p the stragglers. After nightfall it became intensely
dark, and at each rest the men would drop down just where they were and
would be instantly sound asleep. Whether they dropped down into mud or
not made little difference to many of them, for they were soaking wet
and were so exhausted that they did not care. My troubles began when the
"forward" was sounded, to arouse these seeming logs and get them on
their feet once more and started. All who were practically exhausted had
drifted to the rear and were on my hands. We had a provost guard in the
rear, whose duty it was to bring up every man and permit no straggling,
but they were in almost as bad a plight as the rest of the regiment. To
arouse these sleeping men I had occasionally to resort to a smart blow
with the flat of my sword and follow it up with the most energetic
orders and entreaties. An appeal to their pluck and nerve was generally
sufficient, and they would summon new courage and push manfully on. My
own condition was scarcely better than that of the men. I rode that
night considerable distances between our halts for rest, sitting bolt
upright in my saddle fast asleep. I had all day alternated with some of
the men in marching whilst they rode, and was not only thoroughly tired,
but wet through. The march was much more trying to us because of our
unseasoned condition owing to the long winter's exemption from this
exercise. Furthermore, we had been marching towards the firing, and were
under the nervous strain always incident to operations in the presence
of the enemy. Nothing will quicker exhaust men than the nervous tension
occasioned by the continued firing which indicates the imminence of a
battle.

At daylight we were aroused and under arms again. We found we were at
the head-quarters of the army. The Chancellorsville House, which had
been vacated by its occupants, was used for office purposes, and much of
the open space around it was occupied by the tents of General Hooker and
staff and hospital tents. Of the latter there were three or four pitched
so as to connect with each other, and over them was flying the yellow
flag of the corps hospital. The First and Third Divisions of our Second
Corps were massed in this Chancellorsville square, beside Pettit's
battery. Our brigade now consisted of the Fourth New York, First
Delaware, and our regiment. The first named was sent off on some
guard duty, which left Colonel Albright, of our regiment, the senior
offi