Near Alexandria Va may 15^th

 

Dear Friend

                        I received your ever welcome letter this evening (after Dress Parade) with stamps for which please accept my thanks in my next letter I will try and send you a piece of the tree that Lee surrendered under if you wish. it is after Tattoo so I cant get it this time

 

please excuse me Jerome for not informing you of the way that we came to this place. in the first place our Brigade was the advance of our Corps we pushed to the Farmville 18 miles from Burksville Junction / with the supply trains of the army we was afterwards stationed there our Regt was detailed for Provost duty but most of the boys was stationed at the houses for safeguards (among them your humble servant) we got bed board and provish while on safeguard after all the army passed we was ordered to report at City Point when the brigade left our regt was left and ordered to start the next day we started at 8 clk AM and arrived at the Junction at a quarter past four but the Brig^de had started for city point that morning but we played it on them the Brig Commisary was left with us and he got us transportation for city point we got there in the next morning / we had to wait there 3 or 4 days for the Brigade to come up then we got on transports for this place we came on the Vidette packed as you know they are when we have a chance to ride we are encamped about a mile and half from the city and half a mile from fort Lyon on the south side the Genl said this was the last camp we would pitch I hope so but they put us through we had a Brigade review yesterday and inspection to day by the way Jerome Farmville is a very prety place it is a [?]ing good place to set up in the Grocery Business there is quite a number of empty stores there and a good R.R / you say your are not satisfied in Cherry Valley well I dont know as I can blame you much for it is a lonesome place but be careful and dont run off to Mexico if you do I will follow you but wait first untill I come home then I will try and enliven you up but as the paddy says Im afther thinking it will take you a wake to rade this letter so I will sthop givie my best respects to all the boys

         

   expecting another letter from you soon I remain your

                        true friend

 

                        Jona Buttersworth

                        Co. C 36^th Mass Vols /

 

we get word from Charley once in a while but no letters he is getting along first rate well Jerome it is getting late and I must go to bed good night—

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