On the morning of the 30th the regiment embarked on the steam transport C. Vanderbilt, for Fortress Monroe, which place was reached on the 1st of April, 1862; here the Army of the Potomac was concentrated. On that day the regiment disembarked and marched seven miles, toward Newport News, and camped on low, flat ground, saturated with water, with no chance to drain it, or obtain water for cooking purposes, where it remained fourteen days, exposed to the weather, which brought on sickness, and many were sent to the hospital.

On the 15th of April, they marched fifteen miles, to Young's Mills, bivouaced, and marched next morning two miles, toward and near Warwick Court House, and camped, where the regiment remained five days, still without shelter, except such as could be made from trees and fence rails, and scarcely able to find a spot dry enough to lay upon.

On the 21st they marched four miles and camped in front of the enemy's works at Lee's Mills, and upon low ground, very wet, with no drainage, nor good water, where they remained thirteen days. While in this camp shelter tents were issued to the men, the first protection from rains they had enjoyed since they left Washington. This was a great oversight on the part

of the Government, and was one of the main causes of our army being so reduced during the spring campaign. At this camp Colonel Edwin Rose left the regiment, on a sick leave, the command devolving on Lieutenant Colonel De Forest.

On the 4th of May they marched eight miles, toward Williamsburgh, passing to the left of Yorktown, and bivouaced till the morning of the 5th, when they marched eight miles further, by a circuitous route, to the plain in front of Williamsburgh, on which they camped, and remained until after the battle was fought; Casey's Division being the reserve of the army, was not brought into action.

On the morning of the 10th they broke camp and marched fifteen miles, to Rogers' Church, where they remained two days, encamped on good ground. On the 12th they marched eight miles to New Kent Court House, where they found a dry camping ground, and remained three days; broke camp on the 15th, and marched six miles, on the 16th, six miles, and on the 17th, three miles, to a large plain, near Bottom's Bridge, where they camped upon good ground, until the 23d, when they broke camp, crossed the Chickahominy, marched five miles, and bivouaced; on the 24th they marched four miles, and on the afternoon of the 25th

moved three miles, to Seven Pines, where the regiment remained three days; on the morning of the 28th they advanced three-quarters of a mile, to the earthworks, on the extreme front, where they remained until the battle of Seven Pines, which was fought on the 31st. At the first alarm on that day the regiment, under command of Lieutenant Colonel De Forest, promptly took the position assigned it, on the left wing of the line of battle, in an open field, unsupported, fifty yards in advance of a skirt of woods.

The enemy in front, screened by a thick undergrowth of bushes, poured several volleys of musketry into the regiment, and although this was the first regular engagement in which they had participated, yet they stood like veterans. Volley after volley was poured into the bushes, with deadly effect. Soon finding that they could not maintain their exposed position, the regiment fell back in good order to the edge of the woods in their rear. During this time both field. officers fell, Lieutenant Colonel De Forest pierced through the chest by a ball from the enemy's sharpshooters; he was carried from the field; Major John McAmbly and Captain Kingman were killed and left on the field, together with many privates. Captain William C. Raulston being the senior officer present,

then assumed command, and in the position then taken they kept up a constant fight with the enemy in front for two hours, when a large force, afterwards ascertained to be a brigade, entered the field they had left and deployed in such a manner as to approach them both in front and flank. To save themselves from being taken prisoners, the order was given to fall back toward the center of the line, which was on the Williamsburgh road, half a mile distant. While moving in that direction, the center gave way, and was being forced down the road. To meet this, they were obliged to change direction, passing through a thick wood and slashing, gaining open ground half a mile in the rear of the first line of rifle pits, which they entered, and continued the fight until the day closed; the enemy in possession of the battle field, including the camp with all the tents, the personal baggage and extra clothing of the men and officers.

It was noon when the action commenced, and it was kept up until darkness began to gather over the land. The sun went down behind the green pines without a cloud, and the tranquil stars came out one after the other upon the sky, shedding their gentle light upon field and wood, all unconscious of the dead and dying, who had looked their last on the blue heavens.

That night the brigade was ordered down the Williamsburgh road, a mile and a half, where the men lay upon their arms, awaiting the dawn of morning. The next day, June 1st, they were in line part of the day, and the remainder was spent in reconnoitering the enemy's right, and burying the dead on the field from which the enemy had been driven, when they ascertained that the rebels had suffered more than the Union troops. At night they lay on their arms. The second day they occupied the same position.

At this time the following address was issued by the commanding General, which inspired the troops with new vigor:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

CAMP NEAR NEW Bridge, Va., June 2, 1862.

Soldiers of the Army of the Potomac:

I have fulfilled at least a part of my promise to you. You are now face to face with the rebels, who are held at bay in front of their Capital. The final and decisive battle is at hand. Unless you belie your past history, the result cannot be for a moment doubtful. If the troops who labored so faithfully and fought so gallantly at Yorktown, and who so bravely won the hard fights at Williamsburgh, West Point, Hanover