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

1312 EIG-HTY-FOURTH REGIMENT. 1864
furlough. On the 6th of February the enemy crossed the Rapidan in some
force, and the Eighty-fourth moved with the column sent against him. He
wa-s driven back and one hundred of his men were taken prisoners.
Upon the opening of the Wilderness campaign, the regiment moved with
the corps by the Germania Ford, and while marching on south along the Fredericksburg Road, on the afternoon of the 5th of May, the enemy was discovered
moving down in heavy force upon its flank. Line of battle was immediately
formed and advanced to meet him, the fighting becoming general along the
whole line, extending for miles. On the following day the fighting was very
severe, and proved particularly disastrous to the Eighty-fourth, resulting in the
loss of many brave men. Lieutenant Colonel Opp, while leading in a charge,
received a wound through the right lung, which proved a mortal hurt. He
was a brave man, and sincerely mourned by his men. On the 7th the regiment moved on towards the left, and on the 8th near Spottsylvania Court
House, company K had a brisk skirmish. At Pamunky River on the 10th,
the regiment was again engaged driving the enemy across the stream. On
the morning of the 12th it joined. in the brilliant charge of Hancock's Corps,
carrying elaborate lines of works, and making large captures of men and guns.
The following extract from a diary of Captain L. B. Sampson, will convey
some idea of the ard.uous service of the regiment in this campaign:' May
14th skirmished-moved to the right-skirmished all thb afternoon; 16th lay
in line all day; 17th fought on the picket line-drove the enemy into his
works; 18th skirmished all day; 19th marched to Spottsylvania Court House;
20th lay in line of battle all day-received a good shelling; 21st marched to
Guiney Station, thence to Bowling Green, thence to Milford Station on the Po
River; 22d rested all day; 23d marchedto the North Anna-charged and carried
the rebel works-company K volunteering to hold a bridge-a warm time they
had of it; 24th crossed the river under a heavy fire; 25th and 26th rested;
27th marched to the Pamunky and crossed at Hanover City; 29th skirmished
and built works; 30th lay in the works all day; 31st our brigade, Colonel
Blaisdell commanding, fought the first battle of Pleasant Hill; June 1st our
regiment had a sharp skirmish at Pleasant Hill-we lost a good many men for a
small fight." In this latter engagement, Lieutenant Nixon, who had saved the
regiment from capture at Bull Run by his timely signal, even at the peril of
his life, was again severely wounded with the loss of his left arm.
Such was the general character of the service until the regiment reached the
James on the 14th of June, when it crossed and was at once engaged in the
operations of the siege of Petersburg. Advancing the lines, building fortifications, and defending the ground gained, interspersed with occasional assaults,
filled up the measure of its duty until the 27th of July, when it re-crossed the
James, and had part in the engagement at Deep Bottom. Returning to the
lines in front of Petersburg it was again engaged in the varied duties of the
siege until the 14th of August, when it again moved to Deep Bottom, and in
the sharp engagement which ensued, the enemy was driven out of his works
at Charles City Cross Roads, and some prisoners taken. Returning again to
Petersburg, it resumed its place upon the works. On the 1st of October it
moved by rail with the corps to Yellow House, and thence marched to the
extreme left of the lines. The first line of the enemy's works was charged and
carried. The second line was charged, but the column was repulsed. Lieuten