Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-04-26
LETTERS FROM THE INFANTRY-No. g.
HEADQUARTERS SIXTH REGIMENT,
United States Senate Chamber,
WASHINGTON, April %, 1861.


Dear SPY AT the hour of writing this no
new troops have arrived, and we have no reli-
able news from the North ; besides we are
most painfully conscious that no letters
from us have yet reached our anxious friends
at home since the sixth regiment ar
rived here. Yesterday was indeed busy
| day with us for early in the morning orders
came to at once prepare ovens to bake our
bread, and to lay pipes to secure us water
and, in company with other volunteers, we
went at the work briskly, and by tomorrow
we shall have the means Of standing regu-
lar seige, having now stored here in the Capt.
tol over fire thousand barrels Of -four besides
pork, beans, beef (sat,) and bacon, and our
supply of water will be ample for the five
hundred troops now stationed within the
walls.
To-day, for the first time, we have been out
to company drill, and Ais afternoon the
whole regiment was mustered into the United
States service on the splendid green at the east
side OF the Capitol As we stood there by
companies, waiting for Adjutant General
McDougal to call our roll, the sight was
novel and picturesque one. The companies
wal ting for roll call were all in line i'll column,
sitting or lying on the green, with full equip
ments on and with muskets Loaded and
capped, just as they have been since we came
here. Our company beats the crowd-in
numbers, to say the least. We mustered "a.
After the roll call was finished we were drawn
up in hollow square to lake the oath of ale
glance to the Union and eight hundred voices,
with the left hands claspiDg their muskets,
and the right hand lifted TO heaven, swore
their fealty anew to their country and is laws.
After this one member OF Capt. SaHs1
company Boston Light -G .rllas went to the
center, and it was there known that he refused
to take the oath and through the whole line
he was greeted with perfect shower OF hiss
es Following him came five other, who were
jeered and hooted and here occurred most
touching incident With that lot was young
| lad not more than sixteen, who, after mo-
ment's conversation with the colonel, uncover
ed his head and most rever=ntly took the
oath and such cheers as arose from the line
you have rarely heard Adjutant General
McDougal most heartily patted his shoulder,
and cheer after cheer rent the air. DO you
blame us for feeling exHltan over our corps,
who had not a single man to decline TO take
the oath or to stand by lis country?
After this form OF mastering, we broke col
umn and each company started for its quar-
tiers; and just as we entered the building, all
of us sung the chorus OF the "Star Spangled
Banner" and seven hundred men re echosd i'll
the capital the soul stirring lines
'The Star Spangled Banner, long may it wave,
Ger the home OF the free and the land Of the brave
You should have heard how those arches,
partitions and halls rung with our refrain
which the Infantry" have taken for its rally
ing cry, as well also, the ''red, white, and
blue" After a little rest we were all muster
ed again, and marched down to the White
House, passing in review before Honest Old
Abe" and Gen. Scott. 1t was a grand sight
to see our long files marching down the aven-
ue with "arms at will" and our muskets glis'
tening like silver in a summers sun, all of
them half cooked and capped, ready to be
fired at an instant The regiment marched
spendidly, steady, firm, in good order, and at
tracted great attention. The old hero of
Lundy's Lane and Chepultepec, praised US
highly, and as we filed up the hill to the
capitol, the regiment showed grandly. Our
Worcester boys enjoyed it much, and need l
tell our many friends at home, how proud we
are to have the largest company in the whole
regiment, and not a cowarClly sneak among
us.
All of us feel contented and though our
fare has been hard, two meals only per day
and nothing but hard floors TO sleep on, still
we are ready, God helping us, to do our duty
like men. And we find here friends by the
score, and none more so than Mr.. j. ID Proc
tor of Fitchburg. 1t really seems as if he
could not do enough for us. Capt Perkins OF
Worcester is always on hand to aid us, as is
Mr.. S. d. Johnson and Mr.. Ira WoodcOck
both Massachusetts boys. Our company ere
in good spirits, and ready for anything which
may turn up. To all our friends we send oul
warmest, heartiest greetings. Tonight We
expect to be ordered to Georgetown, but III,
all uncertain. The old Spy is wanted here
badly, SO please remember us. D. F.. P.
HrADouAp TERs 9Th REG NJ V MI