Alaxandria Virginia May 22 65
Catharine
I will write you a few lines to let
you know that I am well and hearty I got a letter
from you last night dated may the 2 I was glad to
hear that you was well we can see washington City
from here we will Pass Review in washington City
day after to morrow and I think when that is over
we will be mustered [out] of service before long I saw
<will?> <Clift?> yesterday all the boys is here and I
am going to see them to day Jacob M^cDanil is
sick I dont know whether Henry <sawer?> Regt is
here or not I will try to find him I got a letter from
dad that stated he was in the shanodiah valley they
may have gone back to Harpers ferry before this time
the boys all want to get home as soon as they can I wish
that it had been so that you could have went on the
place this spring so that you could have raised chickens
and garden stuff for I think that I will be at home
before harvest I hope to be at home to cut grass
for we will have no corn and I want to save all
the hay that I can I am glad to hear that my sheep
is doing well dad told me that jo had a colt
he said he did not know which it was a mare or a
horse but it was one or the other you did not say
any thing a bout it I guess you for got it
William is well and hearty the boys is all in good
[page 2]
Health I have a fine time now our old bass
tuber Blower got here yesterday and I turned
the horn over to him I have nothing to do now but
walk around we have had a good deal of rain
for the last weak and looks like rain to day
Oh yes I must tell you I was at old George
Washingtons house a few days a go I went and saw
his grave his house and garden and ever thing about
is kept in the same fix it was in when he was living
every thing looks old but is in good fix his house
stands on a high pice of ground close to the Potomac
river his Place is called Mount vernon our Division
Marched a round his grave with there guns to a sholder
and then through his yard I will think of the scene
as long as I live I have got a few Apples in my
haversack that I pulled off of a tree that that
he planted if I dont loose them I will Bring them
home with me when I come I have a bad chance to
write I have to write on my knee and the sun [in fold of paper]
shines through the tent and makes my hand sweat
so bad that I cant write to do any good but I
guess you can read it you said that Johnson had
surrendered to sherman but not quite rite we was
close to Johnson when he surrendered and he got
the same terms that Grant give Lee and nothing
more sherman is one of the best men in the
world it was a butternut he raised to <???> him
[page 3]
there is no doubt but old Jeff Davis is caught
with severel of his followers they are looking for
him here at Washington now I hear the cannons
while I am writing it may be that he has got to here
I have wrote all that I can think of I will write
a few lines to the Girls I got a few lines from
Levina I was glad to hear that she was well but
but I was sory to hear that Nancy is not well but
I hope she is better by this time
Girls) the reason that I dont write to you often is
because I write to catharine every week and I know
that you get to hear what I have to say I know that you
think that Catharine writes all the nuse and you
need not write I got a letter from Hen Gaston a few
days a go he was doing very well I had got his discriptive
roll and had his discharge Papers made out and he
thinks he will soon be at home I hope that I will soon
get home and then you can all come and stay all
night with me and I will tell you sights
Poor Jane steel it makes my eyes dim as I think
of her I can not see her with the rest of you when I
get home she wanted the soldiers all to get home
so bad I think of you often and I hope I will see you
all before long I do pitty Betsy for she cannot
see Bill come with us there is one satis faction
and that is she knoes that he is Buried desent
I have been over old battlefields where I could
[page 4]
pick up any number of skull bones and legs &
arms and where the men had been Buried by throw
ing a little dirt over them the rain had washed
them naked there is thousands of fathers and
Brothers that has fallen in this war that there
friends will never know what has become of them
I am glad that wes did not have to go to the
army for it dont suit him here at tall
I dont think I will write many more letters
while I am in the army I have wrote all that I
can think of at this time

Hugh Gaston to Catherine Gaston &
All the Girls