y to the
populous city of the dead. The funerals usually took place in the morning
just before sunrise, or at night just after sunset. I seem now to hear the
dirges played by the bands, and the volleys fired by the soldiers over the
graves of their dead comrades.

Upon my return home, I learned that among those in the rebel army while I
was at Suffolk was a young man who learned his trade with me in the
"Chronicle" office in Pawtucket, and who went to Alabama several years
before the "late unpleasantness." At the close of the war he returned to
the North and again became a loyal citizen.

On one of the expeditions to which I have referred, the Eleventh regiment
marched to the extreme front, three miles from Blackwater bridge, throwing
out Company F as pickets one mile in advance, who were soon engaged by the
enemy, and a brisk skirmish ensued which lasted until dark, when
hostilities ceased for that day. On the following afternoon, while three
of the companies of the regiment were picketing the front, they were
attacked in a spirited manner by six companies of a Mississippi regiment
deployed as skirmishers. Company B was sent forward as a support, but soon
deployed as skirmishers. The firing continued several hours, the enemy
being steadily driven back, leaving their dead on the field. Several
prisoners were captured. Obeying orders to fall back to Windsor, the
picket companies acted as rear guard. On this expedition the regiment was
absent from Suffolk eleven days, and was attached to the division under
command of General Corcoran. This was the nearest approach to a
hand-to-hand encounter with the enemy that the regiment had during its
term of service, and the two Pawtucket companies occupied the most exposed
and conspicuous positions.

It was at this time that Lieutenant Thomas Moies came near being shot by a
man who belonged to one of the companies of the Eleventh which were in the
rear of Company B. The affair to which I refer occurred just in the edge
of the woods, between daylight and dark. Lieutenant Moies, with an old
straw hat on his head, and in advance of his men, was cautiously crawling
along on his hands and knees in the underbrush up to the enemy's line.
Having satisfied himself that the enemy was falling back, he rose up, and
a member of Company C observing his hat mistook it for the head-gear of
one of the rebels, as their uniform always lacked uniformity, and
immediately fired. Fortunately for Lieuten