Friday morning, July 10, I received my applications on the commissary department for supplies ; was informed that the Government train sent to Shippenesburg had not returned, but when it did my regiment would be supplied . About 4 p. m. the train arrived, under charge of the brigade quartermaster, Captain [Lebbeus] Chapman, of the New York State National Guard . I immediately obtained permission of him for four boxes of hard-tack . Saturday, July 11, 10 a. m., the following orders were received from Brigadier-general Knipe's aide-de-camp:

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE SUSQUEHANNA, Waynesborough, . july 11, 1863.

The brigadier-general commanding calls the attention of the command to the certainty of an early with the enemy, and it is strictly enjoined upon brigade, regimental, and company commanders to attend at once to the condition of the arms and ammunition of the men under them. No time is to be lost in putting the arms in perfect order, and seeing that the boxes are filled with cartridges . The rations on hand must be cooked and out in haversacks, so that no detention will ensue when the order to march is given, and also that the men may not suffer for food when it may be impossible for the supply trains to reach them . By order of Brig. General W. F. Smith, commanding First Division:

ALEXANDER FARNHAM,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General .

Promulgated by order of Brigadier-General Knipe:

ROBERT MUNCH,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General .

Also the following . *

Preparations were immediately made to carry out the above orders . Rations were procured and cooked under the directions of Quartermaster John C. Mullett, and orders were received to form in line at 3 p. m. of the 11th instant . Here, at this time, we joined you brigade for the first time, having been separated, as before mentioned, during our stay at Waynesborough, and marched down the hill on to the road ; halted for the other regiments in our brigade to come into line, where we had to wait one full hour before they came into line, a delay, I am happy to say, which the gallant Sixty-eight regiment never caused any officer or brigade while in the service, being always prompt . Preparations being completed, orders were given,

" Battalion, right face ; forward march!" and we were off for "Dixie, " our march being on the direct road to Hagerstown from Waynesborough . Outmarch was with quick step for the first 4 miles . When we arrived at the Little Antietam - a river, from the heavy rains which had fallen, had become much swollen, and was very rough and rapid, the bridge over which had been destroyed by Lee's army, on their retreat after the Gettysburg fight, only three days before, which we had to ford -we had now advanced some 2 miles across the line into Maryland, After fording and getting everything across, our march was slow and cautious, being in close proximity with the rebel pickets, and every moment expecting an engagement . Marching slowly, the night very dark, mud deep, we came to a halt in an open field about 10 o'clock, where the division bivouacked for the remainder of the night having sent out pickets and taken every precaution against a surprise . Before arriving where we bivouacked, my sickness became so severe that I was obliged to turn over my command to Lieutenant-Colonel Swift, and stopped, accompanied by Surgeon -

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* Omitted, as unimportant .

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