USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 30
USA > Pennsylvania > Fulton County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 30
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 30
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Sunday, April 17, 1864, was a beautiful spring day, and the troops, after the usual religious exercises, were reposing in quiet in the intrenchments, when at 4 P.M. a few shots were heard in rapid succession from the pickets posted on the Washington Road. A detach- ment of cavalry sent out soon returned, bringing the intelligence that the enemy was advancing in force. It proved to be the rebel Gen. Hoke, with a land force variously estimated from seven to fifteen thou- sand men. Fort Gray, upon the river bank, which commanded the passage, was the first object of attack and upon this he opened with his artillery, the fort with the gunboats replying, the ram called the Al- bemarle, riding at anchor above, ready to pass down as soon as the fort was reduced. At night the firing ceased, but was resumed early on the morning of the 18th, the infantry mingling in the fray as the invest- ment was more closely pressed. Soon his skirmishers made their appearance in front of the work below and opened fire. The Bombshell, a small gunboat, was struck by one of the enemy's land batteries during the forenoon and soon after sunk. At a little before sun- set a heavy line of infantry emerged from the woods in front of the lower works, and, sweeping away the Union skirmish line, occupied a fine eminence, on which he immediately planted several batteries. These were at once opened upon the town, the main force of the attack being directed upon Fort Will- iams, the headquarters of Gen. Wessells. A transport despatched to Roanoke island returned at evening, bringing up all available forces, among them two hundred men of the 101st. By nightfall all the guns on both sides, from land and river, were in full play, and the fire, which had now become fearful, was kept
up far into the night. A determined assault was made in the evening upon Fort Wessells, a detached work to the front and right of the town, and though de- fended with consummate skill and the most deter- mined bravery, by a company of the 85th N. Y., under Capt. Nelson Chapin, which repulsed repeated charges, throwing hand-grenades when the enemy came within reach, and thrusting them from the escarpment with bayonet when they attempted to scale the parapets, it was finally forced to yield, but not until the brave captain had been mortally wounded. In the thick darkness, just before the dawn of the day [of the 19th ], the rebel ram Albemarle, passing the obstructions in the river without injury, made for the gunboats South- field and Miami, soon sinking the former and causing the latter to withdraw down the stream. Toward evening it was discovered that the enemy was moving around and massing on the left of the line, where, from paucity of numbers, the works were least protected. Detachments of the 101st were immediately sent to strengthen that part of the line. The enemy opened with his artillery and soon came forward in heavy force. After a stubborn resistance, it was forced to yield to superior numbers, but fell back slowly, dis- puting the ground inch by inch.
At a little before daylight of the 20th the rebel artillery opened all along the line, the signal for the onset, and shortly after a full brigade, which had been massed for a decisive move, charged upon the left while demonstrations were made along the line. The shock was bravely met and the guns at Conoby and Compher redoubts were kept in full play until the rebel line had passed them and was already in the suburbs of the town. At Compher redoubt Cos. D, I, G, B, and a part of K beld their position until their stockade was knocked down and the enemy were crowding into the works. At Conoby redoubt the handful of men left was withdrawn when the work was no longer tenable and the enemy were pouring in at the north side. But still the forces holding a part of the works, including Fort Williams, held out. A third of the troops were by this time prisoners. The loyal North Carolinians and colored troops, after fighting bravely, now that all hope of successful defense was gone made for the adjoining swamps, for they well knew their fate if they fell into the hands of their enemies. A truce of a few minutes followed and terms were offered, which Gen. Wessells refused to accept. The guns again opened, the firing being kept up until eleven A.M., when the entire force was surrendered. "During the whole afternoon," says Adjutant Longe- necker, " we could hear the crack of rebel rifles along the swamps, where they were hunting down the colored troops and loyal North Carolinians. I heard a rebel Colonel say, with an oath, that they intended to shoot every Buffalo (North Carolinian) and negro they found in our uniform." The loss in this engage- ment was five killed, twenty-four wounded and two missing. The entire regiment, with the exception of a few absent on furlough or detached service, fell into the hands of the enemy, including the following
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HISTORY OF BEDFORD, SOMERSET AND FULTON COUNTIES.
officers : Lieut .- Col. A. W. Taylor, Adjt. J. H. Longe- necker, Q.M. Thomas King, Asst. Surg. William Mac- pherson, Capts. Bowers, Compher, Sheafer, Clark, Freeman, Mullin, Benner and Dawson, and Lieuts. Davidson, Kirk, Morrow, Heppard, Conley, Werrick, Cubbison, Beegle and Helm.
