use, are of rough boards, evidently not intended for any thing
permanent. In extent, these buildings are scattered over an area of half
a mile in width and one mile in length along the shore of the bay. The
bay of itself is a beautiful sheet of water, and opposite us was perhaps
four miles in width. As we stood upon the bluff, facing the bay, just
below upon the opposite side we could discern the opening leading to
Norfolk; to the right, we could see the mouth of the James River; and
directly at the entrance could be seen one of our gunboats, keeping
watch, ready to apprise us of any danger approaching from that
direction. In front of us scattered along, were a few craft, whose
general appearance bespoke their calling. The Galena, which will be
recollected as taking part in the attack upon Fort Darling, last summer,
lay in the bay opposite us. Although pierced at that time by
twenty-eight balls, she still existed, and, judging from her appearance
and reputation, would, when called upon to engage the enemy, be able to
give a good account of herself.

The Minnesota lay one and one-half miles below us. If the Monitor had
not come to the rescue, instead of the noble vessel lying now before us,
in all her beautiful proportions, she would have presented the same
sorry figure as the Cumberland and Congress, undoubtedly sharing the
same fate.

Included in the fleet were three gunboats, of the Monitor pattern. These
boats need no praise, and are particularly expected to speak for
themselves.

February 12, the next day after our arrival here, being warm and
pleasant, we went into the woods to cut and split logs for our house.
The 13th and 14th was occupied in this business. The 15th, those in the
tent with me gave out; this brought things to a stand before our house
was completed. The 16th it commenced storming; this, of course, put a
stop to operations. This day I received a box of apples from home. The
17th, received one-half barrel from Jason Newell. These came in good
time.

The storm continued until Friday, the 20th. Saturday, 21st, our colonel
ordered all log-huts to be levelled and taken off the ground. This was
done. New "A" tents were issued and put up at once. The next day we were
to have _straw hats_. (This, I will allow, was mere conjecture on my
part.) However, we had just time to pitch our tents before it commenced
raining. In the night it snowed; and the following morning we found it
raining again, which cont