Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Harvard Memorial Biographies

---

[317] was one of the first to complete its number. He went, in company with his Lieutenant, Henry Lee Higginson (afterwards Major, First Massachusetts Cavalry), to the neighborhood of Fitchburg, where he obtained recruits of the first quality. The whole company felt James's personal influence, and, although not better drilled than some others, it was always distinguished for good behavior.

More than two months were passed in drilling and preparation at Camp Andrew, formerly Brook Farm, ten miles from Boston. On the 8th of July the regiment entered the city to take its departure for the seat of war. During the rest of that summer it remained at Harper's Ferry and Maryland Heights. There was little to do besides guard duty and driling; but James was never at a loss for occupation and amusement in the woods and fields, and his tent was the frequent resort of those officers especially whose tendencies of thought were progressive rather than conservative, while one of those who disagreed with his opinions wrote home at this time that he never left Savage's tent without wishing to be a better man. In the autumn the regiment moved from place to place along the Potomac; as described in the following letter.

on picket on the Potomac, October 30, 1861.

my dearest——,—Your eagerly expected letter of the 27th has just been sent me from camp. I am away on two days picket duty with my company, about a mile and a half from our camp. We are stationed along the canal and river-bank, guarding about two miles of the shore,—a company of the Massachusetts Twelfth being on like duty above, and one of the New York Twenty-eighth below us. My company during the daytime occupies six or seven stations along the river-bank, a sergeant or corporal and eight or ten men remaining at each. At night the company is drawn in from the stations, and, divided into three reliefs, patrols the towpath of the canal for two miles, the sentries meeting each other on their beats and being within hailing distance. By stations are meant prominent positions on the river, where is thrown up a brush hut, and a screen is formed of bushes, to prevent our fires from being observed from the other side of the river.

. . . . At nine in the evening [October 21st] we started, and