USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 36
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The following, quoted from a newspaper article, expresses something of the pride and spirit which animated this exceptional body of fighting men: ^
"As to this regiment of ours, it needs no eulogy of mine; its eulogy is in the history of what it has done. It takes no back seat in the history of the war. In point of time, it was four years making up its battle record. In point of distance, it was from Williamsburg clear through to Sailor's Creek. To give the history of its battles would be substantially to give the history of the Army of the Poto- mac. In drill, on the march, in battle, in all soldierly qualities, this regiment had no su- perior, and repeatedly drew words of praise from such generals as Kearny, Jameson, Gra- ham and Birney. It was mustered in in '61. one thousand strong; it was mustered out in July, '65. with about one hundred and fifty of its original members in it. Its depleted ranks were filled up twice; the last time, just as the war was closing. What gave this regi- ment its fine reputation ? First, it was made up of good material-a sprinkling of Ger- mans as you will see by their names (and they made good soldiers), but largely our regiment was Scotch-Irish. Look at the names: Mc- Knight, Craig, Duff, Redic, Miller, Hamilton, McKillip, Mckown, Galbraith, McGiffin, Mc- Geary, Kelso, Millen, Kennedy, Campbell, etc., to the end of the company rolls. They came of fighting stock ; not so good on a dash, per- haps, but just the men for holding on and pounding away if it should take all summer. The hardest and most stubborn fighting of the war was when these Scotch-Irish regiments, North and South, were pitted against each other.
"Then they were intelligent men. They knew what the war was about, and they went. not for money or glory, but from a sense of (luty. But this regiment, from the first clear through, had good leaders. Colonel McKnight was determined to make his regiment one of the best, and spared no pains to reach that point. Day by day, week after week, he drilled the men, he instructed the officers. until they got mad and swore like the troops in Flanders ; but the Colonel was right, and they found it so after a while. And then was there ever a better officer than Colonel Craig? So cool, so brave, and yet so kind-hearted. He was stern to demand of his men the discharge of all duty, and yet he could sympathize with them in any trouble. I make special mention. of these two men because they had command of the regiment longer than any others. But
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they had worthy successors, and their equals in all soldierly qualities, in Greenawalt and Duff and Conser and Redic and Miller."
Besides those already enumerated. Jeffer- son county was represented in a number of military organizations, whose service and per- sonnel deserve great praise, reflecting so favor- ably the loyal spirit which prevailed in the county.
Company F, Sixty-seventh Regiment, P. V .*
"In November, 1861, S. C. Arthurs com- menced to recruit a company styled the United Eagles, raised in Jefferson and Clarion counties. This company went into camp near Rimersburg, Clarion county, where an organ- ization was effected, with S. C. Arthurs cap- tain, the other commissioned officers being from Clarion county. In 1862 the company joined the regiment of Col. John F. Staunton. at Philadelphia, and was mustered into the service as Company F, Sixty-seventh Penn- sylvania Volunteers.
"On the 3d of April, 1862, the Sixty- seventh was ordered to Baltimore, and from there to Annapolis, Md., where it relieved the Eleventh Regiment, P. V. It was here em- ployed in guard and provost duty in the city and in other parts of eastern Maryland, and in furnishing guards for Camp Parole, near the city. The latter duty was so well per- formed that the citizens experienced no trouble from the presence of the large body of paroled prisoners constantly at this camp. During all this time the discipline was very strict, and the regiment was thoroughly drilled. until it was equal to any in the service.
"The Sixty-seventh took part in the pursuit of Early and in all the subsequent brilliant career of Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley. In the fight of the 19th of October, which, but for the opportune arrival of Sheridan, would have ended so disastrously to our arms, the Sixty-seventh was hotly engaged, losing forty- eight in killed and wounded.
"It remained in the valley until near the close of the year, when, with the corps, it was ordered to the front at Petersburg, and par- ticipated in the closing campaign. After the surrender of Lee it was sent to Danville, near the North Carolina border, where Johnston still had a large Rebel force. but on his sur-
render returned to Washington, where it was mustered out of service July 14, 1865.
