The plan aimed at in writing the history is to not go outside of our own organization in what is related, except to give a brief account of the operations of the various armies to which we belonged, and to intersperse the work with incidents, anecdotes, and matters mainly personal to the members of the regiment.
Whatever possible merit may be found in the history is largely due to the assistance of comrades in furnishing valuable data. Some of them were quite liberal in their contributions. And where there is failure to make mention of incidents worthy of record, or of daring deeds of individuals or detachments, it is because they were not known, or are not remembered by the compiler. Reasonable effort was made to get all such details. A card was inserted in various newspapers, and letters were written to different comrades asking that they be furnished. If comrades shall fail to find, as no doubt they shall, a record herein of certain incidents worthy of mention, they will be forbearing toward the historian when they consider that there is a number of such matters herein given that they did not know of or have forgotten.
The comrades will all feel like thanking Mrs. McCaffrey, formerly Mrs. Bengough, wife of the late Lieut. Bengough of the Twelfth, for the vivid and stirring story of the capture, detention and final release of herself and sister-in-law as prisoners by the Rebels, kindly furnished for this history.
Surviving Comrades, this attempted record of the history of the old Twelfth is now submitted to your charitable consideration, and may your days be long, peaceful, pleasant and prosperous.
WILLIAM HEWITT.
June 20th, 1892.
INDEX
| [CHAPTER I.] |
| The Circumstances Under Which the Twelfth Was Organized—The Character of the Men Composing it—The Organization. |
| [CHAPTER II.] |
| March to Clarksburg—Marches and Operations in West Virginia in the Fall of '62—Incidents. |
| [CHAPTER III.] |
| The Movement into the Shenandoah Valley—Stationed at Winchester Under Gen. Milroy—Moved to Berryville—The Capture of Capt. Lapole—Joke on Sergt. Porter—From Berryville to Clarksburg—The March Through Charlestown. |
| [CHAPTER IV.] |
| The Battle of Winchester—The Retreat—The North Mountain Girl— Halted at Bloody Run, Pa.—Marched to Bedford—Left Bedford for Loudon—Milroy's Men Capture One of Lee's Trains and Many Prisoners— Marched to Hagerstown—Anecdotes—Marched to Sharpsburg—Thence to Martinsburg. |
| [CHAPTER V.] |
| Col. Klunk's Resignation Accepted—Troops Pass from the Army of the Potomac to Grant—An Incident about Van and Tom—Capt. Bristor's Capture of Spy—Capt. Moffatt's Capture of Gilmore's Men—Lieut. Blaney's Observation—An Incident Concerning Adjt. Caldwell—Mrs. Bengough a Prisoner—Her Story. |
| [CHAPTER VI.] |
| An Attack Expected—March to Maryland Heights—Incidents—Brigaded with the Thirty-fourth Mass.—A Move up the Valley—Incidents—The Return—Incidents—Followed by Early-Threatened Attack at Harper's Ferry—Moved to Cumberland, Md.—Comrade Haney's Story—Gens. Kelly and Crook Captured. |
| [CHAPTER VII.] |
| Under Gen. Sigel—March to Beverly, via Webster—March back to Webster—The Story of the Camp on the Rebel Farm—The March up the Valley—Two of Company C Captured—The Battle of New Market—Gen. Sigel's Letter—Corpl. De Bee's Scout—An Incident—Comrades Miller and W. C. Mahan as Prisoners—Their Stories. |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] |
| Sigel Relieved—Hunter in Command—The Lynchburg Campaign—The Battle of Piedmont—List of Killed and Wounded—Marched to Lynchburg— Anecdote—The Battle—The Retreat to the Kanawha—Hunter's Loss of Artillery on Way—The Men Hard Pressed for Food. |
| [CHAPTER IX.] |
| Back in the Valley—Threatening Early on His Retreat from Washington —Battle of Snicker's Ferry—Marched to Winchester—Battle of Kearnstown—Our Retreat via. Martinsburg and Sharpsburg to Halltown—An Incident—R. W. Mahan's Prison Trials—A Large Army Concentrates at Halltown—The Wild-goose Chase Into Maryland. |
| [CHAPTER X.] |
| Sheridan in Command—The Move up the Valley—The Twelfth Charges Rebel Skirmishers—Sheridan Retreats to Halltown—Early Demonstrates Against Him—Early Withdraws—Sheridan Moves to Charlestown—The Fight at Berryville—Grant's Visit to Sheridan—The Battle of the Opeguon —Anecdote of Sheridan—Battle of Fisher's Hill—Pursuit of the Enemy up the Valley—Destruction by Sheridan—He Falls Back to Strasburg—Battle of Tom's Brook—Our Brigade Starts for Martinsburg —Mosby Attacks an Ambulance Guard—The Twelfth Starts for the Front—Early Shells Thoburn's Camp—The Battle of Cedar Creek—The Twelfth on the Way to the Front—Sheridan on His Ride—Col. Thoburn Killed—Capt. Phil Bier Killed—The Twelfth Marches to Cedar Creek—Thence to Newtown. |
| [CHAPTER XI.] |
| The Army Moves Back to Kearnstown—Early Follows Far as Middletown —Sheridan's Cavalry Drives the Rebel Cavalry—Early Returns to New Market—Anecdotes—The Twelfth Moves to Stephenson's Depot—Salutes for Gen. Thomas's Victories—The Twelfth Sent to the Army of the James—Put into the Twenty-fourth Corps—The Opposing Pickets—Lieut. Col. Northcott's Resignation—The Sinking of Rebel Gun Boats—Rebel Deserters—The Peace Commission—Grant Reviews Our Corps—Gen. Turner Commands the Division—It Moves to Aid Sheridan—Asst. Surg. Neil's Lecture. |
| [CHAPTER XII.] |
| Part of Our Army Crosses the James—The Second Division at Hatcher's Run—The Capture of Fort Gregg—The Enemy Evacuates Richmond and Petersburg—The Pursuit—The March to Cut off Lee's Retreat—An Incident—The Second Division and One Other Were the Infantry Forces Cutting off the Retreat—The Surrender—Both Armies Cheer—Lieut. McCord—The Col. and Citizen McLean Talk—An Incident—Marched to Lynchburg and Back—Thence to Richmond—Some of the Boys Presented with Medals—Mustered Out—Sent Home—Memorial—Conclusion. |