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Hurtling and Humming Along the Line, While

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Hurtling and Humming Along the Line, While HISTOBY OF SENECA COUNTY, NEW YOBK. Another moment and the CHAPTER XXXII. front line of the enemy had struck the telegraph wire, and as it went down and was crowded upon by the rear ranks, a simultaneous THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-EIGHTH NEW YORK was VOLUNTEERS. volley poured among them from all along the hitherto silent line of breastwork, and behind the dead and leaving tbe dying, the enemy fell back confusedly and regiment was mustered into the United This States service at New in full belief that a Geneva, heavy force many times the true number had arrested their on the 14th of September, 1862. Companies and part of D exultant advance. York, A, E, H, Holding this position until a new line of battle had been were recruited in Seneca. County, the remainder from Yates and Ontario formed in its being rear, the regiment, deploying as skirmishers, fell back and joined regiment left . on Counties. The Geneva the 22d of and arrived the main body. September, For their gallant conduct in this action they received much Washington three days at later, going immediately into camp on Capitol Hill. credit. From Washington the regiment was ordered to there On Suffolk, Virginia, arriving the 29th of May, the Eighteenth Army Corps having been ordered to join and until the of on the 29th, remaining 11th when it was ordered the of October, Army the Potomac, the One Hundred and Forty-eighth moved down to City and went into camp. was to Portsmouth, Virginia, Here commenced that from at Point its position Bermuda Hundred, and, embarking on transports, steamed thorough course of drill and instruction which afterwards gained for the regiment down the James and up the York, and from thence into the Pamunkey, finally dis its splendid reputation for discipline and effectiveness in action. From Ports embarking at White House Landing, and on the 1st of June marched to the old mouth the regiment was ordered to where it remained from the 12th of Norfolk, Coal Harbor battle-ground, going immediately into action on the right of the Sixth to October on garrison duty. While at a portion of the July 9, 1863, Norfolk, Army Corps. In the final charge at Coal Harbor, on June 3, the One Hundred regiment was detailed as a garrison for Fort while other detachments Norfolk, and Forty-eighth held the post of honor on Smith's Division, being placed at the were -stationed at Cape and like important positions. Fre Kempsville, Henry, head of the storming column. This column was ordered to charge across an open quent expeditions were sent out to different points of the adjoining country, and space upon the inner angle formed by the convergence of two lines of the enemy's much effective work was accomplished the regiment. On the 9th of October by works. This objective point, perhaps the most impregnable in the entire line of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth was ordered to and there Yorktown, remained works, was defended by two full batteries, amply protected by some of the best in charge of the fortifications of that important point until the commencement of rebel regiments. The column formed under shelter of a piece of woods, and at active operations in the of 1864. of that year was spring During February made five o'clock on the morning of the memorable 3d of June emerged into the open the famous march to Bolton's Bridge on the Chickahominy, accomplishing one ground, and immediately received a tremendous volley from the enemy's rifle-pits. hundred and thirty-four miles in one hundred hours. While at in Yorktown, The quiet prevailing to this moment was further broken by the opening peal and a battalion of the of four hundred and November, 1863, regiment, consisting fifty steady roar of cannon. Volley followed volley in quick succession, and the rush of " Morse," with the gunboat was sent on an expedition men, into Matthews County, bullets was continuous ; grape and canister came in murderous blasts ; shells burst all on the eastern shore of Virginia. The command disembarked at Mobjack Bay, about, and the air seemed clouded with missiles. Never, perhaps, during the entire and, marching to Gwynn's Island, surprised and captured a battalion of coast war was so terrible a fire concentrated upon a column of assault as in this par guards with arms and supplies. ticular instance. Although men fell by scores, the ranks pressed forward, and as Yorktown was left with a column of under com In April, 1864, large troops the troops reached the breastwork the enemy redoubled their fire. -Never quail " Baldy" mand of General Smith ; they went into camp on the old