At daylight on April 4th, the battery, with the First Division of the army, under Gen. McDowell, the rest of the Army of the Potomac having gone by transports to Fortress Monroe, marched to Fairfax, and bivouacked for the night, early the next morning continued on to Manassas, remained over night, and at daylight next morning started on to Bristow Station.
The weather on this trip up to this time had been pleasant and fairly comfortable; but on the night of the 8th there came a change; it grew rapidly cold, and about 10 P.M. began to snow. Those of the men who were not frozen out and obliged to hover around the camp-fires, found themselves covered by a blanket of snow about four inches deep in the morning.
We remained at Bristow until the 16th, and then continued on the march to Catlett's Station, remaining one day, and on the 18th marched to within three miles of Fredericksburg, camping near the village of Falmouth. Some of our men started into the village and attempted to make small purchases, but the people of the place were very loyal to the South, and at this early period of the war had great confidence in the Confederate money, and but very little in Uncle Sam's crisp greenbacks, and refused to take them in exchange for their goods.
Now it so happened that an enterprising firm in Philadelphia had just issued a fac simile of the rebel money, of various denominations, and the men had purchased several thousand dollars worth, as curios. These were offered the rebellious tradesmen, and accepted with great glee, as an indication of the final success of their side, that the Yankees were already being obliged to use their money. They soon discovered that the bills were not genuine, some one having pointed out to them the printer's name and location in the margin, and they refused to take any more, notwithstanding the Yankee customers assured them that the bills were worth just as much as the genuine. A complaint was made to head-quarters, but the general, after hearing both sides, decided that they were entitled to no redress.
On the 19th the battery marched to a position directly opposite Fredericksburg, on the north branch of the Rappahannock River. The guns were placed in position, pointing directly at the city, but the next day the pieces were limbered and a regular camp laid out, tents were pitched, and preparations made which indicated that we were to tarry here for some time. Drill received our undivided attention; from four to six hours a day being given to that work, excepting on Sundays, which were given up to inspections of the men and material of the battery. Cleanliness was important, and was carefully looked after.
On the 10th of May the battery was ordered to move down to the bank of the river, near the railroad bridge, for the purpose of protecting it from an expected attack of the enemy; but they did not come, and things soon quieted down and assumed their normal condition, and the battery resumed its usual occupation of drilling.
The effect of such long-continued and constant work in this direction began to show itself in the accuracy with which the movements were executed. The efficiency of the battery began to attract attention, and almost every day when we reached the ground where we were to have our field-drill there would be quite an audience awaiting us. Senators and Representatives from Washington, visiting officers, and distinguished people from all over the country, would be taken out to see the show.
As an illustration of how it impressed one individual from our own State, I quote from an article which he sent to the Providence Journal:
"The proficiency attained by the sturdy fellows of Battery D, is really surprising, and would do credit to a company of Cadets fresh from the rapid practice of West Point. I saw them yesterday, under command of Captain Monroe, performing the evolutions of field-drill with such accuracy as to command the admiration of old army officers who were present."