ields were already cleared of
the corn, the grains sown and already up two and three inches high.
There seems to a New Englander a great lack of barns and other
outbuildings in these States, but with the crops they raise perhaps they
are not necessary.

We journeyed along very slow after leaving Harrisburg, stopping often
for wood and water, also for trains to pass by us, &c. The road we found
to be strictly guarded, long before we came to Baltimore, passing
company after company on picket duty along the road, who cheered as we
went past. Feeling our way along, we came into Baltimore just at dark,
Thursday evening, the 23d. Got out of the cars, the regiment was formed,
and we proceeded through the streets of this city to our resting place
for the night. Halted at the general rendezvous for soldiers long enough
to take refreshments; sat down, unslung knapsacks, and commenced our
supper, which consisted of coffee, white bread, beef, ham, tongue, sour
krout, &c. Slung knapsacks, went from there to the depot, unslung
knapsacks again, and camped for the night upon the depot floor. Drums
beat at six o'clock, A.M., the 24th, for roll call; tumbled out of
_bed_--the regiment was formed, and we went to breakfast, at the same
place where we took supper the night before, which was but a short
distance from the depot. After breakfast we marched back, formed in line
in front of the depot; rested there until ten o'clock, then marched
through the principal streets of the city; visited Washington Monument,
a beautiful structure of white marble, surmounted by a statue of the
_Great Chieftain_. Halted to rest around the base; then marched back,
visiting the monument erected to the memory of those who fell at Fort
McHenry in 1812, and formed in line where we started from, to wait and
take the cars for Washington. Baltimore is indeed a fine place--no
wonder the rebels envy us the possession of it. I saw some splendid
buildings in the Monumental city.

We finally got aboard of the cars, and started for Washington, at five,
P.M. Just before dark passed the "Relay Station," where the
Massachusetts Eighth were encamped in 1861. Passed picket after picket,
guarding the road, their camp fires burning, lighting us up as we passed
along, and finally reached the great capital, at eleven, P.M. We
proceeded immediately to our quarters, unslung knapsacks, then marched
about forty rods to the "Soldiers' Retreat," where we took supper; then
marched to