608 Fourteenth St. N.W.,

Washington, D.C.

   Jan. 12, 1917.

 

Mr. L. W. Hopkins                                                                                      

100 E. Lexington St.,

            Baltimore, Md.

 

Dear Luther:-

                        Your letter of the 7^th instant was duly received. Yes, my name is Tip Peake which sounds familiar to all my friends. Frank is right in saying that I remember most of the boys in old Company A. Yet I cannot say that I am familiar with the whereabouts of all our old Comrades, nor am I quite sure of all who are living.

 

            I will give you the names of all who are to the best of my knowledge, in the land of the living at the present.

 

            One of the Alders lives near Berryville. I cannot remember which one. You know there were two. George Chappelear at Piedmont. I have been told that he has recently become slightly unbalanced mentally. Armistead Chappelear is at Paris Va. (One of the ugliest men in the State. And went over to the republican party. / Rutledge Eliason is somewhere in the West I hear. Ben Edmonds in Missouri. Johnny Furr is farming near Union, Loudoun Co., and has thirteen children. George Galliher is a letter carrier here in Washington. A few years ago he had a slight stroke of paralysis. Until then, he did not look his age by 20 years. Frank can tell you that he recognized him at once when he came to see him tho' he had not seen him in 30 years.

 

            Douglas Gibson is also farming near Paris Va. and Wirt Green ("Old Skylight") lives in the same place. Joe Fleming in Fairfax Co. I understand that Labe & Joe Hill are still living near Hillsboro and Doctor Dicky Hoge is practising in Bloomfield. Geo. Marlow lives near Berryville—also Tom Miley & Ben Beavers. I hear Ben is a widower with several children and George Marlow told me that he is expecting to marry again at the ripe old age of 75.

 

            Fleet James is at Hillsboro, Fant Neal at Mountsville & Bob Sowers at Philomont.

 

Henry M^cCarthy is somewhere in Missouri. / Clarence Whiting, as you know is in your city. There may be others that I cannot remember at the present—and let us hope they are still with us.

 

            I am only too glad to know that Bob Lipscomb and Jim Osborn are yet in the land of the living. I had not heard anything of either in a long time. Newt and Norvel Laws are both dead. Also Dr. Plaster. All of the Carters are dead—the Gibsons too—except Dag; & all of the Rector boys. Wilford Redmond is living at Middleburg. I saw him some time ago.

 

All of the grand old Company will soon have passes to the great Beyond, no doubt. I wish also that we could have one grand reunion of those remaining once more. We are all getting old.

I suppose you will be here in May June at the big reunion. That ought to be a great time.

 

I am glad you are able to see something of Frank. Mollie is indeed a fine woman and her children do her credit.

 

Luther, before the winter is over I want / to go over to Baltimore and meet you at my niece's and we will have a good time talking of old times.

 

Tom Goody ("Genl. Lee_G_g_g_el L'ee_W_w_what Genl. Lee know 'bout guarter-master department!)

"Head toward Paris"—Tom Carr ("Cow butter")

and our old bugler (What's that for Russ!")

have all passed over. Those were great times.

 

            I cannot tell you, Luther, how much real pleasure your letter gave me. Words cannot express. I hope you will find time to repeat it.

 

Ever since I hurt my right hand and together with my rheumatism, I frequently call on my better half to help me out with my writing.

 

            Hoping to see you soon or hear from you when you have time, I am

            As ever and always

                        Yours sincerely

                                    "Tip" Peake.

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