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

570 SIXTY-FIFTH REGIMENT-FIFTH CAVALRY. 1863
scout. Six miles from camp, they fell in with a force of the enemy, estimated
at one thousand strong. The two companies charged boldly upon him and
though suffering severely, returned again and again to the contest; but the odds
against them were too great, and they were at length partially surrounded. Capture seemed inevitable. Seeing a weak point in his lines, a charge was ordered
upon it, and they succeeded in breaking through and making their escape, but
with the loss of thirty-five killed, wounded, and prisoners. Captain Reinmuller
was wounded and fell into the enemy's hands. An incident occurred in this
encounter which is worthy of note. Samuel M. Williamson, of company IH,
volunteered to accompany the squadron, and leading the advance was the first
to be surrounded by the enemy. An imperious demand was made upon him
to surrender; but he peremptorily refused, boldly uttering these words of defiance: " I will fight rebels and rebellion as long as breath remains in my body.'
Scarcely had the sentence passed his lips, when he received a volley, but still
refused to surrender. He was then deliberately shot by a rebel Lieutenant.
When the body of the brave youth was sent into our lines under flag of truce,
the following note, written by the officer who killed him, accompanied it: " I
regret the necessity that compelled me to shoot such a brave officer, but found
it absolutely necessary to do so in order to save the lives of my own men; he
positively refused to surrender, when ordered to do so, and still kept firing his
revolver at my men even after he had been twice wounded." Lieutenant Williamson was only nineteen years old, a truly brave man and a devout christian.
Upon examining his body, it was found to have been pierced by seventeen balls.
During all the time that the regiment was on the Peninsula, it was engaged in
arduous service, some portion of the command being constantly out scouting,
and frequently meeting and skirmishing with the enemy, ofen resulting in severe encounters.
On the 29th of March, a force of the enemy, under command of the rebel
General Wise, consisting of two regiments bf infantry, one of cavalry and two
pieces of artillery, moved upon the post with the design of breaking it up and
dispersing the troops, their presence greatly interfering with his operations.
Dispositions were made to repel his advance, the regiment occupying the. fort
and acting upon the defensive. The pickets were soon driven in and the enemy
made an impetuous attack, but was repulsed and driven by two companies of
the Fifth, the guns of the fort doing excellent execution. Taking advantage
of the confusion into which his forces were thrown by this sudden and unexpected check, the remaining companies of the Fifth made a gallant charge
which sent him flyng in confusion. The loss was two killed, six wounded, and
five taken prisoners, but slight, owing to the shelter of the fort, compared with
that of the enemy. Scarcely two weeks had elapsed, when the command was
again attacked, the enemy advancing with infantry and artillery in considerable force, under command of Colonel Tatum. The regiment was at least
ten miles from any support. Skillfully deploying, he commenced a vigorous
attack, and succeeded after encountering determined resistance in capturing
the camp. But only held it for a short time; for, while engaged in fancied
security in plundering, the regiment charged upon his disorganized forces,
throwing them into confusion and driving them precipitously from the ground.
They left a, number of horses and equipments and twenty-six prisoners in the
hands of our men. During the engagement, Lieutenant Alfred Cromelin, of