The 13th opening clear and pleasant, an early start was made, and we moved on down to the mouth of the river, but the bay was found to be so rough that it was not considered safe to attempt crossing it, and we made harbor until three o'clock in the afternoon, when the wind having gone down, we started again towards Fortress Monroe. We reached Hampton at daylight, and immediately disembarked. The next day we went into camp near Hampton.
Hampton at this time was in ruins. When the rebel Gen. Magruder evacuated the place, he burned it, hardly leaving a house standing. It must have been a beautiful place before the war, but at the time of our arrival it had been given over to the negroes, who had built huts out of the ruins, and were taking life very easily.
One enterprising darkey had established an oyster house, and as soon as we were in camp he solicited our trade, but as we had not been paid in some time, about everybody was "broke;" we did have some "Kalamazoo" greenbacks, but they had lost their value. We felt that our constitutions needed a change of diet, and oysters were about the proper thing to tone us up, so we sent one of our number over to the oyster house and he bought a gallon of oysters and offered in payment a two dollar "Kalamazoo." The darkey had some doubts about the bill, but was assured it was genuine, and that he could go up to the captain and convince himself that it was all right; but before the darkey had time to go, the captain walked in; the bill was produced, and the captain gave him two dollars and eighty cents in good Government greenbacks, remarking that it was worth three dollars to him. This move established the worth of Kalamazoo greenbacks, and we had a fair supply of oysters. (Capt. Buckley was at this time on a sick furlough, but his dress coat was in camp.)
From the 15th of February until the 11th of March, we remained in camp at Hampton, the time being occupied with the regular round of camp duties. Snow and rain alternated with pleasant weather. Duties were light, and, with plenty to eat, a good comfortable place to sleep in, and the privilege of passes to visit the numerous places of interest in the vicinity, made us feel very well contented with our situation.
On the 27th of February Capt. Buckley returned from a sick furlough. Lieut. Parker, taking his turn at a furlough, left the battery on March 2d, for Rhode Island.
At two o'clock in the morning of the 6th, John T. Green died of measles, and was buried at three o'clock in the afternoon of the 7th, with military honors.
First Lieut. G.C. Harkness, at his request, was mustered out of service, and left for home on the 7th.
March 11th the battery moved to Newport News, where it remained until the 16th, on which day the camp was changed about a mile back towards Hampton.
Just at night on the 18th, orders were received to prepare five days rations and be ready to march at an early hour next morning. At six o'clock in the morning of the 19th, we started for Fortress Monroe. It began to snow soon after leaving camp; the storm rapidly increased, and by afternoon became a blizzard. It was found impossible for us to reach our destination, and we were obliged to camp. We passed a most disagreeable night; wood was very scarce, and it was with great difficulty that we gathered enough to keep us from freezing. Snow fell to the depth of eight or ten inches, adding much to our discomfort.
Next morning we continued on to Fortress Monroe, and from the wharf at that place loaded our battery upon the steamer John Brooks, and the horses upon two schooners, and started early on the morning of the 22d, in tow of the steamer, for Baltimore, Md. Our passage across Chesapeake Bay was rather tempestuous, indeed so rough was it at one time that the steamer was obliged to cut the tow-line and cast us adrift. She lay to near us until morning, when she picked us up again, and we proceeded on our journey without further interruption, reaching Baltimore at sunrise on the morning of the 24th.