The prisoners were marched to Tarboro, and thence taken by rail to Andersonville, Georgia, where the enlisted men were imprisoned. The officers, however, were sent to Macon, Georgia, being joined there by many Union officers from Libby and other prisons throughout the rebel Confederacy. Subsequently they were removed, successively, to Savannah, Ga .; to Charleston, S. C .; Columbia, S. C., and Charlotte, N. C., and were finally exchanged at Wilmington, N. C., in March, 1865. During their im- prisonment a majority of the officers of the 101st escaped at various intervals, as their own daring and heroism prompted, and after incredi- ble hardships and sufferings, hunted by cavalry and bloodhounds, some of them succeeded in reaching the Union lines at far distant points, while others were captured and returned to prison to suffer redoubled torments in punishment of their temerity. Among those who thus earned their freedom were Capts. Bowers and Dawson, and Lieuts. Conley, Helm and Davidson, but Capts. Binner and Freeman, Lieuts. Beegle and Heppard, and Adjt. Longenecker, less fortunate, were apprehended and returned to captivity. The enlisted men were closely held in that dreadful, ever to be remembered prison-pen, Andersonville, until the latter part of the sum- mer of 1864, when a part of them were taken to Millen, and a few to Savannah, where some were exchanged. With the exception of a few retained at Andersonville, and who were after- ward sent north by way of the Mississippi river, nearly all met at Florence, South Carolina, and were exchanged in the spring of 1865, at Wil- mington, North Carolina, and sent to Annapolis, Maryland, in ocean transports. In a word, all who survived were exchanged in March, 1865; but before that time, more than half of those captured at Plymouth had died, or in other words had been maltreated and starved to death by the rebel authorities, so well repre- sented in the persons of that execrable arch- traitor Davis, and his willing coadjutor, the monster Wirtz.
About the time the attack began upon Plymouth, the sick of the regiment were sent
by transport to Roanoke Island. These, with a few officers and men who were absent with leave at the time, were formed into a detach- ment under the command of Lieut. David M. Ramsey, of Co. F, and became part of the garrison of the island. To this detachment dur- ing the summer was added one hundred recruits. As fast as exchanged the officers and men reported at Camp Parole, Annapolis, Maryland, and subsequently rejoined the detachment on Roanoke island, where the regimental organi- zation was revived. But still the companies were only skeletons. In March, 1865, eight new companies were assigned to the regiment. However, they were never consolidated with the original companies, and on June 25, following, at New Berne, North Carolina, the regiment was mustered out of service.
Following are the names of the officers and men from Bedford county who served in this regiment. Those captured at Plymouth, not being otherwise designated, being marked with an asterisk.
FIELD AND STAFF.
J. H. Longenecker, adjt., pro. fr. 2d It. Co. D July 26, 1868; captd. at Plymouth, N. C., April 20, 1864; disch. March 12, 1865; ex. of term.
Thomas King, regl. q.m., pro. fr. pri. Co. G to G.m. agt., Dec. 1, 1861; to q.m. Nov. 18, 1862; captd. at Plymouth, "N. C., April 20, 1864; disch. March 11, 1865, ex. of term.
COMPANY D.
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
Captain: Alexander Compher, m. Feb. 18, 1862; captd. at Plymouth, N. C., April 20, 1864; disch. March 12, 1865, ex. of term.
