Samuel W. Nichols, Charles McDonough, William Dougherty and Joseph T. Packer, visited camp, charged with the presentation of a beautiful silk flag and markers to the regiment. The day was a beautiful one, and the presentation ceremony took place in the presence of the brigade, which was formed on three sides of a square, with the Second as the base.

About two o'clock, the Committee, accompanied by Colonel McCandless, commanding the division, and Colonel Talley, commanding the brigade, their respective staffs, and a number of ladies, rode to the centre of the square and dismounted, when Mr. Megary stepped to the front with the flag, which he presented in a neat and patriotic speech, which was responded to on behalf of the regiment by Colonel McCandless. The color-guard then advanced, and the Color-sergeant, Joseph F. Sweeton, received it, amid the loud cheers of the boys and patriotic strains of the band. The colonel and the com mittee then took position and the brigade passed in review, after which they repaired to the camp of the Second, where a handsome collation had been prepared in a large tent, beautifully decorated with evergreens. After the removal of the cloth, toasts were drunk, and patriotic speeches, abounding in wit and humor, were made, and at taps all retired to their quarters.

About this time the reorganization of the Army of the Potomac was commenced, some of the army corps, divisions, and brigades, being broken up and consolidated with others. The three brigades of the First division of the Fifth Corps were consolidated into two brigades, and the Second Division was consolidated into one brigade, all designated as the First Division, Fifth Corps, commanded by Brigadier-general Charles Griffin.

The Second brigade of the Third Division, First Corps, was transferred to the Second division, First Corps, and this division was designated the Second Division, Fifth Corps, commanded by Brigadier-general J. C. Robinson.

The old Third Division (Pennsylvania Reserves) Fifth

Corps, was retained as the Third Division, Fifth Corps, commanded by Brigadier-general S. W. Crawford.

The First brigade of the Third Division, First Corps, was transferred to the First Division, First Corps, and this division was designated as the Fourth Division, Fifth Corps, commanded by Brigadier-general J. S. Wadsworth.

The command of the Fifth Corps was assigned to General Warren, General Sykes being relieved.

From this time every thing passed off comparatively quiet until the 29th of April, when we were relieved by Burnside's Corps. At ten A. M., on that day we broke camp, and marched one mile beyond Warrenton Junction, where we bivouacked. The next morning we marched at five o'clock, crossed the Rappahannock and encamped about a mile to the east of the Culpepper Court House, where we remained until the 4th of May.

CHAPTER XXVII.

POSITION OF THE ARMIES. OPENING OF GRANT'S CAMPAIGN. THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS. THE BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE. ENGAGEMENT AT GUINNEY'S STATION. ENGAGEMENT AT NORTH ANNA. TERM OF SERVICE EXPIRES. THE REGIMENT RESOLVES TO REMAIN. THE BATTLE OF BETHESDA CHURCH. THE PARTING. MARCHING HOME. RECEPTION IN HARRISBURG AND PHILADELPHIA. PRESENTATION OF MEDALS.

At this time our army was consolidated near Culpepper Court House, about ten miles north of the Rapidan, the Confederate army was mainly at Orange Court House, about ten miles south of the river: the outposts and pickets of both armies reaching that stream, on either side. On the morning of the 3d of May, orders for the advance of our army were issued. The crossing of the Rapidan was effected during that day and the following

night, mainly at Germanna and Ely's Fords, twelve and eighteen miles east of Culpepper. Instead of marching directly south upon Lee's strong position at Orange, and the entrenchments on Mine river, a few miles distant, which Meade had found in November too strong to be assailed, and which were now doubtless still stronger, General Grant's plan was to turn them upon the right, that is, to the east, and thus throw himself between these positions and Richmond. The effect of this movement. would be that Lee must either come out of his entrenchments, and defeat this advance upon open ground, or fall back towards Richmond. This line of advance would compel Grant to traverse the region locally known as the Wilderness. /

