My First Campaign

by Joseph W. Grant

Upon entering Phillipsburg we came upon a most beautiful country, abounding in hills and valleys, covered with forest trees, with here and there an excellent farm. The hills are high and smooth—no rocks to be seen upon the surface—thereby affording some of the finest situations for farming I ever saw. The scenery is most beautiful all the way through Pennsylvania on this line. In consequence of the unevenness of the surface through this part of the country, the railroad cuts are very frequent and extensive, some of them extending for a mile or more, and so deep that we could hardly see the top of the bank from the car window. The road, also, of necessity crosses ravines, some of them one hundred and fifty feet in depth. We arrived at Phillipsburg at five o'clock, P. M.; halted the trains, filled canteens, and relieved four or five apple trees of two or three bushels of fruit. Stopped at Phillipsburg until after dark, to allow trains of coal to pass, this being the great thoroughfare over which vast quantities of coal pass to Elizabethport, from the coal districts of Pennsylvania. After starting from Phillipsburg we moved along very slow, stopping often, and passing frequently tremendous long trains of coal, drawn by powerful locomotives, two locomotives attached to many of the trains.

We arrived at Easton at nine o'clock Wednesday evening. Here I saw canal boats running for the first time, passing and repassing one another, and learned we were upon the Schuylkill River,—and crossed this beautiful stream immediately after leaving this place.

After leaving Easton, we slept in the cars, as well as we could. Passed through Reading in the night, and the next morning found ourselves close by, and at sunrise entered Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. It is not a very large place, but it is pleasantly situated, the neighborhood abounding in beautiful scenery. Stopped at this place, got out of the cars, crossed the canal, and formed in line; called the roll in the streets of Harrisburg, went immediately aboard of the cars again,—and, after a series of running ahead and backs, into and out of the depot, finally started, changing direction for Baltimore. The bridge crossing the Susquehanna at this place is a very fine structure; I should think it to be nearly a mile in length, and crosses the river at a height of nearly seventy feet above the surface of the water. The road lay close by the river for a long distance, affording us a fine view of this celebrated stream. I looked forward, with a great deal of interest, to the time of crossing the line into Maryland, expecting to see quite a change in the looks of things upon entering a slave state, judging from what I had heard. We crossed the line about twelve o'clock, and I found myself agreeably disappointed in the appearance of things. Instead of seeing an abundance of negroes I hardly saw one. The houses are small and cheaply built, most of them, as they are indeed all the way from New York, but I could see no difference in the people; all I saw, on the whole route from New York, were not as well dressed, or as neat in appearance as they are in New England. The scenery, all the way to Baltimore, continued to be most beautiful, and the country appears to be well adapted, in all respects, to farming operations. I saw quite extensive fields of corn in Maryland and Pennsylvania; the corn was being carried outside of the fields, to be husked there, most of it, I should think, as I saw men busy in many places stripping off the husks and carrying it away. They manage to get their corn off in time to sow the same piece to grain. Several of the fields were already cleared of the corn, the grains sown and already up two and three inches high. There seems to a New Englander a great lack of barns and other outbuildings in these States, but with the crops they raise perhaps they are not necessary.

We journeyed along very slow after leaving Harrisburg, stopping often for wood and water, also for trains to pass by us, &c. The road we found to be strictly guarded, long before we came to Baltimore, passing company after company on picket duty along the road, who cheered as we went past. Feeling our way along, we came into Baltimore just at dark, Thursday evening, the 23d. Got out of the cars, the regiment was formed, and we proceeded through the streets of this city to our resting place for the night. Halted at the general rendezvous for soldiers long enough to take refreshments; sat down, unslung knapsacks, and commenced our supper, which consisted of coffee, white bread, beef, ham, tongue, sour krout, &c. Slung knapsacks, went from there to the depot, unslung knapsacks again, and camped for the night upon the depot floor. Drums beat at six o'clock, A. M., the 24th, for roll call; tumbled out of bed—the regiment was formed, and we went to breakfast, at the same place where we took supper the night before, which was but a short distance from the depot. After breakfast we marched back, formed in line in front of the depot; rested there until ten o'clock, then marched through the principal streets of the city; visited Washington Monument, a beautiful structure of white marble, surmounted by a statue of the Great Chieftain. Halted to rest around the base; then marched back, visiting the monument erected to the memory of those who fell at Fort McHenry in 1812, and formed in line where we started from, to wait and take the cars for Washington. Baltimore is indeed a fine place—no wonder the rebels envy us the possession of it. I saw some splendid buildings in the Monumental city.

