Headquarters Army of the Potomac, March 15, 1863.
Dear Mother, — We are having at this moment, 9 P.M., a delightful hail-storm, but as I am in a nice comfortable tent, I do not mind it much more than you do in the parlor at home.
General Benham went to Washington yesterday, and left me here to see that things went straight, although I really don’t see much to look after or attend to. James went to Washington this morning to get me a horse and a few mess stores.
The general told me to find him an aide, and so I went over to the 20th Massachusetts yesterday to try and get Ropes. He is a fine fellow, and would have been a great acquisition, but I am sorry to say that he did not like to leave his regiment. He is a very conscientious person, and felt that as there were so few officers left in his regiment, and so many of them permanently absent from loss of limbs, etc., he did not think it right to leave. I am very sorry indeed to lose him. I hardly know where to find any one who would suit me and the general, or rather the general and me. I shall keep my eyes open, however. I dined with the fellows at the 20th, and had quite a nice time there. I met Major Macy, Captains Abbott and Holmes, and Lieutenant Ropes, all of them well.
To-day I went to General Sedgwick’s headquarters and dined with Captain Whittier, a classmate of mine. I saw General S. there, and he told me that he considered General Benham the smartest man in our army, which, coming from General Sedgwick, is a great deal of praise. . . .
