Headquarters 56th Mass. Vols.,
Near Petersburg, Va., July 28, 1864.
Dear Hannah, — I enclose a beautiful ambrotype of two illustrious officers of Uncle Sam’s Army. One of them is Major Hovey (just promoted to Major A. I. G. of General Ledlie’s staff) and the other is your humble servant. This work of beauty and art was taken at City Point, Virginia, yesterday. I went down there on a pleasure trip with Major H., and had quite a pleasant time. I stopped at General Benham’s headquarters, which are at the Point, to see Channing Clapp. He was not there, so I resolved to beard the lion in his den, and see the general himself. So in I went, and shook hands with him. He was very polite, and asked after Uncle Oliver. We had quite a long talk on war matters, etc., in which the old gentleman showed his usual amount of conceit. He bid me good-bye very pleasantly.
I then went to General Grant’s headquarters, to see Mr. Dunn and thank him for bringing me that box, but could not find him. Please thank Father and receive my own thanks yourself for the contents of the box. We also went down to the wharf at City Point, where we saw the usual amount of ships, steamers, sutlers’ shops, etc., which always congregate at the depot of supplies for an army. Near here we had our pictures taken, each one costing two dollars. About a mile from City Point we came to the army hospitals, in a fine location, with the grounds well laid out and neatly policed, etc. They have two engines there which pump the water up from the river into a tank. From this tank the water is distributed all over the grounds to large wooden tubs. All the streets are watered by regular watering carts, so that the grounds are free from dust, and the air cool and pleasant. Dr. Dalton is in charge of the whole machine. We stopped and called on him, and had a very pleasant time. He is Henry Dalton’s brother, and is a very smart man indeed. After leaving the hospital we rode for home, or rather for the second line of rifle-pits in General Burnside’s front, having passed a very agreeable day. On reaching my regiment, I found that we were under orders to be ready to move, as an attack was expected on our left, the Second Corps having moved from there to the extreme right, the other side of James River. Hancock had a fight there, capturing 4 guns and some provisions. You will learn the particulars by the papers before this reaches you.
The mine is all finished, the powder in, the fuse all ready, and nothing wanting to make it go off except a lighted match, which will be applied, I think, to-morrow morning. Our brigade moves to the front line to-night, so that I don’t know whether we shall be in the scrimmage or not. I rather think we shall get into it, however, before the day is out. It will make some noise, as there are to be five (5) tons of gunpowder placed in it.
I hope that the attack, or assault, will be successful; for if it is, we shall [have] Petersburg in our possession. . . .
