93rd Regiment

Pennsylvania Volunteers

ON the 12th ofSeptember, 1861, James M. M'Carter, a clergyman ofthe Methodist Episcopal Church, stationed at the time at Lebanon, andwho had been Chaplain of the Fourteenth Regiment in the three month's service,received authority from the Secretary of War to raise a regiment of infantry. Acall was published on the following day, and a camp of rendezvous establishedat the Fair Grounds near the borough of Lebanon. In less than one month'stime its ranks were full. A regimental organization was effected by theselection of the following field officerss:

• James B. M'Carter, Colonel
• John W. Johnston, Lieutlenant Colonel
• John C. Osterloh, Major

On the 3d ofNovember, a silk flag, a gift of citizens of Lebanon, was presented, and on the13th, the State colors were delivered by Governor Curtun.While in camp the regiment was supplied with everything that could contributeto the comfort of the men by the people of the town and county of Lebanon,and a liberal sum of money was contributed for the support of the families ofthose who enlisted. An excellent band was attached to the regiment.

On the 21st of November, theregiment struck tents, and proceeded to Washington,where, after a brief stay at the Soldiers' Rest, it went into camp at KendallGreen, and drill and camp duty was systematically commenced. Two weeks later itmoved about two miles further to the east, and on the2d of December across the East Branch, to near Fort Good Hope, Maryland. It was atfirst armed with Belgian rifles, but subsequently, and before the opening ofthe Peninsula campaign, with Springfieldmuskets.

On the 22d of January, 1862, itmoved to Tenallytown, and was here assigned to Peck'sBrigade,¹ of Smith's, subsequently Couch'sDivision. On the 10th of March, it moved with the whole army on the Manassas campaign, and remainiing six daysin bivouac at Prospect Hill, returned to the camp which it had left. On the26th it embarked for the peninsula, and until afterthe evacuation of Yorktown by the enemy on the 4th of May, it was posted in thevicinity of Warwiick Court House, where it wasemployed in constructing rifle-pits and forts, along the Warwick River.The command suffered severely while here from chills and fevers.

Battle of Williamsburg

On Sunday, May 4th,the regiment moved rapidly forward in the direction of Williamsburg, and bivouacked at night by theroadside. Early on the following morning the march was resumed, and at halfpast two P. M. it was ordered into position upon the middle front of thebrigade, the right joining the One Hundred and Second Pennsylvania, and theleft extending to the rear of the Fifty-fifth New York.

"About two-thirds of the command," says Colonel M'Carterin his official report, "were in position when the charge of theenemy was made, and the fire of our right wing, under direction of LieutenantColonel Johnston, began. The enemy's charge was led by a squadron of cavalry.From the guns of Fort Magruder,and a smaller one on the extreme right of the brigade, from four pieces ofartillery posted in front and not five hundred yards distant, and from cavalryand infantry, a perfect shower of missiles was poured upon our line. For threehours the answering fire of the regiment was incessant, commanding from itsposition the openings of two roads on either side of which were felled treesand bushes. At the end of this time the right and centre had expendedforty-five rounds and were out of amnmunition. Thetwo Companies on the left, Company B, Captain Arthur, and Company G, CaptainMaitland, had been posted by me in rear of the left of the Flity-fifth,under Captain Derr, acting Major, when the enemy madethree attempts to flank them, but was as often driven back. The firing of theenemy on this flank having ceased, and these Companies having still thirtyrounds of unexpended ammunition to the man, I conducted them to a position onour extreme right, upon which the fire of the enemy was still hotly kept up.Here our silence for some minutes had induced the belief that we had retreated,and these two Companies had scarcely been posted, when the enemy was seencharging up the road at the distance of about one hundred yards. One volleyfrom Company G, deliberately delivered and aimed low, checked his advance; buthe continued to fire rapidly and with fearful effect. At the end of thirtyminutes he had been repulsed here, and along the whole front, and with theexception of scaltering musketry fire from thebushes, and shells from Fort Magruder, we were littleannoyed."

The loss was six killed and twentywounded. Captain Green B. Shearer was among the killed, and Lieutenant ColonelJohnston had his horse shot under him.

In a congratulatory order issued byGeneral Couch, he says, " General Peck with hisbrigade had the good fortune to be in advance, and, arriving on the battleground at a critical time, won a reputation to be greatly envied."

