May 20, at dress parade, was read to us the farewell address of General Naglee, who had resigned his command and was about to return home. He was suffering from an affection of the heart, and found himself unable to continue longer in the field. He was to leave us the 21st, and extended an invitation to all of us to call on him. The evening of the 20th, at sunset, the band formed in front of his quarters, commenced playing, and in a short time a good portion of the brigade assembled, to hear the parting words of the general. We found him sitting in front of his tent, rising occasionally to salute the officers as they came in groups from the different regiments.
The band played a few pieces, when the general, stepping in front, addressed them a few parting words, then, taking them each by the hand, he bade them adieu. Then turning to the soldiers, he made them a short speech, bidding them farewell, saying he would be glad to shake hands with all who chose to come forward. The band played "Home, Sweet Home," at the conclusion of which we all retired to our quarters.
Colonel Griffin, of the Sixth New Hampshire, succeeded General Naglee in the command of the brigade at this time.
May 21st, the enemy were accumulating on the Cumberland, and occupied the south bank of the river, where their movements were closely watched by our forces. Some few days before, they had contrived to throw a force across. This brought on a fight, in which they were repulsed and driven back. We were under marching orders at the time, and held ourselves in readiness to march at short notice in the event it should have been found necessary to have sent reinforcements.
May 22d, at nine in the evening, we received orders to march. At seven the next morning, the first brigade were on the march, accompanied by the second, who followed close in the rear. Taking the Somerset road, we were soon fairly established in all the privileges and comforts of a march on a hot, dry, dusty day. At eleven, A. M., we stopped for dinner, having marched nine miles. We started again at half-past two, P. M., and at four, P. M., encamped near Crab Orchard, twelve miles from our late camp, near Lancaster.
CHAPTER XI.
Upon our marching from Lancaster, one of my acquaintances, whom I thought from his intercourse with the officers might know our destination, informed me that we were to march but three or four miles, and were to encamp in an oak grove. The spot had been selected the day before by our general, and was indeed a beautiful place, abounding in excellent springs of water, and in the immediate vicinity of a river, an admirable place for bathing, &c. It was a very warm day, and as the roads were dry and dusty it made our march unusually severe, and instead of the oak grove, but four miles distant, with all its beautiful surroundings, we made a march of twelve miles, and found ourselves at last located in a thicket of briers, one and a half miles north of the village of Crab Orchard, a spot devoid of every thing green, if we except blackberry bushes and pennyroyal, and abounding in all manner of creeping things. The evening of the 25th, information having been received that the enemy were in the neighborhood of Somerset, and might make a raid in our direction, we were ordered to be on the alert. Company I was detailed for extra picket duty, and all precaution taken against an attack. The afternoon of the 26th, at six o'clock, the Twelfth struck tents, and moved forward one-half mile beyond the village of Crab Orchard, to the support of the Second New York Battery, which had taken position the night before in a field commanding the Mount Vernon and Somerset roads, which meet at this place. Here we encamped again for a short period.
June the 1st we received orders to put ourselves in light marching condition, and hold ourselves in readiness to march at short notice. Accordingly, the morning of June 2d, all boxes and barrels available were scraped up, and overcoats, and all other superfluous luggage, was packed and sent to the rear. Many of the boys had flattered themselves that our fighting days were over, but since this last order, begin to think that the "end is not yet."