"The enemy's cavalry rode into the village boldly and had commenced sacking it and hunting for the Union men, whom the news of our approach had brought from their hiding places in the mountain, when I sent out a squad with the rifles which I borrowed from Captain Kesley of Cumberland, to open a fire on their right flank. They had first murdered Kelly, a youth from Cumberland, when our fire compelled them to form and make a dash at my quarters, where they were confident, as they were assured by the secessionists of the town, they would effect a complete surprise. They came up in fine order, but broke and ran on receiving a fire which was reserved till they were ready to dismount. Lieutenant Boughton of the 3d Virginia cavalry regiment, and privates Bosley and Miller, fell at the first volley mortally wounded. A number were wounded who died along the road by which they effected their retreat. The number of the wounded has not been ascertained. The rebel infantry who were drawn up to cut off our retreat, did not venture near enough to take any serious part in the en gagement, but fled with the cavalry."

The scouting party, numbering about two hundred and fifty men, followed the retreating enemy. At Ridgeville, a small village nine miles from New Creek, on the road leading to Romney, the enemy was discovered in the woods; a few shots were exchanged without taking effect. The enemy retreated precipitately towards Romney. Kane's men took possession of a stone building near the village. They removed the furniture, barricaded the doors and windows, and converted the building into a secure fortress. In this position they awaited the arrival of reinforcements.

At noon on Sunday, Captain A. J. Trout, commanding a detachment, comprising the "Jersey Shore Rifles," Captain Ulman; the "Bradford Union Guards," Captain Trout, of the Fifth regiment, and the "Morgan Rifles," Captain Wistar, of the Rifle regiment, was sent to occupy Piedmont, and to defend it against an attack threatened by a body of the enemy's cavalry.

On Monday, Colonel Simmons directed Lieutenant-Colonel Fisher, of the Fifth regiment, to take Captain Loraine's company, of the Fifth, and Captain Holland's and Captain McDonald's companies of the Rifle regiment, and place them in position to guard against surprise, and to defend the village of New Creek. Both detachments moved promptly to the execution of the duties assigned to them.

When Captain Trout arrived at Piedmont, he found the people in a state of intense excitement, momentarily expecting the arrival of the Confederate troops. No time was lost in placing the small force in position for defence. The Morgan Rifles were placed in a stone store house owned by a Mr. Hendrickson. The men removed the windows and doors, and erected barricades in the passages. The main force of the guard occupied the brick market house and prepared to resist an attack. The enemy did not approach until Monday night at half-past nine o'clock, when a party of cavalry attacked the picket station on the hill to the east. of the village. The picket guard obstinately maintained its position, and was rapidly reinforced from the station at the market house. After an irregular attack, lasting about an hour, in which he lost four men, the enemy retired. The Union troops suffered no loss.

As Colonel Biddle's brigade approached New Creek, the advance guard was met by a lady, near a bridge that had been destroyed by the rebels. She was Mrs. Dayton, who came out to guide the advancing scouts to the enemy's camp. After proceeding a short distance, she introduced to the commanding officer her two daughters, who, relieving their mother, took up the lead, and, marching at doublequick time, never faltered until they reached the village and learned the strength and position of the enemy.

On the 16th of July, the brigade broke camp north of the Potomac and crossed the river. The bridge having been destroyed, it was necessary to transport the baggage on the backs of the men, to the top of the embankment on the south side. The day was consumed in this tedious

labor, so that it was evening when the command arrived at New Creek. As the troops were preparing to go into camp, a messenger arrived from Lieutenant-Colonel Kane asking for immediate relief. Orders were given to march, and, in a few minutes the whole command moved towards Romney. The road led up a narrow valley, watered by New Creek, to a point where the Romney turnpike turns up the mountain in a northern direction. The farmers, who were harvesting their grain crops, hailed with joy the arrival of the National forces, and told marvelous stories of the battle reported to be raging near Romney. The command reached. the position occupied by Kane's men at nine o'clock in the night and found them securely fortified in the stone house. In obedience to orders from General McClellan, who commanded the department of Western Virginia, Colonel Biddle did not advance against the enemy's position at Romney, but withdrew his command to the camp at New Creek, and on the 20th, marched to Piedmont. The damage done to the Baltimore and Ohio railroad by the Virginia secessionists had been fully repaired and communication was opened between Baltimore and Wheeling.

