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358 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
of the day of the battle they Avere drawn into the general engagement
and participated in the charge on the rebel's right flank, and by AA'hich
they Avere throAvn into confusion and utterly routed. Of the Eighth,
companies C, E, D and II Avere engaged in this fight, and about onefourth
of these Avere killed or wounded.
After Winchester Avas fought and Avon our skirmishing regiment,
with the army, folloAved up the Valley of the Shenandoah, giving fight
to the enemy at Woodstock, Mount Jackson, Edinburgh and New Market,
as only an active skirmishing command can do. This was continued
during March and April and a part of May, but on the 30th of the latter
named month, under General Kimball, they participated at Front Royal,
and skirmished a distance of eighteen miles. Here was captured the
notorious female spy, Belle Boyd.
From Front Royal the brigade to which the Eighth Avas attached
moved to Harrison's Landing, having daily skirmishes in the march.
Arrived at this place the regiment Avas placed in the second corps, in
Kimball's brigade and French's division. This corps acted as rear guard
to the army during the retreat across the Chickahominy, thence they proceeded
to Alexandria. The Eighth acted Avith the supporting line at
South Mountain, but not actively, but crossed the mountain and skirmished
with the enemy at Boonsboro and Reedyville.
Antietam Avas fought on September 17, 1862. "In the advance,"
says Reid, "Kimball's Brigade formed the third time, Morris and Max
Weber's preceding. They struck the rebel line and were driven back,
Avhen Kimball advanced at a double-quick, carrying the line handsomely.
aiuhholding it for four hours, and until firing ceased in front. During
this time SedgAvick Avas driven back on the right, which made it necessary
for the Fourteenth Indiana and the Eighth Ohio to change front, which
**Avas done most gallantly, and saved the brigade from rout. General
Sumner pronounced Kimball's the 'Gibraltar Brigade!' "
After Antietam the regiment Avas constantly on skirmish duty at
HulltOAvn, Snicker's Gap, United States Ford, in the reconnoissaiiee to
Leesburg and elseAvhere, and then engaged in the terrible battle at Fredericksburg,
Virginia* December 13, 1862, Avhere a loss of thirty-seven Avas
sustained, after Avhich the Eighth remained in camp during the rest of
the winter, but early in May participated in the battle of Chancellorsvillojf
where it AA'as under constant fire for nearly four days, but lost only
thirteen killed and Avounded.
In the Gettysburg campaign the regiment AVIIS as actively engaged
as in any of its numerous battles. In that engagement, on the afternoon
of July 2d, it AA'as throAvn forward beyond the Eminetsburg Road, to
drive the rebel sharpshooters from a knoll, from which they Avere rapidly
picking off men. At double-quick the position Avas taken and held during
the remainder of the fight, notAvithstiinding the fact that three separate
assaults AA'ere made against it, once by a force three regiments strong.
Besides this the Eighth rendered General Hay's division effective service.
Gettysburg cost the Eighth Regiment over 100 men in killed and
Avounded.