History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

1070 FORTY-FIFTH r UGIMENT. 1864
a flag of truce., The rebels, on the 5th, attempted to explode a mine beneath
one of the forts in front of the Eighteenth Corps, but failed, the excavation
not reaching to within fifty yards of the fort. Nearly all the artillery opened
upon them, and a constant cannonade, and musketry fire, was kept up the entire day. On the 15th, the regiment, with the division, moved three miles to
the left, and relieved a division of the Fifth Corps. Its loss, from the 30th of
July, was two killed and one wounded.
At three P. M., of the 19th, it marched in advance six miles, to the support
of Warren, and was deployed as skirmishers. Moving through a thick wood,
in the dark, the enemy's line was discovered, and some prisoners taken. During the night the Forty-eighth Pennsylvania formed on its right, and the
Thirty-sixth Massachusetts on its left. On the following morning, the order
was given to advance, ald open fire upon the enemy. Still upon the skirmish
line, it engaged his ve(lettes, and drove them in, losing one man wounded. On
the morning of the 30tll o' Selptelnber, the First and Second divisions proceeded
towards Poplar Sprilng Chiurch, and found the enemy strongly entrenched.
Moving rapidly to the left of the Fifth Corps, while passing through an open
field the regiment received the fire of a rebel battery, one man being killed and
one wounded. The brigade formed, with the Fifty-eighth Massachusetts on
the right, the Fifty-first New York on the left, and the Forty-fifth Pennsylvania
in the centre; the Thirty-sixth" Massachusetts, Forty-eighth Pennsylvania, and
the Fourth and Seventh Rhode Island, were in reserve, and occupied the works
at the front, on Peeble's farm. It was here held to support Griffin's Brigade,
Second Division, Fifth Corps, and fought gallantly, repulsing several charges
of infantry and cavalry, in rear and in front. At one time, entirely surrounded
by the enemy, it cut its way through his columns, and gained the shelter of a
log barn, from which Major Horton, of the Fifty-eighth Massachusetts, was
keeping up a constant fire of musketry. The little band was hefe soon surrounded, and called upon to surrender. Lieutenant Colonel Gregg did not
propose to yield without an effort to escape. Calling to the men they moved
on with a cheer, but were met with a withering fire of musketry which killed
and wounded the larger part of the command. The color bearer, Sergeant
Ruggleman, being wounded, Sergeant Levi R. Robb took the colors, and tried
to save them, but was immediately surrounded by the Tenth Virginia Cavalry.
Lieutenant James P. Gregg was killed while gallantly leading his men. Being
overcome by vastly superior numbers, after a fierce struggle they were forced
surrender. Among the captured was Lieutenant Colonel Gregg. The entire
casualties in the regiment were one officer and two men killed, and one hundred and fifty officers and men prisoners.
On the 1st of October it numbered only ninety-two men present for duty,
but during the winter months of 1864-5 it was rapidly filled up with recruits,
dr:afted men, and substitutes. Promotions were made from the non-commissioned officers and men who had served with honor and fidelity since the organization of the regiment in 1861. It participated in the movement to Hatcher's
Run on the 27th and 28th of October, and on the 10th of December moved with
the division to the support of the Fifth Corps, which was making a reconnoissance to the Weldon Railroad beyond Nottaway Court House. It returned on
the 12th, and retained its position on the right of the army until its final assault
on the rebel works. It occupied Fort Rice, near that familiarly known as Fort
Hell.