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

[62] lie did not appear to think so, and everything remained quiet until the 18th of April, when we struck our tents, packed up, bade adieu to Camp Davis, as it was called in honor of the Colonel of the Thirty-ninth Massachusetts, and moved out of town nearly a mile to spend an indefinite season. Our new camp (called Heintzelman, in honor of the commander of the defences of Washington under whom we then were) was located on the premises of one Henry Young. An airy awning was built over the picket to shelter the horses; trees, both pine and cedar, were cut and set about our tents; arbors were built in front of some; and, on the whole, we seemed likely to have quite a desirable summer residence.

Having got fully established once more, the usual routine camp duties were resumed. These were the halcyon days of the Battery, when it had reached its highest state of proficiency in drill.

As proof of our expertness an observer might have seen the Battery drawn up on the drill-ground on Benson's farm, adjoining the camp, some morning, unlimbered for action, the cannoneers standing about the guns. At a given command they spring at them. Each man has his own special part to perform, and this lie strictly attends to or confusion would ensue. The handspikes, sponge buckets, and other implements are stripped off with the utmost dispatch; the trail is raised in air, the gun at once tipped and poised on its muzzle, freed from the carriage, and dropped on the ground. The wheels are next removed and laid beside the axle, and the battery lies in pieces on the turf. The cannoneerss then resume their stations. Again, at the command, they spring to the work; the wheels instantly slip to their places; by a strong pull altogether four men raise the gun with handspikes till it is again poised