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372 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
of no avail; they Avere surrounded, their retreat cut off, and the command,
with hut few exceptions, were captured and taken to Richmond.
The officers were confined in Libby prison, but a few managed to effect
their escape. The privates Avere exchanged in the course of a few months
and sent to the parole camps at Annapolis, and at Camp Chase, Ohio.
About the 1st of April, 1864, the regiment Avas re-assembled at Martinsburg,
and from thence moved to Winchester, the city of their recent
downfall. From here it moved, under General Sigel, up the Shenandoah
and engaged in battle at New Market, on May 15th, but with heavy
loss Avas compelled to retreat to Cedar Creek. Here General Sigel was
succeeded by General Hunter in the command of this btnnch of the
army. On the 5th of June Port Republic was fought and 2,000 prisoners
taken from the Confederacy. After this commenced Hunter's retreating
fight from Lynchburg to Salem, a retreat memorable for its disasters,
and Avhen the command arrived at Gauley Bridge it Avas in a most forlorn
and pitiable condition. On the 6th of July the regiment reached
Parkersburg, and thence inarched to Martinsburg, which latter place it
left two and a half months before with 700 men, but on its return could
muster but 250.
With the Army of West Virginia the One Hundred and Twenty-third
fought at Snicker's Ferry on July 18th, and afterward joined in the
pursuit of the rebels with alternating success and reverses for some
days. Then the regiment joined Hie army under Phil Sheridan. It
participated in the battle at Berryville, on September 19th; at Strasburg;
at Cedar Creek, on October 19th, when Sheridan made his famous
ride and turned disaster into victory; at Hatcher's Run, on the 2d of
April of the following year; at High Bridge, Avhere the One Hundred
and Twenty-third Avas again captured and taken to Appomaltox Courthouse.
But at this place the whole of Lee's army surrendered to General
Grant, and thus the prisoners were rescued.
The regiment then returned to Camp Chase, Ohio, where on the 12th
of June the men were mustered out of service.
NATIONAL GUARDS—ONE HUNDRED DAYS' SERVICE
The One Hundred and Forty-fifth Infantiy.—This command Avas
called into the United States service in the spring of 1864, and Avas the
first regiment composed in any considerable part of Erie County volunteers
that enlisted in the one hundred days' service. Parts of several
companies were raised in Erie County. The regiment rendezvoused at
Camp Chase, but not long Avas it permitted to remain there, for it Avas at
once ordered to the national defenses at Washington. Upon the arrival
of the regiment at the capital it was assigned to garrison duty at Forts
Whipple, Woodbury, Cass, Tillinghast and Albany, on the south of the
city, on what is known as Arlington Heights.
The men of the One Hundred and Forty-fifth, during their months
of service, Avere not once engaged with the rebels, but their duty was
nevertheless laborious and severe. At that period of the Avar the capital