The enemy massed his forces upon the right wing in the latter part of the day. The 11th Corps gave way, and the Union troops were forced back to the west end of the field. The rapid firing of the massed artillery during the night, made the whole line in front a sheet of living flame. It was one of the grandest sights that the eye has opportunity to witness. Early the following morning, the battle was vigorously renewed. At 8:30 A. M. the Seventh was ordered into the rifle pits at the east end of the field. The enemy took possession of the west end, and planted batteries, so as to give the Union forces a terrible cross fire from three directions. After an hour it was ordered to its old position at the south-east corner of the field. At 11 A. M. the Seventh was ordered to charge the enemy, who were driving several regiments before them. After a short fight in the brush, the enemy fell back. It was then discovered that the rest of the Union forces had been withdrawn, leaving this Ohio brigade to fight alone with the rebels, and to cover the retreat. The Seventh was the last engaged, and was obliged to retire across the open field that was swept by the enemy's artillery. The brigade took up a fortified position near the river, and held it until the 6th of May. In the battle, John Gardner was wounded and left uncared for, ten days, on the field, in the hands of the enemy. Cole, Wise, and J. S. Kellogg, were also wounded, but were able to retreat.
Battle of Gettysburg.
The sequel proved that Lee's object from this time was, to push into Pennsylvania. The Union forces were compelled to follow. They reached Gettysburg on the 1st of July, 1863. The route of the Seventh was via. Aquia Landing, Edward's Ferry, Frederick, and Littletown. Tedious in the extreme was the march a portion of the way. The weather was excessively warm; so that on the route from Dumfries to Fairfax, in one day, nineteen men in one division, died by the road side from heat and exhaustion. Who can tell the amount of suffering among the survivors? Battles have produced only a fractional portion of the horrors and sufferings of this war.
On the 1st of July, the Seventh took position on the left of the Federal lines, without fighting. In the morning of the 2d, it was moved to the right wing, where there was a little musketry in the afternoon. At 6 P. M., it reinforced the left wing, which, by a furious assault, had been forced back. There being danger on the right wing, the regiment was again moved to its support, at 1 A. M. of the 3d. Musketry was kept up during the whole day. At 6 A. M., the Seventh took the rifle pits. The severest portion of the battle occurred in the afternoon of the 3d. The enemy threw his whole force against the center and was thoroughly punished. The cannonading was terrific, perhaps equal to any of the whole war. The slight loss in the Seventh was due to their fortifications. In Co. C, the wounded were Henry Fairchild, John Burns, John Finneran and Joseph McCurren; the latter, mortally.
Once more were the faces of the two grand armies turned towards Richmond. The battles of Geary's brigade in the northern portion of the Confederacy were ended. Its journey before meeting the enemy again, face to face, in deadly conflict, was long enough to reach around a small-sized world. The windings and turnings of it are almost untraceable. In this short sketch, there is only space to mark out the route without giving the multitude of interesting particulars connected with it.
The brigade passed through Smoketown, Fairplay, (there forming line of battle,) Sharpsburg, Harper's Ferry, proceeded up the Loudon Valley to Ashby's Gap, marched through Manassas Gap, Rectorsville, Markham, White Plains, Thoroughfare Gap, Greenwich, Manassas, Catlett Station, and, crossing the Rappahannock below Culpepper, it encamped on the banks of the Rapidan, in view of the enemy, on the opposite side.
But not long were they to tarry there. The four Ohio regiments were soon sent to New York, as was supposed, to enforce the draft. Moving by rail to Alexandria, and, after being paid for two months, taking the ocean steamer, Baltic, they reached New York Harbor about the middle of August, and encamped on Governor's Island, at the southern extremity of the city.
The draft having passed among the lower classes without a pat-riot, they again weighed anchor on the same steamer, about the 1st of September, and, by the same route, reached their former camp on the Rapidan, very near the middle of the month.
Hooker's Corps was immediately ordered to Tennessee. This corps consisted of the 11th and 12th consolidated, and was numbered the 20th.
Its route was through Washington, Baltimore, Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, to Wauhatchie Valley.