Our great-grandfather Benjamin Fegley fought in the bloody Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg, which is included in the History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861 - 5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates, member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania:

“At the close of October, the brigade crossed the Potomac, and shared the fortunes of the army in its movement through Virginia, until it arrived in front of Fredericksburg.   The preparations for a decisive battle, which had been in progress since the advent of Burnside to the chief command, were finally completed, and on the 11^th of December the brigade moved from camp to participate in the desperate struggle.   They lay near the Phillips’ House until the afternoon of the 13^th, when they were ordered to move, and at three o’clock crossing on the upper pontoon bridge, marched through the town under a ceaseless cannonade, and on out through the suburbs to a little hill on the left of the road, under cover of which the line of battle was formed.   When all was ready, the word to advance was given, and at a double-quick they moved forward.   Two hundred yards in front they encountered a mass of their own men, remnants of a previous charge, lying prostrate on the ground.  

Instinctively the men dropped, and opened fire upon the enemy, who was lying under cover of a stone-wall in front.   The line was soon after re-formed, and advanced to within thirty yards of the wall, keeping up a steady fire. Failing to make any impression, the command was withdrawn, after having been an hour and a half under fire, the regiment having lost twenty-one killed, one hundred and thirty-two wounded, and twenty-four missing.   In his Official Report of the battle, Confederate General McLaw said:

”The body of one man, supposed to be an officer, was found within about thirty yards of the stone-wall, and other single bodies were scattered at increased distances, until the main mass of the dead lay thickly strewn over the ground, at something over one hundred yards off, extending to the ravine, commencing at the point where our men would allow the enemy’s column to approach before opening fire, and beyond which no organized body of men were able to pass.” - General M’Law’s (Rebel) Official Report.

The regiment rested at night upon the field, and at three on the following morning it was aroused, and receiving a fresh supply of ammunition, was posted behind the little hill which had afforded protection while forming on the previous afternoon.   They were here exposed to a constant fire from the enemy’s sharp-shooters, losing one killed and one wounded.   This position was held until dark of the 14^th, when the regiment was relieved, and retiring, slept that night on the streets of Fredericksburg.   During the day following, the 15^th, it remained in the town, and at evening moved to the right to the support of artillery. At midnight it was taken to the extreme left of the town, and at three in the morning, evacuated the place and marched in a drenching rain to the camp which it had left near Potomac Creek.

Captain George W. Ryan, and Lieutenant William A. Bruner were killed; Captains David A. M’Manigal, and Isaiah B. Davis, and Lieutenants D. D. Mutthersbough, D. L. Green, Grant S. Waters, and Joseph M. Irwin, were severely wounded, and Captains Charles Davis, and Joseph S. Waream slightly wounded…..

General Humphreys said ‘…….. they have fought as well as the best troops at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.’”