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

1863 SHELBYVILLE. 1119
from some cause, the men commenced cheering, the skirmish line charged, and
Colonel Minty, taking advantage of the favorable moment, ordered the Seventh
to charge also. Dashing forward with wild shouts, the intrenchments were
stormed and taken, with many prisoners, and, nerved by their success, pushed
on after the flying foe. A mile from town a rebel regiment was hemmed in, in
an open field, and captured, offering little resistance. As the troops advanced.
towards the town, they were suddenly checked by the rapid fire from a battery of six pieces, posted in the public square. Colonel Minty at once brought
up two pieces of artillery, and, directing the Fourth United States and the
Fourth Michigan to take a parallel street to the right, Colonel Jordan, with
the Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, of the First Division, the first street to the
left, and three companies of the Seventh, under Captain Davis, to take the
centre, the signal to charge was given. The Seventh was obliged to move in
the face of the rebel guns, which were trained full upon it, and were served
with great rapidity, at first dealing shot and shell, and then double shotted
canister. But, unmindful of the storm, Davis dashed up the narrow street,
filling it from curb to curb, the shouts of the men ringing above the noise of
battle. As they came near, they were saluted by a shower of bullets from
the rifles and pistols of the enemy. A short run brought the column hand to
hand with the hostile force, and a brief struggle ensued over the guns; but
the slash of the sabre, and the rapid rounds from pistols and carbines proved
too much for rebel valor. He was driven in confusion, and the powerful battery was captured, as few have been, by a direct charge of cavalry. After the
loss of his artillery, a panic seemed to seize the enemy, and he fled in consternation to the bank of Duck River, a mile away, where he attempted to form a
line to cover the passage of his trains. But it was a vain attempt. Charge
after charge was delivered with an impetuosity inspired of success, and, finally,
a wagon having been overturned upon the bridge, in wild affright the rebels
broke, and threw themselves by hundreds into the river, where large numbers
were drowned. Shelbyville, with all its military stores, fell into Union hands,
and a powerful impetus was given to the retreat of the entire rebel army. Wheeler's boasted cavalry was broken, and never afterwards recovered from the blow.
Lieutenants Amos B. Rhoades, and Francis W. Reed were among the killed in
this engagement.
On the 3d of July the regiment was engaged in a skirmish at Elk River, on'
the 17th of August, at Sparta, and, early in September, moved with the army
on the Chickamauga campaign. The march was wearisome to man and beast,
obliged to move with rapidity, and to cross rugged mountains. From the 18th
to the 22d, in the preliminary operatibns, and during the progress of the battle,
the regiment was in constant motion, and performed important service. On
the first of August, it marched with the cavalry in pursuit of Wheeler, passing
through East and Middle Tennessee, into Alabama. This march lasted eighteen consecutive days and nights, with little rest, and frequent running fights.
Early in the year 1864, while stationed at Huntsville, Alabama, a large
part of the regiment re-enlisted and was given a veteran furlough. Upon returning, the numbers having been swelled by recruits to about eighteen hundred, rank and file, it was statoned at Columbia, where it was ordered to drill
and make preparation for the opening of the spring campaign. While upon
furlough, Colonel Sipes drew Spencer carbines, improved sabres and horse