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

494 SIXTY-THIRD REGIMENT. 1863
moved about half a mile up and nearer the river, stopping upon the crest
of the line of hills which here skirt the north bank, and remaining in that
position until Thursday, April 30th, when, with the rest of the division, we
marched to a point near United States Ford. On the morning of May 1st we
crossed at the ford and pressed on to the front, some five miles from the river,
halting on the plank road near General Howard's headquarters. About five
o'clock in the evening we were ordered to move back some distance, where the
regiment lay as part of an infantry support to batteries of the division, on the
south side of the plank road, during an hour's very sharp practice of artillery.
One man of the regiment was injured here. On the morning of May 2d the
regiment took a position in some small pines upon a road, at right angles to the
plank road, and near General Birney's headquarters. In the afternoon our
lines were advanced under very sharp skirmishing, and in the evening with the
Twentieth Indiana Volunteers, the Sixty-Third occupied a commanding position at the extreme right and front, on a hill nearly two miles in advance of
where we had been in the morning. In consequence of the Eleventh Corps
failing to hold its lines, our position so far in the front was an extremely critical one, but it was maintained until ordered back about ten o'clock that night.
Returning to our old position of the morning, we assisted in rallying
fragments of regiments, which had become demoralized, even at the point
of the bayonet. The regiment was afterwards formed in, and along the road,
connecting on the right with the Fortieth Regiment New York Volunteers,
where some skirmishing occurred. We afterwards formed with the rest of the
brigade, in column by battalion, in the open field. * * * Sunday
morning, May 3d, firing from the pickets in our front commenced at an early
hour, and at six o'clock, A. M., our skirmishers had been driven in, and the
enemy was seen approaching in line of battle from what had been, the previous
morning, our rear. As the brigade was formed, the Sixty-third was the extreme left of the line, and the first regiment engaged. Our left flank being
unprotected, the enemy gained it and poured in a most destructive fire, without
our being able to reply effectively. The position was held until a large number
had been struck, when, with the rest of the brigade, it fell back. Re-forming in
an open field, near the brick house, it opened a heavy fire on the enemy's skirmishers, and charged his main line. In the progress of the charge, when on
the brow of the hill, Lieutenant Colonel Kirkwood was wounded. I then assumed command of the regiment which advanced to the breastwork at the foot
of the hill, driving the enemy out, killing and capturing several. We maintained our position in the breastworks until the enemy out-flanked us on the
right, and compelled us, reluctantly, to retire. The color sergeant, Fitzgerald,
was here wounded, but refused to give up the colors, until again wounded,
when they were taken up and carried by Corporal House. We formed again
on the brow of the hill in the woods, and kept up a, galling fire on the enemy
in front until our right was again exposed to a flank fire. when we fell back,
with the brigade, behind the intrenchments. After the battle of Sunday the
regiment lay behind light breastworks, in the rear of General Birney's headquarters, until a re-crossing of the river was ordered on the morning of the 6th,
when it returned to its old camping ground near Potomac Creek bridge." The
loss of the regiment in this battle was very heavy. It went into the engagement with three hundred and thirty, rank and file. Of these, one hundred and
twenty were either killed, wounded, or missing. Colonel Kirkwood was twice