University of Virginia Library

34. Off for the Front
By GEORGE F. NOYES (1862)

M'DOWELL is marshalling his cohorts at Fredericksburg, being ordered to aid the peninsula approaches of M'Clellan by moving upon Richmond; and to-day, May 22nd, 1862, our brigade is detached from the army defending Washington, and is off to join him.

Never was summons more welcome. Tired of serving the country under the shadow of the Capitol, with all the glow of untried enthusiasm and all the ignorance of novices of war, our staff had really begun to fear lest the fighting would all be over before we could draw our maiden swords. Hope paints few brighter visions than those which on this day of embarkation made us happy; and now, as we gallop down to the wharf, every check burns with pleasant anticipations.

As I gaze through the vista of our actual experiences, at that hour of hope and anticipated victory, this day seems to me like a dream.

To get our horses safely on board the steamer is no easy task, for wharf and deck are lumbered up with all the paraphernalia of a campaign, and squads of heavily-knapsacked men are still hurrying on board, all jubilant and some quite intoxicated with patriotism and poor whiskey.

Among our troops all ages are represented: here, a beardless boy, his brow yet warm with the parental blessing, and next him, perhaps, a gray-haired man, for whom a comfortable home and a warm chimney. corner seem far more fitting than the long march and bivouac of the campaign. But these are the days when the popular enthusiasm is still at high tide, submerging town and country, city and hamlet, and inciting young and old, sick and poor, to rally round the old flag. If there is any homesickness beneath these blue uniforms, it cannot long resist the influx of the general enthusiasm: it is soon fused and lost in the general hopefulness and joy. "On to Richmond "is the watchword. You may read it in every eye about you.

As we stand a while on the upper deck, cast your eye at the stalwart private near us, that you may know how a soldier looks in full war rig. The square knapsack on his back is crowned with a great roll of blankets, and contains his entire wardrobe— a change of clothes, a few toilet articles, probably a little Bible, and certainly a keepsake or two from the loved ones at home , his cartridge box, strapped beneath, holds only a few rounds of ball cartridge: as no battle is impending, his shoulders are festooned with his shelter tent, an oblong piece of thick cotton cloth, compressed into a roll ; his haversack is stuffed with three days' marching rations; his water canteen dangles at the other side, while his musket is stacked with the rest in the centre of the deck.

Thus he carries his food, and drink, and clothing, and canvas house, and weapon with him; he may be said, indeed, to be quite independent of society. Musket and all, his equipment weighs sixty pounds,

and with it he can safely march from fifteen to twenty miles a day.

The sergeants have picked up the last straggler and marched him on board, the last horse is disposed of, and we are finally off. Taking in tow several transports crowded with men, horses and government stores, gradually we, gather way, cheer after cheer rings out from the crowded wharf, responded to lustily by our upper deck, the band strikes up "Dixie,"and so we say farewell to Washington, and glide slowly down the river. In less than thirty days we expect, to be in Richmond, and fighting is as yet a myth we cannot fully realize; we are simply embarked on a military pleasure excursion. The day is very charming, and the beautiful Potomac seems disposed to tender us a most hearty and pleasant welcome.