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

948 SEVENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT. 1863
Seventy-sixth, under command of Lieutenant G. H. Gwinn, charged and re-took
the line, capturing a number of prisoners. In an attack by the enemy the previous night, Lieutenant A. C. Mills, after a gallant fight, was taken prisoner.
The regiment was now almost constantly skirmishing and fighting. Upon the
resignation of Colonel Campbell, on the 16th of August, Lieutenant Colonel John
S. Littell was promoted to Colonel, and subsequently Major Charles Knerr to
Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain W. S. Morehead, of company K, to Major. On
the 28th of September it moved, with the corps, to Deep Bottom, and participated in the sanguinary engagement at Chapin's Farm, resulting in the capture
of Fort Harrison. The loss to the regiment in this attack was severe. Stimulated by this success, an assault was made on Fort G-ilmer, but was repulsed.
General Ord was wounded, and Brigadier General Burnham killed. A desperate
fight occurred for the possession of Fort Harrison; but all attempts by the enemy
to re-take it proved fruitless. On the 27th of October, while the Army of the
James was making a demonstration in force, on the extreme right, a portion of
the Army of the Potomac was suddenly thrown to the left against the enemy's
works, covering Hatcher's Run. The Second Brigade of the Tenth Corps, to
which the Seventy-sixth was now attached, provided with three days' rations,
and sixty rounds of ammunition, made a reconnoissance towards the Darbytown
Road. Upon arriving at the road the regiment was deployed as skirmishers,
and advancing under a heavy fire, across an open field, drove the enemy from
his position. A brisk fire was kept up until five P. M., when, with two companies of the Ninety-seventh, and the One Hundred and Fifteenth New York, it
charged to within a short distance of his main line, where the enemy, opening
a terrific fire of grape and canister, caused the column to waver, and finally to
retire to the first line of captured works. The regiment was on the skirmish
line, in a drenching rain, from early dawn until ten at night. The loss was one
killed, and-twelve wounded, one mortally. Among the wounded was Adjutant
Reincehl, who was struck with a ball from a shrapnell shell.
The importance of closing the approaches to Wilmington, to prevent the
introduction of supplies for the rebellion, by blockade running, had long been
seriously considered by the War and Navy Departments. In December a naval
expedition, under command of Admiral Porter, accompanied by a land force,
commanded by Major General Butler, was fitted out for the capture of the
enemy's works at Fort Fisher. It was intended that the attack should have
been a surprise, and at a time when the garrison had been weakened; but unfortunately the purpose became known to the enemy. After encountering a
rough sea the fleet arrived on the 23d, and at two o'clock A. M. of the following day, the powder boat, containing one hundred and fifty tons, was exploded,
which:was expected to paralyze the rebel garrison. A portion of Butler's troops
was landed above Fort Fisher, and captured an out work, called Flag-pond
Hill battery; but Generals Butler and Weitzel deeming it impolitic to assault
thefort with so small a force as was at their command, the expedition returned
to Fortress Monroe. The loss was about fifty killed and wounded.
On the 6th of January, 1865, a new expedition, to accomplish the reduction
of Fort Fisher, consisting chiefly of the troops of the former one, started from
Fortress Monroe, under command of General Alfred H. Terry, and arrived at'
Beaufort, North Carolina, on the 8th, where, by unfavorable weather, it was
detained until the 12th. On the following day the troops debarked about five
miles above Fort Fisher, and gradually approached the works. A strong de