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

1862 CEDAR MOUNTAIN AND SECOND BULL RUN. 217
Mr. Huffman, and that no more fencing is disturbed. The guard will be so
placed as to make this sure, even if it should be necessary to place a sentinel
over every pannel of fence. By command of
MAJOR GENERAL M'DOWELL."
It soon became apparent that such indulgent treatment was useless, and
that the contest must be waged on a different principle from this. On the 21st of
May, the regiment moved to Potomac Creek, to guard the railroad bridge over
that stream. On the 27th it proceeded to Fredericksburg, and encamped on
the left bank of the Bappahannock, near the Phillips' House. It was occupied
in doing guard duty until the 9th of August, when it was assigned to Doubleday's Brigade, King's Division, M'Dowell's Corps, and moved towards Cedar
Mountain, crossing the Rappahanrock on a wire suspension bridge built by the
corps of General M'Dowell. At eight P. M. the command bivouacked in the
road leading to Ely's Ford, and at seven the next morning, resumed the march,
reaching Culpepper at twelve P. M.
On the 16th it moved to Cedar Mountain, and on the 19th to Rappahannock
Station, near which place, on the 21st, the men heard, for the first time, the
shrieks of passing shells. For two hours the cannonade was kept up; but
being sheltered by a high bank, no loss was sustained. Moving from Sulphur
Springs, through Warrenton, the column was suddenly checked, on the evening
of the 28th, by a battery of the enemy, stationed on a ridge near Gainesville.
The firing was badly directed, and the shells passed harmless overhead. A narrow
strip of wood lay near by, under cover of which the line of battle was formed,
the Fifty-sixth occupying the left of the brigade. On emerging from the wood
a body of the enemy's infantry, which, in the darkness, had not been observed,
opened a severe fire of musketry by which Captain George Corman, of comnpany F, was killed, and Colonel Meredith was severely wounded.
Lieutenant Colonel Heofnann immediately assumed command of the regiment, and, on the following morning, with the division, moved to Manassas
Junction. At 2 P. M., the division moved back to within a mile of the scene
of conflict of the previous evening. The column was moved into the field,
to the left of the road, when the enemy's skirmishers immediately opened,
supported by a strong line of battle. Here a regiment was required, by
General Hatch, commanding the division, to hold them in check while the
troops deployed to the left. The Fifty-sixth was ordered forward, and immediately filed into the field parallel with the road, changed front, under fire, in
a most creditable manner, and soon replied, when the balance of the division
filed past, in rear of the regiment, and formed on its left. The line of battle
was on a small elevation. After a few moments of rapid firing, at easy range,
the enemy came forward in heavy force, his line extending to the right, beyond
the turnpike. The regiment held its ground until ordered to retire, when it
became somewhat disorganized, the way leading through a thick wood. Captain Osborn and Lieutenant Mumford were wounded while leading in the
thickest of the fight. In this action the color bearer and the colors of the regiment fell into the hands of the enemy.
*Organization of Doubleday's Brigade, King's Division, M'Dowell's Corps. Fifty-sixth
Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Sullivan A. Meredith; Seventy-sixth Regiment
New York Volunteers, Colonel William P. Wainwright; Ninety-fifth Regiment New York
Volunteers, Colonel George H. Biddle; Seventh Regiment Indiana Volunteers, Colonel James
Gavin; First New Hampshire Battery, Captain George A. Gerrish.