Chillicothe, OH. Feb. 12^th. 1885

            In reply to yours of Jan 31^st/85 Joseph H. Thomas and self were boys, grown up here in Ross Co together worked together, went to PicNics to church and often with each other. his mother my mother and my father were members of the same church, Anti Slavery Baptist Church in Union. Tp. We were former boys living in the country. I never did know of any Rheumatism Diarrhea Troubles with Joe in Aug. 1864. Old Uncle Abe wanted a half million more men. So a goodly number of We boys went at that call. Joe and Self were examined at the same time in a large room in Circleville [portion missing] naked. It seems to me as yesterday. We all passed. Muster verry well[.] We were ancious to see some Johnnies well in less than one month. We seen them. And felt them too down at Deep Bottoms and New Market and Chapin farm. Thence to Dutch Gap and there where Joseph’s great afflictions first appeared. Went from Dutch Gap to Fort Fisher twice through the fort and out in the country through swamps waist deep and deeper some times. We were going to Goldsberro and New Bern N.C. We were mustered out of service and Paid at New Bern. N. C. in Sept. 1865.

Yours Respectfully

John D. Richardson
Chillicothe Box. 10,
Ohio