THE BUCKS COUNTY REGIMENT IN

THE GREAT BATTLE.

Devoted Bravery of the Officers

and Soldiers.

37 Men Killed, 134 Wounded an 88

Captured or Missing.

FULL ACCOUNTS OF THE ENGAGEMENT.

List of Killed, Wounded, and Missing.

Last week we gave the first news of a great battle at

the Seven Pines, about six miles from Richmond, in which

Gen. Casey’s Division took a prominent part.  Before

our paper was issued.  It was known that the 104th Penn-

sylvania Regiment, mostly from Bucks County, had been

in the action, and it was supposed that it had suffered

heavy loss.  This belief was confirmed by later advices. 

The 104th was in the thickest of the fight and the brave

sons of old Bucks, having stood their ground to the last

extremity were compelled to retire before an overpower-

ing enemy.  The blood of many of them flowed upon

Virginia soil, and their bodies now rest beneath the turf.

An officer of the 104th, who was present throughout the

battle, has kindly given us the following account of the

operations of that regiment, so far as they came under his

observation.

There was an unusually heavy rain on Friday evening,

which flooded the country, made the roads almost im-

passable, filled up all the swamps of the surrounding coun-

try, and rendered it almost impracticable for military

operations.  The 104th Regiment was encamped on what

is known as the “ Nine Mile Road, “ in columns, by

division, with the right resting on that road, and not over 400

yards from it.  The shelter tents of the company officers

and men were pitched in a small pine grove, and the field

and staff occupied a little log house.  We were surrounded

on every side by woods and dense thickets, except on the

left, over a small rivulet, where there was a cleared place

of ground, of some 20 acres, extending to the Williamsburg

road.  In front of the regiment a road about fifteen feet

wide had been cut by the pioneers as a color line of battle

whenever called to arms.  Diagonally to the left, and

some two hundred yards to the left flank of our encamp-

ment, several acres of timber had been cut down, by two

companies of the 104th, and formed into what is called an

abattis, which consists of cutting the trees off two or three

feet from the ground, and falling the tops in one direction,

toward the enemy.  This was done to protect our troops

against the advance of the rebels.  This abattis extended

out to the Williamsburg road.  In front of it was an

open expanse for some two hundred yards, partly studded

with bushes, and extending to the edge of a dense forest,

which ran off toward Richmond.  Close by the roadside

in this open space, was a log house, at which was sta-

tioned our reserve cavalry pickets.  The nine-mile road,

after running  past the encampment of the 104th, inclines

to the right and crosses the Richmond and York River

Railroad.  This was the location of our regiment, and we

hope our friends will be able to understand it with some

degree of intelligence.  It will be remembered that this

whole location is between the York River Railroad and

the James river, and can be easily fixed by reference to

good maps.

The forenoon of Saturday passed quietly away without

any unusual alarm.  The whole regiment was in camp,

with the exception of Company E, Captain Harvey, and

F, Captain Alfred Marple, which were out on picket duty. 

About 12 1/2 o’clock, immediately after dinner, three shells

were heard to whistle over their heads and burst some

distance in the rear, in the woods, which afterward ap-

peared to be the enemy’s signal for a general attack.  In

a few minutes an aid of General Casey came gallopping

over to the quarters of the Col. Davis, and directed him to

get his regiment under arms immediately, and await

further orders.  In a few minutes it was formed in order

of battle in front of the encampment, where it rested on

its arms.  It had not been there long when the same staff

officer came up a second time, and directed the Col. to

move the regiment out by the left flank, to support a

battery of artillery on the Williamsburg road.  A road

had been cut by our pioneers from the left of the color

line to the abattis already spoken of, to enable with the reg-

iment to reach the opening above alluded to with facility. 

The regiment marched out as directed, by the left flank,

and formed line of battle just at the edge of the woods,

leaving the open space just in front of them.  A few days

before rifle pits had been dug on both sides of the Wil-

liamsburg road, and the regiment was now formed on the

line with the rifle pits on the right hand side of the road,

looking toward Richmond.  The battery consisting of six

pieces of ten-pounder rifled Parrot guns, was stationed

on the left of the regiment and some fifty yards in ad-

vance of it.  Soon after this line was formed, Gen. Casey

sent an Aid, and ordered the regiment to be thrown

forward, when it advanced through the abattis and out

into the clearing.  It was now one o’clock by the watch,

and the boys were ready for the work.

