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

790 SEVENTY-FIRST REGIMENT. 1862
bank towards the river, pursued by the victorious enemy, who rushed forward
howling and screeching, and shooting and bayoneting all who came in their
way. No adequate means of transportation to the opposite shore, in case of
disaster, had been provided. The only boat at hand was filled with the wounded
and pushed out into the stream, but soon swamped and the men were nearly
all drowned. Another rude affair, filled to its utmost capacity, floated down
and was lost. Becoming desperate from the continued and merciless fire of
the enemy, many leaped into the river and perished in the attempt to buffet
the stream; some surrendered and were borne away into captivity. Of five
hundred and twenty who entered the engagement, three hundred and twelve
were lost. The body of Colonel Baker was recovered, after a severe struggle,
and sent to the Pacific coast for interment. Captain Harvey and Lieutenant
Williams were among the killed. Captain Otter was either killed, or drowned
while crossing the stream. Lieutenant Colonel Wistar was twice severely
wounded but kept his place until he was completely disabled by a third wound
when he was borne from the field. Captains Markoe and Keffar were wounded
and taken prisoners. The color sergeant, seeing that all was lost, intent on saving the flag, stripped it from the staff, wound it about his body, and plunged into
the stream; clinging to it unt4l nearly exhausted, he was finally obliged to
cast it from him to save his own life. It was never recovered.
After the disastrous day the regiment went into winter-quarters, where its
thinned ranks were recruited, the command devolving on Majors Parrish and
Smith. It was now claimed as a part of the quota of Pennsylvania, and its
officers commissioned by the Executive. Lieutenant Colonel Wistar was promoted to Colonel. Early in the spring of 1862, the brigade, now commanded
by Brigadier General W. W. Burns, marched to-Winchester to aid the advance
of Banks. Soon afterwards it was detached from the latter's command and
ordered to Washington, whence, upon its arrival, it was despatched by transports to join the army under M'Clellan, at Yorktown.
After three weeks spent in building roads, working upon the intrenchments,
and skirmishing, all the preparations having been completed, an advance was
made upon the enemy's works. But, advised of the design, he evacuated them
the previous night and retreated up the Peninsula to Williamsburg, where he
made a stand and where a warmly contested battle was fought. Driven from
this point, he withdrew across the Chickahominy, taking shelter behind the
defences of Richmond, and the Union army slowly followed on after him.
Upon the evacuation of Yorktown, the regiment was sent by transport with
the rest of the corps to West Point, on the York River, with the design of'
flanking the enemy, but arrived too late to accomplish the purpose.
The battle of Fair Oaks, which opened on the afternoon of the 31st of May,
at the beginning seemed likely to prove disastrous to our arms from the weakness of the Union column engaged. Heintzelman's Corps moved promptly to
the support of Keyes' who was in the advance and first attacked; but still the
result was doubtful. An hour before sunset, General Sedgwick, to whose division the Seventy-first was now attached, reached the scene of conflict, and
immediately hurled his troops upon the foe, exulting in his successes. The
battle raged with great fury until darkness put an end to the struggle. Captain Kirby's section of Ricketts' Battery did most effective service. Four desperate charges were made to capture it, the rebel General Magruder recognizing it as the one he had commanded before he turned traitor. But the double