ior."

"On the 20th we steamed out of New Haven harbor, and after a pleasant
voyage disembarked at Annapolis, Md.

"The regiment was as yet unarmed, but on the 7th of April we received
the full complement of the best Springfield rifled muskets.

"At this time the 9th Corps was assembling at Annapolis, and to it we
were assigned, but on the 8th of April the regiment received orders to
proceed to Hilton Head, S. C., and on the 9th of April we left Annapolis
for that place. Arriving at Hilton Head we were ordered to Beaufort, S.
C., where we disembarked on the 13th of April. The regiment had, up to
this time, learned nothing of drill or discipline, so that there was
plenty of work to be done.

"After a fine camp had been laid out the work of converting the raw
material of the regiment into good soldiers was vigorously and
systematically commenced. The men learned rapidly, and were faithful in
the performance of their duties. While here, although the utmost
attention was paid to all that pertained to the health of the regiment,
much sickness prevailed, the change of climate telling severely upon the
untried soldiers. In less than two months a decided improvement in drill
and discipline had been effected, and our dress parades began to attract
marked attention. But as yet our soldiers had not fired a shot at the
rebellion, and had still to be tried in the fiery ordeal of battle. At
last events on the bloody fields of Virginia determined our destiny.

"The battles fought during the summer campaign had demonstrated that
negro troops could fight well; they had also shown that more men were
required in Virginia, and that we could not await the slow process of a
draft to get them. The success of the entire campaign seemed dubious,
and the army, after all its gigantic toils and losses, found itself
confronted by strong lines of works, manned by a brave and resolute foe.
Under these circumstances the only policy was concentration in Virginia.
Accordingly all the troops that could be spared from other points were
ordered to Virginia.

"Among the number was the 29th Connecticut Volunteers (colored). On the
8th day of August, 1864, the regiment left Beaufort, S. C., and
disembarked at Bermuda Hundreds, Va., on the 14th of the same month.
This regiment was brigaded with the 7th, 8th, and 9th United States
Colored Troops, forming with other colored regiments a division of the
10th Army Corps. We arrived just as the active movement