On Thursday last, we performed our first public duty, after drilling in the loadings and firings, in which we excelled, after firing "higher" several times. Six companies, of which "E" was one, under command of Lieut.-Col. Cabot, started for Jamaica Plain, by the Providence Railroad, to attend the funeral of Lieut.-Col. Dwight, of the 2nd Mass Vols., who died of wounds on the 13th [sic] of September. We performed escort duty to the grave where we fired three very creditable volleys, considering our practice. When we arrived at camp that afternoon "E" was decidedly cross, and we well remember the sight, as we marched to our quarters, we could not imagine what could be the matter, great piles of what looked to us like rubbish in front and rear of the barracks, proved to be our all. In fact every blessed thing but our government clothes and blankets were to go by the board. All the extra comforts, the fancy signs on our bunks, even Miller lost his chicken, and accused one of the innocents, who was left at the camp to help to clean up, with taking it. The unfortunate man will be known always as Chicken Hayes among the few evil-minded men of the company, who really think Hayes fraudulently reached for that chicken. We were a sorry set, but wondered if the despoliation was as thorough in the officers' tents. We never found out, for we visited there very seldom, and were there only upon business of more importance. It was called a sanitary improvement to rob us of all these little things. The boys did not cater for such improvements at all.
SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 10
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