"Captain Arthurs was taken prisoner June 13. 1863, at the battle of Winchester. Lieut. Asaph M. Clarke, who escaped capture, gal- lantly commanded the company in most of its further campaigns, until he was promoted to first lieutenant of Company K, February 5. 1865, and afterwards to captain of that com- pany.
"The following Jefferson county men in Company F were killed, or died of disease : B. Rush Scott, killed at Winchester; Bene- well Fisher, R. D. Mccutcheon, Daniel Dun- kleburg, died, the latter dying while at his home on furlough. John W. Greenawalt. James W. Kerr, Daniel MeAdoo. transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps.
"The following men from Jefferson county were in Company F: Captain, Samuel C. Arthurs; first sergeants, Jacob B. McCracken, Asaph M. Clarke ; sergeants, Thomas J. Proc- tor. Elias W. Haines : corporals. Fred Hilliard, Thompson MeAniich, Alexander F. Flick, David Clepper. - John Dougherty, Samuel Irwin ; privates, James R. Adams, Edward Burns, Layfayette Burge, Thomas Brown, John Baxter, David Barry, Noah Burkepile, John H. Cox, John Dicky, Daniel Dunkleburg. George Friedline. Jesse Flick, George Fisher. Ilenry Fisher, Benewell Fisher, Peter Grove, Jr .. James R. Gailey, John W. Greenawalt, Henry Geesey, Aaron Hendricks, George M. Hilliard, Michael Harriger, Silas E. Hall, John M. Hadden, George W. Keys, John B. Lucas, John Messner, Henry B. Milliron, Daniel Mc.Adoo. R. D. Mccutcheon, Quinton ' ()'Kain, Samuel D. Patterson, John Shadle, Henry Snyder, Ilenry C. Snyder, Benjamin R. Scott. David Taylor, Henry Truman, John Voinchet, Daniel Williams, John Warner. Robert D. Williams, Edward W. Young. Sam- uel Yeomans."
Company B, 135th Pennsylvania Volunteers
"This company was recruited, under the call of the president, issued July 1, 1862, for troops to serve for nine months. It was raised largely through the efforts of Richard J. Espy, A. B. and Charles Mclain, and left Brookville August 7th and proceeded to Camp Curtin, at Harrisburg, where it was mustered into the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Pennsylvania Regi- ment. On the organization of the regiment, with J. R. Porter, of Indiana, as colonel. A. B. Melain was made adjutant, and the elec- tion for company officers resulted in Richard J. Espy being chosen captain ; Charles MeLain,
* The material relating to the Sixty-seventh Regi- ment was taken from Bates's History, Pennsylvania Volunteers.
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first lieutenant, and Andrew J. Sparks, sec- ond lieutenant. On the same day that the regiment was organized, August 19, 1862, it left for Washington, and on reporting to Gen- eral Wadsworth, in command of that depart- ment, was assigned to provost guard duty, being detailed in detachments in Washington and Georgetown, the field officers being as- signed to special duty, such as president of general court martial, commandant of Capitol Hill and of the Soldiers' Home, and in taking charge of the prisoners on their way for ex- change between Washington and Aiken's Landing. The regiment remained at Wash- ington until February 16, 1863, though Colo- nel Porter made repeated application to have his regiment sent to the front, but without avail, until General Wadsworth joined the Army of the Potomac, when the scattered detachments were united, and the regiment proceeded to Belle Plain, where it was as- signed to the First Brigade, Third Division, First Corps, Colonel Porter being for a time in command of the brigade. The regiment was engaged on picket and guard duty until the Chancellorsville campaign commenced, when it was moved, on the 28th of April, to Pollock Mills, on the Rappahannock river, near Fredericksburg. Shortly after dark Colo- nel Porter was ordered to move his regiment close to the bank of the river to support the batteries. On the following morning the enemy opened upon the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth, the fire being promptly and ef- fectively returned ; the regiment having three wounded, one of whom, E. H. Baum, was of Company B.
"On the 2d of May the First Corps was ordered to Chancellorsville, where Hooker was engaged with the enemy, but the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth was left in support of the batteries. As soon as relieved it has- tened to rejoin its brigade at the front, and was there thrown out to cover the front of the brigade, losing in the movement several prisoners. After this campaign closed the regiment returned to Belle Plain, where it remained until its term of service expired.
