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

254 FIFTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1865
position. The regiment sustained some loss in wounded. In the raid upon the
Weldon Railroad, which commenced on the 7th of December, the regiment
participated, but sustained no loss. On the 28th of November, Colonel Sides,
who had been absent since the date of his wound in the Wilderness, was horiorably discharged. On the 4th of November, Lieutenant Colonel Neeper was
also honorably discharged, and Captain L. D. Bumpus was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and assumed command.
The regiment having been greatly reduced in strength by the severity of
the summer campaign, by special order of the War Department, dated January
11th, 1865, it was consolidated into a battalion of six companies. On the 16th
of January, the Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania was consolidated with the battalion,
restoring the Fifty-seventh to something like its pristine strength. George
Zinn, Lieutenant Colonel of the Eighty-fourth, was commissioned Colonel,
George W. Perkins, Captain of company K, Lieutenant Colonel, and Samuel
Bryan, Captain in the Eighty-fourth, Major. Colonel Bumpus, at the expiration of his term, was mustered out of service.
On the 5th of February, another movement was made to Hatcher's Run, in
which the regiment was engaged, but without loss, and at its close the corps
was established in a new camp near the run. Upon the occasion of the enemy's
assault upon Fort Steadman, on the 25th of March, demonstrations were made
along the whole line. The Second Corps moved out from its encampments,
attacked the enemy's picket line, and a portion of it near the Watkin's H-ouse
was captured by the brigade. After gaining possession. the brigade was driven
out; but again assaulted, carried the work, and held it. In the final assault,
the Fifty-seventh fought with conspicuous gallantry, and captured over one
hundred prisoners. The engagement of the 25th inaugurated the movement
which resulted in the capture of Petersburg, Richmond, and Lee's army. On
the 29th, the Second Corps commenced active operations near Hatcher's Run.
On the 2d of April, the enemy's line having been broken, the corps advanced
towards Petersburg, which was evacuated on the following day, and the ptrsuit
of the rebel army was commenced. At Sailor's Creek the corps came up with
the enemy's wagon train, and a spirited engagement ensued which resulted in
the capture of the entire train, consisting of two hundred and fifty wagons.
The regiment was here warmly engaged in which Lieutenant Colonel Perkins,
and twelve men were wounded. Resuming the pursuit, the corps reached High
Bridge at noon of the 7th, where breastworks were thrown up, the enemyin front
At noon of the 9th, when within a mile of Appomattox Court House, the joyful
tidings was brought that Lee had surrendered.
Moving hence to Burkesville, the regiment remained in camp until the beginning of May, when with the mass of the army it marched to Richmond, and
thence to Alexandria, where on the 22d of June, it was mustered out of service.
Previous to disbanding, the line officers issued an address to their men in which
they said, "' Parting as a band of brothers, let us cling to the memory of those
tattered banners, under which we have fought together, and which, without
dishonor, we have just now restored to the authorities who placed them in otu
hands. Till we grow gray headed and pass away let us sustain the reputation of
this noble old regiment. Fortune threw together two organizations, the Eightyfourth and the Fifty-seventh, to make the present command. Both regiments
have been in service since the beginning of the strife, and the records of both
will command respect in all coming time. Very many of those who were en