Headquarters 56th Mass. Vols.,
Near Petersburg, Va., July 1, ’64.
Dear Father, — I wish you would see Henry Wilson, and ask him to get permission from the War Department to have my band mustered as a brigade band. The state of the case is as follows: The men, twenty (20) in number, were enlisted and mustered as privates, with the promise that they should not perform duty as privates, but should be detailed for a band. The officers agreed to pay them $25 a month, and the leader $100 a month. Now that the officers are reduced in number, it makes it very hard for them to pay such a large sum to maintain the band, and we wish to have them transferred as our brigade band, there being none for our brigade. I wish you would get him to put the thing through. All that is necessary is to have an order from the War Department, ordering the transfer.
There is nothing new to report, except an unsuccessful charge made by the Tenth Corps on our right yesterday afternoon. I also hear that Wilson’s cavalry division was all cut up, and almost captured day before yesterday. I hope it is not true.
I hope that we shall be reinforced soon, and heavily, too. We need them immediately, and every exertion ought to be made up North to forward 100,000 men to us, as soon as possible. If people wish this war to come to a successful issue, they should send us men. The trouble is that every one is willing, “à la Artemus Ward,” to have their wives’ relations go, but is unwilling to go himself.
I must stop now, as it is getting quite dark.
