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

1204 EIGHTY-SECOND REGIMENT. 1862
fire. It was instantly replied to, with telling effect, repelling him at every
point. Again and' again he returned to the onset, seemingly bent on the capture of Kirby's guns, and to this end of turning the right and driving back
the Eighty-second; but with unexampled fortitude it held its ground, completely foiling him in every attempt. The ground in the regiment's front, was
thickly strewn with the enemy's killed and wounded, and many of the soldiers
spent the short summer night in caring for the wounded of both parties instead
of taking their much needed rest. On the following morning, the regiment
charged through the woods in its front, and continued on to the position occupied on the previous day, but without meeting opposition. Fighting was
early renewed on the left, but did not reach the position on the right which the
regiment occupied. The loss was eight killed and twenty-four wounded, the
enemy's infantry for the most part firing too high.
The regiment remained in this position, behind a, rude breast-work of logs,
for more than a week, under command of General Sumner. At the end of
that time, Couch's Division was sent to the left of Savage Station, and in rear
of the front line. An impenetrable swamp, on which the left rested, made its
occupation secure. The duty was consequently comparatively light. At nine
o'clock on the evening of the 26th. the brigade- was ordered under arms and
led to the right, to a point opposite Gaines' Mill. Just before daybreak on the
27th it was ordered to return, and marching past Savage Station and across
White Oak Swamp, it rested at noon in the vicinity of Charles City Cross
Roads. Here it remained, skirmishing with the enemy's cavalry, until nightfall of the 29th, when it resumed the march, arriving at the James at eleven
o'clock on the morning of the 30th. The sound of cannon, heard at two in the
afternoon, told that the enemy was approaching, and. it was' advanced about a
mile and posted on Malvern Hill. Couch occupied the ground on the left of
Porter's Corps, and the brigade, during the afternoon and following night, remained massed in this position. On the morning of the 1st of July, the regiment was posted a quarter of a mile further to the right, behind a rail fence,
where it was subjected to severe shelling, losing some men. About two o'clock
it was ordered to advance in line, and moving across a ploughed field, under
a heavy artillery fire, passed the Union batteries in front, and took position on
the front line, with the Fifty-fifth New York on its right, and the Sixty-first
Pennsylvania on the left, the line forming a right angle with that of the Fiftyfifth. The enemy kept up a steady fire from his position in front, and his
skirmishers on the right flank. A company was sent forward as skirmishers,
to a point lower down the hill. and when necessary to sustain them, the regiment fired over their heads. This position was held until nine o'clock, when
the fire of the enemy slackened, and the command retiring took post in the
rear. At midnight it joined in the retreat to Harrison's Landing, The regiment sustained severe loss in this engagement, Lieutenants James B. Grier
and Mark H. Roberts being among the killed.
On the 5th of August, the regiment proceeded, with a portion of the army,
on a reconnoissance to Malvern Hill. Oie the 7th, the infantry returned; but,
by some error, four companies of the Eighty-second, under Major Wetherill,
not receiving notice to retire, remained unsupported on the enemy's front. As
soon as it was discovered that the Union forces had been withdrawn, Wetherill
reported his situation to General Pleasanton, in command of the cavalry, a
mile to the rear, who ordered an immediate retreat. This was executed in the