The old regimental colors were received in camp July 23d, and under orders to take transports for Washington, promptly at five o’clock A.M., July 24th, the regiment left Readville by special train for Boston, and marched down State Street, about half-past six o’clock, to Battery Wharf, where Companies C, D and E, two hundred and seventy-one men, under command of Major Stiles, embarked on steamer Montauk. The other companies and the band, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Stedman, embarked on steamer McClellan. At nine o’clock both steamers sailed for Washington, and arrived there at noon July 28th, after a good passage, without an important event occurring. This landing the regiment in Washington in ten days after being ordered into camp to recruit and organize can be called quick work.
Reporting to General Augur, commanding Department of Washington, the regiment was sent to Brigadier-General Slough, Military Governor of Alexandria, who ordered it into camp on Shuter’s Hill, near Fort Ellsworth, about one mile from the city. On the morning of July 29th, after breakfast was eaten at the Soldiers’ Rest, in Alexandria, the regiment marched to the ground assigned and occupied log huts, built by other troops when stationed on this hill. In Slough’s command were Battery H, Indiana Light Artillery, one battalion First District Columbia Volunteers, the Second District Columbia Volunteers, the Fifth Wisconsin Volunteers, the Twelfth Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps and the Forty-Second Massachusetts Volunteers. These troops were soon organized into a provisional-brigade and attached to the Twenty-Second Army Corps.
Details for guards and for provost duty were immediately ordered by General Slough, as follows: July 29th—Two officers and one hundred and fifteen men for provost duty. July 31st—Eighteen men every day for patrol duty in Alexandria; thirty-one men to relieve a detachment Veteran Reserve Corps at Sickel’s Barracks Hospital. July 30th—Lieutenants Sanderson, Company C, and Spear, Company H, were detached for duty at headquarters provost-marshal-general, Defences South of Potomac.
At the close of July there was present for duty thirty-two officers and eight hundred and seventy-three men; twenty-eight men sick; three officers and six men absent.
During August the officers and men were kept busy at drill, on guard, provost and patrol duty, which inured them to endure fatigue and become acquainted with the tedious side of a soldier’s life. Train-guards were furnished for trains on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, to protect working and construction parties in constant danger of attacks from guerrillas and obstructions placed upon the track to delay trains; at Fairfax Station, August 15th, the enemy greased the rails, and a train could not proceed—the enemy decamped, not waiting for the train-guard to get a blow at them. Details were sent to Burke’s Station and other places for logs, used to build additional huts for the men. What duty was done in August is shown by the following details, ordered by General Slough:
August 2d—One hundred and thirteen men detailed each day for grand-guard line.
August 6th—Two officers and one hundred and fifty-seven men relieved the Twelfth Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps, in Alexandria; next day this detachment was relieved by the Second Regiment District Columbia Volunteers.
August 7th—A regimental camp guard of fifty men was established.
August 7th—Seventy-five men for train-guards to Fairfax Station, detailed each day until the twenty-third.
August 4th—Seventeen men were detached for permanent duty on the military police in Alexandria.