Captain Lombard, with "B" Battery, had drawn what was perhaps the least desirable of all the posts falling to the regiment, that at Plum Island, covering Newburyport and the entrance to the Merrimac. After a rough passage around Cape Ann, he arrived with his command at this station on June 7th. The island is a low, sandy formation, ten miles in length, commanding at its northern extremity the channel leading into the harbor of Newburyport. At this point, lying but three miles and a half from the railway bridge marking the centre of the city, the command pitched its camp, and threw up an earthwork of slight profile for the reception of its field guns. Shallow waters and a treacherous bar deter vessels of any considerable draft from attempting to enter this harbor; but the city offers a tempting and easy mark for torpedo-boat raids, and it was to discourage any enterprise of this sort that "B" Battery was condemned to a month of dreary duty among the sand dunes. The order of July 2nd, directing the command to change station to Fort McClary, Maine, was received at the post with delight, and little time was lost in preparing to leave behind the brackish water, mosquitoes, and monotony of Plum Island. Before this order could be executed, it was amended. These were the days when ugly rumors were coming from before Santiago, and the Government was making hurried efforts to meet a possible disaster on land. Captain Curtis, with his battery ("K") of the Second Artillery, was garrisoning the defenses at Portsmouth, of which McClary was a subpost, and to him on July 6th came rush orders to hasten with his battery to Tampa, to join the siege train there organizing, while Captain Lombard was directed to relieve him in the command of the Portsmouth defenses. On the 8th, "B" Battery reached its new station, taking post at Fort Constitution, and placing detachments at Fort McClary, on the Maine shore opposite, and at Jerry's Point, in the outer line of defenses. The command now occupied a most responsible position, with more than enough work for its small enlisted strength, for here there was much modern artillery material to be cared for, while the guard duty of the scattered posts made heavy drafts on the endurance of the men. These important defenses, covering not only the city of Portsmouth, but also the Kittery Navy Yard, were now added to the other posts under command of Colonel Pfaff, who on the last day of July visited the station, and inspected the works and the garrison. After becoming settled in quarters, details were made for post administration, Lieutenant Day being appointed post adjutant and Lieutenant Underwood post quartermaster and commissary. On August 19th, the Santiago campaign having turned out luckily after all, Captain Curtis was ordered with his battery back from Tampa, arriving a few days later to relieve Captain Lombard. At this time Major Crozier, A.I.G., reached the post on his