son more cordially than he did me. Every man I met
there, and I met a lot of them, treated me as if I was a son or a brother.
As I went home that night I felt I was as much a son of Hardwick in the
war as I was of Dana.

When I enlisted and went out in 1861, I did it simply because I could not
stay at home. When I went back at the end of my veteran furlough I felt I
was one of the representatives at the front of a fine section of
Massachusetts. On March 1st, our thirty days' furlough was at an end, and
I returned to Worcester and to old Camp Lincoln again ready for duty. I
was not wanted, however, and was told I could go home again and stay there
until sent for, and home I went for another two weeks of pleasure, but all
good things come to an end, so did that re-enlistment furlough, and the
14th I was summoned back to Worcester, the 15th found me with the regiment
and the 18th we started south again.

On the way back at Philadelphia the 19th we were given a fine supper at
the Cooper Shop Saloon and the next morning at Baltimore we were treated
to a fine breakfast at the Union Relief Association rooms. Proceeding on
our way we arrived at Annapolis in the afternoon of March 25th. We went
into camp and stayed there until we started to join the Army of the
Potomac at the Wilderness. After the fine times we had had at home,
ordinary camp life was decidedly dull. Troops were arriving daily and we
soon learned the 9th Army Corps was assembling there preparatory to
joining General Grant's army on the Rapidan. Every fellow had left a girl
behind him. Writing letters was freely indulged in by all, and the mails
were loaded with sweet-scented, delicately addressed notes, and Oh, such
longings for home.

CHAPTER IX

WITH GRANT IN VIRGINIA

The Battle of the Wilderness. The Battle of Spottsylvania Courthouse.
Johnnies caught undressed. The Battle of Bethseda Church. The Johnny who
wanted to see the sun rise. Life in the trenches during the siege of
Petersburg. Wounded.

On the 23d day of April, 1864, we again started for the front, leaving
Annapolis with the rest of the 9th Army Corps. We passed through
Washington on the 25th, and were reviewed by President Lincoln and General
Burnside. That night we camped near Alexandria. On the 27th we marched to
Fairfax Court House; the 28th to Bristow Station. The 29th took us to near
Warrenton Junction. The 30th we moved on a little and camped near Bealton
Station. Here we rema