Page:Journal history of the Twenty-ninth Ohio veteran volunteers, 1861-1865.djvu/70

 CHAPTER VIII.

1862.

Battle of Chancellorsville—March to Leesburg, Littletown, and Gettysburg.

The morning of May 1st dawned upon a scene of bustle and active preparation for the bloody work which was to follow. Troops had been arriving during the entire night from the direction of the United States ford, and the light of early morning revealed an almost solid mass of blue-coated soldiers filling the open fields and woods in the vicinity of the Chancellor house. They were mainly from the Fifth, Eleventh, and Twelfth corps. At about 8 o'clock the Twenty-ninth, with its brigade and division, made a reconnoissance in force, and after marching about one-half mile the division formed in line of battle, and in this position was moved about the field until afternoon, when the lines were generally moved to the east through the timber, the right resting on the road. Moving perhaps half a mile we found the enemy in strong force, his artillery masked in the road. During this time some skirmishing and artillery firing was indulged in, and several of the Twenty-ninth were wounded. Late in the afternoon we moved to the rear under a heavy fire from the rebel artillery. Reaching the place we had left in the morning we set to work throwing up breastworks. The rebels advanced and our skirmishers kept up a rattling fire all night, while the regiment worked like beavers preparing the works for the coming conflict. The Second