CAMP HARBAUGH.

The location was called Camp Harbaugh, after Wayne County's Prosecuting Attorney. The First, Fourth and Sixteenth Michigan were camped near us. Wood and water were not easy of access. The spires of Shepherdstown peered out of the woods across the Potomac. It was occupied by Confederates who picketed the opposite bank of the river. Near us were the excavations through the canal banks by which Lee and his army escaped after the battle. Near by was a large pile of unburied amputated limbs. Every barn, building and shed about us was filled with the wounded enemy to the number of several hundred, left by Lee after his retreat. Near to our camp was a barn filled with them, many of whom declared their fixed purpose to return to their ranks as soon as paroled. They expressed an undying hatred of the Union and were willing to march and fight, though shoeless and half-clad. A few only expressed

contrition and a desire to return to their allegiance.

THE IRON BRIGADE.

Thursday, October 9, 1862, was the formal date of our admission to the Army of the Potomac. This day the regiment was inspected by General Gibbon of the "Iron Brigade," to which we had been assigned by General McClellan. The latter had applied to the War Office for some Western troops, saying that he wished some Wisconsin or Indiana men for a Western brigade. If he could not have any from these States, he would take one from Michigan. The Twenty-fourth Michigan was sent up, and assigned to General Gibbon's command. It was not at his request, and he received us with considerable reluctance. Our regimental inspection over, we were drawn up in front of the rest of the brigade, whom we almost outnumbered. Our suits were new; theirs were army-worn. Our Colonel extolled our qualities, but the brigade was silent. Not a cheer. A pretty cool reception, we thought. We had come out to reinforce them, and supposed they would be glad to see us. Neither was satisfied with the other.

The brigade was a good one. It had already won envious fame at dark and bloody Gainesville, carried Turner's Gap in the South Mountain range, opened the battle of Antietam, won the title of "Iron Brigade," and had a right to know before accepting our full fellowship if we, too, had the mettle to sustain the honor of the brigade. This brigade was composed of the Second, Sixth and

Seventh Wisconsin, and Nineteenth Indiana, to which, now, the Twenty-fourth Michigan was added. It was the Fourth Brigade, First Division and First Army Corps. General Gibbon commanded the brigade, General Doubleday the division, and General Hooker the corps. At this time the corps was immediately commanded by General John F. Reynolds while General Hooker was recovering from his Antietam wound. We were truly in a fighting brigade, a fighting division and a fighting corps, all commanded by fighting generals.

DRILL.

When not on the march or in action, drill, drill, drill, is the business of the soldier. It is tiresome, but necessary. No one can be a good soldier without it. A mistake on the battle-field in not properly giving or understanding how to execute a command, might cost many lives. In this discipline our Colonel is determined that the Twenty-fourth shall rank among the most efficient regiments in the service. Hence it is kept on battalion drill for six hours each. day, and in the quickstep and other evolutions of the soldier school for an hour-and-a-half each day. This duty, with dress parade at 5 o'clock, quite occupied our time.

DRESS PARADE.

The dress parade is a feature of army life. It usually occurs daily, near evening. Each company is expected to turn out in full and every man in neat appearance. The Orderly or First Sergeants form the companies, each on its respective ground. The men "fall in," which consists of their forming a line, the tallest man on the right and so on down the line, the shortest being on the left. The band strikes up a lively tune and marches to the parade ground. Each company is marched out by its commanding officer, and all arranged in their proper places in battle line.

The band ceases its music; the Adjutant orders the battalion to present arms, and each gun is brought to a perpendicular before the body. Turning and saluting the commanding officer of the regiment who stands several rods in front of the regiment, he announces to him that the parade is formed. The Adjutant then marches to a position behind the Colonel. The manual of arms is usually gone through with, and the band playing a lively piece, marches at quick step, then counter marches the whole length of the line, returning to their place of starting. The Adjutant then takes a

position as before and tells the orderlies to report by calling them to the center of the regiment. Each orderly makes a report, "all present or accounted for." They then outward face and double quick to their posts. The Adjutant next reads any orders or communications that are to be made to the regiment, when the line officers march from their respective companies to the center of the regiment, face the Colonel, and in line all come forward, keeping step to the music. They halt a few spaces before the Colonel, saluting in the usual way. The Colonel gives any instructions he has for them and dismisses them. The several companies are marched back to their grounds and break ranks.

THE SOLDIER'S HOUSE.

