along the graceful walks and beneath the magnolia tree planted by Washington's hands. We visited the ancient mansion, going from room to room. Up a narrow staircase to the left we reach the room in which he died, where still stands the bedstead on which he breathed his last. The shutter of the window was adjusted as it was to allow him to behold his last sunset view. His tomb was visited, and, with uncovered head, we gazed upon the mound containing his mortal remains. On returning to camp, we passed the negro quarters, where dwelt the descendants of Washington's slaves, one of whom was an aged servant far back to Washington himself, whom he distinctly remembered, and whose word there was no reason to doubt. These people still formed the working force of the plantation.

Arrived in camp, we found the men packing up under marching orders, and at 9 o'clock we started for Leesburg, taking our blankets only, to be in light marching order, as it was understood that we were to go in pursuit of Lee, who had invaded Maryland. The night was moonlight and beautiful. Passing by Camp Morrow and again through "secesh" Alexandria, we bivouacked at 2 o'clock, two miles from the Long Bridge, on the Potomac bank, and in the morning (September 8) moved on to Washington. By some mistake at the War Office, the Seventeenth Michigan was ordered to take our place for Leesburg, while the Twenty-fourth Michigan was sent across Anacostia creek to Fort Baker. Thus, the histories of these two regiments were interchanged.

ARMY LIFE AT CAMP SHEARER.

Our new location was called "Camp Shearer." It was healthy, well drained, and there was good spring water near by. It was soon adorned with pines from the neighboring woods, a retired resort from which was had a good view of the Capital City, over the tops of trees in the valley between. Only the boom of the navy yard guns for practice disturbed our quiet. Here were spent three of the happiest weeks of army life, and Camp Shearer is a pleasant memory to this day.

The first death in the regiment since it left home was that of George B. Parsons, of Company D, who died in the ambulance going thither from Camp Wayne, from delirium caused by fright from the sudden call to arms on the night of the 4th. His remains were sent home at the expense of his comrades.

The regiment was attached to General Woodbury's Engineer Brigade, and two companies were detailed each day to chop away the

young growth of pine in front of Fort Baker to allow a better range of its guns. When not on such fatigue duty, the men were engaged in drill, and soon became skilled in the evolutions and school of the soldier. On Sunday, the 21st, the regiment was inspected by General Woodbury and staff, who pronounced it "as fine a body of men as he ever saw." But he probably made the same remark to every regiment inspected by him.

On the 14th and 17th of September, the booming of guns was heard forty miles distant, at the South Mountain and Antietam battle-fields, and we wonder how long ere we, too, will be engaged.

On the 25th, 26th and 27th, the regiment was drilled in sham fighting, which accustoms the men to the sound of their own guns in action. On the first day, Peter Euler, of G, was shot in the leg. On the next day, a man's face was filled with powder. On the third day, a soldier shot off his ramrod, which struck Orderly Sergeant W. R. Dodsley, of H. These accidents terminated this manner of drill. On the last day, Governor Blair witnessed the sham battle.

And thus a trio of weeks passed by, ourselves gladdened with daily mails, a good place to sleep, and ample and wholesome food; our evenings gleeful with music, dancing, and song, while the prayer meetings were well attended by such as found interest therein. But September 29 brought an end to these pastimes by orders to start next morning for the Army of the Potomac.

POPE'S CAMPAIGN-DISASTER.

Before proceeding further with our story, let us survey the army movements since we left the Army of the Potomac at Harrison's

the respect of the generals of that army, and the failures that soon. followed are possibly traceable to this cause. Meanwhile, General Halleck had been appointed General-in-Chief of all the Union armies.

Pope with 40,000 men was at Culpepper, McClellan with 90,000 men was on the James river below Richmond, and Lee with a large army of the enemy lay virtually between the two Union armies. It was deemed advisable at the War Office that the two parts of the Union army be united, and McClellan was ordered to withdraw his army by water for this purpose, to Alexandria. Instead of obeying the order with alacrity, leaving consequences with his superiors he protested and tried to defeat it, but finally obeyed after some delay.

Meanwhile, Lee was quick to perceive his opportunity. Keeping a portion of his men to watch McClellan, he sent forward Ewell and Jackson to encounter Banks' corps of Pope's army, with whom he fought a battle at Cedar Mountain on August 19. So soon as McClellan was fairly under way down the Peninsula to embark for Alexandria, Lee went with the rest of his forces in pursuit of Pope, whom he hoped to defeat ere the Union forces could be united.