Moving on up the Peninsulain advance of the corps, the regiment, on the 13th of May, acted as a supportto Colonel Russell of the Sixth Massachusetts, engaged in picket duty along theChickahommy. On the following morning, a part of theSixth crossed at Bottom's Bridge, Colonels Russell and M'Carterbeing the first field officers over. Subsequently Keyes' Corps moved over,Couch's Division taking position and fortifying at Seven Pines, and Casey'sfurther to the right, at Fair Oaks. Peck'sBrigade was ordered to occupy and guard the left flank of Conch's encampment.

On the 30th, in consequence of anattack on General Casey's pickets, the brigade was thrown out upon Casey's left., and at the opening of the engagement on the followingday, by direction of General Couch, the Ninety-third was sent to the support ofCasey, taking position on his left. It was one P. M., when the regiment becameengaged, Companies A and F being at the time on picket, and narrowly escapingcapture. The ground was mostly swampy where it first stood, and it waspartially concealed by a low wood. Here for about two hours it remained under aheavy fire but without sustaining serious loss. It was then moved across anopen field to a wood opposite. This opening was crossed at double quick and inopen order, but the men were fearfully exposed, and many fell, the bulletsraining in among them like hail. In this second position the enemy's fire wasterrible, and here its principal loss was sustained. At nightfall the brigaderetired to the breast-works which were strengthened and made secure.

The loss in this engagement wastwenty-one killed, one hundred and eight wounded, and twenty-one missing.Lieutenant John E. Rodgers was among the killed, and Captain Alexander C.Maitland mortally wounded. Colonel M'Carter, CaptainMark, and Lieutenants Ebur, M'Carterand Keller were among the wounded. Captain Dougherty was struck, but escaped ina most singular manner. He had upon his person a gold watch and a Bible. Thewatch was shattered, and the ball passed nearly through the Bible, inflictingonly a slight wound, leaving its last mark on this passage, "I charge thee, therefore, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, whoshall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing, and his kingdom; preachthe word."

A correspondent of the New YorkTribune, in his admiration of the discipline, and the sterling soldierlyqualities displayed by the regiment on this sanguinary field, says, " Take the case of the Ninety-third Pennsylvania. Thisthoroughly trained body of troops fought, were driven back from their position,but not broken, halted at word of command, wheeled, fired, retreated, halted,loaded and fired again, and again, and came off the ground in perfect order,with their two colors flying--a striking proof that the success of battles isin the discipline of troops."

Malvern Hill

After the battlethe regiment returned to its former camp on the left, and remained during themonth of June, engaged in guard and picket duty. In the movement of the armyfrom the Chickahominy to the James, the Ninety-thirdacted as guard to the trains, and in the battle of the 1st of July, at MalvernHill, under command of Captain Long, held a position on the extreme right ofthe line, and fronting a ravine and wood impassable for artillery and cavalry,but favorable for the approach of infantry. The enemy first opened withartillery, and finally sent forward his infantry under cover of the wood, innumbers greatly superior to those opposed to them. But the advantage of theposition and the determination evinced to hold it against all odds, provedtriumphant, and the enemy was beaten back at every point. The loss of theNinety-third was about twenty.

Retiring to Harrison's Landing withthe army, it remained in camp until the evacuation of the Peninsula, when itmoved by transport from Yorktown to Alexandria,and thence marched to Chantilly. It supporteda battery during the fierce engagement at that place on the evening of the 1stof September, and on the following morning retired with the army to ChainBridge.

Maryland Campaign

Upon the opening ofthe Maryland campaign, the 93rd moved alongthe Potomac towards Harper's Ferry, making a reconnoissanceas far as Sandy Hook. It was then hurried tothe Antietam battle-field, but took littlepart in the engagement, being held in reserve. When the Union army againcrossed the Potomac in pursuit of the retiring enemy, the regiment was in theadvance and followed closely to the banks of the Rappahannock.

In the battle of Fredericksburg,on the 13th of December, the regiment, now in the Sixth Corps, under Qeneral Smith, of Franklin'sGrand Division, crossed the river at the lower bridge, and was held in reserveduring the engagement. At the conclusion of the action, it returned to itsformer camp, where it went into winter-quarters.

