.MTczOQ.MjA1MzQ

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The army remained at Hampden till April 3rd, and at that date moved forward to Yorktown, where we arrived on the afternoon of the 5th, encamping in the face of the enemy, and within range of their guns. At the siege of Yorktown the regiment sustained no minor part, being one of the few who never permitted themselves to be "surprised," and laboring both day and night on the formidable works erected there, oftentimes under shot, and shell, or the more deadly "grape and canister."

The evacuation of Yorktown, found us among the first in pursuit of the enemy, hence the severe loss of the Brigade at the Battle of Williamsburg, before arriving at which place, the men were nearly exhausted, from the severity of the march, through mud, afoot, and in some instances two feet deep. Arriving within two miles of the Battlefield, the Brigade filed off, and halting, deposited their knapsacks and were again on the march. At the field, Gen. Heitzleman detached the 3rd and 4th Maine Regiments from the Brigade, and being reinforced by three other Regiments, marched to, and formed line of Battle on the plain to left of the battlefield, in order to prevent the possibility of a flank movement, in the meantime the balance of the Brigade has advanced, and engaged the enemy. At sunset we were withdrawn from the plain and marched to the scene of action, to relieve the Regiments then engaged, when an order from Gen. Kearney was given us, to "file into the wood, and bivouac, for Williamsburg was won," every man was completely satiated with water, for the rain had been falling in torrents throughout the day. We lost two men, wounded.

On the following morning at "dawn," (May 6th) the Regiment with the 4th Maine were ordered to advance in line, and carry Fort Magruder by [?], but our passage thither was not disputed, as the enemy had evacuated the works the night previous, leaving his dead and wounded in our hands. The right of the army having been foremost up to this time, the Commander in Chief saw fit to rest them here a few days, while the left wing pursued the