John D. Billings, The history of the Tenth Massachusetts battery of light artillery in the war of the rebellion

[433] by the management of the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad, a corporation which, probably having received more money from the general government than any other railroad in the country during the war, could well afford this mark of liberality. It is true, the cars had every semblance of box-cars, but did they not have elegant plank seats in them, and weren't the aforesaid plank seats thoughtfully left unplaned, so that the occupants should not slide off, and mayhap fall out of the car?

An all-night ride brought us to Philadelphia at 5 o'clock in the morning, before people were generally astir, but the booming of cannon announced our arrival, and we were soon marching on, under convoy, to the same Union Volunteer Refreshment Saloon that had used us so generously before, and after purifying by water we were treated to a substantial breakfast. We loitered about until past noon, when, having been shown to a decent passenger train, we entered and were whirled away across the plains of New Jersey. We reached South Amboy about 4 o'clock, and embarked on the steamer Transport for New York, being greeted with many patriotic demonstrations as we skirted the shores of New York Bay. Changing steamers at the latter city, we spent a delightful moonlight night on the Sound, and arrived at New London, Connecticut, early Monday morning. We suffered a long and tedious wait here also, but at last the train moved on. Worcester was reached and passed soon after noon, and the familiar stations along the old Boston and Worcester road brought us to realize more vividly that home itself was not far away, and our spirits rose correspondingly. We answered by a waving of the handkerchief or the cap, the kindly