October 1st. I was detailed with twenty members of our company under the command of Lieutenant Merwin to take boats and to row to a long bridge over a branch of the Patapsco River, there to remain on guard duty for ten days. It was about eight miles from the fort. It proved to be a picnic for us. Our duty was to guard the bridge. When off duty we tramped through the country for miles. It was a fine fruit section of Maryland. We bathed in the fine, clear salt water and white sandy beach. The ten days passed quickly when we were relieved and obliged to report to our company at the old fort, when we resumed our duty of various kinds, drilling and guard duty, also keeping the camp clean.
Our rations remained the same from day to day, fresh beef, salt beef, pork, hard-tack, and soft bread. Our supper remained the same every night, a cup of black coffee, a plate of boiled rice with very black molasses, called by the boys coal tar, two slices of soft bread. We became so tired of rice that we could not eat it.
