The next morning, Sunday, the 16th, we cleaned our muskets, brushed our clothes, and at eleven, A. M., attended divine service, the chaplain holding forth from the steps of the building which adjoins our camp on the north, the regiment forming on the lawn in front. This building is very large, and is now used by the colonel, he taking up his quarters there, the post-office, hospital and quartermaster's department being included in the same building; giving our field and staff plenty of room and good accommodations.
Monday, the 17th, was not as pleasant; quite a strong wind from the south-west, cloudy and misty, making it rather hard to turn out and drill. Tuesday, the 18th, was a complete pattern of the 17th; a thick fog, just enough to make it unpleasant; drilled through the day, however, and at dress parade had orders to be in readiness the following morning to march to Fort Albany, to be reviewed by General Casey.
The wind continued blowing strong from the south through the night, and the next morning the black, heavy clouds rolling up, showed certain signs of a wet day. At eight o'clock the company formed in the street, marched on to the parade ground; the regiment was formed, and at half-past eight filed into the road and started on our journey. Stopped opposite General Wright's head-quarters for the other regiments to take their place in line, it being a review of the whole brigade.
At quarter before nine the Fifth Connecticut came in ahead, the Thirteenth New Hampshire formed in the rear, and we started on. After proceeding two miles, the order was countermanded, and we hurried back just in time to escape a drenching rain, which poured in torrents immediately after our arrival in camp. The government having furnished us with stoves, and plenty of wood, we kept our tents, and contrived to make ourselves comfortable.
The next day, the 21st, our turn came for picket duty again. One of the regiments belonging to our brigade, the Twenty-Seventh New Jersey, having been taken from us, our turn came two days sooner than we had anticipated it would, when on before. It continued raining throughout the afternoon, and towards night the wind, which had been blowing from the south, came round into the north-east, much against our wishes; and it continued raining through the night. In the morning we found the wind had hauled into the north, the rain had nearly ceased, and at eight o'clock our regiment were in line; and at half-past eight were on their march. By eleven, A. M., the sky was clear, and the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers were again favored with pleasant weather. While the other regiments of our brigade had to contend with storms and unpleasant weather, while on this picket duty, the Twelfth thus far escaped. Having some work of my own to do, I stopped in camp this time, and did not accompany the regiment. Saturday, the 22d, it was very warm and pleasant; but Sunday, the 23d, the sky was partially overcast with clouds, the air was raw and chilly, and the wind blew a gale from the north-west.
At two o'clock, P. M., our regiment came in, all in good spirits, but glad to get into camp. Monday, 24th, we had a pleasant day again, and a fine time drilling. The mud had dried up, the ground had become hard, there was no dust blowing, and the men were in fine spirits, and fast improving in the drill and discipline necessary to make the soldier.
The Twelfth as yet continued to be in remarkably good health, compared with the other regiments encamped about us. The Thirteenth New Hampshire and Fifth Connecticut, coming here at the same time with us, had already lost several men since encamping here, and had then quite a number sick in the hospital. Our fare continued good; we had excellent bread, and plenty of it. It was baked at Alexandria, and we got it fresh, and oftentimes warm from the oven. We had hard crackers occasionally, twice a week, perhaps, instead of soft bread. The hard bread we had here was entirely different from what I expected to find it. It appeared to be made of the best of material. Our salt beef was fat, of good quality, and when properly cooked, was as good as we could ask for. It is cured differently from that at home, there being much saltpetre used in curing it; requiring a great deal of pains, on the part of the cooks, in order to make it palatable. We had fresh beef twice a week; this was made into soups. Our company finally procured a large sheet iron pan, six feet long and two feet in width, to be used as a frying-pan, and after that we had fried beef once or twice a week. We had tea or coffee twice a day, (with our breakfast and supper,) with plenty of sugar to accompany it. We had rice, and sugar-house syrup, bean soup, &c. Any one finding fault with our fare at this time would be apt to be dissatisfied wherever he were placed.
Tuesday, 25th, was a cloudy, misty day, and in the night it rained quite hard. Wednesday morning it cleared off in time for us to drill. It had rained just enough to soften the clay, the mud being shallow and as slippery as grease—a peculiarity in the mud about here. You can appreciate this kind of travelling by spreading lard an inch thick upon a plank, and then attempting to walk upon it. One advantage in this kind of soil is that when it dries it becomes as hard as a cement floor, which made it easier for us than to have been wallowing through sand. The weather continued pleasant, no dust blowing about and into every thing; the ground was hard, in the best condition for drilling, and our regiment improved it.
The 27th was Thanksgiving Day in Rhode Island, and also duly observed by us in camp. We were relieved from drill, attended divine service at eleven, A. M., and had a little recreation, walking about the country, &c. Our bed-sacks were now given out to us, with plenty of clean straw to fill them with. (These sacks were made of stout ticking, and were, perhaps, seven feet long and five feet wide, after they were filled; amply large enough, each of them, for two to lie upon.) The regiment were all provided with these sacks, and had lain upon the ground long enough to know how to appreciate them. The 27th was a beautiful day, and having never been to Alexandria, I took this opportunity to visit the place. Procured a pass, and in company with one of our mess, at eight, A. M., started. We struck a "bee line" directly for the place; passed over the road leading from Fairfax Seminary, and continued on, up hill and down, our path being parallel with the Alexandria and Manassas wagon road, and just to the north of it. I found I had underrated the distance from our camp to Alexandria, it being nearly two and one-half miles from our camp. We passed the Convalescent Camp, which was situated on the heights to the west of Alexandria, and to the north of Fort Ellsworth, on the same eminence, and in the immediate vicinity of it. It was used as a rendezvous for convalescent soldiers. In the vicinity of this camp was the Stragglers' Camp and the Recruiting Camp, &c.; making, in the aggregate, an immense collection of tents and occupants.
Passing down the road leading from this camp to the east, we came into Alexandria; the distance was, perhaps, one-half mile; the descent being as steep as the roof of a house. From the heights we had just left, we had a splendid view of the country for miles around. The city of Washington, to the north of us, was in full view, the Capitol looming up in the distance. Fairfax Seminary was two miles to the north-west of us, from the tower of which the rebels observed our movements, and signalled them to the enemy, while making our first advance to and inglorious retreat from Bull Run, in 1861. The city of Alexandria was a short distance to the east, and perhaps one hundred feet beneath us. We had also a good view of the Potomac from this height. Aquia Creek being the base of Burnside's operations in Virginia, this noble stream was covered with vessels of every size and description, plying to and fro, between Aquia Creek, Alexandria and Washington. I stopped in Alexandria until half-past two, P. M.; went down to the wharves, visited the Slave Pens, once used as a rendezvous where slaves were bought and sold, but at the time of my visit used as a place of confinement for deserters, and others who might be found without passes, by the police. I also visited the Marshall House, where Ellsworth was killed; and started from there for camp.