n Washington two or three days, but was
disappointed. At eleven o'clock Saturday, the 25th, we formed in line,
passed in front of the Capitol, down Pennsylvania Avenue, turned off to
the right in the direction of Long Bridge, passed Washington Monument,
leaving it to the left of us, and forming in line opposite General
Casey's head-quarters, to whose division we were assigned, gave him
three hearty cheers, and at twelve o'clock passed on to Long Bridge, and
into _Dixie_.

The Potomac is very broad and shallow at this place, except in the
channel. It has the appearance of the flats on the sea coast, the water
being but about six inches or a foot deep at the time of our crossing,
showing a smooth, muddy bottom, covered with weeds, &c. After crossing,
we proceeded about a mile up a hill, and came to a halt upon a plain. It
was quite a warm, dusty day, and a rest at this time was very acceptable
to us. Stopped half an hour, started again, proceeded about a mile
farther, filed to the right, and forming our camp upon an eminence
within sight of the dome of the Capitol, we pitched our tents, Saturday
night, just in time to shelter us from the rain, which the next day
(Sunday the 26th) commenced pouring in torrents, and continued through
the day and night.

We had twenty-two in our tent Sunday night; two of them slept
immediately in the centre of the tent, just under the "cap." This "cap"
is a circular piece of cloth (peculiar to the "Sibley Tent") ingeniously
contrived for the purpose of ventilation; it is easily moved by means of
ropes which hang upon the outside, and the aperture which it covers can
be made larger or smaller, at the pleasure of the occupants. As it
happened it blew a gale in the night, and the "cap" not being properly
fastened on, blew off, and the rain came down upon T----n and J----s,
who turned out in the morning in rather a dilapidated condition.

Monday the 27th the storm blew over; at noon the sun came out; we dried
our blankets, and Tuesday, the 28th, re-pitched our tents in regular
order.

Sunday, November 2d, we received orders to move. Packed knapsacks, and
at eleven, A.M., bade farewell to "Camp Chase," filed out into the
road, and turning to the right, passed on up a hill, and continued on in
the direction of Fairfax. Passed the Seminary buildings at twelve, M.
These buildings, so often spoken of in connection with this rebellion,
are built of brick, with some pretension to beauty in their
a