around on the right, and our regi- ment supported a section of artillery moving on the extreme flank, and directed by Sigel's eagle-eyed staff officer — Captain Ulric Dahlgren. The enemy was pressed steadily back, and compelled to retire across the river. SEVENTY -THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 33 With our section of artillery, the regiment stood picket during the night, half a mile out on the flank of the corps. Then, in the morning, the whole corps swept around the spring, and occupied the commiind- ing hills for a mile up the river. ARTILLERY DUELS. Here, discovering the enemy, our batteries opened again, and were replied to by the enemy's guns, and, for two hours a spirited artillery duel was carried on. We could plainly see the rebel trains and troops moving up the river to their left, which, of course, necessitated a corresponding movement of our army. About noon, we drew off from the hills at White Sul- pher, and moved up to the village and ford of Waterloo, where the artillery duel was repeated and prolonged. We remained here until the next evening at sunset, when, finding that the enemy still continued to move heavy columns up the river, we drew off and marched to Warrenton, arriving there about midnight. MOVEMENTS OF THE TWO ARMIES. It was now evident that the whole of Lee's army was in our front, and that it was pressing forward to fall upon, and, if possible crush the Army of Virginia be- 4 34 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE fore it could be reinforced by McClellan's forces, which were being transported to Aquia Creek and Alexandria. Our division remained at Warrenton a day and night. Meanwhile, large numbers of the sick that filled the churches and temporary hospitals of the town were transported by rail to Alexandria; and the army began to strip for the fight, which, it was evident, must soon come. The rebel cavalry made a raid on our trains near Catlet's Station, and did considerable damage. On the morning of August 26th, we moved out on the Alexandria pike, passed through New Baltimore andBuckland, and arrived, during the afternoon, in the vicinity of Gainesville, when the rebels appeared in our front. A force of rebels had, in the morning, passed over the road we were then on, and a column had been passing from Thoroughfare Gap, through Gainesville during the day. Our advance found a force at Gainesville, and fell back until the column came up. Some shells were thrown into the woods, and we stood to our arms during the evening, and rested on them at night. It was afterward known that this was Stonewall Jackson's army, which, crossing the pike at Gainesville, moved on to the railroad at Bristoe, where they were repulsed by Gen. Hooker, and then moved off by the left to Manassas Junction. Early on the morning of the 27th, our corps moved through Gainesville, in the direction of Manassas. We reached the vicinity of the Junction before noon, and found that Jackson had left there early in the morning, after supplying his troops out of our immense stores at the Junction, and buruing what he did not want. There SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 35 was much delay and apparent indecision here, and, late in the afternoon, we filed to the left, and marched across to the old Bull Run battle-ground. We reached the high grounds commanding Bull Run, and the War- renton and Alexandria pike just before sunset, and just as the rear of Jackson's army was filing past. Our artillery opened upon his rear-guard, near the " Stone Bridge," but he marched on, without turning to give us battle. He had made the entire circuit from Gaines- ville, via Bristoe, Manassas and Centerville, and was now on his way back to Gainesville ; and our generals had let him ! Our artillery kept up their fire until after dark, and just at dusk there was a fearfel mus- ketry fire in the direction of Gainesville, telling us that our forces were engaging the enemy in the vicinity of that village. Sigel's skirmish line rested across the pike, about a mile from Groveton, near the " Stone House," and we slept on our arms for the night. BATTLE OF " SECOND BULL RUN. Just after daylight next morning, Gen. Milroy went forward to feel the enemy. Skirmishing began early in the day, and continued with greater or less earnestness. Our batteries opened at long range, and the guns of the enemy replied at the distance of about a mile and a half. As soon as the position of the enemy had been deter- mined, our whole corps went forward in order of battle : the divisions of Milroy and Sliuiz on the right, and 36 JOUENAL-niSTORY OF THE Schenck, supported by Reno with the Pennsylvania reserves, on the left of the turnpike. Our line moved on up the inclined plain, through wood and field, past Groveton and right up to within a few hundred yards . of the rebel batteries. Milroy moved along the em- bankment of the Manassas Gap railroad, and tried to charge those batteries which had been working slowly all the morning; but he was repulsed with loss. Schenck was now ordered to cross the pike, mass his troops behind a lot of timber, and charge the enemy's batteries. Just as the division was massed, however, Gen. Reynolds came dashing down on horseback from the direction of Milroy's engagement, and said to Gen. Schenck, " General, for God's sake, don't go up there !" Doubtless Milroy was already repulsed, and we should have received the full broadside of the rebel batteries, in grape and canister, the moment we unmasked the woods- Directly, Gen. Schenck received orders to recross the pike, and fall back toward Groveton which he did in good order. Scarcely had we started, however, when a battery from the rebel right opened on us, and fairly plowed up the field over which we were passing with shot and shell. The rebel infantry pressed close on us, also; but we turned upon them at Groveton, and en- gaged and held them there until late in the after- noon, when we again retired to the vicinity of " Stone House." For an hour before sunset there was a marked lull in the battle, though skirmishing was kept up all along the lines, and it became evident that both sides were preparing for a last struggle for the mastery of the field. The two armies now stood near where they SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 37 did in the opening contest of the morning ; or rather, the enemy was advanced, and we were in the nearer emhrace of a desperate and deadly last effort. It was just before sunset that a staff officer rode up to Gen, Schenck, and said, " The general desires you to move your division across the pike. Gens. McDow- ell and Porter are coming in on the left." How our hearts leaped to hear of this timely help, just when the last struggle was to be made for the laurels of that hard day's work ! Scarcely had our orders been executed when McDowell's column came pouring over the field in splendid style. They came down the hill, crossed the run knee deep in water, and went forward along the pike to the very front of battle, all on the double- quick, and shouting and cheering as we never heard men shout and cheer before. It was a grand exhibition of the enthusiasm of battle. But the brave fellows paid dearly for their heroic work ; for, though the night soon closed over the field, and put an end to the con- test, next morning we could see their dead bodies strewn over the field for nearly half a mile in our front. That night was very dark, and as, at the close of the contest, no connected picket-line was formed, matters were not a little confused, and once or twice our own men fired into each other. Durins: the night the ene- my fell back again to the high ground a mile and a half from our line ; and the mornino; of August 29th found the two armies in precisely the same relative position as that occupied by Sigel and Jackson on the morning before. Lee had, however, brought forward and joined with Jackson all his remainino; forces ; while McDowell 38 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE and Porter had united with Sigel, and Hoolcer and Banks were on the railroad, only six miles away. Again the battle opened with cannon at long range, and a spirited artillery duel was kept up during the morning, and we saw, for the first time, great slugs of railroad iron thrown by the enemy's guns. The field this morning presented an imposing view. Standing upon a hill near our position, we could see the entire army gathered here (now numbering 45,000), maneuvering and massing preparatory to the work of the last day's battle of second Bull Run. It was, in- deed an imposing pageant, and we felt confident that if our army was commanded with ability, there was no danger of great disaster. During the day our forces on the right pushed for- ward, and engaged the enemy vigorously, while the center and left only advanced to the village of Grove- ton. Schenck's division had been massed on the right of the pike, half a mile forward of "Stone House," during the last night and this forenoon. In the after- noon we were ordered into a new position, and formed line on a bald hill on the left of the pike, half a mile from Groveton. Our line was nearly perpendicular to the turnpike, and extended out some six or eight hun- dred yards. The division held the left of a second line of battle, McLean's brigade forming the left of the division — the Seventy-third Ohio being on the left of the brigade. We were thus thrown on the extreme left of our army lines, and, as we supposed, were destined to have work to do. Our division line was not refused on the left, but ended abruptly in an open field, and SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 39 was without any defenses whatever. During the after- noon, Gen. Pope and some of his subordinates arrived at the conclusion that the enemy was retreating, and leav- ing the Union array in possession of the field. Under the inspiration of this belief, that celebrated dispatch was sent to Washington, announcing a splendid victory of our arms, which, in the light of subsequent events, was such a bitter reflection on the military genius and ca- reer of Maj.