A

The regiment was supplied with "French shelter tents." piece of drilling six feet square, (impervious to rain unless punctured by pin or torn) with pieces of rope fixed to each corner, is allowed to each man. Two of these stretched over a pole upon two stakes, and the corners stretched out and fastened to the ground with wooden

pins to which the pieces of rope are tied, with a third piece on the gable, form a shelter for three soldiers. In camp, these tents are arranged in rows, and three or four hundred of them in a regiment or brigade, form quite a village of such out door habitations, When on the march without knapsacks, this piece of tent is rolled up with the soldier's blanket and the ends tied in horse-collar shape. It is then

slung over one shoulder and under the opposite arm. The soldier is now in light marching order, with his haversack for his food, his canteen for water, and with his gun and accoutrements.

BATTERY B.

Attached to the Iron Brigade was Battery B, Fourth United States Artillery, popularly known as "Gibbon's Battery," after our brigade general. It was in the Mexican war and had a history. It is said that the General had a brother in the insurgent army who boasted that he would capture this Battery at any cost. The attempt was made here at Antietam, the foe charging up to the very muzzles of his guns, and were knocked down by the artillerists with their ramrods. At this critical moment, General Gibbon himself sighted some of the guns which were double shotted with grape and canister. The carnage was terrible. The Battery was not taken but lost severely in men. On Saturday, October 11, twenty men of the Twenty-fourth Michigan were detailed to duty in this Battery.

ARMY BALLOON·

MARCHING ORDERS, ETC.

In a ravine near our camp was Professor Lowe's balloon which made several ascensions each day, to note the dispositions of the enemy's troops over the river. Strong picket guards were posted on each side of the Potomac. Soldiers were restricted to their regimental lines, under penalty of being sent to work on the fortifications at Harper's Ferry.

At o'clock Sunday morning, October 12, our commissariat was aroused to prepare two days' cooked rations at once. Orders to march were momentarily expected, to intercept Stuart's cavalry, which was making a complete circuit around our army. But ere our rations were cooked, they had recrossed to the Virginia shore, and were climbing up the opposite bank, loaded with plunder, just as our cavalry arrived at the river. Our camp, which was agog all Sunday over this affair, settled down to duty again.

Now that we are in the field, the soft bread and luxuries that we enjoyed at Camp Shearer have given place to hard tack, beef, pork, coffee, sugar and rice. The soldier's ration is more than he can ordinarily eat when he gets it, but for one reason and another, he scarcely ever gets it. Sometimes the fault of the dishonest contractor,

frequently the delays attending the circumstances of war for which no one can be blamed.

INSPECTION—THE BATTLE-FIELD-VISITORS.

Thursday, October 16, at 2 o'clock, our regiment was again inspected by General Gibbon, who is a thorough soldier by education and practice. The regiment did credit to itself in its evolutions, and officers from veteran regiments present declared that no other surpassed us for our limited instruction. Our officers were marched to the center, when the General complimented them saying, "The regiment was the best drilled after such a short time of service of any he had ever reviewed," an encomium of which we all felt highly proud.

The review over, about 500 of the regiment, headed by Colonel Morrow, visited the Antietam battlefield near by. No pen can describe the scenes enacted on this field of blood. The ground was stamped level and hard by troops and artillery. The dead were buried, some singly where they fell; others in trenches and heaps. On one stake was inscribed, "Here lie 150 bodies, Ga. and S. C." Many were insufficiently buried, and here and there was seen a foot or hand, or a skull protruding. Lee did not bury many of his men at all, when granted an armistice to do so, but in violation of his agreement, bent all his energies in digging a way for escape under the canal tow-path, leaving his dead for our forces to bury.

Friday, October 17, marked the advent to camp of several wives of our officers: Mrs. Flanigan, Mrs. Owen and Mrs. Rexford, also Mrs. W. Y. Rumney, wife of our sutler. They received a hearty welcome, and the regiment was again under woman's refining influences. Their arrival was the amusing occasion for several of the officers that night to search the camp for new quarters to sleep, or shiver about some campfire.

CAMP PENNIMAN.

Monday, October 20. While out on battalion drill this morning an order came to march in fifteen minutes, which caused a lively doublequicking for camp. Tents were struck, rations and accoutrements packed, and the men in line by the required time. A march of six miles up the river, through Bakerville, brought us to a fine, healthy location away from the effluvia of the Antietam battle-ground, and served as an outpost for a foray of the enemy. Our new abode was named "Camp Penniman," in honor of Hon. E. J. Penniman, of