Arlington Heights Va

June the 8^th 1865

 

Mother

                        After so long a time I take my pen to drop you a few lines hoping they will find you and the rest well

 

            Tis verey warm here one can hardly live Thare is no newes for me to write Rat Foster was here to see me yester day he is well Uncle Stephen was over here the 28^th of last month He stayed but three or four hours I could not get him to stay all night with me He was idle to I received a letter from him last night He has got a job now He is a day watchman now at the railroad station He has changed verey mutch sinc you saw him last 

 

            I hav not had a letter from Ester sinc we came here The last I had from her was at Black and White Station I hav wrote two letters to her and got no reply Tere are a thousand and rumors here I wish one half of them wer trew Regt after regt are going home evry day We will hav war here soon Officers and men are getin rather indipendent Meney an Officer will stand a poor show six months from now The time is not far distant when some of thes Officers will soon be no more than a comon white man They can make a large show here and soon they will be as low as eney bodey We hav got an old brute of a Brigade Commander He is Colonel of the 94^th NYV His name is Root 

 

            I dont think that I will get out of the survis before next fall if then They are doing thair best to keep us and I persume they can do as they pleas about it

 

            Our train will soon brake up now over half of it is turned in now and soon thare will be but a few men left in the Corps All western troups are to leave Vets and all I dont think that 2 weeks will find us here I think we are going to be sent off South Two or three weeks will tell the story

 

            The 15^th Corps has gone to Texas and the 25^th Corps The 25^th are Blacks The 15^th all Western troups Thare is not more than 4 thousand men in our Corps and soon not half of them will be here 

 

We hav had no rain in some time I hear Knap was in a big hury to get home I would not not take a furlow now not till I see thare are no hopes of geting out for good by the first of Sept I will not be surprised if we wer sent to the state before John got back And not if we wer not in one year We are not going to stay here long that is certain I cant get home to soon This leaves me well hoping soon to hear from         

 

Pleas excuse all mistakes and except this with the best wishes of your wandering Child

                                                                                               

Abner B.Palmer

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