Sleeping on a hard pine board was new business to most of us, and Morpheus was courted in vain. Being the first company on the ground, and not having tents, we bivonacked last night in Agricultural Hall. This camp is named Camp Lincoln, in honor of Ex-Governor Lincoln of Worcester. From there we marched to the agricultural grounds west of the city, where we are to encamp. Arriving there, we marched to the city hall, where we took dinner.
There not being passenger cars enough to accommodate us, we were crowded into two box freight cars for South Framingham, where we changed to passenger cars for Worcester.
We now began to realize some of the discomforts of a soldier's life. Here a large concourse of citizens had collected to give us their best wishes, and see us off. Under escort of the Milford Brass Band, we marched through a few of the principal streets to the depot. The thing seems to be becoming a reality. Captain Clark has received orders to report with his company at Worcester, tomorrow. It has also received the aid and patronage of several other patriotic citizens of the town. George Draper, a patriotic and public spirited citizen of the town, who has given liberally of his means for its success his son also enlisting in the company. The formation of this company was suggested by Mr. So I may as well call it that I have enlisted partly from a love of adventure for the other part, people are at liberty to draw their own inferences. It would be useless for me to claim that I have enlisted from purely patriotic motives, as no one would believe it and surely none would believe that I would enlist for the plain thirteen dollars a month. Believing that it is too soon to divide the estate, and that too many different administrations running at the same time might run amuck, and believing I should never feel quite satisfied with myself if I do not go, and believing with President Jackson, that the Union must and shall be preserved, I have this day enlisted in the company now being raised here. Pursuant to a call from President Lincoln for more troops in suppression of the great rebellion, a regiment is now being recruited in the city of Worcester for that service, and a company is being recruited here for that regiment. The other was, that getting a little past the age for labor, and as people have fussy notions in regard to foraging, something had to be done to recruit my commissariat, hence I write a book and to all the old comrades, and to all purchasers of this book, who thereby help to smooth the cares and wrinkles of my declining years, this little volume is respectfully dedicated The first was, I desired to show to my posterity the heroism, sacrifices, privations and hardships of their illustrious ancestor to transmit to them a country and a name, and the government of our fathers unimpaired. I had two objects in view in compiling it. It was simply incident and anecdote of what came under my observation, and with what I had to do and from those letters and memoranda, I have compiled this book. It was kept in the form of letters sent home, and with notes and memoranda in pocket diaries.
While in the army, I kept a diary of my wanderings, observations and adventures.
KING & BILLINGS, PRINTERS, GAZETTE OFFICE, MILFORD.
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