For some minutes firing between the enemy’s advance

and our pickets had been going on pretty briskly in the

woods in front of the 104th, and soon the pickets came

bounding out of the wood’s across the clearing, and sought

safety in the rear of the regiment.  These pickets be-

longed to some other regiment.  These pickets be-

longed to some other regiment.  Immediately thereafter

the bullets of the enemy began to fall into our ranks,

which increased until their fire could be compared to

nothing but a leaden hail storm.  The first fire by the

regiment was a general volley by the whole line whcih

sounded as one report, and was heard for a long distance. 

This was the first fire the enemy received except the

scattering shots by the pickets as they were driven in. 

From the check it gave them it was evidently a warmer

reception than they expected at that point.  The firing im-

mediately became general, each party loading and firing

as fast as it could.  The battery also opened upon the

rebels and did fearful execution among them, using can-

ister and shell.  Our men immediately began to fall in the

ranks, killed or wounded; the latter unable to go alone,

were sent to the rear; the former necessarily remained

upon the ground.  The right of the regiment extended to

a dense woods, and seeing the enemy were endeavoring to

flank us on that side, Companies A and D were pushed

into the woods to protect the flank.  The fire became

hotter every minute, but the men stood firmly in their

ranks and kept as cool and cheerful as though they were

on parade.  The enemy had emerged from the woods in

front of us, and came out into the clearing, where they

rapidly formed, and kept up their fire with great sever-

ity.  About this time the rebels raised a large white flag,

and asked him what should be done; he told them to

pay no other attention to it than to fire at it as rapidly

as they could.  A heavy volley was directed toward it,

which brought down the bearer, when the flag was imme-

diately seized by another.  A few minutes afterwards

they raised what is called their new national flag--a

white cross on a blue field.  The rebels who came in the

woods in front of the companies of Captain Rogers and

Swartzlander had pieces of white muslin tied around

their hats.  They appeared within a few feet of these

companies, and begged them not to fire; but immediately

afterward poured a deadly volley into our men, which

was returned with effect.

The enemy pressing the regiment hard in front and on

the right flank, and the batteries being in danger by the

nearness of their fire.  Colonel Davis, after consulting with

Major Gries, determined to order a bayonet charge, for

the purpose of checking the enemy and gaining time. 

He therefore ordered the men to cease firing and fix bayo-

nets, which order was promptly obeyed.  He then com-

manded, “Charge bayonets!--forward!--double quick!--

march “ when the regiment sprang forward toward the

enemy with a tremendous yell!  In their way was a high

worm fence, which cut our former line of battle at an

angle of about 37 degrees, but it proved no impediment

to the boys of the 104th, who sprang over it and into the

same enclosure where the enemy were forming and firing

upon us.  The charge staggered the rebels, and we opened

hot fire as soon as halted; to enable us again to hold them

in check a considerable time.  Both our flags were taken

over the fence, and the staffs stuck into the ground, the

color bearers lying down by their side.  The enemy now

swarmed upon our right and front in increased numbers,

and the firing became hotter than before.  Seeing that he

could hold the position but a few minutes longer, unless

reinforced, Col. Davis despatched Lieut. Ashenfelter to

Gen. Casey, with the request that he would send up a

regiment to support him; who returned with the order for

us to hold on two minutes longer , when assistance would

be sent.  Meanwhile the battle had raged with great fury,

and great number of men had fallen killed and wounded;

and fighting, without any support, it was impossible for

the regiment to hold its position any longer against the

overwhelming numbers opposed to it.  No order was given

to retreat, fall back, or retire, but wa literally driven

back by the superior forces of the enemy; and so close

did they approach before the ground was vacated, that

one of the rebel soldiers hit Sergt. Porter with the butt

of his musket across the back of his neck, inflicting a

painful, but not dangerous wound.  Before this, however,

Regan’s battery, which we had been sent out to support,

had been taken off the ground and saved, with the ex-

ception of ammunition wagon, the horses of which

being shot, it was impossible to save it.