First Lieutenant : Daniel F. Beegle, m. Nov. 1, 1861 ; captd. at Plymouth, N. C., April 20, 1864 ; disch. Ma ch 15, 1865, ex. of term. Second Lieutenants: Nathan C. Evans, m. Feb. 8, 1862 ; res. April 24, 1868. J. H. Longenecker, m. Jan. 20, 1862; pro. fr. pri. to agt .- maj., to 2d It. May, 1868 ; to adjt. July 26, 1868.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
First Sergeant : 8. J. McEldowney, m. Jan. 18, 1862; disch. by G. O. June 8, 1865 ; vet.
Sergeants : All of whom were mustered into service Nov. 1, 1861, viz: Abraham Rice," disch. by G. O. June 22, 1865 ; vet. Henry Linn,. com. capt. June 1, 1865 ; not mus .; absent at Camp Parole at m. o .; vet. Reuben M. Stone," disch. March 4, 1865, ex. of term. Isaiah Evans, disch. 1862. David Dibert, disch., date unknown. Benjamin A. Hanks," died at Andersonville, Ga., Sept. 27, 1864; grave 9892; vet. Akers J. Hickson, died at Har- rison's Landing, Va., July 21, 1862; bu. in Poplar Grove nat. cem., Petersburg, Ve.
Corporals: All of whom were mustered into service Nov. 1, 1861, except Brown, Isaac F. Shoemaker, Kegg and Smith. Jacob D. Brown," m. Feb., 1864; disch. by G. O. June 12, 1865 ; vet. John Besser;" vet. Isaac Rice," died at Charleston, S. C., Sept. 21, 1864; vet. Henry 8. Richey, died at Washington, D. C., June 2, 1862. Isaac F. Shoemaker, m. Dec. 6, 1861; died at New Berne, N. C., Nov. 11, 1864; bu. in Old Cemetery. Jacob C. Hanks, disch. 1862. Samuel Carnell," disch. March 25, 1865, ex. of term. Levi Kegg, m. Dec. 1, 1861 ; disch. 1862. George F. Shoemaker,* disch. by G. O. June 8, 1866; vet. John F. Keagy, disch. for wds. rec. at Fair Oaks, Ve., May 81, 1862. Amos F. Smith," disch. by G. O. June 8, 1865 ; vet. William, C. Stuckey, disch., ex. of term.
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MUSICIANS.
Ephraim Vaughan, m. Nov. 1, 1861 ; ab. at Camp Parole at m. o .; vet. Franklin G. Mills," m. Dec. 6, 1861; disch. by G. O. June 21, 1865; vet. John W. Vaughan, disch. June 28, 1862. John Oler, died at Harrisburg, Pa., Jan. 2, 1862.
PRIVATES.
Samuel D. Brown," William H. Bequeth," Daniel Barkman, Peter W. Booty, John W. Brown, Daniel Beam," Peter Clingerman,* George W. Carnell, Robert A. Clark, Amos M. Cameron, Jesse V. Cooper, Jacob Defabaugh, Jacob England," Josiah Eamick, Francis L. M. For," William B. Filler, William C. Filler, Michael Gilliam, Wilson Gilliam, Daniel L. Hetrick," Caleb Hanks," David F. Hanks,* Nelson Hanks," Thompson Hanks, Joel B. Hickson, Alexander B. Hageman, Simon P. Kegg, William B.Kennard, David Layton, John Layton, Andrew J. Mills," Matson Miller, John H. Mower, James P. Martin," Jacob H. Mills, Jacob Moss, Martin D. Miller, G. E. McEl- downey,* William McDonald, James Oler," Martin L. Potter,* John Pitman, John Potter, Christian Page, Avraham Ressler, Jonas Robison, John Ruby, John Roberts, William Sparks," James P. Siler," George W. Smith, William Strong, Joseph Smith,* Andrew J. Smith, Anthony Sheaffer, Daniel F. Sweitzer, George Truax, George H. Tate, Samuel Veach, George W. Wolford, George W. Wilson .*
Killed : Martin D. Miller, at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862.
