Camp 32^d Mass Vols

Mar 8^th 1863

 

Dear Colonel

                        I sent you last week an answer to your inquiries about the inspection and hope you have done something to ventilate the matter You see probably in the papers that we are cut off from furloughs on account of this report and there is the devil to pay generally Prescott & myself are both under arrest for overstaying our leaves and I hope for my part we shall be sent home or at least that I shall As my absence was before the general order arranging the furloughs granted officers and men I should have escaped notice if it had not been for that damned Doctor who preferred charges against me for being absent &c to be sure the charges were returned with an endorsement not very complimentary to him from Gen Griffin but it brought the matter to his notice so plainly that he could not do otherwise in causing me to stand trial Capt Bumpus sent in his resignation today he feels very sore at Edmunds promotion Uncle Dudley has also resigned on account / of physical disability he should have added mental also That he may get his discharge is the earnest wish of every man in the Regt excepting perhaps "Callman the lobster dealer" March has resigned because he is superseded. he went yesterday to see some friend of his who is on Hooker's staff to get his papers through His friend introduced him to Gen Hooker who was so drunk that he came very near falling on to him while he was in conversation with him.

 

            A strange man to put in command of 100 000 men I think God help the poor soldiers.

 

            Griffin since you left has begun to show the cloven foot and is evidently bent on crowding the 32^d as far as it is in his power; he told me he was going to get the Reg't broken up and distributed into other Mass Regts if it was possible I told him I thought he would be obliged to try some time before he accomplished it. There is a better feeling towards the 32^d in the Brigade and Division than ever before every body knows that we have been unjustly reported and the impression seems to prevail that it was Griffin's doings How do you like the Conscription Bill? Will the people submit? You wrote me that you thought you would buy some gold on / speculation I hope you did not get bit as you did on the cotton

 

            I understand Mrs Adams wrote her beautiful son that you and Cobb called on her and expressed some sentiments that shocked her with their disloyalty Can these things be!

 

            We have been out three days on picket during the last week the weather was fine and the men did their duty faithfully; we are to be inspected again soon and expect to show that Col Johnson of the 25 NY made false statements in his report

 

Yours

L Stephenson Jr

Lt Col 32^d MV.

 

[endorsement] Lt Col Stephenson      March 8 1863

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