George W. Johnson, Jr.:

A Union Letter

 

This letter was written by George W. Johnson, Jr. to his brother, on May 20, 1865. He was a member of 4th Delaware Volunteer Infantry.

Submitted by Ken Deats

 

Camp of the 4th Delaware Vols
Arlington Hights, VA
May 20, 1865

Dear Brother

Yours of the 31st of March came to hand yesterday after being on the road nearly two months, but you must not think I waited to get a letter from you before writing to you. The reason of my not writing to you was I have forgotten the number of your Brigade and Division and I am going to trust this by directing to the Regiment. Arlington Hights are on the Virginia side of the Potomac opposite Washington. We marched here from Appomattox Court House (the place of Lee's surrender). We camped about two weeks at Burkesville (the junction of the Petersburg and Lynchburg, and Richmond & Danville Railroads). We marched from there direct by the way of Petersburg, Richmond, Bowling Green, and Fredericksburg.

I suppose you will read in the papers that there is to be a review of the Army of the Potomac and Sherman's Army on the 23rd & 24th insts (?). We expect then to be mustered out in a day or so. I guess as Ned is a recruit he will not get out for some time yet, but now the fighting is over all the troops that stay in the service will have good times. I think all the recruits will be mustered out in a month or so. By letters from home, I see that you and Wes Eckles were together at Winchester.  I suppose you didn't get to stay long together.  I hear that Wes is in Washington. I haven't seen him yet; we had a review coming through Richmond and were marched past Libby Prison, Castle Thunder, the State House, & Lee and Davis Houses, etc.

I suppose you are pretty well acquainted with all the incidents connected with the Campaign and there is no use of my relating them here.

I intended to have gone to see you before going home if you  had stayed at Cumberland, but as you have moved, I will wait and see where you are going to be located, for I hear that the Government is going to retain the Veterans; after being in Service 2 years and 9 months I have only climbed the Ladder of Fame high enough to be an Orderly Sergeant which I have the honor to be now. I suppose to become famous I shall have to do something like Booth the assassion; the last letter I had from home they were all well. Ned received a letter from you (in my care) at Richmond. Slim Eckles is not well yet. Ben Bogia send his respects to you. Ned sends his love to you to which I add my own and I will close by signing myself your affectionate brother,

George

PS You can direct in about a week  to

Geo W. Johnson, Jr.
Elkton,
Cecil County, Md

May 21st: I didn't get this in the mail yesterday; there is nothing new. I am going to commence making out our muster-out rolls tomorrow.