SIXTY-FOURTH N.Y. VOLS.

FROM YORKTOWN TO AND INCLUDING THE BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS.

On the 3^rd day of May 1862, the 64^th Regt., N.Y. Vols., was in Camp Scott before Yorktown, Va., in Howard's Brigade, Richardson's Division. There was unusual shell fire from Rebel Batteries at Yorktown which continued far into the night. On the morning of the 4^th it was announced that Yorktown was evacuated. The enemy left fifty-two cannon, mostly uninjured, and a large amount of ammunition. All this caused great rejoicing. For the first time in a month music was allowed and all the bands made as much noise as possible. Stoneman's Cavalry and Heinzman's Corps start in pursuit and SUMNER's Corps containing our division was ordered under arms. Parties working on corduroy roads were called in, all packed up ready to march and waited. At sundown we had orders to pitch tents again.

Early on the 5^th came orders to move and at 9:00 a.m. the division marched to camp, one mile south of Yorktown, leaving the sick in hospital at Camp Scott, among whom were Lt. ROWLEY, Co. G, Sergt. FRENCH and Scott BOARDMAN, of Co. F, Sergt. MORRILL, Alphonzo BOARDMAN and Frank JONES of Co. B, and Capt. PETTENGER, of Co. G. The location of the camp was in second parallel of works built with so much labor in the siege of Yorktown. The house made famous by meeting of Gen. WASHINGTON, and Gen. CORNWALLIS, to sign articles of capitulation in the Revolutionary war was near us. It rained all day. Firing was heard in the direction of Williamsburg. At sundown commenced march for Williamsburg in the rain; marched till midnight knee deep in mud and water in many places; very dark.

Going through the village of Yorktown we saw sentinels guarding the troops against torpedoes buried in streets, about fortifications and rifle pits - all sizes - some weighing two hundred pounds. We learned of four or five men being killed by them that day, before we camp up. Lieut. Col. BINGHAM was quite sick with a cold and coughed a good deal. Nearly half of our men fell out of columns before halting. The quartermaster, who was with the wagons in the rear, when they could go no further, reported that he tried to find shelter, from the severe storm, in one of the wagons but they were all full of soldiers and he laid down under the wagon with a saddle for a pillow, wrapped in a rubber blanket. In the morning his body was under water. Coffee was made from water filtered from rain puddles. Thousands of soldiers stood up in column in the rain and sang, to drive fatigue and care away.

When the 64^th halted at 12:00 p.m. fires were built of fence rails, but the troops were not allowed to lie down for sleep. At 3:00 a.m., of the 6^th, orders to cook coffee were very gratefully received and at daylight we found ourselves in a wheat field; marched two miles and halted - the whole division together.

Here reports of the skirmish, as it was called, at Williamsburg the day before came to us. The skirmish developed into a battle with over two thousand Union soldiers killed and wounded. We bivouaced [sic] for the night.

The next morning, May 7^th, we started back to Yorktown. The roads were better and we moved in comparative comfort; Saw growing corn on the way. In the middle of the afternoon the regiments of whole division camped close together on a dry sandy knoll - light winds stirring dust and sand into clouds - and remained two days waiting for transports up the river. Capts. Patrick BARRETT and Darwin WILLARD, of 72^nd N.Y., killed at Williamsburg, were brought down in rough coffins to be sent home.

On the 9^th of May we struck tents, moved one mile up the York river and camped on high ground in a peach orchard of young trees, some fifty acres in extent. Fifty men under Lieut. Col. BINGHAM were sent out to repair roads to Yorktown. some of the men and officers sent money home by the Adams Express, Gen. SUMNER commanding corps had headquarters in a farm house owned by a Pennsylvanian. Back of camp was a splendid spring which was greatly appreciated because the river, a mile wide, looking like a lake, had ebb and flow tides and the water was salt. Flower and grape vines were abundant, we had a splendid time for two days; nice camp well laid out; festoons of vines and flowers in the company streets; pure cold water; good oyster fishing near by and lots of truck to vary diet. There was a great trafficking by the boys in opposition to sutlers [sic]. Pies as 25 cents, cheese at 35 cents a pound, oranges 10 cents each. Supplies were purchased from boats in river. It was calculated that the men in Company C cleared $400.00 in two days, one soldier boy made $80.00. Ordnance Sergt. HEDMAN and partner bought a whole cheese and cut it up in pieces about two by three inches, which sold for 10 cents, netting them $40.00

