wore the kilt as their uniform, and, for fatigue or undress, a blue jacket with red facings, and trousers of Cameronian tartan. At the breaking out of the rebellion, the battalion was raised to a full regiment by the addition of two companies and filling up the ranks, and on May 13th, 1861, entered the United States service for three years as the 79th Highlanders, New York Volunteers.

...

"One company contained so many bookkeepers and clerks, that it was known as the Clerk's Company."

Page 327. In August, 1861, "the Highlanders still wore the blue jacket with red facings, but the regulation uniform as to the remainder. Later, when the jackets were worn out, they were uniformed like other troops."

GEORGETOWN HEIGHTS, July 1st, 1861.
Headquarters 79th Regiment.

Dear Mother:

At length I have an opportunity to inform you of my doings since we parted.

I will spring over details however, to say that I am now with Elliott at the Barracks of the 79th Regt. — that I slept last night upon the floor — that I am not yet Lieutenant, though assured of an eventual appointment so until I write that I am entitled to wear the epaulets, please direct my letters to the care of Lieut. S. R. Elliott, 10th Co., 79th Regt., N. Y. S. M., Washington, D. C. Up to the present I have enjoyed myself much and am delighted with the novelty of the situation. However, I have no catalogue of hardships to complain of, as I have been dining in the best of company at a very good Secessionist Hotel which lies handy to our quarters, so please, dear mother, don't expose yourself to any privations, for the purpose of better sympathizing with me as regards camp experiences. Elliott you know, and I

penses here to Washington were paid by a grateful coun

MAP OF MILITARY OPERATIONS IN N. E. VIRGINIA, MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA (From "Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion")

try, and in this wise.

Young Quartermaster Elliott,

meeting me at the Steamboat Landing, introduced me to some officers of a Maine Regt. on its way hither. I was introduced as Lieut. Lusk and in that capacity was invited to occupy the car appropriated for the staff. The officers manifested some curiosity regarding the Regt. I was supposed to represent, so it was with no little difficulty that I resorted to such evasions as would enable me to cover my ignorance. I pronounced the 79th Regt. to be the finest in the field, and was looked upon quite respectfully.

We are now delightfully quartered on Georgetown Heights in the Catholic College, but are going into Camp today. Yesterday a preacher from the Scottish Kirk discoursed to the soldiers in the yard. The Catholic priests must have shuddered at the terrible sacrilege, but even sectarianism must bend to meet the exigencies

of war.

Elliott sends kind regards to you, and the sisters, and Hunt. Love to all.

Very affec❜y.,

W. T. LUSK.

Care of LIEUT. S. R. ELLIOTT,

10th Co., 79 Regiment, Virginia.

GLEBEWOOD, VIRGINIA, July 8th, 1861.

My Dear Mother:

You see from the above that the "sacred soil" continues to be invaded. General Scott is inexorable, so, notwithstanding the protests of the States Right supporters, Regiment after Regiment crosses the line, and the sanctity of the Old Dominion is violated by the desecrating footsteps of the ruthless horsemen. Yesterday we left George

town and after two hours march arrived at our present camping ground. A romantic scene it was last night, arriving as we did at an evening hour. But our advent was followed by a dreadful act of destruction! The ruthless invaders charged with full force upon a snake-fence, demolished it, laid the pieces upon four different piles, and set to them the incendiary torch; soon our camp fires were blazing. The men fell into groups, some songsinging, some keeping guard, while here and there hoarse laughter showed that the solemnity of invading the sacred soil did not entirely prevent the outburst of unseasonable hilarity. Then the stars shone brightly, and the comet whisked its tail for us, and the tattoo sounded for sleepy souls to say their prayers before sinking into slumber. But when all was ready, the baggage-wagons were still far from us, lagging sadly behind, so we had no tents to cover us, but lay in the long grass looking upward at the silent stars. Those of us who had brought our blankets were fortunate, those of us who had trusted in an unsoldierly way, for the wagons to bring them to us, and I was one of those, could do naught else than lie without any barrier between us and the bare soil - "sacred soil" stickey, clayey soil it was too of the "Sovereign State of Virginia." Owing to its quality much of it stuck to us, but it being the real "sacred" stuff you know, made us regard our soiled garments with becoming reverWe woke early this morning, you can imagine, as the sun rises hot in these regions, but we woke in excellent spirits. Our poor little Lieutenant was found after the Reveillé, still enjoying his morning dreams. "Fence him in!" the Captain orders. With the greatest alacrity a couple of men took some rails, and while the youth still slept, built a sort of a chicken-coop around him.

ence.