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

918 SEVENTY-FIFTH REGIMENT. 1863
this position it delivered an effective fire, but was exposed to a raking fusilade
from the combined forces of three of his infantry regiments, one of which
made a furious charge, but was repulsed, and the position held. A well directed artillery fire from the enemy, and the withdrawal of the troops from the
left7 rendered it necessary, after having withstood the repeated attacks of an
overwhelming force, to withdraw. It retired one hundred and fifty paces to
the rear, when a rebel regiment was discovered in ambush, near by, lying upon
the ground, in close column. A few volleys from the Seventy-fifth, with the
assistance of the artillery which was turned upon it, threw it into disorder, and
soon drove it in complete rout.
The two wings of the army having been pressed back, the centre was compelled to yield, and to fall back towards Washington. The entire army withdrew dutrinI the night, which was very dark, and in the morning Bull Bun
separated the hostile forces. The loss was two officers and twenty-eight men
killed, and five officers and ninety-eight men wounded. Lieutenants Frcelich
and Bowen were among the killed, and Lieutenant Colonel Mahler, Captain
Schwartz, and Lieutenants Ledig, Fromhagen, and Theune, among the wounded.
Of those conspicuous for coolness and courage was Color Sergeant Robert Jordan, of company A, formerly an officer in the Schleswig-Holstein army. He
fell gallantly bearing aloft the flag of his adopted country. Especial mention
was made, in official reports, of the gallantry of Sergeants Charles Haserodt,
of company A, color bearer, Eugene Weigand, and Jacob Maurer, of company
B, John Emleben, who though wounded remained on the field, and took the
flag from the hands of Sergeant Jordan as he fell; Louis Mahler, and Jacob
Pauley, of company D, George Brueckmame, of company F, Henry Schmull,
of company H, and Andrew Schmidt, of company I also of Corporals Schweigert. Hanner, Abraham, and Rosenthal, and private Jacob Ullmann.
The regiment remained in the defences of Washington until the first of
November, when it advanced to Fairfax Court House, and from thence through
Thoroughfare Gap to New Baltimore. On the 9th it marched to Gainesville,
where it remained until the 18th, and then back to Centreville. While here
the regiment was strengthened by recruits and men returning from hospitals.
The corps of General Sigel was, on the 14th, designated the Eleventh, of the
Army of the Potomac. On the 9th of December the tents and surplus baggage
were sent to Fairfax Court House, and the regiment marched, on the following
day, towards Fredericksburg. It passed the Occoquan at Davis' Ford, experiencing much difficulty in crossing the train. It proceeded through Stafford
Court House and Brooks' Station, and reached the Bappahannock, one mile
from Falmouth, on the 15th. The attack on Fredericksburg had failed of success, and the regiment returned to Stafford Court House, where it remained
until Burnside's second advance, on the 19th of January, 1863, which was cut
aliort by a heavy rain storm, transforming the "1 sacred soil" into a dismal mud,
through which the artillery and heavy caissons were dragged along with great
difficulty. It then moved to Hartwood Church, four miles from Falmouth, in
the direction of Banks' Ford, where it remained until the 6th of February,
when it returned to Stafford Court House. The Seventy-fifth formed part of
the Second Brigade, Third Division of the Eleventh Corps, the brigade being
commaided by Colonel Kryzanowski.
Hooker had succeeded Burnside in command of the army of the Potomac,
w-hich, durlng the past two months, hadi become well organized and efficient.