"General Doubleday, commanding the Third Division of the First Corps, said of this regi- ment : 'Colonel Porter has rendered very good service with his regiment in guarding the batteries along the Rappahannock engaged in covering the crossing of our troops below Fredericksburg. His men defended the guns against the enemy's sharpshooters, and did good execution. . . . . The One Hundred and Thirty-fifth also covered the front of the First
Brigade of my Division at the battle of Chan- cellorsville, and though not actively engaged, did all that was required of it.'
"Their term of enlistment having expired, thie regiment returned to Harrisburg, where, on the 24th of May, 1863, it was mustered out of service. During its nine months' service it lost eight men. From disease, Benjamin F. Bonham, George Diveler, James Flanders ; Robert Gilmore, William F. Huffman, Daniel Reed, George WV. Weckerly, William Whal- ing. Lee Forsythe died of injuries received in railroad accident near Washington. Miles Flack lost both legs in same accident.
"Muster roll: Captain, Richard J. Espy ; first lieutenant, Charles McLain; second lieu- tenant, Andrew J. Sparks ; first sergeant, John A. McLain; sergeants, George W. Porter, E. H. Baum, Samuel M. Moore, George W. Sib- ley ; corporals, Thomas S. McCreight, Thomas MI. Myers, Samuel L. Allen, Hiram W. Clark, Alanson R. Felt, Robert W. Anderson, Daniel B. Porter, John A. Rishel; musician, William S. Lucas ; privates, Robert Andrews, John W. Alford, Leonard Agnew, John Alcorn, Calvin Burns, Joseph Beer, Liberty Beer, Isaac H. Buzzard, Anson H. Bowdish, James Bennett, Jacob Booth, John Bonham, David Buchanan, Benjamin F. Bonham, George W. Corbin, John A. Cuzzens, G. W. Chamberlain, Sylves- ter Davis, Alonzo Dixon, George Diveler, Miles Flack, Lee Forsythe, James Flanders, Franklin Goodar, Samuel Gibbs, Ray Giles, Robert Gilmore, Elias J. Hettrick, Frederick Harvey, Nathaniel Harriger, William V. Heim, John Hettrick, James Hildreth, Na- than Hoig, George Haight, Wesley Haight, William Harris, Chauncey P. Harding, Wil- liam F. Hoffman, Elias W. Jones, Cyrenus N. Jackson, Henry Keihl, Jacob S. Keihl, Othoniel Kelly, John L. Lucas, Louis Litzel, Julius Morey, James A. Myers, Abel L. Mathews, James E. Mitchell, G. S. Montgomery, Robert Miller, C. W. Morehead, James E. McCrack- en, F. B. McNaughton, William G. McMinn, Jonathan R. McFadden, Frank M. Robinson, Thomas V. Robinson, William A. Royer, Dan- iel Reed, Louis Riley, James T. Smith, Peter Spangler, Jeremiah B. Smith, Solomon Stahl- man, David Stahlman, David Uplinger, Silas Whelpley, Joseph Woods, Orlando Wayland, George R. White, George S. Wallace, George W. Weckerly, William Whaling."
Companies E and I, One Hundred and Forty- eighth Regiment P. V.
"The One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regi- ment was principally recruited in Centre
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county, and when ready to take the field, desir- ing that a Centre county soldier should com- mand them, their choice fell upon James A. Beaver, of Bellefonte, Pa., who was then at the front with his regiment, the Forty-fifth Pennsylvania, of which he was lieutenant colo- nel. Governor Curtin adding his petition to that of the officers of the new regiment, that he should become its commander, Colonel Beaver resigned from the Forty-fifth and as- sumed command of the new regiment, which was designated as the One Hundred and Forty-eighth. The regiment was organized September 8, 1862, at Camp Curtin, with seven companies from Centre county, one from Clarion, two from Jefferson and Indiana. All of Company I and about half the men in Company E were from Jefferson. The day following its organization the regiment was sent to guard the Northern Central railroad, with headquarters at Cockeysville, Md. Here it was put under the most rigid and uniform rules of discipline, so that in less than three months after entering the service, some vet- eran officers who had just been released from Rebel prisons, and were passing the well arranged and orderly camp, noticing the trim appearance of the pickets, and the guards at the colonel's headquarters, wearing clean white gloves, burnished brasses and blackened shoes, called out to the men, 'Are you regulars?' Colonel Beaver took great pride in the rapid progress of his regiment, and said of them at this time, 'The men of this regiment are willing and of more than ordinary intelligence. I am satisfied that it can be made all that a regiment ought to be, if the officers are faith- ful.' This prediction the subsequent history of the regiment proved. The discipline en- forced embraced every phase of a soldier's obligation. Though there was no immediate necessity apparent, the men were instructed in the duties of the outpost as well as the camp. Careful picket lines were maintained and tested by the young colonel at all hours of the day and night. The most rigid rules of soldierly conduct were kindly but firmly enforced.
