San Antonio Texas Jan 10
			          1866
        Was it Ever Paralleled.
The year we are now passing through
this Eighteen Hundred and Sixty
and Six Stands Out in grand bold
Releif from all its predecessors a Star
of the first magnitude in times
constellation. it Saw the end of the
[imperious?] Slave holders Rebelion
it Saw the end of american Slavery
its Earliest flowers Covered the Bier of
A Nations murdered Hero, the
Sun and showers of its young [month?]
freshened the green grass over the martyrs
grave its Springtime witnessed the grandest
funerel [Pageant?] that Ever honored
the dead or graced the living it saw a
Nations thirty millions strong [drop?] scalding
tears of sorrow on the tomb of their Slain
Chief it Saw his murdered dishonored corse
Sunk in an unknown place ere the victory
Reached his grave it Saw millions of a 

downtroden race lifted to the dignities
and responsibilities of humanity.
it Saw a procession of [struck?] mourners
line thoughsand miles in length
it saw the great dead carried to his
home By a Nation in whoes funrel train
Cities were Pall Bearrers military
Chieftains the corps watchers high
civic [Functionaries?] guardians of his bier
great imperiel States chief mourners
Millions of uncovered heads Bared
in tearfil grief as the mighty
Cortege wound its Solemn march
under the Sunlight of day and By
torch at night from the scene of
Active duty to the quiet Rest of
an Honest mans grave. it
Saw these millions Bowed down
And their heads Bent with grief as
Sorrowing as Children feel at a
Fathers Grave it saw villages clothed
in mourning, towns draped in
deathes insignia great cities Suspend

their traffic the Buisy marts
of Commerce hushed with Awe while
the silence of loving death covered an
Empire - fit expressions of grief for
A martyr it saw the dwellings of the 
Rich Covered with Costly Badges of woe
and the homes of the Poor Draped in
the more Simple and Elequent
Symboles of a [Peoples?] Sorrow
and it will See the flowers Bloom
afresh and green Over his the
great and Honored leader of
American liberty
Abraham Lincoln
    Dear Brother Not hearing from
you in a long time i Pen these
few lines hoping that they will
find you Well Allen and myself are
Both well the weather is vary fine
and has Been ever Since we have been
here three months more will take
me out of the Service good By
write Soon James Campbell