A severe fight took place over our colors:  In the ex-

citement and confusion of the regiment retiring, the

colors for a moment had been lost sight of, and they were

left sticking in the ground, in the clearing beyond the

worm fence.  Colonel Davis and Major Gries observing

this about the same time, called aloud to a squad of men

nearest to them, to go and fetch the colors; at the same

time Major Gries, Orderly Sergt. Myers of Co. G, and Color

Sergeant Purcell sprang for them.  The two latter reached

them first, and as Major Gries turned to retire, he re-

ceived the dangerous wound from which he is no suffer-

ing.  The rebels rushed for our flags at the same time,

and kept up a hot fire upon those who went to rescue them. 

Sergt. Myers succeeded in carrying off his flag in safety,

and without being hit.  Sergt. Purcell was not quite so

fortunate; after he had seized his flag, he turned imme-

diately and made for the fence and sprang upon it; but

while in the act of getting over, the rebels shot him and

knocked him clean on to the other side, without any

further effort on his part; but he still held on to the flag. 

When he got up, he rushed as rapidly as possible toward

the retiring regiment; but being faint from his wound

and loss of blood, he handed the flag to a Corporal, who

bore it off the field.  Sergt. Myers kept charge of the flag

which he saved, and he delivered it to the regiment, in

the presence of the Colonel, about sunset.  This conduct

of the Major and the two Sergeants was as fine as exhibi-

tion of courage as any displayed during the three days’

fight.

When the regiment retired, which it did without run-

ning; the enemy were on three sides of it, and in a few

minutes more would have had it entirely surrounded, as

it was further advanced than any other of our troops.

The first rally was made at the regimental camp on the

Nine-mile road, about a quarter of a mile in the rear of

the advanced position of the regiment.  The Colonel

states that when he reached this point, he found there

the 23d Pa. Vols., in command of the gallant Major Ely

coming down upon him through the woods and bushes in

his front.  Here some fifty or seventy-five of the 104th

were found, who were placed in command of Capt. Wal-

ter, of Company H, and were ordered to fall in  with the

23d.  Several ambulances stood around the old house

which had been used for regimental head-quarters, and

Major Gries and others of the wounded were lying inside. 

As soon as the shot of the enemy reached this point, the

wounded were loaded into the ambulances, and carried

to the rear to a more secure place.

It should have been mentioned before, that when the

regiment fell back from its advanced position, the ammu-

nition was almost exhausted.  Some of the boxes were en-

tiraly empty, and the men obtained a new supply by ta-

king boxes from their dead and wounded companions lying

around them.  The rifles had been discharged so often

that the barrels were not enough to burn the hand; and

the grooves of the barrels were so furred up, that it

was with great difficulty the cartridges could be got down. 

Several of the men, when loading, had to leave the ranks,

go the trees at the edge of the woods, put their ramrods

against them, and push with all their force, in order to

drive the ball down.

During the day’s fight, no member of the regiment was

more conspicuous for his bravery and activity  than Quar-

termaster Hendrie.  After he had saved his train, he

turned his attention to retrieving the fortunes of the day,

in which he displayed unusual gallantry.  After the frag-

ments of the regiment had made a stand at our old en-

campment, where it retired from its advanced position, it

fell back, a second time to the neighborhood of some rifle

pits, on the ground occupied by Couch’s Division.  Here

Hendrie commenced to rally the retiring troops, and by

the assistance of other officers who aided him, succeeded

in collecting some four or five hundred men of the First

Brigade, which were formed into a battalion.  About this

time Major Sharp, of the 56th N. Y. came along, who,

outranking all the officers present, was placed in com-

mand.  Lieut. McCoy, Division Ordnance Officer, was

present, mounted, who turned his horse over to Major

Sharp, and himself fought on foot.  Quartermaster Hen-

drie, in rallying the retiring troops, placed himself in the

road, with pistol in hand, and threatened to shoot every

man who attempted to go to the rear, and made them fall

into ranks.  They all gave him a cheerful obedience,

and only seemed desirous to have some one direct them

where to go.  It was there he received his dangerous

wound.

