The regiment adopted the
bucktail, in honor of the old "Bucktails," who were more largely
represented in the One Hundred and Ninetieth than any other regiment.

In the afternoon of June 12th, we received marching orders, and soon
tents were struck, and we were on our way, none knew whither. At this
time we were short of provisions. I had a very small quantity of coffee,
but nothing else, except fresh meat, which had just been issued. When
orders came to strike tents for the march, I was engaged in cooking a
slice of fresh beef, by holding it to the fire, spitted on a sharp
stick. With an appetite sharpened by a more than orthodox fast, I was
watching the operation most devoutly; and the savory odor which rose
from the sputtering morsel awakened anticipations which only a
ferociously hungry man can imagine. But I was doomed to illustrate the
words of the Scottish bard:

"The best laid plans of mice or men
Gang aft aglee."

With my half-cooked meat in my hand, I swung on my knapsack, and we
marched away. The march continued, without intermission, during the
night, except now and then a brief halt for rest. Towards morning we
crossed the Chickahominy, at Long's Bridge. Here we halted for rest and
breakfast. My entire commissary outfit consisted of about one
teaspoonful of coffee. We had halted for breakfast, and might as well go
through with the programme. I went to the river and procured about a
pint of liquid from that famous stream, and boiled the coffee with due
circumspection, and drank the product.

The final member of the above sentence is not inserted to inform the
reader that we did not _eat_ the "product"; but, in explanation, when we
thought of that Chickahominy water, the "old man" stirred mightily
within us, and we greatly desired to say that it was good, knowing well
with what unction every unfortunate that ever tasted it, would say, "O,
_what_ a lie!" We would like also to insert a few thoughts about G.
Washington, who could not tell a lie, but we forbear. We drank that
coffee as a war measure.

Our course was then toward the right, a short distance along the river,
soon bearing away from it toward Richmond. During the forenoon we
reached White Oak Swamp, where the enemy was encountered in strong
force. We moved out past some timber to where the cavalry were
skirmishing with rebel troops posted in the woods beyond. Part of the
regiment deployed as skirmishers and advanced to where the