Letters of Rev. John W. Alvord

which would otherwise shatter the nerves all to pieces. I had only three Boxes of [stores] and could have used 20. I had not expected to find such destitution in this army. A great deal must be made for them, or, in such times as the present they will suffer greatly. I speak of temporal want. As to reading matter they seem much more destitute than even the army of the Potomac. I shall hasten back to care for the things you have all kindly sent but how I wish I could spend some time here[.] We wanted shirts for the whole thousand[.] One secesh lady gave me shirts.

Yours &c (signed) J. W. A.

P.S. I took possesion of and fixed up two hospitals.

the Young Men with the Chaplain in the vicinity—& some other excellent gentlemen constituting a kind of voluntary commission — & I am playing the travelling agent, visiting the regiments, hospitals &c, ascertaining their condition wants &c, & directing them to the Depot at B's. If there is no chaplain then I find the next best man in the Reg't sometimes the colonel or some Christian brother who will take charge of the regimented distribution. Some Regt's have most unworthy Chaplains — & in such case I do what I can by the same side method. This is the work which one man (perhaps three, one for each large division of the army of the Potomac) will have to do permanently. Such a man must be possessed of force tact influence — be ordained — so that he can preach, attend funerals, prayer meetings & perform all missionary labor in Regt's where there are no chaplains. Here is a great field & he would be universally respected by Chaplains & all good men in the army, as he would really be the man to supply every thing needed — an order from him or the Depot if the article was there, being all that w^d be needed. They have many more ways (in the Camps) of sending in to Washington than friends here have of sending out, would know when to send in the migratory state of the army so that nothing would be lost & so doing away with all this humbug of "Army Expresses" &c, Adams Express, or a freight car, the general Depot, & a notice to the Chaplain or order by the outdoor man for what he wants given him being all that is needed, this simplifying & saving expence. The value of the material, appreciated by the Regiment, securing its transportation (& that

[sideways on left side] P. S. I have just heard from Rev. Bush. He says all is right in N. Yk. as to Delegates & that the Convention is to be held in about 2 weeks—