-Gen. John Pope, About four or five o'clock in the afternoon, however, the battle began to grow more earnest. The volleys of small arms and roll of artillery told of the beginning of a fierce and bloody struggle. The tide of battle was borne toAvard us, and soon we discovered the entire rebel line advancing and driving every thing before it. Their line reached across the turnpike, through the open grounds, and into the Avoods on either side. They came on rapidly — firing, shouting and cheering ; and so terrible was their sweep thaf'all opposition seemed to melt away before them. In the center, our troops be- came confused, and seemed, in their retreat to be hud- dling together, and crowding into and along the pike in some disorder. Still, on came the rebel line, seemingly fired with the terrible enthusiasm of victory; and, though our men fought bravely, they could not withstand the charge and shock of that victorious line. The very momentum they seemed to gain, sweeping down, as they did, from the high grounds beyond Groveton, made them resistless. And still our division stood waiting for the moment when it could pour in an eflfective fire. Finally, the 40 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE right of the division opened upon them as they charged a battery three hundred yards in our front. That fire drove them back behind a hill, where they halted for a moment to reform and prepare for the charge on our division. On the left front of our brigade (two hun- dred yards from, and masking the front of, our battal- ion) was a wood lot ; and a deep ravine (three hun- dred yards in front of our right) led up into this woods. Up this ravine, and into the woods the enemy were now seen marching by the flank ; and the right of our brig- ade, from their more advantageous position, began to pour into them a most effective fire. We watched and waited with terrible anxiety. One, two, three battle- flags were seen to pass into the woods; and then we knew that the Seventy-third Ohio would have to meet llie charge of a whole brigade of rebels. But we stand firmly, and patiently bide our time. Just then there emerged from the woods, half a mile out) on our left flank, a brigade of men massed in col- umn, and they bore down steadily toward us. Our regi- mental officers discovered this movement, and promptly informed the brigade commander that the enemy was coming in on our flank. But he assured them that this was a brigade of our own men coming to our support. The enemy in our front, moving in concert with those on our flank, now came out of the woods — their line masking and overlapping our own. The moment they emerged from the timber, our regiment and the whole left of the brigade, poured into them such a murderous volley that they retreated to the covert of the woods again ; and now, from their partial covert, they opened SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 41 fire on us, and the combat grew fierce, indeed. It was the first real, earnest, open-field, line-of-battle fighting "we had done, and the regiment seemed determined to acquit itself well. And so, without any defenses what- ever, the battalion stood up, and delivered its fire most efiectively — shouting and cheering as they saw the enemy waver and go back into the woods. But the contest was not long. In a few minutes the " stars and bars" of the flanking column were so plainly visible that it required no argument to persuade the bridage commander that our " support " was unreliable. Just then, too, a battery from our left front opened upon us, and the shot and shell came plowing down our lines. On came the flanking column, moving so as to gain our rear ; while the enemy in our front, doubtless emboldened by their advantage, advanced again, and, for a little while, a most murderous struggle is main- tained. But the contest is too unequal. Still we stand until the enemy have nearly gained our rear, and have opened fire upon our flank. Then we retire — yielding first upon the left, then the center and right. Some twenty men on the extreme left, exposed to this terri- ble cross-fire, sought shelter behind a garden fence ; but in a minute the two rebel lines have closed in, and they are prisoners of war. It was three hundred yards from where our left rested to a woods in our right rear, and over the intervening ground plaj'ed the enemy's with- ering cross-fire. When we reached the woods, we found a supporting line-of-battle, ready to check the foe. Those of our men who were yet unharmed were scat- tered over a long line, and the ofiicers devoted them- 42 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE selves most earnestly to the work of rallying and bring- ing them together. About eighty were gotten together in these woods, and held ready for action, until it be- came evident that we could no longer accomplish any thing. Then we were moved across the pike, where Gen. McLean was gathering together the scattered fragments of his brigade. Gen. Schenck had been wounded, and had left the field. Gen. Milroy and other commanders exerted all their powers to save the battle from becoming what the first Bull Run had been — a disastrous rout. The enemy were checked and held, while all our trains and artillery, save such guns as the enemy had already captured, were successfully moved across Bull Run, and on to Centerville. Night had closed in on the contestants. The sound of battle had died in the air, and the enemy could fairly claim that the day was his. It was about ten o'clock at night when our brigade crossed Bull Run and Cub Run, near the latter of which we bivouacked in the rain, and, early the next morning, moved on to Centerville. Our regiment suffered most severely in this battle. We went into the engagement with three hundred and twelve guns, and lost one hundred and forty-four men killed and wounded, and twenty prisoners ; which left us one hundred and forty-eight men for duty. Among the fallen were the brave and kind-hearted Captain Burkett, mortally wounded, and the gallant and generous Lieut. Trimble, killed, who, with many noble comrades, were deeply mourned by the regiment. SEVENTY- THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 43 The second Bull Run was a disastrous engagement, and evinced to the army either a want of skill in its commander or a want of zealous and hearty support on the part of some of his sudordinate generals. The army was indeed ungenerous enough to attribute our defeat to both these causes combined. Sunday morning, August 30th, was rainy and dismal. Our army held the line of Cub Run, and the enemy made no attempt to bring on another engagement, though they felt our lines, and assured themselves of our position. The Union forces were disposed in such a manner as to be able to meet any emergency, and the army rested in the rain from its hard three days of battle. All our wounded who had been able to get to the rear were now sent on to Washington and Alexandria ; but many of our worst wounded had fallen into the enemy's hands. August 31st, a large detail of officers and men was sent to the battle-field, under a flag of truce, to care for our wounded and bury our dead. They found our poor fellows stripped and robbed of almost every thing, in the most approved style of Southern chivalry. The rebel cavalry made a raid on our trains near Fairfax Court House, They also cut some bridges on the railroad, which necessitated the burning, it was said, of two millions' worth of supplies and material of war. During the afternoon the battle of Chantilla was fought, in which those heroic generals, Kearney and Stephens, were killed. The enemy seemed pressing our lines now, and mov- ing in force around our right in the direction of Lees- 44 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE burg and Aldie, and already preparing for a bold push into Pennsylvania. IN FRONT OF AVASHINGTON. It was dark, on the evening of the 31st, when our brigade left Centerville — ^joining in the general move- ment of the army back toward the defenses of Wash- ington. The road Avas crammed with trains and troops all the way back to Fairfax. The roads were almost impassable with mud. The night was wet and chilly, and as we marched along, or stood Avaiting in the rain and mud, it seemed the most starless night of our lives. Doubtless defeat and anxiety made it still more gloomy than nature intended. We marched only five miles during the entire night, and halted the next morning at Fairfax Court House for breakfast. Then Sigel's corps moved off on the road to New Vienna, while the rest of the army moved on toward Alexandria. We passed through New Vienna, and halted on the Lees- burg pike, six miles from Chain Bridge, where we re- mained four days with only slight demonstrations of cavalry in our front. Gen. Lee is now moving with energy toward Mary- land ; and our main army is pouring through Washing- ton to check his advance. Gen. Pope is superseded, and Gen. McClellan is appointed to command. The Army of Virginia is merged into the Army of the Po- tomac. Sigel's corps remains in front of Washington, as a guard to the capital, while the rest of the army SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 45 moves into Maryland. We move from our camp on the Leesburg pike, and stop for a day at the Hall farm — then on toward Alexandria to the Glebe farm, near Ball's Cross-roads, and only five miles from Washing- ton : the dome of the capital being visible from our camp. Our brigade remained here for ten days, and then moved again some three miles to Munson's Hill, near Falls Church. We encamped here during the re- mainder of September, having a long and much-needed rest. During this time the battles of South Mountain and Antietam were fought, and Lee compelled to fall back to Winchester. Sigel's lines are again thrown forward to Centerville, at which place our division halts a few days. Then McLean's brigade makes a reconnoisance up the railroad to Bristoe, Catlet's and Warrenton Junction. We drive a small party of rebels before us, skirmishing with them in several places. We could no-w see what trains of stores and supplies had been burned during the second Bull Run battle, and could easily be- lieve the story of millions destroyed. In four days our brigade returned to Centerville, and went into camp again. Here we now awaited the movements of the main Potomac army. It was late in October when Gen. McClellan recrossed the, Potomac, and came sweeping along the base of the Blue Ridge. At every gap in the mountains we could hear his cannon. Lee was thus compelled to fall back from Winchester, and there was promise of a stirring campaign. The Seventy-third Ohio was now transferred from 46 JOTJRNAL-niSTORY OF THE McLean's brigade, and placed in a new one, formed of three new regiments, just entering the fiekl, and our own. Our associated regiments were the One Hun- dred and Thirty-fourth and One Hundred and Thirty sixth New York, and the Thirty-third Massachusetts. The brigade was placed under the command of Col. Or- land Smith, and was designated the Second brigade, Second division of Sigel's corps — Gen. Steinwehr being in command of our division. The Seventy-third regi- ment was moved back to Fairfax Court House, where the brigade was organized. On the last day of October, our regiment received one hundred and twenty new recruits from Ohio. Col. Smith being detailed to command the brigade, Lieut.