On the 14, we again set out, passed through the Gap, Tazewell, Tennessee, crossed Clinch river, Leonard’s Village, and arrived near Knoxville, on the 17th, a distance of sixty-five miles. Here we joined the Brigade again, and on the 21st took the road that led us across the Wildcat Mountain to Burnside Point; a distance of one hundred miles. We arrived there on the 27th about noon, drew rations, and continued our march. We arrived at Camp Nelson on the 31st; a distance of seventy-six miles.
This was a very hard march; I wore out three pair of army shoes, on this tramp. We did not see an armed rebel on the whole route.
April 2d, marched to Nicholasville, and again took the cars, reaching Annapolis, Maryland, on the 7th. General Grant reviewed us at this place. We remained here until the 23d, drilling, &c., when we took up our line of march, passed through Washington, D. C., crossed the Potomac, and went into camp on the other side, on the 25th; a distance of forty-six miles.
On the 27th, we again started out and arrived on the plains of Manassas, on the 28th; a distance of thirty-four miles. Here we remained till the 4th of May, when we again set out and arrived on the line of battle in the Wilderness, on the 6th.
Our Brigade had been in all day, and at night were scattered all through the woods. Colonel Walter Harriman, of the Eleventh New Hampshire Volunteers, was taken prisoner.
The morning of the 7th, being the third day of the battle, was opened with a terrible roar of musketry all along the line of seven miles. It was impossible for our Commanding Chief to see but a small portion of the army, so a great deal depended on the Corps Commanders. I cannot describe the dreadful carnage of the Wilderness.
The killed and wounded were scattered through that vast forest of underbrush, which, dry as tinder, and set on fire by the shells of the enemy, was burning fiercely. The two lines charged back and forward; we would gain a little ground in one place and lose in another. Just at dark, we were ordered to the rear, and lay down to rest. But the next morning we found ourselves on the old Chancelorsville battle-ground. Here we found human bones strewn all over the ground.
On the 9th, we moved about five miles to the left, and in rear of Fredericksburg. A battle raged at Spottsylvania. On the 10th, we went on to the line on the left; hard fighting all along the line. On the 11th, we were ordered to the rear to another part of the line; it rained hard all night. About five o’clock on the morning of the 12th, we received orders to advance.
On we went driving the rebel skirmishers before us. Now you might have seen the gallant Hancock leading the second corps to victory; they came upon the enemy unawares, and took two lines of works and seven thousand prisoners.
We being the right of the Ninth Corps, formed on the left of the second. We got in advance of the rest of the line while coming through the woods, and formed on the left of the second just in season to receive the return charge of the rebels. We opened on them as they came up in solid column in front and on our left flank, and gave us a volley lengthwise which sent us staggering back to the woods.