Washington D.C.
May 1, 1865 - Monday

Dear Sister,

     It is raining quite hard today, so that we have to stay in our tents. It's very lonesome, so I thought I'd pass away the time in writing a few lines to you. I have written quite often to Rosa, since I left home, so I suppose you have kept posted to my whereabouts. I received your welcome letter in due time and one from Net since. I will write to her next. Well you see by the heading of the letter that we are in Washington. We are camped four miles form the capital on the railroad leading to Baltimore. We camped here last Thursday. We arrived in Washington the twenty first of April, went into camp at Tenallytown, where we staid till we came to this place. The 116^th N.Y. Regiment were camped next to us. They broke camp last night and went into the city do to guard duty at General Auger's headquarters. I presume we will be sent some place before long. Our duty is light here. We furnish forty men out of the regiment once every three days for picket duty to look out for the Booth conspirators. One was captured on the picket line Saturday night. We have been touted around considerable, since I got back to the regiment. He prospects now are that we will not do any more fighting. Some think we will be discharged before our time is out. I don't think we will. Still, we may be at home by the 4^th of July. I hope we may. We were mustered yesterday. It is generally thought, we will get paid this month. I hope we will, it will be something new to me. I saw John Houghton the day we got to Washington. He was looking and feeling first rate. The loss of his wife did not seem to trouble him any. He is staying at the Leincklon Hospital and according to the late orders of the war department will soon be discharged. So he has managed to burn out his time without doing any fighting. There is quite a talk this morning that we will go to Baltimore in course of a week. John Allen, who kept the National Hotel at Norwich, was here Saturday night and staid all night. It seems really good to see anyone from so near home. Our time, at the longest, will soon be out and if I am permitted to return, think, I shall be satisfied to spend the rest of my life among my friends. It will be a happy day when I am honorably discharged from the military service of the United States. I received some paper and envelopes from Ell sometime ago. I had written to her before that, but have received no answer. Give my love to father, mother, sisters and all. You girls must not let mother work to hard. She is getting old and has done her share of hard work. I wish circumstances were such that father and mother need not be obliged to do a bit of hard work. They have both done their share. Oh how I wish I were able to take care of them, so they may enjoy themselves for the remainder of their life. If my life is spared, I may yet be able to do something towards making them comfortable and happy in their last days. My health is very good, never better, except that I am getting stiff and growing old. I cannot endure as much hardship as I could once. I am very glad Rosa has such a comfortable place to live and am in hopes that before to many months shall pass I shall be with her again. Well, this is not much of a letter, but then it maybe an apology for one. Remember me to all friends and write soon. Hoping that I again maybe permitted to return to my family and friends, I remain your affectionate and loving brother.

S. S. Dunton