ever
were the men so well contented or in so good spirits.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN.

Preparing to leave camp--General Grant in command--The last
advance across the Rapidan--The battle-ground--Battle of the
Wilderness--Noble fight of Getty's division--Hancock's fight on
the left--Rickett's division driven back--The ground
retaken--The wounded--Duties of the surgeons--The noble dead.

Many pleasant recollections cluster around the old camp at Brandy
Station, which will never be effaced from the memory of the soldiers of
the Army of the Potomac.

But at length preparations were commenced for opening the spring
campaign, and one of the first orders, looking toward the breaking up of
our camps, was one directing that our lady friends should take their
departure, then another to send all superfluous camp equipage to the
rear.

Our army had been reorganized, its five corps being consolidated into
three. The three divisions of the First corps were transferred to the
Fifth, retaining their corps badges. Two divisions of the Third were
assigned to the Second, preserving their badges, while the Third
division, Third corps, was transferred permanently to the Sixth corps,
and became the Third division of that corps. Our old Third division was
broken up, the brigades of Wheaton and Eustis being transferred to the
Second division, and Shaler's brigade to the First. Our corps, as
reorganized, consisted of three divisions, comprising eleven
brigades.[6]

[6] The corps, as reorganized, was commanded as follows:

Major-General John Sedgwick commanding the corps.

First division, Brigadier-General H. G. Wright, commanding.
First brigade, Colonel W. H. Penrose; Second brigade, Colonel E.
Upton; Third brigade, Brigadier-General D. A. Russell; Fourth
brigade, Brigadier-General A. Shaler.

Second division, Brigadier-General George W. Getty, commanding.
First brigade, Brigadier-General Frank Wheaton; Second brigade,
Colonel L. A. Grant; Third brigade, Brigadier-General Thomas H.
Neill; Fourth brigade, Brigadier-General L. A. Eustis.

Third division, Brigadier-General James B. Ricketts, commanding.
First brigade, Brigadier-General W. H. Morris; Second brigade,
Brigadier-General Truman Seymour; Third brigade, Colonel
Keiffer.

During the winter, congress, recognizing the great ability of General
Grant, had conferred upon that offi