Letter from Apr. 20, 1865

C. Roades to brother and sister

  • Full Title

    Letter – Roades April 20 pt 1

  • Description

    Personal letter from C. Roades to their brother and sister discussing the assassination of the President and his subsequent death.

  • Transcription

    Birksill Stations
    Va Apr the 20th 65
    Dear Brother & Sister

    with much pleasure I seat myself in ans [answer] to yours of the 9th which I received last night
    was glad to hear from you and that you was well
    I am well as could be expected under the presant [present] circumstances
    we have had a hard march
    we left the Point the 10th
    since that I have lost 20 or 25 lbs of flesh

    we are encamped in the woods near the station
    we are fixing up the camp ground and drilling some.
    the boys are all well that you know
    yesterday we did not doe [do] ennything [anything]
    we had a day of rest on the acount [account] of the death of our President
    the most of the Regt lament his loss
    some think it all for the best
    But there is some that always has been opposed to him and the administration but I dont [don't] think we can get a man that will fill his place as well as he did.
    it is the greatest outrage that ever I heard of
    Booth is the assassinater
    you have perhapse [perhaps] red [read] the particulars before this

    Bill you wrote that you had bought another farm.
    is it a good time to buy land now
    you said you wanted some help in haying and harvesting
    I should like varry much to work on a farm this summer but that depends on whether Unkle [Uncle] sam gets throug [through] with me or not
    some think we will have to stay over time and others think we will go home within 6 weeks but I dont pretend to know ennything about it
    at least a soldier is not supposed to know ennything
    when they say go I am ready to go or if I am needed hear I am there [their] man

    Bill I have not got the box you sent me yet but hope to get it soon
    I got a letter Adel yesterday
    they wer all well
    I was glad to hear from her as it is the first time since she left home

    Bill acording [according] to all acounts that we get the war is over and if so we wont [won't] be needed unless it is to gather up the tools that is scatterd [scattered] about the Country
    some think this is what we will doe but I see that Grant is in favor of lessening the expences [expenses] of the Government by disposing a part of the army that is not needed.
    I must close for want of time
    yours in hast from your affectionate Brother

    C Roades

    [transcription by: Mary Cotterman]

  • Source

    Tucker Collection care of Museum of the Grand Prairie

  • Rights

    Use of this item for research, teaching and private study is permitted with proper citation and attribution to the Museum of the Grand Prairie, Champaign County Forest Preserve District. Reproduction of this item for publication, broadcast, or commercial use requires written permission. For permission please contact Museum of the Grand Prairie, Champaign County Forest Preserve District.

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  • Cite this Item

    C. Roades. "Letter – Roades April 20 pt 1". Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed November 23, 2024. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/435