Days rolled by and the troops yearned for active service. The Tenth Pennsylvania Infantry, having received orders to proceed to the Philippine Islands, was the first regiment to break the monotony. There was great activity in breaking camp, and a speedy departure amidst a wild demonstration enthused the boys whose fate lay with the fortunes of war, and whose valiant bravery along the south line, from Bacoor to Manila, will ever remain vivid in the annals of the insurrection. The news of the departure of the “Rough Riders” for Cuba was heralded with much joy as a forerunner of our getting to the front, also the distribution of regiments to southern camps, where the sons of the “Blue and the Gray” commingled and fraternized as comrades fighting for the same cause, and spun yarns of the bloody strife of the rebellion in which their fathers had opposed each other in a bitter struggle. The promulgation of the general order directing our departure for the South was received with cheers. Breaking camp was immediately begun, the loading of horses and equipment on the train being accomplished with the dexterity of a troop of regulars. All along the route the train met with an ovation. There was waving of flags and handkerchiefs, bells were tolled, and the shrill whistles of factories welcomed the boys on to the front. Arriving at Falls Church, Virginia, we at once set to work unloading our horses and accoutrements of war, which was accomplished with almost insuperable difficulty, due to our having reached our destination at night and in a blinding rain-storm. Among the members of our troop was a Swedish Count, and at this point I recall a little incident which it will not be amiss to relate. We had unloaded our horses and were awaiting orders, when the Count approached me and said: “Bill, ven do ve eat?” “I guess we don’t eat, Count,” I replied; “these are the horrors of war.” “Vell, py tam,” said the Count, “dis vore vas all horrores. I vanted to blay benuckle on der train und der corporal say: ‘You go mit der baggage car, unt cook some beans,’ unt by tam, I couldn’t cook vater yet.” We remained at Falls Church over night, and in the morning marched to Camp Alger through blinding torrents of rain and fetlock-deep in mud. This camp, like most Southern camps, was very unhealthy, the heat was stifling, and many soldiers succumbed to fever. Here the troops of cavalry were consolidated into a squadron, consisting of Troop “A” of New York, Troop “C” of Brooklyn, “City Troop” of Philadelphia, “Sheridan Troop” of Tyrone, and “The Governor’s Troop” of Harrisburg, under the command of Major Jones, formerly captain of the “Sheridan Troop,” who relieved Captain Groome, of the “City Troop” of Philadelphia, who had been temporarily in command.