Chancellorsville

The springcampaign, under General Hooker, opened on the 27th of April, when the movementupon Chancellorsville commenced. To the SixthCorps, under General Sedgwick, was assigned the duty of attacking the heightsabove Fredericksburg,and of advancing up the right bank of the river, to form junction with the mainbody. Moving from its quarters, the Ninetythird,under command of Captain Long, crossed the Rappahannockon the morning of the 2d of May. At daybreak of the 3d, the regiment advancedfrom its position near Fredericksburg and formedline on the left of the One Hundred and Second Pennsylvania, which, with thesixty-second New York,had preceded it. The assault upon the heights was made by the light brigade, atthe extreme right of the line, and as soon as they were carried, the brigademoved forward, and seized the works in front, where it was exposed to a heavyfire from the enemy's artillery. The enemy retreated, and the corps, as soon asit could be formed, moved on in pursuit towards Chancellorsville.

"The Corps," says GeneralWheaton, who commanded the brigade, "was formed with the greatest expedition,and pushed on to a point called Salem Heights. Here the FirstDivision, which was in advance, found the enemy strongly posted at a cross roadnear Morristown,earthworks in timber on both sides of the road. andthe undergrowth filled with rifle-pits and abattis,which rendered the position to our force quite impossible. The First Divisionbeing all engaged, I was ordered by General Newton to move with two regimentsto the right of the road, and to take general direction of the operations onthat portion of the battle-ground; a deep ravine, with a stream in it, beyondthe Morrison House, was soon crossed by the Ninety-third Pennsylvania, CaptainLong, and One Hundred and Second Pennsylvania, Colonel Kinkead,(the One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Pennsylvania, Colonel Collier, being leftsupporting a battery, but came up soon after,) and crossing the ridge beyond,they were soon engaged under a terrific fire of musketry from a hidden foe.

To sustain this fire many minuteswas evidently impossible, and I immediately dispatched staff officers to therear to bring up troops with which to form a second line, and others to assistin delaying the retirement of the One Hundred and Second, and Ninety-third,which was soon anticipated. Before they were pushed back, the troops on theleft were driven towards us in confusion by overwhelming odds, and by the timea second line was formed, the battalions of the enemy were rushing up theravine we had just crossed, and for a few moments it seemed hardly possible tohold our position; but the rebel regiments could not keep formed under ourheavy fire, and gradually retired with heavy loss, while our most advanced linemoved off in good order by its right flank, and formed in rear of the batteriesbehind our second. As the enemy retired, our lines advanced;but to attempt the woods again, with our present force, was not deemedpossible, and we held the crest this side. Night came on, and we turned ourattention to procuring ammunition and aid for our many wounded."

The rebel forces now began toappear in fresh strength upon Sedgwick's front, and to work their way aroundupon his left flank towards Fredericksburg.He was accordingly forced to withdraw towards Banks' Ford, where a pontoonbridge had been previously laid. On the afternoon of the 4th, Wheaton's Brigade was attacked, but easilyrepulsed the assailants, taking nearly two entire regiments prisoners. Duringthe night the command retired across the river.

The loss in the engagement was sixkilled, among whom were Lieutenants Washington Drua and William D. Boltz,forty-four wounded, and twenty-one missing.

Until the 18th of May the regimentremained in the neighborhood of Banks' Ford, when it moved to a new camp, fouror five miles north of Falmouth,where it remained, with the exception of a brief period in the 31st?? Campaign, until the opening of active operations in the spring.

On the 8th of June it moved up theRappahannock, and crossing the stream on a pontoon bridge, was detailed forfatigue duty on a tete duc pobt??, the enemy displaying much activity, and the Unioncavalry, supported by infantry, being on the point of crossing for the purposeof a strong reconnoissance. After a hard day's work theregiment was withdrawn at night, receiving a vigorous shelling as it retired.The next day it again crossed, but not until near evening, and spent the whole,night at work, withdrawing in the morning. The same day it again crossed,apparently with the intention of staying.

