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338 Series I Volume XLIII-I Serial 90 - Shenandoah Valley Campaign Part I

Page 338 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.

not successful at first it was no fault of ours. In every instance we did as we were ordered, and not a man shrank from duty on the field of battle. The following is a list of casualties in this battle.

On the morning of the 20th we again took up our line of march in pursuit of the enemy, and reached Strasburg on the evening of the same day. We rested one day, and the next morning were again ordered to advance, the enemy being posted in a very strong position on Fisher's Hill. At noon of the same day the Twenty-second Iowa was ordered to support the One hundred and twenty-eighth New York Regiment, which was to advance to carry the enemy's rifle-pits. The One hundred and twenty-eighth carried them in gallant style, and we were ordered to advance as skirmishers some 200 yards in front of the rifle-pits, and remained in this position until our army was ordered to charge the enemy's works. During the time we occupied this line we kept up a continual fire on the enemy, and fired on an average of 120 rounds per man. We rallied the skirmish line and started in pursuit of the enemy, who had fled from their strong position. During the excitement of the moment we had not sufficient time to rally our men, who were deployed three-quarters of a mile in length, and in consequence of which the men were very much scattered the remainder of the evening. In the pursuit the Twenty-second Iowa was ordered to support the Eleventh Indiana, which was deployed in the advance of the army. We continued the advance until one hour before daylight the next morning, when we had reached the town of Woodstock, and went into camp until morning. At midnight we received a temporary check from the enemy's rear guard, who were drawn up in line of battle to impede our advance.

In this action and on the march the following is a list of casualties.+

In the late march the men have acted cheerfully and willingly, but have suffered severely for want of shoes, a great many being barefooted.

Hoping that this report in brief will give you all the information necessary, I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

HARVEY GRAHAM,

Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant COPELAND,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-SECOND IOWA INFANTRY,
Cedar Creek, Va., October 22, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report in brief the part taken by the Twenty-second Iowa Volunteers in the late action of Cedar Creek, Va., on the 19th instant:

On the evening of the 18th orders were received from the brigade commander to be in readiness to move at 5.15 o'clock in light marching order. In obedience to this order my regiment was in line at the stated time, momentarily expecting to move on a reconnaissance in the direction [of] Strasburg. While thus in line a heavy fire of musketry broke out on the left of the line, in front of the Eight Corps, which proved to be an assault upon our works by the enemy. In a short time we were ordered to move forward in support of a battery; but had no sooner arrived upon the ground before the enemy had possession of our works and were advancing in heavy force, pouring a deadly fire of musketry and

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*Embodied in table, p. 114.

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+Embodied in table, p. 122.


Page 338 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.