The terms of Johnston’s surrender not proving acceptable at Washington, a new arrangement was made; and the lieutenant-general himself came on to ratify it. On his return, while passing through Goldsborough, a wheel came off the engine, and the general was obliged to leave the car, and wait for another locomotive. The news soon spread that Gen. Grant was in town; and he was flanked at every turn by the admiring soldiers, who didn’t ask him for a speech, however.
The companies on provost were quartered in the Court House; and those doing guard-duty had erected comfortable “shebangs,” with the hope of occupying them until they left for home, when marching orders were received, and colored troops arrived to relieve them. Breaking camp during the evening of the 1st of May, the regiment bivouacked in the grounds of the Court House till morning, and then took the cars for Morehead City.
At all the little settlements on the road, women waved their handkerchiefs, probably glad enough to see the stream of blue-coats again turned northward. Passing through Newbern, the train reached Morehead about sundown, and the regiment bivouacked in the old camp-ground, among the graves, where it remained until the 4th, when it embarked on the transport Thetis, in company with the One Hundred and Twentieth New York and the division horses!
The men thought they had already tasted every flavor capable of being produced from coffee; but a new experience awaited them on this transport. The drink was made by putting the ground coffee in an empty pork-barrel, and letting on steam through a rubber hose; and the result was a beverage in which the taste of the barrel, the rubber hose, the cask-water, and the coffee, struggled for the mastery. One ration was sufficient for some companies, although the New York boys drank a quart of it twice or three times a day.
On the morning of the 6th, after a search of several hours for Hilton Head, the officers of the steamer ascertained their whereabouts; and, at noon, the ship arrived off the Savannah River, when a pilot was procured, and the voyage continued to Savannah. The troops remained on board until Sunday morning; when they disembarked, and took possession of the camps just vacated by a portion of the first brigade, which had gone to Augusta.
CHAPTER XX.
Change in Savannah—Southern Ladies and Clergy—Portion of the Brigade goes to Augusta—Habits of the Country People—Jeff. Davis—Cos. C and G go to Darien—Arrival of First Division—Scarcity of Muster Rolls—Want of Transportation—Start for Home—Gallop’s Island—Reception in Cambridge.
