Waitt, Ernest Linden, History of the Nineteenth regiment, Massachusetts volunteer infantry , 1861-1865

[174] gone out through the opposite wall into the street. The men at once sat down and enjoyed a good dinner, even though it was cold. The occupants of this house were apparently wealthy people, the furnishings were elegant and a fine piano, an organ, violin, flute and several other musical instruments were found in it. An interesting concert (?) was enjoyed. In the cellar there was an ample supply of wines and liquors.

While lying on Caroline street that day, the body of a Union soldier was found. He had been wounded in the leg, but had been bayoneted four or five times by the rebels and killed that way. A brother of Lieut. Edgar M. Newcomb arrived that day to visit him, and it was a fortunate occurrence, for he was present to nurse him on the following day when the brave lieutenant received his mortal wound.

While the regiment was engaged at Fredericksburg, Benjamin Falls, of Co. A, who had been assigned the position of company cook, protested to Capt. Boyd against further service in that capacity. ‘If you've no use for Ben Falls,’ said he, ‘send me home. How nice it will look when I write to my wife that the regiment fought nobly and I carried the kettles. I either want a musket or a discharge, and I prefer the musket.’ His request was granted and after that he had his position in the line with the others of his company.

The 12th of December passed, with the exception of a few alarms, very quietly. The night was spent in the different houses, and many were the good things that were found.

There were many amusing spectacles resultant from over indulgence in the various drinkables which were found. Just about dark, one of the men of the regiment was seen to proceed rapidly up Caroline street, by devious lines, toward the enemy's pickets, with a live goose by the leg in one hand and a black bottle by the neck in the other, in pursuit of a particularly lively pig and singing ‘I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls’ with the utmost power of a voice not especially melodious at any time and not much improved by his recent potations.

In the beautiful drawing room of one of the most fashionable houses in the town a young officer of the Seventh Michigan, who by reason of the smoke and mud on him would have been