point at which any thing tasted good, and found no fault so long as the quantity was sufficient. So we lived on two days more, eating when we could get any thing to eat, and growling when we had nothing. Salt junk had really become to look inviting, — those who had been sick were fast recovering their appetites, and we were fast approaching a warmer climate. At last the look-out at the masthead gave us the agreeable information that Old Point Comfort was in sight, and the spirits of the men revived amazingly. In the course of the day we arrived off Fort Monroe, at which place we were to receive our orders for subsequent movements, and also await our consort, the "Ariel," with the right wing of our regiment. Here we found the United States ship Cumberland at anchor, having been dragged over the obstacles placed in the Potomac by the Virginians, and now lay safely under the guns of the fort. The colonel went ashore and received his orders, and we at once proceeded back up the bay to Annapolis, about 180 miles. Upon arriving in the river below Annapolis, we found no less than eight large steamships crowded with troops; also the United States steamer Harriet Lane and frigate Constitution (Old Ironsides). We were received here with deafening cheers and salutes from the ships and steamers, and really began to feel at home again. In a short time we were visited by an officer from the Harriet Lane, and ordered to proceed at once to Annapolis; General Wilson was on board the boat that brought the officer, and was loudly cheered by our troops, some of whom had felt as though they should never see anybody again that they had ever known before. This was one of the most beautiful and stirring sights I ever saw; all the steamers were crammed full of patriotic men, cheering Massachusetts, the Union, Constitution, etc.

"We all proceeded up the river to Annapolis, and by seven o'clock were all quartered in that place. There

were about three thousand troops there-Gov. Sprague's Rhode Island regiment, New York Seventy-first, Massachusetts Fifth, besides a huge volunteer regiment from Pennsylvania. The next day the Sixth and Twelfth from New York and others arrived. This Annapolis is one of the most beautiful little places I ever saw. The houses

and barracks are all in good order, and in front, next the water, is a fine large parade ground. There were about two hundred and fifty midshipmen there when we first went there, and a smarter looking set of little fellows you never saw. The school was broken up before we left, and the boys were all transported by steamer down the bay to the frigate Constitution, to be carried to New York. They marched down to the wharf with the band playing Hail Columbia, Sweet Home, etc., and left amid the cheers of the troops and firing of cannon. Some of them seemed to feel very sad at being obliged to leave, but most of them, boy-like, were very glad to be relieved of the restraints of a naval school.

"About seven o'clock on Thursday evening, the Fifth Massachusetts Regiment received orders to proceed at once to Washington. Not expecting to leave before seven o'clock the next morning, the men had made arrangements to sleep where we were quartered, in the chapel of the school. The bustle of preparation immediately commenced, and in half an hour the entire regiment was ready for a start. We had been informed when we first arrived at Annapolis, that we should be obliged to march to Annapolis Junction, so called, where the Annapolis branch connects with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the rails having been torn up by the secessionists along the road, and the locomotive taken apart and strewed about the fields in the vicinity of the railroad. But the Eighth Massachusetts Regiment having laid the track and repaired the engine, it was understood that we should go in the cars. Arriving at the depot at

about half-past nine o'clock, it was found that the railroad had not sufficient cars to carry the whole of us, and therefore the left wing of the regiment would be obliged to march the entire distance (twenty miles). At about eleven o'clock, P. M., we started, all tired out, having had very little sleep, very poor living, and all lumbered up with overcoats, knapsacks, haversacks, with three days' rations, and heavy muskets. The prospect seemed gloomy indeed-to start at eleven o'clock at night to march twenty miles through the heart of an enemy's country, after we had been promised by the Baltimore papers, that if we passed over the route any way we should be treated to a running guerilla fight. But Massachusetts soldiers are seldom intimidated by such threats as these, and by vote of the regiment we started. I don't believe there was ever a regiment started off in the night under more inauspicious circumstances than the gallant Fifth. To say that we suffered is a tame expression. I myself saw men marching along, mile after mile, sound asleep; then they would run against a sleeper, stumble, and wake up. It seems hardly possible that men, fresh from their homes as we were, not having been hardened to such a style of life and exposure, could endure what we did on that forced march in the night, through the heart of Maryland, on a railroad track, with sand half-knee deep, expecting every moment to be attacked by the Baltimore roughs.

"That the roads were filled with spies and scouts we have no doubt, as when we left Annapolis, rockets and signals were fired from several points, probably informing the enemy of our march. However, we were not attacked, and by dint of much persuasion and threats on the part of the officers, who, though as much fatigued as the men, knew that if they left any one asleep on the road it would probably be his last sleep, we arrived at the Junction.

"It was intended to have the train that carried up the right wing of the regiment return and take us up, and much surprise was manifested that it did not come; but it was easily accounted for. When we got within about two miles of the Junction, there lay the train thrown off the track. It seems that between the time the train passed up and its return, some of our gentle friends in Maryland had torn up a rail, and the consequence was that two cars and the tender were thrown partially down an embankment twenty feet high. Fortunate it was for us that the train run off on the downward trip, as, if it had passed there and taken us on board, the train would probably have gone entirely over the embankment, as the engine would have been on the other end of the train. Shortly after we passed the disabled train we arrived at a depot, at which were some half dozen or more citizens, and some of our men were very strongly inclined to string up two or three of them as examples. That portion of Maryland through which we have passed. is certainly the most miserable-looking country, and the people generally the most ignorant, stupid, lazy-looking bipeds that any of our people ever saw. The soil is a miserable, light-colored sand, and there seems to be hardly vegetation enough to keep even the poor miserable slaves alive that do the work. Most of our men think that if Jeff. Davis is willing to take Maryland, and will come under obligation to keep it, the best thing that could possibly be done by the United States government would be to let him have it.

"Well, we arrived at the Junction, and met here the Seventy-first of New York, which had come over the same route the day before. Here our accommodations were worse than ever before; nothing but a few small trees to shelter us from the hot sun, and nothing to eat but what we brought in our haversacks, three days old. We made out to consume most of the day by sleeping under the

trees and getting rested. The two small, miserable-looking hovels at this place are called by the proprietors hotels. The smallest and most miserable looking of. the two rejoiceth in the euphonious title of the "Howard House!" The furniture in each is similar-four rough chairs, a dirty pine table, and three or four disgusting looking niggers. The proprietors did a very good trade during the fore part of the day, dispensing some of the most abominable whiskey that was ever drank. The slaves of Maryland are much better protected against this stuff than the whites, inasmuch as there is a heavy penalty and fine for giving a negro any liquor; the whites have no protection whatever! The people in the surrounding country did a good business in selling villainous pies, hard boiled eggs, etc., at enormous prices. A wagon load of milk that was brought down from toward Baltimore was supposed to have been poisoned, and orders were immediately given to the troops to buy no more of the stuff offered for sale, and the venders were ordered off, with the comfortable assurance that if they were seen around the quarters after dark they would be shot by the sentries.

"The railroad being in good condition from this place to Washington, in the afternoon a train came down for the Seventy-first Regiment of New York. The order of proceeding is, to leave troops enough along the line of the railroad to keep it open and free, and as soon as one regiment arrives another is sent off. The New York regiment went aboard the cars, with all their baggage, etc., ready for a start, when news was received that our regiment was to be attacked that night by troops from Baltimore, which is only eighteen miles off. It was very well known that there had been spies about the camp during the day, but they could not be detected. These spies probably obtained information that the Seventy-first was to leave, and that the left wing of our regiment (the right