A grave problem confronted the government in 1863 for within a few months it would lose the services of most of its tried and seasoned soldiers by reason of expiration of service. A proposition was made to the three years men that if they would re-enlist they would receive $402.00 bounty and a thirty day furlough. The proposition was accepted by a majority of the old soldiers and the old organizations were retained with their officers. The most of our company and regiment re-enlisted. They sent us home in squads, and when it came my turn I was laid up with the mumps and could not go with my father. While I was north on my furlough Gen. Grant assumed command of the army confronting Gen. Lee and preparations were made for active operations. My father wrote me that our regiment had received orders to be ready to go to the front at an hour’s notice. My furlough had several days to run but I took the first train for Washington and in twenty-four hours walked into camp. I found our regiment all ready and awaiting orders. Field tents, rubber blankets and other things were issued to us which indicated that we were to take the field. CHAPTER VII. OFF FOR THE FRONT. The next day we assembled at Fort Corcoran. The regiment had been filled up with recruits until there were about 1,800 men on the rolls. Probably 1,500 were present for duty when we left to join the Army of the Potomac. We were ordered to “fall in” at noon and in a few moments we marched away with colors flying and the band playing a lively quickstep. It was like leaving home to go away from the forts we had learned to love so well, the huge walls of which had been cemented with the sweat from the brows of most of the men. The weather was fine when we started but after we had gone about two miles one of those drenching Virginia showers overtook us and we were wet to the skin. It does not need to rain over fifteen minutes in Virginia to make the mud from six to twelve inches deep, so we had to wade in the red clay mud the other seven miles to Alexandria. Much has been said and written about Virginia mud, but to appreciate its sticking qualities one needs to march and lie down and sleep in it. The boys used to wish that the editors who were writing the “On to Richmond” editorials could be compelled to take a twenty-five mile march in the mud loaded with a thirty or forty pound knapsack, a musket, forty rounds of ammunition, canteen and haversack with five days’ rations. At Alexandria we boarded an old transport and made ourselves as comfortable as possible, lying out on the open decks in our rain-soaked clothing. I do not know that I ever slept sounder than that night, and when I opened my eyes in the morning found that we were at Belle Plain landing on the Potomac, the base of supplies for Gen. Grant’s army. The river was filled with boats of every conceivable kind waiting to discharge their loads.