Annapolis, Md., April 15, 1864.
Dear Father, — . . . I see and hear no indications of our moving soon, nor have I any idea where we arc going. I hope that it will be against Richmond, as I want Lee’s army to be destroyed and Richmond taken. We must do both of these things this summer.
Our band serenaded General Burnside the other evening. This afternoon his chief of staff, Colonel Goodrich, came up here with some ladies to hear the band play. They did not stop long, however, on account of the chilliness of the atmosphere. They are coming again to-morrow.
I am not able to drill with the regiment now at all, as I am on court-martial almost all the time, and from present appearances shall continue on it as long as we are here.
We have been having quite pleasant weather lately, giving us a good chance to drill the men and get the camp in good condition. We have had two snow-storms since our arrival, the last one being merely a flurry. The grass around here is beginning to grow green, the trees to bud, and the birds to sing. Everything in fact looks like spring, by far the pleasantest season in the year in the “Sunny South.” The big blue-bottles, the pest of a camp, are beginning to show themselves and buzz round with that disagreeable noise and in that blundering, careless way which makes them so unpleasant.
I am thankful to say that we have got rid of two of our incompetent officers, and are in a fair way of losing another. . . .
We are all sorry to see that the draft has been postponed. I do wish that they would have it in every place that has been at all backward. We need the men very much.
