Regimental Return
for the month of June, 1863,
shows Field and Staff and companies stationed at Maryland Heights, MD except as follow:__________
Record of Events
hrous [sic], marches, etc., during the month of June, 1863:
At the beginning of this month the Regiment was stationed at Berryville, Va, and with Alexander's Battery, the 1st N.Y. Cavalry and the 6th Md. Vol. Inf., composed the 3rd Brig, 2 Div, 8th A.C. On the 12th day of the month orders were received by the Regiment to hold itself in readiness to march the next morning. Accordingly on the 13th about 10 o'clock, a.m., the Reg't took its place in the column and proceeded to Winchester, Va. via Summit Point, where it arrived after a march of nearly thirty (30) miles about 11 o'clock p.m. of the same day. The appearance of the enemy near Berryville before the command had left that place and the belief that the direct road to Winchester was occupied by lines in large force caused the circuitous route taken to be adopted. Nothing of importance transpired during the march to Winchester until after the command crossed the Opequan Creek and was within seven or eight miles of its destination when the rear guard was attacked by a body of pursuing cavalry. In the brief engagement which insued the enemy was repulsed with considerable loss and no further demonstrations during the remainder of the march. About two o'clock a.m. on the 14th the Reg't was ordered to the Star fort, about a mile or so from Winchester. With the exception of two companies which were sent out a short distance to support a section of a Battery, it remained in the Fort until noon, when the entire Reg't was ordered to relieve the 87th Pa. Vol. Inf'y, which then held the town of Winchester and was briskly engaged in skirmishing on its outskirts. Upon relieving the 87th P. V. Infy, the skirmishing was kept up with increased vigor until evening. A number of the enemy were killed and wounded during the afternoon, and one commissioned officer and enlisted man captured. The Reg't had one enlisted man wounded. About sunset the Reg't received orders to return to the Fort; the enemy having completely invested the place and having opened fire upon the forts from a number of batteries. The evacuation of Winchester & its defenses having been determined upon, the Reg't took up the line of march about two o'clock on the morning of the 13th. But little progress was made during the first half hour, owing to the wagons and other obstructions in the road. When about four miles from Winchester on the Martinsburg road the head of the column encountered a large force strongly posted for the purpose of cutting off our retreat. A severe engagement ensued which lasted from one to two hours. At the commencement of the action the Reg't, followed by the 6th Md. Vol. Infy, deployed to the right of the road and took a position behind a stone wall about three or four hundred yards distant from the enemy. At this time day was just dawning. After remaining in the position mentioned about a quarter of an hour the Regiment moving around by the left of the enemy came upon his flank and became engaged with a largely superior force. In the brief action which followed the Reg't was driven back by superior numbers and the danger of being completely surrounded becoming imminent all efforts to rally proved ineffectual. In this action the reg't lost one commissioned officer killed and twenty two captured and sixteen enlisted men killed, thirty-seven wounded and seven hundred and fourteen missing. The remainder of the Reg't, except a few who escaped into Pennsylvania, made its way in safely to Harper's Ferry. Upon it's arrival there it was divided into two detachments and with similar detachments of the 87th Pa Vols, 18th Conn. Vols. and 12 Va Vols. formed one organization. In this condition it remained at Maryland Heights engaged in strengthening that place until the 30th day of the month when it marched to Sandy Hook near Harpers Ferry, previous to proceeding to Washington in charge of government property.