May 11^th, were ordered to embark in the morning and waited all day on the bank. Three hundred of the regiment under the Lieut. Col., were directed to go on board a schooner with the 81^st Penn. Vols. By good management, the schooner being small and poor quarters, the 81^st was allowed to go on board first and that regiment filled the schooner up to its full capacity and a new boat had to be looked up for that portion of the 64^th. Col. PARKER and the balance of the regiment, with the band and Gen. RICHARDSON and staff were put on a small boat and had close quarters. Sergt. CHARLESWORTH, looking for a place to lie down, blundered into the cabin where were the Colonel and General RICHARDSON and was about to withdraw in haste, when the General with the good nature for which he was famous, asked him and other enlisted men in, sent for the band and ordered music. Col. BINGHAM's detachment had to wait on the bank of the river until 8:00 a.m. of the 12^th when they had the good fortune to be put on the John A. Warner, a fine Philadelphia passenger steamer, with the 66^th N.Y. and steamed up the river at 10:00 o'clock.

On the 11^th we heard the noted iron clad Merrimac blow up, before we left the anchorage. Going up river we passed some good farms. It is a noble river and the scenery very fine. We stopped at West Point for awhile but finally moved up the narrow and crooked Pamunkey river six miles, to Eltham, and disembarked. Col. PARKER's detachment arrived first and was soon joined by the remainder of the regiment and the brigade and division encamped three fourths of a mile from the river in a wheatfield [sic]. The wagons with the equipage arrived, the tents were erected and all made comfortable; barrels of truck smuggled on board the boats by the boys were got up and sold out. The weather was sultry and the soil soft, deep sand. Major BROOKS, detached as provost marshal of the division, visited us and told of his command and duties. He had a company of infantry and a squadron of cavalry under him and their duty was to pick up stragglers, make arrests and see that marauding was kept within bounds. Our division was in the advance, reports from the front showed the enemy in force on the Chickahominy river. We learned here the particulars of Gen. FRANKLIN's battle at West Point on the 7^th and 8^th of May. Union loss, killed, wounded and missing one hundred and eighty-six. Walter HULL of 37^th visited the Lieut. Col. and told us about the 37^th at Williamsburg. He reported that only about four hundred out of eight hundred of the regiment got up when the action commenced, that James MORRIS and H. HUNTLEY were wounded, Lieut. HAYS was killed and Lieut. TREVITT was promoted to First Lieutenant, in plays of HAYS, and Sergt. BIRD was promoyed [sic] to TREVITT's vacancy; and that Capt. CLARK was left sick at Williamsburg. Here we remained until the 15^th, when with reveille at 2:00 a.m., coffee at 3:00 a.m. we were packed up and were moving at 4:00. It had rained a little in the night and it was nice marching. A battery followed each brigade. Commenced raining at 7:00 o' clock and continued all day. Negroes were plowing out corn at the farms on the route. Arrived and camped at Cumberland, with the whole army about us, at 3 in the afternoon. Prices for truck had advanced here, eggs 50 cents a dozen, pies 35 cents, butter 50 cents, corn meal $7.00 per bushel. We had the best spring of water we saw in Virginia and were located among small pines and some large trees of chestnut and oak. Remained here until the 18^th. News was received that Capt. MALTBIE at Fortress Monroe was not expected to live. Lieut. and Quartermaster CROWLEY was arrested for shooting a pig in camp and was ordered to report to Capt. FARNSWORTH, of the 8^th Ill., Cav. (squadron under Pro. Mar.) who sent him to the provost marshal, who happened to be Major BROOKS of the 64^th. The major on learning the facts was mildly severe, but finally forgave the offence on condition that he should have a hind quarter of pork for his supper. At a farm adjoining camp the negroes remained, yet faithful to the family of their master.