Pope retired, before Lee's overwhelming forces, behind the Rappahannock, hoping to hold its fords until the Army of the Potomac could come to his aid. While thus engaged, "Stonewall" Jackson crossed higher up, and by forced marches got in the rear of Pope at Manassas Junction on August 26, completely cutting off his railroad communications with Washington. Pope sent McDowell's corps from Fredericksburg to intercept him. As McDowell, with General Rufus King's division far in advance, reached the Warrenton Pike near Gainesville, on August 28, this single division presented its flank to Jackson's corps which furiously assailed it. Gibbon's brigade was the first to encounter their murderous fire and heroically stood the onset till King's whole division could get into line. The battle lasted until after dark. It was bloody. At midnight the division fell back to Manassas Junction, tarrying to bury their dead in the darkness, and leaving Jackson to unite with Longstreet.

August 29 and a few days following were sad ones for the Army of the Potomac which had now been united with Pope's under the command of the latter. We shall not trouble our readers with the maneuverings of our army during that time, as there are still sharply disputed points about them. Our army seemed to be defeated by brigade at a time. Pope's satire of six weeks before was apparently felt yet by some of McClellan's Generals who were now serving under

Pope himself, and their eagerness for his success may not have been all that patriotic duty demanded. One General, Fitz John Porteris credited with saying that "Pope ought to be defeated." While McClellan even wrote a letter to Lincoln, suggesting that "Pope be left to get out of his scrape the best he could." The President felt compelled to request McClellan, for the sake of the army and country, to urge the Generals who had served under him, to drop personal feelings and render loyal assistance to Pope, which he did. Shame, that such is a part of our Country's history, when want of harmony among Generals is a greater element of defeat than the opposing foe! In one day-August 29-by reason of such quarreling, more union men were killed and wounded than during either the entire Revolutionary or Mexican Wars! Non-commissioned officers could have done better.

The battles of Manassas and Chantilly followed, the advantages being with the enemy. Halleck now ordered the remnant of this once proud army within the defenses of Washington. Gibbon's brigade acted as rear guard and an eye witness thus speaks of it:

Gibbon's brigade covered the rear, not leaving the field until after 9 o'clock at night, showing so steady a line that the enemy made no attempt to molest them.

It was with this brigade of King's division that the

Twenty-fourth Michigan was afterwards united. This decimated army was the body of jaded troops that passed our camp at Fort Lyon.

MARYLAND INVASION SOUTH MOUNTAIN-ANTIETAM.

Lee was too wise to assail the defenses of Washington, and resolved "to liberate Maryland," ere the northern levies could be made available. His illusions persuaded him that his army could be largely recruited in that State, and thither he directed his forces, but met with no such welcome as he expected. His ragged and shoeless soldiers did not inspire the Marylanders, and but few joined his standard.

On September 4th, the President re-instated McClellan to the command of the Army of the Potomac. He soon after went in. pursuit of Lee, whom he found on Sunday, September 14, strongly posted on the east side of South Mountain, holding Turner's, Fox's and Crampton's Gaps. What is known as the National Road leads over the South Mountain at Turner's Gap. This main road was stormed by Gibbon's brigade at half-past five in the afternoon, and at 9 o'clock at night, the enemy was routed and had to vacate the pass. They were assisted by Battery B, 'Fourth United States

Artillery which was attached to this brigade. At Fox's Gap, a mile south, the Seventeenth Michigan had charged in the forenoon and won lasting fame.

Lee withdrew to the south side of the Antietam, a deep stream emptying into the Potomac six miles above Harper's Ferry. On Wednesday, the 17th of September, was fought on the banks of this stream, the bloodiest battle of the war, considering the few hours that the engagement lasted. This battle was begun by the advance of Hooker's corps, and Gibbon's brigade became hotly engaged, opening the battle, dislodging the enemy in their front and holding their ground like a mountain or wall of iron until relieved by fresh troops. For its intrepidity on this occasion and its valorous charge in carrying the South Mountain pass three nights before, it secured from General

McClellan the title of "Iron Brigade," a name well won and honorably borne thereafter, as it was found, when the war closed, to have sustained, in proportion to its numbers, greater losses than any other brigade.

On September 18, both Lee and McClellan agreed to an armistice for eight hours to bury their dead and care for the wounded. But Lee utilized this time, in violation of the truce, by digging trenches for escape through the sides of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, and that night, escaped unobserved, with his army, through the excavations