Blakely, Al.,

April 16^th 1865.

 

My Dear Wife,

                                    I enclose to you this morning two Mobile papers. The smaller is printed on rebel paper and is the 2^d No. of the late Yankeeized Advertiser and Register. The larger one—the Mobile Sunday News—is from the same office, but printed on Bank paper and is the 1^st No. of the Sun. edition.

 

By the latest dates of the N.O. Times, the surrender of Lee and / his entire army is fully confirmed. It is generally believed in camp that the services of the Volunteer Army will not be needed two months longer. I sincerely hope it may be so. I did have some hopes of peace resulting from the Blair mission to Richmond, but I have much stronger hopes now of peace growing out of the late Lincoln mission to the Rebel Capital.

 

I wonder if the Cops have not changed their opinion relative to the doctrine of coercion by this time? I wonder if that loyal (?) class of individuals still persist in saying that "the present generation will not live to see the South subjugated and brought back into the Union by force of arms?"

 

Of course all those devotees of Valandingham and Co. are now strong war men and always have been even if some of them did run away to escape the draft. It seems that Mrs. Wallace has already been telling long stories about how she suffered during the three days Hyram served in the war to save the glorious Union.

 

            The rebels are certainly / beaten now till they can not have one spark of hope left for the success of their unjust cause, and it now rests with them to avert the further effusion of blood by laying down their arms and unconditionally submitting to the constitution and laws of the best government under the sun.

 

                        I am dearest

                                    Your loving husband

                                                            Enos Reed

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