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

1862 BULL RUN AND FREDERICKSBURG. 1253
On the morning of the 12th of December, the regiment moved from its
camp near the railroad back of Falmouth, to a point within two miles of the
river, where it lay during the day, and at night bivouacked in a wood near by.
In the morning the corps moved up to the heights overlooking Fredericksburg,
and, until three in the afternoon, stood spectators of the battle that was raging on the field beyond. At four the column crossed, and the regiment moving up the main street of the city, filed to the left at its upper end, and formed
in rear of a row of buildings. The enemy quickly opened upon the position,
and the fragments of shell fell thick in its midst, several of the men being
wounded. At the close of the day it was ordered to the front line, to relieve
troops which had, during the day, been struggling to advance upon the enemy's stronghold on the heights beyond. After passing the suburbs of the
town it moved in line, in the face of a murderous artillery fire, crossed the railroad cut, and on over the bodies of the slain a quarter of a mile, to the brow of
a hill within a few hundred yards of the enemy's lines, where it halted. He
soon opened from his batteries on the left an enfilading fire which proved
very annoying. The men hugged the ground, and at once opened fire; but
as no enemy was in sight, it soon ceased. During the night the regiment was
shifted to the north side of the hill, where it had some shelter. On the following day, Sunday, there was little firing on the left, the two contending
lines keeping close, the sharp-shooters vigilant and active when occasion favored. At ten o'clock on the following night, after having been at the front
thirty hours, it returned to the main street of the city. At twelve o'clock on
the next night, it was again ordered to its former advanced position, but
only remained about three hours, when it again retired and re-crossed the
rivert the army having nearly all preceded it. Its loss, which was principally
met in its first advance to the front, was six killed and thirty wounded. Private Frank IH. Couse, of company B, who has performed much wearisome labor in preparing the rolls for these volumes, lost a leg in that perilous advance
The regiment returned to its former camp, and during the winter, was engaged in picketing two or three miles to the rear, but without being disturbed
by the enemy. The Mud March, or as Captain Judson terms it, the Katabasis,
going down, for at every step man and beast sank in the mire, was participated in with the experience of discomfort shared by the entire army. On the
29th of April it moved on the Chancellorsville campaign, and arrived on the
field on the afternoon of the following day. On the 1st of May, after marching and counter-marching for several miles, it returned to the position of the
morning, and supported a portion of the corps which had met the advance of
the enemy. At dusk it was ordered to a position on the extreme left of the
line, stretching out towards the river. In moving in the darkness through the
thick underbrush, it was misled and was obliged to return to the Chancellor
Road, where it bivouacked for the night. In the morning it marched early to
its place in the line, and was at once put to felling timber and throwing up
a strong breast-work of logs. Here it remained undisturbed until the morning of the 3d, when the Fifth Corps was relieved by the Eleventh, which, on
the previous evening, had been attacked and routed from its position on the
right, by the legions of Stonewall Jackson, and was ordered into position on the
right centre. Skirmishers were immediately thrown out, who encountered the
enemy and opened a brisk fire. Intrenching tools were distributed, and the
main line was strongly fortified in anticipation of an attack; but none was