USA > Pennsylvania > History of the One hundred & sixth regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, 2d brigade, 2d division, 2d corps, 1861-1865 > Part 1
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MISTORY
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH
INNSELVANIA JOS.R. C. WARD.
Gc 973.74 P38W 1740476
M. L
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
m
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00824 9879
BRIGADIER-GENERAL TURNER G. MOREHEAD. Aug. 28, 1861. April 5, 1864. Colonel 106th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. Appointed Brigadier-General U. S. V., March 15, 1865. Discharged by S. O., April 5, 1864.
HISTORY
OF THE
One Hundred and Sixth Regiment
PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS
2D BRIGADE, 2D DIVISION, 2D CORPS
1861-1865
BY
JOSEPH R. C. WARD, D. D. S.
Late Corporal Company 1, 106th Regiment, P. V .; Corporal Company C, Ist Regiment, N. G. P .; Second Lieutenant Company K, 7th Regiment, N. G. P .; Adjutant 8th Regiment, N. G. P .; Captain Company C, Twentieth Veteran Regiment, N. G. P .; Major and Assistant Adjutant General, 3d Brigade, Ist Division, N. G. P .; Colonel Thirteenth Regiment, N. G. P .; Colonel Retired, N. G. P.
PHILADELPHIA : F. McMANUS, JR. & Co. 1906
1
COPYRIGHT BY JOSEPH R. C. WARD 1906.
.
1740476
PREFACE.
IN presenting this volume to his comrades, friends, and those of the pub- lic who may be sufficiently interested to procure a copy, the writer makes no claims whatever for it as a work of any literary merit; but presents it as a plain statement of facts connected with the history of his Regiment, a Regiment whose services in camp, on the march and in battle entitle it to be classed as one of Pennsylvania's best. Constituting a part of the brigade that bore the name of the city from whence nearly all of its mem- bers came, whose reputation was known, and its services recognized throughout the whole Army of the Potomac, "The Philadelphia Brigade", officially known as the Second Brigade, Second Division of the Second Army Corps, the fighting Corps of the "Army of the Potomac".
The facts have been gathered from a diary kept by him throughout his whole term of service and from letters written home to family and friends, · describing in full the campaigns, marches and battles. He was always with his Regiment, and accompanied it on all its marches and special duties ; but on account of size and age, was a non-combatant, so did not go into the actual fight until Spring of 1864, when he was appointed on the staff of the General commanding the Division; up to that time he accompanied it so far as to watch its manœuvring and went over each field after the action ceased; so that nearly all the facts here related came under his personal observation.
He has been compelled to group facts with which the Regiment had no direct connection, and to mention movements of other parts of the army, in order to continue the thread of the story, to illustrate why that portion of the army of which the Regiment was a part was in such a place, and per- formed such services, and particularly to make the volume a readable book to those of his comrades who have not had the opportunities to know why they were compelled to endure such hardships, make such a march, or fight such a battle, and do not now possess or have at their command large libraries from which to obtain that information. He offers these reasons as an apology for going beyond, and including more than, the history of the Regiment. It may be accepted as a history of the Brigade, as the lives of the four regiments composing it were so entwined that the history of one is the history of all.
iv
PREFACE
The One Hundred and Sixth Pennsylvania was not a regiment that did any one particular brilliant service at any one engagement to make it noted, and then retired from real active service to point at it as its record and pride themselves on the glory of that achievement, but throughout its whole three years service as a Regiment, and one year as a Battalion, it was con- stantly called upon to bear its part in each engagement where it fought, and its colors were always seen where the fighting was the hardest, or, in that still more trying position, supporting artillery and compelled to remain in- active while subjected to severe fire of shot and shell, and its survivors can now look back with pride to the manner in which that service was per- formed, and feel that in no instance was there anything to cause them the slightest humiliation.
About thirty years ago the writer began his labors on this work, and when Colonel Banes decided to publish the history of the Brigade, he felt there was no need to continue his work, and gladly aided him with such facts as he possessed ; but upon repeated requests and letters from his com- rades, and the unanimously adopted resolution of the survivors assembled in re-union at Gettysburg, Pa., July, 1882, where he read to them a brief sketch of the Regiment during their whole term of service, requesting him to continue his labors and publish for them the history of the Regiment, he decided to complete his work, now rendered more difficult, owing to inability to collect from the membership at large such facts as are not officially known, and the many incidents that go to make up the life of an organization ; and yet somewhat easier for the official part of its life, owing to the many publications that have been issued during that time.
