. . e troopti infront, just before dark tirefiled off the pike into amuddy field near spirited skirmish hadtaken place here a fewhours before. Several deadhorses lay around, and hereand there the ground hadbeen torn up by began to have apractical look. This ap-pearance was more im-pressed upon our mindswhen we were informedthat we must be ready tomove very early the fol-lowing day, as Wood s di-vision would have the ad-vance. The mud every-where was shoe deep,churned by the ceaselesstread of thousands of men
. . e troopti infront, just before dark tirefiled off the pike into amuddy field near spirited skirmish hadtaken place here a fewhours before. Several deadhorses lay around, and hereand there the ground hadbeen torn up by began to have apractical look. This ap-pearance was more im-pressed upon our mindswhen we were informedthat we must be ready tomove very early the fol-lowing day, as Wood s di-vision would have the ad-vance. The mud every-where was shoe deep,churned by the ceaselesstread of thousands of men and horses. Night, dark and dripping, settled down upon thegreat bivouac. Forty-five thousand men were there and atTriune, a few miles to the right, gathered around the sputteringfires. In the midst of such a multitude there was little chance toget anything to promote comfort. What little there had beenwas taken by those first to arrive. We could do nothing exceptspread our blankets upon the wet ground, choosing the spotswhere there was the least depth of J. H. CRUTHERS, SU1SIXTY-FIFTH. 33*> doing business at LAviCRGNB. [December, Rain drizzled down upon us during the whole night. Weslept, however, but arose well soaked, and in a most forlorn con-dition. The Fifty-first Indiana did the picket duty for the bri-gade. Coffee and hardtack were soon disposed of and we wereready for orders soon after daylight. An early movement wasprevented by a dense fog, so thick at times that objects could notbe seen at ten yards distance. The rebels were reported to be inforce a mile to the front. There was a prospect of a fight as soonas we should attempt to advance. It looked even more that waywhen, about nine oclock, the fog having lifted a little, a rebelbattery opened fire, throwing several shells in our midst, with themost reckless disregard of consequences. Captain Samuel Neeper,of the Sixty-fourth, was severely wounded in the knee, and twoor three men were more or less injured. C
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