Camp of 8th Connt Vol Inft Yorktown Va, May 1, 1864 Dear All, I have kept silence a whole week & now I must speak again. I have not written partly because from George's letters (I have recd none from any one else since we left Deep Creek.) I could not tell where to direct as the past week seems to have been a moving week with you all but chiefly I have not written because I have not had a moment to spare. Since we arrived we have all been very busy. Almost the whole of each day is taken up with drilling & parading & being reviewed by Genls Butler, Smith, & Burnham & every moment besides I have been occupied with my company or making muster Rolls or Returns or getting my papers in shape & in the smallest possible compass. I shall carry with me nothing but a small carpet bag for my clothes & company papers. I have been at work every night until from 11 to 2 o'clock but that I make up by not rising until 8 in the morning. Alfred cannot help me in the last thing about my papers he is such a poor writer & I prefer to do it all my self. Alf. is very willing to do any thing. we have been drilling skirmish drill lately & I have been obliged to study con siderably, that & Brigade drill. Battalion drill I believe I know by heart. I wrote you that Genl Brooks commanded our Brigade, it should have been Genl Burnham. He is a real honest old farmer, I should judge, & a first rate officer - tells us to march to a pipers eyes &c & evidently thinks the old 8th is about right. he has complimented us several times & has given us the right of the Brigade although we are not entitled to it. Yesterday this whole corps was reviewed by Genl Butler. I was Brigade off of Day & I stood by the Genl while all of our favorite Regts passed & the 8th did entirely eclipse all the others. The first Brigade passed first & as the 2d came on with the 8th at the head I found I was shaking all over with excitement & as they passed I could hardly keep from calling out "Bully." Alf. says he heard Genl Butler ask what Regt this was as they passed. Genl Butler had all his family with him, wife & children. He reviews the 10th corps the other side of the river to day. We are keeping four days cooked rations on hand in readiness to move at a moments notice. we hear it rumored that all mails between the Army of the Potomac & the outside world have ceased for sixty days. If such should be the case in this department you must not be worried for if I was sick or any thing happened I should be sent to the rear & then you would hear. So you will understand that no news is good news. I shall try to get to Yorktown tomorrow & buy me a pair of Army shoes, a tin cup & some tobacco & then I am ready for the march I believe. The stockings you sent are recd just what I wanted, am much obliged to Geo for Po stamps & currency I hope you have not sent any more shirts for I dont know what I can do with them my bag is full. We have but one wagon for the whole Regt for ammunition, cooking utensils, offs baggage & every thing - never had as little transportation before. I sent Geo. $100. hope he recd it. I shall probably send you in a day or two a package of papers, ordinance & camp & Garrison Equipage Returns, receipts, for that as you love me I hope you will take care of for they are my vouchers. There many valuable papers in my trunk also. If I send these papers I shall try to express them. I shall carry as few valuable papers with me as possible. - Good night dear all - [top margin first page] Intended to have written more this A.M. (May 2) but its mail time nothing new. Best love Affct son & bro Chas.