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

748 SEVENTIETH REGIIENT —— IXTHE CAVALRY. 1863
and that by infantry. We had no support, no reserve, no reinforcements
every man was under fire, and to us it became a desperate fight for existence,
and we looked anxiously for night to close upon the scene. Had the daylight
lasted another hour, we would have suffered the most disastrous defeat. * *
During the fight on the centre of our line, the Sixth Pennsylvania had the advance of the brigade, and was the first regiment engaged on the heights of
Williamsport. We were under a heavy artillery and musketry fire, having
Captain Graham's Battery committed to our defence. We deployed the entire
regiment in front of the battery, and for four hours returned the steady fire of
the enemy. More than one determined charge of the rebels would have broken
our lines but for the timely use of canister by Grajsam's guns. The regiment
and battery suffered severely in killed and wounded." As the cavalry was now
far away from the supports of the army, it was necessary to retire to, and hold
the passes of the mountain.
On the morning of the 10th the enemy again advanced to gain possession
of Turner's Gap. He was in such force as to drive our line back near the town
of Boonsboro', so that his shells fell in the streets of the town. On the following day the lines were reinforced by Kilpatrick's Division and pushed the
enemy across, and some two miles beyond Beaver Creek. The attack was renewed on the morning of the 10th, and the rebels driven through Funkstown,
across Antietam Creek to within sight of Hagerstown. The wounded of the
regiment were sent to Boonsboro' the loss being heavy. In the afternoon and
as the ammunition was nearly exhausted, the infantry of the Eleventh Corps
appeared upon the field and took their place in line of battle, relieving the
cavalry.
On the 2d of July, while the Reserve Brigade was at Emmittsburg, and
before starting for Gettysburg, a detachment of one hundred men, under Captain Treichel and Lieutenants Morrow, White, Whiteford, and Herkness, was
ordered to report to Captain Ulric Dahlgren, of Meade's Staff, for special
duty upon the rear of Lee's army. On the way it was joined by citizens armed
with shot guns and axes for the destruction of army wagons. At Greencastle
a charge was made upon the enemy's cavalry holding the town, surprising and
capturing eighty-four of his men. On the 5th the command discovered one of
the enemy's trains on the Williamsport and Chambersburg road. Captain
Treichel divided his force into two squadrons, led by Lieutenants Morrow and
Herkness, and when three hundred wagons had passed the rear squadron, they
charged to front and rear at the same time. With the assistance of citizens
they destroyed one hundred and fifty wagons, and run off the horses to the
woods, captured two iron guns, and two hundred prisoners. The infantry
guard soon concentrated in force and a severe skirmish ensued, in which the
prisoners, and some of the detachment were lost. Lieutenant Herkness was
wounded and taken prisoner. Scattering, and betaking themselves to the woods
until the enemy had retired, the men rendezvoused on the following day at
Waynesboro'. Here a party of Jenkins' Cavalry was surprised in the streets
of the town and driven in confusion. Soon afterwards another train of wagons was attacked, many destroyed, and some prisoners taken. A rebel paymaster with a guard of fifteen men was also captured, bearing important despatches from Richmond, and a considerable amount of rebel money. On the
7th, sixty men, the survivors of the party, re-joined the regiment near Boonsboro0'