Recognizing the labors, and the ability displayed by Colonel Banes, in pre- paring his book, "The History of the Philadelphia Brigade", the writer has adopted it as a guide and been greatly aided by its contents; and has freely quoted such parts as he thought would enrich his volume and be in- teresting to his comrades. He has also had reference to Swinton's "Army of the Potomac" and "Twelve Decisive Battles of the War", Bryant's "History of the United States", Webb's "Peninsula", Rope's "Army Under Pope", Palfrey's "Antietam and Fredericksburg", Doubleday's "Chancellors- ville and Gettysburg" and Humphreys' "Virginia Campaign of '64 and '65", and some of the official reports of Generals Mcclellan, Meade and Lee.
He cheerfully acknowledges his indebtedness to General Wm. W. Burns, U. S. A., General Alexander S. Webb, U. S. A., General James C. Lynch, Captain Robert H. Ford, Captain William N. Jones, Captain Lynford D.
CORPORAL JOS. R. C. WARD.
Sept. 10, 1864.
Aug. 24, 1861. As Musician, Company " I." Detailed as Mounted Orderly, Headquarters 2d Division, 2d Corps, April 15, 1864. Promoted to Corporal, June 16, 1864, Appointed Chief of Orderlies at same Headquarters. Wounded at Spottsylvania C. H., Va., May 12, 1864. Mustered out with Company, Sept. 10, 1864.
V
PREFACE
C. Tyler, Lieutenant William B. Rose, Major William H. Lambert, for their able counsel and many kind favors.
He is also under obligations to Sergeant Joseph N. Radcliff, of Company C., who placed at his disposal one of the most complete diaries, kept by him during his four years' service.
Regretting that the task had not fallen to one far more competent to give to the public the services of the faithful One Hundred and Sixth, he asks the indulgence of his comrades for any errors that may be discovered. If they will accept this History as the best that could be written at this late day he will feel that his labors have not been in vain; but whatever their -verdict may be he will ever subscribe himself
Fraternally, Jos. R. C. WARD.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE.
FORMATION
1
CHAPTER II.
TO THE FRONT
5
CHAPTER III.
BALL'S BLUFF 9
CHAPTER IV.
WINTER QUARTERS
15.
CHAPTER V.
THE ADVANCE
23
CHAPTER VI.
YORKTOWN
33
CHAPTER VII.
FAIR OAKS 47
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SEVEN DAYS' FIGHT
60
CHAPTER IX.
TO THE RELIEF OF POPE
82
CHAPTER X.
ANTIETAM
93
CHAPTER XI.
MCCLELLAN RELIEVED
117
viii
CONTENTS
CHAPTER XII.
PAGE.
FREDERICKSBURG
127
CHAPTER XIII.
WINTER QUARTERS
151
CHAPTER XIV.
162
CHANCELLORSVILLE
CHAPTER XV. 169
GETTYSBURG
CHAPTER XVII.
BACK TO VIRGINIA 213
CHAPTER XVIII.
WINTER QUARTERS AGAIN
CHAPTER XIX.
THE WILDERNESS
CHAPTER XX.
245
SPOTTSYLVANIA
CHAPTER XXI.
257
NORTH ANNA AND TOTOPOTOMOY
CHAPTER XXII.
264
COLD HARBOR
CHAPTER XXIII.
273
PETERSBURG
CHAPTER XXIV.
284
HOME AGAIN
CHAPTER XXV. 286
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH BATTALION
181
INVASION OF PENNSYLVANIA
CHAPTER XVI.
230
237
ix
CONTENTS
ROSTER OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH REGIMENT.
FIELD AND STAFF 298
REGIMENTAL BAND 300
FIELD AND STAFF, ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH BATTALION 301
COMPANY A
303
COMPANY B
310
COMPANY C
316
COMPANY D
323
COMPANY E
330
COMPANY F
335
COMPANY G
346
COMPANY H
350
COMPANY I
360
COMPANY K
366
ROLL OF DEAD
377
LOSSES BY COMPANIES
382
DEDICATION OF MONUMENTS.
EAST CEMETERY HILL, GETTYSBURG, PA.
386
CEMETERY RIDGE, GETTYSBURG, PA.
