Capt. Brown was subsequently court-martialed, and found guilty of basely deserting his command in the face of the enemy. Our men were well treated by Capt. McNiel, who gave them money to buy their dinner, and taking their parole, sent them back to camp. The next morning Col. Washburn, of 116 O. V. I., commanding Brigade, called upon the 123d for a company to go out to the scene of the capture and bring in anything they might find. Capt. Horace Kellogg’s Company was soon in readiness and on the move. They found five wagons all sound, but the others were all burned, nothing but the irons and a heap of ashes left where each wagon had stood. The company returned to camp without accident, with the exception of accidentally shooting several of the domestic feathered family, which carelessly strayed across the road. Our regiment was now encamped upon the ground occupied by the 55th O. V. I. while encamped here one year previous. The boys planted evergreens along their company streets and about company headquarters, making our camp look very pleasant and homelike. While lying here company officers were ordered before a military board of examiners to test their military tactics, drill, &c. There was considerable uneasiness manifested by some, but as it appeared afterwards, without cause, for the board, for some unknown reason never convened, and thus the troublesome ordeal never was passed, though several of our officers concluded that they had experienced about all the soldiering they cared for and tendered their resignations which were accepted, and some promotions were made as the necessary result. We had very little opportunity for drill, as it was usually very muddy, and so the winter wore monotonously away, relieved now and then by the receiving of boxes from our friends at home, and, though we did not materially need their contents, still this evidence that we were warmly remembered by the dear ones at home, gave us renewed zeal in the work we had so cheerfully volunteered to do. Some of our officers’ wives visited us while here, and though many of us did not even know them, their cheerful smiles and kind words warmed the hearts of many a homesick boy, and created within our breasts a firm determination to do all that lay in our power to preserve inviolate the homes of the noble women whom we had left behind. Never shall be forgotten with what avidity we devoured the contents of our letters from home, and how sorrowingly we would turn away when the unwelcome intelligence was announced, “no letters to-day.” This anxiety for news from home may seem a little strange, but when it is remembered that many of the boys were away from home for the first time and with no very certain hope of ever again returning, it is not to be wondered at.