On Sunday, May 18^th, the 64^th marched at the head of the division, four miles, to a point three miles from White House Landing, and camped in a wheat field on the Millbank farm. Two young men of the Millbank family were killed at Williamsburg and buried here near the dwelling house. The Rebels camped here a few days before; all they left was a pack of cards, found by some of the officers, who forgot it was Sunday and made use of them in a little game of poker. The chaplain had influence enough to stop the game but was not quite so influential with the regiment generally. The next day marched two miles and halted to let Hooker's division go to the front. A Rebel general officer passed to the rear with a white flag at which the men swore terribly, because reports had indicated that the enemy had used white flags at Williamsburg to take advantage in a battle. It commenced to rain and we marched eight miles further and camped near St. Peter's church. The teams with tents and baggage did not get up that night. On the morning of the 20^th, the quartermaster's train arrived and tents were pitched, the whole division being together. Many of the soldiers were attracted to an examination of the old church and church yard. The building was one hundred and fifty years old, of imported brick, with square tower, two crossed keys on spire. The dates on stones in burying ground were as old, some of them, as 1716 to 1729. SUMNER's headquarters were close by the church and a lieutenant of the regular army on the staff was disposed to resent the curiosity of the men which led them to invade the grounds in the vicinity in large numbers and called out "you d¾d whelps, if you don't stop this and keep away I'll have some of you strung up by the thumbs and taught a lesson." Lieut. Col. BINGHAM, who was among the sight-seers, forgot his usual gentleness and told the martinet that "soldiers were not whelps and had as good right on the grounds, when off duty, as any cub of an officer." It always pleased the boys to see a regular officer snubbed and they enjoyed this. Was Gen. WASHINGTON married in this old church? Such was the story floating through the camp; the church is very lonely and not a dwelling in sight. In the afternoon Col. PARKER with four companys [sic], Lieut. Col. BINGHAM with four companys [sic], and another officer with two companys [sic], were sent out as pickets in three directions. They found guards around farm houses to help the occupants sell eggs at $1.00 per dozen, milk 25 cents per quart, and ham at 50 cents per pound. The camp rumor goes to the effect that four guards left by Gen. SEDGWICK's division, after leaving Cumberland, to protect a nice farm house and property, were captured by Rebels and had their throats cut from ear to ear. Very early on the 21^st the pickets were called in. It was probably here that Capt. JONES and Lieut. PALEN were put under arrest for not returning to camp promptly. Marched at 6:00 p.m. ten miles to camp at Tunstalls Station on the Richmond & York River R.R., passing 37^th New York and Sickle's Brigade on the way. A whiskey ration, one-half gill for night and one-half gill for morning, was ordered issued, to be forfeited by those who fell out on the march. Left Tunstall's Friday morning, May 23^rd, at 6:00 o'clock and moved four miles to cold Harbor, or "Tylers" as Gen. HOWARD names it, and went into camp. here was constant expectancy of battle and the orders were to be in readiness to move at any moment. Our base of supplies was White House Landing and the roads were horrible. Sixty teams were stuck in the mud on the route at one time. This place is three miles above Bottoms Bridge, on the Chickaahominy [sic], about one-fourth of a mile from the river and eleven miles from Richmond.

May 24^th the camp was moved a short distance to better ground. The lieutenant-colonel visited Gen. MARTINDALE and dined with him, reported that he had green peas, lettuce and coffee with genuine cream. The general's son found a man picking peas for the German General VAGESACK, and told him "the general" was in a hurry and he, young MARTINDALE, would take what were picked right along. Gen. MARTINDALE enjoyed the joke and the peas immensely and said, "there is where I am ahead of Bugin-sack." After dinner Gen. MARTINDALE asked, " but where are the strawberries?" Said the general "Buginsack is ahead of me on the strawberries." "Well! well! call it even."