390
ANTIETAM
418
BIOGRAPHIES.
GENERAL TURNER GUSTAVUS MOREHEAD 428
COLONEL WILLIAM L. CURRY 432
COLONEL JOHN H. STOVER
437
GENERAL JAMES CANNING LYNCH
440
COLONEL JOS. R. C. WARD
444
INDEX
451
INDEX TO PORTRAITS.
PAGE.
COLONEL TURNER G. MOREHEAD
Frontispiece.
COLONEL Jos. R. C. WARD V
FIELD AND STAFF (Original) 4
Colonel T. G. Morehead,
Lieut .- Colonel W. L. Curry,
Major J. H. Stover, Captain J. R. Breitenbach, Adjutant F. M. Pleis, Quartermaster W. H. Stokes.
GROUP. STAFF
15
Adjutant F. M. Pleis,
Asst. Surgeon Philip Leidy,
66
H. D. McLean.
John A. Steel,
GROUP. NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF
33
Sergt .- Major Jas. D. Tyler, Sergt .- Major Wm. H. Neiler. Drum Major Lewis W. Grantier.
GROUP. COMPANY A 48
Captain Chas. S. Schwartz, Sergeant E. Sherwood Walton, Captain David G. Walton.
HOSPITAL AT FAIR OAKS
57
MAJOR JOHN H. STOVER 67
GROUP. COMPANY A
80
Corporal John S. Dove, Corporal Geo. S. Smith, Private John S. Turner.
GROUP. COMPANY B
93
Captain Paul J. Hallowell, Sergeant Alonzo C. Schank. Private Henry Vaughan.
GROUP. COMPANY C
112
Captain R. W. P. Allen. Sergeant Théo. L. Lockerman, Sergeant Geo. W. White.
GROUP. COMPANY C
127
Captain John W. Lynch, Sergeant Henry J. Blair, Private Henry H. Spencer.
xi
INDEX TO PORTRAITS
PAGE.
GROUP. COMPANY C 144 Sergeant Jonathan C. Barnes, Sergeant Chas. H. Hickok, Private William W. Smith.
GROUP. COMPANY D
150
Lieutenant John Irvin.
Sergeant Samuel Irvin.
Sergeant William Irvin,
Corporal David Irvin.
GROUP. COMPANY D
169
Lieutenant Joshua A. Gage, Corporal Ellery J. Holcomb, Sergeant John E. Rockwell, Peter W. Scheik.
GROUP. COMPANY D
180
Sergeant Henry C. Veil, Corporal Giles M. Coons, Private John D. Turner.
GENERAL JAMES C. LYNCH 191
GROUP. COMPANY E 212
Sergt. R. A. W. Oestmanı, Mus. Gustavus Josephs.
GROUP. COMPANY F
224
Lieutenant James C. Biggs, Private Jacob Focht. Sergeant R. F. Whitmoyer, Thomas Purcell.
THE FLAG
232
GROUP. COMPANY I
336
Captain Robert H. Ford, Corporal Jefferson Arthur, Corporal Jos. R. C. Ward.
GROUP. COMPANY G 245
Sergeant Allen S. Elliott.
COLONEL WM. L. CURRY 247
GROUP. COMPANY H
257
Captain L. D. C. Tyler,
Sergeant James S. Foy,
Lieutenant Wm. B. Rose, Private James Thompson.
GROUP. COMPANY H
273
Lieutenant John F. Hassett, Private Thos. Thompson, .. Jonathan C. Hallowell,
Mus. G. J. R. Miller,
GROUP. COMPANY K
280
Sergeant Isaac N. Harvey,
Private Giles R. Hallem.
xii
INDEX TO PORTRAITS
CORPS MARK (Design)
PAGE. 296
ARMY COMMANDERS, General Geo. B. McClellan, General Jos. Hooker, 66 Ambrose E. Burnside, George G. Meade.
CORPS COMMANDERS,
General Edwin V. Sumner, General D. N. Couch, General Winfield S. Hancock.
DIVISION COMMANDERS,
General John Sedgwick, General Oliver O. Howard, General John Gibbon.
BRIGADE COMMANDERS,
General Edward D. Baker, General Joshua T. Owen,
Wm. W. Burns, Alexander S. Webb.
