William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

The first information I received on landing was, that an advance had been ordered, and the army had moved that morning. This was the extent of the information I could gain. This, I feared, would disconcert my plan of seeing our regiments, and perfecting our rolls; but, as General Grant's purposes were of more importance than mine, I concluded to find some accommodation for the night, and see what the morning would bring forth. On inquiring at the tent of the Christian Commission, I was directed to the hotel, a building of rough pine boards, which I had passed once or twice before, thinking it was a stable for cavalry horses. I succeeded by good luck in getting the last unspoken cot in the house: I secured it by putting my name on the book, and paying one dollar; another dollar secured me a place at the supper-table. My room contained three cots: I occupied mine about nine o'clock, and during the night the other two were taken up. In the morning, I found my fellow-lodgers were connected with the United-States Service Magazine, and we became acquainted.

At nine o'clock, I walked over to General Grant's headquarters. The General and staff live in tents. I missed seeing him, as he had left at seven o'clock for the front; I had a pleasant interview, however, with his adjutant-general, who gave me a pass to Bermuda Hundred. In coming back to the hotel, I observed, in an open space near by, about one hundred soldiers' graves; each had a small board placed at the head. On examining them, I found one was the grave of ‘Ebria Shockley, Fifth Massachusetts Cavalry, died June 26, 1864;’ and another, the grave of ‘Charles Caldwell, Company C, Sixteenth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, died June 22, 1864.’ I made a memorandum, and sent it home, to ascertain if these deaths had ever been reported. From the exposed position of this burial-place, all traces of the graves will be obliterated in a few weeks.

Oct. 27.—Having obtained my pass, I concluded to visit General Butler's headquarters, and the Army of the James. The boat left City Point at eleven o'clock for Bermuda Hundred, which is three miles distant, and on the opposite side of the river. While standing on the boat, I had the good fortune of meeting with Mr. Fay, of Chelsea, who has charge of the affairs of the Sanitary Commission in General Grant's army. From him I learned that our Sixty-first Regiment, Colonel Wolcott, was stationed about a mile from City Point, near the hospitals, and that it had been attached to the engineer corps. I regretted that I had not known it before, as I would have preferred quarters with Co1onel Wolcott to those at ‘the hotel.’ The regiment