Emilio, Luis F., History of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry , 1863-1865

A mail received February 24 brought news of the discharge of Captain Higginson for transfer, and Adjutant James and Lieutenant Pratt for disability. Assistant-Surgeon Bridgham resigned, and departed on the 26th. In accordance with the desire of his officers as well as his own, Colonel Hallowell on the 24th recommended to Governor Andrew that Sergeant Swails be commissioned, in recognition of many soldierly qualities and his gallantry at Olustee.

Our short season of quiet was disturbed on the 25th, when, in the morning, camp was moved to a point south of the railroad near the cemetery, in a grove and partly in a brickyard, next the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts. Soon both regiments were ordered back as the pickets were retiring. The Fifty-fourth took post on the left of the railroad in prolongation of the earthworks, and after two hours work its front was covered by a good parapet. Quartermaster Ritchie hauled out ammunition, and then as no crackers were to be had, finding an old oven, had soft bread baked. The worthy quartermaster describes his first batch as ‘a sort of indigestible paste very good for diarrhoea.’

Our wounded were first cared for at Jacksonville, and then sent to Hilton Head and Beaufort. Major Appleton, on the 26th, with Companies A, B, and E, was sent to occupy works at the front as a reserve, should the cavalry be forced back. That day the Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth Massachusetts were brigaded together for the first time, under Col. M. S. Littlefield, Twenty-first United States Colored Troops. Our camp was again shifted to the brickyard on the 27th. Late that day Company E and thirty men of Company F, with Lieutenants Lewis Reed and Knowles, under Captain Emilio, were sent to guard the