I left New Haven a week
last Monday on a steamer. There were
32 of us in all. I did not know I was
going till 11o’clock that A.M.arrived in
New York Tuesday. Went to Gen. Brown’s
office in Grand St. he sent us to Fort
Hamilton. The next day I went
up to the city & visited Barnum’s
Museum & went about the city.
Thursday we were sent up to the
city & put on a boat & went
down to Amboy. There were
about 50 from the R.I. Hospital
all in charge of an officer, at
Amboy took the cars for Phila.

when we arrived early the next
morning. Took breakfast at the
soldier’s eating room & then took
the cars for Washington, made a short
stop in Baltimore & arrived in
Washington just after dark. Quarter-
ed in the soldiers mess. The next
morning I went all over the
Capital but could not go
about the city on account of
the Provost Guard. 5 regts. came
into Washington while I was
there within 10 hours. at noon
we took the boat for Alexandria.
The officer did not go with
us so we were put ashore
at Alex. without any one to tell
us where to go or what to do.
I happened to see Lt. Butler
formerly of out Co. he said

the regt. was on its old ground
so I came here, but the regt. had
left the night before for Arlington.
Capt Cross was here sick & one
of our Drs. with the sick & came.
I started that night to go to the
regt.with a baggage train had
gone but a short distance when they
were ordered back to Fairfax
C.H. Capt. Cross told me to stop.
Monday Capt. Cross, two other Capts.some
men that were left behind & myself
started for the regt which we heard
was at Centerville went to Fair-
fax & staid the night. The next morn-
ing we found Segil’s Corps retreat-
ing through the town & were told
that the whole army were falling
back towards Washington so we
came back here again. Some say

the regt. is at Arlington but I
shant run after it again till I know
where it is. Affairs look gloomy
enough. The whole army is falling
back & we shall have to fight
hard to save Washington. The sol-
diers have been skeedadalled
about so much they are beginn-
ing to lose heart. There has been some
awful mismanagement in the
war. The soldiers are completely
worn out. The horses are mere
skeletons. This old camp ground is
completely covered with troops that
came here last night from Fairfax
& Centerville. What the end will
be I can’t tell. No good for us I
reckon. I wrote to Mother Monday.
Send my love to all. Direct your
letters the old way. Geo.S. Gove