We received company wagons here, and on the 16th, started for Webster, fifty-four miles distant, arriving there on the 18th. On the route we passed over Laurel Hill, where many a root was dug for the pipe, with which to cheer our lonely hours, and passed the scene of the battle of Phillippi, one of the most considerable fights of West Virginia. The grand scenery along the route of this entire march made the trip worth the taking, for that, if nothing more, and surely none of us could see for what other purpose our journeyings of the past two weeks could possibly be, unless it was as the boys invariably would answer, “military strategy, my boy,” though the wisdom of this sort of thing we learned soon to distrust. From Webster we took the cars for New Creek, arriving there on the 19th. On the 22d we had our first grand review by General Robt. Milroy, accompanied by General Cluseret, who has since figured conspicuously in the late French war. We remained at New Creek until December 12th, and during which time, besides being vaccinated pretty thoroughly, were brigaded and re-brigaded a number of times, finally forming a part of Col. Washburn’s brigade, with which command we moved out to Burlington, thirteen miles distant, and remained there awaiting orders.
Up to this time, we had scarcely realized that we were in reality men of war—true, we had made some hard marches, and camped out in the snow and rain, after plodding along all day through slush and mud; but as yet we had not met the sterner realities belonging and incidental to a soldier’s life; it seemed more like a picnic excursion, without any definite object or end; later we gave more thought to the situation, and study to the chances of war.
On the morning of the 17th we again broke camp, and on the afternoon of the 18th arrived at Petersburg, a small hamlet forty-two miles from New Creek. We, in a general way, now understood that a force of rebels were near, and great caution was observed on the picket line, and very little wandering from camp was indulged in by the men. And to see how alert the camp was, on the afternoon of the 19th the long roll was sounded, our regiment getting into line in six minutes. That night we slept upon our arms for the first time, at a later day a very ordinary occurrence. On the 28th, the 116th O. V. I., and one section of the 1st Virginia battery left for Moorefield, about eleven miles distant, and took possession of the town. We remained here until January 3d. At nine o’clock in the morning, orders were received to break camp at once; tents were struck, wagons loaded, and started for New Creek, and by quarter past ten we were on the way to Moorefield. Soon after starting, the firing of cannon was heard, satisfying us that there was business ahead. Never did the regiment march better; those eleven miles were passed over in two hours and ten minutes. Reaching the river bank, Co. A was sent down the left bank of the river, and Cos. B and G were ordered across to feel of the enemy, who had surrounded the 116th on a hill near the town. Shots from a rebel battery on the hill beyond soon sent them back to the river bank, where they had orders to remain and await the return of scouts, who had been sent out to reach the camp of the 116th, if possible. All this time a continued firing was kept up from a section of our artillery, which must have done good execution, for the enemy did not long reply. Before night we joined the 116th, the rebels having withdrawn their forces.
The morning was very bright and pleasant, but by night the winds swept cold and bleak down the valley, and we passed about as disagreeable a night as at any time during the war, for it will be remembered that our wagon train was sent back to New Creek with all our cooking utensils, provision and much of our heavier clothing; and though the 116th Ohio did all they could for our comfort, still our condition was anything but comfortable.
On the 4th, a brigade came up under command of General Mulligan, who now assumed command of all the troops. The night again set in cold and blustering, and as none of us had blankets, a cool prospect was in view. Skirmishing began early for a bundle of hay or straw for covering, and all prepared to make the best of the situation. Two smart chaps from Co. G crawled into a wagon box, with their little bundle of hay to pass the night, and were soon in the land of dreams, but their comfort was of short duration, for a stray mule, wandering that way, proceeded to help himself from their covering, and did not desist so long as a straw remained. The increased cold soon waked the boys up, and after expressing their feelings in a very forcible manner, sought other quarters in which to pass the remainder of the night.
