History of the Eighteenth Regiment (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1885 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XI. Hunter's Raid--Battle Of Piedmont. We come now to a very important chapter in the history of the Eighteenth, where Gen. Hunter was ordered to retrieve the losses and failures of Gen. Sigel. Accordingly another movement up the valley was ordered and in order to increase the speed and efficiency of his army, stringent orders were issued reducing the amount of transportation allowed to each regiment two-thirds, thus allowing to each regiment one eight-mule team, and directing regimental commanders to send to the rear all surplus baggage belonging to the officers and men in their commands. This order left the officers without a "change of linen," and the men lost some of their most useful articles of comfort. Such being the case no one could doubt but that the regiment was under "light marching orders." Fortunate, indeed, for all was it that this proved true, for the next thirty days were days that "tried men's souls," the darkest days of the war. On May 27th, Hunter's army moved early on its way up the valley. Arrived in Woodstock, about six o'clock in the evening, and remained there for the night. May 2g1(, marched to near New Market where the army rested five days. In the mean time visited the old battle-ground in search of the dead. Found that the rebels had very carelessly buried the Union dead, while their own had been carried to a cemetery a few hundred yards distant and decently buried with head and foot-boards, the names of the dead being printed on the head-boards. In the hospital were found several of the wounded, among them Hauerwas, of Company C, who had a leg amputated. It was thought at the time that he could not survive, but he eventually recovered and in due time was taken back into the Union lines, and returned to his family in Leb...