-Col. Long took command of the regiment. ON THE WAR-PATH AGAIN. Early in November we went forward again, passing through Bull Run battle-ground, and seeing, for the first time, the shallow graves of our dead comrades. We pass through Gainesville and Hay market, to Car- ter's switch, on the Manassas Gap road, two miles from Thoroughfare Gap. McClellan is still moving up that beautiful valley between the Catocktin range and the Blue Ridge. His cannon tells every day of some ad- vance. Lee is rapidly falling back to make his commu- nications secure. Our division moves on to New Balti- more. McClellan's advance is at "Warrenton and Rap- SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 47 pahannock Station. The army is in great expectation that something masterly is to be done. But suddenly we are ordered back to Thoroughfare Gap, and the word comes to us that McClellan is removed from command, and so we are to begin anew under a new leader. The army was greatly disheartened by this event, and we longed to be in the West — some where — any Avhere, that we might be rescued from the influence of Washington politicians, and allowed a fair chance. Gen. Burnside is appointed to command the arm y and he moves at once, with his main force, down the llappahannock toward Fredericksburg, while Sigel's corps is ordered back to Centerville and Fairfax. FAIRFAX AND GERMANTOWN. Our division went into camp at Germantown, near Fairfax Court House, where it remained until winter had fairly set in. About the first of December our reg- iment was ordered to Fairfax station, four miles from the Court House. Here we went into camp again, and assisted in building an excellent road from the station to the Court House, over which the supplies for our corps were to be carried. We have built us a new camp, and are indulging pleasant thoughts of comfortable winter-quarters, when there come rumors of a new campaign, and all our visions of winter-quarters vanish. 48 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE MARCH TO FALMOUTH. December 12th, Sigel's corps is on the march to Fredericksburg, to join the main army, and we take our place in the column as it marches past the Station. We cross the Ocoquan at Wolf Run shoals, and pass through a country that is worn-out, and much of it abandoned land, but which has grown into beauty, at least, with a fine growth of young evergreen and forest trees. Our column halts for a night and day at Dum- fries, the ancient county-seat of Prince William, but now a decayed village, with half a score of old wooden houses. Yonder, on the hill, stands the old court house, where Patrick Henry made some of his most celebrated speeches. So we are on historic ground. But now the heavy boom of cannon in the distance, tells us that more eventful history is being made by our own comrades in arms. The battle of Fredericks- burg is in progress, and we push forward again. We rest for a night near Stafford Court House, and then go on to Falmouth, on the north side of the river, and a mile above Fredericksburg. BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG. When we arrived, there was still desultory artillery firing across the llappahannock, and Gen. Franklin, with his grand division, was yet on the other side of the SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 49 river. We expected, on our arrival to go at once into the figlit, and, doubtless, it Avas at that time intended to give us a share of the work. We were, indeed, on the next evening ordered forward, and, starting at dusk, marched until one o'clock at night, accomplishing only one or two miles. Evidently the intention of renewing the battle was abandoned after Ave were ordered from our camp. About midnight, we were turned aside from the Fredericksburg road, and at one o'clock laid down to rest. That night Gen. Franklin retired across the river, and the battle of Fredericksburg was ended. The poorly- executed attack, the terrible slaughter, and the disas- trous repulse have passed into history. The loss of our army was very great; that of the enemy very slight; and yonder, on those hights, still flaunts the rebel flag and frown the rebel batteries before which so many of our noble boys went down. Deeper and deeper the gloom gathers over us ; and the brave old Army of the Potomac seems doomed to failure. ENCAMPMENT NEAR FALMOUTH. It is the middle of December, and our division is ordered into camp on the extreme right of the army, a mile above Falmouth, while the rest of the corps go back to Stafford Court House and Brooks' station. Here we perform picket duty for a month. Our brig- ade picketed the bank of the river for the distance of a 5 50 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE mile, near Banks' ford. The rebel pickets are just on the opposite bank of the river, and they converse freely across the stream. Some, indeed, cross over and ex- change courtesies, and they often meet on the rocks in the river, and exchange newspapers, tobacco, coflfee, etc. About the middle of January it was rumored that another attempt was to be made to dislodge the enemy from his stronghold on the Hights of Fredericksburg. Gen. Burnside seemed anxious to redeem the tremen- dous misfortunes of the first effort. Accordingly he issued his order, announcing to the army his determi- nation, and caused it to be read to every regiment — urging, along with the announcement, that officers and men should make united exertion for the success of this second undertaking. On the same afternoon that the order was read we were hastily put in light marching order, and made ready for the movement. There was great anxiety throughout the army, but not much hope inspired concerning this enterprise. It was the intention of Gen. Burnside to cross the river, on pontoons, above the city, at Banks' or United States ford, and fall upon the left and rear of the rebel position. "burnside stuck in the mud." On the afternoon of January 20th, the main army, which had been encamped at Belle Plains, and on the plateau in front of Fridericksburg, moved around, out of rebel view, toward Banks' ford, while those forces SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 51 wliich had been guarding the river moved in an oppo- site direction. Steinwehr's division moved to a point about a mile below the city. Just as we started, it be- gan to rain. The day was cold and chilly, and the rain, drizzling at first, but afterward pouring, made out- door life unattractive. We reached our position after dark, and lay all night in a drenching rain. We had been notified that an attack was to be made by the bat- teries in front of the city at six in the morning, under cover of which the main army was to cross the river above ; but six o'clock passed without firing a gun, and it was self-evident that this day was not a desirable time for crossing the swelling Rappahannock. The wagon and pontoon trains and artillery tried to move, but the roads were impracticable. All day it continued to rain. The ardor of the army became more and more damp- ened as the waters rose higher and the mud grew deeper ; and, in the afternoon, the rebel pickets fur- nished the headlines for the Northern press, by postinof up placards opposite our picket-posts, with '"Burnside Stuck in the Mud !" in large capitals. They thus wrote the history of the expedition ; for, after remaining out in the rain and mud two days, the army moved back into its old quarters, and the movement was abandoned. Our division occupied its old camp, above Falmouth, and remained during January, still filling its place in the picket-line along the Rappahannock. During the last days of the month, our regiment built a new and beautiful camp, still further up the river. Hid away in a park of young evergreens, our village of cabins was a picture for an artist to admire. But it was entirely too 52 JOURNAL-IirsTORY OF THE nice. Every soldier knows that when you get r:ady to stay in camp, you may expect marching orders at once. And so it was ; we only got to rest two nights in our splendid winter-quarters. MARCH TO STAFFORD COURT HOUSE. We were to rejoin our corps at Stafford Court House. Gen. Burnside had been relieved, and Gen. Hooker assigned to the command of the Army of the Potomac, and the forces were to be equipped, and somewhat re- organized for the spring campaign. We were moved to a position half way between Stafford Court House and Brooks' station, and two miles from either. Here again • we built us a comfortable camp, and went to work drilling and preparing a thorough outfit and equipment. Gen. Sigel, commanding our corps, asked to be relieved, and Gen. 0. 0. Howard was assigned to the place. Ours was now the Eleventh corps of the Potomac army. Gen. Barlow was assigned to the command of our brigade ; which order, of course, returned Col. Smith to his regiment again. Gen. Hooker gave his attention at once to a most thorough organization of his army — feeding, clothing, and equipping it also in an excellent manner. During February, March and April, the work of preparation went steadily on. President Lincoln visited and reviewed the army in April, and evidently went back to Washington assured that the condition and morale of the army was never SEVENTY- THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 53 better. These reviews were grand, indeed, and broke the monotony of our ordinary camp life with sufficient "pomp and circumstance" to make them memorable. On the first of these gala-days. Gen. Stoneman's cav- alry (15,000 strong) and about ten batteries of flying artillery passed in review on the extensive plateau above Falmouth Station. On the second day, five corps of infantry, and all the artillery belonging to these corps, were reviewed. These corps combined were about 60,000 strong, and their review was a mag- nificent pageant. Line after line, and column after column stretched away over the plain ; and in their truly martial bearing, gave one an idea of the majesty and power of a mighty army. On the third day, our own corps and the Twelfth, which was also encamped on the Stafford hills, were reviewed by the President and Gen. Hooker. And now, as the spring and its campaign approached, the prospect looked greatly more hopeful. The Army of the Potomac Avas 100,000 strong, and thoroughly equipped. Only the shallow Rappahannock lay be- tween it and the army of Lee, and any day might bring on a collision, and be rendered memorable as the battle- day of the two great armies. THE SPRING CAMPAIGN. The enemy seemed resting securely in his strong position at Fredericksburg