Gettysburg Campaign

On the 11th theregiment was sent on picket near the centre of the line and was under anannoying fire all day, though further to the right the pickets could be seenexchanging newspapers. A mutual withdrawal of pickets took place on the 13th,and then it became evident that the anticipated conflict was to be far away,and on Northern soil. The march for Pennsylvanianow commenced, and on the 1st of July it reached Manchester, Maryland.At eight in the evening intelligence was received of the opening of the battleat Gettysburg,and orders to march immediately to the field. The corps was promptly put inmotion, the Ninety-third leading the column. At nine on the following morningthe booming of cannon from the distant field was distinctly heard, and at tenthe regiment crossed the State line. The men were worn out with fatigue, theday was exessively hot, and the roads dusty; but whenthe colors were unfurled and the drums beaten in token of entrance upon thesoil of their native State, they came to a, quick step, with arms at a shift,and marched on gaily, singing "Penneylvaniaagain."

At two P. M. the regiment arrivedat Rock Creek, by the Baltimore Pike, just in rear of the line of battle at theCemetery. At three, General Sedgwick was ordered to send a brigade to thesupport of the Third and Fifth Corps, then hardpressed on the left. Wheaton'sBrigade was ordered to ??the Ninety-third being inadvance, (the first regiment of the Sixth Corps to get into action,) Major Nevin in command. General Sedgwick in person led thebrigade, and formed it on the brow of a low, rocky knoll, covered withscattering trees, just to the right of Little Round Top, the left of thebrigade joining with the Pennsylvania Reserves. It got into position just asthe troops which had been contesting the ground in the open fields along the Emmittsburg Pike, broken, and almost annihilated, werecoming back in disorder, followed by the exultant enemy. The commiand was ordered to lie down, and to withhold its fireuntil the enemy was close upon it. Had this command been heeded the whole rebelline could easily have been captured. But impatience got the better ofobedience and discretion, and a premature fire was opened from a part of theline, which checked his advance, and caused him to be wary. Further attempts atconcealment being useless, the whole brigade advanced, and after a shortcontest the rebel line was driven in tumult. In this charge the Ninety-thirdtook twenty-five prisoners.

Just before nightfall theNinety-third was ordered forward in conjunction with a regiment of the ReserveCorps, to re-take a battery which had been lost in the early part of the day.But it was soon discovered that the guns had been removed, and it returned to itsplace on the right of the brigade. At night the men slept for a few hours inline of battle, but spent the greater part in removing the wounded who strewedthe fields in front. Since eight P. 13. of the evening previous it had marched thirty-nine miles,had fought three hours, and passed an almost sleepless night without food.During the terrible cannonade of the 3d the men hugged closely the ground, andsought shelter behind rocks and trees, and at theconclusion of the charge on the left centre, renewed the picket firing and keptit up until dark. During the night the regiment was engaged in burying the deadand bearing off the wounded.

The 4th of July was celebrated atthe front, the regiment being ordered upon the skirmish line on the extremeleft, where it suffered some loss. At two in the afternoon it was relieved, andthus ended its part in the battle. The loss was eight killed and twenty-onewounded.

On the 5th it was ascertained thatthe enemy had retreated and the pursuit was at once commenced. The Ninety-thirdwas detailed to guard the corps artillery, and assist in taking it across themountains. This duty proved an onerous one, the men suffering much from thehardships it imposed. On the 10th it was ordered to picket and skirmish duty atthe front, near Frankstown. After several days'delay, the men eager for a final issue, it was discovered that the enemy hadescaped, much to their chagrin, heartily dreading another campaign in Virginia. In thecampaign which was soon after entered on, the regiment participated, and at itsconclusion, in the movement upon Mine Run, returned with the army to theneighborhood of Brandy Station, where it went into winter-quarters insubstantial log huts. A Christmas gift, in the form of a beautiful silk flag, withthe number of the regiment inscribed, was received to re-place the tatteredensign which, had been originally presented, and which had been borne intriumph in frequent fiery contests.

On the 30th of December Wheaton's Brigade was detached from the main body of thearmy and sent by rail to Washington,and thence to Harper's Ferry. Loaded upon open freight cars, without fire, themen suffered intensely from cold as they were borne on through the frosty nightair. The feet and hands of many were frozen, rendering amputation necessary intwo cases, and in one proving fatal. The brigade marched to Halltownupon its arrival, but soon afterward returned and went into camp at Harper'sFerry. The object of the movement was to repel an anticipated demonstration ofa body of the enemy under General Early.

