The We Began Firing At Will: The 111th New York Regiment wayside marker is on the west side of Harpers Ferry between Bolivar Heights and North Schoolhouse Ridge. It is on the east side of Bakerton Road (County Route 27) on the Union Skirmish Line Trail. (39°19’29.2″N 77°45’59.9″W; map)

Text from the marker:

We Began Firing At Will: The 111th New York Regiment

“We went below and formed in line of battle and laid down on our arms. Sleep was out of the question but of course, human nature will succumb and drowsiness was general among the boys. It must have been nine O’Clock or more by this time. All of a sudden there came a blinding flash in front of our line. We were all alert in a moment and we got in line of battle as quickly as possible.

We began firing at will for all we knew hardly a thing about military drill and didn’t see anything to fire at but still kept firing till we were ordered to cease firing”

Private Newman Eldred, Company H,
111th New York Regiment

“Suddenly we heard a clattering among the stones; you could see nothing…it turned out to be a body of the enemy’s cavalry that made a dash at us and delivered a fire from carbines, as I supposed. I immediately ordered my regiment to return the fire; I repeated it about three times.”

Colonel Jesse Segoine,
111th New York Regiment.

The raw recruits of the 111th New York Regiment marched through the darkness to this position on the Union skirmish line.

See more on the history of the 111th New York Infantry Regiment in the Civil War

(go to the main Union Skimish Line page)
go to the main Tour the Harpers Ferry Battlefield page)