Camp Chapin, 2 miles from Baltimore
September 9th 1862, 7 a.m.
Dear Mother,
Here we are very pleasantly located in an Oak Grove. We arrived in Baltimore, Sunday morning about 8 o’clock. Stayed at the depot all day waiting for orders from Gen’l Wool. Finally about 5 a.m. an aid rode in and told Col. [Edward Payson] Chapin to march at four in the morning so Gray and I turned into the Quartermaster’s car and stayed all night and I was very tired. I slept soundly all night.
Yesterday we worked hard pitching our tents. This morning the men are cooking their rations for the first time. They seem to enjoy it. Will Seymour, Charlie Wadsworth, and myself, took tea last night, at a farm house about a quarter of a mile from here.
It looks quite war-like hereabouts. There is a camp on every side of us. The 38th Massachusetts are close by us and are bully fellows. In the city there are patrols all through the streets who arrest all soldiers and officers who they find without a pass. Capt. Stover was arrested Sunday afternoon while on his way to one of the public houses to take a bath but was shortly released. At the Relief Association rooms (that is where the regiment was fed on Sunday), they told me that they fed on an average about seven thousand a day. There are all new regiments.
[Stonewall] Jackson’s being so close to us makes a great deal of stir. Since I commenced this letter the Massachusetts Regiment and two others have received marching orders, We can see them packing from our camp.
I must close as the call to fall in has just sounded. Love to all.
Yours in haste, — Albert
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