ks--anything, in the wet grass by the side of the road, in the
midst of a drizzling rain, they lay down to sleep, about as uncomfortable
as men could well be.

When the wagon came up, a little coffee and hard tack were dealt out, but
as this event did not take place till about two o'clock in the morning,
the number of those who could keep awake to wait for it was very limited.
At daylight in the morning, three crackers per man and _no_ coffee
composed a light and frugal repast, on which we started on our first long
march.

At about four A. M., the regiments were massed in column to hear a speech
from their Brigadier; but it was lamentably evident that, however skilled
in the art of war he might be, the mantle of eloquence had never fallen on
his shoulders. He stated to the men that _he_ had endured as much as they
had, slept and eaten as little; that _he_ (on horseback) didn't feel
tired, and therefore they (on foot) shouldn't; that _he_ (on horseback)
could go to Carlisle, and therefore they could.

Now as no one had objected, or in fact knew, that we were going to
Carlisle at all, this assumption that we were trying to shirk our duty, at
a time when all were flattering themselves for making extraordinary
sacrifices, did not add many to the rapidly diminishing circle of the
General's admirers.

At the time of starting, and for some time afterwards, it was supposed
that Carlisle was in possession of the rebels, and that we would have to
fight our way through. Skirmishers were therefore thrown out, and the
column, composed of one (I) company of the Twenty-second as an advanced
guard, another (B) company deployed as skirmishers, then the
Thirty-seventh and Twenty-second (Col. Roome being senior to Col.
Aspinwall) moved cautiously forward; but after going some five or six
miles the skirmishers were drawn in, information having been received from
paroled prisoners and farmers that the enemy had left the town (though
their pickets were still in the immediate vicinity), and we proceeded
without any precautions whatever.

The day was beautiful, though rapidly becoming too warm for comfort, and
the route lay through a most lovely country. Scarcely anywhere can the eye
rest on finer scenery, more beautiful fields, more comfortable houses, or
more magnificent barns (for magnificent is the only adjective applicable
to those structures) than those of southern Pennsylvania. But alas! the
houses were deserted, the farms pillaged