John D. Billings, The history of the Tenth Massachusetts battery of light artillery in the war of the rebellion

‘ [156] horse shall I take in place of my lame one?’ ‘Sergeant Townsend, what caisson shall I put this tent on?’ ‘Sergeant Townsend, where is that detail of men I ordered?’ ‘Sergeant Townsend, come and get the sugar and coffee for your detachment!’ ‘Sergeant Townsend, have your men fall in for their hard-tack!’—are a few of the orders and queries that greet the ear of the luckless sergeant of the guard, who on such occasions is expected to be omnipresent. The detailed men must be dispatched immediately, a respectful ‘yes, sir,’ returned to every order, a horse at once sought out to relieve the lame one, the extra tent stowed away on some caisson, a corporal found and sent for the coffee and sugar, and the widely scattered detachment notified to fall in for rations, all in the same breath, or the sergeant will be reprimanded for delay in getting his piece ready.

Amid all this apparent confusion everything goes on rapidly and orderly, and long before daylight every horse is harnessed, every tent packed, every wagon loaded, the marching rations distributed, breakfast eaten, and all are ready for a start.

In this movement the army set out in two divisions, the right wing composed of the Fifth and Sixth corps, commanded by Gen. Sedgwick, leading; followed by the left wing, including the First, Second, and Third corps, commanded by Gen. French. This plan put Gen. Birney in command of the latter corps, and Gen. Ward, ‘Hobey,’ to whom we were ordered to report, succeeded to the charge of the First Division of this corps. Just as the first streaks of dawn lighted the east, we filed out into the road and took position with that division, which, as might be expected, had the advance of the left wing, the right wing having moved by another road.