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fields, when their hearts, regarding hardships and dangers, should become hardened like the oak, and their nerves had become like nerves of steel,—at last to conquer.
We had been assigned to Gen. Franklin's division, which was then lying about four miles northwest of Alexandria, on the borders of Fairfax County, the division headquarters being at Fairfax Seminary, the New Jersey brigade then commanded by Gen. Kearney, and the First New York Cavalry, lying upon the slope of Seminary Hill, south of the Leesburg pike, a brigade commanded by Gen. Newton located along the pike north of the seminary, and a brigade commanded by Gen. Slocum lying northeast of Newton's brigade, and north of the pike, the camp of its nearest regiment, the Sixteenth New York Volunteers, being perhaps thirty rods from the road.
These troops, with four batteries of light artillery, constituted this division in October, 1861.
When we arrived, there was a battery of New Jersey volunteers commanded by Capt. Hexamer in the vicinity of division headquarters, a battery in the immediate vicinity of Newton's brigade, a battery of regulars, D, Second U. S. Artillery, lying near the pike, and opposite, Slocum's brigade.
This battery was located upon a plain, which the road from Alexandria reaches shortly after it crosses the run which makes its way from Arlington Heights southeasterly to Alexandria.
The First Massachusetts Battery encamped in a piece of woods on the east side of this run and at the left of Slocum's brigade.
In this camp, which was named Revere, we remained until winter.
Our drill-ground was on the plain beyond Newton's brigade, on the north side of the pike,—of this field we shall have occasion to speak later.
The inspection of the artillery by the chief of artillery of the army, and the review of the division, were made upon the high plateau west of the seminary.
Much time was given daily to drill, in the manual of the piece, field manoeuvres, and sabre exercise.
And while in this camp, the company went occasionally to target practice below Alexandria, upon the Potomac meadows; there also we were quartered when we participated in the first grand review of the army by Geo. B. McClellan.
From this camp details frequently, during the fall, were sent with wagons to the vicinity of Mt. Vernon for forage.
We remember that the troops at this time lying farthest to the
Boston. Press of Deland and Barta, 1886.
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