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

1864 THE WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN. 11
Upon the opening of the spring campaign under Grant, the Ninth Corps
broke camp, and moving through Washington, where it was reviewed by the
President, joined the army, and on the 5th of May crossed the Rapidan. It
immediately moved to the front and took position between Hancock and Warren. Hartranft's Brigade was upon the centre of the line, and it was with considerable difficulty that it could be got into position. Captain Hart, who was
now serving upon the staff of the Colonel, was ordered to go forward until he
found the enemy's skirmishers. Pushing through the thick growth of pines,
the first intimation he received of an enemy's presence, was a rebel bullet
whistling by his ears. The brigade was now led in by regiments, the men
creeping through the dense undergrowth as best they could. "The advance
was made," says Colonel Hartranft in his official report, "with great difficulty
on account of the woods and underbrush, which were on fire. I formed my
line, making nearly a right angle facing south and east. The enemy was in
force in front of my left. While in this position, I received orders from Major
General Burnside to advance and carry the enemy's works. I ordered the advance at ten A. M., holding the Second Michigan in reserve, and directing the
Seventeenth Michigan to watch well the right flank. The lines moved forward
and I carried the enemy's works and held them for a moment, until a panic
seized the left, which brought the whole line back in confusion. I immediately
advanced skirmishers from the Second and Seventeenth Michigan, also moved
the Seventeenth more to the left, and on these regiments re-formed my line.
In this charge many prisoners were taken from the enemy, but lost perhaps an
equal number." In the afternoon the brigade again advanced, but encountered
stern resistance, and lost many in killed and wounded. On the 7th the line
was again moved forward, breast-works were thrown up, and considerable skirmishing ensued.
On the morning of the 9th the brigade was withdrawn and moved to the
Ny River, where the enemy was soon found. A crossing was effected on the
12th, and the rebels, after a stern resistance, were driven back. In this engagement six companies of the Fifty-first were deployed as skirmishers, supported
by the remaining four, and gallantly carried the wooded heights in their front,
compelling the enemy to burn a house in which he had taken shelter, and retire.
To date from this battle, Colonel Hartranft was promoted to Brigadier General,
Lieutenant Colonel Schall to Colonel, Major Bolton to Lieutenant Colonel, and
Captain Hart to Major. From the 12th to the 18th, the line of the brigade remained substantially unchanged, the enemy hugging closely his works, ready
at any moment to repel an attack. Upon the withdrawal of the brigade from
the position occupied on the 27th, a few men, belonging to the Fifty-first, engaged upon the picket line, could not be brought in, and fell into the hands of
the enemy. A succession of movements by the left flank brought the brigade
to Cold Harbor on the 1st of June. At six o'clock on the morning of the 3d,
the brigade advanced with orders to re-take the line from which the enemy had
driven our troops on the previous day. Potter's Division advanced at the same
time on the right. In the face of a terrific fire of infantry and artillery, the lines
rushed forward, routed the enemy, and were soon well established within two
hundred yards of his main line, where, in a re-entrant angle of his own works,
he had four guns. These proved of little value to him, as they were so closely
watched by our sharp-shooters that it was impossible for the gunners to work
them. In this charge, at the head of his column, Colonel Schall was killed,