GROUP AT DEDICATION OF TABLET AT GETTYSBURG 386
MONUMENT AT GETTYSBURG 390
MONUMENT AT GETTYSBURG 394
BRONZE TABLET ON MONUMENT AT GETTYSBURG
400
GROUP AT GETTYSBURG 415
MONUMENT AT ANTIETAM
420
GROUP AT ANTIETAM
424
HISTORY
OF THE
One Hundred and Sixth Regiment
PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS.
CHAPTER I.
FORMATION.
T HIS Regiment, with the exception of Company K, was organ- ized between the 8th day of August and the 30th day of September, 1861, by Colonel Turner G. Morehead, of Philadel- phia, a prominent and efficient officer of the Pennsylvania Militia, immediately upon his return from the three months' service with his former regiment, the Twenty-Second Pennsylvania. He was ably assisted by William L. Curry, afterwards Lieutenant-Colonel, and John J. Sperry, Captain of Company A. The Regiment in- cluded many officers and men of the Twenty-Second and some who had served in the Philadelphia Life Guards, a military organ- ization of many years' standing.
The Regiment was recruited as part of the Baker's California Brigade, to be commanded by Colonel Edward D. Baker, a United States Senator from Oregon, then Colonel of the First California Regiment, which afterwards became the Seventy-First Pennsyl- vania, he having been especially commissioned by President Lincoln to raise that regiment and afterwards the brigade, to be credited to the State of California, which furnished the necessary funds for organizing, uniforming and equipping the brigade.
2
[1861
THE ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH REGIMENT
The first Regiment of the brigade, the First California, or the Seventy-First Pennsylvania, was recruited mainly in Philadelphia by Colonel Baker and Colonel Isaac J. Wistar, early in April, 1861, and sent to New York with Edward D. Baker as Colonel, Isaac J. Wistar, Lieutenant-Colonel, and R. A. Parrish, Major.
The second Regiment of the brigade, the Seventy-Second Pennsylvania, or as it was better known, the Philadelphia Fire Zouaves, as it contained representatives from nearly all the Volun- teer Fire Companies of Philadelphia, was recruited in August by Colonel D. W. C. Baxter, who had just returned as Lieutenant- Colonel of the Nineteenth Pennsylvania, three months' service, and was soon completed with De Witt Clinton Baxter as Colonel, Theodore Hesser, Lieutenant-Colonel, and James M. De Witt, of the Chicago Zouaves, Major.
The third Regiment, or the Sixty-Ninth Pennsylvania, was recruited by Colonel Joshua T. Owen, commander of the Twenty- Fourth Pennsylvania during the three months' service, who com- menced the organization of the Sixty-Ninth Regiment immediately upon being mustered out of the Twenty-Fourth, and many of his officers and men, attached to him by his genial disposition and generous nature, readily assented to re-enlist under him; the organization was soon completed with Joshua T. Owen as Colonel, Dennis O'Kane, Lieutenant-Colonel, and John Dever- eaux, Major.
Thus the entire brigade was recruited in Philadelphia, with the exception of three fine companies of the One Hundred and Sixth Regiment from the interior of the State. All of its field and staff officers, with the exception of Major De Witt, of the Seventy- Second, and Major Stover and Surgeon Dwinelle, of the One Hundred and Sixth, and nearly all of its line officers, were from Philadelphia, so that with the death of General Baker at the battle of Ball's Bluff, in October, 1861, the interest of California in the brigade was gone, Pennsylvania claimed it as her own, and it became known as the Philadelphia Brigade, Second Brigade, Second Division, Second Army Corps.
The organization of the One Hundred and Sixth Regiment was completed on February 28, 1862, by the assignment of a company of sappers and miners, to be known as Company K. It had been
3
FORMATION
1861]
known as the Fifth California Regiment, but then became, and was ever afterwards known as, the One Hundred and Sixth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.
