ocky face ridge where it remained until May 6, 1864. This
ended the campaign for the year as far as the reserve artillery was
concerned, for when we reached Dalton, we were assigned a camp ground
and at once went to work preparing quarters for the winter the date
being Nov. 26, 1863.

In close proximity to a running brook and nearby springs we built log
huts. Each mess was composed of individuals who associated at their own
wills, without any interference of military rules or company officers.
The camp was located in a nice piece of woodland, composed of oak,
hickory, pine etc., on the western side of the brook or branch, from
which the ground rose at a gentle slope towards the east and west, the
flow being towards the north. On the eastern slope, just opposite the
center of the battalion park of artillery, Major Felix H. Robertson
located his headquarters camp, with Sergeant Major James T. Searcy as
his aide.

Ranged along the western slope, were the four batteries of four guns
each, that composed the battalion, Lumsden's on the right, then
Barrett's, Massingale's and Havis' batteries. Behind the guns of each
battery were the huts of the men, about one half on each side of a wide
street reaching back perhaps one hundred yards, at the head of which
streets were located the quarters of the officers of the companies.

Each mess built its own hut or cabin on such plan as suited themselves
and their number of individuals. The commissioned officers of each
company with their negro servants built their own.

The general plan of each hut was about a 12 x 14 foot space, ground
brought to a level. Two sides of 16 foot poles and back end of 14 feet
were notched up at the corners to a height of about seven feet. The
front end consisted of a fire place and rammed earth, with a stick and
mud chimney and the doorway poles notched down on the side walls at top
provided joists about 7 feet above the earthen floor, on outer ends of
which joists, plates were laid to support the foot of the pole rafters.
Boards of four feet in length split out from cuts of straight grained
pine, made a water tight roof. Cracks between the logs were daubbed
with mud which soon dried. The joists were thrown on top of them and
gable ends of the same kind of boards that made the room. Bunks three
or four feet wide made in two tiers were at rear end and sides bottomed
with small poles, and broom-sedge and oak and pine leaves, with a
blanket spread over. Fo