Died : Amos. M. Cameron, at Harrisburg, Pa., Jan. 25, 1862; Jesse V. Cooper, at Harrison's Landing, Va., July 30, 1862; Jacob Defabaugh, at Harrisburg, Pa., Jan. 3, 1862; Josiah Eamick, at Suffolk, Va., Nov., 1862; Wilson Gilliam, at Williamsburg, Va., May 15, 1862 ; Nelson Hanks, at Andersonville, Ga., Sept. 15, 1864; grave 8804; Joel B. Hickson, at Suffolk, Va., Oct., 1862 ; David Lay- ton, at New Berne, N. C., April 1, 1863; William McDonald, at Ports- mouth, Va., 1862; Christian Page. June 26, 1862; Abraham Ressler, at Yorktown, Va., June 6, 1862, bu. in. nat. cem., grave 310; Jonas Robison, at Baltimore, Md., June 1, 1862; John Ruby, at Harris- burg, Pa., 1861; George W. Smith, date unknown; George Truaz, at Suffolk, Va., 1862; George H. Tate, at New Berne, N. C., July 24, 1863, and Samuel Veach in 1862, date and place not stated.
COMPANY G.
This company was composed of Allegheny and Bedford county volunteers. The men from the latter county have been designated by Maj. Mullin as follows:
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
Captain : David W. Mullin, m. Feb. 20, 1862 ; pro. fr. 1st It. Jan. 21, 1863 ; com. maj. May 18, 1865 ; not mus. ; pris. fr. April 20, 1864, to March 1, 1865; disch. May 16, 1865.
First Lieutenant : Isaiah Conley, m. Feb. 20, 1862 ; pro. fr. 2d It. Jan. 21, 1868 ; pris. fr. April 20 to Nov. 13, 1864 ; com. capt. May 18, 1865 ; not mus. ; m. o. w. co. June 25, 1865.
Second Lieutenant : John B. Helm, m. Oct. 8, 1861 ; pro. to Ist egt. Dec., 1862 ; to 2d It. March 9, 1863; capt'd at Plymouth, N. C., April 20, 1864 ; com. 1st 1b. May 18, 1865; not mus .; absent, sick, at m. o.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
Sergeant : Jacob Z. Over, m. Feb. 18, 1862 ; disch. on surg. cert. April 5, 1868.
Corporals : A. Lightningstar, m. 1861 ; pris. fr. April 20 to Dec. 16, 1864, m. o. w. co. June 25, 1865 ; vet. William H. Knipple, m. Dec. 28, 1861 ; pris. fr. April 20, 1864, to Feb. 24, 1865 ; m. o. w. co. ; vet.
MUSICIANS.
George R. Garretson, m. Dec. 28, 1861 ; disch. on surg. cert. Nov. 7, 1862. Franklin G. Norton, m. Dec. 28, 1861; died at Harris- burg, Pa., Jan. 21, 1862.
PRIVATES.
James Anderson," Joseph L. Brown, Henry Boerkamp, disch. Feb. 5, 1863, for wds. rec. at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862 ; Joseph J. Bannon, Abraham Beltz ;" John Defibaugh," wd. and capt'd at Plymouth, N. C. ; William H. Evans, James M. Fickes, Justice Gollipher," Solomon Geller, Jacob A. Hite, David Hite; William B. Huffman, disch. 1863, for wds. rec. at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862. Abraham Hull, Moses Hazlett," John Hoffman, Andrew J. Knipple, Thomas King," Martin Lybarger," Henry Ott, John C. Pfeiffer, George J. Rock, Thomas W. Slick,* William Slick, William Showman, Samuel K. Slick.
