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Colonel Adams next visited the Twenty-fourth Regiment,
Colonel Stevenson, who had been for some time acting as brigadier-general; and the command had devolved upon
Lieutenant-Colonel Osborne.
The regiment was in camp on a fine, dry plain, about a quarter of a mile from the town.
Every thing was in perfect order, as he found upon careful inspection of the arms and equipments, and of the camp.
‘Both officers and men might well be a source of pride to the
Commonwealth.’
On the morning of the second day of his stay in
Newbern, he rode out to the camp of the Twenty-fifth Regiment,
Colonel Upton; but neither he nor the
lieutenant-colonel nor the major were in camp at the time; but the adjutant was there, and with him he examined carefully the camp, which was on a fine, beach plain of very large extent, and admirably adapted for a drill and parade ground, about half a mile from the centre of
Newbern, and westerly from the camp of the Twenty-fourth Regiment.
He says,—
I was entirely satisfied with the appearance of the camp, and the aspect of the men. Great neatness was evident in the cleanliness of the company streets, and the men seemed tidy, cheerful, and contented.
I attended a dress parade of this regiment with General Foster, and found their appearance admirable, and their drill excellent.
Colonel Adams says
General Foster told him,—
The first thing an officer should do is to try to make every man of his regiment a dandy, proud of his appearance, the glitter of the musket, and the polish of the brass on his equipments.
When you see such a man, be sure he is a good soldier.
The Twenty-seventh Regiment,
Colonel Lee, he found under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel Lyman.
Colonel Lee was acting as brigadier-general.
There were only five companies in camp, the remaining five being engaged in picketing the railroad to
Beaufort, and thus scattered, in small squads, along twenty miles of road.
Colonel Adams could not see them.
Those in camp looked as well as any companies he had seen.
These comprised all the
Massachusetts regiments in that department; and as each had made regular reports to the
