Chapman, 18 May 1865

General Hospital near Point of Rocks, Virginia
May 18th 1865

Dear Wife,

I will now pen a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope this will find you enjoying the same blessing. I have bad news to write for the orders is for them to discharge all soldiers from this hospital but the veterans, regulars, and colored troops. Now I think it is using us mean for I for one have done my best for the last four years and I consider myself more deserving of being discharged than I do of the men that has not seen a year’s service, but they are to be discharged after getting a thousand dollars and I with others are to be kept because we for four hundred and two dollars. But it is a little good that they will get by keeping me for I won’t do any work for them. But I will not trouble you more with my troubles for it may hurt your feelings.

I have not got a letter from you for more than two weeks for I don’t know where the company is but I have sent for what mail there is there for me and I am in hopes of getting it in a day or two for I wish to hear from you very much.

Give my love to Mother and the children and my respects to Wanton [Hoxie] and Mary. And tell them that I am in hopes of seeing them soon if they are ordered to keep all accounts. I thought one spell that I should get home from this hospital and begin to worry about getting work to do when I got home but this last order has set my mind at rest on that subject for I have got more ot do than what I want to do for a time at least.

I feel very uneasy about my pet on account of not hearing from her so long. But I am in hopes that you are well. I am having very good times now and shall have as long as they keep me in here for I have to do nothing but eat and sleep and get paid for it when pay day comes so I had not ought to complain. But I don’t like to be in the army and would not want to stay even if I had not a days work to do till my time was out and could have you with me all of the time for I do hate the name of the army now that the war is over worse than I did before and shall not take any comfort until I am out of it again.

I will now close with my best love to my dear little pet wife. Your affectionate husband, — Chester A. Chapman

Send me a letter and I will get it if I am sent to the company before it gets here. — Chet