page 73. He sends me this and the three sketches on page 146 made by himself. The next tent here was Bagley's, another musician's, and the two were at the end of the musicians' row, next the parade ground. Staff tents are shown at the left.

The next picture shows the inside of the same tent. The door was made of a cracker box, with hinges of leather, and the chimney was made of earth sod.

The two next were regimental huts at Camp Hooker. The one in the centre was made by Perkins and Burditt of Co. G. The top was thatched, and leaked some, but the bunks were placed one over the other, and a rubber blanket put over them to shed the water to the floor. As this was simply the ground, the water drained. off.

147

148

Jan. 14. Pleasant.

Our Sutler arrived.

A large crowd soon formed in front of his tent, and at Tattoo he had nothing left.

Jan. 15. Pleasant. Drills as usual. Am beginning to play the fife pretty well.

Jan. 16. Pretty cold. Was put on Orderly. McLaughlin not liking the Sutler's prices "razeed" his prices 100 ct. Orders came for a move.

We privates sometimes razeed a sutler's prices 100%, but I think Col. McLaughlin did not cut them below 50.

Jan. 17. Cold. Did not move though kept in readiness.

Jan. 18. Cold. not turning out.

put in my place.

Was put on orderly for Was taken sick and Prest

was

REDERICKSburg was an awful disaster, and yet it hurt Burnside less than his memorable mud march. The battle was a tragedy, the march a farce. The country blamed him for the lives sacrificed, but it laughed at him for the retreat through the mud. Here the weather record in my diary is significant. We had had only one rainy day since the year opened, but it poured for the two days of this march, and there was nothing to do but to go home again. You people who have not walked in Virginia roads have no idea what rains meant there, especially when all movements involved crossing the Rappahannock, slow and sluggish enough in pleasant weather, but when formidable not fordable.

Jan. 19. Pleasant. Orders were given to pack knapsacks again but some unaccountable reason delayed us and we did not start.

An order was read on line announcing that we were about to meet the enemy.

Jan. 20. Rainy. Started about 3 o'clock & marched 2 miles and halted then while other Corps were passing us.

The troops were of Franklin's grand division, and the lack of discipline was appalling. A majority of the men fell out by the roadside and sought any shelter they could find, declaring they would not be marched at such a time, in such a manner, by such officers, if they were courtmarshalled for disobedience.

It now began to rain and back we went to Camp and found our tent poles stolen. So we slept very cold and wet.

Jan. 21. Rainy. Were awakened at daylight out of our uncomfortable sleep by the order "fall in", so breakfastless and cold and uncomfortable we waded through the mud about 7 miles to a place near U. S. ford, where it was intended to cross.

This is the first of several pictures I shall show of the fords of the Rappahannock.

The infantry usually crossed them on pontoon bridges.

Wagons

and Pontoons stuck in the mud lined the road. Slept very well at night, the steam from the blankets and clothes wet through acting as a narcotic.

That was before the days of Mrs. Julia Ward Hunt, and I could take a narcotic with a clear conscience.

Jan. 22. Cloudy. The Reg't were sent out in the morning to build a Corduroy road to retreat on.

The pictures show how a corduroy road was built. Trees were felled and cut into lengths somewhat wider than an army wagon, and these logs were laid across stringers and fastened as securely as possible. Many of my readers have complained of

this kind of road in the Adirondacks, but an Adirondack log road is asphalt compared with what we used to build in Virginia. Sometimes we did not stop to lay stringers but merely laid logs down, as shown in the second picture on the next page. About the only advantage of such a road is that it saves the mud from being absolutely bottomless.

It is tiring labor to build them. The logs of green wood are heavy and often have to be carried long distances. Here everything was done in rushing haste, so that there was much stumbling and interference. The officers hated the work and took out their dislike for it on the privates, so that altogether we were an uncomfortable and disagreeable lot. We drummers did our full share of the work.