Hights. He threw out a 54 JOURNAL-mSTORY OF THE strong picket, however, both up and down the river, apparently uncertain which route Gen. Hooker would take, in the event of his crossing. On the 27th of April, our corps broke camp at Staf- ford, and moved, by way of Hartwood Church, to Kel- ley's ford — a point about twenty-five miles above Fred- ericksburg, and ten miles above the confluence of the Rappahannock and the Rapidan. We found the Twelfth and Fifth corps moving for the same point, and at once understood that the grand campaign had begun. We reached Kelly's ford about noon of the 28th ; and a little after dark, our corps commenced crossing the river. Gens. Slocum and Meade followed, and by nine o'clock of the 29th, our whole force was safely across the Rappahannock. The Fifth corps marched thence, by way of Ely's ford, on the Rapidan ; ■while the Eleventh and Twelfth corps marched by way of Germanna mills. Late in the afternoon, Gen. Stuart, with 2,000 cav- alry, fell upon our flank, and captured a few prisoners. He threw some shells into our marching column. Our regiment formed line-of-battle, and guarded the rear of the column as it passed. Our corps rested near, and the Twelfth at, Germanna mills. We crossed the Rapi- dan next morning, and at noon advanced on the Fred- ericksburg plank road, and, passing through the Wil- derness, arrived, after dark, within two miles of Chan- cellorsville, where we halted and encamped. SEVENTY-THir.D OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 55 BATTLE OF CIIANCELLOIISVILLE. In the afternoon, Gen. Hooker's order was read to the troops, congratulating our corps upon their successful flank movement, and saying that the enemy must now "ingloriously fly, or give us battle on our own ground, where certain destruction awaits him." We rested un- disturbed that night, and until noon of the next day, when the brigade was called into line along the plank road. Skirmishing was brisk in our front, and espe- cially heavy in our left front. We went to work, in the evening, making rifle-pits, parallel to and across the plank road. Gen. Sickles, with the Third corps, had crossed the river at United States ford, and the head of his column met and connected with ours at Chan- cellorsville. On Saturday morning, May 2d, as we lay along the plank road, awaiting the events of the day, Gen. Hooker passed along the lines, and was hailed with such enthu- siasm as we never witnessed before. All along the line flags waved, bands pLayed, and tens of thousands of soldiers sent up their shouts of earnest greeting that made the very heavens ring. It was all impromptu — all spontaneous, all honest, hearty, hopeful cheer. "Fighting Joe Hooker" was the leader of as proud an hundred thousand men as ever stood to arms; and as he rode along the lines where their bayonets gleamed in the morning sunlight, with the full enthusiasm of their patriotic pride, those veteran thousands shouted their hearty Hail ! and Huzzah ! 56 JOURNAL-nrSTORY OF THE We were advised that the enemy were passing along our front toward our right, and Gen. Howard was ordered by Gen. Hooker to mass his corps so as to protect the right flank; nevertheless, no dispositions whatever were made to meet an enemy coming from that direction. The pickets, the scouts and the officer of the day, all reported to Gen. Devens, commanding the division on the right of the corps, that the enemy was massing on that flank. But Gen. Devens was not in a condition to appreciate the situation. He^ how- ever, rebuked and insulted his informants for bringing such reports. Afterward these men Avere denounced as "cowards," while the newspapers said "the brave Devens was again wounded in the foot," The truth was that neither the commander of the corps nor of the respective divisions whose duty it was to guard the flank had made any preparation to meet the enemy in that direction ; and the attack of his massed column of 20,000 was a surprise from which the men could not recover — a shock which they could not resist. Just after noon. Gen. Birney, who commanded a division in the Third corps, pushed out in our left front — skirmished with and drove before him a force of the enemy. Following them up, he soon found himself in front of our corps. He now sent a request to Gen. Howard to send him a brigade as a support. Gen. Howard ordered Gen. Barlow to report with his brigade to Gen. Birney ; and, about two o'clock, the brigade stacked knapsacks, and moved out to the front. Gen. Birney surrounded and captured an entire rebel regi- ment, and pushed on out some five miles to the front. SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 57 He encountered no considerable force, however; and late in the evening, the entire expedition started to re- turn. We had heard considerable firing during the latter part of the afternoon ; but not until we were half way back were we advised of the disaster which had fallen upon our corps. Then we learned that, about five o'clock, Stonewall Jackson, with a force of 20,000 men, that had been massed in the woods within a few hundred yards of the camps of Gens. Devens and Shurz, suddenly moved upon them in five massed columns^ striking their right flank and right rear— surprising and driving them before him in panic and confusion ; that the troops thus surprised, most of whom were Germans, broke and gave way, in many instances without at- tempting resistance to the rebel advance; and that the regiments and brigades that did try to stand, were driven back with terrible loss— McLean's and Bush- beck's brigades being literally cut to pieces. This dis- graceful surprise of the Eleventh corps was all charged, by popular clamor, to the cowardice of the men; but it is evident that no corps in our army could have with- stood such a shock if they had been allowed to be surprised and panic-stricken, as were these. And to the ofiicers mainly, who failed to give attention to our flank, this disaster was justly chargeable. Gen. Barlow, finding that the enemy had possession of the ground where the brigade had stacked knapsacks, turned to the right, and marched toward Chancellors- ville, halting within a mile of that place, and restin- on arms for the night, '^ The enemy (after possessing himself of all the ground 58 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE held by the Eleventh corps, and a part of that at one time held by the Twelfth) halted, and Gen. Jackson prepared for another onset. This brought them into the night, and, about nine o'clock, a rebel brigade ad- vanced against our lines north of the plank road. But a well-directed fire from Sickles' line and a few volleys from our batteries on the hill sent them back again. On the high, open ground in front of "Chancellor House" had been planted thirty-six guns, all looking down the plank road, in the direction of the enemy. To seize this important key, and, if possible, capture our cannon, seems to have been Jackson's ambition; and a little before midnight, his force was massed in the woods south of the plank road, and with a front of bat- tle a third of a mile long, and his left touching the road, he advanced to the open ground commanded by our batteries. As his line emerged from the woods, our skirmishers opened upon them, and, in a moment, as if by one com- mand, Jackson's entire line was one mighty line of fire. Then our infantry on the hill-side poured in a telling response, and for a moment the roar of musketry was deafening and terrible, and then above it rose "clearer and deadlier" the thunder of our splendid batteries on the hill. A semi-circle of flame lit up the field. The air was thick with missiles of death, that went shriek- ing and screaming over the heads of our comrades and into the enemy's masses; and for half an hour the heavens fairly glowed with flaming cannon and bursting shell, and the flash of ten thousand muskets. Dark clouds of smoke gathered over the field, and, lit up SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. REGIMENT. 59 with the lurid flame of battle, made the scene terribly, awfully grand. We trembled for a moment to think of the possibility of success to the foe; but our hearts grew calm and confident again, when we saw them driven back in disorder by the terrible fire of our ar- tillery and infantry. In this midnight attack, the rebels lost their impetu- ous leader — StonewallJackson — who fell mortally wounded. At daylight, on Sunday morning, May 3d, our brig- ade moved on to the Chancellor House, and beyond. Fresh troops were coming in to strengthen the lines south of the plank road, and skirmishing had already begun. Barlow's brigade was moved to a position about a mile from Chancellorsville, on the right-hand road to the United States Ford. During the night two lines had been formed from Chancellorsville to the ford forming a kind of ellipse, and inclosing an area five miles long and one or two miles wide. Temporary works had been and were yet being constructed along these lines ; and six corps were so disposed as to pre- sent a formidable front to the enemy, come from what- ever direction he might. We had but a small semi-circle left to us across the plank road, simply inclosing the open ground in front of the Chancellor House. This was held by the Twelfth corps, while the Third and Fifth held to\he right of this in the direction of the Wilderness. The enemy commenced the attack at six o'clock in the mornin^^. His attacks were directed against our lines across the plank road, and west to the Ely's Ford road, where his 60 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE forces were massed in the dense woods which extend for miles toward the Wilderness. Six hundred yards in rear of the Mansion House, our batteries were massed in a commanding position. And now began one of the most determined and hotly-contested en- gagements known during the war. For four long hours there was one incessant roar of cannon and small arms, along a semi- circular front of battle a mile and a half in extent. The conflict was desperate and deadly. The enemy fought mainly under cover of the woods, but could use no cannon with effect ; while our forces were partly sheltered, and our cannon, advantageously posted, sent death into the enemy's ranks. On the right, the tide of battle swayed back and forward again and again; the ground, in some places, being fought over half a dozen times. But across the plank road the enemy pushed steadily and boldly forward, until, by eleven o'clock, the Twelfth corps had been compelled to yield all the ground beyond the Mansion House and the road. About eleven o'clock the firing slack- ened, and by noon had almost entirely ceased. During the afternoon there was not