General-Upon receipt of the news of the firing upon Fort Sumter measures were at once taken to place the Fourteenth regiment upon a war footing. Vacancies in the commissioned officers were filled, recruiting actively commenced, and the ranks so quickly filled that on the 18th day of April 1861, report was made to head-quarters that the regiment was in readiness to be marched to the front.

Until may 18th the regiment remained in Brooklyn drilling and equipping, expecting daily to receive marching orders. By this time the General Government, declining to receive or order any more militia regiments to the front, excepting only such organizations as enlisted for three years or the war, the different companies of the regiment were assembled in camp at "Fort Greene," and terms of enlistment into the United States service proposed to them. Without one dissenting voice they were enthusiastically received, and on the afternoon of May 18th the Brooklyn Fourteenth, consisting of eight line companies and an engineer corps, (an aggregate of 825 officers and men) commanded by Colonel Alfred M. Wood, broke camp and started for Washington, passing through the streets of Brooklyn to the ferry amidst the greatest excitement and enthusiasm. The loud huzzas of the people who thronged the sidewalks and streets, and the waving of handkerchiefs of the fairer portion of the throng, sufficiently attested the interest and sympathy in a regiment in whose ranks were the representatives of the first families of the "City of Churches."

The regiment proceeded to Washington via Baltimore, passing through the latter city on Sunday, May 19th-the first troops to pass after the assault upon the Sixth Massachuttes regiment-although the forts at the time were occupied by Union soldiers, arrived in Washington on the evening of the 19th, quartered two days in the city, and on the 22nd moved into camp on "Meridian Hill," two miles north of the city.

On the 23rd of May was regularly mustered into the United States service, for the period of the war, by General Irwin McDowell.

Remained in this camp until July 2d. Previous to this time a detachment from the regiment participated, in conjunction with other troops, in the first crossing to the Virginia shore. On the above date the regiment broke camp, crossed the Potomac via Long Bridge, and camped in the vicinity of Arlington House-a place of historical interest, and one well calculated to awaken the enthusiasm of young soldiers, and recall the patriotism and noble life of him who stands before the civilized world, the epitome of soldier, patriot, and christian. While in camp two companies were added to our organization. Our aggregate now being 960, we were assigned to the brigade of Brigadier-General Porter.