History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

1862 ORGANIZATION AND DRILL. 1249
ing feels called upon to congratulate and commend the Eighty-third, for the
very general spirit of attention to duty that seems to pervade the regiment.
Its attention to drill is especially recommended as a worthy example to the
rest of the brigade." For its proficiency, as displayed in the competitive trial,
it was given, by the committee of award, one of the Freich uniforms which
had been especially imported for this purpose. It was the uniform of the Chasseur de Vincennes, consisting of a shako, two tasteful suits, dress and fatigue,
with cloak, two pairs of shoes, two pairs of white gloves, two night-caps, a
little bag containing five brushes, for various purposes, needle case, combs,
thread, spool, cloak-pin, anrd various other conveniences.*
The regiment encamped on the immediate right of the Eighty-third was
the Forty-fourth New York, and between the members of the two there grew
up a. strong feeling of friendship. On New Year's Eve, 1862, they united in a
grand ball, at which music, feasting, and dancing, were freely indulged in. The
camp had been tastefully adorned with evergreen enclosures, with gateways
and arches, " presenting the appearance of a fairy glen, rather than the sternr
aspect of a military encampment." In a few days winter set in, and gateways
and arches were shattered, the streets of the little city were deluged with mud,
and the soldier was sent shivering to his tent.
On the morning of the 9th of March, the regiment received orders to be ir
readiness to move on the following morning. The whole grand army, which
for six months haid been encamped in front of Washington, was to advance
upon the enemy. All superfluous baggage, including the French uniforms,
was sent away and stored in government warehouses at Georgetown. On the
morning of the 10th, with three days' cooked rations in haversack, the regiment commenced its first march-prelude to four long eventful years of warfare —and arrived in the evening at Fairfax Court House. Here it was ascertained that the enemy had abandoned his intrenched camp, and had retreated
toward Gordon sviHe.
The army now turned to the Peninsula, the Eighty-third embarking at
Alexandria and landing on the 24th at the deserted village of Hampton. Its
first duty was a reconnoissance towards Big Bethel, where the enemy was reported to have outposts; but his works were found abandoned. On the 4th
of April it'joined in the advance on Yorktown, where the enemy was met
* I large council tent, with table and fixtures; 110 common tents) for men and officers; 220
circular tables; 3 ambulance or hospital tents, with tables; 1,000 small tents, for special duty;
40 officers' tents; 10 company tents; 250 mallets, for driving tent pins; 250 picks; 100 hatchets;
225 shovels; 1,000 dress coats; 1,000 fatigue coats; 1,900 pairs pantaloons; 1,000 cloaks or mantles, with hoods; 3,000 shirts; 2,000 pairs drawers; 1,000 dress caps, of leather; 1,000 plumes;
1,000 fatigue caps; 2,000 pairs shoes; 1,000 pairs leather gaiters; 2,000 pails linen gaiters; 1,000
pairs leggings; 1,000 epaulets; 2,000 night-caps; 2,000 neck-ties;: 2,000 handkerchiefs; 2,000
pairs white cotton gloves; 1,000 pairs suspenders; 1,000 pairs woolen blankets; 1,000 knapsacks, of hair-tanned leather; 1,000 haversacks; 100 large tin canteens; 1,000 small canteens;
1,000 canteen straps; 100 large tin mess kettles; 1,000 tin soup bowls, with lids; 1,000 tin cups;
1,000 cartridge boxes; 1,000 sword belts; 100 tin saucepans; 150 chevrons, gold and silver
embroidered, for non-commissioned officers; 35 pack saddles; 100 saddle. cacolets; 2 mule
litters; 150 camp stools; 1 medicine chest, filled with medicines; 1 surgical chest, filled with
instruments; 2 ambulance knapsacks, containing knives, saws, bandages, lint, &c.; 22 bugles.;
35mule bridles; 1,000 sacs du petit, or small sacks, containing 1,000 shoe brushes, 1,000 hair
brushes, 1,000 clothes brushes, andl,000 buttonbrushes; 1,000 brushes for cleaning guns; 1,000
small oil cans; 1,000 tinboxes for polishing powders; 1,00 dusters for clothes, and 1,000 needle
books, each containing 1 pair of scissors, thimble, 3 colors of thread, spool for the thread, saddler's awl, needles, combs, &c." Judson's History of Eighty-third Regiment P. V., page 26.