On the 10th December the 12th Army Corps, to which the 137th Regiment had been attached, left Harper's Ferry at the time of Burnside's unsuccessful attack on Fredericksburgh, and having marched to Dumfries, Va., were, in consequence of Burnside's repulse, marched back to Fairfax Station, where they remained until the 17th January, 1863, when they were again ordered forward, Burnside intending to make another attack on Fredericksburgh, but failed on account of the mud.
The 12th Corps having reached Stafford Court House, the Brigade to which the 137th was attached was ordered to Aquia Creek, where they remained until the 26th April, when they commenced their march to Chancellorsville, which they reached on the 29th of April. On the 30th the 12th Corps was ordered forward to feel the enemy's position, and finding them in strong force returned to camp, where they commenced throwing up earthworks, the 137th using bayonets for picks and tin plates for shovels. In the subsequent battles the Regiment maintained its position in the trenches until they were entered by the enemy from the right, (the right flank of the army having been turned by the giving way of the 11th Corps,) when they were ordered to retire, which they did in good order. As this was the first battle in which the Regiment was engaged, some anxiety was felt by the officers as to the mettle of their men; but their conduct on this occasion was such as to give no further uneasiness. After the battle the Regiment returned to Aquia Creek, where it remained until the 13th June, when it commenced its march to Gettysburg, and on the 2d and 3d July was closely and hotly engaged with the invader.
Late in the afternoon of the 2d July the whole of the 12th Corps, with the exception of Green's Brigade, was sent to support the left of the line, which was closely pressed; they had scarcely gone when Stonewall Jackson's old Corps, seven thousand strong, under Ewell, charged our right, which was defended by only Green's Brigade of New York troops less than two thousand strong; but so obstinate was the defence, that the enemy did not succeed in breaking our lines; heavy firing was kept up nearly all night. About four o'clock of the morning of the 3d, the enemy again advanced to the charge but was again repulsed, and a heavy and constant fire was kept up until half past ten, when the enemy retired. The loss of the 137th was four officers and forty-one men killed, and three officers and sixty-four men wounded. Lt. Col. Van Voorhees was slightly wounded twice during the action.
After the battle and the escape of Lee's army across the Potomac, the army again encamped on the banks of the Rappahannock and afterwards on the banks of the Rappidan, when, on the 23d September, immediately after the battle of Chickamauga, the 11th and 12th Corps under Hooker were ordered to Tennessee, where they arrived in the fore part of October. In the latter part of that month Hooker was ordered by Grant to open communication between Bridgport, Ala., and Chattanooga, Tenn., by the way of White Side, along the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. The army of the Cumberland being besieged in Chattanooga and destitute of provisions, it became necessary to secure a shorter line of communication, or the place would have to be abandoned with the loss of all the artillery and trains, as there were no animals left to draw them away. On the 28th of October the 11th Corps under Gen. Howard, followed by a part of Geary's Division of the 12th Corps, all under the command of Gen. Hooker, debouched into Lookout Valley, and for six miles marched in plain view of the rebels who occupied the summit and sides of the mountain, and who could almost count the men in the ranks. On encamping for the night, the 11th Corps was about two and a half miles in advance of Geary's Division, which, being observed by the enemy, they determined to surprise and capture Geary's Division; and accordingly two Divisions of Longstreet's Corps were ordered to the attack. They came in between the 11th Corps and Geary's Division, and while one Division took up a position to prevent reinforcements from being sent to Gen. Geary, the other advanced to the attack, which came near being a surprise, the attack being made about midnight. Gen. Geary had with him at the time but four Regiments and two sections of a battery. The 111th Pennsylvania succeeded in getting into line, and the 137th New York were but partly in line when the enemy opened fire upon them at less than fifty yards distance. These two Regiments bore the whole brunt of the battle, which lasted over two hours; the other two Regiments were placed in position to protect the right flank and rear, leaving the left flank exposed. Early in the action Gen. Green, commanding the Brigade, was wounded, and Col. Ireland of the 137 Regiment being senior Colonel, the command of the Brigade devolved upon him, leaving the command of the Regiment to Lt. Col. Van Voorhees. The enemy finding the left unprotected, moved a part of their force to the left, and came down on the left and rear of the 137th, but Col. Van Voorhees immediately placed his three left Companies perpendicular to the rear facing them to the left, and facing the rear rank of four other Companies to the rear, the Regiment kept up such a vigorous and well directed fire to the front, flank and rear, as finally to beat back the enemy and cause his retreat, though not till nearly every cartridge in the Regiment was expended.
