Camp Holmes, Annapolis, March 29, 1864.
Dear Father, — . . . We are gradually getting our camp into very decent shape. The men all have A tents and the officers wall tents. Most of the companies have bought lumber to build cook-houses with, and these are now almost completed.
Annapolis is probably one of the worst cities in the Union at the present time. All the camp-followers attendant on our army, together with a large body of New York and Baltimore roughs, infest the place. These, together with paroled prisoners, make the place dangerous for any civilized beings. Within a fortnight four soldiers have been found between here and Annapolis with their throats cut. The last one found was a man named McAinsh of this regiment, a very good man indeed, but one who was fond of going on a “bender ” occasionally. He left camp without leave, went to Annapolis, got drunk probably, so that these rascals saw his money, and on his way out here had his throat cut, and his money taken. He was found dead in the woods close by here.
We have a new and novel way of holding the bad cases amongst the prisoners. There is a high platform built about twenty feet from the ground, and on this are kept some eight or ten very hard cases.
I hear that fifty-six infantry regiments are going with Burnside. My opinion is that we go to North Carolina, although I have no official or private information to make me say so. I do not see how we can get off before the 1st of May, and possibly later, even. New regiments are coming in daily, and amongst others several negro ones.
It turns out that the man who had his throat cut was not one of our men. . . .