Died : Abraham Beltz, on transport Baltic, Dec. 3, 1864 ; bu. at Annapolis, Md. John Defibaugh, at Andersonville, Ga., Aug. 15, 1864. William H. Evans, June 27, 1862; bu. in nat. cem., Yorktown, Va. Justice Gollipher, at Florence, S. C., Oct. 15, 1864. Solomon Geller, wd. and capt'd at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862 ; died in Richmond, Va., June 15, 1862. John Hoffman, at Washington, D. C., May 20, 1862; bu. in Mil. Asy. Cem. Martin Lybarger, at Savannah, Ga., Nov. 30, 1861. Henry Ott, at Point Lookout, Md., Sept. 26, 1862. William Showman, at New York. July 9, 1862 ; bu. in Cypress Hill Cem., L. I. Samuel K. Slick, at Harrisburg, Pa., Dec. 19, 1862.
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH REGIMENT.
This gallant command, recruited in the coun- ties of Franklin, York, Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon, Lancaster, Schuylkill, Luzerne, Mifflin, Juniata, Bedford and Fulton during the winter of 1861-2, was organized at Harrisburg on March 5, 1862. Four days later, it departed for Washington, and upon its arrival went into camp at Kendall Green.
The Potomac was crossed on the 2d of April, and about the middle of that month the regi- ment was assigned to Duryea's brigade of Ord's division, subsequently attached to McDowell's corps. After joining in the pursuit of " Stone- wall " Jackson -who during the last days of May had defeated Fremont and Banks in the Shenandoah valley -and participating in vari- ous minor movements, the regiment engaged in its first battle at Bull Run on the 30th day of August. Its losses were heavy, amounting to one hundred and twenty-five in killed, wounded and missing. Among the killed was Capt. John T. Dick, the commander of the company (H) in which were gathered many Bedford county men.
Again at South Mountain on the 14th of Sep- tember, and at Antietam on the 17th of the same month, the men of the 107th Penn. per- formed prodigies of valor, losing in the two battles eighty-five men killed and wounded. At Fredericksburg on the 13th of December, the regiment sustained a loss of fifty-two in killed, wounded and missing. During the Chancellors- ville campaign, its duties were arduous, but it was not actively engaged in the battle. Mov- ing forward with the Army of the Potomac to Gettysburg, it there withstood the storms of battle during the 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th days of July, 1863, losing about one hundred men killed and wounded, and one hundred more were taken prisoners.
In February, 1864, nearly the entire regiment re-enlisted, but not until April was the com- mand permitted to start homeward to enjoy the veteran furlough. On its return to the field,
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HISTORY OF BEDFORD, SOMERSET AND FULTON COUNTIES.
Fredericksburg, Virginia, was reached May 15th. Thenceforth, until the close of the war, the regiment formed part of the 2d, and sub- sequently of the 3d division of the 5th army corps, and the history of that corps is the history of the 107th. From May, 1864, to the surrender at Appomattox, April 9, 1865, the regiment had lost in killed, wounded and pris- oners nearly three hundred officers and enlisted men. The survivors were finally mustered out of service at Washington, D. C., July 13, 1865.
Following are the names, etc., of the Bedford county men who served in this regiment :
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
Captain: George W. Z. Black, m. March 5, 1862; wd. at Antie- tam, Md., Sept. 17, 1862; pro. fr. 2d It. Oct. 28, 1862, to bvt .- maj. and It .- col. March 13, 1863; disch. Nov. 22, 1863.
First Lieutenants : Sam'l Lyon, m. Feb. 10, 1862; pro. to q.m. July 19, 1862; to bvt .- capt. March 18, 1865; disch. on surg. cer. March 11, 1865; com. capt. Co. A, June 26, 1865; m. o. w. co. July 13, 1865. William Gracey, m. Feb. 10, 1862; pro. fr. private to 2d It. May 16, 1868, to 1st It. Jan. 4, 1864; disch. March 4, 1865, ex. of term.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
First Sergeant : George W. Lysinger, m. Jan. 11, 1862; pro. fr. sgt. July 1, 1868 ; prisoner fr. Aug. 80 to Dec. 20, 1862; captured at Weldon railroad, Va., Dec. 19, 1864; died at Salisbury, N. C., Dec. 19, 1864; vet.