On the 7th of February two-hundredand eighty-four of the men, upwards of three-fourths of the entire regiment,re-enlisted, and were given a veteran furlough. Upon their arrival home at Lebanon, theywere received in a manner befitting men who had for upwards of two yearsmaintained a reputation for courage and endurance unsurpassed. Nearly theentire population came out to meet them, and at the Court House a bountifulbanquet was given. General Wheaton, who was not present at their departure,sent a letter to Lieutenant Colonel Long, in which occurred this passage:" The greet Keystone State has sent few regiments to the field who canreturn showing as handsome a record as the one you command."

Re-enlistment

On the 10th ofMarch, 1864, the regiment assembled at CampCurtin, Harrisburg, and on the 18th re-joined thebrigade at Halltown, eight hundred strong.

Soon afterwards the brigadereturned to Brandy Station. In the re-organization of corps, previous to breakingwinter-quarters, this brigade was transferred from the Third, to the SecondDivision of the Sixth Corps. Exchanging the smooth-bore muskets with buck andball cartridges, with which it had been armed, for improved Springfield rifles, it set out at half pastthree, on the morning of the 4th of May, for the Wilderness. Strict orders hadbeen given not to fire the camps, lest the enemy from his signal stationsshould be warned of the movement in progress; but custom and carelessnessprevailed over discipline, and the command moved off amidst the broad glow ofblazing camps.

The WildernessCampaign

At eight o'clock onthe morning of the 5th the column halted and formed line on the Chancellorsville Plank Road,near the spot where General Meade subsequently had his headquarters. At noonthe Second Division, under General Getty, resumed the march down the plankroad, the other two divisions, under General Sedgwick, moving off to the right.After marching two miles on the plank, the division filed sharply to the right,and marched down a narrow dirt road, which stretched almost due south through athick and tangled wilderness of pine and undergrowth. It marched in column ofroute, without skirmishers or fiankers, generalofficers with their staffs ridin1 in front. In thismanner it moved on to the Gordonsville and Fredericksburg Plank Road. TheNinety-third, which was in the advance, had just crossed the plank, and wasplunging again into the thick woods to the left of it, when a murderous firewas suddenly and without premonition of an enemy's presence, poured into itfrom the right. Without confusion the regment halted,faced to the front, delivered one volley upon the concealed foe, and thencharged, clearing the woods and establishing a line about two hundred yards infront of the dirt road, with its right resting upon the plank. In this briefencounter, lasting less than a quarter of an hour, the regimentlost twenty-five, killed and wounded, among whom were Captain Edward H.Rogers and Lieutenant Maxwell B. Goodrich mortally wounded.

Division line was immediatelyformed, and for hours it awaited the enemy. About the middle of the afternoon avast cloud of dust was observed, far down the plank road, which rose up andobscured the western sun. Dispositions were rapidly made for an attack,brigades of the Second Corps now beginning to arrive. The Ninety-third wasmoved across to the right of the plank. At four, A. P. Hill's entire corpshaving arrived and formed without molestation in the dense woods in front, the crashcame. For two hours the roar of musketry at close range was incessant. Theenemy was invisible, and the fire could only be directed by the course of theenemy's missiles. At six, the regiment having suffered severely,was relieved by a regiment of the Second Corps. Resting on its arms during thenight, in the dirt road, along which the Second Corps had thrown upbreastworks, at four o'clock on the morning of the 6th it advanced in thesecond line of battle to the attack. The first line soon came upon the enemy,who was driven two miles, when the second became the first line. After a shortpause it again advanced, General Wadsworth putting himself at the head of theNinety-third and charging down the plank road. At this juncture Longstreet,with a fresh corps, came up, and made a counter-charge, a division of theSecond Corps being forced back, and the whole line retiring in some confusion,though leisurely and unpursued, to the dirt road. Atfive P. A. Longstreet made a furious assault, but was easily repulsed. In thesetwo days of fighting the regiment lost eighteen killed and one hundred andforty-four wounded.

The 7th was comparatively quiet, aslight skirmish in the afternoon with some cannonading. At evening it moved outand took up the line of march towards Spottsylvania,and during the 9th, 10th, and 11th was kept busy in maneuvring,digging, and fighting. On the morning of the 12th it was ordered to the supportof the Second Corps, and went into position at the right of the famous"Angle," advancing to within fifty yards of the rebel works. The men dropped upon the ground for protection, and yet, so destructivewas his fire, that the Ninety-third lost four officers, andseventy-three men killed and wounded, in the space of one hour. Captain RichardG. Rogers was mortally wounded.

