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

1864 BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE. 353
the meantime General Grant having been placed in command of all the National forces, had fixed his head-quarters with the army of the Potomac, and
in connection with General Meade, was directing its operations.
On the 4th of May, 1864, the regiment, under command of Major Samuel G.
Moffitt, took up the line of march for Ely's ford, and crossing upon the pontoons reached the old battle-ground at Chancellorsville late in the afternoon)
bivouacking upon the same field where it had fought just a year before. On
the following day it moved with the corps towards the Wilderness, and was
deployed as skirmishers on the extreme left of the army, where the enemy was
soon met in force and the engagement became general. Remaining on the left
through the entire battle it steadily held its position against every attempt to
turn it. The loss * was twelve killed and twenty-seven wounded.
On the morning of the 8th the regiment was detailed with the Eighth New
Jersey and Sixteenth Massachusetts, as a provisional brigade, under Colonel
Ramsey, to guard the ammunition train, en route for Todd's tavern. It rejoined
the brigade on the 10th and marched with the corps to Spottsylvania Court
House, when it was formed in line of battle on the extreme left of the army,
where it was engaged in constructing rifle-pits. In the afternoon a charge was
made upon the rebel works, but without success. On the 12th the regiment
participated in the grand charge of the Second Corps. Advancing in two lines,
Barlow's and Birney's divisions forming the first, and Gibbon's and Mott's the
second, under cover of a dense fog, Hancock swept over the earth works held
by Edward Johnson's Division, of Ewells Corps, completely routing it, taking
five thousand prisoners, fortyguns, and capturing GeneralsJohnson and Stewart.
The regiment took two Napoleon guns, which they turned upon the enemy, with
good effect. The captured works were held during the continuance of the
battle, from the 10th to the 15th. In this engagement, known as the battle of
Spottsylvania Court House, the loss in the Twenty-sixth was twenty killed and
forty-five wounded.
In the advance of the army, the regiment, while posted to defend the left
flank was attacked by Rosser's cavalry. The shock was sudden and severe.
Nine men were killed and two wounded by a single discharge from his light
battery, but he was repulsed with slight additional loss.
On the 21st it moved at dawn, crossing the railroad near Guinea station,
and, passing through Bowling Green and Guilford, it encamped on the west
side of the Mattapony creek. The next day it was engaged in building breastworks near Carolina county poor. house, and on the 23d marched near to the
North Anna river, where it was exposed to heavy shelling from the enemy, but
succeeded in pushing him across. On the 24th it crossed under heavy fire and
immediately deployed as skirmishers to the right of the bridge, and continued
in active duty in all the operations at this place. On the 27th it moved towards
the Pamunky river, and crossed at Nelson's ford. Advancing about two miles,
it was employed in throwing up breastworks.
ColonelM'Laughlin; Twenty-sixthRegimentPennsylvaniaVolunteers, Colonel Bodine; Second
Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers, Coloiel Patterson; One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Dunne Fifth Regiment New Jersy Volunteers, Colonel
Willian; Sixth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, Colonel Burling; Seventh Regiment New
Jersey Volunteers, Colonel Sewell Eighth Regiment Now Jersey Volunteers, Colonel Ramsey.
Private Christian Snyder, of company F, was shot through the back in this engagement;
the spinal column being fractured. His last words were, " I do not care to die, but the Flag,
the Flag."
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