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western background of the Blue Ridge and the beautiful junction of the Potomac and the Shenandoah formed a picture richer far than many scenes across the sea.
The men were put through a severe course of drill and this, with camp guard and picket, were the duties of the time.
Five glorious weeks were thus spent.
The army was refitted, material and personnel were repaired and soon everyone felt that a move was to be made.
The Nineteenth Maine regiment here joined the brigade.
It was a fine looking body of men, 1000 strong, and was clothed in full dress uniform, even to hat. The men made a fine showing as they marched on to the field.
Two notable events happened at this place,—President Lincoln's review of the Army on the Heights, and the issuing of his Emancipation Proclamation, to take effect January 1st, 1863.
There were many solid shot and shells scattered around the camp, many of the latter charged.
One night three or four men of the new regiment were seated around a little fire, drinking coffee, their pots resting on some cannon balls, among which was an unexploded shell.
They were yet unacquainted with the innocent looking thing.
The weather was cool and they sat close to the fire, enjoying a ‘skin roast,’ when their pleasure was brought to a sudden termination by a blinding flash and a cloud of smoke and dust, followed by a report.
When it cleared away there were three or four white faces with bulging eyes, staring at the place where they had been cooking their coffee, but coffee, cup, fuel, fire and ashes had disappeared and a slight hollow in the ground where they had been was all there was to be seen.
They were probably more careful afterward what they used to cook on.
On Oct. 16, about fifteen regiments of infantry, besides cavalry and artillery, moved out toward Charlestown, and soon afterward heavy firing was heard in that direction.
On the following day the men of the Nineteenth Massachusetts received orders to provide a day's rations and forty rounds of cartridges and to hold themselves in readiness to move at a moment's notice.
Nothing however, developed until Oct. 29, when three
Salem Press. Co., Salem, Ma., 1906.
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