With the corps, the regimentparticipated in the fierce fighting which marked the course of the army in itsprogress to the James, losing men almost daily, and in the engagement on the18th of May having thirty killed and wounded. It crossed the Rapidan on the 4thof May and entered the campaign with seven hundred and fifty men present forduty. As it marched from the trenches at Cold Harborat its virtual conclusion, it had but three hundred and twenty-five of thenumber left in its ranks, fifteen officers and three hundred and ten men havingbeen either killed or wounded, and ninety five sick and sent to the rear. Butnine men were captured, and these were wounded and left on the field.

" From the 4th of May until the 12th ofJune," says a member of the command, "the Ninety-third marched threehundred and fifty miles, made twenty-six night marches, was fifteen dayswithout regular rations, dug thirty rifle pits, oftener at night than by day,and fought in eight distinct battles. During all this time there were but fivedays on which the regiment or some part of it was not under fire, and neitherofficers nor men ever took off their clothes, seldom their accoutrements, dayor night. Clothes and shoes worn out were only re-placed by those of dead men,and not until it arrived at the James River,far from the presence of an enemy, did the men enjoy the luxury of a bath.??

Crossing the river on the 15th ofJune, after two days' marching, the regiment arrived in front of Petersburg. Heavyskirmishing at once commenced, and continued till the afternoon of the 18th,when a general advance was made, the line pushing close up to the enemy's worksby the Norfolk Railroad, and entrenching with bayonets under a heavy fire.Captain Jacob P. Embich was here killed, and five menwounded. Remaining in the trenches under an almost constant fire until the 22d,it was withdrawn from the right, and taken to the extreme left of the line,where it supported the Third Division in an attack upon the enemy's line,losing thirteen killed and wounded.

On the 29th it marched southward tothe relief of General Wilson, returning with the cavalry from his raid. Aftertearing up a portion of the Weldon Railroad, and meeting the cavalry, itreturned to camp.

Attack on Fort Stevens

On the 9th of Julyit was ordered from the front and marching to City Point, was taken uponcrowded transports to Washington,the capital being menaced by a corps of the rebel army under General Early. Theregiment moved rapidly through the city, hailed by demonstrations of joy,arriving at the defences, Fort Washington,just as Early's skirmishers were advancing over theesplanade. These were quickly driven back, and the skirmish line wasestablished a half mile out from the fort.

On the 17th there was sharpskirmishing until five in the evening, when a general advance was ordered, anda sharp battle ensued. By dusk the enemy was driven at all points. Pursuit wasimmediately commenced, passing through Rockviile andacross the Potomac, and for nearly a month thecorps was kept upon the march under a burning sun and upon dusty roads,seemingly to little purpose. General Sheridan assumed command of the army inthe Valley on the 9th of Augnst, and an activecampaign was commenced.

On the morning of the 27th, whileposted at Charlestown,the enemy appeared in front and quickly drove in the skirmishers. TheNinety-third was ordered forward to fill a gap in the retreating skirmish line,and formed across an open meadow. The line was advanced, but was checked anddriven back to its original position. At night the Union forces were withdrawnto Halltown.

On the 13th of September, in aspirited skirmish, which the Second Division had beyond OpequanCreek, the regiment supported a battery which was shelled out of position, whenit withdrew, sustaining some loss in killed and wounded. At midday on the 19ththe battle line was ordered to advance and attack the enemy near Winchester. He was drivenback nearly a mile, but rallied, and having broken the Union line, pushed itback to its first position. At four it again advanced, and the enemy wasdriven, losing artillery and a large number of prisoners. The regiment lost inthe engagement seven killed and forty wounded.

On the following morning pursuit ofthe flying enemy was vigorously pushed, and the advance came up with him atFisher's Hill, where he was entrenched. On the 21st the brigade charged andcaptured Flint Hill, the position affording a full view of his entrenchments.It was entrenched and held. On the following afternoon the brigade was held inreadiness, and at the word to advance, leaped the breast-works, and crossingthe intermediate ravine, under a murderous fire of infantry and artillery,charged up the hill, over skillfully laid obstructions, and carried the enemy'sworks, capturing a battery of six Eodman guns.