Sergeants : Uriah Sparks, m. March 12, 1862 ; wd. at Gettysburg, Pa., July 1, 1863; m. o. w. co. July 18, 1865; vet. George Riley, m. Jan. 9, 1802 ; disch. March 1, 1863, for wds. rec. at Bull Run, Va., Aug. 30, 1862. Alfred Gracey, m. Jan. 9, 1862 ; pro. to agt. March 1, 1865; pris. fr. July 1, 1863, to Feb. 27, 1865; disch. April 1, 1865, to date ez. of term.
MUSICIAN.
John Balkeld, m. Jan. 20, 1862; vet .; m. o. w. co. July 18, 1865.
PRIVATES.
John Buck, m. Feb. 24, 1862; disch. on surg. cert. April 2, 1862. Peter Cornelius, m. Feb. 24, 1862; mis. in action Weldon railroad, Va., Aug. 19, 1864; vet. Joseph Chamberlain, m. April 7, 1864; wd. at Petersburg, Va., June 18, 1864; mis. in action Weldon railroad, Va., Aug. 19, 1864. Joseph Conner, m. April 29, 1864; wd. at Petersburg, Va., June 18, 1864; m. o. w. co. John Christ, dr. Sept. 20, 1864 ; disch. by G. O. June 6, 1865. Levi Chaney, m. Feb. 24, 1862; wd. at Antietam, tr. to V. R. C. Feb. 11, 1864. John Eidenbaugh, m. Jan. 9, 1862; wd. at South Mountain, Va., Sept. 14, 1862; disch. on surg. cert. Feb. 16, 1863. Enos Ellis, m. Sept. 21, 1864; dr .; disch. by G. O. May 15, 1865. Abraham T. Foor, m. Jan. 9, 1862; disch. Nov. 21, 1862. Levi H. Figart, m. Jan. 9, 1862; wd. at South Mountain, 'Md., Sept. 14, 1862; disch. on surg. cert. Feb. 18, 1868. Andrew J. Foor, m. March 11, 1862 ; disch. surg. cert. March 14, 1868. Jonathan 8. Foor, m. Jan. 9, 1862 ; wd. at South Mountain, Md., Sept. 14, 1862 ; pris. fr. July 1, 1863, to Dec. 11, 1864; disch, March 20, 1865. Samuel Fetter, m. May 4, 1864 ; pris. fr. Feb. 6 to March 8, 1865; disch. June 5, 1865. W. H. H. Foor, m. Jan. 9, 1862; tr. to V. R. C. Feb. 11, 1864. George W. Foor, m. Feb. 10, 1862; killed at Antietam, Md., Sept. 17, 1862. John T. Foor and Jeremiah Foor, des. Aug. 2, 1862. Edward Gracey, m. Feb. 10, 1862; m. o. w. co .; vet. James A. Grove, m. Apr. 26, 1864; wd. st Petersburg, Va., June 20, 1864; ab. at m. o. James A. Gracey, m. April 4, 1862; pris. fr. July 1, 1863, to Feb. 27, 1865; disch. April 29, 1865; to date ex. of term. William Heckman and James Hein- ish, des. Ang. 30, 1862. George Mullenix, m. Jan. 9, 1862; tr. to V. R. C. Feb. 11, 1864. Daniel McAlwee, m. Feb. 24, 1862; dropped from the rolls April 8, 1863. George W. Riley, m. Jan. 9, 1862; m. o. w.co .; vet. James A. Ritchey, m. April 24, 1864 ; m. o. w. co. Jacob Riley, m. March 7, 1862; disch. on surg. cert. July 8, 1862. Andrew J. Riley, m. Feb. 10, 1862; wd. at South Moun- tain, Md., Sept. 14, 1862; disch. on surg. cert. May 3, 1863. Wm. H. Rohm, m. March 4, des. March 7, 1862. John Shoaf, m.
Feb. 10, 1862 ; disch. surg. cert. May 8, 1862. Thomas L. Salkeld m. Jan. 20, 1862; tr. to V. R. C. Feb. 11, 1864.
