Chapter 28- In Camp

CHAPTER XXVIII

IN CAMP

Whilst lying in camp the 18^th  Cavalry made a reconnaissance south of Occoquan and fell in with a part of Stewart’s rebel Cavalry and in a few minutes from the time that they bad ridden past us so grandly, a number of them  came riding back, hatless, without arms, and in short were the worst demoralized of men that we had ever beheld.  They gave us a heart-reading account of the terrible onslaught which the rebels had made upon them, and how they had mowed down whole squadrons of them on horse.

The men passed on to the rear, evidently anxious to get out of the reach of the famous Cavalry General and his men.

The advent of the frightened cavalry men in our midst recalled us from our seeming security which we had enjoyed up to the present time, and the keen edge which we had gained that a mean rebel force was within an hour or so ride from our camp, was news that we by no means relished, and we began to feel a “leetle” uncomfortable

On the morning following the cavalry scare, Captain McCabe of Company H had been out on a little scout and brought us the information that a part of the rebel command which had attacked the Cavalry was in our immediate front and that we were liable to be attacked at any moment.

The drums tapped Orderlies calling upon the assembling of the Sergeants at Adjutant’s head-quarters, they were expected to have their companies fall in previously and to prepare for action.

In a very short time after the command was given the company, with tents struck and in heavy marching order, was ordered to take its place in line.

The men appeared to be ready for most any emergency, and save some more soberness, nothing unusual seemed to be the matter.

The Regiment was formed and the Colonel riding up, gave the command “Battalion, load at will, load,” almost instantly numberless rammers were sprung and the deadly charge was sent home.  Obeying to a shoulder arms, the command was given, “right face, column forward,” and we were on the move, in search of the Johnnies.

In the rear of the camp, we struck a main road leading to Fairfax we marched down this road about a half-mile, where we were moved by the left flank in to a strip of woods, here we about faced and formed our line a the left of the road.  After which we sacked arms and awaited further developments.

Several companies taken from the line were deployed as skirmishers and proceeded to advance  across the road, over a fence and down through the field.

To the members of company ‘G’ the advance of the skirmish line was an object of interest.  Anxiously we watched as the skirmishers got in range of the woods, momentarily expecting that some concealed unseen foe would rise up and fire a volley into the line of blue, that was steadily and fearlessly advancing.

We watched them until they disappeared in the woods.  We now listened for the discharge of the deadly rifle, expecting it momentarily.  As the time wore away, we began to breath free, and to all matters a little more cool.  A number of the boys stretched themselves out and took a  “snooze,” whilst a number of the boys took to writing letters to friends at home.

After laying in line for several hours we were gladly surprised by seeing the skirmishers return, bringing several of the cavalry with them, who turned out to be an attachment of the 17^th & 18^th Cavalry who were on duty watching the advance of the rebel troops who appeared to be unable to decide where to strike, and who were hovering between Occoquan and Wolf Run Shoals.

We marched to our old quarters and soon had everything in apple-pie order again.  Our officers however took the precaution to strengthen the picket line, and to make every arrangements as to render being taken by surprise almost impossible.

The following day, December 24th we heard several reports caused by the discharge of artillery, which we afterwards learned was occasioned by the rebels making an attack upon the Ohio regiment of our Brigade, then stationed at Dumfries, in which the rebel troops were beaten, with a small loss of killed and wounded.

This was the last that we heard of the rebels while we had our camp at Occoquan.

Christmas in  camp passed very quietly since nothing happened to make it appear different from an ordinary day in the war.  The best treat that was given us was mail, containing numbers of letters from dear ones at home.  In the evening we gathered about the camp-fires, and often smoked an occasional hard-tack at the fire, we compared the present with the past, and thought how differently we had passed our last Christmas from the present one; then we had plenty, surrounded by loving friends and the comfort of home, now we were surrounded by hostile foes, and frequently suffering from the actual necessities of life.  Situated as we were upon this bleak December night, with the wind whistling through the branches of the tall pines, and the waves of the Occoquan madly dashing upon the rock-bound shore, as it endeavoring to disobey the Divine injunction, “thus far shalt thou come and no further, here shall thy proud waves be stayed,” all combined to make the contrast more marked.

Nothing of any importance transpired to mar the monotony of camp-life, and the same hum-drum events continued to transpire each day of our stay at Occoquan.

On the evening of the 30^th of December the usual monotony was interrupted by the announcement that we were to move forward to join the rest of the Brigade, then encamped at the ancient town of Dumfries, Prince William County, the following morning.

The order came at an evil time, we were out of rations, having consumed almost the last particle of food for the supper just dispatched.

However, having learned by actual experience that we might just as well acquiesce quietly, as no action that we were able to take would bring us rations or cause a general order to be countermanded, so we retired to our tents in order to secure the necessary rest and refreshment for the march on the morrow.

In the morning we were awakened by the timely beating of the sheep skin battery which called us forth for roll call and duty.

We managed to raise sufficient coffee to give each member of the company a cup, which constituted the principal part of the day’s diet unless we would be served with nations during the day, which we were informed was very probable.

During the night a slight fall of snow had fallen, covering the earth to the depth of several inches, but which as soon as the sun put in an appearance it began to melt, making a very disagreeable slush and causing the marching to be very unpleasant.

By the time that the sun had fairly gilded the heaven’s dome with its light, the command was marching, moving in the direction of Dumfries, traveling over the ground for the third time in as many weeks.

We moved along smartly, the officers anxious to get us to our journey’s end.

We did not halt for dinner, but moved right along, Colonel Pardee having evidently learned of the condition of our haversacks.

We reached Dumfries at about 3 o’clock p. m., having marched 17 miles carrying fully forty pounds, without a mouth full of victuals, save the cup of coffee which we had scraped together in the morning before we left camp.

When we reached the place designated as our camping place, which was in the midst of a brushy pine thicket, we were almost exhausted, a number of the boys threw themselves upon the ground without removing knapsacks or their accouterments.

Those who were present well remember the pangs of hunger we suffered on the occasion narrated above, and how we endeavored to satisfy the cravings of hunger by picking up the corn that had been dropped by the cavalry horses while feeding there at some previous time, and how greedily we devoured the bits of hard-tack and scraps of meat which had been left scattered around by rebel troops encamped there earlier in the winter, and which were in a bad state of preservation.

Well do we remember poor Asa B. Churchill who had been to the wagon train and cabbaged a pot of wagon grease, in which he fried some corn, but the mess was too much for even HIS stomach and he was reluctantly compelled to give back his supper.