On the 16th of November we had dress-parade for the first time since May 1st. Over six months of hard field service, in which there was no room for parade or drill. We had borne our part in the engagements at New Market, Piedmont, Lynchburg, Snicker’s Ferry, Winchester, Berryville, Opequan, Fisher’s Hill, and Cedar Creek, losing forty in killed, ninety-seven in wounded and twenty-four missing. Of officers we had one killed and four wounded, being one-half the number we had for duty at any one time. We had marched eleven hundred miles, and for the most part under a broiling sun and on short rations. On the 18th, our brigade was ordered to Opequan bridge, to guard the railroad at that point, where, on the 24th, we received our portion of the ten thousand Thanksgiving turkeys, sent by our noble State to her sons in the field. While remaining here it rained the most of the time, the weather being quite cold. December 14th, Adjutant McCracken returned to the regiment, and on the 17th, the officers of the brigade, with the band of the 34th Massachusetts came over to our headquarters, and a general good time was indulged in. Not, perhaps, in strict accordance with the views of the would-be reformers of this day, but, nevertheless, all were happy; every one was congratulated on being alive, and fair fortune was invoked to continue propitious for each and every one. We had now made preparations for remaining here during the winter. The men had built good quarters out of logs, procured from the woods near at hand, and the officers had erected quite a house from similar material, when, on December 18th, orders came transferring our division to the army of the James, in front of Richmond. CHAPTER VIII. FROM OPEQUAN BRIDGE TO THE SURRENDER OF LEE, INCLUDING HATCHER’S RUN AND HIGH BRIDGE. On the 19th of December we left our log cabins so laboriously constructed, with some regrets, and possibly with some hard words, but a soldier’s life is one of obedience, and, in a few hours, our nice quarters at Opequan were forgotten, and we were ready to build others as uncomplainingly as we had these, wherever our camp would be pitched. It was a drizzly, cold day, and for some unknown reason we were very slow in getting started. But at length, about 2 o’clock P. M., we were all on board the cars and on our way to Washington, where we arrived early the next morning. In about two hours we embarked on board the steamer Keyport and started down the Potomac. We sailed under sealed orders, not knowing for a certainty where we were going until after passing Fortress Monroe, though our destination had been pretty well guessed.