1       Bucks County Intelligencer, From the Ringgold (104th) Regiment.  April 8, 1862  Page 3  Col. 3       1

 

LETTERS FROM OUR VOLUNTEERS.

From the Ringgold (104th) Regiment.

Extracts from a Soldier’s Letter.

STEAMER CONSTITUTION, POTOMAC RIVER,

Sunday Evening, March 30, 1862.

We received our marching orders at Carver’s Barracks

at 12 o’clock on Friday, the 2?th, and were to be in line

by 2 p.m.  We were to have had a flag presentation in

the afternoon, but it took place without us.  You can

judge of the bustle created among us by the announce-

ment of our marching orders.  We had faith that this

time we were destined to go, and we made our arrange-

ments accordinglypacked up such things as we thought

we could carry, and the balance of our stock in trade we

disposed of as best as we could.  The harpies were about,

and by the time the regiment was ready to move almost

everything portable had been carried off.

The time fixed for our departure was 2 o’clock, but

hour after hour passed and the call for us to “ fall in “

did not beat, and we began to think that perhaps we were

again doomed to disappointment.  About 4 o’clock, how-

ever, General Casey and staff rode into our plaza, and

shortly afterward the long roll sounded and our line was

formed, in very quick time I assure you.  It was longer

than it had ever appeared before, except when mustered

for payment.  A number, however, were left behind in

hospital, as none were taken but those supposed to be fit

for active duty.  The band strikes up “ Dixie,” and we

are off on our march.  We moved in platoons and kept

step to the music the whole way form the barracks to the

Long Bridge.  As we were rising the hill between the

canal and the river, I looked back, and as far as I could

see the street was full of soldiers.  The whole of Casey’s

division was in motion, and the appearance was certainly

military.  At the first halt, the way our boys got rid of

their knapsacks was a caution.  They were quite tired,

but after a short rest they shouldered them again and we

were off on our tramp.  It was very nearly sunset when

we set foot on the “ sacred soil.”  From that time until

we reached the camp ground, as their loads were very heavy,

quite a number of the men, fell out of the ranks and laid

down to rest.  Some of them came straggling in during

the night, and more next morning, but a few have not as

yet arrived.

We reached our camping ground about 10 o’clock, drew

up in line and stacked our arms.  It was quite dark; but

in a few minutes lights were burning all over the camp. 

The blankets were spread, and it was not long before all

was quiet.  Some few straggled off and laid siege to some

fence rails and kindled fires.  It was quite cold, and as

the ground was very wet I concluded that discretion was

the better part of valor; and ? would display mine by

hunting up lodgings somewhere else.  I went to a house

near by, where they were selling cakes and coffee, and

bargained with the owner for permission to sit by the fire

during the night.  This was doing very well under the

circumstances.  We go along quite comfortably.  In the

morning we were all ready enough to eat our dry bread

and meat.  About seven o’clock we received orders and

were moved about three-fourths of a mile nearer Alexan-

dria, where we encamped on a flat piece of ground.  As

soon as our guns were stacked, the boys were off in quest

of wood to make fire to cook their coffee.  There had

originally been a fence across the field, but the rails had

some time since taken their departure.  The posts still

remained, and the way they were dragged up by main

force was astonishing.  When we encamped, there were

numerous fences in sight, but in an hour afterwards you

could have seen men by hundreds lugging on posts, rails,

and everything else they could lay their hands on.  Some

went to barns and pulled off boards.  I don’t think there

can be fencing enough left in Fairfax county to swear by. 

If ever I want fencing converted into ashes suddenly, I

will send for a regiment of New Yorkers; if they can’t do

it I will give up.

It had been cloudy all morning and looked like rain

but by eleven o’clock it commenced snowing and it came

down as fast as was comfortable.  It melted as it fell, and

I can assure you the ground was anything but pleasant. 

All the men were supplied with gum blankets, so we fas-

tened two of them together by the tops and stretched them

? pole set on two forked sticks driven in the ground

—thus making a tent just high enough to let us crawl in

head foremost.  We went half a mile to a row of cedar

trees, cut one down and dragged it into camp, cut off the

branches, and with them made a floor for our tent.  Thus

we roughed it through the day and following night amid the

mud and snow.  If some of our friends who have grieved

so much at our comfortably quarters at Carver’s Barracks

had experienced it, they would have though it rough

enough.  We will no doubt get used to it, but for green

hands our experience was pretty heavy.

Orders had been received the night before for us to em-

bark at Alexandria at six o’clock this (Sunday) morning,

and you may believe our men were not loth to obey them. 

At seven our line was formed, and we commenced our

tramp through the mud and rain.  It was not far, and we

consoled ourselves with the idea that we would soon be

on board.  But grievously were we disappointed.  When

we arrived within a few hundred yards of the wharf we

were halted and informed that we should remain there

until all the baggage of the brigade was loaded.  There

was bitter storm raging, and we were compelled to

stand in the mud and drenching rain from eight o’clock

until twelve.  All things terrestrial must have an end,

and our waiting was at last terminated by an order to

march.  It was just noon when we stepped on board.  The

whole brigade was put on board this ship, our regiment

occupying the upper deck.  The Constitution is a new

vessel, and has been chartered by the Government as a

transport at the rate of three thousand dollars a day.  She

is nicely fitted up, and you may judge of her size when I

tell you that after our regiment was on her upper deck

there was room left for another of the same size.  She is

second in size, I believe, only to the Great Eastern.  You

can imagine our condition when we got on board.  The

boys spread their blankets on deck and made themselves

comfortable.  The officers all have state-rooms.  Most of

the baggage is aboard, and the rest is coming.  Whilst

putting some boxes aboard, the plank slipped and threw

Captain Swartzlander and one of his men into the river. 

