deprivations and hardships with equal minds.

The next morning, breakfast was served in an improvised dining-hall on
the bank of the river which ran hard by. Then there was another march to
"camp," the captain reported for duty to the "commandant," and a sort of
routine of military exercises was entered upon. The officer in command
and his adjutant were also new to the business and haste was made very
slowly while they felt their way along. After a few days the camp was
removed to better ground, which was high and dry, and overlooked the
town. Here the real work of equipping, organizing and training began.

There were twelve troops, each composed of about one hundred officers
and men. The officers were quartered in "wall" tents, but there were not
tents enough, so wooden barracks were built for the men. A hospital was
established in a house near by. This was pretty well patronized, at
first, the exposure making many men ill. There was a guardhouse, also,
but not much use for it. A large portion of each day was given up to
drill. The rivalry among the captains was spirited, for they had been
called together soon after reporting for duty, and informed that they
would be given their respective places in line, by letter, from "A" to
"M," consecutively, according to proficiency in drill upon a certain
date, the two highest places barred, the assignments having been made
previously. As the relative rank of these officers depended upon the
letter given, it may be imagined that they spared no effort of which
they were severally capable. They became immediate students, both in
theory and in practice, of Philip St. George Cooke's cavalry tactics
wherein the formation in single rank was prescribed.

Soon after going into this camp, uniforms were issued and horses also.
The uniform for the enlisted men, at that time, consisted of a cavalry
jacket, reinforced trousers, forage cap, and boots which came to the
knee. Arms, except sabers, were not supplied until after leaving the
state. The horses were purchased in Michigan, and great care was taken
through a system of thorough inspection to see that they were sound and
suitable for the mounted service. In the end, the regiment had a most
excellent mount, both the horses and horse equipments being of the best
that could be procured. The horses were sorted according to color, the
intention being that each unit should have but one color, as near as
practicable. Thus, as I remember it, t