much severe fighting. At times the fires would burst out with great energy, and we would think another general engage- ment was begun. Then it would subside into an irreg- lar skirmish fire, or cease altogether. It was during one of these outbursts that our brigade was brought for- ward to be thrown into the fight. We were massed in rear of the batteries, and awaited for an hour the op- portunity or the necessity to use our bayonets ; but the enemy did not press our lines, and our bayonets SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 61 were not needed. Hence we were only engaged in skir- mishing during the day, and even that was light. On the next day there was occasional skirmishing along the lines ; but the enemy did not again attack us. There lay six corps of our army behind eight or ten miles of breastworks, perfectly secure in their posi- tion ; and, so far as we knew, not only amply able to hold it, but also able to abandon it, and, taking the offensive, move successfully on the enemy. Tuesday was but a repetition of Monday ; and Wed- nesday was a triplicate of the same. During all these days we lay behind our works or on our arms, ready for work at a moment's warning. Everybody won- dered why we did not do something, and everybody wondered what was the best thing to do ; and so, in sus- pense and anxiety, the days went by. BACK TO THE HILLS OF STAFFORD. On Wednesday night, we were ordered to be ready to move, and during that night and the next morning, the whole army retired across the Rappahannock. Why we were falling back, nobody knew. We had lost but a few thousand men ; we had yet nearly a hundred thou- sand, intrenched in a strong position, with a base on the river, where two or three pontoons connected us with our supplies. Two-thirds of our army had not participated in the fight at all ; and if it had been policy 62 JOURNAL-IIISTOKY OP THE to cross the Rappahannock in the first place, we could see no reason for going back. Most of the army moved into their old encampments ; and for a few weeks we seemed to Avait for something to turn up. We had a month of very pleasant spring life in our camp among the pine hills of Stafford. Gen. Barlow was assigned to the command of the First division of our corps, and Col. Smith was again detailed to command our brigade. The One Hundred and Thirty-fourth New York volunteers was transferred from the brigade, and the Fifty-fifth Ohio was assigned to it. \Ve were glad to welcome into our brigade this gallant regiment of Ohio men. We had been associ- ated with them before in the old Ohio brigade, com- manded by Gen. McLean. We knew their soldierly bearing and character, and that, in the hour of trial, there were none more brave and true. Early in June, there were rumors of a movement of the rebel army across the Rappahannock. A force of cavalry and infantry was sent to watch their movements and unmask their designs. This reconnoisance resulted in an engagement at Beverly Ford, where our cavalry first began to give evidence of spirit and valor. Infor- mation was also gained that the enemy was moving in force toward the Shenandoah valley, with the probable intention of a campaign northward. It was thus made necessary for Gen. Hooker to put his army in motion. SEVENTY- THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. Go THE MARCH INTO MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. On the 12th of June, we received orders to march, and, with light hearts, filed out of camp. Our corps marched by Hartwood Church to Catlet's Station. The army was now maintaining a defensive line from the Rappahannock Station to Centerville. On the 14th, we marched to Manassas, and the next day on to Cen- terville. Here we received fuller information of the rebel raid. Their cavalry had already reached Penn- sylvania. On the 17th, we moved by Gum Spring to Goose Creek, six miles from Leesburg. The whole army was coming forward. We stopped at Goose Creek for a week, waiting for the plans and purposes of Gen. Lee to develop. June 24th, our march was resumed, and that night we rested at Edward's Ferry, on the Potomac. Next morning we crossed the river on a pontoon bridge, and pushed rapidly forward. We passed Point of Rocks, crossed the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Mono- cacy river, marching through rain and mud, and halt- ing, just before midnight, near the village of JeiTerson, only to lie down iu the mud, and try to sleep in the drenching rain. On the following day, we moved on through Middletou. The early harvest was just ripen- ing, and the country was beautiful as a garden. The South Mountains rose up grandly before us; and the splendid farming lands through which we passed seemed to us the finest vre had ever seen. Man}'- citizens of Maryland seemed sullen and indifferent ; but some were 64 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE glad, and gave us earnest welcome. At Middleton, however, we were received with the heartiest demon- strations of joy. And when we compared the deso- late fields of Virginia, from which we had just come, with this rich and teeming land, full of wealth, beauty and comfort, truly it seemed we had found " God's country" again. Our corps went into camp between Middleton and South Mountain Pass. There were some of the inhab- itants of the neighborhood of our camp whose sympa- thies ran like the Kittocktin — Southward. Our boys did not have any extra respect for these Maryland rebels, who treated the "Lincolnites" with sullen inso- lence, and charged a double price for every thing they sold to our men ; and from this cause, doubtless, arose the rumor that their chickens rested poorly of nights and their early potatoes were not likely to take the second growth. After a day's rest, we climbed the mountain, and encamped at what was called the South Mountain Pass. From this mountain summit, we had a splendid view of the rich, low-lying country for forty miles to the westward. There ran the Antietam — now become historic; there lay Boonsboro', and Keedysville, and Sharpsburg : and the whole country from Harper's Ferry to Hagerstown spr^ead like a map before us, beau- tii\illy colored with the green of the growing corn, and the gold of the ripening harvest. The enemy was now passing through Hagarstown, toward Chambersburg, and evidently had Baltimore in view as an objective point. On the evening of June 28th, our corps marched back SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 65 through Middleton to Frederick City, where we slept till daylight of the 29th, and again pushed forward, ar- riving at Emmittsburg at four o'clock in the afternoon, having marched thirty-eight miles in twenty-four hours, carrying knapsacks, blankets, sixty rounds of ammuni- tion, and three days' rations. This march, which, for rapidity, has rarely been excelled during the war, led us^ through a very rich farming district. But the citi- zens seemed wonderfully indifferent to the danger threatened by an invading army. They only exhibited curiosity and wonder at seeing so many soldiers; and, from their remarks, evidently thought our force was abundantly able to annihilate the rest of the human family. We expected to see them rising as one man, and rushing to arms to defend their homes. We only saw them rush to the fields with scythe, and reaper, and leave the work of driving back the foe all undivided to ourselves. We remained a day at Emmittsburg, and, on the morning of July 1st, moved toward Gettysburg. We had just crossed the line into Pennsylvania, when, about ten o'clock, we heard the firing of cannon ahead. Citizens told us the firing was a mile or two beyond the town. Vv e were hurried forward almost on the double-quick. The men suftered terribly from thirst and heat; but still we were urged forward, and we knew there was imminency of disaster at the front. Just before noon, our division reached Cemetery Hill, and at a glance discovered the enemy advancing, two miles in our front, while our OAvn troops were slowly falling back on the town of Gettysburg. 66 JOURNAL-HISTOEY OF THE THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. It was just as we reached Cemetery Hill, and while the engagement was going on in our front, that we learned of the removal of Gren. Hooker, and the ap- pointment of Gen. Meade to command the Army of the Potomac. Of course, it seemed to us unfortunate that a change so sudden and unexpected should have occurred at a time so critical. Still, it was impossible for us to know the motives that induced, or the circum- stances that demanded such a change. We learned, also, that Gen. Reynolds, commanding the First corps, had been killed in the engagement of the morning ; that, though he had gained temporary advantages early in the contest, he had ultimately been outnumbered, and his corps driven back with loss. The First and Third divisions of our corps were hur- ried through the town, and at once thrown into the fight to check the rebel advance; and Gen. Howard as- sumed command of the field, Gen. Meade not having yet arrived. Steinwehr's division rested for a little while in the quiet cemetery on the hill, where the vil- lagers of Gettysburg had buried their dead, and adorned their resting places with tasteful memorials. It was a solemn place to rest and reflect before going into battle. Soon, however, we were ordered into line on the right of the town, across and parallel with the Baltimore turnpike. We threw down the fences, and took position, our division being so disposed as to hold Cemetery Hill in case of any further reverses at the SEVEXTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 67 front. Here we lay until about four o'clock in the afternoon, when our brigade was relieved by other troops ; and again we were massed on the hill. The contest was now raging anew in the front of the town ; and our men were forced to retire from that po- sition, which they did in tolerable order, but not until we had lost heavily in killed, wounded and prisoners. By this time, other troops began to arrive on the field. It was a critical moment, however, and had the enemy made a bold dash, it had been difficult for us to hold the hill. The Seventy-third Ohio was massed for awhile in front of our batteries, on the left of the pike, and here received the first stray shots from the enemy, one or two of our men being Avounded. The First corps, and the two divisions of our corps that had been in the fight, came pouring back through the town, and were rapidly disposed so as to hold the Cemetery Hill. Other troops arriving, extended our lines right and left, while our corps circled around the point of the hill next to the town. Our lines of battle now ran along the