HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



109 



" The morning of the 13th was also foggy, but the fog lifted early, 

 and skirmishing commenced along the line, which grew into a general 

 engagement with artillery and small-arms. 



" We were moved in close-massed columns down the river under a 

 heavy artillery fire from the enemy's batteries, some one and a half 

 miles, when the enemy was found in our front, well posted in pine 

 woods, and protected by natural rifle-pits. 



" They were soon dislodged by our artillery, when we advanced with 

 the rest of the division to within about one mile of Massaponix Creek. 

 This position we held all day, amid a most terrible artillery fire. To- 

 wards evening the enemy concentrated a very hot artillery fire upon 

 us, with the evident intention of turning our flank. 



" The position was maintained, however, although the brigade on 

 our left, the commander of which misunderstood the order, fell back 

 with his command, skirmishers and all, just before dark, whereas his 

 order directed that he should withdraw his brigade a short distance as 

 soon as the darkness would cover his movement from the view of the 

 enemy, but to leave his skirmishers as they were as pickets. This 

 movement being observed by the foe, and supposing they had accom- 

 plished their design, and that we were falling back, they advanced 

 their line so far that their batteries were within thirty or forty rods 

 of our pickets, and poured a perfect shower of grape promiscuously 

 over the plain, until about one hour after dark. 



''They finally became convinced of their error, ceased firing, with- 

 drew their lines, and all was quiet until morning, except an occasional 

 shot between pickets. 



"On the 14th and 15th we held the same position without inter- 

 ruption, except an occasional round from their artillery and sharp 

 picket firing, which was kept up most of the time, day and night, 

 with great briskness. 



" The picket lines were so close to our advanced position that many 

 of their shots did execution in our ranks. 



*' On the night of the 16th we were withdrawn to the north side of 

 the Eappahannock about midnight, leaving two companies (G and B) 

 on the picket lines not informed (except their commanding officers) 

 that we had retired. 



" Companies G and B were placed on picket at dusk on the evening 

 of the 15th, and by some misunderstanding or inadvertence on the 

 part of the ofl&cer left in charge of the picket, were not informed to 

 retire at the proper time and with the rest of the line, and remained 

 about one hour after the rest had left, and at daylight they fell 

 slowly back, keeping their deployment and stirring up many strag- 

 glers and sick, who had sought refuge and resting-place around the 

 hospital buildings, barns, stacks, river-bank, etc., and finally were 

 the last to cross the bridge, it being taken up immediately behind 

 them. 



" The steadiness and coolness of the officers and men of my com- 

 mand, with very few exceptions, were highly commendable through- 

 out, especially those of Companies A and F, who were on picket during 

 the night of the 13tli, and Company I on the 14th, and Company J) 

 on the night of 14th and during the day of the 15th. 



" Of the cool and deliberate bravery exhibited by the officers of the 

 two companies G and B, under the peculiarly perilous circumstances 

 in which they found themselves, I cannot in justice speak but in 

 terms of especial commendation. 



" In the action we had engaged one field officer, one acting staff 

 officer (adjutant), fourteen line officers, and nine (9) companies, em- 

 bracing 276 enlisted men. 



" Company C was detached. We took three (3) prisoners. We 

 had three (3) stragglers. 



" H. C. Hoffman, Colonel Commanding." 



On the 17th the 23d moved down near the bank of the 

 river, and went into camp, where it remained until the 20th, 

 when it receiving marching orders, and proceeded to Belle 

 Plain and went into winter quarters. This march closed 

 the active campaign that commenced at Fairfax Court- 

 House, March 10, and ended at Belle Plain, Dec. 20. 



The regiment remained in camp here during the winter 

 and spring of 1863. April 20 the army moved, and the 

 23d was assigned to the defenses of Aquia, and was there 

 in the fortifications during the battle of Chancellorsville. 



A member of the regiment says, " At the sound of boom- 

 ing cannon and the blaze of battle, which could be distinctly 

 heard and seen, the spirit of the 23d was aroused, and many 

 longed to go and help their noble comrades fight out the 

 battle which all were sanguine must result in a great victory 

 to our arms." 



The term of enlistment of the 23d having now expired, 

 arrangements were made for the homeward trip, and on 

 the 11th of May the battle-scarred regiment left the sacred 

 soil of old Virginia, and on the evening of the 13th came 

 within view of the " welcome spires and green shade-trees 

 of Elmira." A sad accident occurred while en route near 

 Marysville. Capt. Clark, of Company H, was instantly 

 killed while in the act of climbing on the rear car just as 

 the train was passing under a bridge. His head struck the 

 bridge, and he was knocked oft' the car, his body falling on 

 the rocks by the side of the track. When found, a few 

 moments after, life was extinct. 



Upon the arrival of the regiment in Elmira it formed in 

 line in front of the Delevan House, and an address of wel- 

 come was delivered by Mayor Spaulding, which was briefly 

 responded to by Col. Hoff'man, after which they marched 

 to the old barracks of the 23d, where a bounteous repast 

 was prepared by the ladies of Elmira. 



In the language of the Elmira Advertiser^ " It was a 

 magnificent reception and worthy the patriotic people of 

 Elmira, and gladdened the hearts of the men to honor 

 whom the demonstration was made ; but it gladdened far 

 more when they were allowed to throw off" their knapsacks 

 and war-gear and go home to their own firesides, to their 

 fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters, wives, and sweet- 

 hearts. Wednesday, the 13th of May, will be ever green 

 in the memory of the soldiers of the 23d and their friends." 



It was, indeed, a fitting reception of the battle-scarred 

 regiment of the Southern Tier, the first from the Twenty- 

 seventh Congressional District. 



The following is a list of the killed and missing, and 

 also of those who died from wounds or disease in the 23d : 



Jeremiah V. Bogart, killed in second battle of Bull Run, Aug. 30, 1862. 



Eli Decker, died of fever, Dec. 3, 1861. 



David Farron, killed at Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862. 



William March, killed at Fredericksburg, Va., May 25, 1862. 



John M. Mowers, died of fever, Dec. 31, 1861. 



Herkimer Shults, died of fever, Dec. 18, 1861. 



S. Williams, killed at Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862. 



Christopher Brennan, died at Falmouth, July 4, 1862. 



Henry Brown, killed at Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862. 



Thomas Carroll, killed at Ball's Cross-Roads, Aug. 17, 1861. 



Charles W. Tice, died Aug. 5, 1862, of wounds received at Antietam. 



Alexander J. Jaynes, died Dec. 15, 1861. 



Harlow Arms, died March 24, 1863. 



David J. Perene, supposed to have been killed at Rappahannock 



Station, Aug. 21, 1862. 

 Jerome Gorton, supposed to have been killed at Antietam, Sept. 17, 



1862. 

 Henry E. Gilbert, died Dec. 1, 1862. 

 George C. Ames, died Oct. 7, 1862, of wounds received at Antietam, 



Sept. 17, 1862. 

 Richard B. Hurd, killed at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862. 

 Thomas Van Horn, died Dec. 21, 1861. 

 Israel Marquart, died Nov. 18, 1861. 

 James Pease, died Aug. 16, 1861. 

 Edmund Campbell, died in November, 1862, of wounds received at 



Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862. 

 William Decker, died Dec. 16, 1861. 



