Arrival at C tiTiiherland. 101 



I had the pleasure of seeing Colonel Taylor, the former post- 

 commander of Bridgeport, whose regiment had gone home. 



Still ill, I embarked in the steamer ' General Lyttle ' for 

 Cincinnati. She was a very large splendid ship, -which some- 

 time afterwards was destroyed by fire. The saloon in this ship 

 was exceedingly large. One part of it, separated from the rest 

 by a moveable, heavy curtain, was allotted to the ladies, and 

 provided with a fine piano and all the comforts of a drawing- 

 room ; at the other end was a similar room for the gentlemen, 

 who sat smoking round the stove. The large space between 

 was used as a dming-hall, and several hundred persons could 

 sit at dinner in it. 



The ship arrived too late for the morning train, and I had to 

 stop in Cincinnati until ten o'clock p.m. I was still ill all night 

 and next day, and the journey was a great trial. At one station 

 a bridge had been washed away, and all passengers had to 

 walk more than two miles in the rain, ankle-deep in the mud, 

 and loaded with their hand-baggage. Old Groeben felt that 

 exertion more than I did, for he was even worse on foot than 

 on horseback. 



Arriving at Cumberland, Maryland, I felt so bad that I had 

 to send for a doctor, and stay all Sunday, I arrived at last in 

 Washington on Tuesday, March 6, at ten o'clock p.m. 



Though still ill I received many visitors, and amongst them 

 Generals Hooker, Fry, and Stapel, Mr Speier and Dr. Strobach. 

 I heard from them that the Senate would adjourn at the end of 

 the week, and that I had not much time to lose if I wanted to 

 attend to my business. I therefore called next day on the 

 Senators Harris, Wilson, and Nesmick, and the Generals 

 Hooker and Fry, in the War Department. From the latter I 

 heard that the report of General Thomas had not been sent in 

 yet, and that nothing would be decided until then in reference 

 to the promotions in General Thomas's army. 



Senator Yates was also in Washington, and he and my other 

 friends also exerted- themselves much in behalf of Felix. 

 They communicated with the Generals Thomas and Steedman, 

 and telegraphic despatches went and arrived every day. Steed- 

 man once more urged the promotion of Felix, and I called on 

 the Secretary of War, Mr. Stanton, whom I, however, did not 

 find in his office, as he had gone to the Navy Yard. 



I was quite unhappy about ail these delays. Senator Yates 



