Part 3

At the time of McClellan's Peninsula campaign, the people did not understand the situation about Winchester and other points in the Valley, and have not cared to learn it since.

It was well for Pennsylvania, it was well for the Union, that the fiat against Shields had not gone forth before June of '62. He was the first to strike Jackson with defeat, and no one did it afterward.

This noble Division of Shields' marched promptly and fought well, and therein they had, and have, their compensation, without being sung in lines of rhyme, or spoken in the pages of story.

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On the 21st of June, Samuel M. Bowman, late Major 4th Illinois Cavalry, was commissioned, and on the 25th mustered, Colonel of the 84th.

Major Barrett was promoted to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy, McDowell having been discharged for disability, in July.

And Adjutant Craig was promoted to the Majority.

DETAILS FOR RECRUITING.

Immediately upon his arrival at the Regiment, Colonel Bowman determined to add to the effective strength of the Command by sending recruiting parties to several localities in Pennsylvania, and also by securing the active interest of citizens of the State who were not then in the Service.

POPE'S CAMPAIGN.

While at Camp Pope the requisite details were made, and while numbers at home were thus being added to the rolls, the Regiment continued its active service in the field, marching out from Camp Pope, in July, to join Pope's Army, which was always to "look before, and not behind," and which was to "subsist upon the country in which their operations were carried on."

While McClellan was moving against the Capital of the Confederacy, it was Pope's part to keep secure the Capital of the Union.

BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN.

On August 9th, was fought the Battle of Cedar Mountain, in which the 84th was not directly engaged, excepting as a reserve force. The official record gives one officer and eight men wounded from the rebel fire of shot and shell after dark.

Following upon the battle the rebel force, numbering about 25,000, retreated across the Rapidan, Pope pursuing and occupying the north side of the river.

ARRIVAL OF "H" CO.

While at this point, the Regiment, for the first time, placed ten companies in line. "H" Co. had been recruited during the Spring and early Summer, and left Camp Curtin, under orders to join the Regiment, on the 14th, arriving on the 16th.

* * * * *

Pope did not remain in this position long.

At this period of the War it was looked upon at the North as the worst of generalship to permit any rebel troops to get between our forces and the Seat of Government, and it was well known on the other side that any movement that threatened such a condition would cause the quick packing of tents and the immediate tramp of whatever Union force was charged with the protection of the Capital. Later on came a change in this regard.

Jackson threatened Washington by starting a movement to Pope's rear, passing around his right flank.

On the 19th, commenced Pope's backward march.

On the 21st, Pope was safely across the Rappahannock, and immediately Jackson was along the south side of the river. Rappahannock Station was the central river point, the line stretching 15 miles.

In '62, an ordinary river stemmed the current of pursuit more effectually than it did in '64.

On the 22d, the rebel cavalry struck Catlett Station, and on the

23d, the bridge across the Rappahannock was burned, and the station abandoned by Pope.

THOROUGHFARE GAP.

On the 28th, Ricketts' Division was at Thoroughfare Gap, sent there to check the advance of Longstreet's Corps on its way to join Jackson at Manassas.

It will be noticed that McClellan's failure in front of Richmond had become fixed fact before this movement of Jackson's was determined upon, and now Lee's troops at Richmond were relieved from pressure.

The march to the Gap was too late for effective service, and, on the same night, Ricketts marched his Division from Thoroughfare Gap to join the main army.

BATTLE OF SECOND BULL RUN.

On the 29th, the Regiment, with the Division, was on the right flank of the Army, at Groveton.

On the morning of the 30th, the second day of the battle, the Regiment was exposed to a severe fire of grape and canister.

In the afternoon, Ricketts' Division was attacked by the enemy with masses of troops, but held its part well until ordered back by Pope about 7 P.M., after the final break along the Union line.

From that part of the line which had been so successfully held during the latter half of the day, and night being yet an hour off, there was afforded a clear view of flying Artillery and flying Infantry, all moving to a common center--Centerville.

While it was not strictly a walk, yet, in view of the situation, in good order the Regiment went back about a mile and took position, with other Regiments of the Brigade, in an open field, in fact facing the enemy, yet not knowing whom we faced. Here occurred the incident which almost (a minute of time made the difference) disposed of the 84th.

