Sneden’s account of a training exercise indicates how far his regiment had to go before becoming an effective fighting unit.

The 40th Regiment had a sham-fight today which resulted in filling up the hospital with as many wounded and maimed men as if there had been a big skirmish with the enemy. Colonel [Edward J.] Riley took one half of the regiment while Major [Richard T.] Halstead took the other half. Both set out in different directions to meet a mile away on unknown ground. Yet neither officers or men knew where skirmish lines were thrown forward, while the men clambered over fences, through mud and over walls. In about an hour both parts came together again, and a heavy rolling fire opened with blank cartridge.

      The howitzer gun was fired rapidly, but it [was] upset several times by the recoil, and the rammer was fired away during the excitement. The major handled his part of the regiment with more skill than the colonel, who with a company were made prisoners in fun, and locked up in a barn. They broke out though the boarding and being now excited charged the major's men, firing their muskets within ten feet of each other so that many were burnt and singed by the wads. Riley endeavored to stop the fight, which was getting serious, when some company fired their ramrods (iron ones) at him. These struck the ground all around him, and bounded, tingling in the air, doing him no harm. The major stopped the fight after awhile, and bough litters had to be made to bring those who were hurt into camp. The colonel has many enemies in the regiment, caused by favoritism, and being too much of a martinet. There is no chance of the 40th indulging in this little pastime of hurting each other to no purpose for some time to come.
      The 40th Regiment have built a log guard house for delinquents at the entrance of the camp or Post No. 1. The only light is admitted to the inside by a narrow slit in the flat roof. It is kept pretty much full most of the time. Lieutenant Beaumont of 4th U.S. Cavalry, an aide to General Sedgwick, inspects the brigade every morning and his direst threat to any soldier who does not come up to the requirements of drill or cleanliness is that "he will put him in the Mozart guardhouse." So all have a holy horror of being put there. Sometimes the drunken soldiers who are put there have to be put in irons. They yell and make the air blue with curses all night. Some "hard cases" are "bucked and gagged" at the foot of the flag pole. This treatment makes many enemies of the colonel among the men. Many openly swear that they will shoot him the first time they have a battle with the enemy. The men will do anything to please most of the other officers of the regiment. . . .