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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—