Among the men the furlough was the all-absorbing theme. When were they to be granted? It is safe to say that a bounty of $1,000.00, without the furlough, would have secured but a small number of the men. But the assurance of spending thirty days at home was the great inducement for reenlisting, as most of the men had been absent from home for two years or more.
January 8th, 1864, was the time appointed for the regiment to depart for the north, and long before daylight the boys were up and getting ready for their departure. The men who had not reenlisted were temporarily assigned to the 141st Pennsylvania. At 7 o'clock a. m., in the midst of a snow storm, we boarded a train at Brandy station and were soon on our way to Washington, where we remained for a day and a night, and then started for Harrisburg. Here we deposited our arms and accoutrements in the arsenal, and then the men departed by different routes for their homes.
Our stay at home was one continual round of pleasure. There were parties, festivals and sleigh-rides without number and the men will never forget those halcyon days of our "veteran furlough."
After the men had been at home for some days, many of their friends were anxious to enlist and return with them to the army. On account of our success in obtaining recruits our furlough was extended. When we left for home the regiment numbered barely two hundred men. After an absence of forty-five days we returned with nearly five hundred men in our ranks.
Our old flag which had been torn by the bullets of many battles was left at Harrisburg while we were on furlough, and when we returned to the front we received a new one, with an appropriate speech, from the hands of Governor Curtin.
On the 25th of February we rejoined our old brigade near Culpepper, Va., and on the 27th we went with the division on a reconnaissance to James City. We were gone two days, during which time nothing of importance occurred.
General Grant, having been appointed lieutenant-general, and placed in command of all our armies, made his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac some time in March, 1864. About the 16th of March the army was reorganized, the 1st and 3d corps were disbanded and the divisions assigned to other corps. The 1st and 2d division of the 3d corps (the old divisions of Kearny and Hooker) were assigned to the 2d corps, commanded by General Hancock. The 3d division was assigned to the 6th corps. Our division, now designated as the 3d division, of the 2d corps, was commanded by General Birney. It consisted of two brigades commanded by Generals Ward and Hays. Our brigade (now designated as the 2d brigade, 3d division, 2d corps) was commanded by Gen. Alexander Hays and was comprised of the following named regiments: 4th and 17th Maine; 3d and 5th Michigan; 93d New York; 57th, 63d and 105th Pennsylvania, and 1st United States Sharpshooters. The 68th and 114th Pennsylvania of our old brigade were detached, and acted as provost guard at army headquarters. The 141st Pennsylvania was attached to Ward's brigade.
The men were proud of the record of the army corps to which they had formerly belonged, and felt very glad to know that they would be allowed to wear the old badge of the corps in which they had previously served. Under the reorganization the Army of the Potomac consisted of three corps, as follows: 2d corps, General Hancock; 5th corps, General Warren; 6th corps, General Sedgewick. The 9th corps, under General Burnside, joined the Army of the Potomac about the 5th of May.
The great campaign of 1864 began soon after midnight on May 3d. Our corps, preceded by Gregg's cavalry, moved out, and about daylight crossed the Rapidan on a pontoon bridge at Ely's ford, and on the night of the 4th we bivouacked on the old Chancellorsville battlefield, on the ground over which we had fought one year before.
On the morning of the 5th we moved down the plank road to a point about two miles beyond the Chancellor house, when we turned to the right, which brought us to Todd's tavern about noon. Here we cooked our coffee and then resumed our march until we struck the Brock road, where we turned to the right and formed a line of battle facing west. Soon after we were ordered back into the road, and then at double quick we went up the road until we reached the Orange plank road. Here we saw General Hancock, who ordered General Hays to throw in his first regiment on the right of the plank road. This happened to be the 57th, and as soon as our left had cleared the road we were faced to the left and advanced in line of battle facing west, with the left of the regiment resting on the plank road. We were now in what is known as the Wilderness. This is a tract of land of about twenty thousand acres covered principally with small pines and scrub oaks. It formerly belonged to Governor Spottswood, and was once covered with heavy timber, which was cut down and made into charcoal, used for smelting iron in the old fashioned furnaces, of which there were many in this vicinity. We continued to grope our way through the thicket and swamps and finally met the enemy and opened fire. The whole division was soon engaged and the roar of the musketry was terrific. In our front the enemy was less than two hundred feet from us, but so dense was the underbrush that it was almost impossible to see them. We had the advantage of the enemy, who were on higher ground, and many of their balls passed over us. The left of the regiment had the hottest part of the line, as it rested on the plank road and was subjected to the fire of the rebels who were on the other side of the road. The left began to break, when the 17th Maine coming up on the left of the road soon gave the enemy enough to do on that side. The battle lasted until nearly dark, when we were relieved, and moved a short distance to the rear, where we remained for the night.