When the regiment left the encampment to go out and

support Regan’s battery; no one supposed there would be

a general battle; consequently the men left everything

in their tents, except their arms and equipments.  The

regiment had been called out several times during the

past week by firing between the pickets of the two ar-

mies, and it was supposed that this attack would be noth-

ing more serious.  In addition to Companies E and F, sent

out on picket the day before , and who had not returned

when the battle commenced, the pioneers were sent to

the Chickahominy, four miles from camp, to work on a

bridge, and who must have been captured, as they were

between the lines of the two armies, and only one has

since been heard from.  The only officer killed on the

field was Lieut. McDowell, of Company K, who was shot

early in the action, and fell upon his face.  Captain Orem

was also wounded quite early and sat down until the reg-

iment retired, when he was borne off the field by two

men.  But he was not idle, he obtained the rifle and am-

munition from one who had fallen, and made good use of

it while seated in the mud.  Captains Swartzlander and

Corcoran received their wounds where the Quartermaster

received his, at the second stand made by the regiment.---

After the stand made by the regiment, where the Quar-

termaster was wounded, it rallied the third time a little

further to the rear, in the edge of a woods, and numbered

about 150 men.  Here the two flags were brought and de-

livered  to it, and again placed in its keeping.  General

Heintzelman, at this time, sent an Aid, and requested

volunteers to go some distance to the front, and occupy

the rifle pits; to which the 104th responded, and lay there

all Saturday night.

Statement of Quartermaster Jas. D. Hendrie

Messrs. Editors - You have requested a description of

the fight of Saturday, May 31st as it came under my ob-

servation; but; as I am very week and suffer much pain,

I cannot give you a very graphic account.

On the morning of Saturday, May 31st, 1862, I arrived

at our camp near Seven Pines with a train of commissary

stores; about 12 1/2 P.M. an order came directing Colonel

Davis to take his Regiment to the front, as the enemy

were advancing in large force.  The 104th, with that

promptness for which it is proverbial, was immediately

under arms and on the march to their position in line of

battle.  I had made my arrangements to go back with my

train to Savage Station at noon, and to go from there to

the White House, to settle some business connected with

my department, at that place.  After the Regiment left

I concluded I would remain a while before start-

ing my train back,, to see if there would be a fight or not. 

In a very few minutes we could hear the firing to the

front, increasing every moment, and so near that I

thought it advisable to send off the teams with the utmost

despatch, under charge of Jonathan White, my acting

Quartermaster’s Sergeant.  In a very short time the

wounded commenced coming in, and were taken charge of

and their wounds dressed by our Chaplain Wm. R. Griese,

to whom great credit is due for his kindness and attention

to the wounded that afternoon; there being no surgeons

at that point when the wounded were first brought in.---

They were taken into a small building occupied by the

staff of the Regiment.  Soon the wounded men brought

news that the 104th were cut to pieces.  I walked

to the road and could see our men coming through the

bushes in small groups.  As they came up men and offi-

cers looked worn out and exhausted.  I first saw Colonel

Davis walk slowly down the road toward the camp, ap-

parently wounded.  On his reaching the side of the road

where I stood, I found he was shot in the elbow joint and

had also been struck by a spent ball on the chest.  I re-

quested him to go to the rear, out of danger, but, though

looking sick and weary, he positively refused to do it,

and said he must stay there to form what was left of his

men in line of battle as they came in from the field.  The

men coming in gradually, I assisted the Colonel in get-

ting them into line.  They were drawn up in line of bat-

tle under command of Capt. Walters, of Company H ---

Meanwhile the balls were flying around like hailstones,

and rather unpleasantly thick.  The firing had become so

warm that it was impossible to remain there, and the

troops fell back lower in the woods.  Walking down a

small hill I met at the foot of it a few of our men and of-

ficers.  Together, we stopped a great number of men, from

the different regiments, running from the field of battle. 

