their small and constantly decreasing
numbers.

Our men were enjoying the welcome rest and the abundant supply of food
obtained in this delightful country, and many varieties of diet, well
remembered as familiar in former years, but unknown to them since their
campaigns commenced, adorned their humble mess tables. Among other
luxuries, "hasty pudding" and johnny cake became common articles of
diet. The process of producing these articles, was after the rude manner
of men who must invent the working materials as they are needed.
One-half of an unserviceable canteen, or a tin plate perforated by means
of a nail or the sharp point of a bayonet, served the purpose of a
grater or mill for grinding the corn. The neighboring cornfields,
although guarded, yielded abundance of rich yellow ears; which, without
passing through the process of "shelling," were rubbed across the
grater, yielding a finer meal than is usually ground at the grist mills.
The meal being obtained, it was mixed with a large or small quantity of
water, as mush or cake was desired, and cooked.

The men complained of want of proper and sufficient clothing, and many
of them were absolutely barefooted. On whom the blame for the long delay
in furnishing these necessary articles should rest, we can only refer to
the controversy between the Major-General commanding the armies of the
United States and the Major-General commanding the Army of the Potomac.

Soon after midnight, October 11th, the corps was ordered to move to
Hagerstown. In the midst of a heavy shower the march was made, and
Hagerstown was reached soon after daylight. Here a new cause of
excitement occurred. Stuart, with his cavalry, was in our rear;
Chambersburgh was burned, and other towns sacked. The Vermont brigade
was hastily loaded into cars and sent to Chambersburgh in pursuit of the
cavalry, which was already far on its way to the Potomac. Of course they
could only return, having had an excursion through the country at
government expense. The Third brigade of Smith's division marched
hastily to the Maryland and Pennsylvania line, to where a stone bridge
crossed the Antietam; a battery of artillery was also here, and the
brigades and battery prepared to defend the crossing. But no enemy
appeared, and the two brigades returned to Hagerstown; the Vermonters to
occupy the town as provost guard, the other to encamp in a delightful
grove a mile beyond.

Thus ended the famous campaign of Antietam;