Head Quarters 9th Vt. Vols Fort Yorktown, Va August 14th 63 Dear Maria,

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I will try and write you but my letter will be short as my time is almost wholly occupied with my duties Col. Ripley is at Ft. Monroe & Maj Jarvis is in Vermont so I have to run the machine entirely alone. I have a battalion drill very afternoon of 2 hours and necessarily I am obliged to study tactics a great deal. I have just got through signing passes and that is no small job (each Co. is allowed five) Col Ripley is on an examining board, for the purpose of examining any officer the commanding officer of a Regt may think incompetent If he is found so (and they generally are) he is dismissed the service. Some of our officers are to appear before the board. The 19th Wis. send nine and the 99th N.Y. send (4) four. This is a very good way to get rid of the poor officers. Our officers are generally good and the Col. thought that he would not bring any of them up

and as Gen Wistar has a high opinion of our regt he approved of Cols decision The regt. is improving in health now we are all doing what we can to keep healthy and our grounds are kept as clean as a parlor. Every particle of dirt is drawn off each morning. We have a mule and a cart which is officers property and we make good use of him. I wrote to Lester yesterday about coming on here I dont know as he would like to but if he wishes to come, now is a good chance for him I learn that Maj Jarvis will not come under a month so he will have plenty of time to get ready. I got a letter from Cousin Matt yesterday. They are having much rain there as well as here and at S- I am expecting a few conscripts with Maj Jarvis but perhaps the Army of the Potomac will get them all. I will try and write you a longer letter next time but this is as long as your last. I send you the countersign Love to all

Your Aff HusbandV G Barney