"One of the best drilled companies in the regiment was Company 1, and to Captain Mar- lin of that company was the One Hundred and Forty-eighth in a great measure indebted for its efficiency in drill and discipline, for in him Colonel Beaver found an officer thoroughly posted in every detail of soldierly qualifica- tions. Going as he did from the One Hun- dred and Fifth Pennsylvania, he carried with him the lessons learned in military tactics in
that rigid school of drill and discipline that Colonel McKnight established at Camp Jame- son during the winter of 1861-62, and which made the officers of that regiment excel in this respect. Colonel Marlin gives this severe and thorough training that he then received the credit for his success as an officer. He lent himself ardently to aid the colonel of the regiment in his efforts to make the One Hun- dred and Forty-eighth a regiment that would have done credit to the 'Old Guards.'
"A good story is told of the obstacles which Colonel Beaver sometimes encountered in his desire to make a crack regiment out of the material gathered from the mountains of Pennsylvania. Standing one day near his headquarters, a sturdy German of the Clarion county company came shambling along toward him, with anything but a soldierly gait, and without a soldier's bearing. Approaching the Colonel, without saluting, he said :
"'Say, vere's de old docther?'
""I don't know. But who are you?' asked the Colonel. ""Vy, I been Switzer.'
"'Are you a soldier?' sternly demanded the Colonel, appreciating the comedy nature of the performance, but also realizing the neces- sity of giving the man a practical lesson in a soldier's education.
"'Oh, yah; I belong to the Hundred and Fordy-eidth.'
"'AAh, is that so,' replied the Colonel. You don't appear like a soldier of that regiment. But if you are, let me show you how a mem- ber of that regiment addresses an officer. You stand here and be colonel for a moment, while I take your place as a private.'
"The German citizen soldier eyed the Colo- nel curiously as he walked away a few paces, wheeled about and approached him with a brisk, soldierly step and military carriage. The substituted private addressed the suddenly commissioned officer and said :
"'Colonel, can you tell me, sir, where I will find the surgeon of the regiment ?'
""Mein Gott in Himmel, I doan no! I'm been lookin' for him meinself ober an hour.'
"Companies ] and E took part in the fol- lowing engagements in which their regiment was engaged: Auburn, Bristoe, Mine Run, the Wilderness, Po River, Spottsylvania Court House, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Cold Har- bor, Petersburg, Deep Bottom, Strawberry Plains, Reams's Station, Hatcher's Run, Ad- ams's Farm, Sutherland Station, Farmville, and Appomattox.
"Company E shared equally in the honors
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of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth with Company I. Captain Stewart resigning soon after it went outt, the command devolved upon Captain Sutton, of Indiana; but two of its most efficient and bravest officers were Liett- tenants Clark and Sprankle, both of Jefferson county. Joseph E. Hall of Company I was on April 27, 1863, promoted from sergeant to sergeant major of the regiment, and on Au- gust 2d, to second lieutenant of Company I, and promoted to adjutant of the One Hundred and Eighty-third Regiment Pennsylvania Vol- unteers September 7, 1864, a position he held until the muster out of his regiment, with great credit. An officer of the division said of him: 'You cannot praise him too highly.'