At half past one, on the morning of January 6th, five companies of the 123d, and five companies of the 116th, with Mulligan’s Brigade, started out to attack a camp of Rebels, distant nine miles, but after marching to near the point designated, found that they had left in a great hurry for a more southern clime; returning to camp, we arrived there at 3 o’clock A. M., having marched eighteen miles—a long walk before breakfast. It was on this march that Gen. Mulligan compelled the men to throw down captured chickens and turkeys, which otherwise would have made many a good breakfast on our arrival in camp it is needless to say, that this sort of fooling was not indulged in to any extent in later years. It was on this occasion, that the incident happened, which Col. Wilson is so fond of relating, and which always provokes a hearty laugh from listeners, especially those who remember old Capt. Newman, of Company H, who when asked how he came to set such an example before his men, as to capture a turkey, with the evident intention of taking it into camp, remarked that the “Tam durkey coom’d a runnin out of the gate mit his mouth vide open, and Colonel, you don’t tink I is goin to let a tam durkey bite me? no sir!” As a matter of course a reprimand was not administered. The next day a part of the Regiment went out foraging for grain; and in the afternoon, firing being heard in the direction taken by them, reinforcements were sent out to their assistance; but they soon met the boys coming in all right, with their wagons loaded principally with grain; but chickens, potatoes, onions, &c., entered largely into the cargo, and a pretty good supper was the result.
It will be remembered that one night while here, our regiment was quartered in the Court House, whereupon some good citizens, loyal to the Southern cause, went to Gen. Mulligan and asked that the desecration be no longer allowed; orders were immediately issued that we should vacate at once, which of course we did, but in no very amiable mood; for the ground was covered with snow, and as yet we had not received our blankets. The matting however that the aisles were carpeted with, was all cut into strips and carried with us, and used for bedding as long as we remained there.
On the 9th of January we received orders to march to Romney, but delayed starting until the next day, camping at night eighteen miles from Moorefield, passing the dwelling house of the guerilla chief, Capt. McNiel, and for the first time, at least many of us, saw regular Southern Slave quarters. The next day at 3 o’clock in the afternoon we arrived in Romney, which we found in a very dilapidated condition.
It soon became apparent that we were to remain here all winter, and all tried to fix up in as comfortable shape as possible, but a more cheerless spot to spend the winter in could hardly have been selected, as the winds had a fair sweep in three different directions, and as a general thing improved the opportunity in one direction or the other, much to our discomfort and disgust. Our life here was one continual round of picket duty or foraging. Very seldom did anything occur to break the usual monotony. However on the 16th of February five teams from our regiment and fourteen from the 116th Ohio Regiment, under escort of Company F, 116th, Capt. Brown commanding, went towards Moorefield, foraging for hay, and on their return, when within about six miles of Romney, were captured by the guerilla, Capt. McNiel, with twenty-six men, owing to the bad management of Capt. Brown, who allowed his men to straggle all over the country, so that not more than three or four of them were together at any one time, which made their capture a very easy matter.
Capt. Brown was subsequently court-martialed, and found guilty of basely deserting his command in the face of the enemy. Our men were well treated by Capt. McNiel, who gave them money to buy their dinner, and taking their parole, sent them back to camp. The next morning Col. Washburn, of 116 O. V. I., commanding Brigade, called upon the 123d for a company to go out to the scene of the capture and bring in anything they might find. Capt. Horace Kellogg’s Company was soon in readiness and on the move. They found five wagons all sound, but the others were all burned, nothing but the irons and a heap of ashes left where each wagon had stood. The company returned to camp without accident, with the exception of accidentally shooting several of the domestic feathered family, which carelessly strayed across the road. Our regiment was now encamped upon the ground occupied by the 55th O. V. I. while encamped here one year previous. The boys planted evergreens along their company streets and about company headquarters, making our camp look very pleasant and homelike. While lying here company officers were ordered before a military board of examiners to test their military tactics, drill, &c. There was considerable uneasiness manifested by some, but as it appeared afterwards, without cause, for the board, for some unknown reason never convened, and thus the troublesome ordeal never was passed, though several of our officers concluded that they had experienced about all the soldiering they cared for and tendered their resignations which were accepted, and some promotions were made as the necessary result. We had very little opportunity for drill, as it was usually very muddy, and so the winter wore monotonously away, relieved now and then by the receiving of boxes from our friends at home, and, though we did not materially need their contents, still this evidence that we were warmly remembered by the dear ones at home, gave us renewed zeal in the work we had so cheerfully volunteered to do. Some of our officers’ wives visited us while here, and though many of us did not even know them, their cheerful smiles and kind words warmed the hearts of many a homesick boy, and created within our breasts a firm determination to do all that lay in our power to preserve inviolate the homes of the noble women whom we had left behind.