The battery was transferred as rapidly as possible from the boats to the cars, and at three o'clock in the afternoon left Baltimore over the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad for Parkersburg, on the Ohio River. Our train consisted of flat cars upon which the pieces and caissons were loaded, and freight cars in which the men and horses were accommodated, the only difference between those occupied by the men and those in which the horses were, being the placing of a few pine planks across the car for the men to sit upon. Two nights and one day were occupied in making this journey, arriving at Parkersburg on the 27th. Frequently long stops were made which enabled the men to make little foraging trips, and, as they were almost always very successful, there was a sudden increase both in the quantity and variety of their diet, which was very acceptable to them, and this, together with the constant change of scene, made the trip very enjoyable.
Most of the 27th was occupied in transferring the battery from the cars to a river steamboat, and in the evening commenced our trip down the Ohio River, which was continued all night, and until eight o'clock in the evening of the 28th, when the bow of our steamer was run up against the bank of the river some six or eight miles above Cincinnati. Early next morning we continued on down the river to Covington, where our mode of conveyance was again changed from boat to cars. We reached Lexington, Ky., about eight o'clock on the morning of the 30th, and unloaded our battery and went into camp about six miles from that city.
After the failure of Gen. Burnside's last movement with the Army of the Potomac, which resulted in the "mud march," he was relieved at his own request from that command, and went immediately to Washington, and formally tendered his resignation as Major General of Volunteers to the President, but Mr. Lincoln refused to receive it, remarking that he had "other fish for him to fry."
After a short furlough, during which he visited Providence, where he received an enthusiastic ovation from his townsmen, Gen. Burnside returned to Washington, hoping to have command of his old Ninth Corps, but the President, after several consultations with him, on the 26th of March placed him in command of the Department of the Ohio. Upon accepting this command Gen. Burnside requested that he might be allowed to take the Ninth Corps with him. His request was granted, and as Battery D had been transferred to that corps, we were thus enabled to follow the fortunes of our much loved Burnside.
The battery remained in camp at Lexington just a week. On the evening of April 7th marching orders were received, and early on the 8th we packed and hitched up, but were delayed until nearly noon, while the men were paid. As soon as this was accomplished we commenced our march, but after making eight or ten miles, bivouacked until morning, when we continued our march, reaching Camp Dick Robinson before dark, after a pleasant journey of about twenty miles over one of the best of roads.
Battery D's camp was upon one side of the road and directly opposite the Seventh Rhode Island was encamped. As there were many acquaintances in the two organizations, this proximity made it very pleasant for the men of both commands.
On our way from Lexington to Camp Dick Robinson some of our men had stopped by the way to inspect the country in general and the whiskey distilleries in particular. An irresistible desire had seized them to learn just how that beverage—which, for a small outlay, would so soon make a millionaire of a pauper, or a brigadier of a private soldier—was made: so great was their interest that they took no heed of time, and their inspection lasted two days. The men of the battery began to think they would never see their comrades again; all of them were popular fellows and their return was anxiously awaited.
At last, one afternoon a great cloud of dust was seen rolling down the pike towards our camp, and occasionally as the curtain of dust was blown aside, a family carriage, with a colored driver mounted upon the box, a soldier by his side, with the horses upon the dead run, could be seen. As it drew nearer the soldier was recognized as one of the absentees, and when the carriage whirled from the pike through our camp, drew up before the captain's tent with a great flourish, while from inside our missing comrades one after another crawled out, formed a line, and as the captain appeared, saluted him and reported for duty, it was so ludicrous and audacious that it brought a shout of laughter from the men, and made it impossible for the captain to say anything more than "Go to your quarters," while he maintained a straight face.
Frequent trips were made by the men to distant villages in the vicinity; the weather for the most part being very pleasant and warm, made these trips through this beautiful country very enjoyable.
On the 26th we started early in the morning for Stamford, about eighteen miles distant. We reached our destination about three o'clock in the afternoon, and made camp, in which we remained until the 30th, when an order was received to pack up as soon as possible and proceed to Columbia, about twenty-five miles distant. We were soon on the road, and after marching about twenty miles, went into camp at Carpenter's Creek.