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The 149th regiment saw action in some of the Civil War’s most famous battles. On the 28th of April they moved from their camp near Belle Plain to a location near Polluck’s Mills, VA. There they camped for the night. The next day they started down the Rappahannock River toward Chancellorsville, VA. On their way they encountered rapid artillery fire. The enemy was just on the other side of the river. Once there they joined in on the fighting and set up rifle pits for the men to hide in. Their sharpshooters and scouts were then sent out to capture prisoners and gain intelligence. They engaged the enemy at ¾ of a mile and took many prisoners. The scouts were tested to their limits and attained helpful information. Although they gained this information, the battle at Chancellorsville was a loss for the Union. Next, the regiment backed out and headed across the river again. There they stayed at a church where Col. Stone reported that more men and more arms were arriving and were in better condition and spirits. With the battle of Gettysburg soon in coming, the regiment had little rest. They marched towards Gettysburg and upon hearing the sounds of battle, were rushed into the fight. Their best skirmishers were put to the test that day when they had to cross an empty field with the enemy on the other side. There was not a single shot fired from the 149th but the Confederates were laying down heavy fire. With all this going on, the skirmishers charged with bayonets fixed and ran the Confederates out. They held this position all day and lost it only after a hard fight. The 149th used the tactics of surprise to keep the enemies at bay. After being out flanked, they marched back to Cemetery Hill. Gettysburg was a turning point in the war and is still referred to as the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. It was there that the Union had one of the largest victories they would have during the war. In his after action report, commanding officer Doubleday from the 150th Bucktails reported that almost 2/3 of his field officers had been either wounded or killed in Gettysburg. Doubleday reported that the men of the 149th Bucktails had great respect for their leaders and that they carried out each task given to them obediently. The 149th impressed this leader of the other Bucktails. Despite the heavy blow at Gettysburg, those who were left and able to ride a horse kept to the front of the line. When the dead were counted the regiment had lost 34, had 171 wounded, and 131 missing. After this, the regiment lay dormant for quite some time. They contributed to some battles but they played a rather unimportant role in them. They rested for the winter and had many new recruits join them. They would need the new recruit’s to fuel the demand for soldiers. At the time, the weapons were evolving at a very fast pace and yet the tactics were reminiscent of the Revolutionary war. That’s why there was a 14% death rate among Civil War soldiers.