This company was organized as an independent company of sappers and miners, with Woodward as Captain, Carman First Lieutenant, and - Second Lieutenant, and its assignment as one of the companies of the regiment creating much dissatisfaction. They insisted upon remaining independent, and appealed to General Burns, who informed them that the Government would not any longer recognize independent companies, and they would have to be assigned as Company K, and become part of the regiment, the same as the other companies. This they refused to do, so General Burns ordered their discharge and they were sent home. Previous thereto Captain William Doyle, who had ex- pected to be Captain of Company H, was authorized, with Lieu- tenants Fimple and Wessels, to recruit Company K. Before the Regiment left Camp Observation, Lieutenant Wessels reported with twenty-five men, Lieutenant Fimple remaining at home re- cruiting. Captain Doyle was rejected and Lieutenant Fimple received authority from Governor Curtin to recruit enough men to complete the company, and assume command as its captain. He arrived at Harper's Ferry with a balance of seventeen men, the necessary number to fill the quota, only to find that the Company had been completed by a detachment of men from the Sixty-Ninth Pennsylvania, under Captain Martin Frost, and mustered with Frost as Captain, himself and Wessels as Lieutenants.
The companies were then officered as follows :
co.
CAPTAIN
FIRST LIEUTENANT
SECOND LIEUTENANT
A
John J. Sperry
William S. White
James C. Lynch
B
J. J. Vaughan
James T. Huey
C
R. W. P. Allen
John A. Steel
D
Samuel H. Newman Francis H. Achuff Timothy Clark
Salatiel R. Townsend William Bryan Joseph Reed
G H
John G. Breitenbach
Lewis Bartleson
Paul J. Hallowell
L. D. C. Tyler
I Robert H. Ford
Charles Wetzler
K
Martin C. Frost
Eugene T. Foliet Theo. J. Fimple
Francis Wessels
Jos. T. Banister John W. Lynch William N. Jones Wyndham H. Stokes Wm. V. Farr Geo. T. Egbert
John Irwin
E
F
4
THE ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH REGIMENT [1861
The following were the original field and staff officers :
Colonel TURNER G. MOREHEAD.
Lieutenant-Colonel WLLIAM L. CURRY.
Major
JOHN H. STOVER.
Adjutant
FERDINAND M. PLEIS.
Quartermaster HENRY S. CAMBLOS.
Surgeon JUSTIN DWINELLE.
Assistant Surgeon PHILIP J. LEIDY.
Chaplain
WM. C. HARRIS.
Sergeant-Major
THEODORE WHARTON.
Quartermaster-Sergeant
SAMUEL L. HIBBS.
Commissary-Sergeant JACOB ROOP.
Hospital Steward
RALPH B. CLARKE.
Principal Musician
FREDERICK A. WAUGH.
Leader of Band
FRIDOLINE STOPPER.
elds Staff
Officere
COLONEL TURNER & MOREHEAD
MAJOR JOHN # STOVER
WIEUT. COLONEL WILLIAM L. CURRY.
Battle Fling of the Horizont neobserved urto the Miljøstunt General of House , after passing through all its Ciongunares +
QUARTER - MASTER WYNDHAM H. STOKES
ADJUTANT FERDINAND M. PLEIE
CAPTAIN JOHN H. BREITENBACH.
DEEIGYLD.MY JOB R C. WAND
5
TO THE FRONT
1861]
-
CHAPTER II.
TO THE FRONT.
T HE rendezvous of the Regiment during formation was the camp at "Bull's Head", West Philadelphia, where all re- cruits as soon as mustered were ordered for uniforming, equip- ping, and instruction in the duties of a soldier. This was sud- denly terminated by the following order received by Colonel More- head from Colonel Baker:
PHILADELPHIA, September 29, 1861.
COLONEL :- I have just received orders from General McClellan, to direct you to move forward. You will accordingly march to- morrow evening for Washington. You will take such steps as will forward the movement, and report to me on your arrival. Should my brigade have moved forward beyond Washington, you will join it at once unless otherwise ordered.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant.
E. D. BAKER, Colonel commanding brigade.
COLONEL T. G. MOREHEAD.
In compliance with the above instructions, orders were issued and details sent out to bring all absentees to camp without delay ; those in camp were not permitted to leave except on duty, and all hands were hard at work packing. Arrangements were complet- ed, and the Regiment broke camp at Bull's Head, West Philadel- phia, at 9 o'clock on the evening of Monday, September 30th, 1861, and took up its first line of march to the Baltimore depot, Broad and Prime streets, via Market street to Eighteenth, to Chestnut, down Chestnut to Broad, down Broad to the depot. A perfect ovation greeted us along the whole route, the people on the sidewalks cheering and applauding as we passed, the excite- ment increasing as we reached the depot, the crowd already there greatly augmented by the throng that accompanied us on the
6
[1861
THE ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH REGIMENT
pavements. Mothers embracing their boys, wives and children their husbands and fathers, and the more subdued, yet as affecting, lovers' good-bye, all tended to sadly impress those participating. Amid intense excitement we were placed in the cars and at one o'clock, with cheer after cheer breaking the stillness of midnight, the train started on its way, bearing another detachment of our country's defenders, who were severing the closest ties that bind man to earth, to die, if need be, "that our flag should remain un- sullied and our country undivided". Many were there who clasp- ed the hands of their loved ones then for the last time, as they did die in defense of their country or were stricken down by disease that hurried many a brave man into an untimely grave.
