The men of Captain Boardman's company were the first to
board "Old Ironsides," and a delegation of them helped to man her on
the voyage to New York. The sufferings of their soldier boys, who were
obliged to eat pilot bread baked in the year "1848," brought tears to
the eyes of many an anxious mother. But the tears were momentary only,
and the sufferings of the boys were forgotten in the joy that Marblehead
soldiers had been permitted to lead the advance on the memorable march
to Annapolis Junction and to relay the track which had been torn up to
prevent the passage of the troops. The arrival of the troops in
Washington; the new uniforms furnished in place of those worn out in
eight days; and the quartering of soldiers in the United States Capitol
Building, was all related in the letters that came home.
Some of these letters were so full of patriotic sentiment that they
should be preserved to testify of the spirit of the men of Marblehead
who participated in the struggle for national life. I have space only
for one of these, which is quoted in full because it is so
characteristic of the heroic old veteran who wrote it.
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