I found it necessary to threaten to shoot some of them

before I could get them to come into line.  Capt. Rogers,

Company A, being the senior officer present, took charge

of the men as we got them together.  They were formed

in line of battle alongside of a regiment in the woods, and

remained there for some time.  In the meantime I had

started down the road and collected a squad of men who

were struggling along to the number of 20 or 25.  I next

saw, grouped under a tree, about 50 or 60 men, and upon

going up to them and inquiring what they were doing

there, they said their regiment had been broken up and

they had got scattered from it.  I asked them why they

didn’t go into the fight with some other companies, and

they said they would if some one would take them.  I

told them to join my squad and I would lead them.  I

started across the field to join a regiment who were en-

gaging the rebels in a woods beyond.  On approaching

near the line of this regiment I ordered my men to com-

mence firing; but, after firing two or three rounds, we

received the fire from the rebels faster than we gave it to

them.  As I was giving the command to fire the last vol-

ley, and while my arm was raised, a minnie ball struck

me half-way between the elbow and shoulder of the left

arm, causing a compound fracture of the bone, at the same

same moment another ball struck my canteen, hanging at

my side, but fortunately, after making a deep indenta-

tion, it glanced off.  Some of my men being shot, and the

fire being too severe for them, they broke and ran.  I

walked slowly back to the road leading to Savage Station,

the balls flying thick around me.  My arm commenced

paining me terribly, and the wound bled profusely.  I

soon became quite weak and exhausted, and had pro-

ceeded far when I fell forward on my face; I got up and

walked a short distance and fell the second time; again

I got up, and, after proceeding a few yards, fell again---

I then found I was too weak to stand or walk, and seeing

a tree a short distance ahead I managed to crawl to it on

my knees, and laid down under it.  I had not been there

long before an orderly came riding bye bearing despatches

to the front.  He could not take me back, as his business

was very urgent; but dismounting, he gave me two large

drinks of whiskey, which revived me and enabled me to

walk on till I reached an ambulance, in which I was ta-

ken back to the station and had my wound attended to.---

The distance I walked was about a mile.  I laid in an

old building all night, with a number of other wounded,

and was very kindly taken car of by Captain Robert

Holmes (Commissary of Subsistence at that station) and

by John Mann (one of the Regimental Band,) from Doyles-

town.  I passed rather a restless night.  Early next morn-

ing those of us who were badly wounded were carried on

stretchers to the railroad, placed in freight cars, and ta-

ken to the White House.  The cars were packed full, and

I suffered very much from my arm during the ride down,

as I laid on the floor of the car with nothing under me

but a gun blanket under which was a lot of loose corn. 

On our arrival at the White House, fortunately for us of

the 104th, who were wounded and unable to move, Lewis

B. Scott, our Sutler, came into the cars and promptly

went to work to have us carefully removed to the steamer

Wm. Whildin, on board of which we were soon lying on

comfortable beds, and had our wounds well dressed by the

skillful surgeons of the vessel under the supervision of

Surgeon-General Henry H. Smith

J. D. H.

Statement of Lieut J. M. Beans

Lieutenant J. Mathias Beans, of Company I, arrived in

Doylestown on Saturday evening, having left the regiment

on Wednesday, on sick leave.  Lieut. Beans was in the

battle of the 31st, in command of his company, the captain

and first lieutenant being absent from duty.  He also had been

off duty on account of sickness, but when the regiment was or-

dered forward to repel the rebel attack he turned out with the

rest and took his station in the thickest of the fight.  He says

that when the 104th was drawn up in line of battle, it was on the

edge of an open space or field, on the opposite side of which was

a thick woods, filled with rebel soldiers, who kept up a constant

fire.  Our men could tell the where the rebels were by the smoke

from their muskets.  The 104th was ordered to charge by Col.

Davis, and the men rushed forward until they reached a worm

fence, just outside of the woods.  In the midst of a storm of

bullets the men scrambled over this fence, and took their posi-

tion close up to the woods.  Being entirely unsupported, except

by one battery of artillery, the regiment could not advance in

the face of such tremendous odds.  The woods before them fairly

swarmed with rebels, and our men could see beyond them line

after line of advancing foes.  In this trying position they brave-

ly stood up to their work for the space of half an hour, with the

fire of the enemy concentrated on them and striking them down

like sheep.  Our men fought with desperation, and, having good

weapons, their fire told with deadly effect on the enemy.  But to

stand this long was too much for human power or endurance. 

The regiment, or what was left of it, being apparently deserted

by the other regiments of the division, was obliged to leave the

field.  The Colonel and Major were both disabled, though Col.

Davis gallantly remained at his post during this critical period,

encouraging and cheering on his men.  The regiment then took

up another position further back, and was again drawn up in

line of battle.  Here they sustained another attack, which they

were not in a condition to withstand, and were obliged to fall

back behind our advancing columns.

Lieut Beans thinks that the entire strength of the regiment,

when it went into the battle, was between four and five hundred. 

