d, by noble deeds, won for itself, it was
now, by heroic achievements in the new field, to crown itself with
glories even more dazzling than those in its proudest days in the old
army.

We were ordered, on the evening of the 5th, to march immediately. The
troops of the Sixth corps proceeded at once to Monocacy Junction, where
they took cars for Harper's Ferry. The quartermasters, and hospital
trains followed rapidly by the wagon roads.

Troops and trains reached the heights beyond Harper's Ferry at night,
and on the following morning the line of battle was established at
Halltown.

General Sheridan now assumed command. We knew little of him except that
he had very successfully commanded the cavalry of the Army of the
Potomac for the last three months, but we were satisfied that General
Grant trusted to his generalship, and we had already learned enough of
General Grant's knowledge of human nature to place confidence in the
general of his choice.

One thing pleased us at the start. Our new general was visible to the
soldiers of his command; wherever we went he was with the column,
inhaling the dust, leaving the road for the teams, never a day or two
days behind the rest of the army, but always riding by the side of the
men. His watchful care of the details of the march, his interest in the
progress of the trains, and the ready faculty with which he brought
order out of confusion when the roads became blockaded, reminded us of
our lamented Sedgwick. Another feature of the new administration pleased
us. When the head-quarter tents of the commander of the Middle Military
Division were pitched, there was one wall tent, one wedge tent and two
flies. This modest array of shelter for the general and his staff was in
happy contrast with the good old times in the Army of the Potomac, when
more than eighty six-mule teams were required to haul the baggage for
head-quarters of the army.

At Halltown we remained for a few days, gaining what we so much needed,
rest. The air was delightfully cool and refreshing, and it seemed as
though each particular breath was laden with health and strength.

We were rejoiced to see some of our Army of the Potomac cavalry joining
us, and our army began to assume dimensions which filled us with
confidence. We had now the Sixth corps, General Wright, two divisions of
the Nineteenth corps under General Emory, and Hunter's "Army of
Virginia," usually called the Eighth corps, under command of Gener