d Stacy,
acting as cooks and bottle-washers.

_Monday, December 15._--Fredericksburg. The enemy's artillery and
sharpshooters were firing all day. Our guns were kept out of sight during
the afternoon. Generals Howard, Couch and Sully, inspected our lines, and
said they would send a brigade of infantry to fortify our position. The
men of our battery worked all day, throwing up breastworks behind a fence.
Once in a while the rebel batteries threw a shell at us. The weather has
been beautiful since we occupied the city. While we were sleeping by our
guns, orders came at eleven o'clock in the night, to pack up quietly and
get away as quick as possible, which was executed without the least noise,
every man being anxious to move away, but not without being loaded with
all sorts of provisions. We recrossed the Rappahannock at twelve o'clock
in the night. The whole army followed during the night under cover of the
batteries. We lay down to rest immediately after arriving on the other
side. One gun of the right section was dismounted, one limber and several
wheels disabled.

_Tuesday, December 16._--The rain commenced pouring down in streams since
four o'clock in the morning. A deep gloom spread all over the army in
consequence of our unsuccessful movement. At six o'clock A. M., our
battery returned to the old camp on the hill, which was no small
undertaking, the mud being a foot deep. At dark, Captain Arnold, with a
squad of men, went to the river to obtain the trail of the dismounted gun.

_Wednesday, December 17._--Camp near Falmouth. General Sigel's reserve
corps is camping around Falmouth. Our camp has its usual appearance. It is
cold, and snowing.

_Saturday, December 20._--The troops are building winter-quarters.

_Wednesday, December 24._--Great inspection in camp, by Generals Sumner,
Howard, and Sully, and their staffs. They all expressed their satisfaction
with the appearance of the battery. This was the last visit of the
venerable hero, General Sumner, to our battery.

_Friday, December 26._--The pontoons were sent to Belle Plains.

_Wednesday, December 31._--Quiet in camp.

1863.

_Thursday, January 1._--Camp near Falmouth. The army is very poorly
provisioned.

_Monday, January 5._--A new stable for the battery horses commenced, below
the ravine.

_Tuesday, January 6._--The news of the battle of Murfreesboro arrived.

_Thursday, January 15._--Our camp was partly burned down to-day, through a
fi