Just daylight enough left to discern a line, a full brigade front, advancing, yet not enough to distinguish the color of the uniform, or to make sure the flag.

On they came, a perfect line, marching as if on review. "Who are you?" thrice repeated, brought no response. Not a word was spoken in their ranks, but on they came.

A few minutes before, Lieutenant Nixon had been ordered to post a detail of pickets, but had not had time to go out. "I will learn who they are," said Nixon. Twenty-five steps to the front, and he was half way. Then came from him the words which seem to sound upon my ear every time the incident occurs to me, "They are the enemy, boys!" And then, for it was dark now, upon the instant was seen that flash of light along the whole line of that rebel brigade. I see it now as I saw it then. With the flash came the whirr of the thousands of bullets, but the darkness in the aim saved the objects for which they were intended.

The fire was the vengeance of the failure to capture.

Night being fully on, our small force had accomplished all that it had been left on the field for--the checking of pursuit--and was now not long in getting to the Centerville side of Bull Run.

On the night of September 1st, the Regiment was at Fairfax Station.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS.--ARRIVAL OF RECRUITS.

On September 2d, back to the defences of Washington, a part of the 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 3d Corps. At first in camp at Alexandria. Then a long march on the Virginia side, across the Potomac, on through Georgetown, and back, locating on Arlington Heights, where the Regiment awaited the 350 recruits, the outcome of Colonel Bowman's efforts inaugurated at Camp Pope.

Some were received in small detachments, others as organized companies, places being provided by the consolidation of old companies, or as partial organizations, and placed with old companies. This was the more readily accomplished, owing to the retirement of many of the old line officers.

Of the 27 Line Officers mustered in with the Regiment, 2, Gallagher and Reem, had been killed, 20 had resigned before the end of 1862, leaving only 5--Bryan, Opp, Zinn, Peterman and Ingram.

Of the original Field Officers, Murray only had done active service, and he had been killed. MacDowell, Lieutenant-Colonel, had been discharged for disability, in July. Barrett had been promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, and resigned in September. Adjutant Craig had been promoted Major and Lieutenant-Colonel, and resigned.

None of the Field Officers left, the Adjutant gone, and not one of the original Captains of companies remaining.

Of the five Line Officers remaining, Opp, Bryan and Ingram had entered the service as First Lieutenants, and Zinn and Peterman as Second Lieutenants.

Opp obtained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, in command of the Regiment, and was mortally wounded at the Wilderness. Bryan became Major, and Zinn rose to the rank of Colonel, with the Brevet of Brigadier-General. Peterman became Captain and was killed at Chancellorsville. Ingram resigned in the early part of 1863.

Of all the original Officers, Field, Staff and Line, only two, Zinn and Bryan, served with the Regiment until the close of the War, and they are still among us.

Of the after Line Officers, 32 were promotions from the ranks, and also two of the three Adjutants.

Fribley to Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant and Captain of the 84th, and Colonel 8th U. S. Colored Troops.

Dougherty, Steinman, Farley, Nixon, Sampson and Rissel, to Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant and Captain.

Delehunt and Lamberton, to Second Lieutenant and Captain.

Thornton to First Lieutenant and Captain.

Mather to Adjutant.

Merchant to Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant and Adjutant, with the Brevet of Captain.

Mummey, Wells, and Larish to First Lieutenant.

Smith, Mitchell, Lewis, Taylor, Jury and Ferguson to Second Lieutenant and First Lieutenant.

Gwinn, Wingate, Piper, Moore, Hays, McMaster, Wolf, Hursh, Wilson, Weidensall and Davidson, to Second Lieutenant.

As newly organized, "C" Co. was consolidated with A, and the new Company from Westmoreland County, Captain Logan and Lieutenant Wirsing, took the place of the original C Co.

B Co. received recruits under Lieutenant Young.

D Co. received recruits under Lieutenant Hunter.

Lieutenant Zinn, B Co., was commissioned Captain of D.

