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On Wood-guard 15

There was twelve in our squad and we enjoyed ourselves hugely for all we had to do was to prevent any one taking the wood away without proper authority and do our own cooking which was not very extensive. I had a bad cold while I was out but rather be out than in camp. We was vaccinated on account of smalpox being in some parts of the army, and by some trechery the rang material was used which caused many of the men to have the smallpox. My arm was swolen quite bad and many pimp-les came out, and I had some cough but come out soon all right.

Some of the boys of our company H died with smallpox and others got well. A reconisense was ordered up the river and I had a bad cold and was excused by the surgeon and did not go. This move was afterwards called "Birnsides Stuck in the Mud." [Burnside's] Our sick was left in camp and our QuarterMaster Oldin Litchfield was a very arbitary hard harted fellow and came threw the streets and ordered sick men out in the rain to cut him wood