#80



			Goldsboro N.C.
Dear wife		April 8th 1865
	    I got your long letter and have
got one. Since, Electa wrote part of the
last was sorry to hear you was sick
my last letter was addressed in Electa's
hand writing but if she wrote the directions
she made a mistake and stuck her pen
in the ink stand. but the part of the
letter she wrote did not have any ink
on the paper so I had to guess at it most
all. She need not be mad and not write any
more for I should like to hear from her
once in a while. I can guess it off when
I have time. We are going to start from
here monday. I expect we go to Danville
but dont know: there was glorious news
Came in last night Grant has captured
Petersburg and Richmond and the rebs
had to Skedaddle I certainly think this war
will soon be over. Our officers think that
3 months will see us in Mich. I hope so
for I dont see where the rebs will get to
Did you let Cressinger have Sol's Sheep yet you
said the four lambs was in the clover so I
thought the old sheep must be taken back.

				80


I am glad the colt looks so well. for I think
horses will be very high after the war. I
must have money enough to build a nice
little frame house  .  I got your letter that
spoke of the fuss the first time but did
not say any thing about it because I thought
you knew your own business.  I think
I shall bring home a suit of Soldiers Clothes
with me as I am not ashamed of Uncle
Sam's clothing and I think I shall have a
perfect right to wear them. So I dont think
I shall buy any citizens clothes when I come
home. Is the mares both with foal this
spring You said John had not got any 
Stock left on his place but his colt what
has become of his old mares and other stock.
I hope James Cassada will have to go to
the war: for I think if a few of those
Copperheads would go the town would be
better off. I am glad you like your new
neighbors so well for it is a comfort to have
good neighbors. Now I guess I will write a
few lines to Arden.
   Pa would like to see his little boys very much
Pa is way down in North Carolina you must
study your Geography and then you will know

		April 8th, 1865 	80


all about the places where your Pa has
been and then you can tell where all the
railroads are and all the towns and
cities So when I come home you can
tell me all the States and their Capitals and all
the lakes and rivers for when I come home
I want you to study Arithmetick and learn
to make figures babe must learn to read his
letters and learn to spell So when I come
home he can spell cat and dog and lots of
other things. I shall get you lots of new Books
and papers to read: you must be good Boys
and mind what your ma tells you and help ma
to do the work to feed the lambs and the colt
Well, I must say Good-Bye to my little Boys
				Good night.
I dont think I shall try to come home
untill the war is over. that joint
resolution that Electa spoke of is of no
account it was only preliminary to a
bill to be Introduced in Congress. the Bill
was in the house for a long time and
it was decided by a vote of the House
that it would weaken our armies
over 40,000 men and they could not be
spared untill after the Spring Campaign

		#80



So the Bill was voted down while the dis-
grace will have to stand against the Nation
I dont think in reality the Executive is
to blame in the matter as these Impressions
were got up by recruiting officers and
public journals and afterward sanctioned
by the Secretary of War.
       Well I must close my letter and say
good-Bye , God Bless you and protect you is
my prayer.  Pray for me.
		from your husand
		      Simeon A Howe