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

1862 SECOND BULL RUN. 863
On the 8th of June, Fremont came up with the enemy at Cross Keyes, and a
severe engagement ensued. The Seventy-third was held in reserve, and in the
progress of the fight was moved from point to point of the line where most
needed. Jackson retired across the Shenandoah River, burning the bridge after
him-, and Fremont returned to Strasburg. The latter was superseded in command of the army soon afterwards by General Sigel. Until the 20th of July
the regiment was engaged in picket and guard duty at Luray, Thornton's Gap,
and Sperryville, when Sigel moved to the support of Banks who had been attack1ed and driven at Cedar Mountain. When Pope's army, composed of the
commands of Sigel, Banks, and M'Dowell, began to fall back from the Rapidan,
the Seventy-third was engaged with the rear guard in destroying bridges,
kindlling decoy fires, and in obstructing the roads to impede the progress of the
enemy. In this retreat it was frequently under fire, and at Freeman's Ford
where General Bohlen was killed, it was for two days engaged on the skirmish
line.
The division arrived upon the plain of 2,anassas on the evening of the 28th
of August. In the movements of that day Adjutant Henry Baners, while
engaged in calling in the skirmishers, was captured. Early on the following
morning the battle was opened, near the little village of Groveton, the corps
of Heeintzelman, Sigel, and Reynolds being confronted by Jackson and Longstreet. The Seventy-third, with a battery, was early in the day sent forward
to meet the enemy, taking position on the left of the Centreville Boad, near the
stone house, and until four in the afternoon was warmly engaged. It was then
relieved and ordered to a position near the bed of a railroad which had been
graded but never completed. The battle on the Union right was early renewed
on the following day, and by three o'clock in the afternoon raged with great
violence, the enemy following up every advantage, and sweeping the field with
grape and canister. The brigade, commanded by Colonel Koltes, had till this
hour been held in reserve. It was now ordered forward to check the enemy's impetuous advance. Before a shot was fired it was discovered that ahe
rebels were already in its rear, and it was obliged to change front. Moving up
the wooded side of a hill upon its flank, it soon opened upon their infantry.
But their artillery, which had played upon it with frightful effect while making
this movement, had thinned its ranks, and a portion of it had already retired.
Scarcely had the line of battle been formed when Captain Augustus Brueckner,
acting Major, and in command of the regiment, was killed. The clouds of
smoke were so dense that friend could with difficulty be distinguished from foe.
Colonel Koltes, seeing the critical position of his command, rode to the centre of
his own regiment, and while in the act of rallying his men, and apparently about
to lead them in a charge, was struck by a shell and instantly killed. Rider and
horse sank upon the ground together, and neither moved afterwards. Taking
up the body of their leader the men fell back and formed in line with a regiment of regulars, but were soon compelled to leave the field altogether. At
night they bivouacked on Bull Run Creek, lying around the dead body of their
Colonel, and on the following day reached the breast works in front of Centreville. The loss in this disastrous battle was nearly half of its effective strength,
being two hundred and sixteen in killed and wounded. The body of Colonel
Koltes was taken back to Washington, where it was embalmed and sent to
Philadelphia for interment.
The regiment retired to the fortifications of Washington, where it remained