none cared, so long as they were
doing their country a service.

That night was spent in the cattle-cars of the Camden and Amboy Railroad,
and the next morning found us entering the City of Brotherly Love, through
which, after being fed and washed at the immortal "Cooper Shop," we took
our way for the capital of the state, cheered on by an enthusiastic
ovation from the citizens, whose noble behavior and unstinted hospitality
to the thousands of soldiers who have passed through the city since the
beginning of the war, has obtained for Philadelphia the well-earned
reputation of being the most patriotic city in the Union.

The distance from New York to Harrisburg, I believe, may be usually
traversed in about eight hours, but (as there was a great need of men),
the regiment was kept precisely three days in cattle-cars before being
deposited at its destination, no insignificant omen of the fate that
awaited its members in the future. Finally, after an immensity of
tribulation, we got to Harrisburg, and spent the last of these three days
quietly lying alongside of Camp Curtin; this camp, so celebrated in
Pennsylvania annals, is a wide level expanse, in the vicinity of the city,
and was then crowded with the newly-raised militia, whose general
appearance and condition did not inspire us with that exalted idea of
their efficiency that the newspapers seemed to have; on the contrary, it
seemed to us, that a more indifferent, lazy, uncouth-looking set never was
seen outside of rebeldom; but as their ideas of hospitality toward us were
demonstrated in copperhead talk and chaffing us with hard names, these
views may be prejudiced. At some distance from Camp Curtin, however, were
a couple of batteries and some troops from Philadelphia, who really looked
like soldiers, and whose appearance inspired the "Yorkers" with a feeling
of respect which further acquaintance did not dispel.

But notwithstanding the society, the time hung heavy on our hands, and it
was no small relief, when, during the latter part of the afternoon, we
were sent across the Susquehanna, some of us into the fortifications, and
the others, including the Twenty-second, to camps in the different places
near the river, to protect the various approaches and fords in the
neighborhood of the city.

It was growing dusky as we arrived at our selected camp-grounds, and, as
it was a singular characteristic of the climate of Pennsylvania during our
brief sojourn, that darkn