Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1864-12-09
Vol 81: No. 80

ing accomplished we were ordered to withdraw
This was not accomplished without loss. Besides
those who were killed upon the field, many of our
comrades who were wounded there, have since sgone
to that bourne from whence no traveller returns.p
We marched back to the rear and enjoyed one days
rest On the morning of the 18th we started toward
the scene of our former operations, 70 do another
hard days work, without any thing to appease the
appetite having been without food nearly forty eight
hours previous. But hunger on some occasions
seems stimulus to exertion. Marching and conn
termarehing the principal operation during the
early part Of the day But at length il came to our
turn to 60 further forward Advantage was taken Of
couple Of deep rayines. In one Of these we form.
ed for the chef d. oeuUre. With our right resting
upon the Appomattox, we advanced over bluff that
hid us from the enemy. AS soon as we reached the
top q heavy fire Of musketry was opened upon u.s.
would do honor to the pen and pencil. simultane-
ously We were ordered forward and We swept across
q cornfeld that only few days previously was an
interesting object to the tller Of The SOIL At dark
we halted Two powerful works we're wrested from
the enemy, some prisoners and eighteen pieces of
artillery remained in our hands as trophies of the
day work Ii. Bloomha Co. B, and 1t Shorb,
Co. g, wounded. The loss, however, this day
was not very heavy. 1t fell upon brigade to do
the pieketing that night, thus being obliged keep
on the alert we found that we need not expect the
coveted and much needed repose night generally af-
fords; bat weary watching and marching the two
previous nights, we prepared for another wakeful
tour Of duty. At o'clock the next day (l6th)
another attack was made and the pickets were used
as skirmishers. The captured works were greatly
strengthened, and artillery placed in them. Fire
opened from these and soon silenced battery that
proved little annoying during the day. The smoke
OF the guns settled close TO the earth, thus rather
prematurey obseuring the light of day and scentng
the air with the villainous sulphur. Amid this deaf
ening roar the infantry advanced; common conver-
sation could not be heard and commands had to be
given in a boisterous tone to make them audible
Capt. G. Il. Hill, as brave an officer as ever trod
upon battle field, commanded the regiment. We
were ordered to ego forward and engage the enemy
As we advanced we could see the foe awaiting ms
We advanced quite close to his position and he open-
At the appointed time the line was formed, and
the troops marched towards the James, Can't. Hill
commanded the regiment This was fatal day
TO many, but the survivors won lasting wreath of
glory. Pontoons we're thrown across the river dur
ing the night, below Aiken's Landing, and at day-
light the troops crossed. The enemy pickets were
encountered short distance from the river driven
IN and some prisoners captured. We came in front
Of, and received the fire of Fl. Harrison. The 1st
Stannard division, charged this in 'front.' our dvi-
sion, Heckman's, operating on the flank. The enc.
my gave way before this vigorous charge, and our
troops trinmphantly entered his vacated works Be-
yond the Line already captured was another consist
ing Of strong redoubts and forti6cations connected
by breastworks 1t was desirable that this line
should be captured. One Regiment, the I'd Pa
Artillery, gallantly charged these works. and were
most all captured The enemy was assisted in this
days operations by the gunboats on the James,
which threw shell of mammoth dimentions, but do
ing comparatively little damage, in proportion to
the metal thrown. About 8 o'clock P. NJ. we were
ordered to beready to move forward at moments
notice. About 4 clock, Col. Jourdan rode up to
Capt. Hill, and said "Capt., / want your regiment
to charge that work and take it." Sufficient support
to be at hand to enable US to hold the works If
entered. The regiment advanced slowly at first,
then fixing bayonets, started of ''double quickn
The enemy held his fire until it came in good range,
and opened. Shell went howling through the air;
grape and canister were poured in among u.s. as fast
as the enemy could load and fire his pieces. Such
a tremendous FIRE could not be received without
with fearful rapdity; undaanted the line swept on
ward under the concentrated fire of three bafserie
now SO close that the features of the men the guns
could be distinctly seen, every charge could be heard
rammed home, and the word fire heard at every
discharge. When within fifty yards of the works the
regiment halted. This was done to await the prof
ferred support, out it was aseertaned that no
assistance was to be expected from it. Here the
prize that was almost within grasp, had to be
given up for the ranks were thinned that the re-
mander could not sustain the unequal strife, then
the enemy sailed out, doubtless with the intention
Of capturing the little band. Seeing no assistance
at hand, the regiment marched off by the '4eft o6
que, under cover of a strip of woods The effort
was not upon the whole, crowned with success, be-
cause the number of the assailants was not sufficient
to accomplish the task. The wounded not able to
leave the field were captured The color bearer, Au-
gustin Flanagan, fell while boldly advancing the Co
lors ;,SSergt Hammer, now 1t. Hammer ofCo X siez-
ed them as they fell from the hands ofhis wounded
eornrade and nobly bore them from the field. 1t.
Adair, Co. II was killed; Capt. o'Neil, Co. was
wounded and captured since paroled, Capt Hill was
wounded in the hip, but refused to leave the field.
The operations closed at night. Next day the enc
my made two unsuccessful attempts to retake the
works but met with bloody repulse each time. Our
regiment is inthe Fort bnt since it was entered
by its present occupants, the name has been changed
TO Ft Burnham. When our regiment started in the
campaign it was 400 strong but it reports only
s7S for duty. Thinking have already exceeded
the proper limit, will close. At present, all ID
quiet OCCASIONAL" #
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AKIND WoRD FOR 'MoTHER ''-Despise not
thy 1nothor when she is old. Age may wear and
waste mothers beauty, strength, limbs, senses,
and estate but her relation as mother is as the
sum when it goes forth in It's night for it is always
L /. 4 L.. uya