witnessed his gallantry on the fields of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, and must have been to him a most pleasant assurance of the love and esteem with which the war-worn heroes regarded their old commander.

The Third and Fifth Regiments Michigan Volunteers, the veterans of our veteran brigade, were ordered to New York, leaving but three regiments in the old brigade,-the Seventeenth Maine, the Fortieth New York, and the One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania Volunteers.

On the twenty-third of August, the division was reviewed by General Birney. The Seventeenth turned out every available man, except the camp guards, and mustered one hundred and thirty-four guns. Just one year previous, we arrived in Washington with one thousand and twenty-one rank and file! Verily,

"The paths of glory lead but to the grave."

On the seventh of September, the corps was reviewed by Major-General Meade, near Bealetown, distant about eight miles from our camp.

As it is possible to have even too much of a good thing, the boys began to grow dissatisfied with the indolent life we led at Sulphur Springs, and before the orders came to move, many undoubtedly would have

exclaimed with the poet, from the bottom of their

hearts:

"I hate the camp;

I hate its noise, its stiff parades, its blank

And empty forms, and stately courtesy ;

Where between bows and blows, and smile and stab,
There's scarce a moment."

CHAPTER IX.

THE MARCH TO CULPEPPER, CENTREVILLE, AND BRANDY STA

TION,

THE BATTLES OF AUBURN AND KELLY'S FORD.

E were on brigade drill, on the afternoon of September fifteenth, when marching orders were received. We

at once returned to camp, packed up,

and at six o'clock were in line. The shades of night had begun to gather when we bade adieu to our pleasant camp and the lovely groves and classic grounds of Sulphur Springs. Our stay at this place had been long and pleasant; yet, though with some regrets at leaving our comfortable quarters, we unanimously hailed with joy the prospect of another campaign. We marched about five miles, and bivouacked at ten o'clock, P. M., near Fox's Mills.

At six o'clock, on the following morning, we continued our march, fording the Hedgeman River where the water was waist deep, and soon after, Hazel Run, a more formidable stream even than the first. We

marched until about nine o'clock, P. M., when we halted about three miles from Culpepper. On our route we passed near the residence of Honorable John Minor Botts, in regard to whose loyalty and patriotism a variety of opinions has been entertained.

At ten o'clock, A. M., of the seventeenth, we moved about three miles, and formed line of battle, in readiness for an attack, or any emergency that might occur. On the eighteenth, the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments rejoined the brigade, having been on detached service at Troy, New York, during the enforcement of the draft in that State.

Culpepper was, at this time, quite a large village, but rather dilapidated and shabby in outward appearance. The village was not as large as Warrenton, nor was there that appearance of wealth and refinement in the residences which we noticed in Warrenton.

On the twenty-third of September, one hundred and sixty conscripts and recruits from Maine, joined the regiment, generally a fine appearing body of men. The time until the fifth of October, was spent in drilling the new men, and the usual routine of camp-life.

On the fifth, the bugle sounding the "general" from brigade head-quarters, without any previous warning or intimation of a move, gave us the idea that the en.emy was upon us. We however soon ascertained that a change of camp only was contemplated. We moved a short distance to the front, and occupied the

camps vacated by the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps, which had been a few days previously withdrawn from the Army of the Potomac. On the sixth, we received intelligence that Stuart's Cavalry was in our rear, and picketing Hazel River. We were ordered to sleep on our arms, and be prepared for any emergency.

Our camp at this place was pleasantly located, and was designated, in orders from regimental head-quarters, as "Camp Birney."

On the eighth, a scouting party, from the regiment, of one hundred men, under Captain Sawyer, made a reconnoisance, but returned without having encountered the enemy. A circular from brigade head-quarters, announced that at four o'clock, P. M., the sentence of a general court martial, in the case of a private of the First United States Sharp Shooters, would be executed in the presence of the brigade. The circular was rather indefinite, and rumors were soon afloat that a deserter was to be shot.

The regiment was formed and turned over with due ceremony to the commanding officer, who, thinking that the lesson was too good to be lost upon the newly arrived conscripts and "subs," made a short speech to the men, expressing a hope that during the solemn ceremony they would behave with becoming decorum; not omitting to impress upon the minds of. the new men, the enormity of the crime of desertion, and its consequent penalties according to the stern rules