HISTORY OF STEUBEN 'COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



123 



wounded, proves the magnitude of the affair. And here, 

 too, the entire army were brought to a halt, and after ten 

 days of incessant fighting and manoeuvring had proved the 

 enemy's position almost impregnable, a flank movement 

 was resorted to, which alone compelled him to abandon it. 



^' Two days after the repulse of our troops, a heavy force 

 of the enemy attempted to assault and carry McPherson's 

 position, farther to the right. It was defended by earth- 

 works and artillery, and the brave boys of McPherson re- 

 pulsed his every attempt, killing and wounding nearly three 

 thousand of his men, and driving him back shattered and 

 routed to his works. This, in a measure, ' squared' the 

 accounts and compensated for the disastrous result on the 

 25th, and months afterwards we learned from a captured 

 rebel officer that their loss in our front on the 25th was 

 very severe, particularly in their second line, which, being 

 less sheltered by the works, received the brunt of our 

 terrible musketry fire and suffered severely. 



^' The 107th Regiment lost a much larger number killed 

 and wounded in this engagement than any other regiment 

 engaged, and far more than in any other of its operations ; 

 hence to them did it become the great event of their three 

 years' service, and they richly deserve the right to regard 

 it as such. 



" The morning of the eventful 25th of May came. Re- 

 veille was sounded at 3.30 o'clock, and at 8.30 the column 

 got under way. It moved slowly forward until noon, when 

 a halt of an hour was made, after which we moved out on a 

 by-road leading to the little town of Dallas. The marching 

 was easy, the weather fine, and our men went forward in 

 high spirits, hoping soon to reach this objective point in 

 the line of march ; and as no enemy showed itself, every- 

 thing bid fair to work for a ready accomplishment of that 

 object. 



'^ But suddenly a halt was sounded. Then came the 

 order ' about face and ' march.'' Something was the matter 

 surely. Had our advance struck that long expected ' snag,' 

 or was there trouble to the rear ? We were marched rap- 

 idly back for a mile or two, then leaving the road the column 

 struck across a field, down into a ravine, across a creek, 

 known by the euphonious name of Pumpkin-Vine Creek, 

 and up a steep ascent to a thinly-wooded table-land, where 

 we found artillery in position, and the infantry of Greary's 

 2d Division partially intrenched. Matters certainly looked 

 serious. Orderlies were galloping to and fro giving orders, 

 and as we went into position one piece of our artillery began 

 shelling the woods in our front. The boys of our regiment 

 had a tradition that this marching back left in front always 

 foreshadowed difficulties and trouble, and speedily came to 

 the conclusion that there was an enemy in front that we 

 should soon meet. The line was formed on the crest of a 

 hill, the 1st Division taking the place where Geary's Division 

 had previously occupied. The 2d Brigade, to which the 

 107th belonged, held the right. 



'* We now learned that, early in the day. Gen. Hooker, 

 with his staff, came upon a rebel picket, posted at the cross- 

 ing of Pumpkin- Vine Creek, which fired upon him and fled. 

 The general, with his escort, pushed boldly ahead, and soon 

 came upon a body of rebel cavalry. A sharp tight ensued, 

 the escort driving off the enemy unaided. 



'^ Shortly afterwards the 2d Division, which was on a 

 different road than that which the 1st had taken, came upon 

 a large force of rebel infantry ; a severe fight followed, the 

 enemy being driven into a new and formidable line of works, 

 where they succeeded in checking the advance of our troops 

 with severe loss. It thus being evident that the enemy were 

 in large force here. Gen. Hooker ordered the 1st and 3d 

 Divisions back to the support of Geary, and by five o'clock 

 P.M. the entire corps were in line of battle, the 107th Regi- 

 ment occupying a position as before stated. 



*' We lay for some time quietly waiting some response to 

 the shells of our battery, and preparing for the shock that 

 seemed imminent and close at hand. Yet there was no 

 shrinking back or expression of dismay on the faces of the 

 veterans of the 107th. Every one felt that there was hot 

 work to be done, but so often had they faced the whirlwind 

 of battle, and tasted of its fiery experiences, none thought 

 of falterino; in this new hour of dan2:er. 



" No reply being provoked by the shells of our battery, 

 the bugle sounded an advance, and the long line moved 

 down the hill, across the ravine, and up the other side with 

 beautiful precision ; a level, thinly-wooded section stretched 

 before, and forward the line swept, our skirmishers coming 

 up with, and rapidly driving back those of the enemy, until 

 they seemed to be making a precipitate retreat. Forward, 

 double-quick, sounded the shrill bugle — ' Forward, double- 

 quick !' shouted the officers — and away at the double-quick 

 sprang our elated men. It was an imposing sight. The 

 entire brigade were sweeping rapidly forward with as true 

 a front as if on drill. Gen. Williams, who rode close 

 behind the line, remarked that it was as strict an alignment 

 as if on dress parade ; the line moved as one man, eager to 

 overtake what seemed to be a fleeing enemy. But how 

 terribly were we mistaken ! Suddenly our skirmish line 

 seemed to slacken its advance, then come to a stand-still ; 

 not so the main line. Still at the double-quick it went 

 crashing forward, nearly running down and over the wa- 

 vering line of skirmishers. The word to us was still /br- 

 wardj and on we went until we were in the very breath of 

 the hell fire that was to sweep through our ranks. But 

 now the pace slackens — before us we hear the sharp crack- 

 ling of musketry. There goes a man fallen to the ground 

 wounded — there another; the line halts, and in what a 

 fearful place ! Directly before us, so near we can see the 

 embrasures of the batteries, frowned a line of massive earth- 

 works, bristling with cannon, behind which, massed in 

 heavy force, lay the enemy. We were fairly trapped — we 

 could not retreat — we must stand our ground. The ranks 

 closed up bravely. To the right of the 107th Regiment 

 was the gallant old 3d Wisconsin. It was some comfort to 

 us to know they were so near and held the flank. The tire 

 of the enemy began to increase. Our men leveled their 

 rifles and the whole line was ablaze with the discharge. 

 Then out from that dark covert leaped such a discharge 

 of death-dealing missiles as never before was met in all our 

 experience. Shot, shell, grape, canister and minie came 

 tearing through our ranks, mowing a terrible swath of death 

 and destruction. At this first fire of the enemy fell full one- 

 half of those lost during the engagement. It was sickening, 

 fearful. 