Two or three companies were out on picket service at the time,

and none of those that went into action mustered more than

sixty men.  Nearly half of them were killed or wounded in the

fight.  Most of the wounded were sent off to the rear as fast as

they were struck—those whose legs were not injured mostly

taking care of themselves.  The fight was the hardest on the left

of the colors, where Companies B, C, G, I and K were stationed. 

The color bearers were shot down one after another, but the

flags were caught and held up by new men whenever their bear-

ers fell.  Lieut. Beans says that the 104th did all that men could

do, whatever might have been the conduct of other regiments. 

Gen. Casey told him that the 104th had done their part nobly. 

The censure cast on them by Gen. McClellan in his despatch to

the War Department was considered by the men to have been

unmerited and unjust.  They were conscious of having done

their whole duty as far as lay in their power and the magnitude

of the loss they suffered, in the face of the enemy, proves that

cowardice at least is not among their faults.

Incidents and Adventures.

Capt. Pickering writes home that Company K had 8

killed, 22 wounded and 3 missing.  The killed were all

carefully buried in one grave, a board being placed at the

head of each body with the name of the deceased written

upon it.  Among the missing are the two Lees of Yard-

leyville.  Joseph Schofield, a mere youth, son of Johathan

Schofield, of Lower Makefield, was one of the bravest and

coolest soldiers in the regiment.  He fought like a hero,

regardless of danger, again and again loading his rifle and

taking deliberate aim at the enemy.  A ball finally pierced

his body, causing instant death.  He was a noble fellow,

and understood what he was fighting for.  Many similar

cases of individual bravery came under the notice of the

commanding officers.

William S. Radcliff, of Warrington, made himself par-

ticularly conspicuous for his bravery, rapidly reloading

his rifle, and advancing forward beyond the line each

time he fired, to get a good shot at the rebels.  He took

particular pains to bring down a rebel every time he dis-

charged his piece, which appeared to afford him unbounded

satisfaction.

Col. Davis says that the wounded men bore their suffer-

ing without murmuring or complaining.  It was astonish-

ing how heroically they met their fate.  There seemed to 

be no cries of agony or outward manifestations of pain or

sorrow along the line.  Occasionally a man who received

a fatal wound would exclaim “ Oh my,” and fall to the

earth to rise no more.  Many who were severely wounded

still remained in line, fighting as determinedly as ever. 

Some who were unable to stand up after being wounded,

sat down upon the ground and continued to load and dis-

charge their pieces at the enemy.  Passing along the line

soon after the rebels commenced pouring a deadly fire

upon our troops.  Col. Davis observed several of his men

sitting down as if resting.  On inquiring of them why they

did not stand up and fight, they “regretfully answered,

“ Indeed, Colonel, we are wounded, we cannot get up, “

and to his surprise he found that it was as they represented,

and he ordered them taken to the rear.  One brave fel-

low in the midst of the fight, who discovered that he

could not discharge his rifle, sat down and deliberately

unscrewed the tube, cleaned and replaced it, and then re-

sumed his position in the line.  Braver men were not to

be found in the field.  All of them stood up to their work

without flinching, under a galling fire.

Previous to the battle, the number of commissioned offi-

cers in the regiment had been greatly reduced by sickness

and absence, and its efficiency was thereby much dimin-

ished.  All the officers of Company C, but in the battle

of the 31st too was wounded.  Orderly Sergeant John

S. Hartly, and Sergeant George T. Magill, were both

killed, and Sergeant J. L. Slack was wounded; leaving

the remnant of the company almost without officers of any

kind.

Lieutenant Mahlon Yardley, of Company K, was sick

and unfit for duty on the day of the battle.  He turned

out, however, and assisted in rallying the men in the rifle

pits.  When last heard from he was in the hospital at

Savage’s station .  The company was taken in by Captain

Pickering and Lieut. Edward S. McDowell.  The latter

was struck by a shot and instantly killed.  His body was

left on the ground, but was found afternoon by Captain

Pickering, having been completely stripped by the rebels

in the meantime.  It was buried by Captain Pickering

on the battle-field.  Lieut. McDowell was a son of the late

E. T. McDowell, of Doylestown.  He was a young man of

fine promise, and was much esteemed by all who knew

him.  His death is a heavy blow to his family and friends.

