Charles Francis Adams, Jr., to his mother
Boston, February 14, 1865
Within this week a curious change has again come over my plans. In my last I was comfortably disposing of myself for a summer’s enjoyment in a snug, pleasant staff place. The very next day I got a cool letter from Colonel Russell informing me that he had resigned and was on the point of leaving the regiment. This makes me full Colonel, and in so far is pleasant enough, but I regard it as decidedly a promotion down stairs as between the command of my regiment and the position I might have held in the Second Corps staff. . . .
