Camp near Richmond, Va.

May 9th 1865

Dear Parents;

I take this opportunity to write you a few lines from the famous city of Richmond. It was just two years ago today since I paid a visit to this famous town, but as the 20th corps will pass in review through the city I expect to walk in a different style than on the occasion of my last visit.

General Shermans army left Raleigh for Richmond on the 30th of April, The corps traveling on a different route. The 20th corps camped about 3 miles from Richmond yesterday at noon. We were 9 days on the march and traveled 200 miles by the route we came.

The army is to pass through Richmond and the march to Washington is to be mustered out I suppose. When I wrote my last letter we had just heard that General Johnson had surrendered to General Sherman and that they piece had been declared but we didn't hear what the terms of the peace were or anything about it.

On the 24th of April we heard that General Grant was in Raleigh, and the next day the 20th Corps started out after old Johnson. We went out of Raleigh about 10 miles and camped for the night. We lay there all the next day. The next day we started back towards Raleigh. We heard when we got back that old Johnson had given up for certain.

On Sunday the 30th we started for Richmond. I saw a N Y Herald of the 24th which gave an account of the negotiations between Sherman and Johnston. It is rather hard to believe that as smart a general as Sherman would give such terms to the Rebel Leaders especially when we had them completely whipped. The isn't a hundred men in this entire army who would be willing to give them such terms. General Sherman can't be beat as a general but I think he got a little out of line when he started to act like a politician.

I suppose we are to start for Washington in a day or two, and after we get there they will muster us out as fast as possible.

I haven't seen any papers since we left Raleigh so we can only suppose about what is going to be done. I received your letter of the 18th just before we left Raleigh. We expect some mail tomorrow.