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

456 SIXTY-SECOND REGIMENT. 1862t
the crowd of stragglers rushing to the rear, threw the brigade into temporary
confusion. Order was quickly restored, and the canal serving as a barrier, the
stampede was checked. Soon afterwards an order was received for the brigade
to advance, when, throwing aside knapsacks and overcoats, it moved forward
in excellent order, under a heavy fire, until it had reached a point within thirty
or forty yards of the stone wall in front of Marye's Heights, behind which the
enemy's infantry was concealed. To advance farther in face of the torrent of
missiles which here swept their ranks, was impossible, and the men dropped
upon the ground, and for a day and two nights they held this advanced position, where to raise a head in daylight was almost certain death. It was while
advancing over the ground to t his perilous position, that General Burnside,
while viewing the column by the aid of his field glass, inquired "What troops
are those?" "Second Brigade, General Griffin's Division," replied General
Sturgis, who stood by his side. -"No troops ever behaved better in the world,"
exclaimed General Burnside. Lying flat upon the ground in mud and water,
with the dying and the dead thickly strewn about them, and no possibility of
caring for or removing them, the men clung to the ground they had so nobly
won, until Sunday night, when, under cover of darkness, they were relieved
and returned to the town. On Monday evening the regiment was again sent
to the front to picket the line and throw up sham intrenchments, while the
army was retiring across the river. When nearly over, those on picket quietly
and hastily followed, and on reaching the shore the regiment returned to its
old camping ground. The loss was two officers and five men killed, and seven
officers and fifty-six men wounded. Lieutenant Stephen C. Potts, and Adjutant
James E. Cunningham were among the killed. The latter was struck by a cannon ball and died without a struggle. Colonel Sweitzer was wounded and his
horse killed.
Shortly after the battle, a cavalry raid to the west and south of Richmond, under
General Averell, was ordered, and the First Division of the Fifth Corps was detailed to accompany the force to the crossing of the Rappahannock, and support
it in making the passage. The regiment moved on the afternoon of the 29th
of December, and at Hartwood Church, the First and Third brigades diverged
to the river, while the Second was directed to proceed to Unionville, fifteen
miles further up, and await orders. Here General Averell was met, and an
order received countermanding the contemplated raid, when the brigade retraced its steps, arriving in camp that evening, having marched during the day
under a heavy snow storm, thirty-three miles. In January, 1863, the regiment
moved on Burnside's second campaign, which was arrested by the mud, and was
for several days engaged in constructing roads for the return of the artillery.
Active operations were resumed under General Hooker on the 27th of April,
when the campaign resulting in the battle of Chancellorsville opened. The
Fifth Corps, now under command of General Meade, preceded by the Eleventh
and Twelfth, moved up the river, crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford,
the Iapidan at Ely's Ford, and proceeded with but little opposition to the
neighborhood of the Chancellor House, where the line of battle was established,
the Fifth occupying the left, stretching out towards the liver. On the afternoon
of the 30th the regiment was ordered with the brigade to the support of General
Griffin, who had been sent out with the First Brigade of his division to reconnoitre itl the direction of Fredericksburg; but without being engaged. On the
following day, May 1st, the division was again ordered to the left, but the time