Journal History of the Twenty-Ninth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, 1861-1865 / Its Victories and its Reverses. And the campaigns and battles of Winchester, Port Republic, Cedar Mountain, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain, Atlanta, the March to the Sea, and the campaign of the Carolinas, in which it bore an honorable part

by J. Hamp SeCheverell

CHAPTER IV.

Pursuit of Jackson—The “Long” March—Fredericksburg to Front Royal—March to Waynesboro.

At early dawn on the morning of March 24th the Union army pushed forward in pursuit of the retreating rebels. The Twenty-ninth deployed as skirmishes in the advance. Many wounded Confederates were found in private houses along the line of march. About noon the dashing rebel cavalry officer Ashby came from cover and suddenly swooped down upon the regiment with a heavy cavalry force. Rallying by companies and forming squares, a well directed volley soon sent the rebels in haste to the rear. The pursuit of the fleeing rebels was continued until nightfall, when the regiment went into bivouac near Cedar creek. The next morning (25th) our columns again pushed forward until reaching a point a little in advance of Strasburg, where a halt was ordered and a camp (Kimball), established. Here we remained for some time, making frequent raids into the surrounding country and skirmishing almost daily with the enemy.

April 1st the regiment again moved after the retreating army, and about daylight on the following morning indulged in some artillery firing with the rebel rear guards. During the month of April the regiment marched up the valley as far as Newmarket, passing the towns of Woodstock and Mount Jackson. At the latter place a hospital was established, and companies G and E were detailed for provost, and other duties, in and around Mount Jackson, while the remainder of the regiment moved up the valley to Camp Thurburn and continued the usual picket, camp, and guard duties.

May 3d left camp and marched up the valley in the direction of Harrisburg; halted about three miles from town and camped for the night. May 5th, returned from near the town of Harrisburg and went into camp four miles above Newmarket, where the regiment remained until the 12th day of May, when it left the Shenandoah valley at Newmarket on the long march to Fredericksburg, marched to Luray, and encamped for the night (marched eighteen miles). Thirteenth, moved at 7 A. M. The Twenty-ninth, was detailed as rear guard. Fourteenth, marched at 6, reached Front Royal at 3:30 P. M. and camped for the night. Fifteenth, marched at 9 A. M., traveled thirteen miles, and went into camp. Sixteenth, marched at 6:30 A. M., reached Gains’ Cross Road, and camped for the night, (marched ten miles). May 17th, marched at 6 A. M., and reached Warrenton (distance of eighteen miles), and went into camp for the night. Sunday, May 18th, remained in camp. Monday, 19th, marched at 5 o’clock A. M., and at 3 P. M. reached the Orange & Alexandria railroad at Catlet’s Station, and went into camp. Remained until May 21st, when the regiment again marched at 6 A. M., halting at 10:30 P. M. for the night. Twenty-second, marched at 7 A. M., reached Falmouth in the evening, and went into camp. Friday, May 23d, the army under Major-general McDowell was reviewed by Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States, with satisfactory results. Sunday, 25th, marched at 6 A. M., and at 4:30 went into camp. Twenty-sixth, marched at 5 A. M., and camped for the night at Catlet’s Station. Twenty-seventh, marched some four miles on the Manassas Gap railroad, and went into camp. Twenty-eighth, marched at 5 A. M. past White Plains; after tramping fifteen miles went into camp. Twenty-ninth, marched at 7 o’clock A. M. in the direction of Front Royal, reached Rectortown at 4 o’clock P. M., and two hours later fell in, in light marching order, and moved forward, leaving the baggage until May 31st, when at 4 o’clock A. M. it moved forward towards Front Royal, reaching Piedmont at 9 A. M., and Markham at 4 P. M.; moved to within six miles of Front Royal, and camped for the night. June 1st, marched to Front Royal, and at 4 P. M. moved forward some three miles on the Luray road, and went into camp. June 2d, marched at 6 A. M., marched thirteen miles, and went into camp. Third, marched at 7 A. M., reached Luray at 12 M., passed through the town on the Newmarket road, some two miles and camped. Fourth, remained in camp all day. Fifth, marched at 5 A. M., marched four miles, halted, put up our tents, and prepared to be comfortable, when at 3 o’clock P. M. we were ordered to move. This was occasioned by the close proximity of the rebel batteries on the opposite side of the river. The regiment marched about one mile and again halted for the night. Sixth, ordered to march at 4 A. M., fell into line at 5, moved two miles, halted, stacked arms, soon fell in and marched about two miles farther, pitched our tents, and at 6 P. M. fell in and marched back to the place the regiment left in the morning, where we arrived at 12 at night, and went into camp. Saturday, 7th, the regiment was up at 4 A. M. and marched at 9 A. M. (the baggage was ordered to Luray and Front Royal; Sergeant C. H. Edgerly and Private Willard Denison, of Company H, were furloughed home for thirty days), marched up the east bank of the Shenandoah river, a distance of fourteen miles, halted at 6 P. M., and went into camp. Eighth, marched at 4 A. M., halted at 6:30 for breakfast, and at 8:15 again moved forward; soon heard the artillery firing at Cross Keys on the west side of the Shenandoah river and mountain. The regiment moved on up the river and about 5 o’clock P. M. were in sight of the rebels, whose ambulances and train were moving rapidly in retreat in the direction of Port Republic from the battle of Cross Keys. The Union forces were under the command of Major-general John C. Fremont, and the Confederate army commanded by Major-general Thomas J. Jackson. The Union army took shelter in a strip of woods at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountain, near Port Republic, Virginia, and bivouacked for the night.