A Company of about 70 men, under Captain Dobbins and Lieutenant Johnson, was added to E, Lieutenant Steinman, of the old organization, remaining.

F Co. was added to by recruits under Lieutenant Forrester.

G Co. received recruits under Captain Platt and Lieutenant Brindle.

H Co. received recruits under Lieutenant Jackson.

Many of the old men of I Co. were transferred to K, and I Co. reorganized by a large detachment under Captain Comfort and Lieutenant Ross.

K Co. was materially strengthened by the transfers from I.

ASSIGNED TO WHIPPLE'S DIVISION.

In the latter part of October, the Regiment left its camp at Arlington Heights, and joined the Army under McClellan at Berlin, still constituting a part of Carroll's Brigade, which had been assigned to Whipple's Independent Division.

On November 7th, by order from the War Department, McClellan was relieved from the command of the Army of the Potomac, and succeeded by Major-General Burnside.

AT FALMOUTH.

On November 17th, the advance of the Army arrived at Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, and again the whole Army was confronting Lee.

On December 11th, Fredericksburg was subjected to a heavy artillery fire, to cover the laying of a Pontoon bridge.

BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.

The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought on the 13th, the rebel troops having been forced out of the town to their fortifications on the Heights in the rear.

The Regiment was severely engaged. General Griffin called on Whipple for Carroll's Brigade, and it was promptly moved up through the town under fire of shot and shell. Stopping in a cut of the Richmond Railroad, then climbing the steep embankment, the Brigade rushed on and was soon at the very front. Two Companies went on in advance of the line of battle and had to be recalled. During the night the enemy attempted to force the part of the line occupied by the 84th and 110th Pa., but was repulsed.

7 men killed and 24 wounded.

Colonel Bowman, 84th, and Lieutenant Crowther, 110th, were specially mentioned in the Brigade Commander's report.

After the battle, the Regiment went into Camp at Stoneman's Switch, on the Falmouth and Acquia Creek Railroad, about 2 miles from Falmouth.

In the meantime, on the 1st of October, 1862, Captain Opp had been promoted Major, and, on December 23d, Lieutenant-Colonel, Barrett and Craig having both resigned.

Captain Zinn was promoted Major, October 2d.

On January 18th, 1863, Sergeant Mather, B Co., was promoted Adjutant.

On January 19th, Burnside started the Army for a second attempt on Fredericksburg, but the heavy rain converted the movement into a "Mud March," and it was abandoned.

The outcome of December 13th and January 19th, was the removal of Burnside, on January 26th, from the command of the Army, and the substitution of Major-General Hooker.

These were experimental days, and rotation in office of Corps and Army Commanders largely practised, but the experiments were harsh indeed to the boys who did the tramping and the fighting.

On February 5th, by order of General Hooker, the Army of the Potomac was reorganized, and Reynolds assigned to the command of the 1st Corps; Couch, the 2d; Sickles, the 3d; Meade, the 5th; Sedgwick, the 6th; Sigel, the 11th; and Slocum, the 12th; the Cavalry under Stoneman.

The 84th and 110th Pa. and 12th New Hampshire, constituted the 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 3d Corps, with Bowman Commanding. Lieutenant-Colonel Opp in command of the Regiment.

Picketing along the Rappahannock, by details of Regiments, was the principal duty from January to

BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE.

April 29th, when the Army broke camp and started on a campaign intended to be brief, but sharp and decisive, fruitful of great and important results.

It was Hooker's plan, most intelligently conceived and thorough in its details. Without Jackson on the other side, it would have gone down in history as the battle of the War, and Hooker would have been the Lieutenant-General. No rebel army would thereafter have crossed the Potomac to make a Gettysburg. The Gettysburg of the War would have been on Southern soil.

The Regiment participated in the feint to the left of Fredericksburg, and on the

1st of May, moved toward Chancellorsville, the place of the campaign, crossing the Rappahannock at United States Ford.

On the 2d, late in the afternoon, Sickles was ordered to send two Divisions, the 2d and 3d, in the direction of the Old Furnace, to cut off the march of rebel troops toward the right of our line. Jackson, however, as was his custom, had already passed by and out of the way, excepting a regiment, which was captured.