The 137th (who lost nearly one-third of their number in killed and wounded) was highly complimented for their coolness and courage in this engagement. Gen. Geary in a speech delivered to the Regiment at the time of its muster-out, used the following language in regard to their conduct on this occasion: "I have at all times and in all places given you the credit of saving my Division from rout or capture at Wauhatchie. As I passed down your rear and observed the vigorous attack that was made upon you, I exclaimed, 'My God, if the 137th gives way all is lost.' But thanks to the coolness, skill and courage of your commanding officer, and to your own determined will, you maintained your ground nobly, and the enemy was driven back to his mountain den."
Gen. Howard, in a speech at Philadelphia, characterized this battle as "the wonderful night's revel at Wauhatchie;" and the rebel papers and dispatches acknowledged a serious defeat and heavy loss. Col. Van Voorhees was severely wounded during the action, but refused to leave the field to have his wound dressed until the action was over and all danger of its renewal had passed.
Col. Van Voorhees being at home recovering from his wound, was not with his Regiment in their "battle above the clouds," in which it maintained its reputation, being the first to enter the enemy's works upon Lookout Mountain. Col. Van Voorhees rejoined his Regiment in January, and led it in all the battles of the Atlanta campaign, which commenced on the 2d day of May and ended by the capture of Atlanta on the 2d day of September, being four months of almost continuous fighting. The first battle was that of Mill Creek Gap, May 8th, in which Geary's Division drove the rebels into their works on the summit of Taylor's Ridge. The next was the battle of Resacca, May 15th, in which the Regiment lost several in wounded. The next was the battle of Dallas, or New Hope Church, on the 25th of May; here Hooker's Corps lost heavily. One line of the enemy's works was carried just at night, and they driven about a mile into a second line of works which was not carried owing to the darkness; but a position was taken and a line of works established within a stone's throw of the enemy's line. The Regiment remained here eight days under a constant fire, and without any shelter from the weather. On the 5th June the enemy was found to have evacuated his works, and it was supposed had crossed the Chattahoochie River; the men needing rest the enemy was not followed. The army was moved forward a few miles and put into camp for rest.
On the 7th June, Col. Van Voorhees being officer of the day and having charge of the picket line, discovered the enemy's position; their line extending from Kenesaw Mountain to Lost Mountain, a distance of eight miles. He made a written report of the fact to Gen. Geary, who immediately sent for him and discredited the report, stating that he did not believe there was a rebel soldier this side of the Chattahoochie; he however said he would send up the report. On the 8th June Gen. Sherman telegraphed to the Secretary of War that "his cavalry had that day discovered the enemy's position, and that his right rested on Kenesaw Mountain and his left on Lost Mountain," thus confirming Col. Van Voorhees' report made the day previous.
On the 15th June the Regiment was moved forward to the foot of Pine Knob, (which was occupied by the enemy,) where they threw up works for the artillery who shelled the hill, one result of which was the killing of Gen. Polk of the rebel army. On the same day the Division moved forward to the attack of Pine Knob; several lines of rifle pits were carried, but the main works were very formidable and were not carried. A line of works were built the same night within a hundred yards of the enemy's line, and heavy skirmishing kept up on the 16th, and on the morning of the 17th the enemy was found to have evacuated his works. The Regiment lost two killed and twenty wounded. The enemy was immediately pursued and found in a new position before noon of the same day. In advancing to support a battery the Regiment lost one man killed and one wounded. On the morning of the 19th the enemy was found to have again abandoned his works, but was found strongly entrenched two miles to the rear. From this time up to the 5th July, when the enemy retreated across the Chattahoochie, it was one continued series of battles, skirmishes, and changes of position.
On the 22d June the 137th Regiment, in connection with the 111th Pennsylvania, were highly complimented by Gen. Hooker for their bravery in obtaining possession of a commanding position which was strongly defended by the enemy.