_Washington, March 31, 1863._ DEAREST MOTHER--I have not heard from
George, except a note he wrote me a couple of days after he got back from
his furlough. I think it likely the regiment has gone with its corps to
the West, the Kentucky or Tennessee region--Burnside at last accounts was
in Cincinnati. Well, it will be a change for George, if he is out there. I
sent a long letter to Han last Saturday--enclosed George's note to me.
Mother, when you or Jeff writes again, tell me if my papers and MSS. are
all right; I should be very sorry indeed if they got scattered, or used up
or anything--especially the copy of "Leaves of Grass" covered in blue
paper,[13] and the little MS. book "Drum-Taps," and the MS. tied up in the
square, spotted (stone-paper) loose covers--I want them all carefully
kept.
Mother, it is quite a snow-storm here this morning--the ground is an inch
and a half deep with snow--and it is snowing and drizzling--but I feel
very independent in my stout army-boots; I go anywhere. I _have_ felt
quite well of my deafness and cold in my head for four days or so, but it
is back again bad as ever this morning.
Dear mother, I wrote the above in my room--I have now come down to Major
Hapgood's office. I do not find anything from home, and no particular news
in the paper this morning--no news about the Ninth Army Corps, or where
they are. I find a good letter from one of my New York boys, (Fifth
avenue) a young fellow named Hugo Fritsch, son of the Austrian
Consul-General--he writes me a long, first-rate letter this morning. He
too speaks about the Opera--like Jeff he goes there a good deal--says that
Medori, the soprano, as Norma made the greatest success ever seen--says
that the whole company there now, the singers, are very fine. All this I
write for Jeff and Mat--I hope they will go once in a while when it is
convenient.
It is a most disagreeable day here, mother, walking poshy and a rain and
drizzle.
There is nothing new with me, no particular sight for an office that I can
count on. But I can make enough with the papers, for the present
necessities. I hear that the paymaster, Major Yard, that pays the 51st,
has gone on West, I suppose to Cincinnati, or wherever the brigade has
gone--of course to pay up--he pays up to 1st of March--all the Army is
going to be paid up to 1st March everywhere.
Mother, I hope you are well and hearty as usual. I am so glad you are none
of you going to move. I would like to have the pleasure of Miss
Mannahatta Whitman's company, the first fine forenoon, if it were
possible; I think we might have first-rate times, for one day at any rate.
I hope she will not forget her Uncle Walt. I received a note from
Probasco, requesting me not to put his name in my next letter. I
appreciate his motive, and wish to please him always--but in this matter I
shall do what I think appropriate. Mother, I see some very interesting
persons here--a young master's mate, who was on the Hatteras, when
surprised and broadsided by the Alabama, Capt Semmes--he gave me a very
good acc't of it all--then Capt. Mullen, U. S. Army, (engineer) who has
been six years out in the Rocky mts. making a Gov't road 650 miles from
Ft. Benton to Walla Walla--very, very interesting to know such men
intimately, and talk freely with them. Dearest mother, I shall have great
yarns to spin, when I come home. I am not a bit homesick, yet I should
like to see you and Mat very, very much--one thinks of the women when he
is away.