Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.II, p.375

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History of Cambria County, V.2

HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. 375

of the conduct of officers of the 19th instant, I have the honor to submit the following :
    There were no commissioned officers of the 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry sent to Winchester.
    Capts. Davis and Franklin B. Long and Lieut. Dunlap were with me throughout the entire day, with the regiment. Capt. Moulton and Lieut. Rehr, Gageby, Troutman, and McCracken were on different parts of the field with squads of men of this and other regiments of our brigade, doing service partly with the Nineteenth Corps, and joined their regiments in the afternoon and evening of the same day. This accounts for all the officers for duty in this regiment.
    Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
Jno. Suter,
Capt. Commanding 54th P. V. I.

    Headquarters 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.

Cedar Creek, Va., Oct. 25, 1864.
Col. Milton Wells,
    Commanding Third Brigade, First Division, Army of West Virginia :
    Colonel : In compliance with your orders asking a report of the part taken by the 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in the action of the 19th of October, I have the honor to submit the following :
    On the morning of the 19th, before daylight, when I was first apprised of the picket firing in our front, I ordered the regiment to turn out under arms, which was done by the companies forming in their quarters and afterward marching up to the breastworks in our front. Before the line could be properly formed the enemy, apparently in a mass, were observed advancing along the whole front and already at the abatis.
    My regiment opened and maintained a fire until the enemy, getting in our rear from the extreme left of the line of works, were compelled to fall back to avoid capture, and in so doing some 24 men taken prisoners, 2 killed and 5 wounded.
    As there was no order given to fall back, a portion of the regiment was rallied at the skirt of the woods in the camp, and disputed the advance of the enemy for a time, during which Lieut. Joseph Peck, acting adjutant, was killed while urging the men to their duty.
    Arriving in the turnpike, the regiment was partly rallied with the colors and formed with a portion of the Nineteenth Corps, after which it moved back to a point in rear of the 6th Corps, where a detachment of a few hundred of different regiments of the Army of West Virginia were rallied, after which it moved forward with said detachment and engaged the enemy in a skirt of woods, driving him out and holding it for nearly one hour, in which one man was seriously wounded.

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	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.	375
of the conduct of officers of the 19th instant, I have the honor to submit the following : There were no commissioned officers of the 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry sent to Winchester. Capts. Davis and Franklin B. Long and Lieut. Dunlap were with me throughout the entire day, with the regiment. Capt. Moulton and Lieut. Rehr, Gageby, Troutman, and McCracken were on different parts of the field with squads of men of this and other regiments of our brigade, doing service partly with the Nineteenth Corps, and joined their regiments in the afternoon and evening of the same day. This accounts for all the officers for duty in this regiment. Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, Jno. Suter, Capt. Commanding 54th P. V. I. Headquarters 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Cedar Creek, Va., Oct. 25, 1864. Col. Milton Wells, Commanding Third Brigade, First Division, Army of West Virginia : Colonel : In compliance with your orders asking a report of the part taken by the 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in the action of the 19th of October, I have the honor to submit the following : On the morning of the 19th, before daylight, when I was first apprised of the picket firing in our front, I ordered the regiment to turn out under arms, which was done by the companies forming in their quarters and afterward marching up to the breastworks in our front. Before the line could be properly formed the enemy, apparently in a mass, were observed advancing along the whole front and already at the abatis. My regiment opened and maintained a fire until the enemy, getting in our rear from the extreme left of the line of works, were compelled to fall back to avoid capture, and in so doing some 24 men taken prisoners, 2 killed and 5 wounded. As there was no order given to fall back, a portion of the regiment was rallied at the skirt of the woods in the camp, and disputed the advance of the enemy for a time, during which Lieut. Joseph Peck, acting adjutant, was killed while urging the men to their duty. Arriving in the turnpike, the regiment was partly rallied with the colors and formed with a portion of the Nineteenth Corps, after which it moved back to a point in rear of the 6th Corps, where a detachment of a few hundred of different regiments of the Army of West Virginia were rallied, after which it moved forward with said detachment and engaged the enemy in a skirt of woods, driving him out and holding it for nearly one hour, in which one man was seriously wounded.