Washington, Oct.29

On Thursday evening the 15^th Massachusetts regiment which is encamped on the plain on which Gen. Stone’s tent is pitched, held its first parade since the battle. The scene was impressive and touching. Less than half the numerical force of the regiment before the battle was present. Some companies marched into line with less than twenty men, many of them without arms, many without uniforms, bur none without brave and manly hearts. 

After the parade the regiment was formed in square, and their noble and gallant Col. Devens made them an address, to which even a faithful verbal report would do injustice, for no description could reproduce the tender, subdued ferver with which the Colonel first spoke, the electris sympathy by which his men were affected, or the earnest determination with which the question was asked and answered, “Soldiers of Massachusetts, men of Worcester County with these fearful gaps in your lines, with the recollection of the fearful struggle of Monday fresh upon your thoughts, with the knowledge of the bereaved and soul stricken ones at home, weeping for those they will see no more on earth, with that hospital before your eyes filled with wounded and maimed comrades, I ask you now whether you are ready again to meet the traitorous foe who are endeavoring to subvert our government, and are crushing under the iron heel of despotism the liberties of a part of our country? Would you go next week? Would you go tomorrow? Would you go this moment?” 

And one heard “Yes’ from every lip. No man who knows what that noble regiment did on the 21^st inst. could doubt them. Their colonel himself had stood their sponsor in the baptism of fire, and the question was a needless one; but as “ iron sharpeneth iron, so doth a man the face of his friend.”