note: at end			Camp Ven. It
    copy				  May 22, 1865  #84
				                             85
			                (?)
Dear wife – I received of April 20th on the 12th
of May, 1865.   We was on the eve of marching 
from Richmond to Alexandria and
consequently Could not answer it sooner. it
was the first letter I had had from you
since Apr. 5. It seems to be necessary to
explain things ^ to you that I was not aware
of before it seems you got my letter of
the 9th of March wrote at Battery Barracks
N.Y City on the 15th of March. We had to
ship for Morehead City. So you see it
was just six Days from the writing of
my letter until we took ship and I
had to make out pay Rolls in that
time if we had stayed in New York
another day you would have got another
letter. Well there was no chance to send
a letter while on the ship and we got
to Morehead City the eve of the 20th and
lay there one day. Some of the boys write
that day but I did not get time. We left in
the morning of the 22nd and got to Kinston
that night and in the Morning I wrote
to you but missed the chance to send
it because I had to make out the
morning reports Well we started that

85  



morning for Goldsboro and got there
the 26th in the evening. The next day
I wrote a letter to you, but it seems you
did not get it but I am not to blame
for it the irregularity of the mails.
As to my being neglectful to you, I
hope I have not been, at least I feel
as if I had done the best I could. If
I have not done right I ask forgiveness
I know that any news from me is
looked for with impatience and
hailed with joy when received and I
thank God for it if I did not think
my wife cared for me I should be
miserable indeed. You say my 
letter was cold and business like
and nothing more. I believe that what
we say on paper does not always
express our feelings I did ask a
			                had
(?great) many questions for you but
not told me about any of them
but I thought you knew of our
love for each other without its
being repeated in every letter
and I think so now. I know
just how you felt you was

May 22 – 1865
				      85



tired, sick and over worked and felt [a?]
as if the whole world was against you
and just at that time my letter came
and it did not read in the tone you
thought it ought to. you say I called
your long letter tedious well you
called it tedious to me first or I
should not have called it tedious back
again. for the longer the letters the
better it suits me So I hope in 
the future you will not cut your
letters short on my account but cast
off all hard feelings if you have any
and write just as long and are loveing
letters as you are a mind to and
think that your husband loves you
just as well as he ever did and is
ready to sacrifice anything for his
wife and children. There is times
where I have to catch time to write
and do it in a great hurry and so
scratch of any thing that I think  of
so you must overlook some faults
and forgive all cold letters for I mean
to try and do right. Keep my heart
in the right place toward my

May 22, '65
					85



wife and children. Received a
short letter from you last night
and will answer it now I think
the prospect is very good for us
to get discharged and sent home
within 20 or 30 days. Some say
they will keep us and others say
we are to be discharged so I don't know
but I can't see what they want of
us any longer as the war is all
done with in this part of the
country and I think it will be done
in ^ Texas before any of this army
can get there. You must forgive
my poor writing and all things else
and I shall do the same and love you
as well as ever. Since April 10th I
have marched on foot over 350 miles
so you see we have had something to do.
Well I must say good-bye for the
want of room. You must pray for
me and God will answer Your prayer
God bless and protect my wife and
children is my constant prayer. I
expect to be home in a month
a most. You can direct to Wash. D.C.

May 22, '65
				     85


for I shall be there in 2 days. the
grand review of Sherman's army takes
place on the 23d and we shall be on
the review.  Good bye for the present
from you affectionate and loving
husband to his wife.        (signed)
I am well as usual.	Simeon A. Howe
(note in part) very little is legible. not enough
to make sense.