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Fisher and commissioned him second lieutenant of Co. D, 22d U. S. Colored Troops, under the command of Col. Joseph B. Kiddoo. It was in the 1st Brigade of the 3d Division of the 18th Corps. The Emory Fisher Post, No. 30, G. A. R., of Johnstown, was named in honor of Lieut. Fisher, and Speer Orr Camp of the Sons of Veterans of the same place was also named for Lieut. Speer Orr, who lost their lives in front of Petersburg. The misunderstanding referred to may have changed the course of the campaign from fighting Lee in his intrenchments at Petersburg to an open field elsewhere. As early as May, '64, Grant had this movement in mind as a recourse in case he could not dislodge Lee, and ordered Butler to move up the south side of the James river and get as near Richmond as he could, keeping close to the river. General Butler got as far as Drewry's Bluff and intrenched there. Grant's order for the attack on the 15th was intended to secure possession of the fortifications at Petersburg before Lee's main army could get there. Failing for the reason assigned, it required a siege of more than seven months to dislodge him on April 1, 1865.

Grant still thought it possible to gain possession of these intrenchments and on the 16th he ordered Hancock with his 2d Corps (Capt. Fite) to make another assault. Hancock did so and carried both the redoubts at that point and their connecting works.

Again, on the 17th, he ordered a general assault which was made without substantial results, when Gen. Meade advised Grant there was "nothing to be gained by direct attacks." They were then discontinued, and the Petersburg siege began. Grant extended the intrenchments on his left across the Weldon Railroad to the South Side Railroad. Capt. Fite's company were in these intrenchments substantially during the months of August and September, excepting on some special occasions when they were taken to re-enforce some movement. For instance, they were taken to Ream's Station and were engaged in that conflict the day Gen. Beaver lost his right limb.

The Petersburg Mine Explosion took place at 4:40 a. m. on July 30, 1864, and ended in a failure as will be more specifically noted hereafter. Capt. Fox's company and that of Capt. Metzger were in this assault under Gen. Ord of the 18th Corps. The mine was located near Elliott's Salient on the east side of Petersburg, or on Lee's left, and almost opposite Fort Morton, on Grant's right wing.

On June 21st, Hancock's 2d Corps (Capt. Fite), Warren's 5th (Capt. Ryckman) and Wright's 6th, marched to Globe Tavern, and on the 22d attempted to seize the Petersburg and Weldon railroad and the South Side railroad, in order to cut off Lee's communications with Lynchburg. By referring to the history of the 54th Regiment it will be observed that Grant had sent Gen. Hunter to Lynchburg about the middle of June to destroy the railroad which was carrying supplies to Lee's army from the entire South There Hunter had been defeated and had retreated across the mountains. Grant believed it would be easier to cut the communications at Lynchburg than near Petersburg, but within four days after Hunter's defeat this attack was forced upon him. It was ordered, made and failed. Hancock lost about 2,000 men, 1,700 of them being taken prisoners. On July 20, 1864, Grant had about 59,000 effective infantry and 12,000 cavalry, while Lee had about 38,000 of the former and 8,300 of the latter.

At this time Willcox's 9th corps was on Grant's right; Warren (Capt. Ryckman) in the center, and Hancock (Capt. Fite) on the left. Wright's 6th corps had been sent to interpose between Washington and Gen. Early, who was making a raid in that direction. On August 12, Grant directed that a movement be made on the north side of the James river to threaten Richmond. The troops designated for this purpose were Hancock's Second corps (Capt. Fite), part of the Tenth under Gen. Birney and Gen. Gregg's division of cavalry. Hancock's corps marched to City Point and there took steamers for Deep Bottom, sixteen miles up the river, where they landed on the morning of the 14th. The plan was for the infantry to open the way and Gregg to make a dash on Richmond, if he could reach that point, and if not, then to destroy the railroads. The effort resulted in a Union repulse and on the night of the 20th the troops were withdrawn. In this battle, known as Deep Bottom, Grant lost 2,161 in killed and wounded and 625 missing, and Lee lost 1,100.

Under cover of the Deep Bottom engagement Warren's corps (Capt. Ryckman) on the 23rd, after four days' severe fighting, succeeded in gaining and holding the Weldon railroad at Globe Tavern. Gen. Warren destroyed about seven miles of that road, which extended three miles south of Ream's station, when he was attacked by A. P. Hill's corps and driven back with a loss of 2,442 men, 12 stands of colors and 9 guns, and the

enemy lost 1,500. This is the engagement known as the battle at Ream's station of August 25, 1864.