We finally got aboard of the cars, and started for Washington, at five, P. M. Just before dark passed the "Relay Station," where the Massachusetts Eighth were encamped in 1861. Passed picket after picket, guarding the road, their camp fires burning, lighting us up as we passed along, and finally reached the great capital, at eleven, P. M. We proceeded immediately to our quarters, unslung knapsacks, then marched about forty rods to the "Soldiers' Retreat," where we took supper; then marched to our quarters, and at one o'clock, A. M., turned in. At half-past six we arose to look about us. It was indeed a pleasant morning, the sun was shining brightly, and every thing betokened a pleasant day. The first object that struck my eye was the Capitol, not more than quarter of a mile distant. It is yet unfinished, but nearer completion than I supposed it to be from what I had heard. At nine, A. M., with a few others, I went inside; stopped in the rotunda a while, to look at the paintings, and then passed up a flight of marble steps leading into the right wing of the building, to get a view of the House of Representatives. We passed through entries, and by reception rooms, the floors of which were of "stone mosaic," looking to all appearances like beautiful carpeting. The ceiling overhead was supported by marble pillars of exquisite design and finish, situated just inside of niches in the walls. The "House of Representatives" is a magnificent room, entirely beyond my powers of description. From thence we proceeded to the rotunda, and entered the left wing of the building by a flight of stairs, corresponding with those we had just left, the style of finish being the same along the whole passage as of that leading to the House, in the other wing. This passage leads to the "Senate Chamber." This room is somewhat different from that of the House, but rather plainer in its general appearance. The pillars supporting the galleries and ceiling are very numerous, of Egyptian marble, or something similar in appearance. The walls and arches overhead are covered with fresco paintings, of great beauty and variety. We had but a short time allowed us to visit this place, and consequently did not see but a small portion of it. I had understood, that apart from the Capitol, the city was a miserable looking place. I do not see it in that light. There is certainly a great deal to do—a great deal yet unfinished—but it is certainly more of a place than it has been represented to be. A few years more and this will be a beautiful city; the present war already begins to tell upon it. The business doing here necessarily in carrying on this war is creating a stimulus; buildings are going up, improvements are being made, and men of real business talent are encouraged to come here. The ball is set in motion, and this place, in a few years, will present a far different appearance from what it does at the present time.

I was hoping we might stop in Washington two or three days, but was disappointed. At eleven o'clock Saturday, the 25th, we formed in line, passed in front of the Capitol, down Pennsylvania Avenue, turned off to the right in the direction of Long Bridge, passed Washington Monument, leaving it to the left of us, and forming in line opposite General Casey's head-quarters, to whose division we were assigned, gave him three hearty cheers, and at twelve o'clock passed on to Long Bridge, and into Dixie.

The Potomac is very broad and shallow at this place, except in the channel. It has the appearance of the flats on the sea coast, the water being but about six inches or a foot deep at the time of our crossing, showing a smooth, muddy bottom, covered with weeds, &c. After crossing, we proceeded about a mile up a hill, and came to a halt upon a plain. It was quite a warm, dusty day, and a rest at this time was very acceptable to us. Stopped half an hour, started again, proceeded about a mile farther, filed to the right, and forming our camp upon an eminence within sight of the dome of the Capitol, we pitched our tents, Saturday night, just in time to shelter us from the rain, which the next day (Sunday the 26th) commenced pouring in torrents, and continued through the day and night.

We had twenty-two in our tent Sunday night; two of them slept immediately in the centre of the tent, just under the "cap." This "cap" is a circular piece of cloth (peculiar to the "Sibley Tent") ingeniously contrived for the purpose of ventilation; it is easily moved by means of ropes which hang upon the outside, and the aperture which it covers can be made larger or smaller, at the pleasure of the occupants. As it happened it blew a gale in the night, and the "cap" not being properly fastened on, blew off, and the rain came down upon T——n and J——s, who turned out in the morning in rather a dilapidated condition.

Monday the 27th the storm blew over; at noon the sun came out; we dried our blankets, and Tuesday, the 28th, re-pitched our tents in regular order.

Sunday, November 2d, we received orders to move. Packed knapsacks, and at eleven, A. M., bade farewell to "Camp Chase," filed out into the road, and turning to the right, passed on up a hill, and continued on in the direction of Fairfax. Passed the Seminary buildings at twelve, M. These buildings, so often spoken of in connection with this rebellion, are built of brick, with some pretension to beauty in their architecture; connected with the main building is a fine looking tower, from the summit of which the country can be seen for many miles around. Upon an eminence, and almost hidden from view by the thick grove of trees surrounding them, they stand objects of interest to all acquainted with the history of this war. Six miles to the north of here, and partly in view, is the capital, from which place the course of the Potomac can be discerned for many miles, as it bears away to the south and east of us.