The privates in the Fifth regiment, took possession of the office of the Piedmont Independent, whose editor, A. S. Trowbridge, had been driven from his home by the rebels, and issued a newspaper called The Pennsylvania Reserve, which was the first of a great number of similar publications issued during the war by the editors and printers in the volunteer army.

After the battle of Bull Run, Colonel Biddle's brigade was ordered to return to Harrisburg, and on the 27th of July, took up the march towards Hopewell and thence by railroad arrived at Camp Curtin on the last day of the month. Thus, after forty days of service, ended the first campaign made by troops of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps.

CHAPTER III.

ORGANIZATION.

Regiments organized in Camp Washington, Easton-Colonel Mann --Colonel Sickel-Colonel March-Organization of the Sixth regiment, Camp Curtin-Organization of the Seventh regiment, Camp WayneRegiments organized in Camp Wilkins-Colonel Hays-Regiments in Camp Wright-Colonel McCalmont-Colonel Gallagher-Twelfth regiment in Camp Curtin-Colonel Taggert-McDowell's advance-Battle of Bull Run-Call for the Reserve Corps-Marching of regimentsPassage through Baltimore-Arrival at Washington-Camp formed at Tenallytown-First regiment at Annapolis-Artillery regiment-Organization of the Fifteenth regiment, cavalry.

THE call for two regiments of infantry and a battery of artillery to be sent into active service, convinced the State authorities of the importance of the speedy organization of the Reserve Corps. The departments at Harrisburg were worked to the fullest capacity to prepare materials to arm and equip the regiments, and General McCall urged forward the organizations and advanced the instructions, as rapidly as the circumstances would admit of. The captains of companies who had been ordered to report with their men at the camps of instruction, came forward with commendable promptness and submitted themselves and their companies. to the orders of the commanding general.

The thirty companies in Camp Washington, at Easton, though active in learning the company drills, did not form themselves into regiments, until the 21st of June, when, by order of General McCall, the following companies from the city of Philadelphia, were constituted the second regiment: The "Penn Rifles," company A, commanded by Captain George A. Woodward; the "Governor's Rangers," company B, Captain Patrick McDonough; the "Hibernian

Target Company," company C, Captain James N. Byrnes; the "Governor's Rangers," company D, Captain Richard Ellis; the "Scotch Rifles," company E, Captain John Orr Finnie; the "Governor's Rangers," company F, Captain Thomas Bringhurst; the "Taggart Guards," company G, Captain Evan M. Woodward; the "Independent Rangers," company II, Captain Timothy Mealey; the "Constitution Rangers," company I, Captain William Knox, and the "Consolidation Guards," company K, Captain Patrick J. Smith.

In the election held by these companies, William B. Mann, Esq., of Philadelphia, was elected colonel; Albert L. Magilton, lieutenant-colonel, and William McCandless, major. Augustus T. Cross, was appointed adjutant; Charles F. Hoyt, quartermaster; Thomas B. Reed, surgeon, and J. W. Lodge, assistant surgeon of the regiment.

William B. Mann, through whose exertions the Second Reserve regiment was called into existence, was born in Burlington county, New Jersey, on the 27th day of November, 1816. His father, the Reverend William Mann, is a highly respected member of the Methodist ministry, and was, at the time of William's birth, a teacher of considerable eminence. When he was four years old, his parents removed to Philadelphia, of which city Mr. Mann has remained a resident. He was educated under the immediate care of his father, until he reached his eighteenth year, when he entered upon the study of the law, in the office of Hon. Charles Naylor, a gentlemen of excellent reputation as a lawyer, and a member of the National Congress. He was admitted to practice at the Philadelphia Bar, in 1838.

Mr. Mann rose rapidly in distinction in the practice of law, and had long been widely and favorably known to the inhabitants of the city, in which he lived. Without neglecting the duties of his profession, early in life, he took an active part in the political questions, which engaged the public mind, and soon became a leader in the party with whom his opinions led him to associate. In 1858, when William B. Reed, became the District Attorney of the city