There were pulled out without suffering anything more

serious than a good ducking.  Our vessel is fast aground,

and cannot get off before high tide.  The men are spread

out on deck, and the cabin is filled with officers reading,

writing and talking.  It is Sunday evening, but we can

hardly realize tha the day just past has been Sunday. 

As it has been a very weary one, I will bid you good

night, and turn in.

STEAMER STATE OF MAINE, Monday Evening.

Imagine our surprise on waking this morning, on board

the Constitution to hear that “ the 104th must go on

shore.”  We soon learned that the ship was too top-

heavy, from want of ballast; and that the regiment on

the upper deck would have to go on shore.  The order

was at once given for us to pack our knapsacks and get

ready to move.  We marched off the vessel to a dry piece

of ground, stacked arms, unslung knapsacks, and awaited

further orders.  In about three-quarters of an hour the

Constitution moved off, taking with her Colonel Davis,

Lieutenant-Colonel Nields, and a number of other officers

who were too slow in getting ashore.  Well, here were

the 104th, left on the wharf almost without an owner. 

What we were to do was uncertain, but about 9 o’clock

the sun came out and brightened things up immensely. 

We spread out our blankets, and concluded to take it

easy.  About eleven o’clock we received orders to come

on board this vessel, and by twelve we were safely stowed. 

This is a river steamer, and has on board in addition to

ourselves about two hundred members of other regiments,

who have been left behind.  This fills here chuck-full.  At

one o’clock everything was ready, our hawsers were cast

off, the band struck up Dixie, the wheels commenced to

revolve, and we are off on our mission of love.

It is unnecessary to give any description of our voyage.

The river is all clear, and we can go down safely.  Off

Acquia creek we overtook the Constitution aground.  Gen.

Casey sent a boat aboard and asked us to try to tow her

off.  We geared to her, but soon broke one hawser ; the

other held on and so did the mud—the mud being the

stronger we had to cave.  We had orders to lay by her

during the night, and so came to anchor.  We saw Col.

Davis and several others on the Constitution as we passed.

Tuesday Evening.—This morning we found two other

boats; with our own tugging at the Constitution.  She

unloaded a good number of troops on the smaller craft,

and by eight o’clock she was afloat.  We then cast off,

and in a short time left her far behind.  This afternoon

she again overhauled and passed us.  At nine o’clock we

came to anchor in the neighborhood of our landing place.

Wednesday Morning.—As soon as we got up this mor-

ning we prepared to disembark; got some coffee and then

proceeded ashore.  We marched a few hundred yards

back of the fort, where we have stacked arms for the

present.  This is a beautiful morning, and so far as the

place is concerned, we could stay here very comfortably

for a few weeks.

PACIFIC MAIN STEAMSHIP CONSTITUTION,

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, March 30, 1862.

My Dear Friend :—We are on board the steamship

Constitution, waiting to start for Dixie.  The 104th Reg-

iment left Washington on Friday afternoon, perhaps to

return—perhaps never.  We crossed the Long Bridge at

dark, and turned down the Potomac towards Alexandria,

proceeding three or four miles, and then turned into a

field and bivouacked for the night.  I carried my knap-

sack, and found the blankets very comfortable, as also

did some of my friends.  We got up early and moved off

before breakfast.  We marched down the river about half

a mile, then camped and prepared for breakfast, and

awaited, the arrival of our tents ; but owing to the condi-

tion of the roads, this was slow business.  About noon it

commenced snowing very rapidly and we made an at-

tempt to improvise tents out of cedar bushes and gum

blankets.  Various forms of dwellings were adopted, and

we slept very comfortable indeed, although the snow fell

and melted, and it afterwards turned to raining, and the

weather was anything but agreeable.  But the boys en-

joyed it wonderfully.  We retired early, but by nine

o’clock we had orders to move early next morning.  Sun-

day morning we were up early and ready to march.  We

started for Alexandria, but when we were within a short

distance of the town we were stopped or halted, and we

stood in the rain for five hours, waiting for something—no

one knew what,—and it was very disagreeable to us all. 

I was wet to the skin on my back, ? ? of my knap-

sack—all the water running down between it and my coat. 

After waiting five hours we were taken on board the

steamer, which is a splendid one.  We have nearly 4,500

men on board—our whole brigade.  They were all on

board by one o’clock in the afternoon.  Captain and I

dined on board of a steamer lying near our own vessel.—

We had roast beef, sweet potatoes, boiled cabbage, tur-

nips, white potatoes, &c.  Price 50 cents.  Now we have

our meals on board our own steamer.  We had a handsome

supper.  We have a splendid state room on board—five

bunks, with excellent white beds, and expect to have a

good night’s rest.  I am writing this on a splendid walnut

table.  Persons writing to us should direct their letters

for the present ,to the 104th Regiment, P. V., 1st Brigade,

Casey’s Division, 4th Corps of Armee, Washington, D. C.

J. M. C.


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