October 25._--Remained the same, at Edwards Ferry.

_Saturday, October 26._--General Williams' brigade and our battery marched
off to Muddy Branch in the morning. Arrived there, in camp of the
Twenty-eighth New York, in the afternoon.

_Sunday, October 27._--Established our camp.

_Monday, October 28._--Commenced to build a stable for horses, three
hundred feet long. Captain Bess, our chief of artillery. Our battery
remained at Muddy Branch up to the twenty-seventh of November. Little is
to be said of this period. Drill as usual. Received the news of the taking
of Beaufort, South Carolina, and the capture of Slidell and Mason. Captain
Reynolds visited the battery for the last time, having been promoted to
Lieutenant Colonel of the Rhode Island artillery, and transferred to
another department.

_Wednesday, November 27._--The battery left Muddy Branch, with the
understanding to go into winter-quarters near Poolesville. We were told
that we should have many drills together with Battery B, no longer Captain
Vaughan's battery, who, having had disagreements, left the service. We
marched by nine o'clock in the morning. The weather was very unpleasant,
raining and freezing all day. Passed through Poolesville at four o'clock,
and commenced to pitch tents by five o'clock. Our camp is next to Battery
B's, commanded by Lieutenant Perry. We had a good reception by the men,
who treated all of us to coffee.

_Thursday, November 28._--Thanksgiving day. Governor Sprague furnished
twenty turkeys for us.

_Friday, 29th, and Saturday, November 30._--A stable for the horses
commenced on.

_Sunday, December 1, to Tuesday the 10th._--Nothing of any consequence
happened. Camp wore a wintry aspect. The time was mostly occupied in
building stables for the horses. Colonel Tompkins, now on General Stone's
staff, arrived at Poolesville; we did no longer belong to General Banks'
division, but to General Stone's.

_Tuesday, December 10._--Our division had quite an interesting sham-fight
at Poolesville, four regiments of infantry, three batteries, and Van
Allen's cavalry partaking in it. We fired blank cartridges. Van Allen's
cavalry had several men injured in charging.

_Wednesday, December 11._--While going to a drill, through Poolesville, on
trot, Corporal Burrows was thrown off the limber-chest, and his leg
broken by a wheel passing over him.

_Thursday, December 12._--Great artillery manoeuvre.

_Friday, December 13._--Batteries A a