Camp of the 14^th N.J. Vols.

Near Manchester, Virginia    

May 21^st 1865.

           

Dear Parents

                                    I may not have the opportunity of writing you many more letters in Virginia so I will pen you a few lines again & I presume it will be the last one I will write while in the vicinity of Richmond, at any rate, as we leave here next Tuesday unless we receive new orders in the meantime. But how we will go to Washington yet  remains to be seen, some are of the opinion that we will march & others think transportation will be furnished us from City Point. / I as a matter of course am in favor of the last. We will know by tomorrow night so there is no use thinking over the matter, as it will only make it the harder if it should chance to be our evil luck to march one hundred and thirty miles. But I can live through it if the rest can. I always have.

 

            When Charley wrote home I did think something of taking my discharge, as it was freely offered me, but I refused to accept it & the same night the Colonel recommended me for the Captaincy of my own Company. My commission has not arrived as yet but I am daily expecting it.

 

            It has been an extremely hot day and this afternoon / we had a severe thunder storm this afternoon. the lightning struck a tree about forty yards from Hd. Qrs. where I now reside as I am still acting Sergt Major of the Regiment during the furloughed absence of the S.M.

 

            I have not fully made up my mind as yet whether I will get mustered on my Commission or not. There is an opportunity for all those who wish to remain in Service to do so, and there is nothing in this world that I would like better than Soldiering in time of peace, especially if I held the commission of Captain not as a Private Soldier. No not any more carrying gun for me I thank you. But about my getting my discharge that need not worry you in the least, for I assure you I'll come out / all right without any discharge even had I been sick. I should not have taken a discharge after remaining two years and nine months with the Regiment and going through what I have and lived, for which I thank God. no I could not see leaving my old comrades until I am obliged to, when the time is so short, and if I came home I would not be doing anything.

 

            You see I cannot afford to lose much time I must be doing something. had I been one of those who have grown rich from this war, it would be well enough for me to lay down the shovel & the hoe, but that is not the case & when the Soldiers all get home it is going to be slim dodging to gain a situation, and you know Mother I cannot feel content to longer look to you for support, but instead to lend a helping hand towards making you comfortable in your old days & John cannot stand any / hard labor, so here's the chap thats going to pitch in. I have nothing else to work for in this world but to see you both comfortably situated, and trusting in God who has preserved my life as I believe for that purpose, I shall one day be successful. May God bless you with health, and from His abounding mercies bestow upon you every needed blessing. no doubt you have not let my Birth day pass without giving it at a passing thought, for if you will count up the years of my earthly pilgrimage they will number full one score & one, making me a free man. I believe thats what they are called at the advanced age of (21) is it not. But being luckily a poor boy I was free a / long time ago, but not I suppose in the true sense of the word.

 

            It has ceased raining and is now quite cool. But I have been sitting all the evening with my sleeves turned up as far as I could conveniently get them and my shirt turned down around the neck. it cannot be possible that the weather is as hot with you as it is and has been for the past month down. While we were at Danville I was out in the country & I noticed the corn was turning yellow from the long absence of any rain, while I am informed it has been right the reverse up north. The grain crops hereabouts are looking splendidly, there is a field of wheat before our camp which contains one hundred & seventy five acres, quite a wheat field / dont you think so. It still continues to lighten of in the northeast & I think we shall be blest with more rain before the morrow. it did awfully come down this afternoon after the hard clap of thunder. it reminded me very much of the thundering of artillery we used to be accustomed to hearing not many miles from here, in a southeasterly direction from our camp.

 

            Our Corps has to march through what I once told you was the doomed city (Richmond) that the citizens may see the old Sixth Corps who have figured well in the past Rebellion and which will ever retain a name in the History of the Great Rebellion of 61. God want there never may be another such cruel war in this Country or in any country upon / the face of the globe. so Addie has left you, she didn't make a very long stay but about as long as I anticipated. yet I hoped she would remain for I supposed she would be a great help to you. But I suppose it is as you say, she has had her own way too long. the Boys are well and anxiously looking ahead to home & the comforts of a quiet life once more. But one half of them will never be content to remain at home. after a due course of time they will become tired and leading a civil life, and will long for a life more exciting, unless it is some of the old men. they of course who have survived this grand struggle for the maintenance of the old Union will be glad to live in quietude the remaining days of their life. But to the young man the past seems but a dream for the hardship tells not so much upon his constitution as it will in after years. the Chaplain gave us a good sermon today but I think it is now time I closed so /

 

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I will now bid you good night & may God watch over and bless you & I remain your loving & Affec. son Albert

my love to all

Al

 

Please write soon

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