nock, were operating on General Hooker's right, and as far north as this neighborhood. With the exception of the usual night alarms, and heavy rain and snow storms, nothing of note transpired until the morning of the 28th, when we broke camp and marched across the fields and through the woods to Fairfax Station. The distance was but four miles, but as it had been raining hard all night and day, it took us as many hours to march it. It was amusing to see the men laugh and joke and swear by turns, trying to keep up their good spirits as they toiled, under their heavy knapsacks, and plunged through the mud up to their knees, and wet to the skin. It was late before our wagons arrived, and temporarily pitching our tents for the night, we managed to get along pretty comfortably. The next day our camp was regularly laid out in a heavy pine woods, and all things put to rights. About this time Lieutenant Justus was appointed acting quartermaster, vice A. Q. M. Ross, who was detailed on recruiting service. On the 23d of April, Captain McDonough arrived in camp and assumed command of the regiment. Considerable labor was expended in arranging our camp, in felling the trees not required for shade, cutting the stumps off close to the ground, burning the brush and rubbish, and thoroughly policing the whole neighborhood. The avenues and streets were planted with rows of heavy cedar trees, which afforded a cool and pleasant shade, and buried our camp in a grove. About the 1st of May, the commissions of the following named offices, promoted for gallant conduct were received: Lieutenant-colonel William McCandless to be Colonel from November 1st, 1861, vice Wm. B. Mann, resigned. Major G. A. Woodward to be lieutenant-colonel from June 30th, 1862, vice William McCandless promoted. Sergeant-major E. M. Woodward to be adjutant, from September 18, 1862, vice Aug. T. Cross, killed. Quarter master Charles F. Hoyt to be captain and commissarysergeant from July 1st, 1862. Commissary-sergeant W. A. Hoyt to be quarter-master from January 6th, 1863, vice Charles F. Hoyt, promoted. Company A.-First Lieutenant Daniel H. Connors to be captain from June 30th, 1862, vice Horace Neidé, promoted. Second Lieutenant John J. Ross to be first lieutenant from June 30th, 1862, vice Daniel H. Connors, promoted. First Sergeant Daniel Craig to be second lieutenant from June 30th, 1862, vice John J. Ross, promoted. Company C.-First Sergeant Andrew Casey to be second lieutenant from June 30th, 1862, vice James R. Nightingale, killed. Company D.-First Sergeant Thomas Canavan to be first Lieutenant from November 25th, 1862, vice John M. Curley, honorably discharged. Second Sergeant Robert R. Smith to be second lieutenant from December 3d, 1862, vice George H. Young, honorably discharged. Company E.-First Sergeant John Taylor, to be first lieutenant from July 12, 1862, vice J. Baxter Fletcher, killed. Second Sergeant Andrew McLean, to be second lieutenant from October 25th, 1862, vice Alexander Black, honorably discharged. Company F.-First Lieutenant John M. Clark to be captain from August 1st, 1862, vice John E. Barnacle, honorably discharged. Second Lieutenant Robert J. Clark to be first lieutenant from November 23d, 1862, vice John M. Clark, promoted. Company G.-First Sergeant Elisha P. Woodward to be Second Lieutenant from September 17th, 1862, vice Max Wimpfheimer, killed. Company H.-First Sergeant William McGlenn to be Second Lieutenant from December 25th, 1862, vice Richard Clendenning, honorably discharged. At the same time Sergeant Joseph Benison, Company HI, was appointed sergeant-major, from January 1st, 1863, and George W. Fernon, Company C, commissary-sergeant, from January 6th, 1863. The guerrillas about this time became exceedingly troublesome, frequently attacking the picket posts and railroad trains. In one of these attacks a private of the Seventh Michigan Cavalry named Andrew McClain, was wounded and brought to our hospital, where he lingered for nine days. Upon a post-mortem examination being made it was found that a pistol ball had entered his backbone and passed up through the spinal marrow eight inches, which should have produced almost instant death. From his shoulders down he was completely paralyzed, and mortification had commenced in his nether limbs. Towards the latter part of May, Colonel William Sinclair commanding our brigade, resigned as colonel of the Sixth Reserves, to take command of a battery of horse artillery in the west, and Colonel McCandless suc ceeded him in the command. Lieutenant-colonel Woodward being relieved from duty at Washington, took command of our regiment, Captain McDonough was appointed Major, Sergeantmajor Joseph Benison, second lieutenant of Company II, and Sergeant D. H. Pidgeon of Company K, sergeantmajor. On the 2d of June we were paid off by Major Gideon Ball, six months being due us. About this time, Brigadier-general S. W. Crawford was appointed to the command of our division, and established his headquarters near our brigade. As the enemy were concentrating on Hooker's right flank, con siderable skirmishing took place below in the neighborhood of the Rappahannock, and the trains were constantly conveying forage and provisions there, and bringing up wounded soldiers and prisoners. MARCHING NORTH. 259 CHAPTER XXIII. OUR PETITION. MARCH TO PENNSYLVANIA. HAPPY DAY. BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. LOSSES OF THE ARMIES. SHORTLY after the defeat of our army at Chancellorville, Governor Curtin became thoroughly convinced that the enemy contemplated an invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and although he made strenuous efforts to induce the General Government to adopt measures for defence, he could not prevail upon them to act, until the enemy had crossed the Potomac. His representations and advice were unheeded and many of the newspapers treated with levity his "unnecessary alarm." But at last, after much valuable time had been lost, the authorities awakened to the realization of the fact, and commenced vigorous preparations to repel the invaders. On the 15th, long trains of ambulances, wagons and the reserve artillery from the army on the Rappahannock passed by our camp moving northward. The same day General Hooker and staff passed by, and towards night the Twelfth Army Corps arrived. All were in most excellent spirits and were confident of victory in the coming battle. On the 17th, the main body and the rear guard of the army arrived and resting a night and part of a day moved on. To see the whole army moving to meet the enemy whom we knew were in Pennsylvania threatening our homes and loved ones, and for us to remain behind was rather mortifying, and although we had sent officers to Washington to intercede for marching orders for us, we met with no encouragement. On the 17th, we therefore, addressed the following communication to Colonel McCandless, who forwarded it through the proper channel to Washington, where it materially assisted in producing the desired effect: HEADQUARTERS SECOND REGIMENT INFANTRY, P. R. V. C. To Colonel WILLIAM MCCANDLESS, Commanding First Brigade, Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps. COLONEL :--We, the undersigned, officers of the Second Regiment Infantry, Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps, having learned that our mother State has been invaded by a Confederate force, respectfully ask, that you will, if it be in your power, have us ordered within the borders of our State, for her defence. Under McCall, Reynolds, Meade, Seymour, Sinclair and yourself, we have more than once met and fought the enemy, when he was at home. We now wish to meet him again where he threatens our homes, our families and our firesides. Could our wish in this behalf be realized, we feel confident that we could do some service to the State that sent us to the field, and not diminish, if we could not increase, the lustre that already attaches to our name. We are, Colonel, Very respectfully, your obedient servants, GEO. A WOODWARD, Lieutenant-colonel Second regiment P. R. V. C, commanding the regiment, P. MCDONOUGH, Major Second regiment, E. M. WOODWARD, Adjutant Second regiment, ment, E. A. JACKSON, Assistant Surgeon Second regiment, JAMES C. MANTON, Lieutenant-com'ng Company B, ANDREW MCLEAN, Second Lieutenant Company E, ROBERT J. CLARK, First Lieutenant Company F, |