n's patriotism had been intensified a
hundred fold by his bitter experience in Virginia; and while his twin sons
were gallantly serving their country in the army and the navy, he was
willing to sacrifice the yearnings of his paternal heart, and he hoped and
prayed that they might do their duty faithfully.

Tom's regiment remained on the Potomac but a short time after the event we
have related. Sharper and sterner experience was before these tried
soldiers, and the first indications of active service were greeted with
joyous enthusiasm. Suddenly the camp was broken up, and the order to march
given. The men wondered and speculated upon their destination, and though
the prophets of the regiments gave them certain information in regard to
the direction they were to take, most of them were incredulous. One
declared they were going to Richmond by the way of Fredericksburg;
another, by the way of Manassas; and a third was positive, from hints he
had seen in the newspapers, that they were going down the valley of the
Shenandoah, to take the capital of Rebeldom on the flank and rear.

While the prophets and wise men were speculating, the regiment marched on;
and to the astonishment of all, and to the utter confusion of the seers,
they were embarked in a transport--the steamer Napoleon--bound no one knew
where. One regiment and half of another belonging to the brigade were
huddled on board of this one steamer. Every foot of standing room was
occupied, and, of course, the boys were not very comfortably quartered;
but, as Tom expressed it, there was music ahead, and the brave hearts on
board were ready to stand any thing if they could only get a fight out of
the rebels. The mortification of their defeat at Bull Run still hung
heavily on their spirits, and they were panting for an opportunity to
retaliate upon the foe, and win the laurels they had lost upon that
disastrous field.

The prophets, though their failure to foretell the coming event had cast
them into disgrace, were still ready to volunteer an opinion. They
declared that the transports were bound to North Carolina, to follow up
Burnside's successes; but most of the men were content to wait till the
future should develop itself.

The troops were eager for active duty, and if they could get into the
field and strike a heavy blow at the rebellion, they did not care where it
was. They had unbounded confidence in the young general who was to
organize victory for them, and t