"The following were the Jefferson county men in Company E, One Hundred and Forty- eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers :
"Captain, Charles Stewart, resigned Sep- tember 25, 1863; first lieutenants, W. T. Clark, promoted November 15, 1863, dis- charged on surgeon's certificate July 7, 1864; Peter D. Sprankle, promoted September 25, 1864; first sergeants, George Baughman, Levi C. Smith, Robert .A. Travis ; sergeants, Dan- iel W. Smith, Charles M. Law; corporals, Robert J. Crissman, John Milliron, E. Vincent Richards, James Shoppard, W. J. Postlethwait, John J. Shoffstall; musicians, David N. Hen- ry, Johnston Hamilton ; privates, Jolin Boyer, Emannel Bush, Peter Burkett, Isaac G. Coch- ran, Robert J. Crissman, Alexander R. Dun- lap, Samuel P. Edwards, William Evans, David Gearheart, Samuel R. Gearheart, John M. Hartman, John C. Hoover, William Jor- dan, Benjamin F. Keck, Sampson Klingen- smith, Daniel C. Law, Joseph H. Law, Joseph Long. John Milliron, William Milliron, George Miller, Andrew Minish, William S. Newcom, Josiah Postlethwait, William J. Postlethwait, Emanuel Raybuck, Henry Raybuck, Philip Sloppy, James L. Staggers, David Smith, John Snyder, Samuel Shilling, Joseph Shoffstall, Chambers O. Timblin, George Timblin, Philip Whitesell, Henry Young.
"The following Jefferson county men in Company E were killed, died of wounds and disease, or were transferred to other organiza- tions :
"Killed-Sampson Klingensmith, Joseph H. Law, David Smith, Joseph Shoffstall, Philip Whitesell, Andrew Minish.
"Died-Samttel R. Gearheart, Joseph Long, William Milliron, William S. Newcom, Wil- liam Postlethwait, George Timblin, Henry Young.
"Died in Rebel prisons-E. Bush, Philip Sloppy, James Staggers, John Snyder.
"Transferred and promoted to captain, U. S. C. T .- Sergt. R. A. Travis. Transferred and promoted to Adjutant, U. S. C. T .- George Miller. Transferred to V. R. C .- Samuel P. Edwards, William Evans, William Jordan, B. F. Keck."
"Company I: Captain, Silas J. Marlin ; first lieutenants, John A. Maguire, Junius F. Crain ; second lieutenants, Orlando H. Brown, Joseph E. Hall, Frank W. Clark; first ser- geant, Thomas W. Douglass ; sergeants, Henry Carey, Shelumiel Swineford, Benjamin F. Mc- Giffin, Jehial Vasbinder, Alexander McQnis- ton, William Davidson, Robert Kissinger, Ed- ward Murphy ; corporals, Jacob B. Rumbaugh, William H. Harley, John M. Davis, Lewis Diebler, Thomas Mccullough, Alexander Douglass, Joseph Earnest, Harrison Catz, John M. Love, Russell S. Adams, Russell Weeks; musician, Joseph Arthurs ; privates, George W. Anthony, William Acker, Philip Boyer, John S. Buzzard, Emery J. Barr, Hugh A. Barr, William H. Barr, William C. Boyd, John Banghart, Eli Bailey, Joseph W. Bowley, Jonathan L. Bitner, Philip S. Crate, Wallace Coon, James Cochran, Lewis Cobbs, Andrew Craft, Harvey Crispin, Isaac Corey, Andrew J. Clark, Josiah T. Crouch, Calvin Dixon, Isaiah S. Davis, John W. Demott, John Emmett, Alonzo Fowler, Daniel Ferringer, William M. Firman, Isaac J. Grenoble, Fred- erick Gilhousen, James J. Gailey, Orin Giles, James Garvin, Christ. C. Gearheart, Samttel K. Groh, Samuel Howard, Andrew Harp, Jacob S. Haugh, Augustus Haugh, Andrew J. Hagerty, Benjamin F. Hull, George Horner, David M. Hillis, John Howard, Manasses Kerr, Reuben Lyle, Harrison Long, Peter P. Love, Lyman E. Mapes, Jackson Moore, Thompson Moorhead, David Mattison, Stew- art H. Monteer, Henry Mapes, Harrison Moore, James A. Murphy, James McMangle, Peter Nulf, Nelson P. O'Connor, Robert Omslaer, William J. Orr, William O'Connor, Edward Plyler, Samuel Ransom, David D. Rhodes, Harris Ransom, Eli Rhinehart, Wil- liam Rogers, James W. Rea, Lewis R. Stahl- man, Peter Shannon, William H. H. Smith, Edward M. Sage, John H. H. Shuster, Sam- uel Shaw, John W. Smith, Theophilus Smith, Benjamin F. Scandrett, Richard Snyder, Jacob Snyder, John Stahlman, Joseph Y. Thompson, Samuel Fry, Robert M. Wadding, Joseph White, William White, William P. Woods, Frank M. Whiteman.
