"When we see the splendidly armed and equipped Regiments from
Michigan, pass through here on their way to the seat of war, and
compare their appearance with that of the Regiments that left Camp
Cleveland recently, it makes us almost ashamed of Ohio, and inclines
us to enquire in the mildest and most collected manner, why it is that
Michigan in the same length of time sends Regiments to the field
prepared for service, while Ohio, who boasts of her enterprise and
patriotism, sends from her camps as Regiments, mere mobs of men, half
uniformed, unarmed, and wholly without drill."
The Regiment left Cleveland, via Buffalo to Elmira, New York, where we
took supper with 23d New York Regiment in barracks there. We were
royally entertained; had a good time; had a good supper. I wish to say
here, the first hard tack the writer ever saw was issued to us at
Cleveland. They were round, and as large as an elephant's foot, and as
tough as a prohibitionist's conscience. I noticed some of the boys,
out on platform of cars, trying how far they could sail them. Others
had coupling pins, trying to pulverize them. On leaving Elmira, some
of the boys who were a little off, pulled the coupling pin, which
detached three or four cars. The rest of the train pulled out some
distance before it was discovered. The advance section backed up, the
rear cars were hitched on, and the boys were induced to all-aboard,
and the train passed on to Harrisburg, Pa. The Regiment encamped a few
days at that city, and we were drilled in the art of street fighting,
expecting a collision at Baltimore. The people of Harrisburg asked:
"has Michigan sent another Regiment equipped?" And in fact the troops
at Camp Curtin "thought if Pennsylvania would only clothe her men like
that, she would not have a single citizen at home."
From Harrisburg, on to Baltimore. The Regiment was disembarked from
the cars some distance outside of the city; formed and marched into
the depot. We were armed with old buck and ball muskets, and were not
allowed but three rounds of cartridges. The Regiment was formed into
platoons, and marched through the general thoroughfare to Washington
Depot. On its way, while about midway, the crowd was immense on the
sidewalks, a demonstration was made by some crank of a Rebel, at a
point opposite our colors, pointing a revolver toward the flag-bearer,
but was suppressed so quick that it was not seen but by few of the
Regiment. The writer was a file-closer and in rear of rear platoon,
and saw the movement. Had that pistol been discharged, the result
would have been a terrible indiscriminate slaughter. My gun was on a
line with the act in less time than it would take to pull a trigger.
Somebody would have been hurt. Men hissed and jeered, but the column
moved on to Washington Depot, where the Regiment was embarked on cars
for Washington. Just before reaching the Relay House, the train was
stopped and we were told that Rebels were in our front. We were formed
in line of battle. It was a false alarm. We got aboard again, and
passed on to Washington. Arrived in that city on the night of July 2d,
and soon went into camp on Meridian Hill, near Soldiers' Home.
Remained in camp until a short time before first battle of Bull Run.
The Regiment was ordered over the Potomac, and to Alexandria, and out
to a place called Cloud's Mills. Remained in camp there, and done
picket duty until a few days prior to first Bull Run, when it was
ordered on to Fairfax Station, in rear of advancing army. The left
wing of the Regiment was detained at that place, while the right was
marched to Fairfax Court House. The writer was with the part remaining
at the station. It was evident that the Rebels had left in a hurry, as
the advance of our column appeared; they had tried to burn the station
and other property, but were prevented by stress of time. We found
plenty of corn meal; also a number of hogs that had been corralled in
the rear of the station, but had been let out of the pen; on arrival
of our men in pursuit, they were running around loose. The writer
fired six shots at an old hump-backed sow, and got nary a swine. One
W. W. Carpenter, the liliputian of Company B, killed her with one shot
from an old Colt's revolver. We had mush and fresh pork in abundance.
We found some cows on an abandoned plantation, near by. Also plenty of
honey. We had mush and milk 'till you couldn't rest. One of the boys,
while reconnoitering around, developed a colony of bees. He seized a
hive and started for a brook near by. He attempted to jump a pole
fence. His toe caught and he pitched headlong. The hive flew twenty
feet. The bees followed back, and swarmed in his bushy hair, which
caused a lively rush for the water. He plunged in and soon divested
himself of the vicious little insects. But not daunted he returned,
and seized the hive again. This time he succeeded in drowning the
bees. He got the honey all the same. That night, after the adventure
with the bees, myself and my bunkey tore some of the hives to pieces,
and placed the boards on the ground, and spread our blankets on them
for our bed. We went to bed tickled with our layout. About twelve
o'clock we were aroused with injunction to keep very still, as Rebels
were near, and were expected to attack us. My bunkey and I got up, or
sat up. About that time I saw bunkey slap his legs, and heard him
swear.
About the same time, I felt an unusual sensation under my pants, in
the region of where I sat down. There were plenty of live bees still,
that had staid with the boards. They had crawled inside our clothes,
and everlastingly stuck it to us. Well, if you ever saw an Indian war
dance, picture to yourself our appearance. We were ordered to keep
still; but had a Brigade of Rebels attacked us, we would have fought
these bees.
Next day was fought the first Battle Bull Run. We were ordered to join
the other wing of the Regiment, at Fairfax Court House, arriving just
before the stragglers began to appear from our defeated army. We were
formed in the road, in sections, and ordered to stop all stragglers.
Talk of stopping a cyclone; it was impossible. The rush of soldiers,
congressmen, and other civilians, from Washington, literally forced us
from the highway. I saw three officers on one mule, hatless, coatless,
and unarmed, and apparently badly frightened; the Johnnies did not
follow up with any force. The 4th was soon on the way to Washington.
We returned to our old camp, on Meridian Hill. Early in fall of '61,
the Regiment built fort Woodbury, on Arlington, and done picket duty.
Later on, we were moved out to Minor's Hill, Virginia, and built
winter quarters, and remained there during the winter 1861-2. The
Regiment, with 14th New York, 9th Massachusetts, and 62nd
Pennsylvania, formed 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps,
commanded by Fitz John Porter, a brave and skilfull officer, who was
afterwards much abused; for I believe we had no more loyal officer in
the field; to the contrary notwithstanding, his traducers tried to
drag him down. Nothing of a startling nature occurred here, during the
winter. Our time was occupied in picket, camp, guard, and other
routine work. A laughable incident occurred here in camp, which
illustrates the desire of the common soldier