September, Wednesday 24, 1862

Centerville to Washington.

An empty wagontrain which is to obtain forage for the brigade is leaving for Washington. I receive my pass and leave towards noon on horseback comfortably trotting and at times galloping. The road is good and an occasional light rain is keeping the dust down. This time our road leads through Fairfax C.H., Anandale and Hunters Chapel. Interesting memories, looking back on to all the different places where in the past we did picket duty. Customhouse, the old customcollector a year older. Anandale schoolhouse etc. My munition wagon remains about one half hour behind the empty wagons.

In Fairfax we meet paymaster Johnson who at this moment is about to leave with heavy guard for Centerville, in order to pay the regiments after five months of duty. This time they are paid for four months. In the evening about eight-thirty o'clock arrival in Washington. Great difficulty finding the other wagons. Carelessness on part of the quartermaster who is sitting in the prescothouse. I lodge in the Union Hotel, fifty cents per night, noon - meal thirty cents evening meal and breakfast twentyfive cents. The price for horse is seventyfive cents per day.

The wagonmaster during the time of the battle by Bull Run was taking care of General Sigel's horses. He related very interesting reports about the General whom he adores.

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The Union Hotel, a three story structure, was in Georgetown. During the Civil War it was turned into a hospital as were many other buildings in Washington. Louisa May Alcott served there as a nurse for two months during the Civil War, she wrote a partially fictionalized book about her experience, Hospital Sketches. In her book she notes it had poor ventilation, damp cellars and no provision for bathing.

To see a photograph of the hotel and read a bit about Louisa May Alcott's experience go to:

 <blog.americanhistory.si.edu/osaycanyousee/2011/07/scenes-from-the-hurly-burly-hotel-louisa-may-alcotts-civil-war.html>

See also:

<xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/hospital/whitman.htm>

for further information about Civil War Hospitals in Washington, DC and Walt Whitman's experience there.