The Portland daily press., 1862-10-21

Letter from the Maine nth.
POPLAR GROVE FARM,
near Balls Cross Road, Va,
Oct q 1890


Tuesday, Sth inst, at O'Clock, but part Of
the 9th Battalion at Fort Carroll refusing to
do duty as Heavy Artillery, the order Was
countermanded late on Monday night. Col
Roberts in the meantime ordered out compa-
nies X, and c, and succeeded in quelling the
mutiny, and bringing the New Workers to du-
ty again. They were enlisted to serve as
Light Artillery, and were fearful that if
they received muskets now for guard duty, or
drilled as Heavy Artillery, they would never
get their field pieces and sabres. Much of the
same spirit was manifest by both officers and
men of the 7th Battalion.
CAMP NEAR EDWARDS FERRY, Md, Oct.
IA, 1S62.-I had written so far when the or
der came to move, and packing up my desk
was at once in the hurry of preparation. Pre-
vious to the date of this letter, as had begun
TO tell you, we had moved from onr comforta-
BILE quarters in the fort to the neighborhood of
Upton Hill, and upon the ground of the shir-
mish of last year at or near Balls Cross Roads.
Here We had encamped; and having been told
that if we moved again it would be without
DdpHdpt, Hstu Hlltu our ltIlbS Wlln ldDcS, anu
other conveniences. We expected to be or
dered to march farther into Virginia. to inter-
cept the rebels on their return towards Rich
mond, and supposed that the campaign would
be short one, and We should then return to
camp. On Friday night last, however, we
were ordered to be ready to move at 3 A. NJ.
Saturday, and we were ready, but did not
march till nearly 6 A. NJ. The day was ex-
tremely favorable for marching. Heavy
showers during the night had 'laid the dust"
without making the mud deep; and through
oIt the day the sky was overcast, with occa-
sional rain. We marched up the Potomac,
crossing it at Chain Bridge, so called, though
| could discover no fitness in the apellation.
The scenery on the Potomac, both above and
below this bridge, is e, and and bold. The
western bank for miles, is rocky bluff, often
a sheer precipice, with occasional gulches,
where the creeks find their way through into
the river. All day long we marched rapidly,
most Of the men having left their knapsacks,
and when we bivouacked by the roadside at
night, were full twenty miles from our last
camp. We lay down on our rubber blankets
in the open air. and slept soundly.
The Sabbath morning was cloudy. In the
dim dawn the cheering cry "the mail has
come" passed through the regiment, and we
hurried to the Coloners fire, where the post
master was asserting the letters into ten piles,
one for each company. The Chaplain, as in
most other regiments, acts as postmaster, in
addition to his clerical duties.
We received our letters with unfeigned ioy
hatSabbath morning, know; and the train OF
Sabbath home associations they awakened in
our hearts, though little tinged with sadness,
were, as some one says of Ossians poems,-
"mournful, yet pleasant to the SOUL" We
thought, on that lonely march, of the Ginning
church bells, and gathering congregations, and
songs of praise, and fervent prayers, and all
the sights and sounds of the day of rest in
our New England homes.
These were our ideal Sabbaths; the real was
rapid and toilsome march, through coun-
try of almost primitive solitude, with heavy
guns, andhaversacks, and canteens, and blank
cts, growing heavier at every step, and, in
stead Of Sabbath sounds, an occasional pro-
fame jest. About noon we filed into all open
field on the right hand side of the road, half
the brigade on the north, and the other half
on the south side of the road leading from the
interior, and running at right angles with the
one we had been travelling. Our regiment was
on the south side of the road, the right well
sheltered in a grove of pines. The artillery
was planted on u hill commanding the cross
road; and here we waited for the appearance
of Stewards Cavalry, which, it was antic-
pated, would return that way from the raid in
to Pennsy ylvania. Here we waited for two or
three hours, expecting, in vain, the appearance
of the rebels. But they did not come and at
about P. NJ the order came to move, and We
were in fifteen minutes thereafter moving
up the road again. Soon it commenced to
rain, and anon grew dark, but still we pressed
on. About two hours after dark a halt was
ordered, and we prepared to pass the night
The ground was low, and covered with rank
weeds, completely saturated with water
Wrapping ourselves in blankets and overcoats,
and in some cases making a rude tents of rub
home, even when in good health, have tossed
and turned on feather bed, failing to get half
the refreshing sleep that l got en- that wet
field, with my feet sticking out from under any
shelter into the rain, my stockings getting
little wet, as l was using my boots for a pill
low. l rose in the morning without any cold,
or feeling of rheumatism.
We were ordered to march at about five in
the morning, and came up the river about a
mile and a half. Here we have encamped, but
have made very little preparation for an ex-
tended stay. The camp presents a peculiar
appearance. Having been oblghed to aban-
don our Sibiey tents, most of the men have
made tents OF various sizes of their rubber
blankets. We are to have shelter tents" a
small affair, in four pieces, buttoning together,
capable of sheltering four men, and making
but a small addition to their luggage. 1t is
believed that we are to cross over into Vir-
ginia, pontoon bridge having been construct
ed by the 50th New York regiment. We are
brigaded with the 37th, 1st, and 55th New
York, the 5th Michigan regiments, and bat
terry of Light Artillery, with six IL pound field
pieces.
The men are generally in good health and
spirits, and seem we'll satisfied with their of
fcers generally speaking. Capt. Stinson, of
Co. X, has resigned and gone home, and Cap
tain,s Harsav Marrill and HohSon of coppa-