The National Light Infantry of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, a militia company of over thirty years' standing, was the first organized body of men in the United States to offer its services to the government at the outbreak of the rebellion.

Subsequently, Company C, Captain Beaton Smith, was, by order of the Governor, transferred to the Fifty-second Regiment, when Lessig's Good Intent Light Artillery was substituted as infantry in its place.

It was assigned to Slocum's Brigade of Franklin's Division, and on 27 December went into permanent winter-quarters on the Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad, near its crossing of Four Mile Run.

The enemy having evacuated Yorktown on 4 May, the troops on shore again embarked, and proceeding up the York River, on the 6th, in company with the divisions of Sedgwick, Porter, and Richardson, arrived at four P.M. at Brick House Point, below West Point, where the Twenty-seventh New York, and companies A, B, C and D, of the Ninety-sixth debarked, and forming in line of battle, with skirmishers thrown out, advanced for the protection of the pioneers engaged in slashing timber and obstructing the roads.

This proved correct; for no sooner had our men made an advance into the woods than they were received with a volley of musketry from the rebels who were hidden in the dense undergrowth.

The Ninety-sixth was now held upon the extreme left of the line, nearest to Brick House Point, to prevent a flank movement of the enemy in that direction, while the fighting on the right center, where his forces were concealed in a dense swamp, was animated, the Thirty-first and Thirty-second New York, and the Ninety-fifth Pennsylvania sustaining considerable loss.

Here it remained until two o'clock, when Porter's forces being hard pressed in the battle, under orders, Newton's, then Taylor's Jersey Brigade, and shortly after Bartlett's, marched to his support, crossing the Chickahominy by the Woodbury Bridge.

At twenty minutes past three the brigade reached the scene of action on the left of the line, moved past General St. George Cooke's Cavalry, occupying a sheltered position to the rear and left of Adams' House, and was immediately afterwards ordered to the relief of Sykes' command, which was engaged in supporting Weed's, Edwards', and Tidball's batteries, the latter on the extreme right of the position.

The Fifth and Tenth New York, on the left of Sykes, driven back, had been re-placed by the First Pennsylvania Reserve, which in turn was relieved by a part of Newton's Brigade.

During the night of the 30th, it retired to Malvern Hill, where, during the terrific fighting of 1 July, it was posted on the extreme left of the field, near Carter's Mill, and Colonel Cake was placed in command of the brigade.

On 16 August the brigade moved from camp on the James and taking transports at Newport News, arrived at Alexandria on the 24th, and went into bivouac along the Little River Turnpike, below Fort Ellsworth.

Franklin's Corps arrived in front of Crampton's Gap, which debouches into Pleasant Valley in the rear of, and but five miles from Maryland Heights, opposite Harper's Ferry, at noon of 14 September.

The Ninety-sixth in advance of the column, entered Burkettsville early in the morning, driving out the rebel skirmishers, and drew the fire of his artillery upon the mountain developing his line of defense.

The path of the Ninety-sixth was across open fields, intersected by fences and hedges, where every man presented a fair mark for the keen eyed rebel sharpshooter.

As it approached this field the enemy's fire ceased, and while it was passing through it an ominous silence prevailed; but the moment it emerged from this slight cover a perfect sheet of flame was poured upon it, and many of the bravest fell.

On the 17th, at Antietam, Franklin's Corps arrived upon the right of the field, where the fighting had been most terrific, at a time when the corps of Hooker and Sumner, broken and greatly thinned, where yielding ground, and immediately hurled back the foe, sweeping across the corn field, and holding firmly the gory ground, over which the fiery bellows of the battle had been sweeping to and fro, until the close of the contest.

Here it remained, under an almost continuous shower of shot and shell without becoming actively engaged except upon the skirmish line, until the night of the 15th, when it re-crossed the river, the army at the same time retiring, and went into camp near White Oak Church.

Returning to the old campgrounds of the brigade near White Oak Church on the 25th, the regiment remained until 1 February, when, with the exception of companies C and K, it was detached, and sent to Windmill Point on heavy fatigue duty [to unload coal barges].

On the night of the 29th, following closely Russell's Brigade, it passed over the Rappahannock at Franklin's Crossing, and with slight lose occupied the enemy's works on the Bernard Farm.

After the capture of Marye's Heights-which was handsomely accomplished by Newton's and Howe's divisions-Brooks' Division, which had been held in reserve, now advanced,-with the exception of the 27th New York, left behind for guard and observation,-and took the lead in pursuit of the retreating enemy.

It was known that the enemy was in the woods beyond, but it was supposed to be the rear guard of his retreating column, and the information had been derived from rebel deserters, doubtless sent back to mislead the Union generals, that his trains had fallen into hopeless confusion and could be easily captured.

The Twenty-third New Jersey having been left to cover the ford and remove the pontoons, unable to accomplish the work, the Ninety-sixth was sent to take its place, and successfully performed the duty.

Here it remained under a continuous fire until relieved by the Forty-ninth, and One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania regiments, and late at night on the 10th it returned to Stafford Heights, where, on the following day, in presence of nearly the entire division, a beautiful silk flag, the gift of friends in Schuylkill County, was presented by a committee of citizens.

At nine o'clock on the evening of the 13th the regiment was withdrawn from the picket line, and re-joining the brigade at White Oak Church, started on the ever memorable Gettysburg campaign.

With only short intervals of rest the movement continued until the afternoon of July 2, when at the moment of great peril in the battle, as the veterans of Longstreet, massed upon the extreme left, were doubling up and driving the corps of Sickles, it arrived upon the field.

On the 10th the regiment, with two companies of the One Hundred and Twenty-first, skirmished in the advance along the Funkstown Road, and drove the rear of the enemy, after stubborn resistance, across the Antietam at Claggett's Mill.

After successive marching and countermarching, the brigade in the latter part of July, was detached from the division and sent to New Baltimore, where it was employed in picketing and scouting, and the usual rounds of drill and parade.

The command went into camp near the confluence of the Aestham with the Rappahannock, and with the exception of the movement to Mine Run, and in support of the cavalry in the reconnaissance to Robertson's River, it remained in quarters here during the winter, a considerable number of the regiment re-enlisting, in the meantime, as veteran volunteers.

On the 12th, at the salient known as the Slaughter Pen, in front of Spotsylvania, the fragment of the regiment remaining, with the division decimated as it was, held the position from early dawn until late at night, exposed during the whole time to a fire of musketry, which for severity, has few parallels in the history of warfare.

Remaining in the vicinity until the 14th, under almost continuous fire, the command moved to Bleak Hill, where, as at Salem Church, the division was pushed against the enemy in force; but soon finding itself overpowered, rapidly retired, some of the general officers making a narrow escape.