While two-thirds of Sickles' Corps was in this exposed position, Jackson literally fell on the 11th Corps, away to the right of the Union line, at a time when the whole of that Corps was lying in supposed security, doubled it up, and in this way substituted the Field plan of Lee for the Camp study of Hooker; and Chancellorsville was become a ground to fight on but not a place of victory.

In the words of that memorable Order, the "Enemy was in a bag." But where was the string?

However, there was virtue in the situation, in that it furnished the grandest test that could have been presented to the Army of the Potomac. Most fully defeated, yet not alarmed. Line broken, yet not pursued.

Hooker's Army was a body of positive soldiery, who knew not on that 2d of May, nor until well back on sure ground, how nearly Lee had gained what Hooker started out to accomplish.

Back from the Old Furnace came the two Divisions of Sickles', while Keenan, with his Battalion of Cavalry, held the whole rebel force, to make time for the planting of the guns, and lessen the time for the falling of the night, which was to be the safeguard of our Army.

The next morning found our Brigade too far out, and where it would not have remained through the night had its position and number been known to the occupants of the woods along the line of which it was posted.

The Brigade was drawn back in the direction of the Chancellor House, and put behind a short line of light breast-works, in an isolated position, without any support to the right or left. We had been closely followed in our withdrawal of the morning, and were now hard pressed by the enemy forcing in upon our front, while a large force could be seen moving some distance on our left, which, within a half-hour, coming through the woods and over the rise to our rear, were immediately at our back before their coming was known.

For some time, such of the Union troops as could be seen from the position occupied by the Regiment, had been giving way and falling back to the protection of the numerous guns posted in front of the Chancellor House, and which had not yet opened fire.

The Union line did not seem to be holding anywhere.

The killed and wounded of the Regiment had been added to at every fire.

Pressed to the front and rear by forces too large to contend with, with one flank closed and the other nearly so, it was now only the question of escape, or capture.

When the colors of the Regiment were planted behind the inner works, twice the fingers of the hands counted the total of the officers and men who stood with them.

Out of 391, 1 officer, Peterman, then Captain of K Co., and 5 men had been killed; 5 officers and 54 men wounded, and 154 captured and missing.

General Whipple was killed just to the right of the Regiment, on the 4th.

On the night of the 4th, rain came down in a flood, so that the Rappahannock was much swollen. About midnight, Hooker's Army commenced crossing to the North side, and, by the night of the 5th, all were back on the old camp ground.

Many of the dead had been left on the field where they fell, and many of the wounded left to rebel care. Death had come to some of the wounded from the fire in the woods, caused by the shelling on the 3d. The great loss to the rebel side came a few days after, in the death of Jackson, who had been mortally wounded on the night of the 2d.

Following on Chancellorsville, owing to the death of Whipple and the numerous casualties, the Division was broken up and the regiments assigned to other commands.

PARTED FROM THE 110TH.

The 84th and 110th had been together up to this time, but from now on were to be parted. The 84th went to the 1st Brigade (Carr's), 2d Division (Humphrey's), and the 110th to the 3d Brigade, 1st Division.

GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.

In the early part of June, it became clear that the officials of the confederacy were so much encouraged by the result of Hooker's campaign, that they had determined upon sending Lee into Pennsylvania.

A reconnoissance by the Cavalry under Buford and Gregg, south of the Rappahannock, delayed Lee for a few days.

As soon as it was known that Lee was on the way, the people of Pennsylvania felt what the consequence _could_ be, and feared what it _might_ be. The State was divided into two Military Districts. The Department of the Monongahela, west of the Laurel Ridge Mountains, was commanded by General Brooks, Headquarters, Pittsburg; and the Department of the Susquehanna by General Couch, Headquarters, Chambersburg.

On June 14th, Milroy was forced out of Winchester, leaving behind siege guns, 8 field pieces, 6000 muskets, ammunition and stores.

June 15th, the President called on Maryland and West Virginia for 10,000 militia, each; Ohio for 30,000, and Pennsylvania for 50,000, for six months' service.

June 16th, Jenkins' rebel cavalry, 950 strong, occupied Chambersburg, and withdrew on the 18th.

