great anxiety as to the issue. A pigeon is seen coming in. They rush to take the message off its leg open it and read it to find "I am ---- well tired of carrying around this ---- pigeon." Tableau.

Really it is wonderful to watch Col J.M. Ross + Major Wilmot his Adjutant preparing for the coming season. With what care they attend to every detail + foresee every contingency; what trouble they take about every single man. The amount of things to be thought of and provided for is prodigious.

My work is to relieve them of all office work so that they can concentrate on the more important things. Col. Ross is always most considerate