Taneytown road, facing north, and along and in front of the Baltimore turnpike, facing east, — the two lines meeting at nearly a right-angle at the edge of the town, and inclosing the Cemetery Hill, on which our cannon was massed. It seemed to us unfortunate that the town was given up to the ememy, for it was at once filled with rebel sharp-shooters, and their work of death was begun. When our forces had entirely withdrawn from the town, the Seventy-third Ohio, with a portion of the brigade, was again sent across the turnpike, and took 68 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE position forward in the angle of our lines, and but a few yards from that part of the village nearest the hill. A few shots were exchanged with the rebel sharp- shooters, two men of our regiment being wounded. At ten o'clock at night, we were again relieved, and re- tired to the hill, where we lay down and slept heavily after the fatigue of the day. We lay on the grass, among the neatly-trimmed graves ; and some, with no irreverence, rested their heads on the green hillocks for pillows, and slept without a superstitious dream, but with the assurance that to-morrow's sun would bring earnest and bloody work. At three o'clock on the morning of July 2d, our regi- ment was wakened up, and at once moved into a posi- tion in an orchard that skirted the town, and fronting on the Taneytown road. After daylight, the battalion was deployed along this road, with only the Fifty-fifth Ohio between us and the village. Our skirmishers were thrown forward beyond the Emmittsburg road, and we understood that to our division was assigned the work of holding this central ground, — this vital point in our grand line of battle, — and guarding the batteries on the hill. How well we did it, let history tell. During the night, the other corps of the army ar- rived and were disposed for battle in the following or- der : Slocum's Twelfth corps, on the right ; Hancock's Second corps, on our left; with Sickles' Third corps still farther to the left ; and extending our line of bat- tle beyond the Roundtop Mountain, a mile and a half from the village. The remaining troops were held in reserve, or disposed as they were needed in the front SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 69 line of battle. There was an ominous silence during the forenoon, an occasional gun or a dash of skirmish- ers ; but we all knew that the storm would come, and our generals prepared to meet it. About the middle of the afternoon, the enemy's bat- teries opened on our position, and were immediately replied to by our own guns, commandingly planted on Cemetery Hill in the center, Slocum's Hill on the right, and Roundtop Mountain on the left. And now raged for two hours the most terrific cannonade to which we had ever listened. The fire of the rebel batteries con- verged on Cemetery Hill ; they were arranged in a semi-circular line of battle, inclosing like a sack our own lines ; their fire was not very accurate, but their shot and shell fell upon the hill like hail. The stone fence, behind which we had a partial shelter from their skirmish fire, was little protection now. Indeed, the cross-fire of the rebel batteries in front of the Twelfth corps became so heavy, and got range of us so well, as to induce a change of our battalion to the front side of the wall. Still, there were few of our men injured by this heavy cannonade, in which from one hundred to one hundred and sixty guns were used on each side. Finally, the artillery chorus ceased on their part, and their infantry was sent forward. They had massed on our left, and the blow fell there first ; but the brave boys of the Third corps stood like a wall of fire against their advance. There was fearful work on the left ; the roll of musketry was almost deafening. Then the tide of battle surged toward the center, and fell upon 70 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE Hancock's corps ; but tliere too the foe was met with veteran firmness. Still, the struggle all along our left and left center was desperate and deadly ; on both sides there was advancino- and retirino;, charging and recharging ; and the murderous fire of the rebel small arms, and of musketry with cannon on our side, cov- ered the field with the wounded and slain. Finally, the impetuous charge of fresh troops broke the rebel lines, captured thousands of prisoners, and drove the remnant of their charging column back over the bloody field. The fire now became heavier in our immediate front. Their skirmishers had been heavily reinforced. They had gained a fence on a low-lying I'idge, from which they could not only annoy our skirmish and battle lines, but also our gunners on the hill. It became necessary to drive them back, in order to protect our batteries. Accordingly, our whole brigade line of skirmishers charged and drove them from the ridge ; but, going too far, and the enemy being reinforced, they in turn, charged and drove back our line again, with heavy loss. From this time until the close of the battle, there was a most cruel fire of skirmishers and sharp-shooters all along; the center. It sometimes amounted almost to the fire of a line of battle, and was especially deadly from its deliberateness of aim. About sunset, a heavy infantry fire opened on the right, in front of Slocum's corps. The enemy had massed there too, and pushed forward now with des- perate energy to overpower and turn our right. The deep and solemn roll of thirty thousand muskets, told how earnest and deadly was the strife. The enemy SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY, 71 pushed forward, slowly but steadily gaining ground. Back toward the turnpike were pressed the hard-fight- ing battalions of the Twelfth corps, still disputing every inch of ground with a courage and tenacity that told how well they knew its worth. Nor had the enemy abandoned his work upon our left. Far out upon that flank he was pushing his columns, and fighting to gain position. Darkness closed in upon the armies, still struggling in the fierce and bloody grasp of battle. The enemy put forth almost superhuman exertions to drive back the right and left wings of our army, and meet in our rear. At one time, our right was driven back to, and partly across the turnpike. Their cannon-range already spanned the ground, and the shot and shell from their batteries in front of Slocum and Sickles met in rear of Cemetery Hill, overlapping more and more as our right ■was borne backward. Sometime after dark, the fire on our left ceased ; but still the dreadful carnage on our right went on. On into the night flashed those thirty thousand muskets, only lessening in number as brave men bit the dust. About nine o'clock, our right made a stand, from which it could not be driven. In turn the enemy was now driven back, and most of the ground we had lost was regained. Gradually the fire on both sides abated, and our hearts were lifted up with the hope of victory, as another day's battle closed, leaving us in possession of the field. We began to wrap our blankets around us and think of snatching a little rest ; still, however, in line of bat- 72 JOURNAL-HISTORY OP THE tie, and each man grasping his gun. Suddenly we heard firing close to the town, just at the point of the hill in front of our batteries, across the turnpike. A hurried movement of troops in that direction, and a lively fire of small arms, gave indication of serious work. A division of rebel infantry had been massed close up to our line, just at the edge of the town ; and just as our men were preparing to rest on arms, and about eleven o'clock at night, this division charged the hill in massed column, and without waiting to contest the ground with our first line of battle, went through that line, charged right on, up to our batteries, and even got possession of one or two guns. The cannoniers de- fended their pieces bravely with pistols, sabers, stones, etc.; and one man at least killed his assailant with a spunge-staiF. It was a short but daring hand-to-hand contest, and the enemy had well-nigh gotten a foot- hold on the hill, when reinforcements reached the ground, retook the guns, charged the rebels vigorously, driving them back in confusion, and capturing many prisoners. This bold charge on our right center ended the conflict for the night, and both armies rested, to gather strength for the next day's battle. During the night, we could hear the cries of hun- dreds of wounded and dying men on the field, in our left front, where Hancock repulsed the foe. It was the most distressful wail we ever listened to. Thousands of sufi"erers upon the field, and hundreds lying between the two skirmish lines, who could not be cared for, through the night were groaning and wailing or crying out in their depth of suffering and pain. They were SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 16 the mingled cries of friend and foe that were borne to us on the night-breeze, as a sad, ^yailing, painful cry for help. At daylight, the battle was renewed, heavily on our right, and with desultory firing all along our lines, Slocum, reinforced and refreshed, pushed his lines for- ward, retaking all the ground he had lost, and punish- ing the enemy terribly. An occasional gun from the hill, told that those " dogs of war" were not unwatchful of the contest, and every eye was strained to see where the cloud was gathering, and where the storm would fall to-day ; for we knew the final struggle for the mastery of the field must soon come. The enemy kept up a heavy skirmish fire in our front, and hundreds of rebel sharp-shooters poured down our line an enfilading fire that was cruel and deadly; and as we had no defense or covert whatever, to screen us from this flank fire of the sharp-shooters, we suff"ered terribly. Again the enemy tried to estab- lish hiihself on the ridge where he could annoy our ar- tillerists ; and again our line was compelled to charge and recharge his skirmishers, to hold them at bay. In one of these charges, our regiment captured about twenty prisoners. J'he sharp-shooters in the town became so annoying, that the general sent down a six-pound gun to the Taneytown road, and shelled the houses where they were hidden ; but this only made them worse. To- ward noon, the fire abated and finally ceased along the lines. There was a lull like that which precedes the storm ; and then, about one o'clock, the batteries of 7 74 JOURNAL-HISTORY OP THE both armies opened fire again ; and again the earth shook with the deafening thunder of nearly three hun- dred cannon, and that terrific hail of iron again fell thick and fast upon the hill. Gen. Lee had massed his artillery heaviest against our left, and tried hard