It was midsummer of '61 when they loaded Co B and some others not only 
from 
the Battalion but other Regiments and what not onto the train line for 
a 
dash up North.
Based on the palaver, they was ot be a big fight jes a bit South of 
Washington City. By this point in the game scrappin was nothin new to 
Co B. 
 There had been a couple minor squabbles and contests with Lincolnites 
but 
this was shapin up to be a fust rate fight.
Ridin the rails was still kind of a sportin proposition and mostly a 
new 
treat for most of the fellars.
They was a impromptu fete as several wags had secreted crockeries of 
the 
foulest potion drank to date. A sip of it was remindful of coal oil 
and as 
much was said. The founder of the feast so to speak squinted a glassy 
eye at 
us several naysayers and mumbled through his pointy devil like beard 
that 
"ifn we didnt like it ... wla then don' drink it and leave it lay for 
thems 
that knew fine sippin licker". Twasnt long afore they was much singin 
and 
dancin on the rails as we raced forward at 30 or so mile and hour. 
Amongst 
the reverie was a couple of the fellars stuffed on oyster pie an a 
better 
grade of busthead that was makin blood curdlin propositions as to what 
they 
was agoin to do with "Old Abe" when they got into Washington City. 
This was 
purty much how the hookeybob (train ride) went. The Officer wasnt a 
bother 
as they was doin whatever it si they did and was tight assed about it 
all to 
boot.
When the trained stopped so did the reverie and we was put afoot to 
walk the 
rest of the way over to where the fightin was to take place. " It was 
about 
the time Co B was hoppin offn the railcars, an Private M fallin ass 
overn 
tea kettles, bustin his head on a riffle box that the Officers "made 
us and 
the jig was up ... the rascals that had overdone the tanglefoot was 
placed 
in "march" arrest an herded along with the more sober brethern. They 
was 
many questions for Lt. D raised as to where the busthead had come from 
.... 
an some general threats of clink and worst iffn the hoppdelah didnt 
stop. 
Major Rob though wise to us didnt offern his 2 bits was was offn his 
custom. 
All in all we got the wags in line and offn we went, a fine sight of 
Loosianer Men for the most part dressed in the finest of vestiges an 
takin 
our orders an the like in francois. "
The day was a real barn burner, a dirtier dustier damnable march was 
not 
remembered. Add to all this they was shear plumb confusion with many 
sojers 
scrambling pell mell alongst the road way. Wagoneers cussed foot 
sojers 
vyin for a place on the road. Som fellars from N' Leans apparently
either thinkin the devil was after em or over anxious to git shot raced 
around the foot sojers draggin big guns with horses. Tween the horses 
and 
the wheels of the big guns this put up a shower of dust and earned em a 
good 
shower of cussin - most of em rode on grinnin like fool possums and 
wavin 
the fare thee wells to us.
Further on, we run acrosst a number of poor souls that had dropped dead 
in 
the heat -- the dust settlin overn their waxy countenances - they like 
some 
busted kit was offn the side of the road. Amongst all the hub-bub they 
seemed to be unattended to by any including their pards.
Major Rob come by several times mounted on a fine horse and with eyes 
glitterin an face a mottled red would urge us on. It was purt much 
clear to 
all that they was indeed a fight brewin just up the road. They was a 
great 
number of sojers a horseback that rattled their hocks on by an headed 
off 
north by east which was the direction we was travelin. Noted was a 
fine 
collection of pikers an tramps skulkin along here an there along the 
route 
of march. Several of these fellars was noted braggarts and had waggled 
incessantly overn a dram as to what theyd do given chance to heave to 
and 
offer up a good hidin to the yankees. Now they was skulkin about 
playing 
possum as if they was heat sick or the like. They was some banter and 
hooting as it dint take much to figure out what they was about and no 
doubt 
had designs to thieve offn the wagons and such and stay clear of the 
comin 
fight. In thought this move was more like a forward movin route than 
the 
advance of an Army - there agin at that time we was less a army and 
more a 
hodge podge.