Camp of 2d N. H. Reg., Hill Top,
St. Charles County, Md., Oct. 28.
Since my last letter, the 2d Regiment have made considerable change in the locality of its camp. We are now encamped about 45 miles below Washington, near the Potomac, opposite the formidable line of rebel batteries extending from Mathias Point, several miles up the river. The division here is under the command of Gen. Hooker, now acting Major Gen., and comprises Sickles’ brigade and Hooker’s Brigade, (now under command of Col. Cowdin, of the Mass. 1st,) with a formidable force of cavalry and artillery. Our regiment occupies the left of the line. We have with us Doubledays’ battery of heavy guns, with the greater portion of the defenders of Fort Sumter. Our march here was a very interesting one, to us, and we will give your readers an account of it.
Thursday morning the brigade left their Bladensburg camp, and commenced their march for they knew not where, and they cared not, so long as they were to be relieved of the monotony of camp life. That night we camped opposite Alexandria. We pitched no tents but rolled in blanket and overcoat, with our feet to the bivouac fire, we slept soundly as we could. Friday morning we were on the march before the frost was off the ground, and if ever we were reminded of New Hampshire’s rugged hills, we were by this travel over the rough territory of Maryland. As our unwilling legs bore along our heavily loaded body we could appreciate the sentiments of a puffing Hibernian, who exclaimed, as he toiled up a terrible hill, on a terrible road, “By the powers, if I thort this divilish, haythenish country was iverything I was fighting for, I hive to say Barney was a d—d fool ! that’s se inyhow.”
Our second camp was on a table land, with a full view of the broad Potomac. Before the ranks were broken, the Colonel said to the regiment “Boys the Quartermaster will procure as much beef and pork for the use of the regiment as he can honestly, and you must not get any any other way!” Those who have followed army life will know a soldier’s propensity for looking out for his haversack’s contents, especially when he has to make a weary march on a small amount of food. If a pig, a sheep, a hen or a goose happens to run upon his bayonet and get killed, he puts it to the best use he knows of, to supplying the wants of No. 1. You can be assured fresh meat was plenty that night, and the boys did not depend on the Quartermaster, entirely. But it was all procured honestly, of course.
Saturday we reached a portion of country which had been much frequented by the rebels before the arrival of our troops, who would cross the Potomac in boats from their batteries on the Virginia side, and scour the country for miles around. We encamped on a meadow by a creek emptying into the Potomac. Sunday we got our first glimpse of the rebel batteries which “blockade the Potomac,” and after a long march over a terrible rough country, reached our present camp. We find here a mighty large number of loyal men. We are inclined to believe in the truth of the negro’s remark, that “Dar was mighty heaps of secesher men till de calv’ry come down ; den day was all union men—’deed, sar!” The rebels on the other side are a busy set of fellows, and their big iron bull dogs keep a good watch over the Potomac. As I write, I can hear their big guns roaring like an angry afrite. Occasionally they drop a shell over on this side of the river. On the second day of our march we met an ambulance full of the victims of one of these salutes. What we may have to do with these batteries time will determine, and we will keep the American’s readers well informed of our movements. — M. A. H.
P. S.—We learn, by the Sutler, who has just arrived, that the firing we can hear is occasioned by the batteries trying to shell out our men. One shell fell square in the Pennsylvania 26th’s camp, but they pulled the fuse out before it exploded. We are unfortunate enough to be out of sight of the sport.
The Daily Manchester American, Manchester, NH