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

1168 EIGHTY-FIRST REGIMENT. 1862
the siege of Yorktown, and the subsequent march upon Williamsburg, little of
note occurred until it arrived upon the Chickahominy. Here it was employed
in building the famous Sumner Bridge. When completed, the regiment
crossed, with the brigade, and proceeded to Golden's Farm, where it was engaged in a severe skirmish, driving back the enemy for the engineers to locate
their works; but abandoned the position during the night, and returned to the
north side of the river. On the 30th of May, the enemy attacked the Union
forces near Fair Oaks. In the afternoon, Sumner received orders to move
with his corps to their relef. As the brigade advanced the enemy in its front
fell back to the Nine Mile Road. On the following morning, the battle was
renewed. The Eighty-first occupied the left of the brigade, with its left flank
exposed. A regiment of the enemy approached close upon the front, and Colonel Miller, supposing it to be a Union force, called out to it, when a volley
was delivered from which he fell, shot through the heart. There was little artillery firing until the battle was over. The right wing of the Eighty-first was
carried back with the regiments on its right, but the left held its position, and
continued the fight until it was suddenly attacked from the rear. Finding
that the right of the line had disappeared, Captain Harkness assumed command, and led the battalion, on a by-road, to the right, where it was met by
Lieutenant Miles, of General Howard's staff, and ordered to retire to the railroad. Files from company H were detailed to take the body of Colonel Miller
to the rear. Near the spot where the Colonel was killed, General Howard lost
his arm. Lieutenant Horace M. Lee was mortally wounded. General Caldwell now succeeded to the command of the brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Johnson was promoted to Colonel, Major Conner to Lieutenant Colonel, and Adjutant H. B. M'Keen to Major.
The lines were advanced beyond Fair Oaks and fortified. On the 15th of
June, while three companies of the Eighty-first, D, H, and K, were on picket,
the enemy attacked and drove back the guard on the left, but failed to move
these companies. In this encounter Captain Samuel Sherlock was killed. The
line of the brigade crossed the railroad, and the Nine Mile Road, and was much
exposed. The duty in the trenches and upon the slirmish line was very severe.
On the 29th, Sumner's Corps withdrew from the breast-works, and moved as
rear guard of the army on the retreat to the James River. At day break the
regiment reached the Peach Orchard, and at eight o'clock became engaged.
It was posted in support of artillery, and remained in position until past noon,
when, the enemy having moved upon the right flank, it fell back to Savage
Station, and was drawn up on the hill near Savage's House. After nightfall,
it moved on past White Oak Swamp, and took position to dispute the passage
of the creek. On the following morning, the enemy opened from the opposite
side of the stream with his artillery, which elicited a prompt reply. The Eightyfirst remained in support of the guns until four o'clock in the afternoon, suffering consierdable loss, when it was hastily marched to the battle ground at
Charles City Cross Roads. At six it went into position, and until ten the battle
raged with unabated fury. The night was very dark, and the men were only
guided in their aim by the flash of the enemy's guns. The regiment sustained
severe loss. Colonel Johnson, and Captains William J. Conner and Thomas
C. Harkness were among the wounded, the latter receiving four wounds. Lieutenant Colonel Conner acted with great gallantry and courage throughout the
engagement. During the night the army retired to Malvern Hill. Porter was