Camp Near Alexandria Virginia

May 8^th 1865.       

      

Dear Friend Willie.

                        As I am at leisure this morning I am going to try and write you a short little letter. you see I have got a pretty little sheet here dont you? if I fill this full I think I shall do remarkably well. News is not very plenty just now. War news is firstrate. of course you are posted on that so I will not write any of that. I should like to receive the good news that we were going to be mustered out. I dont care how soon that comes. we probably will be soon. some say by the 1^st of June. I think we will myself. Well Willie we came here to Alexandria over a week ago. we are in camp about two miles from the city. we can get passes most any time to go there. I havnt been yet. you know I am cook so I dont have quite so much time to run round. I should like to go there very much. I wish they would pay us off. they owe us 5 months pay. that is enough I think. 

 

What are you folks up to nowadays. I presume you are planting are you not? Father says he has got his early peas & potatoes planted. also the garden [?] &c. Charlie & Elvin have to be hired men this summer. Allen & myself are both away. you asked me what Allen was up to this spring he is driving confectionary cart for Kempton I presume you have of course heard of him. he goes all over Mass. goes to Worcester every two weeks. I told him to go to Westford. he said he would after it was good travilling. perhaps Nelie will buy something of him. (A heart or something) I should like his chance tiptop. I dont realy know what I shall do when I get home. I dont think I shall work on a farm. I got sick of that before I came out here. it would seem kinder odd to go to work on a farm again after being out here three years. I think I shall try some other line of business. I have done all the soldiering I wish to. I suppose you will see in the papers about the great Review that to take the last of this month. The Army of the Potomac & Shermans Army are both on their way here. / I tell you it will be a splendid sight to look at. the 2^nd Brigade had a Review yesterday. the 9^th Corps are going to have one in a few days. then I hope they will be mustered out. I think we will go as soon as some of the other Corps get here. they will get here the last of this week. the 2^nd & 5^th Corps are both on their way here. they passed through Richmond Saturday. we have got to move camp today so they can come on this ground. I dont like to move camp at all. I hope it will be the last time we will move untill we start for old New Hampshire. I dont care how soon that is. Oh Billie that Emory Wright and Richardson I could not find. I went all over City Point. I couldnt find any thing of them. I hardly think they were there. I should liked to have seen them firstrate.

 

Well Well I think I have written enough for this time. nothing but nonsense any way. please excuse mistakes poor writing &c. &c. my love to all the folks with a share yourself. I should be pleased to hear from you soon.

 

From your old Friend             Edmund P. French

 

[margins]

 

My best respects to Nellie. write soon. From Park.

 

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