ly so necessary for the protection
of their very valuable lives.

I was fortunate in having a piece of a tent, and in company with some of
the boys, who also had them, we together went to work, and measuring off
a space large enough for us, dug into the ground eighteen inches
perhaps, and cutting logs, placed them against the bank, and continued
them up three feet from the bottom of the ground. We also built a
fireplace in one end of our house, making our chimney of logs closely
fitted together, and plastered with clay, topping it out with a
pork-barrel. We placed a ridge-pole lengthwise, at a sufficient height
to clear our heads, and passed our tents over this, fastening them to
the sides. Some of our party had rubber blankets, which we placed over
these, and the rest receiving theirs; soon after, we felt quite secure
against wind and weather.

We found our fireplace very useful in keeping our house warm and dry,
and as we sat and watched the fire, we could almost imagine ourselves at
home again. We cast anchor in this spot Tuesday, December 16th. Friday,
the 19th, our regiment was appointed to do picket duty, the right of our
line to rest at Falmouth, and the left opposite Fredericksburg, along
the banks of the Rappahannock, our head-quarters to be at the De Lacey
House, opposite Fredericksburg.

The enemy occupied the heights opposite us, a mile back from the river,
and threw their pickets out opposite ours, and in some places within
speaking distance. At first some fears were entertained, lest the
pickets might be tempted or provoked to fire upon one another. Instead
of this, neither party seem inclined to communicate in this hair-on-end
style, but, on the contrary, although strictly forbidden to do so,
sometimes held friendly communication with one another. The distance
from our camp to the banks of the Rappahannock, was perhaps two miles.

We went on picket regularly, every Friday morning, and remained on
twenty-four hours, then returned to camp again. This duty was not very
arduous, as our regiment guarded a line of not more than a mile in
length, along the river, and held heavy reserves, to repel any force
that might attempt to cross from the opposite side. In the daytime, no
danger being apprehended from this source, some of the men procured
passes, and were allowed to go to Falmouth, where, if they were so
fortunate as to have the means, and felt so disposed, could, by paying
exorbitant prices, get the whe