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These scenes represent General Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac, at Brandy Station, just previous to the Wilderness campaign. A large tent was occupied by Gen. Meade, and the adjoining tent by his Chief of Staff, Gen. Humphreys. The telegraph office was situated immediately rear of them. The tents of the staff formed a semi-circle in front of the Commanding General's Headquarters. The camp was enclosed with a net brush fence, and footwalks of plank were laid down, connecting the officer's quarters. Attached to Headquarters were the offices of the Adjutant-General, the Chief Quartermaster, Chief Commissary and Provost Marshal general, the heads of the Engineer, Signal and Telegraph Corps, the Chief of Artillery, Medical Director and the Stockade for Prisoners, forming a large camp, requiring two regiments for police and guard duty. In addition to these, there was a squadron of Cavalry for escort duty.
In seasons of inactivity very little of the officers' time was occupied by military matters. There were always visitors at Headquarters and bands made music at all hours. Chess, whist, and the more popular game of poker filled up the hours that might otherwise have dragged heavily. Every scouting party that returned from hazardous expeditions reported to the headquarters. All of the gossip of army life centered here, bringing in every rumor of movements in hostile camps, every whisper of jealousy among subordinates, and the details of entertainments in the fields, where staff and regimental officers held high carnival. If a sentry miles away was shot at his lonely post in the night, his name came in on the current of official records to headquarters just the same as that of the Major general. This was the heart of the army.