Your letter with papers
was rec. in due season and read with much
pleasure as your letters always are.
There is not much news to chronicle from this
place. All interest now centers with the
army in the field. All reports thus far
are very cheering. for some reason we got
no papers today. I feel that we shall
be successful this summer and thus
in another winter the war will be over.
I feel very mean to stay here this summer
& have no part in this most glorious cam-
paign. We have a fine regt: well drilled
& disciplined & I wish we could have a
chance to make our mark. all the other
N.H. regts are in the field and will win
for themselves fresh laurels. but I suppose

it is no use to grumble. we shall probably
have large accessions to the number of
prisoners now here. but we can guess 20,000
about as easy as 10,000.
Capt. Butler went away the 1^th day of this
month to Fortress Monroe. he is now chief of
ambulances in the 18^th Army Corps and is now
with that part of the army under Gen Butler
south of the James River. He has an excellent
position. He may never join this Co. again.
I have been in command of "K" Co. since he
went away but I think Lt Dame will
take command soon.
Capt Livermore & Lieut: McGee of our regt
are also in the 18^th A.C.on Gen Hinks
staff.

An expedition consisting of 500 negroes and
several gunboats left here last night for
a raid up the Rappahamock. I wish we
could have a chance to go on some raid
just for a variation but Col Draper of the
Colored regr: is in command now and we

don’t stand any chance. he thinks a
negro is much better than a white man
and gives them all the good chances.
I send you a paper containing the speech
of a deserter who was shot here last
Monday—it was the first execution I ever
seen. I am not particularly anxious to see
another, tho. I hope all the deserters will
be shot. it is what [---?] to have been [---?]
the first thing last winter. it would have
prevented a great deal of desertion.
There are several others here in guard
house awaiting sentence. some of them
will probably be shot.
This man confessed to a friend that he
had jumped 15 bounties. he behaved with
great coolness & composure. refused to be
blindfolded saying that he wanted
to "look death square in the face." he was
a tall fine looking man. he deserted
early last winter went back to N.H.&
enlisted again and unfortunately for him

I send you another Photograph of myself
hope you will like it.
The weather here for the past 2 weeks has
been hot & bathing is all [---?] go.
We get a cool breeze every afternoon.
My health never was better but I
expect to lose some of my 205 lbs of flesh
this hot weather.
Send my regards to Dr. and all others.