and faithfully performed their duty. Associated with many of their number from the earliest days of the war, he takes leave of this army, not only as soldiers to whose heroism many a victorious battle-field bears witness, but as well-tried friends, who in the darkest hours have never failed him. With the sincerest regret he leaves the Department without the opportunity of personally bidding them farewell. To the citizen soldiers of East Tennessee, who proved their loyalty in the trenches of Knoxville, he tenders his warmest thanks. With the highest confidence in the patriotism and skill of the distinguished officer who succeeds him, with whom he has been long and intimately connected in the field, and who will be welcomed as their leader by those who served with him in the memorable campaign in North Carolina, and by all, as one identified with some of the most brilliant events of the war, he transfers to him the command, assured that under his guidance the bright record of the Army of the Ohio will never grow dim.

VETERAN REËNLISTMENT FURLOUGH. -MARCH FROM EAST TENNESSEE TO CAMP NELSON, KENTUCKY.— RECEPTION AT WORCESTER.

ON the 6th of January, 1864, the reënlisted veterans of the 21st received orders from General Foster, commanding the Department of the Ohio, to march to Camp Nelson, Kentucky; and, on the completion there, or at Cincinnati, of the necessary muster-rolls, to report in Massachusetts for the thirty days reënlistment furlough.1

On the 7th of January the 251 reënlisted men of the 21st started at two o'clock P. M. from Blain's Cross Roads (twenty miles northeast from Knoxville), having in charge about two hundred rebel prisoners to be left at Camp Nelson. The non-reënlisted men (only thirty-six in number) were temporarily transferred to the 35th Massachusetts.

Many of the men were without shoes worthy of the name, and their clothing generally was in very poor condition, but

1 Besides much other valuable information about the service of the regiment in Kentucky and Tennessee, I am mainly indebted to the full and interesting diary of Lieutenant Ira B. Goodrich for the incidents of the return march from Blain's Cross Roads to Camp Nelson. — ED.

they moved with light hearts over the rough frozen road towards the north and home.

At half-past four, after a march of six miles, the regiment went into bivouac for the night. A light sleet was falling, which changed to a snow-storm during the night, and the supply of rations was very short, but rail fence was plenty. and happy men talked the night away around their camp fires.

January 8th. Started at seven A. M. The day was so cold that the frost did not leave the men's hair and whiskers during the day, and the road was slippery from ice and snow. Just at evening, Walker's Ford, on the Clinch River, was reached, after a hard march of twenty miles. A ferry-boat was obtained, and the passage of the stream comfortably made, except by the first boat-load, who got aground and had to wade several rods in the icy stream. The regiment biv ouacked for the night about a mile from the river. January 9th. A bright day but very cold; started at eight A. M., marched through the town of Tazewell, Tennessee, to Powell's River. A march of sixteen miles.

January 10th. Sunday. The sun rose clear, and the day was beautiful; the regiment moved on at seven A. M., passed Powell's River, and went on to high land, where a magnificent view of the Cumberland Mountains and gap opened before them; they reached the gap before noon, and were disappointed in not receiving rations there, of which they were now destitute; moving on over the Three Log Mountains, they bivouacked on the Second Mountain, eight miles from the gap. A march of fifteen miles. Here they found a supply train bound for the gap, and from it drew two days' full rations of sugar, coffee, and hard bread, the first full rations of those articles they had drawn for nearly four months. The prisoners were as jubilant as the 21st at receiving a good supply of food, for of course they had experienced the same scarcity as

our men.

January 11th. Waited all the morning for the wagons to come up; the half-starved mules had a hard time in getting

them over the mountains. While waiting, the gallant 8th Michigan passed by, being also on the way north. The 21st moved on at half-past twelve P. M., finished up the Three Log Mountains, crossed the Cumberland Ford, and bivouacked. A march of seven miles. The wagons did not come up at night.

January 12th. The regiment waited until one P. M. for the wagons to come up, when they started, and after a march of about nine miles halted for the night. At the halting place they came upon another supply train, and drew two days' rations.

January 13th. Started at half-past six A. M.; entered Barboursville, Ky., at half-past ten, and, after an hour's halt, marched eleven miles further on, and bivouacked.

of seventeen miles.

A march

January 14th. Started at seven A. M., and reached London, Ky., at two o'clock in the afternoon. Here many of the men bought new boots and shoes, giving their old ones to the rebel prisoners; however dilapidated, they were thankfully received by the poor fellows, many of whom were in a truly pitiable condition as regarded clothing. At four P. M. arrived at Camp Pitman, and halted. A day's march of eighteen miles. Here the regiment drew four days' rations.

January 15th. Started at half-past six A. M. It rained and snowed by turns, all day, and the traveling was very bad; crossed Big Rock Castle River, on a ferry-boat at noon; halted at three P. M. near Big Hill, and went into bivouac in the deep snow. A march of fifteen miles.

January 16th. Started at eight o'clock, and spent the whole day in crossing Big Hill: it was the hardest climb of the march, a distance of fourteen miles.

January 17th. Sunday. The weather was stormy, and it rained heavily at intervals through the day. The regiment started at six A. M.; and, after losing the road and marching towards all points of the compass on muddy cross-roads, struck some excellent hard roads, and moving on at a slashing pace made a day's march of twenty miles.

January 18th. A rainy day. At six o'clock A. M. the regi

ment left the cheerless bivouac, where they had been soaked all night by the cold rain. Camp Nelson was twenty-seven miles distant, but the boys were determined to make it that day, and said go ahead until they reached it at six P. M. Here they were kindly received by their former comrade, and ever true friend Colonel T. E. Hall, in charge of the Post, who opened a large building for their accommodation, and made them as comfortable as possible.

This was perhaps the most satisfactory march ever made by the regiment; they were leaving the raw corn and destitution of East Tennessee for the flesh-pots and romance of home, and there was no grumbling over the hardships on the way. The men seemed to step off a little more freely than ever before; and, if they had not been compelled to wait for their worn-out mules, the march would probably have been a wonderfully rapid one, taking its length and the condition of the roads into consideration.

January 19th. The regiment remained at Camp Nelson. Clothing and rations were issued to the men.

January 20th. At half-past eight A. M. the regiment left Camp Nelson in wagons furnished by the kindness of Colonel Hall; and taking the cars at Nicholasville, arrived at Covington, Ky., a little before midnight, and went into barracks. The regiment remained here until the 29th inst., while the multitudinous papers required on reënlistment were being completed, and the men paid. They are indebted to the superintendent of the Soldiers' Home for facilities kindly furnished in aid of their work, and for a collation to the officers and men.

Friday, January 29th. The 21st left their barracks at Covington at two P. M., and crossing the river by ferry took the cars at Cincinnati for Worcester. Traveling night and day, via Columbus, Cleveland, Buffalo, Albany, and Springfield, the regiment reached Worcester at eight o'clock in the evening of Sunday, January 31st. At Pittsfield, Springfield, and other places, they were warmly welcomed by crowds assembled at the depots, and by smiles, handkerchiefs, flags, and cheers, all along the route; as when they went to the