d'abri_," or, as they
are now called, shelter tents. Until now the enlisted men had occupied
the spacious Sibley, or the comfortable wedge tents, and all officers
were quartered in wall tents; now, line officers and enlisted men were
to occupy shelter tents, which they were to carry on their shoulders;
and although a small number of wall tents could be carried in the wagons
for field and staff officers, yet so imperfect was the understanding, in
or out of the quartermaster's department, of what could or ought to be
done, that most regimental field and staff officers were left without
any shelter at all.

The men proceeded to make themselves as comfortable as possible under
their novel coverings, and as evening approached, the hills were
magnificently illuminated with thousands of camp fires. Very few men
occupied their new tents that night. They had not been accustomed to lie
upon wet ground, with only a single blanket wrapped about them, so
during all the night groups of soldiers stood about the camp fires,
talking in low tones and wondering what was to happen in the morning.
The sky was clear and bright when the sun rose, and as we looked out
upon the hill tops, dotted with clean white tents, and bristling with
stacks of shining muskets, we exulted in the thought that we were part
of the Grand Army that was now at work. Soon we knew that we were not to
fight here. The cavalry, and some of Porter's division, were returning
from Manassas and Centreville, both places burned and deserted. Were we
to pursue the retreating army, or were we to return to Washington to
take a new start? Parties from the division rode to Centreville and
Manassas. The works were indeed formidable and the barracks extensive;
and the old chestnut logs with blackened ends, that were mounted in some
of the embrasures, had, at a distance, grim visages. The smoking ruins
betokened the destructiveness of war. On the old battle-field lay
bleaching the bones of horses and men, and here and there might be seen
portions of human skeletons protruding from the shallow graves where
some pretense had been made at burial. Fragments of shells, broken
muskets and solid shot strewed the ground.

Head-quarters of the army were established at Fairfax Court House, and
thither repaired the corps commanders to hold a council in regard to our
future movements. The country about our camp was rolling and sparsely
settled. Nearly all the houses were deserted, and most of