Washington D.C. May 26/65

 

                        Dear friend

                                                I will improve a few moments in converseing with you through the medium of my pen. yours of the 13^th was received in due time & with much pleasure by me. its found me enjoying life to a good advantage. we have pretty nice times here now we are encamped on East Capitol S^t about 200 yards from the capitol we have the priveledge of visiting the capitol at all hours during the day also the park which is a beautiful of specimen of the work of nature. I wish you could be here to ramble with me at sunset through the capitol yard & park I think we could spend an hour or two satisfactory to both of us. what do you say??/

you have doubtless heard of the grand revew of the armey in the city of the 23 & 4 well to discribe the some splendor of the two day revew would take a novelist one week my talent of composision will not permit me to do justice to it so I will not try. I will say that the Regt your Brother is (or was) in is here. I never saw a better and or more inteligent looking lot of men than in that Reg^t I talk some of going over to their camp in a few days & perhaps will call and see him as it will not be much trouble to me as I have got some friends in the same C^o if I wer acquainted with him I think we might have a good time but it may be so that I will form his acquaintance here & it will make it more plesant for me when I shall come to Mich. you said you would be happy to receive a visit from me in your little School house. be assured my friend there is nothing that would please me more & do not be to sure that we do not meet this side of eternity for someday/when you least expect me you will stand face to face with your Stranger corispondant in your little cozy Scoolroom. I am quite certain of seeing you before Sep^t next we expect to be discharged every day without doubt and will have the pleasure of returning to our Homes & mingleing our voices with those that are near & dear to us. oh will not that be a happy day for us deprived Soldiers. I guess you will say yes, yes, indeed. it will! I will tell you what we are doing here in Washington. we are doing guard duty at the Old Capitol Prison & Carroll Place Prison. we have in confined in these prisons many accomplices of the murder..Wretch! Booth his Brother is one I will not mention the names of but a few of the most distinguished carictors confined…Ex. Gov. Vance of N.C. Gov Brown of Georgia Gov. Letcher of V^a Dr Duff D^r Trumblety & Miss Harris who shot (name I have forgotten) the man in the treasure Dep^t about one yeare ago I will not say anything more on this subject but if you wish to know the particulars keep this letter & when I visit you I will explain all satisfactory/

 

you will excuse this short letter this time as I have got to go on guard in a few minits when this reaches you I may perhaps be at Home & when you answer it I think you had best address your letter to—West Falls. Erie C^o N.Y. & if it should be that it arrives before me my folks will forward on to me I will close hopeing to hear from you soon & that it will not be many days before I will have the pleasure of seeing you.

 

I remain Respectfully your true friend as ever

                                                                        Stephen A. Matthews

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