This day Col. PARKER issued his order relieving Lieut. CROWLEY from duty as quartermaster, directing him to report to Company H as 1^st Lieutant. Commissary-Sergt. Fred PARKER, just commissioned as 1^st Lieutenant was assigned to duty as quartermaster. It took a couple of days to transfer and take receipts for the property. On the 26^th Gen. HOWARD sent for Lient. CROWLEY and asked for Gov. SEYMOURS's order of appointment as 1^st Lieutenant and Quartermaster, as a basis of revoking Col. PARKER's order. On being informed that paper was with baggage in Patent Office at Washington, the general directed that the retained muster roll of the fled and staff of the 64^th be brought to Brigade Headquarters. Then it was found that CROWLEY had been placed on muster roll as Acting Quartermaster. May 27^th Gen. HOWARD again sent for the removed Quartermaster and questioned him very closely about many complaints which had come in to him from the officers and men about Col. PARKER and declared these complaints must be presented in writing and delivered to Capt. SEWALL, Adjt. Gen. of Brigade. That evening at a meeting of almost all of the officers of the regiment in quarters of Maj. BROOKS, who was on Division Staff, it was unanimously decided to prepare a written statement of the charges that had been made in formal shape. On the 28^th the charges were finished and signed by 1^st Lieut. H.C. Loomis, Acting Adjutant. Afterwards owing to the supposed confidential relations existing between a colonel and his adjutant, the name of Lt. Loomis was withdrawn and Capt. H.L. JONES was substituted and on the 29^th they were presented to Capt. SEWALL. On the morning of the 30^th Capt. SEWALL decided that it would not do to have Capt. JONES prefer the charges because he had been under a ten day's arrest by order of the colonel and it might be considered a malicious prosecution, at least by the colonel. Then 1^st Lient. JOHNSON affixed his signature to the charges and they were returned to Capt. SEWALL on the evening of the 30^th, who announced that next day the colonel would be put under arrest, ordered before a court martial, leaving Lieut. Col. BINGHAM in command of the Regiment. The long roll, however, sounded for the battle of Fair Oaks, the Regiment was put into Gen. French's Brigade and the charges passed into Gen. FRENCH's hands. This was the last heard of the charges by the writer of this account, for he was wounded June 1, 1862, and on his return to the Regiment in August Col. PARKER's resignation had been accepted. The 24^th and 25^th Regiment remained in readiness for movement. On the 29^th, after an all night's rain, the Regiment fell into line in light marching order, without knapsacks or tents; no teams to fellow [sic] but ammunition wagons. This meant battle. The Regiment remained however on the camp ground till nightfall and then went into quarters. May 27^th two hundred of the Regiment were ordered out to build roads to the river. Cannonading all day in the distance, at times musketry was heard; it was from the battle of Hanover Court House where Gen. PORTER defeated the rebels, taking many prisoners. In the evening there were bonfires and great cheering among the men, troops lay on their arms all night.

On the 28^th the Regiment was put under arms all day ready to march. News of Gen. BANK's retreat in northern Virginia was a wet blanket to the rejoicing of night before. In the afternoon of the 29^th over four hundred rebel prisoners, taken at Hanover court House two days before, went to the rear of our camp. The larger part of them were from North Carolina and Brig. Gen. BRANCH and four other officers were in the lot. The captured general was smiling and pleasant looking but most of the prisoners appeared very sullen. Our boys lined the roads by thousands and looked cleaner and better dressed than the confederates. The Johny's [sic] said, "you uns [sic]" look as if on dress parade. Twenty-three four horse ambulances brought up the rear with the rebel wounded and Union wounded mixed together. All were making for the Pamunkey for transport North. Some of the rebel wounded expressed surprise and pleasure at their splendid treatment. An awful thunder storm and chain lightening visited us on the 30^th. News came of the death of Capt. FRANCHER, of Company K, at his home in Leon, N.Y., and of the removal to New York hospital of Capt. MALTBIE, of Company C, partially recovered, and that Capt. PITTINGER, of Company G had been sent from Fortress Monroe to Washington and had gone home on leave of absence. The death of Capt. FRANCHER cast a gloom on the whole Regiment. He was greatly loved and esteemed by everybody. Up to this time about fifty officers and men of the Regiment had died and one hundred and sixty-seven were sick in hospitals all over the country under the stars and stripes. Our Brigade, HOWARD's and the 64^th largely participating as usual, had built two bridges over the Chickahominy and much corduroy road to and from the river, and all the time there was rain, lightening and heavy thunder. May 31, still rainy, apples are half grown in orchards. Many of the men are complaining of chronic diarrhea. Pandowdy - one of the common names for hard tack stewed with canned tomatoes - is the principal food luxury. Shortly after noon cannonading is heard towards Richmond and the order, "Fall in men, fall in" is heard on every side. As his company was obeying the order Lieut. JOHNSON was seen sitting on a cracker box with a six quart pan full of "pandowdy" in his lap, filling up for a march - getting ready for a starving tramp. The boys of Company B, reported that he surrounded the whole "shooting match." At 3 p.m. we commenced to move, marched a short distance and halted. The trouble is on the far side of the swollen Chickahominy. We move again and halt again. We must take another route and try another bridge, leaving French's Brigade alone to cross the nearest one. We marched a mile or two and then came upon the angry and overflowing stream just ready to carry away a rough bridge of poles previously thrown across it. The rising waters make the frail structure weave and tremble and cables are stretched from the stringers to trees on the banks under the water. It seems almost certain death by drowning to risk the passage, but the men go and when on the bridge they hold the floating poles down although the water is inches above the sleepers of the bridge. The soldier in front holds a pole down until his file follower, in the rear places his foot also upon it. Thus helping and encouraging each other, expecting every moment to have to swim instead of treading water with poles, we got over to the soaked ground on the other bank, the Richmond side of the river. Pettit's Battery, which preceeded [sic] us a few minutes is here within forty rods of the bridge stuck fast in the mud. The boys with ropes pull the guns out by hand, where the horses cannot stir them, only after all to see the Battery left behind, to come up before daylight in the morning. As the sun goes down we are moving towards the music of many big and small guns at Fair Oaks and as darkness falls upon us we are still crowding forward in the same direction. Pretty soon we see in the distance many lights moving irregularly about way beyond us, and as the sight is unusual we imagine that perhaps we are coming upon a new species of fire flies, or lightening bugs of immense size and uncommon brilliancy, until we begin to step occasionally on something soft and yielding and find that dead bodies are lying in our path and even the greatest care cannot keep our feet off of them all. We now know that hospital parties with lanterns are searching the battle field for the wounded and that we are on the ground where not long before both friends and foes have fallen together.

