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

1310 EIGHTY-FOURTE REGIMENT. 1863
In the meantime, through the exertions of patriotic citizens of Pennsylvania,
some of whom accepted commissions, headed by Colonel Bowman, about four
hundred recruits were added to its ranks, which, with the return of men from
hospitals and from furlough, brought its numbers up to the full standard of a
regiment.
About the middle of October it proceeded to re-join the army, near Berlin,
and marched with it to the neighborhood of Fredericksburg. In the campaign
which followed, it continued in General Whipple's Independent Division. On
the second day of the battle of Fredericksburg, General Griffin called on General Whipple for Carroll's Brigade. It was promptly ordered forward, and
moved up through the town, under an incessant shower of shot and shell.
Taking temporary refuge in a cut of the Fredericksburg and Richmond Railroad, the officers dismounted. At the word of command, climbing the steep
acclivity, at double-quick, the entire brigade rushed on and soon reached the
front. Such was the spirit and daring of the movement, that two companies
of the Eighty-fourth reached a point considerably in advance of the line of battle, whence they had to be re-called. During the following night the enemy
approached stealthily, under cover of darkness, with the expectation of surprising and forcing the part of the line where lay the Eighty-fourth and One
Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania, but was handsomely repulsed. At the
close of the action the regiment retired with the army, and went into winterquarters. General Carroll, in his official report, says,'" Where all did so well it
seems invidious to particularize; but I cannot forbear mentioning Colonel S.
M. Bowman and Major Milton Opp, of the Eighty-fourth, and Lieutenant Colonel Crowther, of the One Hundred and Tenth, whose coolness, judgment, and
unsparing bravery were conspicuous.'
Under General Hooker, the army was re-organized, and the Eighty-fourth
and One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania, and Twelfth New Hampshire
constituted the Second Brigade of the Third Division, Whipple's, of the Third
Corps, and Colonel Bowman was assigned to its command. During the winter
the principal duty consisted in guard and picket, in which the regiment
shared, frequently meeting parties of the enemy, who made their appearance
on the north bank of the river. By close scrutiny, Colonel Bowman discovered
that permits, or what purported to be permits, from Union authorities were
used by the enemy to come within our lines. These irregularities were reported and effectually broken up.
The part taken by the regiment in the Chancellorsville campaign is clearly
shown by the following extract from Major Opp's official report: "After severe
marches, occupying a period of five days from the 28th of April, we were
brought in contact with the enemy on the afternoon of the 2d of May. In a
reconnoissance made by two divisions of the Third Corps, to the left of Chancellorsville, and in the vicinity of an old furnace, the regiment was ordered to
advance in line, with flanking companies thrown forward as skirmishers, to
unmask the position of the enemy. -Under the immediate supervision of Colonel Bowman, commanding the brigade, the object was successfully and handsomely attained, with the loss of only two men wounded. On the morning of
the 3d, at daylight, we were judiciously and strongly posted to the left of the
plank road, and to the left of Chancellorsville, as a reserve force. The attack
of the enemy had continued but a short time, when one line to the front of us
gave way. Colonel Bowman's orders to the Eighty-fourth and the One Hun