being actively engaged
with the enemy, and meeting with a loss of only one wounded and one
missing. Drilling, inspections, grand reviews, picket duty, and
frequent preparations for marching, constituted the chief occupation
of the troops during the greater part of the winter months. The
weather was extremely cold, quarters were poor, and constant exposure
invited sickness and disease, and death creeping in boldly hurried
away its defenceless victims with alarming rapidity. Many were
discharged, and the ranks continued to decrease daily.

On December 24th, Lieutenant-Colonel Cheney, in consequence of the
severity of his wound was compelled to resign, and two days after,
Adjutant John H. Burnham was promoted to be Lieutenant Colonel, and
took command, Colonel Beach being absent, sick. Colonel Burnham's
promotion was the _making_ of the regiment. Being a man of promptness,
and full of energy, and above all a perfect soldier, Colonel Burnham
infused a new spirit into an organization which had been exhausted by
arduous marches, a severe battle, and a weary campaign. It was about
this time that another piece of good luck happened to the regiment,
which was the appointment of Dr. Mayer, as Surgeon. He was a good
physician, and as a surgeon could not be surpassed in the army of the
Potomac. He commenced immediately to make improvements in and out of
the hospital, and to look to the cleanliness of the tents, company
streets, and the cooking utensils. He also saw that the food issued
was properly prepared by the cooks; and when he gave cough syrup, it
was not _stuff_ that men would use on their food for molasses.

NEWPORT NEWS AND SUFFOLK.

On the 6th of February, 1863, our connection with the Army of the
Potomac was dissolved. We were ordered to Newport News, where the
regeneration of the regiment steadily progressed. At three o'clock in
the morning the regiment was ordered to _pack up_, and be ready to
march in two hours. It was pitch dark and raining terribly, with mud
six inches deep. It was some little time before the men could get
bon-fires burning, so that we could see to pack up. The men dressed,
took what rations they could get, and fell into line after repeated
orders, leaving most of the tents standing, they being wet and too
heavy to carry. Marching to the depot, the mud was not only deep but
extremely slippery, and nearly every man slipped down, and those that
did not, were completely spattered over from head t