Today in History:

426 Series I Volume XXV-I Serial 39 - Chancellorsville Part I

Page 426 N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.

Started for the ford in the morning (May 1), at about 6 o'clock, and marched to the river and crossed at 9.30 a.m., where we rested for an hour. We then took up our line of march for Chancellorsville, which point we reached about 1 p.m., then marched up the Plank road about 2 miles, and filed out into a field in front of General Slocum's headquarters, stacked our arms, and remained there until 5 p.m.

At 5 p.m. we were ordered to march back to a point near the Chancellor mansion. When reaching that point, the First Brigade was ordered into position on the right of the white house, near the Chancellor mansion. After having formed our line, the brigade in column of regiments at 20 paces, the One hundred and fourteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers holding the front, the enemy opened a part of a battery of artillery upon us, when we fell back under cover of a hill. During the fire of the enemy, I had 1 man killed and another badly wounded, who died that evening. Lieutenant-Colonel Watkins had his horse killed while in the act of morning him, and the major and myself narrowly escaped. The major was knocked down and his face somewhat cut, but not severely, though severely stunned by being struck in the head by a piece of shell or some other missile. We remained during the night in this position, nothing worthy of note happening.

In the morning (May 2), marched up the Plank or Culpeper road and filed off to the left, and after marching half a mile went into camp and remained there until nearly 2 p.m., when we marched across the ravine lying below the log-house and formed line of battle on the hill, our right resting on the road and joining the Sixty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, whose left rested on the same road. We then moved forward by the right of companies, and formed another line parallel with the same road, and I sent out Company B, in command of Lieutenant Peck, as skirmishers. I then changed the line a second time, moving it by the flank, and forming it at right angles with the road.

The Third Brigade during this time lay in our front. The line was changed, for the third, time, bringing us on a line parallel with the road, in which position we remained until near evening, when we moved across the valley to the farm-house on the hill, nearly a mile in front of us.

During all the movements of the day, my regiment was not engaged with the enemy, nor did they fire a shot, with the exception of a few fired by the skirmishers sent out under Lieutenant Peck.

During the evening I marched back to a place near the point from which we started in the afternoon, when I was ordered to take my regiment on picket. I posted six companies on the ground pointed out to me by the field officer of the day, and held four companies in reserve.

By an order from brigade headquarters, I withdrew my picket when the attack was made on the left of our line by the enemy at 2 a.m. The attack being repulsed, I re-posted my pickets, and we remained there until 6 o'clock on Sunday morning, May 3, when I rejoined the division on the hill, near the old log-house. The brigade was in close column, by regiments, my regiment being in the rear.

About 6 a.m. the enemy made an attack on our brigade. Companies B, G, and K received and returned the fire of the enemy, and held them in check for a few minutes until the regiments in front of me filed off. I brought up the rear of the column. During the engagement on the hill (the past attack), Companies B and K suffered quite severely. Company B especially. Captains Spaulding (Company I) and Tyler (Company H) and Lieutenants Peck (Company B) and Atkinson (commanding Company D) were wounded at this place. Lieutenant Atkinson,


Page 426 N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.