This morning the sky was lowering, Beaver and I went down town and bought papers and magazines. We were very lazy, & wondered what we would do if we got marching orders. After dinner Lt Col Bell came over to our tent & said “Boys get ready - we are to march at half past two o clock” We were in a stir - two days provisions that came in wagons. Well that was a relief, but Beaver had just bought a half bushel of clams, and we would have to go without a chance at them. They would spoil before we got back. About two we saw the cavalry Regt. approaching and we all went down to the road to see it. They had had an affair with the rebels 5 miles this side of Trenton in which they had two men killed 6 wounded, a 1 Lieut, & 6 men missing. It commenced raining, and we heard the drummers call, and as we looked at the mortar had the cavalry had much of the roads we thought of our march with a rueful visage. An aid rode up shortly afterward with the word “orders countermanded.” We felt rejoiced and feasted on clams at supper. A section of artillery passed and I heard one of our men say “There been at something more than [?] - don’t you see the wheel hanging on behind” and that raised a shout of laughter.
