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

1863 GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN. 527
re-forming, a second charge was made, which again sent the enemy back, and
the rest of the division coming up, ended this the last of the series of engagements.
Crossing the Potomac, the division marched through Maryland, and arrived upon the banks of the Susquehanna, opposite Columbia, in time to behold
the smoulder ing ruins of the bridge which spanned the river, but too late to
save it from destruction. Returning by a forced night march, it passed Hanover, the scene of the cavalry fight the day before, and arrived at Gettysburg
on the morning of the 2d of July. In the afternoon the Fourth was detached
and taken to the front, moving past the artillery reserve, where it was assigned
as guard to General Pleasanton. It was still at its post on the ever memorable
3d of July, when the fire opened which was the prelude to the final struggle,
the whole line being plainly visible. In the afternoon it was taken to the extreme right, where the division had been warmly engaged. Here for two hours
it was held under fire of artillery, which was too distant to be attacked, yet
near enough to send its missiles with uncomfortable accuracy.
The 4th was a day of inaction. On the morning of the 5th, the cavalry
commenced the pursuit of the rebel army. The scene of the first day's fight
presented a sickening spectacle, even to those who were accustomed to look on
gory fields. Skirmishing with the enemy's rear guard soon commenced, which
was kept up until the column reached Chambersburg. Quiet and inaction followed, until the rebels re-crossed the river and a new campaign opened.
The march into Virginia brought sharp work for the cavalry, initiated at
Shepherdstown by the Second Division in a brisk engagement, in which the
Fourth bore a prominent part, and was followed by numerous skirmishes of
little note, but involving much rough marching. Upon the resignation of Lieutenant Colonel Doster, which occurred on the 18th of October, Major Covode
was promoted to Colonel, Major Young to Lieutenant Colonel, and Captains
Alender P. Duncan and James T. Peale to Majors.
After advancing to the iapidan, General Meade found it necessary to retire
towards Centreville. On the 12th of October, while the army was upon the
retrograde, the Thirteenth Pennsylvania cavalry was on picket beyond Jeffersonville. Early in the morning, it was attacked by a superior force and driven
back. The Fourth was sent to its support. By hard fighting the ground lost
was re-gained, and at noon there was a lull of two hours. In the meantime
the horses had been sent back towards Warrenton, five miles distant, except
those of one squadron of the Fourth. At two o'clock P. M., the enemy attacked in overwhelming force, and notwithstanding the most strenuous exertions of the mounted men, and heroic daring of the officers to check his advance, he succeeded in cutting off and capturing the greater part of both regiments. The Fourth as it went into positin ini the morning, had three hundred
and seventy-five men, and the Thirteenth three hundred and fifty. On the following morning, owing to the loss of horses, the two regiments could muster
but sixty mounted men. The actual loss in the Fourth in killed, wounded, and
taken prisoners, was nearly two hundred. Lieutenant Colonel Young was
severely wounded in the arm, losing the use of the elbow joint. The prisoners
shared a hard fate. They were at first taken to Richmond, and subsequently
to Andersonville, where many languished and died, but few surviving to return.
On the morning of the 14th, the command was early saluted by the enemy's