St Johns Clinton Co Mich.   April 27  65


          My Dearest Woodruff
			           If I knew you
would get this what a pleasure it would
be to pen these lines but the thought
that we have sent so many that you have
not got makes me feel very sad the
thought that you should be so far away
from those that love you and not
be able to hear from them but I hope
before you get this I hope you will hear
      	       and
from George ^ through him hear from
me we have writen regularly evry
week and supposed you was getting
them untill two week ago Some of
them must have gone to the Regim
ent if thier is a post office where
you are you go and enquire and
see if there is not one there for
I directed one to Point of [illegible] and
we have directed two or three to
Remount Camp Pleasant Valley I do
hope you will get some of them

I am very glad that you made
up your mind to write to us for we
should have felt very bad if you had
not the tears start in my eyes
when I think of you and Oh how I
wish I could fly to you and emb
rase you in my arms and convin
ce you that I still love my Woodie
boy yes Woodruff you are a precious
child to me and are worthy of 
a mothers love George sent your letter
that you wrote to him [illegible] to me
and I did cry over it but I hope
you will not have to write any more
such mournful letters I should be very
glad if the war should be so far through
with that your services would not be nee
ded for we do need you at home very
much indeed Fathers health is not good
this spring I am fearful he will not
hold out to do his springs work I
can do but little in a day and he
keeps very busy to but when it is night

he is completely exhausted it makes
         it very hard for me to [have?] to work
in the garden as I am obliged to do
for I am not as strong to work as
I was last summer I find that hard
work is using me up rapidly
with just my daily duties I could
get along very comfortable but when
in addition to that I have to do out
doors work it comes hard you know
there is considerable triming to do in
the garden that the little boys would
not have judgement to do and your
Father does not have time for it of nece
ssesity I have to over see it and do
some of it the spring is backward
[illegible] starts very slow we have
considerable cold chilly winds and
once in a while a snowstorm but
once in a while a day or two of
lovely spring weather I have got
some flowers growing by my door
they are company for me in my

loneliness I would be so glad to have
my dear Soldier boys home to enjoy
with the beautiful flowers and to
enjoy once more the pleasure of
private life but if our beloved country
needs your services longer we shall be
provided for for we have the promise
that if we trust in the Lord our
Strength shall be equal to our [illegible]
we as a nation have met with a great
loss in the death of our Beloved Presi
dent but we feel that it must be all
for the best that he should be taken from
us as God would not have suffered it
to have taken place we still feel a dis
position to trust in the Lord for he is
still able to carry us through this
strugle and we think he will not
let the wicked go any further than the
length of their chain. it is for
some wise purpose we hope that the
triumph of the wicked will be short
there is general mourning and
lamentation through the country that 
such a wicked assassination should be
permited to take place if you get this
write soon and let me know it is dark
and cloudy this morning but I think the
sun will shine out before long

[Written sideways on the left side of Scan 4]

I must close by assuring you that I am the same boring and affectionate
     Mother that I ever was to my dear son G W Mattoon N L Mattoon

[End]