to disable our batteries in that wing. Prisoners taken through the day had talked confidently of their suc- cess, and we had been advised to "wait till the five o'clock charge." But our generals had anticipated, and were prepared for it. Suddenly, as on yesterday, the artillery duel ceased on their part, and their infantry advanced in three heavy lines of battle, and one of skirmishers. Here were the three chosen divisions of their army, mar- shaled by their best ofiicers ; and we shall see whether Northmen can stand before them. Across the sloping ground in front of Hancock and Sickles, they came on with flying colors and well- dressed ranks. The scene is like a pageant rather than a battle. Our artillery opens upon them, and the shot and shell make occasional rents in their line ; but they close their ranks splendidly, and move on like veterans, as they are. We have a single line of in- fantry in front of our guns, — which line now opens fire upon the foe. Still they come forward, cheering, j^nd hopeful — aye, confident of victory. At the Emmitts- burg road, where our line has the protection of a stone fence, there is a bloody contest. But the enemy's sec- ond line comes forward, and our infantry are driven back. Our cannoniers hold their fire; they must not sweep away their own men. On, on, come the exult- SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 75 ant foe ; one of our advanced batteries is already in their hands. Our retreating infantry gain the crest of the hill, and our batteries open with canistei;. At every discharge, there were gaps in that line of gray. The ground was covered with their dead and wounded. Their line wavered, for a moment. Their third line did not come promptly to their support ; then our men went in with the bayonet and a shout ; and the enemy broke and went back in disorder. Hancock threw for- ward his right, on the double-quick, plied the bayonet, and captured several thousand prisoners ; while the bleeding remnants of those proud divisions went fly- ing back over the field— our artillery playing upon them all the time — till they reached the covert of the woods. This was doubtless the severest struggle of the ever- memorable three days at Gettysburg ; and over that field the dead and wounded were heaped and strewn by thousands. Meanwhile, the battle was renewed upon our right, with a similar result ; and in the center, too, the firing was continuous and heavy. The sharp-shooting from the town was terribly fatal. At dark, the firing slackened, and soon entirely ceased. We were greatly worn and fatigued; and, that night, got a little uneasy sleep as we lay on our arms. The next morning ushered in the anniversary of the Nation's birth-day. Who shall say that on this day the Nation was not born anew ? For, by the morning- light we could see the enemy's trains winding away 76 JOURXAL-HISTORY OF THE through the mountain-pass toward Hagerstown ; and we knew that the field of Gettysburg was ours. A division of our corps charged the town and took it, with one or two hundred prisoners. The enemy showed no disposition to renew the conflict, but still held his lines while his trains were moved to the rear. We seized the opportunity, as far as possible, of caring for our wounded and burying our dead. The loss on both sides had been very great ; but that of the enemy much greater than our own. The loss in our own regiment had been severe indeed; we went into the fight with scarcely three hundred men, and. lost, in killed and wounded, one hundred and forty-four. It was more than sad, to see so many of our noble comrades thus mangled. But we were proud to have seen them do their duty and bear themselves like men. Our little battalion had stood, for three days and nights, in the front line, among those faithful guardians of our bat- teries on the hill ; and though we had lost half our number, still we had done our duty. Among our many brave men, Capt. J. G. Doherty had fallen, mortally wounded. He was a gallant and brave officer, and was greatly esteemed by his comrades. The exact disposition or the purpose of the enemy, of course, was not known. Our generals waited during the day, however, satisfied to let the cavalry and skirmish- ers feel the enemy, and ascertain his position and move- ments. On the next morning at daylight, the enemy had withdrawn. Our cavalry pushed forward and skir- mished with their rear guard, finding they were moving toward Hagerstown. We marched late in the after- SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 77 noon, when we took the road back toward Emmittsburg again. In the mean time, wo had gathered our woun- ded together at the corps hospital, and made them as comfortaye as possible. To-day there were hundreds of well-dressed citizens coming in to see the battle-field. They were talking about what a noble battle "we" had fought, and what a splendid victory "we" had won; but they said not a word about helping to bind up the wounds of our suf- fering thousands — not a word about making a cup of coffee or a pallet of straw for a single bleeding patriot They had come to see merely. Leaving the battle-field about sunset, our division marched far into the night, on the road to Emmittsburg, and the next day moved on to that town. On the 7th, we pursued our march back toward Middleton; and, on the 8th, marched through Middleton again, and en- camped at South Mountain Pass. The enemy had passed around on the other side of the mountain, and were now in the Antietam valley. There was heavy skirmishing near Boonsboro' and Funkstown. Our brigade now moved to the right, and halted near a vil- lage called Balpville, where we remained two days. Tiienwe closed in on the turnpike between Hagarstown and the Antietam Creek. Here we skirmished with the enemy for two days. Their army was in position on a ridge running from Hagarstown to the Potomac, near Williamsport. It was supposed Gen. Lee had con- structed here formidable defenses; but the sequel proved that he was only covering the transfer of his trains, plunder and artillery across the river. 78 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE On the morning of the 13th, it was reported that the rebel army had crossed the river, and our corps was hurried forward to Williamsport. But the foe had es- caped, losing only a small party of his rear-guard. RETURN TO VIRGINIA. Moving back leisurely, we passed through Hagars- town again, where we had the pleasure of seeing, for the first time, a portion of the "Pennsylvania melish." It was absolutely refreshing to look upon their soldierly countenances, and realize what a treasure to the nation these heroic men had been. And ask they presented arms to us, with gun-barrels to the front, at the same time nodding their heads, and saying, "How are ye?" we were gratified to be able to assure them that we were " tol'able like." * Our corps passed through Middleton and Jefferson again, and struck the Potomac at Berlin. Along the route we were met by may evidences of appreciation of our work at Gettysburg; but there were many citizens of Maryland whose long faces and sullen looks told too plainly where their sympathies lay. We en- joyed some days of much-needed rest at Berlin, and then crossed the river again. We now moved up through that beautiful valley which lies between the Kittocktin mountains and the Blue Ridge. This sec- tion had not yet been greatly desolated by the war. Many of the citizens turned out to give us welcome. SEVENTY- THIRD OUIO VOL. INFANTRY. 79 Nevertheless, most of the "first families" rejoiced in the belief that Lee had been victorious at Gettysburg ; that the cowardly Yankees had been terribly whipped; that now, as ever, one Southerner could whip five Yan- kees, and that the South never could be conquered. We marched along the mountain side, and then along the summit of the Kittocktin range, while on our right, the beautiful valley lay beneath us. It was but ten to fifteen miles across to the great rocky wall of the Blue Ridge, and we could see at a glance our whole army advancing up the valley, in three separate columns, with the long trains of white-topped wagons stretching far to the rear. We descended from our high road to the waters of Goose Creek, and encamped for three days. Mosby, with his guerrillas, was at work on our flanks and rear. His omnipresent bushwhackers were constantly capturing forage trains, sutlers, stragglers, mules, etc. Two evenings after arriving here, our reg- iment was sent to a ford, eight miles down the creek, while a force swept down on the other side, to drive the guerrillas across the ford. We watched and waited all night; but neither Mosby nor his freebooters appeared. Next day we rejoined the corps, and on the following morning resumed our march. We passed through Mid- dleburg, where we saw great broods of young negroes. The town seemed like a negro colony. Every street was lined with these ebony images in groups and crowds. We scarcely saw a white face in the town. The bands played "Glory, glory, Hallelujah! as we go marching on !" and young Africa grinned, laughed, danced and shouted in succession. 80 JOURNAL- HISTORY OF THE About noon our regiment was halted, and placed in ambuscade, in order, if possible, to entrap some of Mos- by's band. We remained hidden far into the night ; but Mosby's men kept aloof. At midnight we moved on, and rejoined the brigade at White Plains. Next day our corps reached New Baltimore, and again halted for two nights. Then on again through the village of Greenwich — past Catlet's Station to Warrenton Junction — where we went into a regular encampment. After remaining here a week, our bri- gade was sent to Brentsville, the county seat of Prince Williams, and made the march in one of the most in- tensely hot days of the summer. On the 26th of July, Lieut.