On September 28, Grant ordered Gen. Butler to move on Richmond from the north side of the James river, for the purpose of keeping Lee's army in front of Petersburg, which would prevent him sending re-enforcements to Gen. Early in the Shenandoah Valley, where Gen. Sheridan (54th Regiment and Capt. Blough) was operating in and around Winchester. Grant's movements brought on the engagements at Poplar Spring Church, Peebles' Farm, Fort Harrison, Fort Gilmer and Chaffin's Farm. In these engagements Grant succeeded and held both forts. His losses were 2,685 and Lee's 900. The companies of Capts. Fox and Metzger were engaged at Fort Harrison and Fort Gilmer, while Capts. Black, Stackhouse, Fite and Skelly were in the action at Peebles' Farm and Poplar Spring Church, which are elsewhere minutely referred to. On October 7, 1864, General Kautz's division of cavalry (Capt. Black) was attacked by Field and Hoke and Gary's cavalry, when the former was driven back.

The first enlistment of Capt. Richard Ryckman's company was for a term of six months in the cavalry service. On the expiration of the service almost all re-enlisted for a period of three years in the same arm of the army, but they were not mounted and were equipped as infantry. This is the reason the company appears among Warren's troops as cavalry where the boys did good service. On October 18, 1864, they were mounted and fully equipped for that kind of service, and were assigned to Gen. D. M. Gregg's division of cavalry.

The following narrative of the movements of the 54th Regiment preceding and during the battles of Winchester and Fisher's Hill, September 19, 1864, is by Col. Linton:

On Friday, July 15, A. D. 1864, the regiment marched from Martinsburg to Harper's Ferry and on the evening of that day bivouacked near that place. On the 16th they crossed into Maryland and marched down east side of Potomac to a ford near Boston, and then again crossed the river into Virginia, below the mouth of the Shenandoah, and with the design, as was understood, of intercepting the retreat of Gen. Early, then falling back from the neighborhood of Washington pursued by the Sixth corps under Gen. Wright. Before daylight on the 17th we resumed our march and passing through Lovettsville, arrived

in the afternoon at Purcellsville at the base of the Blue Ridge near Snicker's Gap, where it was ascertained that the retreating rebels had already passed through the Gap, either on the 16th or the 17th inst. Gen. Sullivan had been superseded in the command of the whole force by Gen. Crook, and on the 18th inst. three brigades of the latter general's command passed over the Blue Ridge at the Gap above named and the regular ford across the Shenandoah, being originally defended by rebels, made a detour to the right and by rapid march and a hurried clash in clearing the rebels from the western branch we succeeded in crossing the river at a little frequented ford about one mile above the principal fording. Here took place what is known as the battle of Snicker's Ferry, in which three brigades of the army of West Virginia for a time contended against the whole of Early's force, but were eventually driven back across the river. The whole Union force was commanded by Col. Thoburn, and the brigades by Col. Wells, 34th Massachusetts, the 116th Ohio, and the 11th Pennsylvania. The 54th was included in the command of the latter officer and an idea of the severity of the contest may be inferred from the fact that of the six field officers present with the brigade, one was killed, one mortally, one severely and two slightly wounded. The original line of battle was formed parallel with the river and about six rods from it. The enemy attacked the right of the line on the flank, advancing up the river for that purpose, their line being formed at an oblique angle with the river. To meet this advance a change of front of the left of our line was ordered, which was gallantly executed under fire and the enemy for a time repulsed. But this change of front causing our left to be formed at right angles with the river, threw forward our left flank unguarded and "flying in the air." Upon this flying flank the enemy soon made an attack which resulted in the discomfiture of our troops, who were forced back over the river, forming on the eastern bank prepared to resist any advance of the rebels. In this battle the 54th occupied the right of the left brigade and was one of the last regiments to give away. Col. Frost, the brigade commander, was killed, and the loss in the killed and wounded in the regiment was heavy. Two days afterwards the army of West Virginia, and the Sixth Corps of the Army of the Potomac crossed the Shenandoah, the enemy in the meantime having retreated, and on Friday, the 22d, our troops were encamped near Winchester, Virginia. A rearrangement of troops made at this place placed the 54th in the division of Col. Mulligan, 23d Illinois. On the 23d the enemy, having apparently learned of the withdrawal of the Sixth Corps and therefore of their numerical superiority, commenced demonstrating on our lines and lively skirmishing, in which the 54th participated and which resulted in the withdrawal of the rebels; it was kept up for the greater portion of the day. Early the next morning a vigorous attack

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