156

GOING TO THE FRONT.

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FEDERAL HILL, BALTIMORE . FROM A SKETCH MADE ON THE DAY OF THE OCCUPATION BY GENERAL BUTLER.

On the 27tli of April, 1861, General B. F. Butler wasassigned to the command of the Department of Anna-polis, which did not include Baltimore . On the 5th ofMay, with two regiments and a battery of artillery, hemoved from Washington to the Relay House, on theBaltimore and Ohio Railway, 7 miles from Baltimore , atthe junction of the Washington branch. He fortifiedthis position, and on the 13th entered Baltimore and

occupied and fortified Federal Hill, overlooking theharbor and commanding the city. On the 15th he wasfollowed in command of the Department by GeneralGeorge Cadwalader, who was succeeded on the 11th ofJune by General N. P. Banks, who administered theDepartment until succeeded by General John A. Dix ,July 23d, 1861. On the 22d of May General Butlerassumed command at Fort Monroe, Va.

orders came: “ Prepare to open ranks ! Rear, open order, march.! Rightdress! Front! Order arms! Fix bayonets! Stack arms ! Unsling knapsacks!In place, rest! ”

The tendency of raw soldiers at first is to overload themselves. On the firstlong march the reaction sets in, and the recruit goes to the opposite extreme,not carrying enough, and thereby becoming dependent upon his comrades.Old soldiers preserve a happy medium. I have seen a new regiment start outwith a lot of indescribable material, including sheet-iron stoves, and come backafter a long march covered with more mud than baggage, stripped of every-thing except blankets, haversacks, canteens, muskets, and cartridge-boxes.

During that afternoon in Boston , after marching and countermarching, or,as one of our farmer-boy recruits expressed it, after “ hawing and geeing ”about the streets, we were sent to Fort Independence for the night for safe-keeping. A company of regulars held the fort, and the guards walked theirpost with an uprightness that was astonishing. Our first impression of themwas that there was a needless amount of u wheel about and turn about, andwalk just so,” and of saluting, and presenting arms. We were all marched to