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

1863 MILROY AT WINCHESTER. 637
midst of the main body of his army. A severe engagement ensued in which
the little force made a gallant but hopeless defence. The Sixty-seventh which
was in the advance, finding itself completely overpowered, and surrounded on
all sides by masses of the enemy, was obliged to give up the unequal contest, and
surrender. The men had had no rest from the morning of the 13th, and were
completely exhausted by marching and fighting, and the unceasing vigilance
demanded. Many of the officers and men, resolving not to be captured so long
as escape was possible, scattered, and taking advantage of the shelter afforded
by a broken and wooded country, succeeded in eluding the vigilance of the
enemy and made their way into the Union lines. The Sixth Maryland, retiring
while the Sixty-seventh was engaged, and making a detour around the enemy's
left, escaped nearly intact and re-joined the forces under General Milroy at Harper's Ferry. Major White, who fought with the regiment dismounted, fell into
the enemy's hands. Captain Lynford Troch was among the killed. About seventy-five men made their escape. The officers who were taken prisoners were
kept for more than a year in confinement. Major White, who was a member
of the State Senate, and whose vote was necessary to a majority of either party
in that body, was subjected to a separate and more strict confinement, involving great hardships and sufferings. By his detention the Senate was prevented
from organizing or transacting any business for a protracted period and until
his resignation could be secured. The enlisted men who were captured were
sent to Libby Prison, in Richmond, and were soon after transferred to Belle
Isle, in the James River, near the city, where they suffered the pains and privations of rebel imprisonment for two months, at the end of which they were
paroled and returned to Annapolis.
The fragment of the Sixty-seventh which escaped capture, was re-organized
at Harper's Ferry, and with the rest of Milroy's command was formed in two
brigades, which subsequently became the Third Division of the Third Corps.
The regiment, with the division, was engaged in fortifying Maryland Heights,
which it continued to defend until the 30th of June, when, the works having
been dismantled, the ordnance, ammunition, and stores were shipped to Washington, General Elliott's Brigade, to which the Sixty-seventh belonged, acting
as guard. It arrived on the 4th, when intelligence of the victory at Gettysburg, and the fall of Vicksburg, was first received. From Washington the division marched a few days later, to join the army of the Potomac, meeting it
at Frederick.
In the campaign which followed during the fall and winter of 1863, the regiment shared the fortunes of the Third Corps. On the 11th of October, the
paroled prisoners at Annapolis were declared exchanged, and returned to the
ranks. After the abandonment of active operations, it returned to the neighborhood of Brandy Station, where it went into winter quarters.
During the winter, a large portion of the men re-enlisted; but so many had
originally joined the regiment at a late date, while stationed at Annapolis, that
there were not a sufficient number eligible to re-enlistment at this time to entitle it to a veteran furlough. General Meade, however, in consideration of the
fact that nearly all who were eligible had done so, permitted the veterans to be
furloughed in a body, and to take their arms with them. The remainder of
the regiment consisting of about two hundred men, being left without officers,
was temporarily attached to the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Pennsylvania.
The veterans, numbering three hundred and fifty, accompanied by their officers,