At the first spear of dawn the regiment marched away in splendid order from Arlington to Washington, where the train that was to bear them to new fields and unknown fortunes was ready.
It was a long train of many coaches, as the regiment numbered seven hundred men, and it also carried with it four guns, mounted on trucks.
The coaches were all of primitive pattern.

The soldiers were to sleep on the seats, and their arms and supplies were heaped in the aisles.

It was a cold, drizzling day of closing autumn, and the capital looked sodden and gloomy.

Cameron, the Secretary of War, came to see them off and to make the customary prediction concerning their valor and victory to come.

But he was a cold man, and he was repellent to Dick, used to more warmth of temperament.
Then, with a ringing of bells, a heave of the engine, a great puffing of smoke, and a mighty rattling of wheels, the train drew out of Washington and made its noisy way toward Baltimore.