entrusted with the important duty of guarding this great thoroughfare through territory mainly hostile, protecting the few loyal inhabitants, scouring the country, and fighting the guerilla bands of Edwards, White, Imboden and McNeil, capturing many rebels, horses and arms, participating in engagements at Back Creels Bridge, Virginia, September 22, 1862, and Mangares Mills, Virginia, October 25, 1862. October 4, 1863, Company K, stationed at Little Cacapon, and Company B, at Paw Paw, were surrounded by an overwhelming force of the enemy under Imboden, and captured after a sharp fight. Upon the organization of the Eighth Army Corps of West Virginia, the regiment was assigned to the Third Brigade, Second Division. Companies B and K were exchanged in December and returned to the regiment, and the command was relieved from guard duty, moving to Romney, January 6, 1863, attached to the Fourth Brigade, First Division, and marched April 3 in pursuit of the enemy, fighting at Burlington, Virginia, Pugitsville on the 6th, and Gowan's Ferry on the 7th. July 6, moved by forced marches in pursuit of Lee's army, retreating from Gettysburg, engaging the enemy at Hedgeville on July 17, 1863, and at Cherry Run, July 19, returning to Romney, August 15, 1863, moved to Petersburg, West Virginia, engaging the enemy at that place September 1, 1863. November 6 moved to Springfield and were assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division. In the spring of 1864 marched under General Sigel, bearing a gallant part in the battles of New Market, Virginia, May 15, 1864. After that battle General Sigel was relieved and General Hunter took command, under whom were fought the battles of Piedmont, or Mount Crawford, June 5; Lexington, June 11; James River, June 14; Blue Ridge, or Peak of Otter, June 15; Lynchburg, June 17 and 18; Liberty, June 19; Salem, June 22. Marched across the mountains to Camp Piatt, on the Kanawha river, suffering untold hardships, and thence via Parkersburg, West Virginia, to Martinsburg, Virginia, arriving July 14. Joined in pursuit of Early, fighting at Snicker's Gap, or Island Ford, Virginia, July 18; Kernstown, or Winchester, July 23; Martinsburg, July 25. Participated under Sheridan in his brilliant Shenandoah campaign, including the battles of Cedar Creek, Virginia, August 12, 1864; Charlestown, August 17; Halltown, August 19; Fisher's Hill, September 22; Winchester, September 19; Strasburg, October 13; Cedar Creek, or Middletown. October 19, 1864. Moved via Washington, District of Columbia, to City Point, Virginia, and on February 16, 1865, the Third and Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves were consolidated with the Fifty-fourth, under Colonel A. P. Moulton. Assigned to the Second Brigade, Independent Division, Twenty-fourth Corps, Army of the James, with which it participated in Grant's final campaign, fighting at White Oak Swamp, Virginia, March 23, 1865; Hatcher's Run, April 1; Fort Greggs, April 2, and High Bridge, Virginia, April 5, where a small force engaged in a desperate struggle with a vastly superior number of the enemy, were surrounded, taken prisoner, marched four days without rations with the fleeing army, released at the surrender of Lee at Appomattox, Virginia, April 9, sent to Parole Camp, Annapolis, Maryland, and there mustered out May 31, 1865.
William Bennett married, July 3, 1865, Sarah A. Critchlow, and had children: 1. William J., born July 20. 1866; married Elizabeth Armstrong. 2. Joseph S., born December 3, 1867; married Maria Davis. 3. Elizabeth, born August 2, 1869; married Thomas Hunter. 4. Annie, born October 22, 1870; married William Rothrouff. 5. Stephen, born August 26, 1872, deceased. 6. Daniel, born May 2, 1874; deceased. 7.
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