On June 13 General McClellan passed down the road in front of the regiment and Colonel Hinks called for three cheers for ‘The man who is to lead us into Richmond,’ which were given with a will and then three more followed. The General's face was wreathed in smiles and he appeared satisfied with the progress of the work.
Several times while encamped here the Nineteenth was detailed, as a regiment, to work on the fortifications. There was no day that passed without an alarm by the rebels making a dash on the picket line. One day when at work on a large redoubt some distance to the right the rebels made a dash and drove the pickets in. The men worked with their arms stacked near, with equipment on and, when the firing began, stopped work and watched the skirmish as it went on, ready to fall in if a line of battle should appear. As soon as the rebel skirmishers were well out of the woods, the artillery opened on them and drove them back to cover. Private Wm. H. O'Neal, of Company K, was wounded by a ball. During the afternoon of the same day, a regiment was driven in from the left where it was on picket in the edge of the woods. Several men came running in pell mell as soon as the rebel line showed itself. General Richardson met them, and, after giving them a good scolding, in the hearing of the Nineteenth, sent them back. They attended to business thereafter, it being the first time they had been under fire.
While here the men were set to work at felling the trees in front. These were cut partially through and then felled, with the branches toward the enemy. This made an immense abatis, a mile wide. As the trunks had been but partially severed, the foliage kept green and it was impossible to see through it.
Richmond was but three and one half miles distant and from the tree tops could be easily seen through glasses.
During this period some officers and men were sick with fever and the scurvey, owing to the lack of vegetables. Only the hospitals could get potatoes and there were no onions at all.
While the regiment was at this point, two changes were made in the roster of Company B. Capt. Elijah P. Rogers and
