Burkesville Va. April 15^th 65

                       

Dear Parents

                                                I will try to pen a few lines to you this afternoon to let you know how we are all getting on down here in old Virginia Daniel and myself are both well and in good spirits and Voorhis James & Hice are all the same. We have moved about a mile since I last wrote you and we are now with the Regt again and the 15^th Regt is close beside us and Co A is with us now and old Benham is Brevet Major General. Whew is'nt he lucky though. The Army of Potomac is now lying idle / and is encamped around here on every side of us There was a report last evening that Jeff Davis had been captured and that Gen Johnston had surrendered but there are so many reports going the rounds that we hardly know what to believe. A great many of the boys anticipate going home soon but I think it will be some time before they get there still the prospect of peace is good and I now think I will get out of the service before I have served three years. It is raining like fun to day and it is very muddy so that it would be almost impossible for us to move out of here even if we wanted to and I expect we will have to move / soon. There is some talk of our going back to Petersburg I have seen Ed Lounsbury since I last wrote you. He says the boys from the Hollow are all right with the exception of John Ault he was wounded in the leg and it is only a flesh wound so he will do well enough I guess

 

            The Provost Martials have been very busy all this week parolling Lee's Army and it would do you good to see how fine a greater part of them feel after getting their parole I tell you they feel jubilant enough and each one of them has to work his own way home as best he can and a great many of them are from the State of South Carolina / Twenty two deserters gave themselves up to Co G while we were on the march from Petersburg here and they came in at different times sometimes one sometimes two or three and at one time four cavalrymen came in and brought their horses with them but they were mighty poor ones. I am now tenting with Harrison Johnson for Daniel has to stay with the rest of the teamsters away from the Co and we have been living pretty high for about two weeks for the boys foraged a good deal but that is played out now and so are our extras My sheet is full so Adieu for this time

 

            I remain your affectionate Son

                                               

Charley

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