Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1861-08-28
Prescott, Wisconsin. August g. 1851.
r Sixth Regiment Correspondence.
CAMH kAInRMA. ]


at Washington finally, and encampet
near Meridian Hill, just outside the
city limits. Whilein camp at Baltimore
one evening, just as we were going OF
Dress Parade An order camo from heaC
quarters that we should proceed imme
diately to y ashington. In 80 minute:
the tents were struck, everything pack ed
and the Regiment marching down tho
avenue Of the Monumental city to the
depot OF the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road. Were. you ever in that depot ?
1t is as big as"all out-of doors, and a
the present time one immense rooted va
cancv. There is no business goirg or
there except the transportation of sol
iiers, and on the occasion of our depar
ture it was. lively enough. Il must have
been very nearly filled with fruit and ei-
gar vendors, alone, but tie boys were
very careful of eating and drinking in
Baltimore. They prefer being shot rath-
er than poisoned. While the cars were
stopping in that depot we came near haS-
ing serious accident. a servant Of
one Of the officers let a Colts revolver
drop on the floor OF car. 1t went off,
and the ball struck The window Of the
car within q few inches of tue head Of
the Chaplain. You may we'll imrgine
there was some grasping Of arms and
quick movements in tina tear, We tho't,
at first, that the fire came from outside,
aud that the war on the 9th had actual
" begun. If such had been the case the
10th Appil might have been reenacted,
improved and enlarged. The move
ment Of soldiers must be quick, but the
wheels of Government move slowly on,
and as the Railroad from Baltimore to
Washington is under the control of Gov
eminent we were of course detained q
long time on the route. Streaks of NOR
mig light were plainly visible in the
East when We arrived in Washington,
and were marched one division to the
Washington Assembly room, a second
to the Congregational Church, and the
third to a vacant dwelling, as sleeping
quarters. Your correspondent slept in a
pew of the church. The gallery and
pulpit were both full. The next day we
came to this camp, marching up Penn
sylvania avenue and hating a few min
utes, before the White House Honest
Old Abe. was net visible. There stood
the statue of Washington in the yard, and
on the opposite side Of the avenue was
the Equestrian statue Of Jackson. If
the rebels should get possession of this
city would they not desccrate the statue
az one who said, /" the Union must and
shall be preserved e. We nre encamped
about q mile from the Potomac and in
TIE midst of several thousan troops
just accessible road from us is the 9Th
Wisconsin On our right is the 9th
Indiana.
The Brigade Of which our regiment is
part, and which Brig. Gen. King will
command isycomposed of the following
Regiments: tia 5th aud 9th Wisconsin,
10th INDIANA, and l4th and 18th Massa
chusetts. 1t ,isa fine body of troops and
they are ali encamped near us. Every
thing ,isyery7 active. about tina encanap-
ments, drilling, praeticing Mt target shoot
ing, and perfect.ng the general organiza-
ton of the Brigade. You have no idea
of the amount -ofwork done in one day
in and around Washington. Tleprocess
of doing business here is very corr ect
but. full of perplexities. That YOU may
have an idea of how the machine runs,
will give you an instances Our regiment
being in need of about two hundred &C
couterments, the Colonel detailed me to
procure them from the Ordnance Depart
ment | first visited Gen. Mansfield, who
-istracted me to apply to Gen. Ripley,
who directed me toi4a St. to enquire for
Mr.. Stebbins, the military storekeeper.
went to A st. but could not find Mr..
stebbins, but was directed to Mai. Rocker
who perhaps could inform me where the
military storeksepcr could be found
FINALLY found myself in TIE U. S. Ar.
s9nal six mites from the encampment
where after waiting for an hour, l saw
Mr.. Stebbins and was furnished with tbs
accouterments, but having no conveyane.
for them, | had to return to Gen. Mans
field and get an order on some Major
who gave me note to WAGNER to o,
with me, and then it took another day /,
procure few cartridge boxes. iau .sa
Company B. are generally veil