Summit Point Va
June the 7^th 1865 My Dear wife
it is with great pleasure that I take
my pen in hand this pleasant Day
to answer Most Kind and always
welcom letter I never had a letter that
Done me so mutch good in my life
as the one I got last night it was wrote
on the 29^th ult it was the last letter
I have got sens I left home and I
thought I had got some prty good ones
I have not Been very well Ever
Sens last Sunday I wrote to you
Sunday Evening and told you a bout
the Review and inspection wee had
that Day. it was so hot that one man
Fell Dead on the Review ground
and I understood there was three
more Died Sunday night caused
By the fatig and the hot sun wee had
and other Review to Day But it
was only a brigade Review and it
did not take so long nor it was not so hot
[page 2]
David thinks I will soon get well
now Sens I have got a letter from
you I did not get one for Just one
weak But when It did come it done
my heart good to Read I dont know But
that and the one I got from
sarah this Evening will cure me
for Sertain She gives me the
news that wee have got a an
other young Son Oh you Dont know
how glad it makes me to hear
that you have got through with
your troubles again and that you
got a boy so well and I will say
to those that was with you through
your troubles that I Send my most
hart felt thanks to them for there
Kindness I no it was my Duty to
have Been with and I had made all
caculations to have Been there But
could not get a furlough But
I have not the least Dout But
what you got a long just as well
[page3]
as if I had of Ben there I hope you
will take good care of your self until
you an Stout a gain Sarah says you
have got a good girl if you have keep
her as long as you nead her and do not
go to work until you are able to
stand it I do not Expect wee will
Be Discharged Before cold weather
if we are that soon the 74 Regt has
started home from Washingto[n] city
this weak they will Discharge all of the old
Soldiers first and I think it is write
for Ive got a biger Bounty than they did
and they have had to do the fighting they
are sending from 10 to 12 thousand
Soldiers home from Washington Every
Day we got marching orders
yesterday to start to a palace called [palace = place]
stanton in this state it is a bout
one hundred and thirty miles and
wee had our napsacks all packed
and was a bout Ready to Start and
the order was countermanded and
there was an other Brigade had to go
[page 4]
in our place and you Beter Believe
there was some tickled Boys it would
have taken us 130 miles farther from
home and clear a way from the railroad
the Reason we did not have to go was
Because our Brigade was the Best
Drilled and our magor general wanted
Us to stay here so he could put us throug
Our Reviews and show out Big himself
I am now Seting under a locus
Tree out in a clover field a bout
40 rods from camp the clove[r] is in
Bloom and it is a very pleasant
Place I Sayd field But it is all
one patch here for there is no fences
here at at all <very?> close to where the
soldiers stays I had a good mess
of Ripe cherrys yesterday there is
thousands of fruit here it is the
greatest place for fruit that I ever
saw But there is so many solders
here that they take it a bout as fast
as it gets ripe well it is a geting
Dark and must quit fo[r] this time
[added in right margin]
and go to camp and then I will write some more
[added at top and left margin of page 1]
Sarah I will answer your letter as
soon as I get Time you sayd you
thought I would think you was green for writing as you
Did But it not so for I was very glad
[page 5]
Well I have nothing Els to Do
and I guess I will write a little
more for while am writing
I can fa[n]cy my self closer to
you than any other time But
I am geting Scarce of Stamps
as for paper and Envelops wee
can get all of them that wee
want of the christian commision
this is one of these sheets you
can see By the heading of it
Theodore and me has had a long
Ramble through the woods to Day
I would like to no how Mr cass
is geting a long with them Deeds
whether he has got them Recorded
or not and whether he gave
Julia her money or not and
what he done with the money
that was left after Paying the tax
[page 6]
you Sayd in your letter
that he had payd the tax and
that you had the Receipt But
that was all you sayd about it
I wrote to him concerning it
a good while a go But have
not Recd any answer yet
if you get to see him tell him
I would like for him to write
to me and let me no what
Kind of Shape them affairs
are in I do not think that
he would rong me out of anything
But it would Be some sates—
faction to me to no what kind
of shape my Business was
in there I am glad to hear
that our Sheap are doing so
well I am very sorry to hear
that Sarah is going to leave you
now and all on the account
of Rachel I do not see how
[page 7]
she will Beter the thing
any By going to Ohio
Rachel will only crow the
Biges if she goes a way and
Besides that she gave me her word
that she would stay with you
until you got well and I think
she will Do as well there as she
will in Ohio if she is a friend
of mine. I hope she will stay
with you But maybe that
Ohio is not the only thing that
is attracting her attention I
had a hint so any how. I would
say look Before you jump But
sens I come to think it is none
of my Business no how But if
could give her good advice I would
Do it freely for I do Respect her
a grate Deal I wish you had
Bought 2 or 3 of her hogs
I Expect that if Amys man reads
[page 8]
the leater that I wrote to
her Before I herd that she
was marred he will think
that I am a tuff customer
But I cant help it now
now Priscillia write to me
just as often as you can
for I love to hear from you
as often as I can i will by to
Scrible love kind of an answer
to all of them I Believe I
must Bid you good By
a gain sicerey hopeing that
this silent meseneger may
you all well and Enjoying
your Selves fine give my love
and Best wishes to Mr and
Mrs Shetler and all the rest
of the friends good By and
may god Bless and sustain you
now Dont forget to Hiram Finton
write soon and give Priscillia Finton
me all the Particulars