The loss was twenty-four in killedand wounded. Captain Jacob Brower was mortally wounded. The color Sergeant, Williamin Smith, displayed unusual gallantry, carrying theflag steadily up, in the face of the battery, and had both legs shot off by aclose discharge. After pursuing the enemy up the valley beyond Staunton, taking many prisoners, the armyreturned and took position behind Cedar Creek.

During the month of October, Major Nevin recruited one hundred and eighty men at Pittsburg, and as theoriginal Company G had become much reduced, the few men remaining weredistributed to other Companies, and a new Company G was organized from therecruits, commanded by Captain Kuhn.

Cedar Creek

On the morning ofthe 19th of October the enemy attacked the Union army at Cedar Creek, and droveit back nearly four miles. The Ninety-third was posted upon a ridge when theroute commenced, and with other troops repelled several assaults; but the linewas finally out-flanked and forced back. At two P. M. an order came fromGeneral Sheridan, who had now arrived on the ground, that if the enemy wasrepulsed when attacked he was to be followed up without further orders.

At three General Sheridan rodealong the line saying, as he came to the Ninety-third, "We must sleep in our old camp to-night." The battle soon opened,and for an hour the fighting was very severe; but he at length gave way, andhis route was complete, the Union linefollowing, taking guns and prisoners at every step. After the battle theregiment lay quietly in camp near Strasburg for nearly a month.

On the 28th of October the term ofthe men who did not re-enlist expired, and they were mustered out of service tothe number of about one hundred. Early in November the regiment was ordered to Philadelphia, where, upon its arrival it was assigned toduty in the city, and remained until after the presidential election, when itreturned to camp at Winchester.

About the middle of December, withthe corps, it returned to the lines in front of Petersburg, where it went intowinter-quarters. Through the exertions of Chaplain Joseph S. Lane, a chapel tentwas erected, where, during the winter evenings, religious services were held,and the literary society of the regiment met. During the winter, severalhundred recruits were received, bringing up its strength to near the minimumstandard.

On the 25th of March, 1865, thebrigade was ordered to advance upon the enemy's works, and test the strength ofthe forces occupying them. The space in front was open, and over this thecommand charged to the summit immediately in front of his picket line oftrenches. Here was some delay, other parts of the line not having come up, andconfusion ensued; but order was soon restored, the line again went forwardacross the plain, captured the outer picket trenches and charged up a secondhill, where was his main line. Here the brigade halted and for a short time wassubjected to a severe enfilading fire. It was soon ascertained that the enemywas present in full force, and the command was rapidly withdrawn. The loss inthis brief engagement was fifteen killed and one hundred and thirty-sixwounded. Captain George W,. Meilingerwas among the killed.

At midnight of April 2d theregiment, under command of Captain B. Frank Hean,moved to the front entrenchments in line of battle, forming on the picket linein front of battery Gregg, and at four in the morning, with the rest of the brigade,was ordered to charge the enemy's works, which were carried after an obstinatestruggle, the colors of the Ninety-third being the first planted upon hisramparts. After moving a short distance towards Hatcher's Bun, the command wasordered to return towards Petersburg.In executing this order the regiment was brought in front of a rebel battery,which opened with grape and canister. At this juncture Sergeant Hiram Layland led a squadron to the left of the battery toout-flank it, and coming up within a short distance opened fire, shootingseveral of the battery horses, and causing the men to desert their guns. At thesame time the line in front charged. Passing on a short distance the linehalted and threw up entrenchments. The loss was two killed and thirty-onewounded. In the first charge upon the enemy's breastworks Sergeant CharlesMarquette distinguished himself by capturing a rebel flag, for which hereceived a medal of honor. During the night the enemy evacuated Petersburg, and on thefollowing morning the corps moved south to Burkesville Junction.

On the 6th the regimentparticipated in the battle of Sailor's Creek. On the 9th Lee surrendered, andsoon afterwards the corps made a forced march to Danville,to cooperate with Sherman for the defeat of Johnston. After remainingin camp here for several weeks, it returned by rail to Richmond, and thence toWashington, where, on the 27th of June, it was mustered out of service.

_______________
¹Organization of Peck's Brigade, Couch's Division, Keyes' Corps:Ninety-third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel James M. M'Carter; Ninety-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers,Colonel John F. Ballier; One Hundred and SecondRegiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Thomas A. Rowley; Sixty-second RegimentNew York Volunteers, Colonel John L. Riker; Fifty-fifth Regiment New YorkVolunteers, Colonel Regis De Trobriand. At the conclusion of the Peninsula campaign the Fifty-fifth New York was detachedand the One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Pennsylvania was added to it.

