Newbern N C
June 18th [1865]
My dear wife
yours of the 16th came to hand to
day and I was glad to hear from you
I thought that you would be taken
By Surprise to know that we are
Comeing home the Muster and
Rols are being made out as fast
As Posible also the discharge Papers
the orders are to discharge all the
Mass Soldiers in this Department
All but the 2nd heavey Mass and
we are to go to Mass and
there be mustered out and Payed
of[f] I think that we will Start
next week I hope so at anny rate
I think that I can make myself
contented at home they dont
get me in the Regular army or
anny other army not if I
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know my self and I think that
I do no I have seen humbuging enough
to Satify me being kept out of my
Pay a year and half Starved to death
is enough for me before I will
go into another war some of the
men that have ben Loafing around
Stooping at home will have to go and
Be killed of[f] I want my Liberty now
they can Settle up thiere State affairs
just as they Please it is nothing to
me and I dont Care annything
about it all I want is to get out
of the Army they have begun to
Fight about the negro again to See
wether he Shall vote or not I
Donot think they Should vote
now not untill they have become
more enlightend the time Should
Be Put at about ten
years But at any rate I had
Rather they would vote that
than a Rebel well about
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Jackman he was either killed or
taken Prsoner at Drury Bluff May
16th and we have never recieved
a word about him from that
day to this and I think that he
must be dead the Last Payment
that he got was when he enlisted
that is all that we know of
him gen Heckman has been
Discharged and gone home and I
dont think that we will get a
chance to see him for I think
that we will go direct to Boston
But I am going to write to
him and try and get his
Pitcture I have written two Letters
Lately to you and I think they
have gone to washington there
was not Stamps on them well
I am glad that you are all well
it is as much as we can
do to Live out here it
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is so hot we got a Plenty
of Blackberys and Plums now
and they fill up the inner
man better than Salt Junk
well I will Close give
my Love to all the folks
I hope that this will
find you all well
from your
Husband
Joseph