The Wilderness is a broken, sterile tract of country, in Spottsylvania County, commencing not far from the south bank of the Rapidan, and stretching ten or fifteen miles in each direction. The region is intersected in every direction by gullies and ravines of no great depth, but with steep sides, interspersed here and there with swamps. The low hills and swells are covered with a thick growth of stunted pines, dwarf oaks, and underbrush, hardly reaching the height of a man, but so dense as to be almost impenetrable. The roads which straggle here and there, crossing and recrossing, are, with one or two exceptions, mere paths, impassable for the rudest vehicle, even in good weather, and converted into quagmires by a few hours' rain. Here and there, at the intersection of these roads, is a tavern or store, with half a dozen rude dwellings grouped around it. Besides these, and here and there a solitary dwelling, the whole tract is almost bare of inhabitants. Across this desolate region Grant's army must pass in order to carry out the design of turning the works at Mine run. That it would be attacked by the Confederates, whose intimate knowledge of the region would give them a decided advantage, was a probability which had to be taken into consideration in venturing upon the movement.

The army, under the immediate lead of General Meade Lieutenant-general Grant, who accompanied it, taking the general direction of the whole series of combined movements-crossed the Rapidan in the course of Wednesday, May 4th. The passage was made mainly on pontoon bridges, which had been thrown across during the previous night. It was effected without opposition, apparently before the enemy, some miles distant, were aware of the intention. The Fifth Corps, under Warren, and the Sixth, under Sedgwick, crossed at Germanna Ford; The Second, under Hancock, crossed at Ely's Ford; the Ninth, under Burnside, being held in reserve, on the north bank. The army moved in light marching order, carrying six days' rations, leaving its train to follow after. That night the army encamped beyond the south bank of the Rapidan.

On the 4th we broke camp and crossed the river about eleven A. M., and bivouacked on the Lacy farm. The next morning Companies A, D, E and H, under Captain Mealey, were detailed with a like number of the Sixth regiment, as train and ambulance guard, and did not rejoin us until the 11th.

THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS, MAY 5TH, 6TH AND 7TH, 1864.-At three A. M., the line of march was taken up through the Wilderness. The enemy being within striking distance, it was necessary to assume and maintain a line of battle fronting towards him—to the west-while we at the same time moved slowly southward. Our line stretched from the northwest to the southwest, and moved left in front, Hancock holding the advance and left, Sedgwick the rear and right, with our corpsWarren's-in the centre. The movement had hardly begun, and before Warren's corps had got into position, before the enemy were discovered approaching in force, Lee evidently intending to repeat his favorite movement of hurling his troops in masses upon the weakest point of our lines. The attack was made by Ewell's and Hill's corps, first upon one point, and then in succession upon

others. Some of these assaults were successful at the outset; in one, nearly a thousand prisoners and two guns were captured; but the enemy in the end was foiled in each, and utterly failed in his purpose to break our lines or force us to recross the Rapidan.

The battle extended far into the night, and the loss, which was heavy, was probably about equal on both sides; though they took some seven hundred more prisoners than we did. The battle was indecisive, and both armies rested upon their arms in their respective positions upon the field.

When the enemy was first discovered advancing, our division was moving to its position, on the right of Hancock, and was immediately double-quicked and deployed into line of battle, our regiment being thrown out as skirmishers. In this formation we advanced to a clear piece of ground, bordering on the Wilderness, where the enemy's skirmishers were discovered on our left and front, with their main force to our right. Here General Crawford detached the Second, Seventh and Eleventh regiments of our brigade, and ordered McCandless to move in upon the enemy. The colonel filed the men to the right, until he had obtained his front, when he ordered them to advance. A most spirited and exciting fight now took place, we driving the enemy for about a half mile on to Wadsworth's division, who were before hardly pressed. Here a stubborn resistance was attempted by them, and McCandless seeing the critical position of Wadsworth, ordered a charge, heading it in person, and followed by Dr. Donnelly, Lieutenant Taylor, and other members of his staff and his orderlies. Animated by the heroic conduct of their commander, the brigade followed on the run with loud cheers. The enemy were soon broken, and driven from their position, but such was the impetuosity of the charge that most of the brigade staff, Captain Byrnes, and many others were captured; McCandless himself escaped by running the gauntlet of their fire, and passed out unscathed.