Captain. Lieut. Tompkins, also promoted, took command of our battery.

_Tuesday, September 17._--Our piece kept on firing at an imaginary enemy
for a whole hour; the Major of the Thirty-fourth being present. Nothing
remarkable up to

_Sunday, September 22._--Squads of cavalry and infantry visible on the
Virginia shore. Great changes took place during this period. Orderly J. H.
Newton being promoted to Lieutenant, took command of the left section.
Sergeants Owen and Randolph, after having been promoted to Lieutenants,
left the battery, and were transferred to other Rhode Island batteries.
The State having organized a regiment of light artillery, on the
thirteenth of August, we were no longer called the Second Battery, but
Battery A.

_Monday, September 23._--Orders came to leave the picket line at dark, and
return to Camp Jackson.

_Tuesday, September 24._--We were paid off in gold for two months service.
Quiet in Camp Jackson up to

_Monday, September 30._--The section returned to Darnestown, and the
battery was once more together.

_Tuesday, October 1._--One o'clock A. M. Orders arrived to return
immediately to Seneca Mills. The left section marched at once, arriving
towards daybreak. At sunrise, the fifth gun went on picket duty once
more. Lieut. Newton, Sergeants Hammond and Read, were with the left
section. Commenced to throw up intrenchments during the night.

_Thursday, October 3._--Left the picket line again, returned to Camp
Jackson, started for Darnestown by six o'clock, and arrived there by eight
o'clock P. M. Thus ended our stay at Seneca Mills, the most pleasant
period of our three years service. Vegetables and fruit, chickens and
pigs, were plenty, for we owned the whole plantation of that old rebel
Peters, who was sent to Fort Lafayette for treason. The Thirty-fourth New
York, having the picket line on the river, always proved good companions.
The view of the surrounding country is really imposing, including Sugar
Loaf Mountain, the natural observatory of the signal corps. Some
remarkable items must not be forgotten--for instance, novel songs of "The
Nice Legs;" "Jimmy Nutt's Measuring the Guard Time by the Moon;"
"Griffin's Apple Sauce," and "Doughnuts for Horses."

_Sunday, October 6._--Camp at Darnestown. The battery received three new
guns in the afternoon. Lieut. J. G. Hassard, having joined our battery, at
Darnestown, commanded the right section as First Lieutenant. Company
cooking was int