When Captain Corcoran of Company G, was wounded,

Captain Swartzlander of Company D came to his assis-

tance, and while lifting up the wounded man Capt. S.

was himself shot through the jaw and mouth.  His jaw-

bone was smashed, and his tongue was so much injured

that it is thought he will lose it.  Both officers came up on

the seamer Whildin.  Captain Corcoran is now at the

residence of Mr. John Kessler, in Philadelphia, and Cap-

tain Swartzlander is at St. Joseph’s Hospital.  Company

G is now commanded by Lieutenant Harry G. Kesser,

who narrowly escaped with his life.

Lieut. J. M. Beans states that Company E, under Capt.

G. T. Harvey, was on picket duty at the time of the fight. 

It consisted of fifty-six men on duty, the whole of whom

were captured by the rebels, with the exception of the

captain and four men.  Captain Harvey was passing be-

tween the pickets when he was hailed by several rebels,

who advanced and ordered him to surrender.  When they

were closing around him they were fired on by some of

our men and one of their number wounded.  The others

gathered around the man who was shot, when the Captain

availed himself of the chance to make his escape.

The life of one man was saved by a rebel canteen which

he had picked up at Williamsburg.  It was filled with water,

and hung in front of him.  A rebel bullet passed clean

through it and lodged against the man’s stomach, which

it would have pierced if it had not been stopped by the

canteen.

Gen. Naglee, who commanded the first brigade of Ca-

sey’s division, is reputed to have behaved admirably.--

He had three horses shot under him, and a bullet-proof

vest that he wore is said to have been dented in several

places.

The rebels were mostly armed with smooth-bore mus-

kets, which were loaded with a round bullet, and some-

times with buckshot.  Our troops used the Austrian

rifles, with a conical or minie ball.  Our men think that

the fire on our side must have been far more destructive

than that of the enemy.

Some of the wounded of the 104th were left lying on the

field when the regiment was obliged to retreat.  A num-

ber of them were found the next day, having been undis-

turbed by the rebels, who had taken away their own

wounded.  Among those found next day were John F.

Eiehline, Timothy Cutly and Eisha Shields, of Company

G, Charles Berkley and William H. Ruth of Company B,

George Hartley of Company K, and Cornelius Soley, of

Company I.  All of them were wounded in the leg, and

were unable to walk.  Soley was accosted by a rebel sur-

geon, who asked him what was the matter.  Upon learn-

ing that the poor fellow was shot in the leg, the rebel an-

swered--” It a d--d pity it didn’t go through your

head,” and then walked off.

The pioneer corps belonging to the regiment, consisting

of two picked men from each company, were at work at a

bridge about eight miles from the encampment.  This

place was disputed by the rebels, but Gen. Naglee was

determined to have the bridge built.  All the pioneers of

the 104th, with a single exception, were captured and car-

ried off by the rebel forces.  We have not their names,

but they are probably among those reported as “ missing.“

Privates John Stokes of Company F, Adolph Mohr of

Company K, and John O’Daniel of Company G, wounded

in the battle, arrived at Fortress Monroe on the steamer

S. R. Spaulding on Friday night.  Privates Jacob Oden-

effer of Company C, and John Trencher of Company F, ar-

rived at the Fortress, on the State of Maine on the same

night.

Anthony H. Watson, of Solebury had two sons, William

H. and Samuel, in the 104th.  Mr. Watson has received a

letter from the former giving an account of the death of

Samuel on the battle-field.  After fighting bravely in the

front of his company and cheering on his fellow soldiers,

he was struck and mortally wounded by a rebel bullet.--

He was carried off the field and placed in an ambu-

lance, to be carried to the hospital.  He died about dark,

and was decently buried by his comrades.  The letter

says :--” It was an awful battle.  The 104th, out of 1000

men that left Doylestown, could scarcely muster 100 last

night after the fight was over.  Orderly John J. Hartley,

Sergeant George T. Magill, and several others are among

the killed in Company C.”

Killed and Wounded of the 104th.

The following is a list of the killed, wounded and mis-

sing of the 104th Regiment, so far as we are able to make

it at the time of going to press.  Some of those marked

missing were undoubtedly killed and others may yet come

in.