Headquarters 1st Army Corps,
Camp near Williamsport, July 14.
Dear Hannah, — Johnny Reb has got away from us again, I am sorry to say. They left our front last night, and crossed the river in safety. It is too bad, but I don’t well see how it could have been helped, as it would have been utterly useless for us to have attacked their position with the few men we had. I suppose now that we shall wait here until we get our conscripts, and then move on them again, and have another campaign in that godforsaken, desolated country of Virginia. It is rather discouraging, but I think we ought to be satisfied with having driven them successfully out of Pennsylvania. General Meade has certainly done all that a man could do with the few men under his command. The enemy occupied a strong natural position here, made almost impregnable to our small force by fortifications.
Without disparaging General Meade, one can’t drawing a parallel between McClellan’s campaign at Antietam last year, and this present one. In both of them we whipped the enemy, but he succeeded in crossing the river safely. It seems to me that God has so ordered it that everything should turn out to show that General Geo. B. McClellan was right in his campaigns, and that he acted as every true soldier would act.
I am an acting aide for General Newton, and shall probably remain with him. All the other aides report to the Adjutant-General of the Army.
Please direct your letters to me, as before, to headquarters 1st Army Corps. . . .