Havre-de-Grace was not reached until five o'clock, and three more hours were consumed before we arrived at Baltimore; it was eight o'clock when we steamed slowly into the depot ; we were glad to obey the order to "fall in", and the march through the streets to the Washington depot was quite a relief. After par- taking of the breakfast furnished us, we were packed like cattle into dirty cattle cars, with rough pine boards fastened to the slats, arranged for seats, and nearly a third more men packed into each car than the improvised seats would accommodate. We thus experienced our first army hardship, for we really thought then it was hardship, little dreaming that before we would again pass over that road we would be called upon to endure many real hardships, trials and privations. Yet it was hard to stand packed for six long hours in those not only uncomfortable, but dirty and offensive, cars, as we left Baltimore at eleven o'clock and did not arrive at Washington until five o'clock. Many were the anathemas hurled at the railroad authorities who could provide no better means of transportation for men loyal enough to for- sake home, family and friends, to defend their country against treason ; little did we know then that they were doing all they possibly could, so great was the demand made upon them. As stated above it was five o'clock in the afternoon of October Ist, when we arrived in Washington, and how glad we were to leave the cars and relieve our cramped bodies! We were marched by companies into the "Soldier's Retreat" for supper, so tired, so hungry, and what awaited us? No soldier who stood around that
7
TO THE FRONT
1861]
dirty, greasy pine table, extending the full length of that long dingy room, will ever forget that meal. Buckets, that had held soup for the previous meal, without much time or care taken for cleaning them, containing the coffee for this one, with grease swimming on top, were set in the middle of the table, about ten feet apart ; a large hunk of boiled salt beef, or as we afterwards knew it "salt horse", put on another large hunk of bread, the fat and liquor of one completely saturating the other, and set on the table alongside of a tin cup at such intervals as to designate the place for each man to stand, this was our supper, and though hungry from a long fast, with appetite sharpened by a long ride, that supper remained untouched, and the writer marched out with his company, still a hungry boy. We were quartered for the night in the large buildings on the ground adjoining the Capitol ground on the east, built for the accommodation of troops.
The next afternoon, October 2d, the line was re-formed, and we marched to and up Pennsylvania Avenue to Seventh, and out Seventh street about two and a half miles and camped. The next day we marched to Rockville, and camped near there for the night, and on the following day, October 4th, marched to and beyond Darnestown, passing camps of troops all the way, and among them, about dinner time, the camp of the Twenty-Ninth Pennsylvania, Colonel John K. Murphy. A halt being made, many of us accepted the hospitalities of the members of the Twenty-Ninth and took dinner with them, some of our men meeting friends among them. On the next day, October 5th, we started at daylight and soon arrived at Poolesville, Montgomery County, Maryland, and reported to General Charles P. Stone, commanding the division to which our brigade was assigned. The General reviewed us and sent an aide to conduct us to our brigade camp about five miles from Poolesville, reporting to Colonel Baker. We found the First California and the Fire Zouave Regiments of our brigade already encamped, and on the next day Owen's Irish Regiment arrived and the brigade was complete. Our Regiment camped on a high elevation of ground from which we could see the batteries of the enemy on the other side of the Potomac; the adjoining field was occupied by the Zouaves.
8
[1861
THE ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH REGIMENT
We were soon at work putting up our tents, making ourselves comfortable, and preparing for camp life. Company A, Captain John J. Sperry, here joined us; they had been temporarily as- signed to, and known as, Company S, of the First California Regiment, having left Philadelphia early in September to join that Regiment and then stationed at Washington, and went with it to Chain Bridge, and then to "Camp Advance" in Virginia. They participated with that Regiment in the skirmish of the movement of General W. F. Smith towards Drainsville, and were now assigned to and made part of our Regiment.
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