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"The following members of Company I were killed, died of wounds or disease, or were transferred to other organizations :
"Killed-Lieut. John McGuire; Sergt. Alex- ander McQuiston; Privates Andrew Craft. Daniel Ferringer, Andrew J. Hagerty, David D. Rhodes, Samuel Shaw. Died-Corporal Thomas Mccullough. Emery J. Barr, Wil- liam H. Barr. William C. Boyd. Harvey Cris- pin, Frederick Gilhousen, James J. Gailey. Augustus Haugh, Harrison Long, Jackson Moore, Thompson Moorhead, Peter Nulf, William White, William J. Orr. Died in Rebel prisons-Hugh A. Barr, Stewart H. Monteer. Harris Ransom, Lewis Diebler. The latter was shot by the prison guard at Salis- bury, N. C. William Acker and Isaac J. Grenoble, though not Jefferson county 'boys,' were yet always identified with the company. Acker was mistaken for one of the enemy, and so badly wounded by one of his own regi- ment, while at work on one of the outpost riflepits at Cold Harbor, that he lost an arm, while Grenoble lost a leg at Po River. The following men were transferred: To adjutant One Hundred and Eighty-third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Lieut. Joseph E. Hall; to Veteran Reserve Corps, Corporal John M. Love; Philip Boyer, John S. Buz- zard, Eli Bailey, Josiah T. Crouch, Isaiah S. Davis, John W. Demott, Reuben Lyle, Har- rison Moore, John W. Smith, Theophilus Smith, B. F. Scandrett, Richard Snyder, W. P. Woods. Transferred to Fifty-third Penn- sylvania Volunteers-Peter P. Love, James A. Murphy, William O'Connor. To Signal Corps-James W. Rea."
Company B, Two Hundred and Eleventh Regiment, P. V.
"Company B, of the Two Hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, was raised in Jefferson county. The regiment was organ- ized at Camp Reynolds, Pittsburgh, Septem- ber 16, 1864. for one year's service. James H. Trimble was elected colonel, and Levi A. Dodd, of Brookville, lieutenant colonel. The regiment was sent immediately to the front. and on the 20th of September found itself in the entrenchments at Bermuda Hundred. where it was put in a provisional brigade of the Army of the James. Scarcely had it gained its position when it was ordered to mount the parapets, formed of sandbags, in full view of the enemy, who at once opened upon them with his batteries, killing two men in Com- pany F with a single shell. The object in
thus exposing this command, was to attract the attention of the enemy from the storming party which was about to move on Fort Har- rison, which movement was successful. The picket line which the regiment was required to hold extended from the James river, on the right, opposite Dutch Gap, through a dense pine wood to an open space, within which was the camp of the regiment. The line after leaving the river ran nearly straight to this slashing, where it made an abrupt bend, leaving the apex of the angle close to the enemy's lines. The opposing pickets had always been on the most friendly terms, and a great many deserters from the enemy came into our lines at this point. General Pickett, who was in command, determined to stop this wholesale desertion, and on the night of the 17th of November, quietly massing a body of picked men. suddenly burst upon the Union Pickets, capturing over fifty before they could rally, or the regiment come to their aid. He built a strong redoubt at this point, and so strengthened his lines that General Grant deemed it inexpedient to try to retake the ground. This put an end to all intercourse between the pickets, and hostilities were actively kept up, and while the regiment re- mained on that line the men were obliged to hug the breastworks or lie close to the bomb- proofs.
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