-Col. Long was detailed as corps provost marshal, and Major ITurst took command of the regiment. We had hopes of a pleasant encampment at Brentsville; but just as we got ready to stay, we were ordered to Cat- let's Station. After remaining here three weeks, the Seventy-third Ohio was sent to Greenwich, while the rest of the brigade moved to Bristoe Station. While at Greenwich, a wagon and guard of five men, bringing rations from Bristoe, were captured by Mosby's men. The regiment stopped at Greenwich but a week, and then rejoined the brigade at Bristoe, where we remained until the latter part of September. Our duty was light at all these places, and we were, indeed, having a long and grateful rest after the severe campaign of Gettys- burg. September was a charming month for out-door life; and with fruits and vegetables, which we could purchase in the neighborhood, we were quite comfort- able and contented. SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. FROM MANASAS JUNCTION TO BRIDGEPORT, ALABAMA. On the 24th of September, orders were received to prepare to march. It was intimated that we shouhl move upon the cars ; but, whether to join Gen. Gilmore, in Charleston harbor, or change our base to Aquia Creek, or the James River, or to join Gen. Rosecrans, after the bloody repulse at Chickamauga, we could noi guess. Another order, the same evening, compelled us to strike tents, and march to Manassas that night. We reached the Junction at two o'clock in the morning, and rested till daylight. During the morning, we em- barked on the cars, and reached Alexandria at noon. Our destination was now no longer a matter of conjec- ture. We were to reinforce the Army of the Cumber- land. We were to bid farewell to the noble old Army of the Potomac — farewell to the desolate fields of old Virginia — farewell to her bloody battle-grounds, and the dust of our sleeping comrades ! and go to join our own Western army on the banks of the Tennessee. The order included the Eleventh and Twelfth corps?, which were to be transported rapidly to Bridgeport, Alabama ; and all the railroads over which they were to pass were ordered to clear the way, and let the mili- tary trains pass without reference to their time-tables. It was late in the afternoon of the 25th when oui trains left Washington, and moved slowly out on the Baltimore and Ohio road. The morning of the 26th found us breakfasting at Martinsburg. At noon, on the 27th, we reached Benwood, on the Ohio River, and 82 JUURNAL-lIISTOlli' OF THE greeted with hearty cheers tl.>e hills of our own native State, We crossed the river, took dinner at Bellair, and then taking trains on the Ohio Central, pushed for- ward again. AVe had coffee at Zanesville about mid- night, breakfasted next morning at Columbus, and then pushed right on past our own homes and families, which most of us had not seen for nearly two years. Nor were our friends advised of our coming. The movement was to be kept as secret as possible ; and in many places, they knew nothing of it until our first trains passed along : yet, wherever they knew of it, we were most cordially welcomed, especially in Ohio and Indiana, showing the earnest loyalty of those noble States. We passed through Dayton and Indianapolis, and reached Louisville at midnight of the 28th. The next night we changed cars at Nashville, and pushing right on, arrived at Bridgeport, Alabama, at noon of September 30th, and pitched our tents on the bank of the Tennessee. Thus were two army corps, numbering 20,000 men, transferred from Manassas to Bridgeport (a distance of 1,200 miles) in five days. This was a triumph of rail- road enterprise unexampled in the history of either war or peace. THE SITUATION. Wheeler's rebel cavalry had crossed the Tennessee River, and now, moving upon our line of communica- tions, destroyed several railroad bridges between Ste- SEVENTY-THIRD UlIIO VOL. INFANTRY. 83 venson and Nashville ; and threatened so seriously to disturb our communications as to compel Gen. Rose- crans to fall back from Chattanooga. It was daring generalship that carried the Army of the Cumberland so far into the interior of the Confederacy. Gen. Rosecrans had ventured even beyond his strength, and had consequently suffered at Chickamauga. The spirit of his army was good, however ; and in the strong po- sition at Chattanooga, he would be able to maintain himself unless his communications were disturbed, and his supplies cut off. The Eleventh and Twelfth corps were, for a time, assigned to the work of guarding these communica- tions and the depots of supplies ; while all the facili- ties for transportation were taxed to the utmost to bring supplies forward from Nashville. The railroad brido-e at Bridgeport had been destroyed, and all sup- plies for the Cumberland army had to be carried in wagons from Bridgeport and Stevenson to Chattanooga, a distance of forty miles. The enemy occupied the country on the left bank of the river, and greatly an- noyed our trains carrying supplies to Chattanooga. For several days after Wheeler struck the road, there were no trains from Nashville. The army at the front was on half rations, and our corps were now placed on short allowance also. There were only supplies on hand for a week or ten days. A few more dashes of Wheeler's cavalry, and our haversacks will be empty. In the meantime our brigade was ordered back to Stevenson, ten miles from Bridgeport, and at the junc- tion of the Memphis and Nashville roads, where we 84 JOURNAL-HISTORY OF THE remained in camp three weeks. Tiiere was great anxi- ety on the subject of rations, and the first trains from Nashville, after the road was repaired, were greeted with cheers through all the camps. It will be safe to say, there was not much aristocracy in this section of Alabama. There was, however, abundant "white trash," which, though not the whitest, was yet the trashiest we had ever seen. They were such wretched, sallow, squalid, ragged and unclean starvelings as only a land of " chivalry" could produce. While at Stevenson, news of the supersedure of Gen. Rosecrans reached us, and, though somewhat disap- pointed in not getting to follow " Old Rosey," we were yet glad to have Gen. Grant in command : for, though he had not risen to the hight of his fame, the army and the nation had great confidence in him. Gen. Hooker was placed in command of the Eleventh and Twelfth corps, which, together, formed a kind of grand division. UP THE TENNESSEE RIVER. October 23, our brigade struck tents, and marched back to Bridgeport, stopping here, however, only one day, and then crossing the river and moving up the railroad six miles to Shellmound. Here we remained two days, having time to survey the great wonder of the section — Nickajack Cave ; through which, for a mile, flows a very considerable stream, called Nickajack Creek. The Eleventh, and Geary's division of the SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 85 Twelfth corps, now came up from Bridgeport, and we joined their moving column, following the general course of the river. We reached Whiteside, and rested for a night. Here, as at Bridgeport, the rebels had burned an extensive railroad bridge. On the next day our column moved on until it reached the Trenton rail- road, and then turned down to Wauhatchie. At this point, we could plainly see the rebel signal corps hard at work on the summit of Lookout Mountain. Here, also, we encountered the enemy's outpost, and a lively skirmish ensued. The Seventy-third Pennsylvania reg- iment, on the left of the road, and the Seventy-third Ohio on the right, moved forward in line of battle, driv- ing: the rebel skirmishers back about a mile, and across Lookout Creek. The enemy's artillery on Lookout Mountain opened on us, and their shell fell uncomfort- ably near. After driving the enemy's skirmishers across the creek, we drew off, and moved to the left, on the road to Brown's Ferry. This road ran at the foot of a range of hills that ex- tended three miles from the ferry toward Wauhatchie. For two miles from the ferry, these hills were occupied by troops from Gen. Thomas' army at Chattanooga. They had floated down the river in pontoon boats, sur- prised the rebel outposts, and carried these hills — only the night before. They had fortified the hills, and thrown a pontoon bridge across the river at the ferry. When we came in sight of these troops, the scene was most thrilling. This was the first we had seen of the Army of the Cumberland; and their welcome to '•Hooker's men" was most hearty. As our column 80 JOURNAL-HISTORY OP THE advanced along the valley, greeted and greeting, the shout was passed from hill-top to hill-top — the bands played, the flags waved, and the very heavens rang with shouts such as are only heard in the array ; and their shouts were answered back by our men, Avith real soldierly enthusiasm. Our corps encamped nearly two miles from the ferry, while Geary's division stopped for the night at Wau- hatchie, two miles further back. We lay down to rest, thinking pleasantly of the fact that we had at last formed a junction with the Army of the Cumberland, and that hereafter our fortune and destiny were to be linked with the great army of the West. MIDNIGHT CHARGE AT LOOKOUT VALLEY. About one o'clock, we were awakened by what we supposed to be picket firing in the direction of Wau- hatchie ; but the firing rapidly increased, until it was one continuous roll of musketry, with occasional dis- charges of cannon ; and told us that a daring attack had been made upon Gen. Geary at Wauhatchie. We had orders to fall in with arms, followed by others to move on the double-quick to the support of Gen. Geary. Gen. Shurz' division was camped between ours and VYauhatchie, and hud the same orders; but we passed their camps before they had started, and moved rapidly along the road on which we had come down in the afternoon, which road ran at the foot of the range SEVENTY-THIRD OHIO VOL. INFANTRY. 87 of hills referred to. The last two lulls of this ranrje nearest Wauhatchie had not been occupied by our troops, neither before nor after our arrival in the after- noon. There was thus left a space of a mile and a half * between the pickets of our corps and those of Geary's division, with these unoccupied hills in the interval. As we advanced rapidly along the road, our brigade leading the division and the Seventy-third Ohio leading the brigade, the enemy's pickets began to fire on us from the hill-side. Our regiment immediately formed line, with our right resting on the road and our left reaching part-way up the hill. Capt. Bookwalter went forward with company A deployed as skirmishers; and, with the Thirty-third Massachusetts supporting, we again moved on. When we came directly opposite the first of the two hills, wdiich we supposed to be unoccupied, the enemy began to fire from the hill right down our line of battle, completely enfilading it. The Seventy- third Ohio and the Thirty-third Massachusetts were ^ now ordered to wheel into a common line, and charge the hill. The line was formed and orders sent to Capt. Bookwalter to file his skirmishers to the left into the new front of battle ; in executing which move- ment, that gallant officer fell, mortally wounded. We immediately began the ascent of the hill, which was indeed very difficult. The hill was some three hundred feet high, and it was about two hundred and fifty yards from its foot to its summit. The hill-side was covered ■with heavy timber and underbrush, and, in many places, we could only advance by holding on to or pulling our- selves up by the underbrush. Steadily, however, we