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Brooks Station Va. April 11,1863 Dear Parents; ..........You wanted to know why I didn't write about my visit to see Oren. As I didn't give you quite all the particulars I will try and do so now. I took the cars to the landing, got a pass from the provost Marshal and took the steamboat for Belle Plains. We started at 2 and got to Belle Plain Landing at 3. The regiment is encamped about a mile from the landing. Oren and Merrick both look fleshier than I ever saw them at home. They live in log tents like the ones we were in at the landing. They expect to go home about the middle of May. Oren has a larger officers tent. I ate supper with Oren. He and five other officers mess together and have a cook. They all appear to have had plenty to eat but very little to do. I slept over night in Mericks tent and ate breakfast with him in the morning. Oren was going back with me, but he was appointed officer of the guard that morning so he couldn't go. I got back to camp at noon. President Lincoln has been with the army since last Sunday. Our whole corps was reviewed by him yesterday. The review took place near Stafford Court House. We started from here at 7 in the morning and got there at 9. We stood around until about 4 in the afternoon when UNCLE ABE hove into sight. He rode with his hat off and looked real natural. I should think there was about 15,000 men there. At any rate it was quite a show. The roads are nearly all dry around here now so I don't think we shall stay here much longer..... We can buy potatoes from the quartermaster for 80 cents a bushel and bread at 5 cents a loaf. There is a grist mill close by where we can get corn meal at 6 cents a quart. As long as the money lasts we can live high on the hog...... Oliver |
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