Page:Journal history of the Twenty-ninth Ohio veteran volunteers, 1861-1865.djvu/68

 first brigade now consists of the Twenty-ninth, Seventh, Fifth, and Sixty-sixth Ohio regiments, and Twenty-eighth and One Hundred and Forty-seventh Pennsylvania.

The suffering our men endured during our stay at Dumfries from inclemency of the weather, the arduous service, and the scarcity of almost every necessity, cannot be easily over-estimated, and it might with propriety go into history as a counterpart of that much written about, and extensively illustrated affair "Washington at Valley Forge."

About the 20th day of April, 1863, with Colonel Clark in command, the Twenty-ninth regiment, with its brigade, left Dumfries, Virginia, and marched to Aqua creek, which place it reached two days later, and encamped about one mile from the Potomac river. Aqua creek is sixty miles below Washington on the river; it was used as a base for supplies, and a field hospital was soon established. The regiment with its brigade remained at this place performing the usual camp and garrison duty, building forts and, at the same time, doing its full share of picket duty. We are encamped on the hill overlooking the Potomac. To the north and west is a fine rolling country partly covered with pine timber and tangled undergrowth. All was quiet until orders were received to march; then what a bustle; haversacks were filled, each soldier furnished with sixty rounds of ammunition, and preparations made for "business." At 7 o'clock, on the 27th day of April, the regiment fell into line and moved forward on the road leading to Kelleys ford via Stafford Court House and Hartwood church, reaching the Rappahannock river at Kelley's ford late in the afternoon. The enemy was found in small force on the south bank of the river. Late in the evening the Sixty-sixth Ohio regiment crossed the river