Wilkes Barre Jany 28^th 65

 

Mr John J. Dewey

                       

Dear Friend:

                     Your very welcome and long looked for letter of the 1^st ultimo was received this morning & the feelings of pleasure and interest with which it was perused you can well imagine. I had about arrived at the conclusion that in consequence of the great distance intervening between us and the number of years which have elapsed since our separation that you considered it not worth while to continue a correspondence with a friend whose companionship you could no longer enjoy & therefore like Caesar had lain him one side when he could be of no further use or benefit to you. But I am rejoiced to know that such is not the case, that the strong ties of friendship which bound us together in youth / still remain unbroken, which furnishes a strong proof of the truth of the words, "Vera amicitia est sempiturna", true friendship is everlasting, if you have studied latin which I presume you have the interpretation will be superfluous. I was somewhat surprised I must confess at your present location, though when we consider the fiery ordeal through which we are passing and the frequent demands for men to fill up the thinned ranks of our regiments in the field we should always be prepared for the reception of such intelligence. In responding nobly as you did to your country's call you acted the part of a hero as well as that of a true and loyal American. The self sacrificing patriotism which you have exhibited makes your friendship more endearing to me than ever. it is my sincere wish that you may pass through your term of service unscathed & be returned safely to your family. / You must try & get that fever & ague broken or it will give you such a shaking that there will not be much left of you unless you have grown pretty rapidly since removing to the west and like myself have vitality to spare.

 

When I last wrote you I was in the banking business in this place. I left it and pursued my studies at the Wyoming Seminary about the middle of last November. We have a very pleasant school of about three hundred students about one hundred of whom are females, who add to the cheerful [faded, paper fold] of it, but if we chance to hug & squeeze them any it has to be done on the sly.

 

You remember Wesley Pierson. He was drafted last fall and just before receiving his notice enlisted in a New York Regt for some eight hundred dollars bounty for one year thus making quite a point you / see. He is in the Army of the Potomac at City Point

 

We are having a pretty stiff cold winter of it here in the valley this morning the thermometer stood 18 and 20 degrees below zero which is very unusual in this part of the country. The sleighing is splendid, never was better, & I assure is being well improved by the people. As I am attending school about all the enjoyment I derive from it is seeing others enjoy it, though I have been out twice.

 

My space compels me to bring my letter to a close—Now Jacob I shall expect to hear from you before a great while. When you write give me a description of what is transpiring in your department.

 

With an earnest desire for your welfare and success

                                                                                   

I remain as ever your true friend

Frank P. Longstreet

 

[overwritten]

 

You see that I have enclosed a postage stamp. Now do not take offence at it for when I was in the Army it was very difficult & sometimes impossible at times to procure them & a few from [faded] friends occasionally were very acceptable.

 

P.S. Blair's mission to Richmond which was only calculated to raise false hopes in the minds of the people. We will take them on their own grounds that the shortest way to peace is a vigorous prosecution of the war until we compel them to cry out in the language of holy writ "I yield, I yield I can hold out no more"—

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