Sergt. Maj. SAVAGE brings up the rear of our Regiment and in the gloom he is so closely pressed upon by Gen. MEAGHER leading the Irish Brigade, that hot and spiteful words pass between them, and the sergeant-major more than once draws his long slim sword to prevent the general's horse from treading upon him. This shows that the 64^th got on the field that night in the rear of Howard's Brigade. At midnight we lie down silently without fires beside our stacks of guns, tired enough to fall asleep wit the dead in glue and gray all about us. At the first glimmer of dawn we are quietly roused and commanded to be ready for conflict, no leaving ranks allowed. A pine rail fence across the open field on which we stand is very tempting firewood but fires for coffee are not permitted. In every fence corner some dying soldier has crawled with his last strength and leaning against the rails for support in his final struggle, has thus, in the stillness of the night, bidden a "Good bye" to home, family and life. The 81^st Pennsylvania Vols. of our Brigade, was sent out to extend the left of French's Brigade to connect with Gen. Kerney's Division. A little later, the 5^th New Hampshire was moved across the railroad as advance of French's Brigade which was the first line of battle, leaving only the 64^th and 61^st under command of Gen. HOWARD. The rattle of musketry in the woods commencing far on our left and extending to the right in a long line, announced that the fight had begun in the gray of the morning. The writer having been without food the previous day, on account of sickness, felt compelled to have some coffee or faint before active business commenced. Carefully preparing some pine splinters from the fence he started a small but lively fire under a pint of coffee. When it was about three-quarters cooked Gen. HOWARD rode up with the inquiry, "whose fire is that?" Replying "mine general" the writer lifted the precious liquid and kicked the fire out. "Give me part of the coffee," said the general. He received a small cup full and while drinking it Gen. RICHARDSON's aid rode up to him and said that Gen. RICHARDSON desired him to support the first line with his two regiments. Gen. HOWARD threw the cup to the ground, spurred his horse and shouted "fall in! fall in!"

At once we are moving on the double quick to the railroad where we formed in line on the track, the 61^st New York on our right. A wounded horse rushed out of the woods and through our line, knocking down and injuring some of the men.

Sergt. OSBORN, of Co. D, was shot dead, and Capt. BRADLEY, of Co. H, had his left arm shattered, Lieut. CROWLEY taking command of his company.

The 52^nd Pennsylvania Vols. had been badly cut up and driven out of the woods just previously near here, and Gen. HOWARD led us in to repel the enemy's advance. The bullets whistled through our ranks and about our heads in lively manner from an unseen force. The ground was uneven, swampy in places and covered with fallen timber - large trees filled with thick under growth. We moved forward over and through these difficulties, firing and the enemy falling back. The men all along our line were falling, killed and wounded.

