Page:The Story of Aunt Becky's Army-Life .djvu/73

Rh Baltimore for two days, and when he returned Vail was on the fair road to recovery.

The first of April we moved into our new barracks, which the boys had built; I had a snug little room just out of the kitchen, with my tent furniture within, and a cupboard in addition, in which were ranged to make as wide a display as possible our white dishes.

The building was long, low, and unpainted, but it was an improvement on the tents, and we could care for the sick in greater comfort.

Miss Dix visited us here, and seemed quite well suited with our arrangements.

With the forward motion of the Army of the Potomac, when sunny skies bent over the devoted troops, came the rumor that our regiment was going to the front. At last the boys were to meet other foes than citizen rebels and the lurking diseases of a new climate.

My heart grew sick when I thought of the determined man who stood at the head of the grand army, and I knew that Richmond must fall,—that Lee's army must surrender; and then came in long array the thought of dismal marches through swamp, and morass, the hurried bivouac, the bugle-call in the morning, when some who saw the rosy dawn flushing up the fleecy clouds lie ghastly corpses before the setting sun.

I thought of the weary soldier as his tired feet could hardly support him while he made his cup of coffee over the fire of light wood—some rebel planter's fence rails—and shot, and shell, and sun, and storm