October 9th, we crossed the Potomac river, and entered upon the "sacred soil of Virginia," and formed a winter camp at Langley, known as Camp Pierpont.
Here we tried to be comfortable, but the severe exposure with constant camp and picket duty, wrought upon the men who never knew else, than to live under the sheltering roofs of comfortable homes, "up in the north-land."
November 26. Jesse Shank, of York Springs, Pa, and December 4, Geo. W. Myers, of the same place, died, and were sent home for burial. But the winter wore away, and weary of the monotonous routine of duty, we waited eagerly for the spring-time, and the anticipated forward movement.
March 10, we broke camp and joined in the advance of the Army of the Potomac, under Gen'l G. B. McClellan, and on the evening of the first days march, camped at Hunter's Mill, Va.
We stayed here three days, and then moved in the direction of Alexandria, where we arrived, through rain and mud, and went into camp, the advance movement having developed the fact, that the confederate army had abandoned Manasses and gone southward.
April 9th, we moved forward on the line of the Orange & Alex'a R. R. by way of Manasses and Warrenton junctions, to Catlett's station, and finally down the north bank of the Rappahannock river to Falmouth opposite Fredericksburg, where we encamped.
May 26th, we crossed the river, and took possession of that city, encamping on the heights westward.
This, and the former camp at Falmouth, were decidedly the pleasantest camps in our three years service.
On June 8th, the Division was ordered to join McClellan's forces on the peninsula. We accordingly embarked at Bell's landing on the 9th, and after a voyage of 20 hours, disembarked at White-house landing on the Pamunkey river. After various marches and counter-marches we finally encamped on June 18th, on the extreme right of the army, near Mechanicsville.
And now came the famous Seven days Battles, the very thought of which, causes an involuntary tremor to pass through the whole being, days of horror and bloodshed, of humiliation and death. We cannot even hope to give an adequate portrayal of these horrors.