Washington, August 14, 1861

While in Philadelphia we heard there had been some trouble in Baltimore the day before, and wishing to be prepared, our officers thought it advisable to be on the alert, and we were all furnished with twenty rounds of cartridges before leaving Philadelphia. We arrived in Baltimore just at dark, and at one marched to Exeter street, formed in line, and loaded our pieces amid crowds of sullen faces, and then took up our march through the city to the Washington station. We afterward heard the street where we loaded our pieces was the hot bed of "seseshers". We remained at the depot till about midnight, although we made the vicinity ring with the john brown Glory Hallelujah, and kindred songs.

Our regiment receives many compliments from all quarters, and some have had the audacity to say that we are best looking and best sized regiment of volunteers that has arrived here. I visited several of the neighboring camps yesterday, and at the New York ninth they expressed much surprise that the Old Bay State had turned out "so many and such splendid regiments", and the other regiments spoke of the fine appearance of the 15^th while marching into camp. The Massachusetts boys have somehow won a fine reputation, and it shall become us to preserve it, as I trust we shall. We desired to be in gen. Bank's Division; but while we are under the gallant McClellan, and are, sure of being in active quarters, we are entirely satisfied, and shall endeavor to answer the call of duty..

The weather here has thus far been quite as cool as at Worcester, and the nights much more so. The boys are all well.

G. C. N.