Waitt, Ernest Linden, History of the Nineteenth regiment, Massachusetts volunteer infantry , 1861-1865

Many of the boys chased them, but with poor success, and then an old pump was found and the morning toilet was made. The younger element in the ranks appreciated the novelty of their experiences and found no fault, declaring ‘It's all in the three years, and is nothing after you get used to it.’

During the afternoon the regiment marched down Pennsylvania Avenue for three miles to Meridian Hill, where it established camp, and here Colonel Hinks instituted the rigid system of instruction which was observed in the regiment as long as he retained command of it. Meridian Hill was well wooded and commanded a fine view of the surrounding country, with the Potomac but a mile and a half distant.

About the first thing that happened to the regiment after it reached Meridian Hill was the taking by the government of its nicely painted wagons and the horses, and the issuance in their place of the conventional army wagons, drawn by six mules, giving ten wagons, only, to the regiment and one additional for headquarters, in place of the sixteen which had been brought from Lynnfield.

After the regiment reached Meridian Hill, the fact that some of its officers and men had served in the Three Month's Regiments previously was found to be of great advantage, for they already had made many acquaintances among the military officials at the Capitol and throughout the District. Colonel Hinks and Lieutenant Colonel Devereux were both wellknown. The Nineteenth's officers received much more attention from the officers of other organizations because of their wide acquaintance than otherwise would have been the case.