I suppose you are
anxious to hear from me again. Well here
I am at the old camp after an absence
of nine days. We left here a week ago last
Frday for Edsells Hill then the headquarters
of our Pickets – Our Co went on picket
Sunday. It snowed in the P.M. & rained all
night. My post was close to the pickets of
Reinstatemans div. & near a house where
it was discovered the day before that com-
munications had been carried on with the
rebels. At night I had to post a man in the
woods behind to watch it, with orders to
shoot without any warning – the first
one seen approaching. But we had no trou-
ble. Tuesday our time was out & we got all
ready to go back to camp when orders came
for us to go the other way. So we marched

thru. the woods to Springfield Station
where we intended going when we
came over the Potomac last winter.
The same day the 81st Pa & 64 N.Y. left here
& went up 2 miles beyond Springfield to
a bridge that had been burned by the
rebels to protect the workmen in re-
building it, - we camped in a splendid
oak grove close to the station. Staid here
2 nights; the first night I laid under a tree the
next day I built a wigwam. Thursday the
Pa & N.Y. regts went on 3 miles beyond Burke’s
Station & we moved up on the R.R. to the
Station. This side of Burke’s the track had
been tore up for ¼ mile men were at work
relaying the track. that night the cars
ran up to Burke’s Station for the first time
since the battle of Bull Run. we camped
in the woods & made us some shanties of
poles & cedar boughs. Friday the N.Y. regt
had a little skirmish with some rebel
cavalry & killed one. Friday night

at ten o’clock we were called out by the
long roll. we got into a line & started within
five minutes after the first alarm. Gen Howard
said he never saw a regt turn out quicker.
we marched doublequick one mile
up the road & formed a line on a little
ridge fronting the woods. it was soon
found that what was taken for the rebels
was some regts of Gen Franklins div.
moving in on our right so we about
faced & marched back to camp & was
sound asleep again by 12 o’clock, we
expected to have a brush sure this time.
This has been the rebel picket ground
all winter but they fell back when
we advanced. we went out there for the pur-
pose of opening the R.R. & extending our picket.
our pickets & the rebel pickets are now within a
½ mile of each other. I suppose a simulta-
neous movement was made by all the
divisions. Yesterday we marched
back here to camp. came all the ^{11 miles} way

on the R.R. the other regts remain there yet; we
had pleasant weather all the time & enjoyed
the camping out hugely. 5 or 6 would club to-
gether & build a wigwam of boughs & have a
roaring fire in front. at night it was a
splendid sight to see 100 or more fires blowing
up thru. the woods & men walking or sitting
around boiling their coffee & cooking their
rations. Col. Cross told us last night that
we must be ready to march to the front
again within five days. the next
time we go out we shant come back.
but move straight on I lived high
on pickles. I loaded my self with the con-
tents of the box. It came just in time the
boots are a perfect fit, - We like our new
Captain very much. he looks out for the boys
& sees that they have every thing to make them
comfortable. Capt Welch has not gone home
yet. Joe Witham has got his discharge & will go
home in a few days. We have not been paid
off yet – don’t know when we shall. 2^nd Leiut
Butler has resigned his commission in
this Co. he can have a better position as signal
officer. Our 1^st Sergeant will be 2^nd Leiut, his
name is Livermore from Galena Ill
formerly of N.H. he was in the three months
vols he is a smart fellow & was the life of
this Co under Welch. He learnt us all we
ever knew about drilling. I shall be
3^rd Sergeant instead of 4^th, this will not
alter my pay or duties. It is a splendid
day today. it is very warm
& the birds are singing. it seems like the
last of May in N.H. I suppose the folks
at home are all on end about town meeting
I wish I could slip home next Tuesday and
vote. I want somebody to write after
the election & tell me all about it.
My health is very good as is the health
of the whole regt. we are all in good
spirits & eager for an advance to be made
My paper has run out so I will close. I will
write again soon. My love to all Tell Samuel
Jos. to write. Yours Aff. George