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312 Series I Volume XLIII-I Serial 90 - Shenandoah Valley Campaign Part I

Page 312 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.

body of skirmishers, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Strain, One hundred and fifty-third New York, were thrown out to cover our right flank. The line of battle formed by the Second Division, of the Nineteenth Corps, was in prolongation of the line of the Sixth Corps, and the Fourth Brigade of that division held the extreme right of the front line of battle. At about 11.30 a. m. the whole line advanced toward the battle lines of the enemy. The First Brigade advanced in column of regiments through a piece of woods in rear of and within supporting distance of the Fourth Brigade, Second Division. On arriving at a point within 300 yards of the front of this piece of woods, the lines of the Fourth Brigade were discovered to be broken and falling back in disorder. At this juncture I gave the command to my brigade to deploy into line, which was quickly executed, notwithstanding the difficulty occasioned by small bodies of the Fourth Brigade hurrying to the rear. The brigade having formed line, I advanced it in front of the woods to a position selected by Brigadier-General Dwight, commanding the division. We there opened fire on the enemy, who were steadily pressing forward after the retreating force which had been in our front. The fire from my brigade checked the advance of the enemy. Soon after information was brought to me from the skirmish line on the right flank that the enemy had placed a battery in position there, and that a body of his troops were making a demonstration on that flank. I immediately reported this fact to Brigadier-General Dwight, who ordered me to make such a disposition of my brigade as would protect the right flank. To do this I moved the Twenty-ninth Maine and Thirtieth Massachusetts, of my brigade, and the Forty-seventh Pennsylvania which had just then reported to me, into line of battle established perpendicularly to the front line. My brigade held the positions described until about 3 p. m., when it was relieved by regiments of General Crook's command. The One hundred and fourteenth, One hundred and sixteenth, and One hundred and fifty-third New York, which held the front line, were commander by Colonel Davis, of the One hundred and fifty-third New York Volunteers, after I had moved the balance of the brigade to the right. Immediately after being relieved, Colonel Davis moved these three regiments to the left on the front line, where I immediately after joined him with the remainder of the brigade and the Forty-seventh Pennsylvania. At this time the enemy were falling back at all points, and my brigade, with the balance of the corps, were moved forward in pursuit. The pursuit was continued by the infantry until night-fall, when it was ordered into bivouac near the Front Royal pike.

The following morning we moved with the balance of the command to Strasburg, where we arrived that evening. The operations of my brigade on the 21st were in conjunction with tare remainder of the army in feeling of the position of the enemy at Fisher's Hill. The brigade moved from its bivouac ground near Strasburg on the morning of the 22nd at 4 a. m. toward Fisher's Hill, and at daybreak had established its line on the left of the First Division, of the Sixth Corps, and commenced the work of constructing log breast-works. At 12 m. I received an order from General Dwight to send a force to capture a range of lightly fortified positions, held by a strong skirmish line of the enemy. Four companies of the Thirtieth Massachusetts, under command of Captain Tremain, together with a body of skirmishers from my brigade, which had been fighting the enemy's skirmishers during the morning, were ordered to report to Captain Kinney, of my staff, who was charged with the execution of the order. Captain Kinney assem-


Page 312 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.