Williamsburg ing, the One Hundred and Forty-eighth here exhibited the perfection of splendid Thirty-third* had* battle-field, where the gallant New York had so nobly distinguished and invincible bravery. Two-thirds of the field already been crossed in the itself in 1862. Here the column was organized and equipped for active service, face of this deadly rain of shot and shell, when the rear of the column, impeded and on the 5th of May^embarked on transports and moved up the James River in its advance by the hundreds of the dead and dying who had fallen iu its front, to City Point, where the One Hundred and Forty-eighth was brigaded with the wavered for an instant, and directly the main body began to. fall back. Not so, Second and Twelfth New Hampshire and Eleventh Connecticut volunteers. On however, with the gallant but rapidly-decreasing band which led the attack. "The think the 12th the advance on Fort Darling at Drury's Bluff commenced, followed by . men of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth were too near the prize to for the sharp engagement at Clover Hill, which resulted in the enemy being driven a moment of retreat, but finding themselves deserted by their comrades, with steadily back to his strongly-intrenched line eight miles from Richmond. On numbers too sadly decimated to hope to.carry the works, right there in the open the morning of the 16th, the line of battle was as follows: Heckman's Brigade field, under the concentrated fire of the enemy, threw themselves upon the ground, cups began to throw was drawn up just below Fort Darling, with its right resting on the James. and with their bayonets, tin plates, and from their haversacks, a protection. in an almost short space of Next in order came Wistar's Brigade, with the.One .Hundred and Forty-eighth up the sand in front as Thus, incredibly of their and now began an on its right, and joining Heckman's left. Belger's Battery came next, and the time, they were screened from the bullets foes, annoying works. This position was held the untU rest of the troops were in line extending stUl farther to the left. During the fire upon the Confederate by tools been obtained from the previous night the One Hundred and Forty-eighth had erected a hastily-constructed the coming of night, when, intrenching having rear, strengthened and so that before daylight next breastwork of timber', and covered its immediate front. A quantity of wire from the line already begun was enlarged, brought the Une was established. the Richmond and Petersburg telegraph line had also been cut from the poles morning, with fresh troops forward, permanently engagement the One Hundred and Forty-eighth lost one hundred and and securely fastened among the stumps, about thirty yards in advance. As During this nine men in kUled and wounded. On the 1 1th of the regiment moved out of morning dawned, a dense fog had arisen, and at an early hour an overwhelming June, where it had remained under fire for eight back Confederate force was suddenly thrown with great fury upon Hickmau, driving the trenches, days, and, marching White the entire corps again on the the regiment his line in great confusion. Again forming in column, and taking a new position, to House, embarked, and, 14th, weeks' campaign with once more landed at Point. Thus ended their two the the entire rebel force was hurled upon the brigade to the left of Wistar, throwing City on of the Potomac. When the movement against commenced, it into disorder, forcing it to the rear, and capturing one of Belger]s guns. Seizing Army Petersburg was with of 15th of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth the advance, this gun, the enemy opened a flank fire upon Wistar's Brigade, compelling three the .June, regiment at a point under General and the 18th of that month found the his regiments to retire, thus leaving the One Hundred and Forty-eighth alone and Smith, more than a mile from the city. A of Confederates was unprotected to face a Confederate force flushed with success and outnumbering it but little strong body advance check. posted on the crest of a and for a time'held the Federal in twenty to one. The enemy immediately opened a severe fire of. artillery and Mil, ordered charge the although of Two regiments had been to position, but, musketry from his front, whUe the captured gun was sending rapid discharges successively great had both been repulsed. At this juncture the One Hun grape and canister from its position on the left. And now, as the fog began to displaying bravery, the position. through yards dred and Forty-eighth was directed to carry Rapidly moving lift, a dense column of the enemy.was massed about two hundred and fifty deployed in the open field at the foot of the with a and Forty-eighth.
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