Source:  Bates, Samuel P. Historyof the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg, 1868-1871.

Organization:

Organized at LebanonSeptember 21. to October 28, 1861.
Left Statefor Washington, D.C., November 21.
Attached to Peck's Brigade, Couch's Division, Army Potomac, to March, 1862.
3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, Army Potomac,to September, 1862.
2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac,to November, 1862.
3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, to January, 1864.
Wheaton's Brigade, Dept. West Virginia, to March, 1864.
1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac,and Army Shenandoah, to June, 1865.

Service:

Dutyin the Defences of Washington till March, 1862.
Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15.
Moved to the Peninsula March25.
Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4.
Battle of WilliamsburgMay 5.
Reconnoissance to the Chickahominyand Bottom's Bridge May 20-23.
Battle of Fair Oaks(Seven Pines) May 31-June 1.
Seven days before RichmondJune 25-July 1.
Seven Pines June 27.
Malvern Hill July 1.
At Harrison's Landing till August 16.
Movement to Alexandria,thence to Centreville August 16-30.
Cover Pope's retreat to Fairfax C. H. August 30-September 1.
Chantilly September 1.
MarylandCampaign September 6-24.
Reconnoissance to Harper's Ferry and Sandy Hook September 12-14.
Battle of Antietam September 16-17(Reserve).
At Downsville, Md., September 23-October 20.
Movement to Stafford C. H. October 20-November18, and to Belle Plains December 5.
Battle of FredericksburgDecember 12-15.
Burnside's second Campaign, "Mud March," January 20-24, 1863.
At Falmouthtill April.
Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
Operations at Franklin'sCrossing April 29-May 2.
Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg,May 3.
Salem Heights May 3-4.
Banks' Ford May 4.
Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 13-July 24.
Battle of GettysburgJuly 2-4.
Pursuit of Lee July 5-24.
Duty on the line of the Rappahannocktill October.
Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.
Advance to line of the Rappahannock November7-8.
Rappahannock Station November 7.
Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
Regiment reenlisted February 7, 1864.
Duty at Brandy Station till May.
Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12.
Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania May 8-21.
Assault on the Salient May 12.
North Anna RiverMay 23-26.
On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28.
Totopotomoy May 28-31.
Cold Harbor June 1-12.
Before PetersburgJune 17-18.
Siege of Petersburgtill July 9.
Jerusalem Plank RoadJune 22-23.
Moved to Washington.D.C., July 9-11.
Defence of Washingtonagainst Early's attack July 11-12.
Pursuit to Snicker's Gap July 14-18.
Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley CampaignAugust to December.
CharlestownAugust 21-22.
Demonstration on Gilbert's Ford, Opequan Creek,September 13.
Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19.
Strasburg September 21.
Fisher's Hill September 22.
Battle of CedarCreek October 19.
Duty in the Shenandoah Valleytill December.
Moved to PetersburgDecember 9-12.
Siege of PetersburgDecember, 1864, to April, 1865.
Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865.
Fort Fisher,Petersburg,March 25.
AppomattoxCampaign March 28-April 9.
Assault on and fall of PetersburgApril 2.
Pursuit of Lee April 3-9.
Appomattox C. H. April 9.
Surrender of Lee and his army.
March to DanvilleApril 23-27, and duty there till May 23.
Moved to Richmond, Va., thence to Washington.D.C., May 23-June 3.
Corps Review June 8.
Mustered out June 27, 1865.

Losses:

Regiment lost during service
11 Officers and 161 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and
1 Officer and 111 Enlisted men by disease.

Total 274.

Source:  Dyer, Frederick H. ACompendium of the War of the Rebellion Compiled and Arranged from OfficialRecords of the Federal and Confederate Armies, Reports of he Adjutant Generalsof the Several States, the Army Registers, and Other Reliable Documents and Sources.DesMoines, Iowa: The Dyer Publishing Company, 1908

Home	Artillery	Cavalry
Infantry	Reserves	U. S. C. T.

Direct questions or comments to pacivilwar@pa-roots.net

©Alice J. Gayley, all rights reserved

Web Space provided by