1              Bucks County Intelligencer,  104th Regiment.  August 26, 1862  Page 3  Col. 5      1

 

104th Regiment.—The Bucks County Regiment,

commanded by Col. Davis, took part in the recent march

of General McClellan’s army down the Peninsula from

Harrison’s Landing to Yorktown.  The army corps of

Gen Keyes, to which the 104th belongs, appears to have

been in the rear of the main body.  From a private letter

received in Doylestown, written at Yorktown on Thurs-

day, the 21st inst., we extract a brief journal of the

movement of the regiment:

August 15—We were relieved from guard duty at

head-quarters (at Harrison’s Landing) this morning,

and returned to camp.  At twelve O’clock the baggage

wagons left us, and about three we received orders to fall

in and move.  After proceeding as far as Peck’s Head-

quarters, we received orders to return to camp, which we

did.

August 16. —At three in the morning we started again,

and marched about 6 miles, halting within about three

hundred yards of Charles City Court House, where we

remained two or three hours.  We started again on what

then turned to the left and proceeded two miles, when

the front of our regiment was alarmed by the appearance

of smoke issuing from the woods on our left flank, they

supposing it to proceed from a rebel camp.  After a

lengthy reconnoissance, it was discovered to be a camp

fire of our own men, who were passing along another road. 

We encamped for the night in a large corn-field by the

side of the road.

August 17.—At three o’clock we were called up and

formed in line, awaiting the rebel forces.  At 6 we started

again, bearing to the right and left alternately until we

reached the river road again, where we found the main

army passing rapidly.  We waited here a long while,

during the passage of the wagon trains.  We then fell in

and followed them until we had crossed the Chickahom-

iny river on a pontoon bridge.  After crossing we marched

four miles, and encamped in a large field to the left.

August 18.—At four o’clock we marched toward Wil-

liamsburg, passed through the town and over the battle-

field.  The graves there are fresh to the eye and fresh to

the memory of many of us.  We encamped on the river

road, about 6 miles from Yorktown.  We made our din-

ners on sweet potatoes, corn and coffee.

August 19.—A very fine and pleasant morning, but we

did not march any further, as we had expected.  We

passed by this road near three months ago, on our way to

Richmond.  The country is completely skinned on all sorts

of produce.

August 20.—We went on picket duty at noon with

the whole regiment—stayed out all night, and had a good

time generally.

August 21 —Started for Yorktown this morning, reach-

ing that place at 10 o’clock, marching about 10 miles —

We went down the river about four miles, and encamped

just where our troops were three months ago.  We had a

good bath in the salt water, when we received orders to

march back to Yorktown, and we and the 94th New York

are to go to Gloucester on duty.  We are now lying in

Yorktown, awaiting the arrival of the boat to take us

over.