CHAPTER XII.
Removal from Centre Cross to Orange—In Grant's Deserted Camps—On the Wilderness Battle-Field–Marching to Meet an Unarmed Regiment—At Spottsylvania Courthouse—Fight at the Gayle House—Watching the Left of Grant's Army—Fighting Near Guinea's Station—In a Tight Place on the Telegraph Road—A Well-Aimed Cannon Shot—On the North Anna—A Slave's Fidelity—Battle of Hawes' Shop—In the Rear of Warren's Corps—Federal Outrages—A Quartermaster With a Gold Chain
We were greatly recruited, and our horses in good order when the campaign of 1864 commenced in the last days of March. The regiment numbered for duty about six hundred, though nearly one hundred besides were on detached service, employed as couriers, scouts, and on other special details. From Essex we marched to the vicinity of Fredericksburg, and our camp was pitched on the battle-field near Hamilton's Crossing. Our duty was to maintain a line of pickets for some distance along the Rapidan, until near the close of April, when, having marched through Orange Courthouse, our camp was pitched a short distance beyond, at the Madison House, in the forks of the Rapidan and Robinson rivers.
As General Grant commenced his advance we recrossed the Rapidan, and, moving back down the river, bivouacked near Morton's Ford. Here we remained inactive during the two-days' battles on the turnpike and plank-road connecting Orange Courthouse and Fredericksburg. The present writer having obtained a permit to absent himself from camp, rode down on the evening of the second day, and witnessed from our lines the last charge of the enemy made on that bloody Wilderness field. It was speedily repulsed.
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