The enemy making a stand and their fire becoming stronger the order "lie down" ran along the line from one company to another without seeming to proceed from any particular commanding officer. The men dropped on their knees and continued firing until as the Rebels were discovered to be preparing a charge on us, the command "reserve fire" ran along the line as before. We heard the enemy's line moving towards us in a charge and could occasionally catch glimpses of men in gray and butternut through the bushes and young trees. At last when their line was less than three rods away the welcome order came to fire, and half the enemy in front of us seemed to melt away and disappear. In front of our left center a confederate field officer on a small brown horse rushed out between the two battle lines and with sword in the air shouted "come on boys, follow me", in an attempt to retrieve the wavering charge. Just at that moment the men were all reloading and Lieut. CROWLEY nearly frantic was yelling, "shoot him, shoot him!" Some of the soldiers excitedly called out "shoot him yourself with your revolver!" The revolver was jerked out, fired and the officer fell from his horse not more than twenty-five feet from our troops. The horse came on and was nearly caught, when a shot from our lines striking him in the flank, he turned and disappeared as did the rest of the opposing force, at a telling volley from our muskets.

Sergeant MARSH, of Co. B, one of a burying party next day, reported the finding of the body of a Lieutenant-Colonel of an Alabama regiment at this position. The Rebel report shows that the 3^rd Alabama was in front of us.

We in our turn advanced receiving shots all the time which took men out of every company. While the men were shooting from their knees George WELLMAN, of Co. K, saw that a Rebel sharpshooter in a tree was picking off men - three of them had been hit by the side of an officer of another company further on the right, left his place and rushing into the spot made vacant by the killed and wounded men said to the officer, "I see the son of a gun who is trying to pick you off," kneeled and fired. At the same time this brave George WELLMAN also fell with a shattered right shoulder, exclaiming, "I dropped him anyhow."

Company D lost very severely, an experience which was destined to be continued with reference to that organization in the future engagements in which the regiment participated. Lieut. Ezra W. KENDALL was killed. The regiment becoming sadly re-reduced by killed and wounded was ordered to move to the right so as to allow the 5^th New Hampshire to come into line on our left.

Lieut. CROWLEY was wounded in the left arm in this movement. Lieut. HEWITT was sent back to bring up four men of Co. H who had failed to leave the old position, and when returned with the men, met the commander of the company going to the rear and exclaimed "Good God Lieutenant, you are not leaving us." In a moment he discovered the disabled arm and the flow of blood from it and hurried forward and took command. HEWITT took great pains to go to the field hospital next day and to apologize for suspecting for a moment that his superior officer was showing the white feather. Poor HEWITT! he died less than a month afterward with disease at White Oak Swamp, a prisoner in the hands of the enemy.

In going to the rear Lieut. CROWLEY discovered the 5^th New Hampshire coming to reinforce, in the act of firing towards the 64^th, and had to drop to the ground to avoid the volley. Happily the aim was high and did but little damage to the 64^th, except to convince the officers and men for a short time that they were surrounded. On being informed of the situation, Col. CROSS moved his regiment by left oblique and assumed his proper position. Col. CROSS had a revolver in each hand and walked back and forth behind the center of his regiment calling out: "I will shoot the first man who skulks" As Lieut. CROWLEY emerged from the woods, Lieut. MILLER of RICHARDSON's staff rode up and inquired how it was going in there, and received this reply: "For the first ten minutes we drove them like sheep, but for the last twenty minutes we have had all we could do to hold our own." As our men had been fighting for hours, the wounded lieutenant was considered crazy, and the aid so reported to the general.

Gen. HOWARD, after leading in the line formed in the 64^th and 61^st New York, was borne off to the right, more in front of the 61^st. Whether this was accidental, or whether the general thought he was needed more especially by the 61^st, is hard to determine. The Companys [sic] A and C on our right, in keeping Gen. HOWARD in sight, were separated some distance from the other eight companies, who could not see the Brigadier, and who were paying particular attention, as they were obliged to do, to the lively fight in their immediate front.

General BARLOW, of the 61^st, in his report of the battle assumes credit for collecting a greater part of two companies of the 64^th at an early hour of the day "who joined our left and remained until the action was over." This is an injustice to those two companies which Gen. BARLOW will no doubt rectify if called upon.

