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

At first we pitched our tents on a level tract of land outside and near the town, but it being considered by Dr. Brace too flat to be healthy, we moved soon afterwards to a rise of ground a few rods distant. Here we laid out a plan for a permanent camp. From the quarters occupied by Gen. Stone's troops prior to Ball's Bluff disaster, and from the barn-yards and rail fences of the neighboring farmers, we obtained materials for building a stable; this was erected around three sides of a square and thatched with straw. The walls were constructed by setting up rails a foot apart and weaving among them huge ropes of straw twisted by hand. Thus comfortable quarters were made for the horses. This structure was finished towards the last of January, and occupied the centre of the camp. The tents were arranged as at Boxford, six on either side, removed from the wings of the stable by a street about two rods wide. Within the square stood the harness racks, while in front the Battery was ‘parked.’

The weather being pleasant for some days after our arrival, our drills were resumed with the customary vigor. In one of these a sham fight was had between the Battery and a body of ‘Scott's Nine Hundred’ cavalry that had recently encamped near by. As the contest waxed warm and men became excited, Frank Loham, No. Two man on the second piece, was quite seriously wounded in the face and breast by a premature discharge.

Once in a while the whole or a part of the Battery was taken out for target practice. On one of these occasions a distant pig-pen was the object aimed at, and immediately after a well-directed shot, the occupant, who, it seemed, was at home, issued forth very promptly, attended by her family