19th, portion of Rhodes' rebel cavalry entered McConnelsburg and sacked the town.

21st, Pleasanton drove Stuart beyond Middletown, through Upperville and Ashby's Gap.

23d, rebel forces again occupied Chambersburg, the Union troops in the town falling back.

26th, rebel advance reached Carlisle, the militia under General Knipe retiring.

* * * * *

Lee's forces were well under way down the Valley, when Hooker took down his tents opposite Fredericksburg.

From the start to the finish it was a race, but not from the foe. There were no obstacles worth the mention for Lee to encounter, none for Hooker.

Lee went upon that side of the mountain, Hooker upon this. Across the Potomac went Lee, and across the Potomac came Hooker--at different points.

The Army of the Potomac had marched before, but never before, nor after, as it did through the night after crossing into Maryland. Along the tow-path, dark, wet and slippery; strength all gone, and the muscles expanding simply to get rid of the contraction.

Such was the character of the march, that at times the nearest comrade on the walk would not be within ten paces to the front or rear.

What had been lost at the start must now be made up, for Lee was well on toward every Pennsylvania soldier's home.

On June 27th, at Frederick, Maryland, the order was promulgated assigning Major-General Meade to the command of the Army of the Potomac, and Hooker thereby relieved.

On the night of June 30th, at Taneytown, came the order detailing the Regiment to guard the Supply Train.

The next morning, Colonel Opp, knowing that his men were averse to such duty, made special request of the Brigade Commander to revoke the order, but without success.

July 1st, started with the train, which was then moving with the Column from Taneytown on the road to Emmettsburg, and while on the way word came that the Cavalry and the 1st Corps had encountered Lee at Gettysburg, and that Reynolds had been killed.

Immediately following this announcement came the order for the Supply Trains to report at Westminster.

The Supply Trains were an important factor in army organization. They did good service in the camp, along the march, and on the field. Without them even Gettysburg would not have been a Field of Monuments. At least twenty regiments of the Army of the Potomac did guard duty with the trains on the 1st, 2d, and 3d of July, 1863. That duty was quite as necessary of performance, fully as important, carrying with it as much of possible danger, as was actually encountered by regiments engaged on the field, and as much of actual danger as did not fall to the lot of several of the regiments who were no more on the field than were the troops with the trains, and which regiments wrote Gettysburg on their battle flags without a question as to its being rightly there.

When the State of Pennsylvania placed upon her Statute Books the Act that gave to every Pennsylvania Command having a part in the Battle of Gettysburg a Memorial Stone, I had no doubt as to the 84th coming within the terms of the Act, and no doubt as to the duty of its Soldiers to see that its Monument was placed.

The Regiment had been, from the time of its entry into the service, a part of the Army of the Potomac, even before all the troops in Virginia were so designated, and continued to be till the end of the War. Failure of recognition under this Law of the Commonwealth, as a part of the Army of the Potomac, would have left the Regiment unrecorded to the world as of any army up to and including the time of Gettysburg.

But comment of our own is unnecessary. The statement of General Carr, the Brigade Commander, covers all points, and coming from an individual thoroughly competent to pass judgment, and yet free from the slightest degree of interest that might possibly induce bias, ought to, and does, answer all question and resolve all doubt.

(The following letter was written by General Carr in response to a communication asking simply for a statement by him of the duty on which the Regiment was ordered in connection with the Battle of Gettysburg.

The tribute thus tendered to the Regiment not only evidences the high regard had by General Carr for the officers and men of the 84th, but is indicative of the feeling entertained and expressed by Shields, Carroll, Ricketts, Whipple, Pierce, Mott, and other General Officers, in whose immediate command the Regiment was placed between October, '61, and July, '65.)

OFFICE OF AMERICAN CHAIN CABLE WORKS, _Troy, N. Y., October 28, 1887_.

GENERAL JOHN P. TAYLOR, President, Board of Commissioners Gettysburg Monuments, Philadelphia, Pa.

Sir:--I have the honor to present the following statement, in reference to the part taken by the 84th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers in the Gettysburg Campaign.