"The old braves"
Centreville, Virginia
June 20th 1863

Dear Mother,
I received your welcome letter of the 16th inst yesterday evening also Harpers Weekly and the Transcript from Helen with pleasure. I have three pairs of socks all perfect and do not need any more at present. I have a great sufficency of clothing now, it cost me ten of fifteen cents a week for washing which I have done in a thourough manner at a house near here. The weather is very warm here yesterday we had rain which was truly welcome I assure you as it will keep the dust settled for a day or two during the week we have had very exciting times here. A great portion of the army has been here and gone. The first army corps, the second, the third, the fifth, the sixth, the twelph and eleventh. In the 1st Corps was Walter's regiment, the 13th Mass, also the 12 Mass regt. Walter had joined his regt about two weeks previous. We spent most of the time together the two days he was here they had a very fatigueing march comeing from Falmouth.

I saw Major Generals Reynolds, Doubleday, Howard, and Hancock. There were others here I did not see. Sedgwick was here althogether we have been having gay and lively times here. This afternoon we had a big excitement our Sutler every since the arrival of the army has been kept destitute of every thing eatible and for the last two days we could purchase nothing. Well after dinner our Sutler made his appearance from Washington with three wagon loads of stuff and was not half unloaded before an immense crowd had gathered from the 2d Corps which arrived this morning now and then one would make a grab and leave and others growing more bold entered the tent and first thing Mr Sutler knew he was overrun and saw his property on the move. He is a fine fellow and has treated us well, so Captain [John Bigelow] had our Battery turn out to rescue. They marched up and wedged their way between the tent and the crowd and endeavored to have some order the thing worked well for a while but the drawn sabres only made them worse, such yelling, howling, screeching, was truly bewitching. Our fellows were getting hussled some, the ropes were cut and the tent going over in spite of all we could do. Lieut Whitaker [Alexander H. Whitaker] made a cut at a fellow who evaded the blow and then wretched it out of his hand but the lieutenant was drawing his revolver with a threat to shoot him. The fellow dropt it and fled but not before he had given the Lieut. a severe cut across the hand. Just as the tent was falling and instant demolition was expected, General Hays [Alexander Hays] rode up and dashing furiously amongst the crowd with drawn revolver, scattered them right and left. He was followed by a battallion of infantry who immediately surrounded our belagured Sutler. The General still riding around theatening to shoot the first man that remained behind with a 2d Corps mark on, and ordered out two pieces of artillery which our men brought out with alacrity and stood with double shots of canister in hand.

Gen. Hancock had a roll call throughout his command all who were absent were fined twenty cents and a sum of two hundred and seven dollars turned into the hands of our Sutler for damages. He had about five hundred dollars worth of property on hand: then telegraphed orderes came for the 2d corps to march. If they had remained here during the night we should have another muss for they swore vengenance on us. On their way here they sped over three Sutlers teams on the road and went "through" them. It is their boast that if they can't clean out a Sutler no one can. Some men in the 6th corps who passed through here just after the fray said they were glad they run against a stump here as they were noted for raising the devil wherever they went. The famous Irish brigade were the ones that caused the mischief.