Chapman, 29 April 1865

At Gen. Hospital near Point of Rocks, Virginia
April 29th 1865

Dear Wife,

I received your kind letter and that from Wanton [Hoxie] and I am much pleased to hear that you are getting better. I had much rather hear of your getting well than to get my discharge from the army. You must stay at Mary’s till you get well for I know that Want[on] wants you to stay and I wish for you to stay so that the doctor can take care of my pet. I am quite well and only stay here now to recruit my strength and I expect to go to the company in a day or two.

Our regiment is taking up the Rebels guns so I suppose we shall have hard work to do fora month or so yet before we get discharged. But there is no more fighting to do for the war is at an end and we shall all be discharged inside of a year. Tell Wanton that I shall write to him as soon as I get fat for I am quite lean now. I don’t want to come home now till I can come for good but it may be a year yet though I shall hope for the best.

I want you to send me that box as soon as you get strong and if you only send me that watch and cake. I don’t know where you got the idea of my being Orderly [Sergeant] for I would not hold that office as I get the same pay and have not half of the work to do as I am and if I am not a private before I am orderly, then I’ll kick the [ ].

I will now finish this hoping that it will find my pet still gaining health and strength. You said in one of your letters that I had a poor wife but that I had a poorer one now. I want you to understand that I love her and will continue to do so if she gets blind, speechless, deaf, and deformed in all kind of shape. Give my lasting respects to Wanton and Mary for their kindness to you, my pet, for I shall remember it and think of it if they are ever in trouble and will do what I can for them.

Give my love to all of our folks. Write soon, my pet, for I do love to get such letters where you say that you are getting well. I will now close for I may tire, my pet. I can’t write very often till I get back to camp for they have got my knapsack in the store house and I can’t get it till I start for the company and my stamp is in it.

Goodnight, my pet. From your loving husband, — Chet