The left of the regiment was more advanced than the right or nearer the enemy's lines at least. Eight rods is spoken of as the distance between the two lines by Col. BARLOW, when many of our left wing can testify that the enemy was less than three rods away when our fire, which had been reserved, broke their advance. Besides we on the left, notwithstanding the underbrush could distinctly see the rebel line.

We were not troubled with many orders from our field officers during engagement. The orders ran along the line from one company to another and were promptly complied with, though not coming in regular style, especially when they directed the troops to lie down. The men were very restive under order to reserve fire while the enemy was making the charge on us, until they came close upon us, but found it was a wise thing to do. There is not much doubt but what the enlisted men were entitled to more credit for good conduct in this battle than the commissioned officers generally. It seems that all through the war, with many brilliant exceptions, of course, the rank and file of the army deserved a higher class of officers than they had in command.

The writer believes that in this battle Lieut. Col. BINGHAM was on the extreme right with the two companies referred to. He was severely wounded in the thigh.

It is noticeable in the report of the battle by Col. CROSS that he says nothing about firing upon the 64^th. Gen. HOWARD reporting the battle says "I immediately moved forward into the woods with the 61^st and 64^th New York regiments. The fire of the enemy was rapid, well directed and fatal. I led the regiments forward pressing back the enemy to and across the old road into the camp which Gen. CASEY's division occupied on the Saturday previous. All the men behaved most gallantly. I cannot speak too highly of such troops.

Gen. HOWARD was wounded twice in the right arm, necessitating amputation afterward, his horse was shot under him and Capt. HOWARD, his aid was wounded and lost a horse. Not long after the regiment was reinforced by the 5^th New Hampshire, and towards noon we were withdrawn and placed in second line behind the Irish Brigade. Capt. H.V. FULLER in writing home next day gives the time of our engagement from 7 a.m. until 9:35 a.m.

Col. PARKER in his report speaks of two hours engagement. It seems that we moved into line sometime before 7 o'clock in the morning and that it was after ten some time, before we left the front. Capt. Fuller in his letter before mentioned, give the loss of the companies, and his statement is published in the History of Cottauraugus County as follows:

Lieut. KENDALL of Co. C, was the officer killed. The wounded officers were Lieut. Col. BINGHAM, Capts. GLENNY, RENWICK, and BRADLEY; Lieuts. LOOMIS, DARBY, COOPER and CROWLEY.

It is to be especially noted that there was not a man missing from the 64^th in this battle, which speaks volumns [sic] for the coolness, bravery and discipline of the organization. Nearly one-third of the Regiment was killed and wounded, without a prisoner or deserter or even a straggler. Nothing could exceed the great skill and care of surgeons, BARR and KELSEY, in care of the wounded. Limbs were saved from amputation which the Brigade Surgeon was very anxious to cut off. Brigade Surgeon PALMER was very angry in one instance at least because Dr. BARR protested and the wounded man threatened to shoot the first doctor that came near him with a knife or sponge of chloroform. Indeed, it is feared that Surgeon BARR here first incurred the emnity [sic] of Brigade Surgeon PALMER, by doing his duty fearlessly, which in the future was to culminate in the outrage which was perpetrated on one of the most accomplished and deserving officers of the Regiment. It would have been well if all the surgeons in the army had been as careful of the limbs of the brave boys as was Dr. BARR. In this battle of the 64^th the courage and endurance of command was fully established and ever afterwards, through the war, the grand old organization was relied upon as one of the safest and most reliable bodies of troops in the Army of the Potomac.

In concluding this imperfect account of the 64^th Regiment New York Vols., from Yorktown to after the battle of Fair Oaks, covering a period from May 3^rd. 1862 to June 2^nd, 1862, the writer must apologize for leaving out many noteworthy incidents and occurrences to officers and men, which have not been preserved in his memory or obtainable from sources open to him. And also to any undue prominence given to what happened in the writer's personal affairs and experiences. It is hoped that many others will furnish statements of this period, including their personal recollections, so that the whole number of accounts may be sifted an compared. In this way only can a worthy history of a most worthy organization be written, in such a way as to do justice those brave defenders of the flag and country.

Introduction
From a Regiment of State Militia to Active Service in the Field
From June 1^st, 1862, to July 2^nd, 1862
From Harrison's Landing to Washington, D.C.
Roster of Field, Staff and Band, 1892 Reunion
Roster of Non-Commisioned Officers and Privates, 1892 Reunion