Three Years in the Sixth Corps | Page 3

riots--Return to Virginia.
Chapter XXI.
Camps at Warrenton, the Centreville Campaign and the Battle of Rappahannock Station.
Camp at Hart's Mills--A ride to the Sulphur Springs--Contrabands going north--The Vermonters go to New York--Jersey Brigade at Warrenton--The Sixth corps at Cedar Mountain--Retreat to Centreville--Battle of Bristoe Station--Advance to Warrenton--Battle of Rappahannock Station--Flight of Lee's army.
Chapter XXII.
The Army at Brandy Station.
Encampment at Brandy Station--The Mine Run campaign--Crossing the Rapidan--Battle of Locust Grove--The army on Mine Run--The order of battle--The army withdraws--Back at Brandy Station--Reconnoissance to Madison Court House--Ladies in camp--Chapel tents.
Chapter XXIII.
The Wilderness Campaign.
Preparing to leave camp--General Grant in command--The last advance across the Rapidan--The battle-ground--Battle of the Wilderness--Noble fight of Getty's division--Hancock's fight on the left--Rickett's division driven back--The ground retaken--The wounded--Duties of the surgeons--The noble dead.
Chapter XXIV.
Spottsylvania.
Moving by the flank--The wounded abandoned--The Fifth Corps at Spottsylvania--Arrival of the Sixth Corps--Getting into line--Death of Sedgwick--General Wright in command--Battle of the 10th of May--Upton's splendid charge--Battle at "the angle"--Another flank movement.
Chapter XXV.
The Hospitals at Fredericksburgh.
The journey from the battle-field--Sufferings of the wounded--A surgeon's letters--Rebel hatred--Assistance from the north--A father in search of his boy--The wounded sent to Washington.
Chapter XXVI.
Coal Harbor.
At Hanover Court House--The Eighteenth corps joins the Army of the Potomac--The armies meet at Coal Harbor--Battle of June 1st--Battle of June 3d--Terrible exposure--The army strikes for Petersburgh--Charles City Court House--A centenarian--Review of the overland campaign.
Chapter XXVII.
Petersburgh.
The march to Petersburgh--Smith's successes--The battle of June 18th--The Sixth and Second corps sent to the left--Rebels penetrate the line--Progress of the siege--Sixth corps proceeds to Reams' Station--Kautz's and Wilson's raids.
Chapter XXVIII.
Sixth Corps Transferred To Washington--Battle of Fort Stevens.
The Shenandoah Valley--Hunter's advance to Lynchburgh--The retreat--Rebels advance into Maryland--Battle of Monocacy--Sixth corps goes to Washington--Battle of Fort Stevens.
Chapter XXIX.
The Shenandoah Valley.
The Sixth and Nineteenth corps follow the enemy--Crossing the Potomac--Averill's fight at Snicker's Gap--Return of the Sixth corps to Washington--March back to Harper's Ferry--Return to Maryland--Death of Major Ellis--General Sheridan assigned to command--Back in the Valley--Charlestown--John Mosher--March to Fisher Hill--Return to Charlestown--Fight at Charlestown.
Chapter XXX.
Battle of Winchester.
Encampment at Berryville--Leaving camp--The advance--Taking position--Advance and retreat--Death of Russell--"I know they'll run"--Reminiscences--At the hospitals--A regiment going home--"Why don't he come."
Chapter XXXI.
Fisher Hill.
March up the valley--Strasburgh--The army confronting Fisher Hill--The flank movement--Flight of Early--The pursuit--Guerrilla warfare--Southern refugees--Starting for Washington--Return to Cedar creek.
Chapter XXXII.
Battle of Cedar Creek.
Position of the Union forces on Cedar creek--Demonstrations by Early--The morning of October 19th--Eighth corps straggling--Nineteenth corps routed--The Sixth corps to the rescue--Death of General Bidwell--The Sixth corps holds the enemy--General Wright prepares for another attack--Arrival of Sheridan--The charge--The rout--Guns, wagons and prisoners--The victors in camp.
Chapter XXXIII.
The Final Campaign.
Sixth corps returns to Petersburgh--Condition of the corps--Sheridan joins the grand army--Capture of Fort Steadman--The last grand charge--The pursuit of Lee's army--Tributes to the Sixth corps--Disbanding.

THREE YEARS IN THE SIXTH CORPS.
CHAPTER I.
A NEW REGIMENT GOES TO THE WAR.
Organization of the Seventy-seventh N. Y. V.--Departure from Saratoga--Greetings by the way--New emotions--The noble dead--On board the Knickerbocker--At New York--Presentation of flags--Beauties of monopoly--Hospitality of Philadelphia--Incidents on the route--Arrival at Washington--In camp.
Our regiment was organized at Saratoga Springs, the historic scene of the battle of Bemis Heights and the surrender of Burgoyne--hence its name, "The Bemis Heights Battalion." Hon. Jas. B. McKean, then member of congress, a gentleman of well known patriotism, was made our Colonel. We left our rendezvous on the 26th of November, 1861, Thanksgiving day, having been mustered into the United States service three days before.
As the long train of cars bore us from the station at Saratoga Springs, the thousands who had gathered to witness our departure united in cheer after cheer until all the groves and vales of that charming resort rang with the echoes of the tumultuous shouting.
The thousand brave fellows, who were about to try the stern realities of war, were by no means backward in replying to these hearty expressions of good wishes. Long after we had lost sight of the lovely village, the shouts of the multitude could be heard and the hills rang again with the responding cheers of those in the cars. At each station, as we passed, crowds of people pressed to greet us, and loud and long were the cheers that bade us "God speed."
We were now fairly off for the war. We who had followed the various peaceful avocations of life, in the professions or in the workshops, in trade or in husbandry, had now turned away from the office, the desk, the shop and the plough, to join the Grand Army upon which the hopes of the nation were staked, and which we confidently believed was soon to sweep the rebellion to destruction.
Emotions hitherto unknown to us filled our hearts. We were soldiers, wearing for the first time the army blue, and perhaps soon to be called out to meet in deadly strife an enemy whose prestige for valor was already too well established.
Were we to return to the friends