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42nd Pennsylvania Infantry - 1st Bucktails

Item LTR-615
April 22, 1865 Moses W. Lucore
Price: $345.00

Description

3 pages, original Civil War Union letter written in period ink and war dated.

Camp in the Field
April 22, 1865

Dear Cousin Lemuel

You must all think that I deserted to leave without coming up the postage again but if you think of court martialing me just please leave off the martial, and I will try to stand the punishment but would be pleased to choose my own judge advocate. Will tell you all about my leaving so promiscuously only intended to go to Lock Haven and get my leave extended, but when I got to Lock Haven, found orders ordering us to join our commands as soon as possible. So we went as fast as we could but on account of the destruction of railroad bridges did not get through in time to see the closing of the rebellion but we got to Baltimore in time to help celebrate the fall of Richmond and Petersburg. Remained there a day or two, then went to Washington and there we received the news of the capture of General Lee and his army and they were having such a jubilee over it, we stayed there four days. They were so busy in celebrating the good news that we could not get transportation sooner. Then we came to City Point and took the cars for Burkeville and when we got there, we found that our regiment was fifty miles from there. But the cars did not run any further. So we just remained there. Found our quartermaster with our baggage and plenty of rations so we pitched out tents and waited until the fifth Corps came to us. That was only two days ago. Now our Corps is doing duty on the railroad between here and Petersburg. Suppose they will only guard it till they get the artillery shipped to City Point. There is so much of it they have to take it on the cars. It is reported out here that General Johnson has surrendered to Sherman, but do not know as it is true or not. But if he has not, he soon will. Oh I think the war is over and begin to feel homesick. Don’t believe I can ever stay and play soldier in time of peace, to lonesome for me. Think I will resign this summer if the fighting is closed. I feel so bad about the assassination of the President and the attempt to kill Secretary Seward and son. It was the intention of the gang to wipe out the whole head of our government that night for they expected General Grant and Secretary Stanton and all hands to be out to the theater that evening. And they intended to kill them all. If it had of been the rebels would have thought it was the fortune of war. But just as the war is at a close, to have the Copperheads assassinate the Chief Magistrate of the United States, that is a little to much for a free people to bear and I wish Vice President Johnson would retaliate, if he does not I shall not feel satisfied at all. Well if I don’t stop writing before I fill this sheet of paper you will be as tired trying to read it as I am in writing. If it was as much a job or task for other people to write as it is for me, there would be but little letter writing done. For it is most impossible for me to write at all. So anyone can read it cannot read it myself after it gets cold. So I hope it may go fast enough to keep it warm until it reaches you. Well I don’t think anything more that would interest you so will stop. If you will please remember me kindly to all friends and write to me as soon as you receive this for I want to hear all the news. Tell me how they are getting along with the oil digging in Cameron County.

Direct as before.
Compliments of Captain Lucore

P. S. I will direct this to Shiffer for do not know the name of the Post Office or the postage.

Moses