Sergt. Alfred Gracey and privates Edward and James A. Gracey were sons of Lieut. William Gracey.
ONE HUNDRED AND TENTH REGIMENT.
Co. C, of this regiment, was recruited in the summer and autumn of 1861, in Morrison's Cove, the members, with a few exceptions, being resi- dents of that part included in Bedford county. The first place of rendezvous was Huntingdon but about the 1st of December the troops in that camp were transferred to Camp Curtin, where a regimental organization was effected soon after.
On the 2d of January, 1862, this regiment left Camp Curtin and proceeded by rail to Hagers- town, Maryland, from whence it made a forced march to Hancock, to oppose the rebel forces under Stonewall Jackson, at that time threaten- ing the place. Arms were first distributed at midnight on the 4th, and the regiment at once became part of Gen. F. W. Landers' command. After considerable long-range shelling by both Union and Confederate artillerists, Jackson pushed on to Romney, and Landers to Onmber- land as a counter movement. Subsequently the 110th was assigned to Tyler's brigade. The troops were engaged in guard and picket duty along the Baltimore & Ohio railroad until the early part of March, when a movement, in which the regiment participated, was made toward Strasburg. The command bivouacked at the latter place on the 19th, and on the 20th returned and went into camp near Winchester. Mean- while Gen. Landers had died on the 2d of March, and Gen. James Shields succeeded to the com- mand of the division.
Near Winchester, three days later, the regi- ment fought its first battle. It appears that early in the morning of the 23d, the enemy under Jackson approached in force, and attacked Shields' advanced troops near the village of Kernstown, about four miles south of Winches- ter. Shields promptly advanced his whole di- vision, Tyler's brigade being assigned the duty of attacking and turning the enemy's left flank, which had been thrown forward to a command- ing position, screened and protected by timber and a stone fence. The 110th occupied the ex- treme right of the line, and in the charge upon the enemy in his sheltered position suffered severely. "Our batteries on the opposite ridge," said Gen. Shields in his official report, " though admirably managed by their experienced chief,
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WAR OF THE REBELLION-CONTINUED.
Lieut .- Col. Daum, were soon found insuf- ficient to check, or even retard, the advance of such a formidable body. * * I saw * there was not a moment to lose, and gave posi- tive orders that all disposable infantry should be immediately thrown forward on our right to carry the enemy's batteries, and to assail and turn his left flank, and hurl it back on the center. Col. Kimball carried out these orders with promptitude and ability. He entrusted this movement to Tyler's splendid brigade, which, under its fearless leader, Col. Tyler, marched forward, with alacrity and enthusiastic joy, to the performance of the most perilous duty of the day. The enemy's skirmishers were driven before it, and fell back upon the main body, strongly posted behind a high and solid stone wall, situated on an elevated ground. Here the struggle became desperate, and for a short time doubtful, but Tyler's brigade being soon joined on the left by portions of Sullivan's and Kim- ball's brigades, this united force dashed upon the enemy with a cheer and yell that rose high above the roar of battle, and though the rebels fought desperately, as their piles of dead attest, they were forced back through the woods by a fire as destructive as ever fell upon a retiring foe. Jackson, with his supposed invincible Stonewall brigade, and the accompanying bri- gades, much to their mortification and discom- fiture, were compelled to fall back in disorder upon their reserve. Here they took up a posi- tion for a final stand, and made an attempt, for a few minutes, to retrieve the fortunes of the day; but again rained down upon them the same close and destructive fire. Again cheer upon cheer rang in their ears. A few minutes only did they stand up against it, when they turned dismayed, and fled in disorder, leaving us in possession of the field, the killed and wounded, three hundred prisoners, two guns, four caissons, and a thousand stand of small arms: Night alone saved him from total de- struction." In the battle the regiment lost thirteen killed and thirty-nine wounded out of three hundred men engaged, the severe march- ing of the few preceding days having rendered many unfit to stand in the ranks.
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